The Sheep Detectives (2026)

In a rural English village, a shepherd (Hugh Jackman) reads murder mysteries to his flock of sheep each evening. When the shepherd is murdered by persons unknown, the flock takes it upon themselves to solve the murder! Based on the novel THREE BAGS FULL by Leonie Swann and directed by Kyle Balda (MINIONS). An absolute delight! Not only a charming mixture of live action and computer generated animation but a damn good murder mystery! It's also a contemplative rumination on death, emotions and discrimination without going all preachy on us. It's amusing (though not of the belly laugh variety) and heartfelt in just the right places. The live action cast includes Emma Thompson, Hong Chau, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon and Tosin Cole and the excellent sheep voice cast includes Julia Louis Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Patrick Stewart, Chris O'Dowd, Regina Hall, Tommy Birchall and Laraine Newman.

Foreign Affairs (1993)

A divorced, no nonsense college professor (Joanne Woodward) travels to England to do some research. Her seatmate on her flight is a talkative Oklahoman (Brian Dennehy) that gets on her nerves. When the flight arrives in London, she is glad to be rid of him. Alas, it won't be that last she sees of him. Based on the Pulitzer prize winning novel by Alison Lurie and directed by Jim O'Brien (THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN). A bittersweet romance anchored by two good performances but enough changes from the book that turn it into a sentimental tearjerker. The film is saddled with a subplot involving Woodward's young colleague's (Eric Stoltz) affair with an older TV actress (Stephanie Beacham) that seems superfluous. Unmemorable but for the two lead performances. With Ian Richardson, Robert Hands and Alex Kingston.

Le Saut De L'Ange (aka Angel's Leap) (1971)

In Bangkok, after his wife (Sophie Boudet) is mistakenly killed by a bullet intended for him, an ex-gangster (Jean Yanne) leaps back to France to exact revenge. But the mobsters who targeted him in Bangkok are waiting for him. Based on the novel by Bernard Paul Lallier and directed by Yves Boisset (LA FEMME FLIC). A taut and engaging vengeance thriller a la Francais. More complex than your routine Charles Bronson run amok revenge movie. By the movie's end, the body count is high what with characters murdered, both the guilty and the innocent, a suicide and you realize the futility of revenge. On one hand, you want Yanne to get his revenge (his wife is among several family members killed) but after all the bloodshed there are no winners. As the old adage says, an eye for an eye just ends up with everybody blind. With Sterling Hayden, Senta Berger, Raymond Pellegrin, Gordon Mitchell, Daniel Ivernel and Giancarlo Sbragia.

Speedway (1968)

A NASCAR racing driver (Elvis Presley) bails friends and acquaintances out of financial hardship. Unfortunately, his business manager (Bill Bixby) is a compulsive gambler and has mismanaged the driver's income. Enter the Internal Revenue Service in the form of an agent (Nancy Sinatra). Directed by Norman Taurog (BROADWAY MELODY OF 1940). After KID GALAHAD (1962), Presley pretty much gave up on dramatic acting and SPEEDWAY remains a typical example of the Elvis formulaic movies that followed. It's the usual mixture of pretty girls, inane comedy, a handful of songs whipped together and presto! An Elvis movie! Outside of GRAND PRIX (1966), racing movies hold no interest for me so I found the movie on the tedious side. On the plus side, the choreography by Alex Romero is lively and Presley lets his leading lady (Sinatra) do a song of her own as well as a duet with him. With Gale Gordon and William Schallert.

Signe Arsene Lupin (1959)

At the end of WWI, the gentleman thief Arsene Lupin (Robert Lamoureux) resumes his mischievous lifestyle with zeal. The theft of three paintings committed by an adversary (Yves Robert) leads him to the mysterious treasure of the Golden Fleece. Based on the character created by Maurice Leblanc in 1905 and directed by Yves Robert (THE TALL BLOND MAN WITH ONE BLACK SHOE). One of the lesser adventures of Arsene Lupin hampered by some miscasting. Gentleman thieves are still criminals and in order to win the audiences over they need charm (think Ronald Colman in RAFFLES or David Niven in THE PINK PANTHER) or else a strong star presence (Steve McQueen in THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR). Alas, Lamoureux has neither. In fact, Lamoureux comes across as smug and annoying. The contrived plot is overly complicated and there's nothing really to hold our interest. A disappointment. With Alida Valli, Jacques Dufilho and Roger Dumas.

Tish (1942)

A bossy, hard headed old maid (Marjorie Main) tends to stick her opinions and nose where it's not wanted. When she decides to break up her nephew's (Lee Bowman) engagement to a girl (Virginia Grey) she doesn't like and push him into the arms of another girl (Susan Peters), things don't go as planned. Based on a short story by Mary Roberts Rinehart and directed by S. Sylvan Simon (THE FULLER BRUSH MAN). Marjorie Main was a character actress and rarely starred in a film of her own (that would change with the Ma and Pa Kettle movies). TISH is one of the rare films all her own, it's even named after her character. This one is fitfully amusing and Main's bossy old maid is assisted by two spinster friends (Zasu Pitts, Aline MacMahon) who provide contrast (Pitts is ditsy, MacMahon is acidic) to contrast with Main's cantankerous virago. The movie takes a dark turn when a major character tragically dies. The film was a hit and I'm surprised that MGM didn't try to make a Tish series similar to the Maisie series. With Guy Kibbee and Richard Quine, who would quit acting to direct movies (BELL, BOOK AND CANDLE).

Lilly Turner (1933)

A hard luck dame (Ruth Chatterton) has a terrible habit of falling for the wrong men. After her abusive bigamist husband (Gordon Westcott) abandons her when she's pregnant, she marries an alcoholic carnival barker (Frank McHugh). But when a psychotic muscle man (Robert Barrat) develops an obsession with her and a genuine, gentle man (George Brent) enters her life she attempts to control her own destiny. Based on the play by Philip Dunning and George Abbott and directed by William A. Wellman (THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY). An odd pre code racy melodrama. I like Ruth Chatterton but she seems rather matronly (she was 41 at the time) to have so many men hot for her. I couldn't help but think how Barbara Stanwyck (26 at the time the movie was made) or Joan Crawford (29 at the time) would have been better cast. That aside, Wellman gives the film an appropriate sordid atmosphere that gives it some authenticity. At a brief running time of one hour and five minutes, it's quite watchable. Three years later when the production code administration was in effect, Warners attempted to reissue the film but the PCA denied them a certificate. With Marjorie Gateson and Ruth Donnelly.

Tall In The Saddle (1944)

A cowboy (John Wayne) arrives in the western town of Santa Inez to work as a foreman for the K.C. ranch. But he finds out that the owner of the ranch was murdered and the ranch inherited by his grandniece (Audrey Long). But there's a lot more to the mysterious cowboy than he's letting on. Based on the novel by Gordon Ray Young and directed by Edwin L. Marin (NOCTURNE). A minor entry in the John Wayne western canon but a solid one. It works as both a western and a mystery. When it comes to leading ladies, Wayne always worked better with a strong actress and here the underrated Ella Raines is a match for him. There are enough shootouts, chases and fist fights to satisfy the western fans but the movie is a bit more than that and should appeal to moviegoers who aren't particularly interested in westerns. Audiences liked it enough to make it a hit. With the annoying Gabby Hayes, Ward Bond, Elisabeth Risdon, Frank Puglia and Don Douglas.

Manon Des Sources (aka Manon Of The Spring) (1986)

Ten years after her father's death, Manon (Emmanuelle Beart) has no idea that her neighbor (Yves Montand) cheated her out of her father's land. But when she discovers that he and his nephew (Daniel Auteuil) were directly responsible for her father's death,  she goes after them with a vengeance. Based on the novel THE WATER OF THE HILLS by Marcel Pagnol (an adaptation of his 1952 film MANON DES SOURCES) and directed by Claude Berri (THE TWO OF US). Not a sequel but the second part of Berri's JEAN DE FLORETTE (they were shot back to back) which had been released three months earlier. Not only a satisfying conclusion to the tale but I think I liked it a tad more. Stunningly shot by Bruno Nuytten (BRUBAKER), it's a satisfying conclusion to a tale of deceit, betrayal and revenge. It allows us to eventually have empathy for Auteuil's bumbling hick and even Montand's destructive patriarch, both of whom we detested in JEAN DE FLORETTE. With Hippolyte Girardot and Yvonne Gamy.

11 Harrowhouse (1974)

With the help of a wealthy playgirl (Candice Bergen) and an angry employee (James Mason), a small time diamond merchant (Charles Grodin) attempts a daring robbery of the world's largest clearinghouse for diamonds. Based on the novel by Gerald A. Browne and directed by Aram Avakian (END OF THE ROAD). I'm partial to a good heist film but this one is a mess. It's supposed to be a heist comedy/thriller but there are no laughs and no tension. Everything seems so haphazard (reputedly the movie had many rewrites) and unfocused and Avakian never directed another movie. Clearly, he was the wrong director for a movie like this. As the film's leading man, Grodin is also a problem. He was never leading man material and this movie shows why. He doesn't have a strong screen presence, he's rather unpleasant in fact. Not to mention the most tedious and endless car chase that brings the movie to its near close. Only James Mason manages not to embarrass himself. With Trevor Howard, John Gielgud, Helen Cherry and Peter Vaughan.

Beauty For The Asking (1939)

Manhattan society is shocked by the news that a millionairess (Frieda Inescort) has abruptly married an unknown salesman (Patric Knowles). But not as shocked as the manicurist (Lucille Ball), who's engaged to him. Directed by Glenn Tryon (GEORGE WHITE'S SCANDALS). A surprisingly enjoyable programmer with a strong performance by Lucille Ball as a jilted woman who gets her revenge by starting up her own cosmetics company and becoming a wealthy businesswoman. As the cad who jilts his fiancee to marry for money, Patric Knowles isn't good enough for either woman. It's also refreshing to see Ball become a successful businesswoman in a man's world and doesn't give up her career to satisfy a man's ego (which was typical of the era) and she still gets the man in the end. With Donald Woods, Inez Courtney and Leona Maricle.

The Atomic Submarine (1959)

An alien invasion begins when an unidentified submerged object attacks international ships for no reason. A U.S. nuclear submarine is ordered to hunt down the mysterious underwater saucer and destroy it. Directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet (KING OF THE CONGO). A low budget piece of science fiction pulp shot in six days (and it shows it). With a cliched script, wooden acting and preposterous plot, it should be more B movie fun than it is but it's not. The special effects are subpar what with obvious stock footage and toy submarines floating through a fish tank, it's not even kitsch. There's a minor (very minor) attempt at something deeper with the submarine's lieutenant commander (Arthur Franz), a militarist and a pacifist doctor (Brett Halsey) debating the merits of war versus peace but it's superficial. With Dick Foran, Tom Conway and Joi Lansing.