Strangers on a Train

  And this week's Friday night movie has been... Strangers on a Train!

Original image located here. Accessed 8th May 2026

Once again, we take a look at the oeuvre of one Alfred Hitchcock. 
It can't be denied that Hitchcock produced a body of work that is both large and impressive. Problem is, some of his lesser-known movies end up lost in the shadow of the more well-known ones. Which brings me to Strangers on a Train. It may not have the name recognition as Psycho or The Birds but it is one that I've been wanting to see for years. Why? Apparently there's a climax which is a chase scene on a Merry-Go-Round - one that The Master himself said was the most dangerous sequence he ever had to shoot. 

Like Hitchcock's other movies, this has the usual building of suspense - which is not surprising given this is from the Master of Suspense - so has this one has something of it's own to say? Yes indeed: There are some impressive sequences involving shadows and night time that look unique. There are some truly stunning examples of dread which stand out decades later. 
Also of note is just how this movie had the balls to have a clearly gay relationship with it's hero and villain - and in the early 1950s no less. Sure The Master did the same thing with the earlier Rope but this is more obvious. Which makes me wonder how they got away with it at the time. 
And as for the promised climax? I was not disappointed. Certainly gripping and staggering considering that this was done in the early 1950s. 

All in all, this may not be well-known when compared to Hitchcock's more well-known movies but this is still capable of standing on it's own two feet. 

One Battle After Another

And this week's Friday night movie has been... One Battle After Another!

Original image located here. Accessed 17th April 2026

Best Picture Oscar winner no.: 98 (2025) 

It's the latest addition to the line of Academy Awards for Best Picture so how does this one stack up against it's brethren? 

In recent years I have heard some movies made before 1990s being reassessed through having some dated portions & mindsets and subsequently being explained away as being 'products of their time'. This in turn makes me wonder if a similar fate awaits the movies being made in the past decade. I say this as this movie is very much a product of this current time with it's themes: people rising up in violent protest, old white dudes being villainised, people of colour taking aggressive stances and ordinary folk being pushed around by military forces.

But that's only in the first portion of the movie. Because partway through the movie it changes gears and the rest of the runtime is dedicated into being an abduction thriller. And that's where One Battle After Another really shines, being tense and exciting. 
So would that make the first portion something of a Trojan horse? Perhaps but I am impressed that the Academy had the balls to give this the top award. I suppose that is an indication of where the Academy may be heading with the voting process: Changing the rules, challenging formula and adapting to fit the times. And if that means seeing a whole lot of unconventional Best Picture winners then hey, I'm all for it.

The Revenge Artist

  And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Revenge Artist (M.F.A.)!

Original image located here. Accessed 19th September 2025

I may have said some less than favourable things about Promising Young Woman but if it wasn't for that movie, I wouldn't have heard about this one: Some have claimed that this 2017 movie addressed the same themes as Promising Young Woman and did it better. Sounds like a challenge to me: I'm in!

Of course getting a hold of this movie was one thing, sitting down and watching it was another. I will admit that the similarities to Promising Young Woman are evident but this comes across as the cheaper and nastier cousin.
And that is the strength of this movie: It's honest. It is uncomfortable, it doesn't shy away from the SA scenes, it addresses the effects of SA, it calls out ignorance and inaction, and it is focused. It also helps it has a compelling lead in Francesca Eastwood, who clearly takes after her dad. 

It wasn't an easy watch but it certainly was compelling. 

Vertigo

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... Vertigo!

Original image located here. Accessed 22nd August 2025

Here we go: One of Alfred Hitchcock's best known films - one in a filmography that is chock-full of them. Certainly I knew the name and I knew that the film was remade for a Faith No More video so let's take a look....

I find a lot to admire in this movie. There's some great visual tricks, there's some fantastic location footage that shows off San Francisco, the themes of obsession are handled well, Hitchcock's skill with suspense is in fine form and Bernard Hermann's score emerges as the MVP. 

However, as I watch this movie I can't help but think that of Hitchcock himself. For in recent years, Hitchcock has fallen out of favour as it has been made clear that he exhibited some questionable behaviour: Being nasty to actors and obsessing over the image of a particular blonde. As such, I can't help but think that Vertigo is The Master at his most confessional. After all, the title is Vertigo and it's funny how all sense of acrophobia disappears for a sizable chunk of the movie. 

So not bad but compared to to other Hitchcock movies I've seen this one did feel somewhat cold. 

Straw Dogs

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... Straw Dogs!

Original image located here. Accessed 8th August 2025

This is another stab at the oeuvre of director Sam Peckinpah. I have had previous experiences with this guy and I admired his work - so lets go with his most controversial film: This British-made film that has been labelled as violent and misogynistic.
Looks like this will be a fun time.

Much has been written about this movie and what it was trying to get across: It's a fish-out-of-water story about a couple entering in a foreign environment. It is the clash between tradition and liberalism. It is both misogynistic and a criticism of misogynism. It is the story of a quiet, civilised man stepping up and becoming a violent monster. 
Valid criticisms to be sure but my main takeaway from this movie is just how soulless it is. It is just so dull and lifeless that watching it became a chore. Matters aren't helped with the nasty moments are difficult to sit through (granted that may be the point) and there is no catharsis whatsoever by the end. 

Am I missing something here? Sure fifty-plus years may have lessened the shock value it originally had - especially considering that many film-makers may have actively tried to top it since - but I know for a fact that Peckinpah can do better than this. 

Rope

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Rope!

Original image located here. Accessed 27th June 2025

Well seeing as it's pride month....

It is an interesting thing with approaching Alfred Hitchcock's filmography: he produced so many movies and a large of them have gone down as classics that it is difficult to pick between them. And as such, a number of his films can slip through the cracks. 
It seems to me that this title is one such movie: Well regarded but nowhere near the likes of Psycho or The Birds. Still should be worth a look...

Maybe it's just me it seems this movies reputation, at least from modern audiences, lies in the fact that the two murderers here are clearly a gay couple. Certainly daring for the time (1948) but that does overshadow the technical achievements of the movie: Its constructed out of ten minute takes. It is impressive that it was done, that Hitchcock had the gall to do it and it suits the story's origins as a stage play well. 
At the end of the day though this was an experiment and whether or not Hitchcock succeeded is up to debate (one could make the argument that the homosexual overtones were far more interesting). Still, this is compelling and it's fun to see The Master branch out and try something different.

Rebecca

    And this week's Friday night movie has been... Rebecca!

Original image located here. Accessed 2nd February 2024

Best Picture Oscar winner no.: 13 (1940)

To say that Alfred Hitchcock was one of the greatest filmmakers ever lived is a statement that goes without question. However such status doesn't necessarily translate into Oscar success. Hitchcock never won the Oscar for Best Director and only one of his films got the top award. 
And this is it.

I've seen several Hitchcock movies so I am well aware of what to expect. And this one delivers: Excellent cast, moody imagery, suspense, creeping paranoia, shadows and a gothic setting all round. 
Mind you, this is quite a ballsy choice for Best Picture winner: Thrillers/horror movies never really do well, let alone one with a lesbian subtext. But given the source material, accompanied by a master director and producer who knew what he was doing makes for an unstoppable force.

Roadgames

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Roadgames!

Original image located here. Accessed 14th October 2022

From one Australian horror movie to another. This was made in 1981 and tells the story of a truck driver being put through the wringer by a potential serial killer. However it should be noted that this has been noted as a favorite by one Quentin Tarantino.

Thing is, I don't feel this is really that much of a horror movie. Sure it relies on the Australian landscape as hostile (much like Long Weekend) and barren, and sure there are some jump scare moments and sure there is a building of tension to rival that of a Hitchcock flick. But I feel this is more a character study: Our protagonist is constantly fighting not just against the driver menacing him but also his paranoia and somewhat fragile mental state. I suppose it is impressive that this film can stand up as something that took the lessons imparted by Hitchcock but somehow this seems more dull then frightening.
Maybe next week I'll try something with a bit more bite...

Argo

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Argo!

Original image located here. Accessed 15th January 2021

Maybe it's just me but it would appear that interest in this movie has dropped off completely. What was once a critical darling and a Best Picture winner at the Oscars is now a movie that has slipped through the cracks - Perhaps it is indeed telling that I would get this at the Salvos for $3. Is this what happens when you make a movie based on historical facts but neglect to mention some crucial details?

Still, this movie sets itself out to be a tense thriller and to that end it succeeds. Sure it may play like any caper movie, what with the planning process and the carrying out of the act itself, but I really enjoy caper movies and this one certainly delivers. I don't know Ben Affleck for his directorial ability but I must say: When he hits he can clearly knock it out of the park.

Lady From Shanghai

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Lady From Shanghai!

Original image located here. Accessed 18th December 2020

Once again I am watching a movie from the pre-New-Hollywood era: in this case, from 1947. Nothing wrong with that - but in this case, I have been wanting to see this because there's a story attached.

You see apparently, this movie originally ran for three hours but the director, Orson Welles, was forced to cut it down to half that running time. The missing portion has since been lost to time and the movie has suffered for it.

With this in mind, watching The Lady From Shanghai is an odd experience. The narration is strongly placed, the flow is jarring and there are moments that may have required additional scenes. Welles have been attempting to do something different with film noir - admirable seeing as he was working with the limitations of what he had - but he doesn't quite pull it off successfully. Still it has it's moments: Not least of which is the final showdown in a hall of mirrors (oft-imitated but never bettered).

Knives Out

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Knives Out!

Original image located here. Accessed 3rd July 2020

Man, hasn't this movie been proving itself to be something of a critical darling. I however noticed the name of writer/director Rian Johnson: the guy who gave us the Last Jedi and has thus been something of a polarizing figure in the Star Wars community. So the question here is can he do something with his own material?

Apparently he can. This is a murder mystery, worthy of Agatha Christie, but with some interesting twists on the tried-and-tested formula. Although it may not be immediately apparent at first, this is indeed compelling to watch and, as with any murder mystery, the clues are all there and there's no cop-out. Plus, the twist are enough to keep this movie standing on it's own two feet
Plus, this movie has a Southern James Bond and a Jerk Captain America - which should be the price of admission alone.

The Hunter

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Hunter!

Original image located here. Accessed 19th June 2020

I remember this movie being a big deal at the time (2011). This was due to it being shot entirely in Tasmania and featuring a major star in the form of Willem Defoe. So it is perhaps my patriotic duty to take a look at this.

It may be slow and, at times, aimless but there is still a lot going for this movie. Firstly, is the star where Defoe, giving a superb performance with the weight of the movie resting entirely on his shoulders. Secondly, is the Tasmanian wilderness, the true MVP, being recognizable, threatening, and being the greatest tourism ad for the Apple isle ever made, all at once. And thirdly is the musings on the human relationship with endangered species, in all it's forms, which all come to a head in the final, gut-punching, fifteen minutes.
It may be forgotten now but it's a great movie and worth a look.

The Talented Mr Ripley

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Talented Mr Ripley!

Original image located here. Accessed 20th March 2020

Once again, this is another case of a movie I've been meaning to see for some time. But I finally come around to it for three reasons.
Firstly, I recall when this movie originally came out and left a lot of people baffled as to what to make of it - least not my parents who thought it was some sort of inspirational/life-affirming movie (and I can imagine they weren't the only ones). Yet once again, the distance of time builds a perfect platform to assess this movie on it's own merits.
>Secondly, I have seen the stage version of this with the titular role being played by a good friend of mine.
And thirdly, further interest was generated with the connection this movie has to The Room.

Perhaps it is just as well that I approaching this movie with an independent mindset because this is, ultimately, an odd movie - both for it's time and over twenty years later. As a psychological thriller it works well, assisted by some truly stunning imagery of Italy. But at it's core, this movie is a character study, one of a person who is a con-artist and commits some horrible acts but, at the end, still comes out as sympathetic. And the confusion surrounding Tom Ripley, assisted by Matt Damon's performance, makes him a compelling character to be sure. So in the end. if this movie is making me feel for a guy I have no right to, then it must've done something right.
What concerns me though is that we have a guy trying to belong but is greeted with condescension. Which makes me wonder how many 'people who shout at other people on the internet' would find such a scenario familiar....

The Invisible Man

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Invisible Man!

Original image located here. Accessed 28th February 2020

The gf chose this one
Now this is not the first time I have seen a movie with Kiera - that honor goes to Little Women. Thing is, i chose that one - which means that I went for the 'chick flick' movie while Kiera selected a psychological thriller. Go fig.

Anyho, I noticed that the director of this movie is Leigh Whannell. In recent years, he may have made a name for himself through the Saw franchise but to me, Whannell will forever be the movie critic on Recovery. I mention this because, if this movie is anything to go by, he knows his stuff: he knows how to craft suspense, how to build tension from nothing (ie blank walls) and how to build a connection with the audience that leaves them (ie me) drained by the end of it.
That being said, there certainly a lot going for this movie. It has scares, unbelievable tension and Elizabeth Moss giving it her all. Recommended

Deliverance

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Deliverance!

Original image located here. Accessed 23rd November 2018

Well that was enough to put me off going through the wilderness again.
But that, of course, was precisely the point.

It may look like an action movie but it's not: Its more of a thriller and, quite frankly, all the better for it. Packed with both suspense and a threatening mood which neither let up for a second, what i got the most out of this was a critical eye cast towards action/macho movies. And that is surely something that should be standout over 'squealing like a pig'
Also R.I.P Burt Reynolds.

Hunt for the Red October

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Hunt for the Red October!

Original image located here. Accessed 6th October 2017

It's been said that this movie is the last of the Cold War thrillers - largely because this came out the same year that the Cold War...y'know.....ended. So yes it's a given that this movie is a product of it's time but does it hold up nearly three decades later?

Actually yes. It's gripping, it's suspenseful and Connery is as a commanding presence as ever (even if his accent is puzzling - but then again all the Russian accents in this movie are all over the place). Sam Neill is also awesome in this but then again he's always awesome.
But the real MVP goes to the soundtrack: It's nothing short of epic. In fact, next time i charge into battle in some RPG, i want a full Russian choir going with me every step of the way XD

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)!

Original image located here. Accessed 29th September 2017

As promised last week, I am tackling the remake Hitchcock did of his own movie. Funny thing is, I have found some cinephiles find the remake the superior of the two. Indeed, i found it quite telling that the remake was easier to find whilst the original required some effort to track down.

As for the movie itself, well, it some areas it is superior to the original: The pacing is more natural and less abrupt. There are less characters so more time is devoted to seeing them develop. The movie is more engaging and less dull. And there is certainly a sense that Hitchcock is in fair greater control on his second attempt.

However, not all is good news: The villains are boring and the climax was better handled in the original.
Still, Hitchcock did what he set out to do and he wanted to improve on his original. And to that end he succeeded. Now if other remake-obsessed film producers would take notice....

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)!

Original image located here. Accessed 22nd September 2017

Whenever someone brings up to the topic of remakes I always think of this movie. For you see, this was a movie made by Alfred Hitchcock when he was living in the UK. Then, in 1956 when he'd moved to Hollywood, Hitchcock remade his own movie. And why did he do it? Well, he thought he could've done a better job the second time around.

I will eventually watch the remake but for now, what did I take away from the original? Well, to be honest I found it kinda dull. I could write this down as the movie showing it's age but somehow it just didn't engage me.

That's not to say it wasn't without highlights namely Peter Lorre stealing the show, the fight scene in the chapel and the concert scene proving Hitchcock's status as The Master of Suspense is well earned.
That's my take on the original but how will the remake turn out? Tune in next week....

Rambo: First Blood

And this weeks Friday night movie has been....Rambo: First Blood!

Original image located here. Accessed 5th August 2016

Growing up in the eighties it always seemed that Rambo was a character synonymous with big/dumb action movies. So it is indeed a shock to see this first movie in this series as not being the case. Its not about a big dumb action hero, its about a Vietnam veteran suffering from PTSD.

So if we move away from the mask of an action movie, there's a lot going for Rambo: First Blood. There's some great use of suspense, it works really well as a thriller movie and Rambo's final breakdown could well be Stallone's finest acting ever. So yeah, I found the first Rambo movie a gripping one - although I doubt I'd bother with the sequels.