What a well structured, tightly told film! It’s the political thriller at it’s best – ramping up the stakes and exploring corruption in a really compelling way. Al Pacino is at his best in the title role, but the entire supporting cast delivers too. It’s a strong film that feels in a lot of ways more timely than ever. ACAB. 8/10.

I actually watched this film while I was in uni for a unit on pop music in cinema, and I enjoyed it back then, and I enjoyed it on this re-watch too. There’s such a fun, ‘one night only’ energy to the thing, and the way that the storylines come to a head and meander and pivot are generally well written, well paced and well acted. It’s a really enjoyable film, and one of George Lucas’ better endeavours. 7.5/10.

I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect of this film, but honestly, I fell in love with it. It hit a lot of my buttons in terms of created family, road trips, and crime, and the ebb and flow between the characters is pretty tonally pretty perfect. It’s only bolstered by great performances, a solid script and some really beautiful cinematography. It’s one of the best films I’ve watched for this project in a while. 8.5/10.

Funnily enough for a movie that feels so embedded in our cultural canon, this wasn’t what I expected at all. I was really expecting something pretty saccharine, but instead this movie has real teeth. It asks a lot of questions about what must be sacrificed for passion and conviction, and what it means to have neither. Barbara Streisand is terrific in the leading role, and Robert Redford really owns the quieter, less spirited role in a way where you feel his exhaustion (even if you don’t agree with it). It’s a compelling film that captures a relationship between two people who were never going to have a happy ending, and it does it really well. 7.5/10.

Another day, another Oscar-nominated Christian history story. This is an okay movie, bolstered really by some lovely cinematography and a decent score. The performance of Graham Faulkner in the lead role is wooden at best, and the screenplay is, well, exactly what you’d expect. Still! I’d rate it over Jesus Christ Superstar. 5/10. 

I love a good escape film, and this really is a great one! Dramatic, tense, with excellently, richly depicted relationships, not just with others, but the self. It makes for not just a thrilling film, but one that’s introspective and character-driven. It’s not a perfect film, I think, but it really is a good one. 8/10.

I’m finding the 70s really hit or miss in terms of tone and pacing. It just seems like a real mismatch of cinema after the golden age of the 40s and the more experimental years of the 60s. In that sense, The Last Detail though is one of the films I think that gets it right. It’s languid without being slow, and a character study without feeling too heavy-handed. Instead it captures three men at a moment in time, with a strong, ticking-clock narrative and some really well-harnessed beats. It’s a really solid, enjoyable film. 7.5/10.

I wasn’t really sold on the premise of this, but I actually really enjoyed the film. Jack Lemmon is always charming, but the film overall captures the themes of disillusionment, loss and delayed trauma in a pretty affecting way. It’s not a perfect film by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s one that feels honest and earnest in it’s intent, and the good performances and loping pace elevate it overall. 7/10.