Dave’s Movie Diary

I revisit Clerks II (2006), a sequel that feels just as much like a time capsule of the mid-2000s as it does a return to Kevin Smith’s most famous characters. What once felt like a hilarious follow-up now plays as a film about growing up, resisting change and trying to recapture a moment that’s already passed. Along the way, I revisit the unforgettable Star Wars versus Lord of the Rings debate, Ro...

I revisit Abbas Kiarostami’s The Wind Will Carry Us (1999), a quiet, beautifully observed film that finds meaning in everyday conversations, routine and the rhythms of village life. What begins as a simple story gradually becomes a thoughtful meditation on community, patience and the small moments that give life its richness.

I revisit Mercury Rising (1998), a late-‘90s thriller that holds up better than its reputation. Bruce Willis brings plenty of heart to the role, the supporting cast is full of familiar faces, and it’s a fascinating snapshot of the era’s government paranoia and technology. An entertaining rewatch nearly 30 years on.

I revisit Sally Potter’s Orlando (1992), a unique and fascinating film that completely confused me when I first saw it but has taken on a very different meaning decades later. Tilda Swinton is extraordinary as a character who moves through centuries of history while exploring identity, gender, love and society’s expectations. A visually stunning and thought-provoking film that challenges the viewe...

I revisit Adrian Lyne’s Jacob’s Ladder (1990), a film that has always stayed with me because it refuses to give easy answers. When I first saw it, I think I experienced it mainly as a disturbing psychological horror film — unsettling imagery, strange events, and a constant feeling that something wasn’t quite right. But coming back to it years later, what stands out isn’t the horror. It’s the grief...

I revisit Steven Spielberg’s Duel, the film that announced the arrival of one of cinema’s greatest filmmakers. What begins as a simple moment of road frustration turns into a terrifying game of cat and mouse between Dennis Weaver and an unseen truck driver. Coming back to it now, I was struck by how much of Spielberg’s future style is already here — the suspense, the ordinary person facing somethi...

I revisit The Money Movers (1978), a gritty Australian crime film that surprised me when I first discovered it on VHS as a teenager recovering from a knee injury. A lean, hard-edged story about cash security guards, corruption and betrayal, it’s also a fascinating time capsule of Australia in the late 1970s. Full of familiar faces, practical action and a world that feels very different from today....

I revisit The Score (2001), a heist thriller that brought together Robert De Niro, Edward Norton and Marlon Brando. I remembered it as an incredible crime film, but watching it again after more than 20 years, I found it works best as an entertaining showcase for three generations of great actors. De Niro’s restraint, Norton’s unpredictability and Brando’s charisma make this a fascinating rewatch.

I revisit Abbas Kiarostami’s Taste of Cherry (1997), a quiet and deeply philosophical Iranian film about life, death and the choices we make. I first saw this film around twenty years ago during a period when I was becoming fascinated by Iranian culture and world cinema. Coming back to it now, I was struck by Kiarostami’s incredible ability to find meaning in everyday conversations, landscapes and...

I revisit The Big Lebowski (1998) on Dave’s Movie Diary, the Coen Brothers’ cult classic about mistaken identity, bowling, and one very unfortunate rug. Packed with unforgettable characters, strange situations and endlessly quotable moments, it’s a film that has become a cultural phenomenon. While it doesn’t quite hit me the same way on every rewatch, there’s no denying the originality and unique...

I revisit Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985), Paul Schrader’s unique and visually stunning exploration of the life, art and contradictions of Yukio Mishima. In this episode of Dave’s Movie Diary, I discuss the film’s incredible style, its unusual structure, and why it remains one of the most fascinating biographical films I’ve seen. You can also watch and listen on YouTube, Spotify and Apple...

I revisit Tony Scott’s Crimson Tide (1995), a film I originally saw as just another submarine thriller but came to appreciate much more on rewatch. With Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington at the centre, it’s really a fascinating clash between two generations, two leadership styles, and two very different ideas about responsibility. In this episode of Dave’s Movie Diary, I look at the performances,...

I revisit Jean-Luc Godard’s Alphaville (1965), a film that fascinated me even while I wasn’t always sure what was going on. Blending film noir, science fiction and philosophy, it’s a remarkably early look at technology, logic and the loss of humanity. In this episode of Dave’s Movie Diary, I explore Godard’s unique style, the unforgettable Lemmy Caution, and why Alphaville still feels surprisingly...

I revisit Peter Weir’s Witness (1985), one of my favourite films of the 1980s and, for me, one of Harrison Ford’s finest performances. In this episode of Dave’s Movie Diary, I look back at Peter Weir’s move from Australian cinema to Hollywood, the unforgettable romance between Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis, and why this beautifully told thriller still holds up so well today. You can also watch...

A look at Sam Peckinpah’s dusty, violent Western about ageing outlaws, moral collapse, and one final blood-soaked stand. I talk cast, style, slow-motion violence, and why this feels like a turning point in cinema. Available now on Spotify, Apple Music, and Dave’s Movie Diary on YouTube.

I revisit Jim Jarmusch’s Stranger Than Paradise, a film that surprised me with how strongly it connected to memories of my own early twenties. More than a traditional plot, it’s about drifting, friendship, boredom, adventure and those strange little moments that stick with you years later. In this episode of Dave’s Movie Diary, I talk about Jarmusch’s unique style, the unforgettable characters, an...

I recently revisited Eraserhead (1977), a film I didn’t really connect with when I first tried it years ago. Watching it again now, it feels less like a story and more like an experience — pure atmosphere, anxiety, and sound. In this episode of Dave’s Movie Diary, I talk through what it felt like going back to it, how strange and immersive it still is, and where it sits in relation to Lynch’s late...

I revisit Paul Thomas Anderson’s debut feature, Hard Eight (1996), a film I remembered as being all about gambling but discovered is really about guilt, redemption and surrogate family. I also look at the wonderful performances from Philip Baker Hall, John C. Reilly, Gwyneth Paltrow and Samuel L. Jackson, and compare this understated first feature with the remarkable films PTA would make over the...

Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece still has the power to shock more than 60 years later. I revisit Psycho and talk about why it’s much more than just the famous shower scene, Anthony Perkins’ unforgettable performance, Bernard Herrmann’s iconic score, Hitchcock’s genius for suspense, and why the film completely changed cinema forever. Plus, I discuss how it holds up today and where it sits among Hitc...

A revisit of one of the great prison dramas, with Clint Eastwood giving one of his most restrained performances in a tightly directed true-story thriller from Don Siegel. I talk prison films, Eastwood’s dramatic range, why this works so well as pure storytelling, and whether this is a date film or hangover film.

This episode of Dave’s Movie Diary looks back at Caddyshack, one of those chaotic comedies that probably shouldn’t work as well as it does. From Chevy Chase and Bill Murray to Rodney Dangerfield stealing every scene he’s in, I revisit a film I grew up with and look at why its loose, anything-goes energy still makes it such a fun watch all these years later.

This episode of Dave’s Movie Diary revisits The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle — a wildly entertaining snapshot of the chaos surrounding the Sex Pistols and the late 70s punk explosion. Still funny, provocative and completely off the wall, this one brought back a lot of memories of my teenage fascination with punk music and everything it represented.

This episode of Dave’s Movie Diary takes a look at Another Woman, one of the more serious and overlooked films from Woody Allen. It’s a thoughtful film about regret, emotional distance, and looking back on the choices we make in life. Not classic Woody Allen comedy, but a mature and intelligent drama that probably hits harder the older you get. Definitely one of his quieter films, but one I apprec...

A revisit of Rosemary’s Baby after first reading Ira Levin’s brilliant original novel and comparing how closely the film follows one of horror’s most influential stories. In this episode I discuss Roman Polanski at the height of his early powers, the performances from Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes, what made the film so shocking for 1968 audiences, and whether revisiting the book immediately befo...

Revisiting Repulsion after years away — and it hit very differently this time. Polanski’s early psychological horror about isolation, breakdown and reality collapsing inside an apartment. A film that feels slow, unsettling and far more internal than I remembered, and one that raises bigger questions about perception, pressure and control than I expected.