Dave’s Movie Diary

A film I’d tried to watch twice before but never got past the first 10 or 15 minutes. This time I stuck with it and found a lot to enjoy, especially Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson, who is much better suited to this role than some of his other films I’ve recently revisited. It’s very much a product of its time, with plenty of 70s excess, some great performances and some fantastic moments,...

I revisit David Mamet’s House of Games , a clever and fascinating film about confidence men, manipulation and the art of the con. I love movies like this, and the screenplay, twists, Joe Mantegna’s performance and mysterious score all really worked for me. The one thing I struggled with was Lindsay Crouse’s performance, which I found unusually stiff and emotionally detached. But despite that, Hous...

A brilliantly chaotic 24 hours that captures the energy, recklessness and sheer fun of being young in the late 90s — and it still moves like a rocket.

I revisit American Honey , a film I already loved, and found even more to appreciate this time around. Andrea Arnold’s direction, Sasha Lane’s fantastic performance and the incredibly natural ensemble make it feel like you’re simply travelling around America with these young people. What really got me this time was how different their lives are from mine now. They live completely in the moment, wh...

I revisit a film that was a big deal for me when I was 17 or 18 and getting heavily into the Sex Pistols and punk. I was fascinated by the film and blown away by Gary Oldman’s performance. Watching it again more than 35 years later, I still think it’s a very good film, but I see it very differently now. The drugs, addiction and self-destruction are much harder to watch, and I find myself seeing th...

I revisit Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, a film I saw more than 20 years ago and remembered as a murky, confusing mess. This time around I found a beautifully shot and atmospheric western, with fantastic landscapes, a great supporting cast, James Coburn’s excellent performance and Bob Dylan’s music perfectly suited to the film. My biggest problem is Kris Kristofferson as Billy the Kid. He’s so lai...

I revisit Bruce Beresford’s Don’s Party (1976), a wild and very funny snapshot of Australian life that takes place on election night in 1969. It’s a film about politics, drinking, sex, relationships and a party that gradually spirals out of control. I watched it with Mum and Dad, and their reaction became one of the most enjoyable parts of the experience. They recognised the fashions, attitudes an...

I revisit Fletch (1985), a film I’ve probably seen 20 times and still consider one of the funniest comedies of the 1980s. Chevy Chase is at the height of his powers here, and his comic timing, confidence and endless stream of ridiculous aliases and impersonations still make me laugh. I look back at some of the film’s funniest moments, including Gordon Liddy, Dr Rosen, Don Corleone, Harry S. Truman...

I revisit Paul Schrader’s The Card Counter , a film I’d only seen once before but remembered really liking. This time around, I found myself thinking much more about William Tell, his need for control, the guilt he carries and whether you can really build a normal life without dealing with your past. Oscar Isaac is fantastic in a very controlled performance, and I loved the atmosphere, the music a...

A revisit to Christopher Nolan’s first feature film, Following — a low-budget black-and-white thriller that already contains many of the ideas he would explore throughout his career. I look at Nolan’s fascination with time, identity and perception, the film’s clever structure, the brilliant final reveal, and whether the early signs of one of modern cinema’s most discussed filmmakers were already t...

A CIA conspiracy thriller starring Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway, Three Days of the Condor captures the paranoia of 1970s America. I revisit a film that always had a huge reputation for me, but one that I found more entertaining than unforgettable. Great performances, strong suspense and a fascinating snapshot of a time when conspiracy films were everywhere.

I revisit Peter Greenaway’s The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover , a film I first saw when I was about 17 and one I’ve never forgotten. It was rated R, so I couldn’t hire it myself, which only added to the feeling that I was watching something forbidden. Back then, I was stunned by the sheer audacity of it. Watching it again 35 years later, I still love the outrageousness, but I now appreciat...

I revisit Robert Aldrich’s The Dirty Dozen , a film that has always been regarded as a classic and one that I mostly knew through my dad’s memories of it. Watching it properly for the first time (or at least the first time I could remember), I was surprised by how much fun it is. Lee Marvin is perfectly cast as the tough-as-nails Major Reisman, while John Cassavetes steals scenes as the rebellious...

The Duellists was Ridley Scott’s first feature film, but it already shows the visual confidence that would define his career. I revisit this Napoleonic-era drama starring Keith Carradine and Harvey Keitel, a story about honour, obsession and a feud that consumes two men for nearly twenty years. A film I remembered more for its connection to Barry Lyndon than its own identity surprised me on rewatc...

I revisit Spike Lee’s debut feature She’s Gotta Have It (1986), a film I hadn’t seen since the 1990s. Coming back to it nearly 40 years later, I found myself admiring it more than actually enjoying it. You can already see the filmmaker Spike Lee would become, with his confidence, originality and willingness to tackle race, relationships and strong female characters. While the black-and-white cinem...

I revisit Olivier Assayas’ Irma Vep (1996), a film about filmmaking, creativity, ego and the changing world of cinema. I first saw it in the 1990s and found it interesting but couldn’t fully connect with it. Coming back to it nearly 30 years later, I appreciated much more of what Assayas was trying to do, even if some of the conversation about French cinema still felt just outside my understanding...

I revisit Francis Ford Coppola’s One from the Heart (1982), a film I first saw more than 25 years ago and didn’t connect with at all. Coming back to it now, with a much greater understanding of Coppola, American Zoetrope, and the enormous ambition behind the project, I wanted to see whether time and perspective would change my opinion. The film is visually extraordinary, with incredible production...

In this episode I revisit At Close Range (1986), James Foley’s powerful crime drama starring Sean Penn and Christopher Walken. More than a story about criminals, it’s a film about fathers and sons, temptation, belonging and the difficult process of becoming your own person. I explore Sean Penn’s remarkable early career, Christopher Walken’s unforgettable performance as the charismatic and dangerou...

Sidney Lumet’s The Offence (1973) is a dark psychological drama that shows a very different side of Sean Connery. Far removed from James Bond, Connery plays a troubled detective carrying the weight of years spent confronting violence and suffering. This isn’t a traditional crime thriller, but a powerful study of trauma, memory and what happens when someone spends too long surrounded by the worst o...

I revisit Semi-Tough (1977), a film that promised a lot on paper — Burt Reynolds, Kris Kristofferson, Jill Clayburgh, professional football, romance and self-help gurus. What surprised me was that the story itself wasn’t what stayed with me. Instead, it became a fascinating time capsule of late-1970s America, from the fashions and music to the changing attitudes and search for self-improvement. Wh...

I revisit Lenny (1974) and came away even more convinced that this is one of Dustin Hoffman’s finest performances. Whether or not it perfectly captures the real Lenny Bruce almost doesn’t matter—Hoffman completely inhabits the role, taking us through the comedian’s wit, anger, vulnerability and eventual collapse. Bob Fosse’s understated direction and striking black-and-white cinematography create...

In this episode of Dave’s Movie Diary, I revisit River’s Edge (1986), a film that still feels incredibly unsettling nearly forty years later. The murder itself happens before the film even begins — the real shock comes from watching how casually many of the teenagers respond afterwards, with some more concerned about protecting the killer than dealing with what has happened. I look back at my firs...

In this episode of Dave’s Movie Diary, I revisit John Milius’ Dillinger (1973), a crime film that feels less like a Hollywood gangster movie and more like a gritty historical reconstruction. I talk about Warren Oates’ outstanding performance, the incredible supporting cast including Richard Dreyfuss, Ben Johnson and Harry Dean Stanton, and why the film captures the end of the American outlaw era s...

I revisit Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), a science-fiction classic that I think deserves to be mentioned alongside the very best dystopian films ever made. Even knowing the famous ending, the film is just as gripping because it’s the journey that counts. I talk about Philip Kaufman’s brilliant direction, Donald Sutherland and Brooke Adams’ performances, the eerie atmosphere created by Jerr...

Revisiting Paths of Glory nearly 30 years after first seeing it, I found Stanley Kubrick’s early masterpiece just as powerful as I remembered. More than a war film, it’s a devastating examination of leadership, injustice and the human cost of impossible decisions. I also take another look at Kirk Douglas’s outstanding performance, Kubrick’s emerging filmmaking style, and why this remains one of th...