..if you help me on mine in the blog below:

Stander: surprisingly good British/SA thriller set in SA in the seventies - true story of a brutal police captain who changes sides and decides to start robbing banks in a very unsubtle and successful way.

The Last Detail: where the Jack Nicholson we know now started his little devil act. With a brilliant sweary script by Robert Towne and directed by Hal Ashby...what more do you want?

American Movie. Real doc (although you're never quite sure) about a midwest dreamer who is making a horror film called Coven. Funny, preposterous and moving.

Best In Show. Fake doc (from the Spinal Tap people) about a dog show. Their best work.

City Of God Amazing, energetic, Brazilian gangster movie. Guy Ritchie could only dream of this kind of directorial skill.

In Bruges Laugh out loud funny dialogue. Great acting and good plot.

Once Lovely performances. Really good soundtrack.

Lost In La Mancha Doc on how not to make a film starring Johnny Depp and Terry Gilliam.

Force of Evil – None more noir. Brilliantly shot on location in New York. In Beatrice Pearson it’s got one of the most beautiful women ever to appear on screen. Was her first film and she only made one other.

Detour – None more low budget. Star Tom Neal went on to star in his own real life murder mystery.

DOA – ‘I want to report a murder.’ ‘Who was murdered?’ ‘I was' Has there ever been a better start to a film?

Quick question though. What's wrong with non-noir pre 1960s?

What a useful post LOUD. I too am about to can Lovefilm as I typically pay around 25 quid per film as I never get it together to watch them! In fact I am going to go and cancel right now.

Repo Man - Alex Cox's sly funny take on LA. Great cast (Dick Rude, Harry Dean Stanton), great dialogue, one of my favourite films ever. It's kind of sci-fi, but don't let that put you off.

Down By Law - a caper movie, ish : great characters including Tom Waits & John Lurie break out of jail.

Stranger Than Paradise : John Lurie is also in this. New York hipster goes on a road trip with his young cousin.

Point Blank - Lee Marvin, betrayal / vengeance. Tagline "There are two kinds of people in his up-tight world: his victims and his women. And sometimes you can't tell them apart"

Time after Time
Starring Malcolm McDowell, 1978?
Jack the Ripper steals a time machine invented by HG Wells and uses it to escape the law. HG gives chase.

The Parallax View
Warren Beatty, 1974?
Hyper-paranoid thriller in which a journalist investigates a series of murders he think are all linked. "Nothing is what it appears" I would not recommend this to someone who may be unhinged.

Choose Me
Keith Carradine, no idea when
Wacky (in a good way) love story set in a surreal LA. When I saw it I frowned through the first half thinking it was a waste of time, then the co-incidences kept piling up to such an absurd extent it suddenly clicked in my head that I was watching a GREAT film.

Breaking Away, 1978 again?
Brilliantly written "coming of age" story set in the American Mid-West, the plot is as old as the hills and you'll see the climax coming a mile away but I am certain this would be a LOT of people's "All time favourite" film. It's unquestionably one of the best sports films ever made (cycling)

So, nothing before the 1960s ? I would think this odd but sadly I find you are not alone here. I know a couple who fancy themselves as film buffs but won't watch anything not in English, and possibly worse, won't watch anything in black and white either. Well, if they will deliberately skip Trouble In Paradise, It Happened One Night, Les Enfants Du Paradis, Rashomon and Citizen Kane when more fool them.

For me, yesterday's Fopp purchases were :

- Paths of Glory (1957) , starring Kirk Douglas and directed by Stanley Kubrick in what in some moods I think his best film, certainly one of his least chilly.

- The Wages Of Fear - 1953, French, b&w, regularly rated one of the most suspensful films ever made. Watching tonight : can't wait.

The Last Detail - Started it. Hated it. Very 70's but in the worst way possible. Perhaps the most boring film ever made?

American Movie - Seen it. Okay film but goes on too long and becomes boring and depressing.

Best In Show - Seen it. A bit boring. A Mighty Wind is his best film by a massive distance.

I watched Anvil last week and Confetti last night. I don't think I like mock docs all that much. They have good stuff in them but I always find they get a bit tiresome long before the end. Yes, I even think Spinal Tap is a tiresome viewing experience after the first half. I think the reason why I like A Mighty Wind is because I genuinely like the music (I own, and listen to the soundtrack).

City Of God - Never seen on purpose. I don't care what people say about it, it does not float my boat.

In Bruges - Seen it. I loved it although someone posted on this website that they HATED it.

Once - I was put off my Mark Kermode's over enthusiastic review on the radio. It doesn't appeal to me but I might rent it, no promises though.

Lost In La Mancha - Seen it. It's alright.

Force of Evil - I read a detailed synopsis (second review on Amazon) and now don't feel a need to see it. I'm not dismissing it but I can't get excited about it.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Force-Evil-DVD-John-Garfield/dp/B000BVK850/ref=s...

Detour - It sounds interesting according to the Amazon reviewers but I feel I can safely skip it.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Detour-DVD-Tom-Neal/dp/B000BPA72U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=...

DOA - The original is fairly okay if a bit dated. The remake is brilliant and utter rubbish at the same time. I liked it a lot.

"What's wrong with non-noir pre 1960s?"
All films pre 1960, with a few exceptions, have dated badly. This is my opinion and I do not expect anyone else to agree with me. That's just the way it is. I do not enjoy them. It's my loss.

Repo Man - A classic. Far from a great film but it's too interesting with lots of weird ideas and details to be forgotten.

Down By Law - The second I saw Jim Jarmusch's name I decided not to investigate further. I hate Jim Jarmusch as he makes slow pretentious movies that are audience poison (having said that I kind of liked Broken Flowers but I'm treating that as a strange blip).

Stranger Than Paradise - Jim Jarmusch.

Point Blank - Not a great film but very stylish and I do like it. The Mel Gibson remake is better (and I'm aware that I'm the only person in the world to think that).

Time after Time - I've heard about it and I'm interested. I'll add that to the list.

The Parallax View - Looks like badly made crap. Alan J. Pakula is a terrible director. Klute was crap and so was All The President's Men.

Choose Me - 1984. Sounds interesting. I doubt they'll stock it but I'll try and rent it.

From Wikipedia: "Geneviève Bujold plays Nancy, a.k.a. "Dr. Love", a radio talk show host unskilled at practicing what she preaches. Keith Carradine plays Mickey, whose many varied experiences make people believe he is a compulsive liar, which he probably is not. Lesley Ann Warren plays Eve, a former prostitute who is forced into ownership of a bar. The three lead lonely, unfulfilling lives in Los Angeles. They do not know each other and they have never met before, but their experiences together will reveal their true selves"

Breaking Away - I'm not interested in it.

Paths of Glory - Seen it. One of his best. I prefer The Killing which I think is his best film.

The Wages Of Fear - The original is rusty and creaky. The 1977 William Friedkin remake (sometimes known as Sorcerer) is okay. I recommend doing yourself a favour and just skipping the first half hour. It's all set up that you don't need to see in order to understand the rest of the film. I'm not joking, I SERIOUSLY recommend skipping the opening on both versions.

... are a blunt instrument to be sure, but can be useful if you're just looking for inspiration (I've used them to put together vaguely themed 1-day DVD festivals chez Mickey.) Based on the films you've mentioned liking, LOUD, some suggestions include:

REPO MAN
Training Day (2001)
Wild at Heart (1990)
The Black Widow (1947)

PATHS OF GLORY
Cross of Iron (1977)
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943)

IN BRUGES
City Of God (2002)
The Outsiders (1983)

My personal recommendation would be for "JCVD" starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as himself (hence the name) - very clever & funny, any more might spoil it.

First half of the twentieth century. The annual cricket game between the village and the local asylum is taking place on a picture postcard village green in devon. A saturnine Alan Bates sits next to a young Tim Curry and slowly reveals the incidents that left him as an inmate. His story involves aboriginal magic, death, madness, and (an added bonus this) Susanah york getting her kit off. Very underrated in my opinion.

The director, Jerzy Skolimowski also made another neglected masterpiece that I would recommend if you are in a arty mood, Deep End. Members of a certain age will remember this: Jane Asher and a swimming pool.

of it on TV. Seemed okay but I have no real interest in it.

Wild at Heart (1990) - I watched half of it before giving up. Started it again and gave up at the halfway point. It was on a digital TV channel a few days ago. I did not tape it.

The Black Widow (1947) - I can't see a film of this title made in 1947. There is a 1954 film? I have no interest in the 1954 version although I would recommend the 1987 version.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Widow_(1954_film)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Widow_(1987_film)

Cross of Iron (1977) - Terrible mess of a movie. I am not a Sam Peckinpah fan (Wild Bunch is okay at best).

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) - Looks dated. I have no interest in it.

City Of God (2002) - I refuse to watch it.

The Outsiders (1983) - I have no interest in this Coppola film.

JCVD - I was intrigued by it but the reviews were really bad. I think I'll take a chance and rent it.

The Shout - Sounds interesting. I'll try and rent it. I've seen his film Moonlighting and I thought it was quite good.

...in recommending films to someone who has no interest in watching A Matter of Life and Death because it 'looks dated'. Does that sound pompous? So sue me...

If you want a dark twisty noir try 'Les Doulos', by Jean-Pierre Melville starring Jean Paul Belmondo. Watched it yesterday, loved it.

...the great thing about LoveFilm is that if you're on one of the tariffs that allows unlimited rentals (one at a time in my case, £8.80 a month)you have nothing to lose if something fails to float your boat. At the moment I'm working through a list of films I first saw in 50s/60s/70s and haven't seen since. A fair few of them are rubbish (and always were, however fondly I remember them), so I just bung them back and move on to the next one. Where's the problem?

I've just almost completed a massive exercise in converting all my DVD's to hard drive for streaming and so have recently been watching stuff that I haven't seen in ages. A few that stood out as really enjoyable....

The Prestige - probably the best film I've seen in recent years. Probably lots of plot holes but I don't care. I like those "clever" films that make you think and throw in a twist at the end...

The Cook The Thief His Wife & Her Lover - A bit of style over substance, but great soundtrack, great visuals and great ending. Still not sure whether I totally get it yet (probably too high brow arthouse for me...)

Restless Natives - dug this out after a post on here about the Big Country soundtrack and thoroughly enjoyed. Just simple straightforward good fun film.

Millers Crossing - Coen Brother's finest two hours. Full stop.

Italian Job (original) - "You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off". Nuff said.

12 Angry Men - my favourite film of all time. Still.

The Prestige - I thought it was a brilliant film and the twist at the end came from out of nowhere. One of the best movies I've seen in years.

The Cook The Thief His Wife & Her Lover - It's a good movie if you can sit through it all. The Draughtsman's Contract is better and has a great soundtrack that I listen to from time to time (the CD was reissued in 2004).

Restless Natives - I'll give it a try.

Millers Crossing - I like it but The Big Labowski wins hands down as the best Coen Brothers film.

Italian Job (original) - Such an over-rated film. Great car chase at the end, the rest is rubbish. And the remake was a decent film.

12 Angry Men - It's okay.

But the next time LOUDspeaker wants my opinion, I probably won't bother.

here's a few that really gripped me:

The Return - pseudo-intellectual thriller about two people's lives being entwined after a car crash

The Woodlander - reformed paedophile attempts to get his life back after serving a prison sentence

Monster's Ball - woman ends up in a relationship with the man who carried out her husband's execution

The Mission - true story about jesuit priests trying to help save some indigenous tribespeople in south america

City of Men - TV Series - much better than first film, really heartwarming moments among the favelas

Cruel Intentions - watched this for the first time in ages and forgot how much I love it - music's amazing as well

16 Blocks - Mos Def is the greatest actor by far, muttering about making cakes whilst being shot at with Bruce Willis as an alcoholic policeman

The Time Machine - original, not the remake, has blue people and truly 60s special effects

if you go through all the films on this list, that should justify continued membership

I've had Being There out on dvd from Lovefilm for three months and still haven't watched it yet - that's £12 for just sitting on the shelf, lor'lummee,i'm a right proper fizzlehead, make no mistake

Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke 2007. Supposedly easy robbery of parents' jewellery store goes horribly wrong. Totally compelling. Great performances.

I also recommend Pedro Almovodar films highly. Try Volver with Penelope Cruz, even if you don't like it she's great to watch.

Compelling performance from Billy Bob Thornton.

Also, I know it is fairly schmaltzy but Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop cafe is a lovely feel good film.

Shane Meadows films are definitely worth watching and also Summer of Sam.

I know what you mean though - my unique titles list is down to about 35 outstanding and to be honest I am really stumped about what else I should put on there. I have Twilight and Shine a light enroute but have no idea why I ordered Shine a light as I dont think it will stand repeat viewings.
I have around 1300 films streamed to my Apple TV so I think I have more than enough to be going on with.

I'll stop now.

I wouldn't bother with.

(I notice I've been posting rather a lot of negative comment lately, which is unlike me. Note to self: Lighten up)

Anyway, I finally got hold of this on DVD a short while ago. I'd been wanting to see it for years it being the next one after 'Local Hero' by Bill Forsyth.

I have to say I was disappointed. That isn't to say the premise is not diverting (local radio dj gets embroiled in a ice cream war whilst in the midst of an emotional depression) but the whole thing is so understated. No standout scenes or characters of any real charisma to push the narrative.

And also the primary trigger is the fact that right at the beginning the dj character's partner leaves him abruptly. I assume we're meant to engage and sympathise. But I thought she was an awful woman. Selfish and dishonest. It would have made my day if she'd left me.

I just updated my Lovefilm list. Any more for any more? BTW Badger there are 3 "The Return"s on LF and none of them sound like yours - who is in it?

how about the following

The beat that my heart skipped/De battre mon cœur s'est arrêté

Hidden/Caché

One Deadly Summer/L'été meurtrier

Swimming-pool (Anglo-French/French-English, whichever you'd prefer)

I'd recommend more but seem to have lent my daughter most of my French films and the brain isn't working. Isn't there a strong tradition of French film noir, if you can get over the pre-1960 prejudice?

Or, from elsewhere in Europe, "Black Book" - ignore the fact that Paul Verhoeven made it if that bothers you. Some of Pedro Almodovar's films might work for you too.

Le Dîner de Cons : fabulous French film about a group of people who host dinner parties and compete to bring along guests who are the biggest idiots. One of them chooses a tax office worker who proceeds to wreak no end of havoc.

Tampopo: a wonderful Japanese film. first saw it in my teens and hunted for a copy for over 20 years. Difficult to describe in very few words but has an infamous scene with a gangster, his moll and a raw egg. Touching and funny in equal measure.

Restless Natives - It was laugh out loud funny at about ten different bits. I liked it and it wasn't half as start stop as I was expecting it to be. Well worth renting. I know everyone loves the music, but it seemed a bit repetitive and rather so-so.

Choose Me - I really enjoyed this strange little movie. It's a tiny, tiny bit like Pulp Fiction with the way people who don't really know each other end up having about ten different connections to each other. Island Records made it as Chris Blackwell exec produced and the film company is called Island Alive.

The Shout - You can stream this for free from the LoveFilm website (just click on the yellow box on the right inside the main picture). I watched the first half hour but gave up. It's not bad, it's just a bit pointless. Even if the film had a point I don't think the journey is worth the trip.

RE: Seeing Man Who Knew Too Little on a plane
I was on a coach for an hour and a half in Las Vegas. The driver screened Gone Fishing. Everyone enjoyed it. That was the day I became a misanthrope. How can you respect people after you've witnessed fifty or so people laugh along to a film like that. : )

Haven't seen it for years, but have very fond memories of it. Its a slow, gentle movie, but laugh-out-loud funny at times if you've got the patience.

An unlikely recommendation but one I reckon Mr Speaker won't have an opinion on yet. I saw this in a cinema in Mexico but I don't think it ever got a UK release.

It stars the excellent Gabriel Garcia Bernal as a man who kisses a woman on her hen night; from there it veers into unlikely territory as what seems to be a romance becomes a commentary on reality TV and finally a thriller with a twist. Utterly ridiculous but compelling nonetheless and a pay-off which will have you thinking and possibly shouting at the screen. Definitely worth a view.

Anyone else seen this?

If his Loudness appreciated 'Choose Me,' then I've a sneaking suspicion he might enjoy the films of director Hal Hartley - Amateur, Henry Fool and the Unbelievable Truth, among others.

Funny Games ~( either the original or the remake) is a great film.

The Unbelievable Truth - markunderwood recommended the films of Hal Hartley. This is the only one LoveFilm have to rent. I really liked it. Charming film. Any more recommendations of films about complicated inter-connections between people? I promise not to comment.

The Return - "pseudo-intellectual thriller about two people's lives being entwined after a car crash". I gave up half an hour in. Dreadful film.

JCVD - Gave up about 40 minutes in. Starts okay but then it tries to be arty which it just isn't. I gave up because they were repeating the first 20 minutes of story from another perspective. The story wasn't complicated or interesting enough to justify the repetition. We were learning nothing new from the new perspective.

Dot the i - Gave up about 5 minutes in. To say the film was awful would be far too kind. I have since read a detailed plot synopsis. I'm very glad I gave up so early.

I also saw this film:

The Thing Called Love - Women's romantic picture about singer-songwriters trying to make it in Nashville. Really good movie. I've been listening to a lot of country since I saw it last week. You can stream this for free from the LoveFilm website (just click on the yellow box on the right inside the main picture).

... but honest, and that's to be applauded. Shame you didn't like the Return. It gets better. Never mind, probably not your sort of film.

I can also strongly recomment the Woodsman. About a paedophile just released from prison. Quite intense. And intriguing. Stars Kevin Bacon. Mos Def also features in a small cameo as a clueless policeman.

I've just bought a Black Friday offer of 6 months of rentals for £17.50.

Any ideas of what to rent? I will dismiss suggests as before so don't get annoyed when I give my opinions.

I've had Bob Roberts on it for ages, and still no sign.

But I have just received Last Night, the Canadian apocolyptic yarn, which I'm looking forward too.

So I'll be watching this thread for some good suggestions.

Distant Voices, Still Lives by Terence Davies. The closest cinema has ever come to poetry.
Comrades by Bill Douglas. The story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs, beautiful to watch. Even with Keith Allen in it.

I love this movie...so surreal...actually in todays economic upheaval it's probably more profound than ever.

for a tenner a month as well as streaming straight to our fancy Samsung tv as well as to my iPad so for us it's a good deal. Recent hits are Harry Brown with Michael Caine and Deja Vu with Denzel Washington.

I found it strange and riveting at the same time, especially the Altamont footage, and I'm not a big fan of the Stones.

Also Straight Story - an odd David Lynch film because it's not odd, if you see what I mean.

and his latest Another Year is no exception.

Like most of Leigh's movies it is an uncomfortable, sometimes disturbing two hours of embarrassment and misery, yet I doubt if there's a better film to come out of Britain in the last couple of years.

Lesley Manville is simply magnificent as the neurotic Mary, a lonely, twice-divorced 50-something looking for love. Her performance alone makes this film unmissable.

Then there's the always reliable Jim Broadbent and Ruth Sheen who put in solid performances as the bohemian couple Tom and Gerri (geddit?). In stark contrast to Mary's sad and sorry train wreck of a life they are a picture of middle-aged domestic bliss.

Peter Wright is totally convincing as Ken, an overweight, overstressed middle manager friend of Tom's. He drinks too much and eats all the wrong food and you can bet there's a heart attack waiting just around the corner for him.

Another Year is certainly not an uplifting experience, but then you wouldn't expect it to be. It's funny, sad and disquieting in equal measure and like nearly all of Leigh's movies, it's bone-chillingly well observed

BTW, there is a quite obscure (yet possibly Word-friendly) music reference in the film which I picked up on. At one point Tom and Gerri reminisce about attending the 1968 Isle Of Wight Festival and seeing the band Plastic Penny.

Now, it's true that one-hit wonders* Plastic Penny did appear at the 1968 IOW Festival, but they were a little-known pop/psych band who played way down a bill that featured (among others): Fairport Convention, Jefferson Airplane, Pretty Things, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, The Move and Tyrannosaurus Rex. By making such an esoteric reference, I wonder if Mike Leigh was having a little joke with us, perhaps?

Ironically, the August 1968 IOW concert was Plastic Penny's final concert, after which they disbanded. Although a couple of the members did go on to bigger things (eg the drummer Nigel Olsson joined Elton John's band).

*their only hit was Everything I Am which charted in early 1968