In a Lonely Place (US, 1950)

Bogey turns in another top notch performance as the cynical, flippant, aggressive Hollywood screenwriter-in-the-wilderness, harassed by a senior investigating cop for a crime he didn't commit but nevertheless manages to exude suspicion.

This excellent film comes replete with the usual hilarious one-liners and non-sequiturs, morbid curiosity and typically cool noir photography.

Sarah's Key (FR, 2010)

Complex, present-day/historical drama in which American-French journalist Julia (Kirstin Scott Thomas) investigates the little-known occupation-era Vel' d'Hiv roundup. The apartment she and her husband intend to buy in Paris unexpectedly provides a first hand link to her story. Julia is faced with a couple of tough decisions in her personal life as her research draws to a close. Will her sometimes harrowing investigation provide the necessary inspiration?

Sedmikrásky / Daisies (CZ, 1966)

Slightly irritating hippy-ish pair of female friends engage in a series of harmless pranks. Why 'Daisies' is regarded as a masterpiece of the Czechoslovak new wave is hard to discern, especially when compared against its deservedly lauded and internationally popular near-contemporaries ('Closely Watched Trains', 'Loves of a Blonde') which kept their realistic feet planted firmly on the ground.

There's probably a commendable statement of some description in there, like: "Don't be trodding on the communist bourgeoise's silver dinner plates" ...or something. The best cinema is not about making a point though, but simply telling a story; while some of the greats do not necessarily have linear plots or much at all by way of narrative, this is just too flighty, arty-farty and "not-in-a-good-way" quirky.

On the plus side, it certainly still looks good, with what must have for its time been very inventive and experimental photography; it also appears to have ruffled the feathers of the collective powers-that-were sufficiently for it to be banned for many years.

The Guard (IE, 2011)

Predictably stage Irish farce involving an unorthodox sergeant Boyle (Brendan Gleeson), his misfortunate rookie sidekick, inept but dangerous criminals...into this throw a cool, slightly bewildered FBI agent, newly arrived in Ireland to investigate a massive drug shipment destined for the coast of Galway; bent cops, the sarge's fun-loving mother stashed away in an old folks home, uncooperative ruralists who can't or won't speak English...

As with most Irish films, this suffers from what I've called the 'Irish Film Syndrome' - roughly post Commitments, Into the West et al pandering to romantic and/or clichéd outsider notions as to what constitutes Irish humour, with an often outrageous romp of a storyline that stretches or defies credibility.

Gleeson as always holds his own though, it is handsomely shot; and there are a couple of chuckles at the Dubs expense.

Mishima - A Life in Four Chapters (JP, 1985)

Masterful biopic in which Mishima's later political intrigue is intercut with a number of illustrated episodes from his earlier literary works.

Combining a strong, easily accessible narrative with almost 'more than life-like' photography and sometimes sensual atmospherics, this is an artwork of rare and enduring quality.

The Tree of Life (US, 2011)

The storyline insofar as there is one, is of Sean Penn's character's recollections of his eventually borderline-delinquent childhood in a wooden house in 1950's middle America. Brad Pitt plays the aggressive, dictatorial and rather unliked father.

This fractured, curious film is remarkably experimental for an old master. Some might make much of its jurassic, cosmological, theological and operatic elements, but the one constant is how good it looks from start to finish.

It's not happy or light viewing, but scores highly for its 'tone poem' photography and atmospherics.

The Dark Knight (US, 2008)

As good as 'Batman Begins' with perhaps more by way of black humour.