22 Comments

It is very easy to find recommendations and reviews of films online these days. It is far more rare to be able to find considered, intelligent (nay serious?) in depth writing about films, especially “non mainstream” films. That is why I like your writing.

There will always be people that do not want to watch certain genres of film for their own reasons, for example my wife just will not watch foreign language movies whereas I love watching them. I love watching the Ghibli movies in the original language and I loved the two recent French language Musketeer films (although the fact that Eva Green was in them might have had something to do with it!).

Looking forward to more of your writing in 2025, Happy New Year.

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Thank you. I really appreciate that.

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I’m very excited for what you have in store. I await your recommendations like a child waiting at the postbox for a friend’s letter in those far off, pre-digital days. Happy New Year, Luke.

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Thank you! And you too.

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Happy New Year! It all sounds grand, please post whatever you wish to, and not to fulfill any "likes".

Hope you are on the mend.

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Please don’t stop writing about the kooky and harder-to-find films. We watched‘Bachelor Mother’ last night, a lousy copy huddled round a laptop screen, but it didn’t matter as the performances and characters were so great. Loved it. And we would never have heard of it if not for your review.

In the last few days, Husband rewatched ‘The Haunting’, and we both rewatched ‘Goldfinger’, and made a pact to put our iPads/phones out of reach when we sit down to watch a film. So thank you for all of the above, and happy new year!

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Thank you! Happy New Year. Great news re Bachelor Mother. Superb film. Why isn’t it better known? And yes. I am a great believer in this. These old films were made to be seen, to be watched. Sans distraction.

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I'll enjoy these! I can't watch horror, or too much bloodshed, these days, so I will have to rely on your words for some of these...but I'm really looking forward to revisiting Woody Allen...He Who Must Not Be Named, according to my kids. Starting with Sleeper? Still makes me cry with laughter. The Orgasmatron, anyone?

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Huge, huge fan of Woody. But which film to cover first? Annie Hall?

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I'm with you, Sarah. I love, love, love Woody Allen, more the early 70's, 80's movies, though. Being a Russian literature boffin, one of my favourites is "Love and Death" (1975). Luke, "Annie Hall" would be great to start with, but "Sleeper" is still great fun. Happy New Year, everyone!

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I enjoyed reading this immensely Luke (and you gave me a plethora of chuckles) thank you for a romp of a read on this freezing cold Sunday...albeit late, I wish you a splendid New Year ahead!

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I've learned about some interesting films in the past few months since subscribing and am excited to check out more! Looking forward to your 2025 releases :)

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Great news!

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Bring it on! And add some whisky to your Lemsip. Here's to an exciting cinematic 2025.

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La Piscine and most other things available on antiquated DVD rental at 'Cinema Paradiso'. Not as cheap as it used to be because of Royal mail charges. But carries about 80% of everything there is.

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Good to know. Thank you.

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Fun recap! And you gave me a blast from the past with that NY Vienna concert. My parents (now gone) were fans. It was a Jan 1 ritual, followed by ski jumping in the Alps.... aaahhh memories! Now that I live in Texas, all that has been replaced by college football at noon, lol. Less melodious ... on the other hand, I make the best spicy black-eyed peas (gotta have 'em here, pardner, for luck!). Looking forward to your 2025 selection (mmmhhh the twisty delights of The Servant).

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Happy New Year!

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Thank you!

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Happy New Year, Luke. I write this also in pyjamas, dosing up on cough medicine and paracetamol *clinks water glass with your Lemsip bowl* - cin cin! My tree is likewise staying firmly in place until Sunday. I can't wait to see what you write in 2025.

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Luke , this is going to be a most interesting journey indeed ! Won’t be watching the horror as just don’t like it but everything else sounds rather exciting and watchable , even a few there that I have failed to see in my 56 years stealing oxygen on this planet

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Hmmm. Horror really is an acquired taste… Still. There’s horror. And horror.

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