Caché (Hidden) (2005)
Told with rigorous formalism, extended, precisely designed visuals create an unnerving atmosphere as comfortable Juliette Binoche and Daniel Auteuil are threatened by the past. Superficial thriller concerns peel back to ambiguity of distrust and reveal eroding guilt.
Caddyshack (1980)
With its meandering plot and defiantly juvenile humour, a film that constantly threatens to self-destruct. Rodney Dangerfield's energy, Bill Murray's mania and an animatronic gopher keep it together and there are some genuinely funny sequences, including an explosive ending.
The Calendar (1948)
Underwhelming drama dances fringes of comedy without embracing cohesive narrative. Stiffened, enclosed situations result in stuffy stage adaptation as John McCallum faces losing his racing stable while caught between avaricious Greta Gynt and generous Sonia Holm.
A Call To Spy (2019)
Suspenseful, tragic histories of true life female spies during World War II receives insipid treatment both in narrative and visual terms. Cramped production and lack of identity subdue drama with only isolated scenes impactful amid generally underwhelming treatment.
The Calling (2014)
Susan Sarandon's gutsy, conflicted local sheriff, stranded by past mistakes, brings focus and empathy in search for serial killer. With crafted, unnerving mood, chilly Canadian setting achieves intriguing set up and effective villain, until deliberate pacing runs out of steam and provides bland resolution.
Camelot (1967)
Lavishly mounted, with extravagant, misty sets conjuring suitably romantic setting and gorgeously orchestrated Lerner-Loewe music and lyrics highlighting smart mix of comic and tragic. Persuasive cast aids emotional effect despite leaden pacing and uneven narrative.
The Campaign (2012)
Blunt comedy rather than smart satire as Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis are rivals for Congress going to increasingly desperate ends to win votes. Outrageous behavior feels the political norm now while the sentimental conciliation is the uncomfortable fantasy.
The Candidate (1972)
Sharply structured, a cynical view of political manipulation leavened with humor. The documentary style and tone grounds the narrative, a cautionary tale that still resonates. Robert Redford and Peter Boyle are excellent, director Michael Ritchie maintains a true touch.
Candlelight In Algeria (1944)
Stilted pacing and motivation dampens Casablanca-lite spy story thrills as mustachioed James Mason and sculptress Carla Lehmann help change course of North African campaign. Dramatic lighting compensates budget limitations. Attractive cast overcomes propaganda.
A Canterbury Tale (1944)
Visualized with a mesmerizing blend of expressionism and naturalism, three strangers investigate the 'glueman' in a traditional Kent village and receive blessings on an inadvertent pilgrimage. Languid, singular, unusual and unexpectedly moving.
Canyon Passage (1946)
Beneath the burnished Technicolor surface, a vivid portrayal of Oregon pioneer life, brute violence and greed colliding with community dreams on expressive locations. Restless Dana Andrews, bold Susan Hayward and strong support cast feed personal desires amid dynamic set pieces.
Capricorn One (1978)
Inventive conspiracy thriller that lacks a visual and narrative deftness yet compensates with action, intrigue and a classic Jerry Goldsmith score. Several set pieces stand out and it's always enjoyable. The bloated cast is hit and miss. The finale surprisingly moving.
Captain Boycott (1947)
Mildly diverting slice of social history, as controlled Stewart Granger leads Irish villagers in non-violent resistance to titular English landowner's extortionate rents and evictions. Robert Donat and Alastair Sim feature amongst fine cast with astute sense of political drama.
Captain Marvel (2019)
Away from VFX driven action, Brie Larson provides a human touch and spirited humor with Samuel L Jackson and a deceptive tabby. Origin tale is spurred by a textured, energetic Pinar Toprak score, bright design and ironic 80s setting, despite anonymous style.
Caravan (1946)
Existing in a fevered, dream state, any sense of reality quickly discarded as Stewart Granger is torn between wild Jean Kent and demure Anne Crawford. Occasionally slipping into self-parody, more a series of increasingly frenzied sequences than cohesive narrative.
The Card (1952)
William Alwyn's playful, cunning score is a delicious accompaniment Alec Guinness' often devious, sometimes poignant chancer whose rise up social and financial ladders is complicated by wily Glynis Johns. Lightly satiric and visually rich, as enticing as its lead.
Carnival (1946)
Richly textured visuals and distinct sense of place stands out against an episodic tale of Sally Gray's dancer seeking to escape from Edwardian poverty and conformity only to find a loveless, religiously suffocating marriage. Murky melodrama never transcends to tragedy.
Carry On Camping (1969)
Or 'Where Sleeping Bags Lie'. Appreciation of any of the Carry On series depends on a recognition or disregard of a British sense of humour rooted in the sexual politics of the era. Visually and narratively rudimentary, a better laugh rate than many.
Carry On Up The Khyber (1968)
With its mix of slick, puerile wordplay, gleeful cross-dressing and equal opportunity offensiveness, a definitive Carry On. Joke focuses on British imperial stereotypes, politically and sexually, and a plot that revolves around Devils In Skirts. Very funny.
Casablanca (1942)
With dominant themes of sacrifice and identity, gorgeously rendered production accentuates intimacy and intensity of character, as damaged Ingrid Bergman walks into cynical Humphrey Bogart's club and reignites their love. Fueled by tight, witty script and populated with sharp, lost characters, a wartime resonance become gleaming entertainment.
Cast A Dark Shadow (1955)
Curiously cold and bleak study of Dirk Bogarde's amoral killer, moodily realised by Lewis Gilbert without truly building an effective, propulsive narrative. Some smart dialogue, noir visuals and solid performances maintain interest amid the class conscious cynicism.
Cat People (1942)
Shot through with an eerie sense of unease, suspense is conjured from precise lighting, editing and sound. Building momentum based on suppressed desire and violence, ethereal Simone Simon fears intimacy will trigger a deadly curse. Subtly, enjoyably unnerving.
Cat People (1982)
Seductively conceived, thematically provocative, an obsessive love story wrapped in sexual horror fantasy as enigmatic Nastassja Kinski deals with incestuous origins and rigid zoologist John Heard. Bold design and evocative score conjure coldly intoxicating atmosphere for deadly feline transformation.
The Catcher Was A Spy (2018)
True-life adventure of professional baseball player turned wartime spy benefits from amiable Paul Rudd yet somehow makes fascinating character and tense situations devoid of real jeopardy. Solid cast remain stranded amid attractive design, without sense of resolution or bracing style.
Catherine Called Birdy (2022)
Maintaining enjoyable energy, loose narrative never hides its emotions as young Bella Ramsey tries to avoid financial marriage in 13th century England. Coming of age comedy strains modern relevance, while composed visuals miss lived-in, honest spontaneity.
Caught (1949)
Seeking comfortable life with marriage to wealthy Robert Ryan, too late Barbara Bel Geddes finds he's dangerously unstable. Amid luscious visuals and twisted developments, dedicated doctor James Mason is her last hope. Acid flavored melodrama pierces social dreams.
Celeste And Jesse Forever (2012)
Ambitious Rashida Jones and undemanding Andy Samberg are drifting out of marriage, even as they cling to being friends. The appealing central couple and assorted friends are well drawn, styling a winning blend that successfully earns laughs and emotion.
Cell (2016)
Stephen King adaptation that feels both too abridged yet too slowly paced, a sure sense of visual design undermined by awkward narrative rhythms. John Cusack and Samuel L Jackson drift through the zombie-like mayhem, social commentary lost along with the tension.
Chain Reaction (1996)
Everyday scientists Keanu Reeves and Rachel Weisz are part of team who discover world-changing energy source before government and industry violently swoop in. Social politics similarly consumed within thriller chase plot and action set pieces, solidly made even as suspense flattens.
The Chairman (1969)
Despite Gregory Peck's commanding presence and strident Jerry Goldsmith score, an uneven confusion of spy thrills, political drama and future leanings never convinces. Unknowingly planted with a bomb, an American scientist enters secretive China to discover truth of solution to world hunger.
Chak daan juen ga (Shock Wave) (2017)
Unfussy storytelling and gleaming technique places emphasis on explosive setups as crazed criminal brings Hong Kong to a standstill and wants revenge on Andy Lau. Well-handled scale disguises blandly entertaining action. Ending provides punch.
Chak daan juen ga 2 (Shock Wave 2) (2020)
Variant on Andy Lau's bomb disposal officer who turns vengeful terrorist seeking final redemption. Glossy production, efficient visuals and bookended with encompassing VFX, central dynamics with determined Ni Ni provide unlikely, entertaining twists.
Chāo Shíkōng Tóngjū (How Long Will I Love U) (2018)
Inventive setup sees Lei Jiayin in the past and Tong Liya in the present both living in the same apartment and straddling time periods. Bright design adds zip to comedy and texture to romantic drama, despite messy story dynamics.
Chaos Walking (2021)
Potential of future world where thoughts are visualized through colorful auras and fragmentary voices intrigues, until rudimentary Western chase plot with crash-landed Daisy Ridley on run with questioning Tom Holland unravels. More like extended setup for next story.
The Chase (1946)
Troubled war vet Robert Cummings falls for desperate Michèle Morgan and plots an escape from her mobster husband to Cuba. The unreliable narrative exists in a dream-like status that relies on fatalistic coincidence, punctuated with satisfyingly noir dread and style.
Checkpoint (1956)
Ernest Stewart's rich photography, allied with sumptuous design and colourful locations, provides a potent brew let down by a blandly staged and paced action thriller. Industrial thief Stanley Baker and Anthony Steele face up during a motor race, Odile Versois worries.
Chemical Hearts (2020)
Told with obvious care and sincerity, with an intriguing strand promoting value of poetry, hesitant Austin Abrams is drawn to damaged Lili Reinhart. Adhering to comfortable structure and well enough composed, yet without adding very much and stranding characters as superficial types.
Chimibja (Intruder) (2020)
Initially creepy mystery as calm Song Ji-hyo returns after 25 years disappearance and concerned brother Kim Mu-yeol begins to suspect true identity and motives. Thrills simmer rather than come to boil, while religious cult plot culminates soft final act.
Cherry 2000 (1988)
Awkward mix of future society satire and dystopian action thrills with no-nonsense Melanie Griffith the hired hand to find a female android in the wastelands. Production values as varied as plot development, lack of visual identity results in anodyne drama.
China Girl (1942)
Clipped, self-centered George Montgomery seeks fortune as photographer in wartime China before love for principled Gene Tierney provokes conscience. Lush design frames wit, romance and drama. Expansive scope bookends with Japanese barbarity and blistering action.
China Moon (1994)
Seductive visual sheen provides texture to noirish twists as confident detective Ed Harris becomes lost in damaged dreams of Madeleine Stowe, murder of abusive husband Charles Dance and investigations of Benicio del Toro. Sex and greed lead to entertainingly bleak finale.
Choiakeui Haru (Worst Woman) (2016)
Slight, oddly engaging view on art of fiction, communication and modern relationships as unsure actress Han Ye-ri weaves through relationships and meets budding novelist Ryo Iwase. Misleading English title misses poignant humour and generosity.
Christine (1983)
Told with a creeping visual threat, insecure Keith Gordon becomes infatuated with a Plymouth Fury that is possessed by evil. Featuring vulnerable Alexandra Paul, engaging build of teenage angst, and warped high school coming-of-age, is controlled and devilishly tense.
The Circle (2017)
Anemic morality tale warning of the pervasive knowledge of social media as unknowing Emma Watson falls into the grasp of corruptive Tom Hanks. Soft on social commentary and unable to ground story in the personal, appealing performers have little to grasp amid minimal thrills.
Circle Of Danger (1951)
Slow burn conspiracy thriller that fizzles rather than catches fire. Crisply shot on location (including evocative Scottish landscapes) as Ray Milland attempts to uncover the mystery of his brother's death during WW2. Good performances aid a sense of realism.
Citizen Kane (1941)
Vital and exciting, time doesn't diminish the joyful potential of cinema that shines from every gleaming, shadowy frame. Orson Welles' mix of styles, visually and narratively, serves as commentary and memories, a fluid blend that peels away the personal and the political.
City Island (2009)
Affectionate mix of light farce and quirky melodrama sees prison guard and aspiring actor Andy Garcia unravel family secrets when he brings home son from long-ago affair. Generously drawn characters allow strong cast to keep story strands cohesive and lively.
The Claim (2000)
Always involving, impressively scaled tale of pioneer Peter Mullan's corroding guilt over abandoning wife Nastassja Kinski and daughter Sarah Polley. Yet despite harsh and poetic visuals, gritty emotion is subdued by unconvincing characters and bleak stylings that meander to icy close.
The Clairvoyant (1932)
Claude Rains is a stage mentalist who begins to foresee future events, overnight a celebrity, but increasingly tortured by premonitions of disaster and death. Interesting mix of eerie horror, marital drama and social comedy with moments of impressive intensity.
Cocaine Bear (2023)
Wildly comic and gory, as titular wild animal embarks on deadly rampage to feed drug habit after smuggler loses shipment in forest. For the most part, high energy overcomes messy lack of story and uneven performances, until third act unravels with deadening lack of jeopardy.
Coco Before Chanel (2009)
Produced with assured care for detail, an awakening Audrey Tautou embodies social and romantic frustrations of famed designer's determining years. Tender directness is appealing, yet sober approach tends to dampen emotions rather than deepen character understanding.
CODA (2021)
Small scale coming-of-age drama provides endearing blend of conflict and humor, anchored by Emilia Jones, conflicted between duty to family fishing business and singing talent encouraged by uncompromising teacher Eugenio Derbez. Despite predictability, unfussy treatment of deaf community adds to emotional resonance.
Coherence (2013)
An improvised, naturalistic dinner party setup deceptively develops a twisting narrative as a passing comet throws lives into multi-dimensional confusion. Style threatens to become tiresome, yet by the third act the smart surprises turn unnerving and deadly.
Cold Blood (2019)
Clean visuals and evocative locations can't atone for confused narrative structure and bland characters as mysterious Sarah Lind suffers bad snowmobile accident and is rescued by assassin Jean Reno at his remote cabin. Devoid of tension, lacking surprises, end credits eventually roll.
Colossal (2017)
Awkwardly and deliberately self-aware in an effort to be idiosyncratic, as a lost Anne Hathaway finds memories and issues physically conjure up a Godzilla-like monster in Japan. Only fitfully entertaining despite committed performances that reach for insight never realized.
Coma (1978)
Grounded in chilly hospital intensity, dedicated doctor Genevieve Bujold battles patriarchal control to uncover institutional plot behind operating room mishaps. Unnerving atmosphere built through intelligent detail builds to edgy thrills, with Jerry Goldsmith score ramping up the tension.
The Commuter (2018)
Ex-cop and just sacked insurance salesman Liam Neeson is thrown into conspiracy on commute home when approached by cryptic Vera Farmiga. Uncovering plot machinations and dizzy technique maintains momentum even as fights and action become more farcical than thrilling.
The Conjuring The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)
Polished visuals and atmospheric scares provide for paranormal investigators Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson's pursuit of transferred, demonic possession. Careful detail is persuasive, true story narrative line more confused as faltering tone loses grip.
Constantine (2005)
Playful visuals maintain pace and storytelling is cynically surprising for doomed exorcist Keanu Reeves facing earth's existential threat with the Devil's rise. Conflicted cop Rachel Weisz and plotting angel Tilda Swinton add spice to theological blast, though extended final act dampens effect.
Contagion (2011)
Dark, engrossing tale of global fear provoked by a killer pandemic maintains detached thrills of society breakdown and paranoia driven by cool, precise visuals. Paced with authority, confusion of government control and conspiracy theory provide edgy, bruising drama for fine cast.
Contraband (1940)
Strikingly visualized comedy thriller with a smart use of London's wartime blackouts highlighting the drama. Stylish protagonists Conrad Veidt and Valerie Hobson deliver humour and romance as they outwit enemy spies in a fleet-footed though slight story.
Contratiempo (The Invisible Guest) (2017)
An increasingly complex and extended play on the 'locked-room' murder mystery, the cold narrative dynamics and shifting truth tends to overshadow any character empathy, even as the intrigue and tension builds. Fernando Velazquez delivers another fine score.
Control (2004)
Briskly paced thriller with sci-fi shading as damaged Ray Liotta is transformed from cruelly violent to passively sensitive by dedicated Willem Dafoe's experimental drug. Intense leads, including empathetic Michelle Rodriguez, keep interest despite undercooked narrative and undecided visuals.
Corridor Of Mirrors (1948)
Evocative use of visuals and sound, allied to off-kilter editing, lend a sinister air to the melodrama of entranced Edana Romney falling for the dark charms of obsessive Eric Portman. Inconsistent yet the Gothic noir and romanticism is effective.
Cottage To Let (1941)
Nazi spies in the Scotland wilds provide a shifting narrative where nobody is who they seem. Alternately eccentric and threatening Alastair Sim and scatter-brained Jeanne De Casalis stand out in a dynamic cast. Surprising character reveals maintain interest.
The Courier (2020)
Until third act magnifies true-life jeopardy for reluctant spy Benedict Cumberbatch, dry tone relies on solidly detailed 60s design and thematic, enveloping Abel Korzeniowski score. Gripping sacrifice portrayed by Merab Ninidze's Russian informant provokes final emotions.
The Covenant (2006)
Solid visuals and embracing sound mix initially persuade level of goofy teen supernatural drama, rapidly undone by blur of handsome leads in perplexingly uninteresting plot. Technical assurance can't paper over nonsense of inheriting intoxicating supernatural powers.
The Covenant (2023)
Gritty war tale benefits enormously from developed relationship between blunt American sergeant Jake Gyllenhaal and Afghan translator Dar Salim. Spare survival thriller deals with broken national promises, until thematic intrigue turns to bruising, over-blown action.
Cover Girl (1944)
Lush visuals and lively, fresh dance sequences with appealing leads overcome slim and ponderous narrative as striking chorus girl Rita Hayworth needs to choose between stardom and nightclub owner Gene Kelly. Though drama is unconvincing tuneful songs and comic touch add spice.
Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Lush design and expansive locations provide dazzling backgrounds for clash of money and values as independent Constance Wu is whisked to Singapore by loyal Henry Golding to visit his unexpectedly wealthy family and protective mother Michelle Yeoh. Told with energy and final sugar rush of romance.
Criminal Law (1988)
Shiny visuals provide cosmetic interest for convoluted plot featuring unlikeable leads, as brash lawyer Gary Oldman realizes he's helping assured sociopath Kevin Bacon get away with murder. Menacing, obsessive performances can't compensate for flaws in tone and logic.
Crimson Peak (2015)
Intoxicating design constructs expansive, off-kilter Gothic world in which receptive Mia Wasikowska is ensnared within brother-sister Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain's blood-stained web. Bracing visuals conjure dread romance rather than sustain suspense.
The Cruel Sea (1953)
Bracing view of Royal Navy convoys in the Atlantic facing threat of German U-boats gradually strips away character conceptions even for terse, experienced captain Jack Hawkins. Tense, unshowy focus on cold balance between survival and death is bluntly effective.
Cry Macho (2021)
Soured Clint Eastwood agrees to retrieve rodeo boss' teenage son from Mexico and finds a restorative sense of self when stuck in a rural village. Disappointing lack of tangible jeopardy and narrative focus partially redeemed by warm, contemplative mid-section and easy atmosphere.
Cry Of The City (1948)
Dramatically visualized sense of fatalism permeates city streets as manipulative, fatally wounded Richard Conte is hunted down by obsessive cop Victor Mature. Unsurprising moral ambivalence told by solid cast with sure sense of character amid typical story beats..
The Curse Of The Cat People (1944)
Delicate, lyrical, eerie fantasy of childhood and loss, as the spectral presence of Simone Simon permeates a young child's imagination and unnerves adult logic. A sense of sadness suffuses the gleaming visuals, casting a melancholy spell.
Cutthroat Island (1995)
Exuberant set pieces, especially early chase and swashbuckling finale, combine with expansive visuals in pacy, unpretentious Caribbean adventure. Geena Davis provides athletically unapologetic pirate confronting snarling Frank Langella and unruly crews, though tale lacks romantic sweep.