Movies

The Long Good Friday (1980) Bob Hoskins plays a "legitimate businessman" about to put over a huge real-estate development deal when members of his "corporation" start getting stabbed to death and blown up. Maintains the sort of quiet tension that makes you feel that something terrible is about to happen and often it does. An outstanding depiction of a man at the peak of power whose support is crumbling away and a top classic modern gangster film. Super extra bonus is the visit to a British DEMOLITION DERBY, in which the winner is driven around the track on a bright yellow batmobile. 9/10

Battle in Outer Space (1959) Toho's grand space spectacle - flying saucers are attacking the Earth and two spaceships are sent to destroy their lunar base. First class model work - the prominent destruction of a Cinerama theatre by the alien anti-gravity ray made me wonder/laugh - it was filmed in Tohoscope, but this print was cropped for TV. Considering the time period, and in comparison to US science fiction film of that year, this is way over the top. Plot is quite predictable, but the bright colors and moving shapes kept me riveted. 8/10