On IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT [below], PILLION, the reissued THE SHINING and the delayed premiere CHRISTMAS, AGAIN, plus my Critics' Circle votes for 2025 and the weekend charts and picks: tinyurl.com/2j8jvurk

Huh, that was a pre-fame (and, indeed, pre-HITCH) Eva Mendes driving the car at the start of Will Smith's "Miami" video #totp

On IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT [below], PILLION, the reissued THE SHINING and the delayed premiere CHRISTMAS, AGAIN, plus my Critics' Circle votes for 2025 and the weekend charts and picks: tinyurl.com/2j8jvurk

Caught up with Harry Lighton's PILLION, now showing: tinyurl.com/539udz4k

Felicitous juxtaposition.

TEASER Trailer for A MIDNIGHT CLEAR playing at The ICA on Sat 13 Dec. A depleted army intelligence unit repeatedly sent on suicidal missions is confronted by a group of Germans who seem willing to surrender on the front lines during Christmas 1944. Tickets: ica.art/films/a-midnight-clear-q-a

On this week's UK chart - new tracks from Sabrina Carpenter, Gwen Stefani and Central Cee. Plus: Bruce from 1985. theeartrumpet.substack.com/p/week-49-de...

On Charles Poekel's 2014 indie CHRISTMAS, AGAIN, which finally debuts in UK cinemas this weekend: tinyurl.com/3b8sx8bc

Cult Filmmaker KEITH GORDON joins me on Sat Dec 13 after a screening of his World War II drama, A MIDNIGHT CLEAR. In this unforgettable anti-war film an army unit is trapped in a situation beyond their control during Christmas 1944. Don't miss it! Tickets: ica.art/films/a-midnight-clear-q-a

I've looked at this James Cameron checklist and I've found the problems: ✅aliens ✅robots ✅the sea ✅helicopters ✅lots of blue and grey ✅evil corporation ✅massive machine guns ✅bit where someone jumps on or into or from an air vehicle ❌bill paxton ❌schwarzenegger ❌memorable bits

The Guardian's annual countdown of the Top 50 films of the year has kicked off here: www.theguardian.com/film/ng-inte...

On ETERNITY, COVER-UP, ANEMONE [below], WHEN YOU'RE STRANGE and SUNSET BLVD. at 75, plus the weekend charts and picks: tinyurl.com/2j8jvurk

Just one breaker from Friday night's #TOTP - and yes, it's centrifugal motion, it's the perpetual playout track from MOVIES GAMES & VIDEOS WITH STEVEN H. PRIESTLEY: youtu.be/dls_cBmUt7Q?...

On ETERNITY, COVER-UP, ANEMONE [below], WHEN YOU'RE STRANGE and SUNSET BLVD. at 75, plus the weekend charts and picks: tinyurl.com/2j8jvurk

On last week's UK chart - new tracks from Olivia Dean, the WICKED witches and Lily Allen, plus an update on the AI track that changed its ways: tinyurl.com/yc72e82x

I think FIFA might be corrupt.

What a stirring, no-expense-spent spectacle this is to launch the World Cup of Sexpests 2026, in association with Budweiser, measles and TrumpCrypto #WorldCup #WorldCup2026 #SexpestWorldCup

Join us on Instagram Live on Monday 15 December at 11 am as we announce the nominations for the 46th Annual London Critics' Circle Film Awards. The event will be hosted by Jay Lycurgo & Dafne Keen. Stay tuned for news about our awards ceremony, set for 1 February 2026 at The May Fair in London.

"With madcap comedy from The Krankies plus music from B.A. Robertson."

On David Freyne's ETERNITY, opening Friday: tinyurl.com/bdu3mtr8

On Ronan Day-Lewis's ANEMONE, now showing: tinyurl.com/54a3tdm8

Faith, love and war. On WAKE UP DEAD MAN [below], NUREMBERG, KEEPER, DIL SE... and RAVANAPRABHU, plus an Udo Kier obit and the weekend charts and picks: tinyurl.com/2j8jvurk

Defying gravily.

Perfect Tom Stoppard story from DTel obituary: His response to a letter from Harold Pinter canvassing support for a proposal to have the Comedy Theatre in London rechristened the Pinter Theatre, “Have you thought, instead, of changing your name to Harold Comedy?”

Faith, love and war. On WAKE UP DEAD MAN [below], NUREMBERG, KEEPER, DIL SE... and RAVANAPRABHU, plus an Udo Kier obit and the weekend charts and picks: tinyurl.com/2j8jvurk

Re: last night's #TOTP debate about the lyrics of Alanis Morissette's "Thank U". They get a lot more fun if you replace "how 'bout" with "why not" and imagine them as a New Age-ification of this old FIST OF FUN riff.

Last night I learnt we have the first fully original Sam Raimi film in seventeen years to look forward to in 2026 - *and* it looks pretty good, too: youtu.be/R4wiXj9NmEE?...

My Telegraph obit of Udo Kier, who died earlier this week: www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2...

On this week's UK chart - new tracks from Charli XCX, Lewis Capaldi and Tyla. Plus Keith David's first Top 30 hit: open.substack.com/pub/theeartr...

On James Vanderbilt's NUREMBERG, now showing: tinyurl.com/5ddx4hay

All those (admittedly lovely) articles about Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen appearing together on MAN ON THE INSIDE S2 (Netflix) are burying the lede: David Strathairn's in it, too. (*And* Schmidt from NEW GIRL.)

More AIR BUD news: youtu.be/dm5IwjiGT80?...

100% hit rate RIP king

War stories. On SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE [below] and THE NIGHT OF THE SHOOTING STARS, plus obituaries for Tatsuya Nakadai and Henry Jaglom, and the weekend charts and picks: tinyurl.com/2atsxbkk

Freeview (UK) #film of the day : Nights of Cabiria (1957 106 mins.) Rare showing of this Oscar winner from Federico Fellini; starring Giulietta Masina. [ @talkingpicturestv.bsky.social 21.05] www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/...

New on last week's UK chart - tracks from Rosalía, Katy Perry and Florence + The Machine. Plus: the strange tale of the song kicked out of the charts like a ruffian from a club. theeartrumpet.substack.com/p/week-46-no...

War stories. On SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE [below] and THE NIGHT OF THE SHOOTING STARS, plus obituaries for Tatsuya Nakadai and Henry Jaglom, and the weekend charts and picks: tinyurl.com/2atsxbkk

For those of us who semi-enjoyed 2000's leaden Ashley Judd thriller DOUBLE JEOPARDY because the villain went by the name "Nicholas Parsons", the new Netflix series THE BEAST IN ME offers similar rewards.

New to Netflix, and - given today's news - I'll merely add it's also one of very few recent films that have tried to articulate, process and wrestle with the myriad everyday tragedies of the Covid era.

For my fellow @ofcs.bsky.social members (and anyone else who wants to watch a great movie), India's Oscar submission HOMEBOUND is now on Netflix: www.netflix.com/title/82109253

My Telegraph obit of the director Henry Jaglom, who died in September: www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2...

Picking up where I left off before life intervened. On last week's UK chart, new tracks from Olivia Dean, Rosalia ft. Björk, and Florence + the Machine: tinyurl.com/mt5z988e

Pre-publicity for Netflix's pricey ten-episode reboot, with Jacob Elordi as Bernie, and a mo-capped Andy Serkis as the dog.

On THE RUNNING MAN [below], PREDATOR: BADLANDS, DIE MY LOVE, BUGONIA, JOHN CLEESE PACKS IT IN and KENNY DALGLISH, plus a June Lockhart obit and the weekend charts and picks: tinyurl.com/2atsxbkk

My Telegraph obituary of Tatsuya Nakadai, who died last week: www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2...