When was the last time you saw a movie that had ‘For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow’ as it’s theme song and took it seriously? The time was 1936 and you could sing that song without sounding cynical. Or so I believe now, nearly 70 years later. It seems, though, that people must have been equally cynical back then. Post-depression, between wars. However, if you’re Frank Capra, you could get away with it over and over as you pit the likes of Gary Cooper and James Stewart as small-town bumpkins against ‘the man’, the system. This time, it’s Gary Cooper who’s inherited a vast sum from his big city uncle and must deal with the pressures inherent of being a Frank Capra character. If you’ve seen the Adam Sandler version, you haven’t seen anything. The premise is same- however, in that version, the jokes are turned up and told twice for effect.

Woody Allen takes on the infamous book by Dr. David Reuben in a series of seven shorts. One wonders what kind of a job Monty Python would have done with this, considering I just saw The Meaning of Life. And just like that film, some of the sketches work: Woody Allen as the anxious sperm, Gene Wilder as.. well, see that one for yourself to believe it; and some of them don’t work. Like many of Woody Allen’s early movies (Bananas, Sleeper), the story telling gets in the way of the jokes. And when you have 10 minute shorts, you can’t afford too much of that. All in all, though, worth a watch for those moments of sheer genius.

City of God, Cidade de Deus. In the beginning I begin to suspect influences from Scorsese and Innaritu but then half way through I realize this is a whole different animal. Still, the comparison to Goodfellas is inevitable, because it is a similar kind of story- a narrated, almost documentary-like chronicle about.. gangsters. But where Goodfellas was a story you about familiar kind of people from familiar places, City of God transports you to a place where the fate of these people is inevitable- the slums outside Rio, where everything seems alien.. yet familiar- for they are only children. Expect a full review very soon! This one is for the ages.

De-Lovely, the story of Cole Porter’s life, has a brilliant opening act and closes with a flourish. It’s quite a shame it has a meandering middle. I think most of the problem lies in the fact that the story and character development solely relies on the telling through Porter’s songs. While this is novel to start with, when my wide-eyed wonder begun to dim, I was wondering if I was reading too much or too little in to the songs. Kevin Kline is super in the role and carries much of the material alone. Overall, serves as a masterful requiem for Porter that will bring his fans to smiles and cheers. But don’t expect it to do much else.

Spectacular documentary about the inner-workings of controversial Arab news channel Al Jazeera. The news channel has been called the ‘mouthpiece for Osama’ by the president of the USA and has been castigated in Arab countries for being a western influence. The role of Al Jazeera in a culture where free speech is a novel concept is very interesting. If Farenheit 9/11 was the story you knew if you read all the right newspapers, then Control Room is the story you sort of suspected.

I just counted- with this film, I’ve now seen 24 directed by Woody Allen. That’s easily more than any other single director; easily more than most have made in a lifetime. And you know what? He probably has the best success rate with me as well. Anything Else is his only effort I’ve been seriously disappointed with. This film, Alice is a delightful exercise in psychotherapy of the title character played by Mia Farrow- psychotherapy through herbal medicines, opium and hypnosis by a strange doctor in Chinatown. But all that is just subterfuge, just waving hands, simply a plot device that allows Woody Allen to make Alice have bizarre personal experiences- ghosts of her past, a muse, invisibility- that help her understand and then change her life for the better. This was also the last film Farrow did for Woody Allen.

Director Elia Kazan’s supposed explanation for his actions (naming names for the House of UnAmerican Activities), On the Waterfront has a script and actors that feel like they wouldn’t even need a director. But oh what a director they have. ‘I coulda been a contender’- that speech alone is worth price of admission. Rank it up there with ‘And then your enemies would be my enemies’ as Don Corleone.

This is one of those films that make me love movies just a little bit more. Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman offer performances of a lifetime, and that’s saying a lot. This film, from 1969, in a broad way handles a lot of issues (urban isolation, homosexuality), but at its core is a stark character study of two men who cling on to each other when there is nothing else.

Monty Python’s attempt to explain the meaning of life, following some version of normal life from birth to death and beyond. Reminded me of Mel Brooks’ ‘History of the World Part I’ (still waiting for part 2 on that one!); however this one is funnier in parts. Like most Monty Python, it’ll probably prove to be funnier to talk about later (‘Every sperm is sacred!’) and watch again.

Superior documentary on Muhammad Ali and the Rumble in the Jungle. Many years in the making, Leon Gast’s When We Were Kings provides a powerful portrait of one of those few athletes that transcend their sport. And their time. In many ways, more satisfying than Michael Mann’s Ali.