War Gamers is a 2022 TV series about the efforts of WATO - Western Approaches Tactical Unit - staffed primarily by WRNS (known as Wrens) who devised the tactics that defeated the U-Boat menace in the Battle of the Atlantic.   Formed in 1941 they were led by Commander Roberts, a consumptive officer who had been retired from the Royal Navy four years earlier after being in charge of it's wargaming unit at Portsmouth.  Staffed by Wrens they devised innovative tactics which allowed the Convoy escorts' commanders to out think the U-Boat commanders and defeat them.  The Wrens have to not only defeat the U-Boat commanders they need to prove they are better than the Royal Navy commanders in order to prove they and their tactics are worthwhile.  A TV series well worth watching. 9 out of 10.

Very Important Person is a 1961 British comedy film directed by Ken Annakin and written by Jack Davies and Henry Blyth.[2] The cast includes several well-known British comedy and character actors, including James Robertson Justice, Stanley Baxter in a dual role as a dour Scottish prisoner and a German prisoner-of-war camp officer, Eric Sykes, John Le Mesurier, Leslie Phillips and Richard Wattis.  A not bad comedy with a surprise ending, which I won't spoil.  8 out of 10.   

Our Man in Havana is a 1959 British spy comedy film shot in CinemaScope, directed and produced by Carol Reed, and starring Alec Guinness, Burl Ives, Maureen O'Hara, Ralph Richardson, Noël Coward and Ernie Kovacs.[2][3][4] The film is adapted from the 1958 novel Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene. The film takes the action of the novel and gives it a more comedic touch. The movie marks Reed's third collaboration with Greene.  Set in Havana just after the revolution it was allowed by Castro to go ahead.  It was however condemned after it's release for downplaying the brutality of the Batista regime.  It is a masterful cast who act their parts well.  It is well worth watching for it's views of Havana.  8 out of 10.

I'm re-watching Flags of Our Fathers on SBS... as a professional I am taking note of certain things this time around - like the sergeant escorting the trio having a gold tie pin.... very subtle inference that he is a REMF.

Also noting actors I didn't notice before - featured extras with a few lines... Iggy is one such... Pommy actor... you'll work it out.

You get 'em, Ira!!  Love that line where some business type spoke to him in Pima (he thought) and Ira Hayes didn't understand it and said - "Well - I've been too long off the reservation."

Always struck by the sadness of so many lives lost for so little.  always love the swimming scene at the end - just young boys enjoying a swim .... Dear God.... I'm tired of wars, but they will never cease.

I decided to rewatch Dark Star.  It was being shown on a local streaming service Downunder.  Dark Star is a 1974 American independent science fiction comedy film produced, scored and directed by John Carpenter and co-written with Dan O'Bannon. It follows the crew of the deteriorating starship Dark Star, twenty years into their mission to destroy unstable planets that might threaten future colonization of other planets.

Beginning as a University of Southern California (USC) student film produced from 1970 to 1972, it was gradually expanded with reshoots in 1973, eventually appearing in its current feature-length form at Filmex in March, 1974, and subsequently received a limited theatrical release in 1975. Its final budget is estimated at $60,000.

It was an OK release when I saw it for the first time over 30 years ago.  Today it was again still OK.  Nothing great, just OK.  It was mildly amusing and it's special effects were adequate.  The acting was OK, the writing was OK.  I'd recommend that people watch this if they haven't already seen this.  7 out of 10.   

The League of Gentlemen is a 1960 British heist action comedy film directed by Basil Dearden and starring Jack Hawkins, Nigel Patrick, Roger Livesey and Richard Attenborough. It is based on John Boland's 1958 novel of the same name, and features a screenplay written by Bryan Forbes, who also co-starred in the film.

In the film, former officers of the British Army plan a bank robbery in the City of London. They raid an army training camp in Dorset to get the weapons they need, and frame the Irish Republican Army (IRA) for the raid.

They are believed and the hunt is on for the IRA raiders.  The League go to London where they rent a warehouse and steal a large van and dress it up as a Pantechnicon.  While they are working on the van, they are visited by a young constable on his beat.  He promises to look after the warehouse and notes down the license plate of the van and Lieutenant-Colonel Norman Hyde's car.  They then take part in the bank raid, stealing 100,000 each.  Later that evening they hold a party at Hyde's house where they are interrupted by an old friend of Hyde's.  They get him drunk and then the telephone rings and Superintendent Wheatlock announces he is outside, he talks Hyde into surrendering and he comes outside only to end up in a Police van with all his compatriots who had been nabbed one by one when they left.  Seems Hyde was betrayed by a young boy who took down his license number outside the bank and when it is matched to the license number that the young constable noted down outside the warehouse.  Overall an interesting movie that is well made but a little lacking in the laughs department. 8 out of 10. 

I discovered this little gem yesterday, just flicking through Prime Video.



Never heard of it before, but it really is a lovely film.

8/10

Malcolm is a 1986 Australian comedy film, written by the husband-and-wife team of David Parker and Nadia Tass, and directed by Nadia Tass (in her debut feature film as director). The film stars Colin Friels as Malcolm, a tram enthusiast who becomes involved with a pair of would-be bank robbers. His co-stars are Lindy Davies and John Hargreaves. The film won the 1986 Australian Film Institute Award for Best Film, and seven other AFI awards including Best Original Screenplay and Best Director.

It was a pet project of the couple, and had minimal backing.  Even so, it's a good film to watch, with Friels, Hargreaves and Davis all giving good performances as the leads.  8 out 10.