Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

This is the first appearance of Indiana Jones in many years - and accurately the archaeologist adventurer has moved from tackling the Nazis to confronting the Communists in the 1950s. Star Harrison Ford is not showing his age and is almost as much of an action hero as he was in the early films, but now he has a sidekick in the form of Mutt Williams (mmm silly name played by the equally unlikely named Shia LeBeouf - and yes that is a man). The leader of the enemy is Cate Blanchett as a remarkably glamorous Soviet scientist. The film opens with a nuclear explosion and then goes along traditional lines - there is this miraculous artefact to be traced and tracked through the jungles of South America, and finding this object will bring (a) great wealth (El Dorado?) (b) the secret and meaning of life (c) the solution to ancient legends. The fun is fast and furious, but this film isn't nearly as tongue in cheek as the earlier ones, which is a pity, but well worth bringing back the formula for another outing - and maybe Shia will take the torch on for yet more adventures. Rating: 8/10

Casablanca

Wonderful to see the classic Casablanca on the big screen, and although I've seen it so often on TV each time I see this film I notice something new. The

plot is simple. It is wartime in French Morocco - controlled by the pro-Nazi Vichy government. As a staging post for refugees seeking to escape to America all kinds of people end up here - including cafe owner Rick (Humphrey Bogart) who has a past. Two German couriers are murdered for the letters of transit they were carrying - these are the 'get out of jail free' cards that everyone seeks. Into his bar steps Viktor Lazlo, hero of the resistance, and Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) - she is Rick's past. Very simply Rick has the letters of transit dropped into his lap - who will benefit - Ilsa & Viktor or Rick & Ilsa? What will Ilsa do to get the letters of transit & who does she want to escape with? There is a brilliant supporting cast - the fence sitting Prefect of Police, the wonderful piano player Sam and the music is just so perfect - everyone knows As Time Goes By but the incidental music is just so evocative. Every time I see this film the hair on the back of my neck stands up when I hear the Marseillaise being belted out to drown out the German drinking songs of the Wehrmacht. Rating: 9/10

Honeydripper

Danny Glover plays Tyrone, the owner of a live music club in the Deep South in 1950. He's got big problems though - the old fashioned soul/blues singer is no longer popular, while the neighbouring juke box club is packing them in. The debts are mounting and the local Sherriff (brilliantly played by Stacey Keech) is determined to put him down one way or another. His only way out seems to be a live appearance by electric guitarist Guitar Sam. Enter mysterious stranger, Gary Clark Jnr, with his own home made electric guitar. Danny's wife has got religion and is faced with the choice of saving her soul or rejecting her husband and his lifestyle. A gentle, slightly meandering tale, but well acted, and avoiding sentimentality. An excellent study of the side of America rarely portrayed on film - almost every actor in this film is black, and although poor they get by with dignity and determination. Rating: 8/10