A run of Japanese films released around the millennium, and bracketed together as ‘J-Horror’, gave new life to the ghost story. In 2026, they’re still exciting. They’re particularly effective because they bring the ghost story up to date with post-war urban settings and a focus on modern technology. They also play with our expectations of […]

I’ve been running out of stuff to watch, people. Yes, yes, I SHOULD be watching

Marathon speaks to the classicists in the Old Language of the shooter genre.

2026 ACADEMY AWARDS were a blast and everyone is talking about them, I suppose, now that the awards, the speeches, the missing speeches and the red carpet gowns have set in in our minds. The looks were very tastefully done this year, I think, and the quiet glamour enhanced the performers' inherent attributes, whether that was sheer talent, sultry warmth, cool elegance or sensuality and come

The promise of a play by Kae Tempest should feel like striking a match. A voice so distinct, so rhythmically alive, you expect sparks. And yet, returning to Paradise in Bristol Old Vic Theatre School’s production at the Station, that same old feeling creeps back in. I remember leaving the original at the National Theatre deflated—how did this land so flat? A second viewing doesn’t shift the … Continue reading Paradise- BOVTS at The Station

It’s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals. In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 600. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is … Continue reading →

We have just finished watching the 8 episodes of the miniseries called Lessons in Chemistry. From IMDb, “In the 1950s, Elizabeth Zott’s dream of being a scientist is challenged by a society that says women belong in the domestic sphere; she accepts a job on a TV cooking show and sets out to teach a […]

For the first time in a long time (and possibly ever) I’ve seen all 10 of the Best Picture nominees for tonight’s 98th Academy Awards before the ceremony takes place. So, here are my brief thoughts on each of the films, followed by my picks for some of the other categories. I’m going to do this in my own personal order of preference:  F1 (2025) dir Joseph Kosinski A really well-made popcorn movie. Great fun, but in all honesty does not deserve to be nominated for Best Picture over some of the...

Pluribus We were watching Pluribus for the last 10 days and finished the first season today. I have mixed feelings about the show. I especially found the first few episodes hard to watch because I couldn’t stand Carol. It got easier towards the end of the season but I can’t say that I loved the show. Nevertheless, it was an interesting watch. I especially liked the depiction of the collective power that humans possess. It’s eerie to think about the connection between our individuality and the...

As previously mentioned in my theme month announcement, my Scottish theme was chosen because I will be in Scotland for Hippfest. It is an all-silent program with live music and they will be screening my release of Kidnapped. I am very much looking forward to the festival, the films, and the music. Live accompaniment is […]

I have to be honest – this post is as late as it is only because I was procrastinating on watching one of the films. Bugonia One of the last words I would have thought you could use for a Yorgos Lanthimos film was “predictable”, but here we are. Granted, for a Lanthimos film it’s… Continue reading Best Picture Oscar 2026 Extra Credit – Part 5

One hundred and ten years ago this month, Grace Kingsley alerted the public to a new comedy with an unusual feature: Those who have followed the startling developments in the art of trick photography are said to have further sensations awaiting them when The No-Good Guy, in which William Collier is starred, is presented to the … Continue reading "A Forgotten Film: March 1916"

If Sinners sweeps I'm gonna crash out

🍿 Rewatched Ashes and Diamonds, 1958 - ★★★★

The past few months have been hectic for my family and me and as a result, I haven’t had the wherewithal to keep up with this blog, as much as I have wanted to. My daughter and collaborator Jessie is a hands-on, full-time Mom to our four-year-old granddaughter Daisy, which means it’s hard to find any so-called spare time. We have managed to log on almost every Sunday afternoon for our weekly livestream, Maltin on Movies, which is also the name of our podcast, which posts on Fridays. We’ve mis...

To celebrate the return of two episodes of Doctor Who: The Daleks' Master Plan, here's a look I took at the story a very long time ago...

One of television’s most important business models—syndicating first-run content to TV stations looking to fill airtime—might be losing strea … er, steam.

A new documentary by Marq Evans presents the history of the infamous Patterson Gimlin Film (PGF) and includes NEW information that reveals the truth behind the film.

In 2017, Forgotten Television Drama launched a series of DVDs in conjunction with the DVD distributor Network. Following the untimely death of Network’s Managing Director Tim Beddows and the subsequent closure of the company, we are now making available all the viewing notes that accompanied our releases.  The Invasion (Armchair Theatre, ABC, 31 March 1963). […]

Charming short biopic about retired Irish signwriter Brendan Mooney from Birr, County Offaly.

Forget the Oscars—this is the ultimate resource for the best movies of 2025. Here are the 20 films that stuck with me from the last year. (Check JustWatch to see if and where they are available to stream, or your local library for the DVD/Blu-ray. See this list on Letterboxd.) 20. An Autumn Summer There’s […]

Watched: 9 March 2026 (labour day public holiday in Australia)Honestly, the ending of Game of Thrones left a sour taste in my mouth and despite being a huge fan, I only watched a couple of episodes of the House of Dragons, realising it was pretty much similar story line

A short note from friend of Silent London, Maria Wyke, professor of Latin at University College London. A one-off screening of the rarely seen silent epic film Jone o Gli ultimi giorni di Pompei (Jone or The Last Days of Pompeii, 1913, dir. Giovanni Enrico Vidali) will be held in the 500-seat Bloomsbury Theatre from 6 to … Continue reading Experience the last days of Pompeii →

STRARAM, Patrick. “L’Année dernière à Marienbad à Montréal” (in Situations Vol. 4, no.2). Montreal: Situations, July 1962. 68 p. [but …Continue reading →