Nov 20th
Midnight Cowboy**           

(US 1969)

A cowboy stud heads east to New York, and finds it to be a far from promised land.
Sometimes over-stylized, often compelling rags-to-rags drama (like a realistic modern Chaplin fable but with barely a trace of sentiment, and plenty of permissiveness), using the director's semi-documentary style and a fine music soundtrack, together with other fashions such as psychedelic rapid cutting, and a poignant ending. Along with Taxi Driver, the two most vivid depictions of an unglamorous New York underbelly.

Written by: Waldo Salt, from the novel by James Leo Herlihy.
Producer: Jerome Hellman.
Director: John Schlesinger.
Starring: Jon Voight, Dustin Hoffman, Sylvia Miles, John McGiver, Brenda Vaccaro, Barnard Hughes, Bob Balaban, Ruth White, Jennifer Salt.
Photography: Adam Holender.
Music Supervision: John Barry (song "Everybody's Talkin'" sung by Harry Nilsson).

Nov 14th
Last Chance Harvey**      

(US 2008)

An American advertisement jingles composer is estranged by his daughter on her wedding day, but finds strength and solace from an English airline assistant and fellow lonely heart.
Autumnal romantic comedy for the ageing baby boomer generation, taking a while to match up its central pair, and then going on for longer than it needs to, treading down a familiar path for this kind of sentimental British-set comedy. The stars (who are worth the price of admission alone) help to keep it real.

Written and Directed by: Joel Hopkins.
Producers: Tim Perell, Nicola Usborne.
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Eileen Atkins, Liane Balaban, Kathy Baker, James Brolin, Daniel LaPaine, Bronagh Gallagher.
Photography: John de Borman.
Music: Dickon Hinchliffe.

LAST CHANCE HARVEY. Another in the recent brand of charming Sixtysomething romances. Dustin Hoffman truly looks like The Graduate 50 years on, but Emma Thompson is a girl for all seasons.

Nov 8th
Monty Python's The Meaning of Life*              

(GB 1983)

Series of sketches loosely themed around life's existence, preceded by a lavish "short feature", The Crimson Pearl Assurance (15m. d: Terry Gilliam).
Occasionally amusing but over-indulgent final Python feature outing, one of their s(l)ickest with some lavish numbers, but sadly their own humour is lacking a little inspiration and  veers towards the repulsive.

Written by and starring: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin.
Producer: John Goldstone.
Director: Terry Jones.
Music: Eric Idle, John du Prez, Dave Howman, Andre Jacquemin.
Art Direction: Harry Lange, John Beard.

Preceded by:
Your Friend the Rat**
(US 2007. Walt Disney/Pixar. 11m.; Multi-animation historical commentary of relations between rats and humans through the ages.; w: Jim Capobianco, Jeff Pidgeon, Alexander Woo; d: Jim Capobianco; voice of Patton Oswalt, Peter Sohn.)

Nov 2nd
Thor: The Dark World* (12A)                
(Century Clacton)

(US 2013)

Thor's Earthmate Jane Foster becomes infected with the deadly Aether that is the source of darkness to the Universe which its owners try to get back.
Dumber sequel to Thor (and Marvel's The Avengers) with lots of the same talent from the first film but less intelligence  despite an over elaborate plot and a lively, silly finale rushing through portals from one dimension to another (Thor himself is a noticeably sanguine figure amidst all the mayhem). The illogical final twist leaves room for more in the Marvel cycle.

d: Alan Taylor
s: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Christopher Eccleston, Idris Elba, Rene Russo, Kat Dennings, Stellan Skarsgaard, Alice Krige, Benicio Del Toro