Thunderbozz

I went to see the new James Bond film last night. Quantum o f S o lace is the second movie of the Daniel Craig era, in which all the titles have to have two "O"s in them so that they can be used to make up the number "007" on the poster. I thought that Casin o R o yale was a fantastic movie for several reasons. As well as being a good film in its own right, it also made a very good job of reinventing the Bond franchise. All the best bits were maintained (car chases, gadgets, puns) but the story was started afresh and the hero still looked more like Mr Bond than Mr Bean by the closing credits. Unfortunately, the makers of Quantum must also have loved Casin o R o yale , because they based 50% of the new film's storyline on it. If, like many people in the audience last night, you haven't seen it (or can't remember what happened), you will get lost at some points. It's great to have continuity between films, but the level of assumed knowledge...

I'm gradually working my way through all the films I've taped off Film4 , and last night it was the turn of the American film 13 Conversations About One Thing (2001). It's a look at the lives of four characters told through, surprisingly, thirteen scenes. As the film progresses - often painfully slowly, but none the less beautiful for it - we see how their lives intertwine. There is a focus on the minuscule: often the smallest comment, reaction or expression is responsible for something much bigger, much more important. I'm glad I've seen this film, if only to reassure me that Americans are capable of producing high-quality thought-provoking films without the need for instantly-recognisable faces as justification. "Good Night And Good Luck" was an excellent film, but it was still deeply rooted in American politics and culture: "13..." shows that (some) Americans do share some qualities with the rest of the human race.

I've seen it once at the cinema, but I couldn't resist watching "The Italian Job" (2003, USA) one more time, if only to compare it with the original I have on DVD. How they can claim that this film is a "re-make" of the original, I'm not really sure. Yes, there's Mini Coopers and a plot based around messing up the traffic systems, but the 1969 version was never about stealing the gold. It was about Charlie: about his own cunning, wit and charm. Croker's character provided everything, from the memorable one-liners to the tragic fall . OK, perhaps the new version brings the action kicking and screaming up-to-date: but where's the charm? "Remember - in this country, they drive on the wrong side of the road" - Charlie Croker (1969) "You should never mess with Mother Nature, mothers-in-law, and mother-freaking Ukrainians" - Skinny Pete (2003)

I've been looking forward to the launch of Film4 for quite a while now - I don't often watch films, but at their best there is nothing better than sitting back and escaping for a couple of hours in them. Having a film channel on the telly means that I can just tape the films I want to watch and catch up with them when I want: although ironically, I was watching one of my favourite films on More4 . Amélie is possibly the greatest thing to come out of France since... as it's an almost perfect example of film-making. It is characteristically French, with the wonderful architecture of Paris providing the perfect backdrop. It's characters, no matter how insignificant or fleeting, are carefully crafted so that their part is integral to the story. "Special effects" are used, but sparingly and these add to the experience rather than being the experience. Plus there is an enormous warmth to the movie: it goes beyond the temporary "feel-good factor" ...