Wuthering Heights (1970)

Growing up together in the desolate moorlands of Yorkshire during the early 19th century, Catherine and Heathcliff swear an oath to one another that is destined to be broken. Their love is an intense kind of madness with cruelty that knows no bounds, oscillating between a tumultuous storm of passion and obsession, jealousy and betrayal. The scenic vistas and quiet score by Michel Legrand elevate this tragic Gothic romance, and even though it strays from its source material, it's the final moments of this film that stay with me the most.

3 cold sweats out of 5

Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death (2008)

In the last (and best) of the W+G shorts man and pooch are running a bakery business from their home. A safer profession than window cleaning, one might think, but there's a serial killer doing the rounds – one that kills bakers.
Being a murder-mystery means there are sinister tones throughout, but the story doesn't skimp on laughs and inventiveness because of it, although some of the jokes will require a certain level of movie knowledge. On the opposite side tonally, romance is in the air once again for Wallace, who's madly in love with an ideal - while Gromit has to endure the sickening pet-names. It's a good thing the dog's dedication and loyalty are unwavering.
Animation is masterful, and sets are beautiful and wonderfully detailed. All in all, it's a fitting farewell to the short film format for the beloved characters.

5 butterings out of 5

Wallace and Gromit: A Close Shave (1995)

In the dead of night a sinister truck stops outside the duo's house. W+G are tucked in their respective beds (the latter doing some studious knitting), unprepared for what's happening outside. Naturally, it spells trouble for the dedicated pooch, but there's more than just Wallace's safety to worry over.
Yet again the set-ups are pitch perfect, and there's more inventive daredevil manoeuvres that prove Aardman's mastery of the stop-motion format. There's a few subtle in-jokes for those that watched the previous shorts, and even a romance sub-plot for the Wensleydale cheese-eating inventor.
Notably, A Close Shave has the first appearance of another Nick Park created character, a sheep who got a spin-off TV show and movie all of his own.

4 rustling yarns out of 5

Wallace and Gromit: The Wrong Trousers (1993)

It's Gromit's birthday, but that doesn't mean he gets time off from chores. Worse still, the household bills are piling up, so Wallace suggests a paying lodger - the duo's equilibrium in under threat. When a beady-eyed shifty penguin answers the advert, Gromit's life gets even more stressful.
The trousers of the title are techno-trousers, a time-saving crazy Wallace invention. They play a role in the drama, a scenario that channels a few different genres (including heist and classic British horror) to good effect.
The claymation animation was great in the previous outing, but TWT is a sizeable step up from that. I loved the UFO catcher scene, but the film's crowning achievement is a scene involving a toy train. It would've been a labour of love to animate, but the result is unequivocally worth it.

4 shocking calamities out of 5

Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

The thought of Brian Blessed in an adapted-for-film Shakespeare tale is an exciting prospect for me, but, alas, Blessed's character (Antonio) is merely a supporting one. To the fore (eventually) are the bickering duo of Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson as Benedick and Beatrice, respectively, both of whom liven up the material, particularly Branagh's soliloquies, such as the one during the eavesdropping moments that give the story its best scene(s).
The playful matchmaking and wilful deceptions that skilfully upend the narrative are easy to follow, moving it along at a delightful pace. If you're a fan of Much Ado and prefer the bard's works in a faithful setting with the original language, then you'll maybe enjoy it as much as I did.

3½ hey nonny nonnies out of 5

Scream and Scream Again (1970)

SaSA isn't an anthology film, but it's comprised of three stories that seem to have little to do with each other for a long time: a violent murder case with a tactless cop; a militarised state that resembles a spy drama; and a silent nurse who doesn't do her patient any favours. Each part has one of the three greatest horror actors of all time. Unfortunately, Cushing’s role is little more than a cameo, while Price and Lee are once again side by side for the briefest time. The film itself is an odd mix of realism, fantasy, murder mystery and science fiction that absolutely deserves credit for trying something different, but it’s quite honestly a structural mess most of the time.

2½ working parts out of 5

Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970)

Not for the first time, if you skipped the previous film in the series, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968), you’ll have the ending of it utterly spoiled by the beginning of the one that followed; i.e. Taste the Blood.
A trio of bordello regulars take their fascination for all things lecherous and ungodly to the next level, simultaneously giving Hammer the opportunity to add black magic and Satanism to their Vampire franchise. You have to give them credit for not resting on their laurels each time.
There’s an aggressive attitude to proceedings, not just in the mannerisms of the characters but in the way it’s shot and in how the Count returns from his semi-death. Lee's role is smaller than before, but it's memorable.

3½ bourgeoisie errors out of 5

WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT [2005]

"Bunnies!  So many bunnies!" I thought to myself as I gleefully watched Wallace & Gromit's first feature length film, The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit.
Directed by creator Nick Park & animator Steve Box, the story follows our old pals as they hunt down a giant mutant rabbit that is ravaging the town's vegetable gardens.  While the previous cartoon shorts touched on the old sci-fi/horror b-movies only in their titles cards, this film finally goes all out and gets pretty hilariously weird without ever losing it's charm.  You can't help but love Peter Sallis' voicework as the oblivious but ever-caring Wallace while Gromit's facial expressions are just as good as they ever were.  It's not quite as good as the shorts are but still remains pretty damned funny and heart-warming.

3½ carrot gold bullets out of 5

Wallace and Gromit: A Grand Day Out (1989)

Cheese and crackers are a perfect combination, but running out of cheese throws a spanner in the works. Wallace takes that spanner and builds something mysterious in his basement. The hunt for cheese is on.
The Wallace and Gromit adventures that came after were more refined, but it's still worth revisiting this very first one from time to time; it's as charming as ever, helped along that route by Peter Sallis' Yorkshire accent.
Gromit (the dog with the worried look in the picture above) can't speak, but being in claymation means his facial expressions can be moulded into many different forms. Wallace's wild ideas mean Gromit's thick brows spend much of their time at the suspicion and despair setting.

3 specialist magazines out of 5