THE CONVERSATION

Talking about the films

A place for the arguments, disagreements and changing opinions that make revisiting these films so interesting — from favourite periods and performances to the films that deserve another look.

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There is never only one way to see a film

Rankings change, favourites shift and familiar films reveal something different with another viewing. This is where those arguments begin.

The big question

What makes a great Woody Allen film?

Is it the writing? The performances? New York? The music? The balance between comedy and melancholy? Or simply that indefinable quality that makes certain films worth returning to again and again?

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Tone

Comedy or drama?

From Bananas and Sleeper to Interiors and Match Point, which side of the filmography is the more rewarding?

Discussion coming soon

Place

New York or Europe?

Manhattan streets or Paris cafés? London thrillers or Roman afternoons? How much does location shape the character of a film?

Discussion coming soon

The decades

Which period was strongest?

The breakthrough films of the 1970s, the remarkable run of the 1980s, the variety of the 1990s or the international films that followed?

Discussion coming soon

Another look

Which films are underrated?

The films that deserve a second viewing, a critical reassessment or simply more attention than they received the first time around.

Discussion coming soon

Performances

Who gave the greatest performance?

Diane Keaton, Dianne Wiest, Michael Caine, Cate Blanchett and many more — which performance sits at the very top?

Discussion coming soon

No definitive answers

The best film can change depending on when you watch it, where you are in life and what you happen to notice this time.

That disagreement is part of the pleasure of talking about films.

New discussions and reader questions will be added as the site develops.