Notorious (1946) - 3/5

This movie is a typical Hitchcockian thriller mixed with an era romantic comedy. Unfortunately, the romantic parts of the plot are fundamentally at odds with the thriller parts, and the tone ends up trying to be endearing where the plot necessitates tension. The central ‘cellar key’ scene is fantastic and if the entire film was like that it would easily be at least a 4/5 film, but it ultimately can’t overcome its own contradictions.

Closest comparison: It’s like Roman Holiday (1953) by way of Secret Agent (1936).

Setting: Espionage
Plot: Thriller
Tone: RomCom

Lawrence of Arabia - 2/5

This is a very uneven film. Some of the cinematography is spectacular; some is mundane. Some of the actors are chewing the scenery; some are phoning it in. Some of the slow, desolate scenes convey a feeling of isolation; some are useless padding. It’s extremely long, to the point that fully half of the runtime could be cut out without significantly impacting the narrative, which is itself a crime against cinema. Even some of the action scenes are boring, which should just never happen. Instead of being taut, the script is practically obese.

Closest comparison: It’s like Patton with the pacing of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Setting: Adventure
Plot: War
Tone: Drama