Canadian Premiere of “The Avengers”

The Canadian premiere of The Avengers was held at Toronto’s Scotiabank Theatre this evening, with the always cool Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk) and Vancouver’s own Cobie Smulders (Agent Maria Hill) in attendance.  We were invited by Disney to screen the awesome blockbuster and managed to take several pictures as the stars walked the red carpet,… Read More Canadian Premiere of “The Avengers”

Jason Segel and Emily Blunt are Easy to Love in “The Five-Year Engagement”

By John C. What do you get when you put Jason Segel with Emily Blunt together?  You get The Five-Year Engagement, an immensely likeable romantic comedy that doesn’t mind shaking up the genre with raunchy humour and scenes of touching drama.  Even though the film failed to light up the box office over the weekend,… Read More Jason Segel and Emily Blunt are Easy to Love in “The Five-Year Engagement”

Movie Review: The Pirates! Band of Misfits

The Pirates! Band of Misfits – A Sony Pictures’ Release http://thepirates-movie.com/ Release Date: April 27th, 2012 Rated PG for some scary scenes and cartoon action Running time: 88 minutes Peter Lord (dir.) Jeff Newitt (dir.) Gideon Defoe (screenplay) Theodore Shapiro (music) Hugh Grant as The Pirate Captain (voice) Martin Freeman as The Pirate with a Scarf… Read More Movie Review: The Pirates! Band of Misfits

Hot Docs 2012: Five Capsule Reviews, including “Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry”

By John C. The 19th annual Hot Docs Film Festival starts tonight, running from April 26th until May 6th at eleven venues around Toronto, including the newly renovated Bloor Cinema.  Below are my thoughts on five good documentaries that I’ve already had the chance to preview, including Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry, which screens this evening… Read More Hot Docs 2012: Five Capsule Reviews, including “Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry”

“The Cabin in the Woods” is a Puzzle From Beginning to End

By John C. From the delayed distribution to the almost deafening buzz that built up in the few months before its actual release, The Cabin in the Woods is a puzzle of a movie that keeps turning in on itself right from the opening scene.  Just like the ingenious poster, this is a visually captivating… Read More “The Cabin in the Woods” is a Puzzle From Beginning to End

Movie Review: Chimpanzee

Chimpanzee – A Walt Disney Pictures’ Release http://www.disney.com/chimpanzee/ Release Date: April 20th, 2012 Rated G Running time: 78 minutes Alistair Fothergill (dir.) Mark Linfield (dir.) Nicholas Hooper (music) Tim Allen as Narrator ©Walt Disney Pictures.  All Rights Reserved. Oscar and Freddy in Chimpanzee. Our reviews below: ___________________________________________________________________________ Chimpanzee Review By John C. **** (out of… Read More Movie Review: Chimpanzee

Movie Review: The Lucky One

The Lucky One – A Warner Bros. Pictures’ Release http://theluckyonemovie.warnerbros.com/index.html Release Date: April 20th, 2012 Rated PG for mature themes and sexual content Running time: 101 minutes Scott Hicks (dir.) Will Fetters (screenplay) Based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks Mark Isham (music) Hal Lindes (music) Zac Efron as Logan Taylor Schilling as Beth Blythe… Read More Movie Review: The Lucky One

DVD Review: Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol – A Paramount Pictures’ Release http://www.missionimpossible.com/ DVD Release Date: April 17th, 2012 Rated 14A for violence Running time: 132 minutes Brad Bird (dir.) Josh Appelbaum (writer) André Nemec (writer) Based on the television series created by Bruce Geller Michael Giacchino (music) Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt Paula Patton as Jane Carter… Read More DVD Review: Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

DVD Review: Shame

Shame – An Alliance Films’ Release http://www.foxsearchlight.com/shame/ DVD Release Date: April 17th, 2012 Rated 18A for nudity, sexual content and disturbing content including some graphic images Running time: 101 minutes Steve McQueen (dir.) Abu Morgan (writer) Steve McQueen (writer) Harry Escott (music) Michael Fassbender as Brandon Sullivan Carey Mulligan as Sissy Sullivan James Badge Dale as… Read More DVD Review: Shame

Movie Review: The Three Stooges

The Three Stooges – A 20th Century Fox Release http://www.threestooges.com/#/home Release Date: April 13th, 2012 Rated PG for comic violence and some crude humour Running time: 92 minutes Bobby Farrelly (dir.) Peter Farrelly (dir.) Mike Cerrone (screenplay) Bobby Farrelly (screenplay) Peter Farrelly (screenplay) John Debney (music) Sean Hayes as Larry Will Sasso as Curly Chris… Read More Movie Review: The Three Stooges

DVD Review: The Iron Lady

The Iron Lady – An Alliance Films’ Release http://weinsteinco.com/sites/iron-lady/ DVD Release Date: April 10th, 2012 Rated PG for violence and mature themes Running time: 105 minutes Phyllida Lloyd (dir.) Abi Morgan (screenplay) Thomas Newman (music) Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher Jim Broadbent as Denis Thatcher Olivia Coleman as Carol Thatcher Roger Allam as Gordon Reece Our… Read More DVD Review: The Iron Lady

After Fifteen Years, “Titanic” is Still a Classic that Should be Seen on the Big Screen

By John C. From the first part of the film where we get to know the characters aboard the “unsinkable” ship and that last half as the huge vessel starts its tragic descent towards the ocean floor, I’ve always found it impossible not to get swept up in the pure spectacle and emotion of James Cameron’s… Read More After Fifteen Years, “Titanic” is Still a Classic that Should be Seen on the Big Screen

Movie Review: American Reunion

American Reunion – A Universal Pictures’ Release http://www.americanreunionmovie.com/ Release Date: April 6th, 2012 Rated 14A for coarse language, sexual content, substance abuse and nudity Running time: 113 minutes Jon Hurwitz (dir.) Hayden Schlossberg (dir.) Jon Hurwitz (screenplay) Hayden Schlossberg (screenplay) Based on characters created by Adam Herz Lyle Workman (music) Jason Biggs as Jim Levenstein Alyson… Read More Movie Review: American Reunion

DVD Review: We Bought a Zoo

We Bought a Zoo – A 20th Century Fox Release http://www.weboughtazoo.com/ DVD Release Date: April 3rd, 2012 Rated PG for mild language and some thematic elements Running time: 124 minutes Cameron Crowe (dir.) Aline Brosh McKenna (screenplay) Cameron Crowe (screenplay) Based on the book by Benjamin Mee Jónsi (music) Matt Damon as Benjamin Mee Scarlett Johansson… Read More DVD Review: We Bought a Zoo

DVD/Blu-ray Release: War Horse

Today, Walt Disney Home Entertainment is releasing legendary director Steven Spielberg’s War Horse on DVD & Blu-ray, courtesy of DreamWorks Pictures.  Nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture, the WWI film is worth seeing for the impressive production design and a few touching scenes on the battlefield.  We reviewed the film when it opened in… Read More DVD/Blu-ray Release: War Horse