The Monuments Men – A Sony Pictures Release http://www.monumentsmenmovie.com/site/ Release Date: February 7th, 2014 Rated PG for language and some war violence Running time: 118 minutes George Clooney (dir.) George Clooney (screenplay) Grant Heslov (screenplay) Based on the book by Robert M. Edsel and Bret Witter Alexandre Desplat (music) George Clooney as Frank Stokes Matt… Read More Five Views: The Monuments Men
Today, Disney Home Entertainment is releasing their 1967 classic The Jungle Book for the first time on Blu-ray, as part of the Diamond Edition series. Adapted from Rudyard Kipling’s classic story, the film follows Mowgli (Bruce Reitherman), a boy raised by animals who is taken under the wing of the loveable bear Baloo (Phil Harris).… Read More Blu-ray Release: The Jungle Book
Today, MGM is releasing the Rocky Heavyweight Collection on Blu-ray, featuring all six entries in the classic franchise. Directed by John G. Avilsdon, the series began in 1976 with the Oscar-winning Rocky, the story of a sensitive amateur boxer (Sylvester Stallone) from a tough Philadelphia neighbourhood training to fight heavyweight champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), while… Read More Blu-ray Release: Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Heavyweight Collection
Last week, Remstar Films released Dallas Buyers Club on DVD & Blu-ray. A passionate look at the AIDS crisis, the film tells the true story of Ron Woodroof (Matthew McConaughey) who played the system to help save lives, smuggling natural meds from Mexico and providing them to other patients, including the spirited Rayon (Jared Leto).… Read More DVD Release: Dallas Buyers Club
Wadjda – A Sony Pictures Classics Release http://www.sonyclassics.com/wadjda/ Blu-ray Release Date: February 11th, 2014 Rated PG for mature themes Running time: 97 minutes Haifaa Al-Mansour (dir.) Haifaa Al-Mansour (writer) Max Richter (music) Waad Mohammed as Wadjda Abdullrahman Algohani as Abdullah Reem Abdullah as Mother Sultan Al Assaf as Father Our reviews below: _________________________________________ Wadjda Blu-ray Review… Read More Blu-ray Review: Wadjda
By John Corrado ★★★½ (out of 4) Among my highlights of last year’s TIFF was attending a screening of Labor Day on the final Saturday of the festival. Director Jason Reitman made a surprise appearance for the final showing of his latest at the Ryerson Theatre, dedicating the screening to late film critic Roger Ebert… Read More Review: Labor Day
The Lego Movie – A Warner Bros. Release http://www.thelegomovie.com Release Date: February 7th, 2014 Rated G for mild action and rude humour Running time: 100 minutes Phil Lord (director) Chris Miller (director) Phil Lord (screenplay) Chris Miller (screenplay) Mark Mothersbaugh (music) Chris Pratt as Emmet Brickowoski (voice) Elizabeth Banks as Wyldstyle (voice) Will Arnett as… Read More Five Views: The Lego Movie
Today at noon EST today, the International Film Music Critics Association (of which I am a member) announced its list of nominees for excellence in musical scoring in 2013. This year leading the pack with six nominations is composer Abel Korzeniowski (Romeo and Juliet, Escape From Tomorrow). Other composers nominated in multiple categories include Steven… Read More 10th Annual IFMCA Award Nominees Announced Today
Baggage Claim – A Fox Searchlight Release http://www.foxsearchlight.com/baggageclaim/ Blu-ray Release Date: February 4th, 2014 Rated PG for sexual content and language Running time: 96 minutes David E. Talbert (dir.) David E. Talbert (screenplay) Aaron Zigman (music) Paula Patton as Montana Moore Derek Luke as William Wright Taye Diggs as Langston Jill Scott as Gail Adam Brody… Read More Blu-ray Review: Baggage Claim
Today, Mongrel Media is releasing the excellent documentary Cutie and the Boxer on all home entertainment platforms, including iTunes. The film reveals the relationship between two aging New York artists with warring styles, the eccentric cardboard sculptor and boxing painter Ushio Shinohara and his wife Noriko, as well as their adult son Alex who is… Read More Digital Release: Cutie and the Boxer
By John Corrado Philip Seymour Hoffman was an actor who embodied countless unforgettable characters in a variety of different films over the years. Everything about him was iconic, from his name to his naturalistic screen presence, which included a genuine gift for portraying ordinary guys who were often plagued by anxiety, a role that he… Read More Remembering the Great Performances of Philip Seymour Hoffman
August: Osage County – An eOne Films Release http://augustosagecountyfilm.com/#/trailer Release Date: January 10th, 2014 (Limited) Rated 14A for coarse language and mature themes Running time: 121 minutes John Wells (dir.) Tracy Letts (screenplay) Based on the stage play by Tracy Letts Gustavo Santaolalla (music) Meryl Streep as Violet Weston Julia Roberts as Barbara Weston Chris… Read More Five Views: August: Osage County
By John Corrado ★★ (out of 4) The title of That Awkward Moment could be used to describe the film itself, a romantic comedy that provides several scenes that feel awkward, a word I’m using with both negative and mildly positive connotations. The aptly titled movie opens tomorrow, courtesy of VVS Films. The film opens… Read More Review: That Awkward Moment
By John Corrado Although things started slowly, 2013 revealed itself to be a banner year for cinema throughout the fall and winter, with numerous crowning achievements that will be talked about long after this awards season is finally over. But first my personal choices for the best movies of last year. Because 2013 was just… Read More The Best Movies of 2013
Today, Touchstone Home Entertainment is releasing The Fifth Estate (or The 5ifth Estate) on Blu-ray & DVD. Premiering as the opening night film at TIFF, this is a pretty good overview of the main events behind WikiLeaks, that is mildly worth a look for the solid acting from Benedict Cumberbatch and Daniel Brühl. We reviewed The… Read More Blu-ray Release: The Fifth Estate
Today, Paramount is releasing Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa on Blu-ray & DVD. When the 86-year-old Irving Zisman (Johnny Knoxville) finds himself caring for his 8-year-old grandson Billy (Jackson Nicoll), the two take a road trip together, bonding and causing all sorts of mischief along the way. Receiving an Oscar nomination for Best Makeup and Hairstyling,… Read More Blu-ray Release: Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 – A Sony Release http://www.sonypictures.com/cloudywithachanceofmeatballs2 Blu-ray Release Date: January 28th, 2014 Rated G for mild rude humour Running time: 95 minutes Cody Cameron (dir.) Kris Pearn (dir.) Erica Rivinoja (screenplay) Mark Mothersbaugh (music) Bill Hader as Flint Lockwood (voice) Anna Faris as Sam Sparks (voice) James Caan as Tim… Read More Blu-ray Review: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2
By John Corrado Although we are already several weeks into 2014, the time has finally come to share my thoughts on the best documentaries of 2013, which was an exceptional year for nonfiction filmmaking. I saw so many great films in 2013, and there were a lot of options of what to include on this… Read More The Best Documentaries of 2013
Blue Jasmine – A Sony Pictures Classics Release http://www.sonyclassics.com/bluejasmine/ DVD Release Date: January 21st, 2014 Rated 14A for mature themes and substance abuse Running time: 98 minutes Woody Allen (dir.) Woody Allen (writer) Cate Blanchett as Jasmine Alec Baldwin as Hal Louis C.K. as Al Bobby Cannavale as Chili Andrew Dice Clay as Augie Sally Hawkins… Read More DVD Review: Blue Jasmine
In a World… – A Sony Pictures Classics Release http://inaworldmovie.com DVD Release Date: January 21st, 2014 Rated PG for coarse language and mature themes Running time: 93 minutes Lake Bell (dir.) Lake Bell (writer) Ryan Miller (music) Lake Bell as Carol Demetri Martin as Louis Fred Melamed as Sam Rob Corddry as Moe Michaela Watkins as… Read More DVD Review: In a World…
The Joy of Movies 