By John C. Welcome to my second set of capsule reviews for the 20th edition of Hot Docs, which started last night with the world premiere of the incredibly entertaining documentary The Manor. Yesterday I published my thoughts on five standouts of the festival, including the opening night selection along with Pussy Riot – A Punk… Read More Hot Docs 2013: Five Capsule Reviews, including “We Cause Scenes”
By John C. The 20th edition of the Hot Docs film festival kicks off tonight with the world premiere of The Manor, and will run for the next eleven days, screening a total of 205 feature documentaries at eleven theatres across Toronto. I’ve already had the chance to preview numerous films and I can safely… Read More Hot Docs 2013: Five Capsule Reviews, including “The Manor”
Promised Land – An eOne Films’ Release http://focusfeatures.com/promised_land DVD Release Date: April 23rd, 2013 Rated 14A for coarse language and mature themes Running time: 106 minutes Gus Van Sant (dir.) John Krasinski (screenplay) Matt Damon (screenplay) Dave Eggers (story) Danny Elfman (music) Matt Damon as Steve Butler Frances McDormand as Sue Thomason John Krasinski as Dustin… Read More DVD Review: Promised Land
By John C. Despite the attention grabbing title and several scenes that are sure to get the restrictive NC-17 rating across the border, My Awkward Sexual Adventure is a lot more charming than you might expect. After premiering at TIFF last September, and securing a coveted spot on Canada’s Top Ten, the film opened in… Read More “My Awkward Sexual Adventure” is a Different Kind of Canadian Film
The Story of Luke – A Gravitas Ventures Release http://www.thestoryofluke.com Release Date: April 5th, 2013 (on demand) Rated PG for mature themes and language Running time: 95 minutes Alonso Mayo (dir.) Alonso Mayo (writer) Mateo Messina (music) Lou Taylor Pucci as Luke Seth Green as Zack Cary Elwes as Paul Kristin Bauer as Cindy Tyler… Read More Movie Review: The Story of Luke
Today, eOne (formally Alliance), released Django Unchained on Blu-ray and DVD. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Picture, and deservingly won two, for Best Screenplay and Supporting Actor (Christoph Waltz). Django Unchained tells the story of Django (Jamie Foxx), a slave in 1800s Southern USA, who teams up with Dr. King… Read More Blu-ray Release: Django Unchained
Back on April 2nd, 20th Century Fox released the popular History Channel miniseries The Bible on Blu-ray & DVD. Narrated by Keith David, the ten episodes serve to dramatize some of the most influential Biblical passages from Genesis to Revelation, including the story of Moses (William Houston) and the birth and passion of Jesus Christ (Diogo… Read More DVD/Blu-ray Release: The Bible
By John C. Two years after receiving critical acclaim and dividing audiences with his masterful and moving The Tree of Life, Terrence Malick weaves together a deeply spiritual look at the figurative tree of love in To the Wonder. Already having a small run across the border, the film opens in select Toronto theatres this… Read More The Beauty and Love of “To the Wonder”
42 – A Warner Bros. Pictures’ Release http://42movie.warnerbros.com Release Date: April 12th, 2013 Rated PG for mature themes and language Running time: 128 minutes Brian Helgeland (dir.) Brian Helgeland (writer) Mark Isham (music) Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey Nicole Beharie as Rachel Robinson Christopher Meloni as Leo Durocher Ryan Merriman… Read More Movie Review: 42
By Erin V. Last Sunday, I attended a panel led by author/playwright Penny Penniston who wrote ‘Talk the Talk (2010)‘, at the Toronto Screenwriting Conference, which ran April 6th and 7th in downtown Toronto. The conference has speakers from film, TV, as well as authors of well known screenwriting books, all talking about the art… Read More Interview: Penny Penniston, Author of ‘Talk the Talk: A Dialogue Workshop for Scriptwriters’
Today, 20th Century Fox has released The Cary Grant Film Collection on DVD, a good mix of screwball comedies and classic dramas. The six films included in the set are Born to be Bad (1934), I Was a Male War Bride (1949), People Will Talk (1951), Monkey Business (1952), An Affair to Remember (1957) and… Read More DVD Release: The Cary Grant Film Collection
Hyde Park on Hudson – An eOne Films’ Release http://focusfeatures.com/hyde_park_on_hudson DVD Release Date: April 9th, 2013 Rated PG for mature theme and tobacco use Running time: 94 minutes Roger Michell (dir.) Richard Nelson (writer) Jeremy Sams (music) Bill Murray as FDR Laura Linney as Daisy Samuel West as Bertie Olivia Colman as Elizabeth Olivia Williams… Read More DVD Review: Hyde Park on Hudson
By John C. The thing that I love about Jurassic Park is that it perfectly encompasses what I admire about Steven Spielberg’s style of filmmaking as a whole. There is a sense of wonder that is felt in the opening and closing scenes as well as in the many moments when the characters are in… Read More After Twenty Years, Steven Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park” is Timeless
Hit ‘n Strum – A 4Branch Productions Release http://hitnstrum.com Release Date: April 5th, 2013 @ Cineplex Yonge & Dundas Rated PG for mature themes and language Running time: 90 minutes Kirk Caouette (dir.) Kirk Caouette (writer) Kirk Caouette (music) Michelle Harrison as Stephanie Kirk Caouette as Mike Paul McGillion as Christopher Kelly Richard Fennig as… Read More Movie Review: Hit ‘n Strum
By John C. I was truly shocked and saddened this afternoon when I heard that Roger Ebert had lost his ongoing battle with cancer, news that I am still trying to fully comprehend. He will be missed, may he rest in peace. He was seventy years old, but it’s safe to say that he left… Read More Remembering Roger Ebert
By John C. What do Dustin Hoffman, Sigourney Weaver, Hugh Dancy, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Richard Jenkins and Claire Danes all have in common? Besides being great actors, they have all portrayed characters on the autism spectrum. With tomorrow being World Autism Awareness Day, and the promising independent film The Story of Luke coming on Friday,… Read More Depictions of Autism on Film
It’s that time of year again, and we would like to wish all of our readers and those who have helped make this all possible a very happy Easter! Although films that take place around the early spring celebration can be hard to find, we recently published an article about Easter movies with plenty of… Read More Happy Easter!
Admission – A Focus Features Release http://focusfeatures.com/admission Release Date: March 22nd, 2013 Rated PG for mature themes and language Running time: 107 minutes Paul Weitz (dir.) Karen Croner (screenplay) Based on the novel by Jean Hanff Korelitz Stephen Trask (music) Tina Fey as Portia Nathan Paul Rudd as John Pressman Nat Wolff as Jeremiah Travaris… Read More Movie Review: Admission
Today, Touchstone Home Entertainment is releasing Lincoln on Blu-ray & DVD, on behalf of DreamWorks. Nominated for twelve Academy Awards, with a mesmerizing performance from Daniel Day-Lewis that won him a much deserved Oscar for Best Actor, this is an excellent film with solid direction from Steven Spielberg and a smart screenplay. We reviewed Lincoln… Read More DVD/Blu-ray Release: Lincoln
We’re a little late in providing coverage of this one, but back on February 12th, Fox Home Entertainment released The Sessions on Blu-ray & DVD. With excellent performances from John Hawkes, William H. Macy and Helen Hunt in an Oscar-nominated supporting role, this is an entertaining and profoundly moving film that is highly recommended. We reviewed… Read More DVD/Blu-ray Release: The Sessions
The Joy of Movies 