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…
By John Corrado Sutter Keely (Miles Teller) lives his life in the moment, afraid to acknowledge his past and terrified of moving forward into the future. He’s stuck and drifting through his high school existence, aided by alcohol and craving the attention that comes from being the life of party, hence the title The Spectacular… Read More Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley Both Shine in “The Spectacular Now”
By John Corrado Directed by Jehane Noujaim, The Square opens with a title card that reads “the film you are about to see was filmed over the last two years of revolution in Egypt.” This is followed by the words “the story continues to unfold.” After picking up the People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary… Read More Bloor Cinema Release: The Square
By John Corrado The nominations for the 86th Academy Awards were announced bright and early this morning by Chris Hemsworth and Cheryl Boone Isaacs. There are nine films in the running for Best Picture, with American Hustle and Gravity leading the charge, picking up a total of ten nominations each. The other expected frontrunner 12… Read More Nominations for the 86th Academy Awards
Today, Remstar Films is releasing Parkland on DVD, after playing at TIFF. Starting with the tragic events of November 22nd, 1963, the film dramatizes the murder of John F. Kennedy and how the subsequent days unfolded. We see the nurses (Marcia Gay Harden and Zac Efron) who tried to save the president’s life, the investigator… Read More DVD Release: Parkland
Enough Said – A Fox Searchlight Release http://www.foxsearchlight.com/enoughsaid/ Blu-ray Release Date: January 14th, 2014 Rated PG for sexual content and mature themes Running time: 93 minutes Nicole Holofcener (dir.) Nicole Holofcener (writer) Marcelo Zarvos (music) Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Eva James Gandolfini as Albert Toni Collette as Sarah Catherine Keener as Marianne Our reviews below: _________________________________________ Enough… Read More Blu-ray Review: Enough Said
A.C.O.D. – A Paramount Pictures Release http://www.acodmovie.com Blu-ray Release Date: January 14th, 2014 Rated 14A for sexual content, language and mature themes Running time: 87 minutes Stu Zicherman (dir.) Ben Karlin (screenplay) Stu Zicherman (screenplay) Nick Urata (music) Adam Scott as Carter Richard Jenkins as Hugh Catherine O’Hara as Melissa Amy Poehler as Sondra Clark Duke… Read More Blu-ray Review: A.C.O.D.
By John Corrado Do you remember a couple of years ago when the Golden Globes felt like a joke, nominating films based on star power and becoming a cynical mockery of the entertainment industry at the hands of three time host Ricky Gervais? Well, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association changed things for the better last… Read More The 71st Golden Globes Did Things Right
By John Corrado The winners of the 71st Golden Globes were announced this evening, at a ceremony hosted by the very funny duo of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. The big winner of the night was David O. Russell’s incredibly entertaining American Hustle, which picked up three awards including Best Picture – Comedy or Musical. … Read More The Winners of the 71st Golden Globes
Her – A Warner Bros. Release http://www.herthemovie.com/#/home Release Date: December 18th, 2013 (Limited) January 10th, 2014 (Wide) Rated 14A for coarse language and sexual content Running time: 126 minutes Spike Jonze (dir.) Spike Jonze (writer) Owen Pallett (music) Arcade Fire (music) Joaquin Phoenix as Theodore Scarlett Johansson as Samantha (voice) Rooney Mara as Catherine Amy… Read More Five Views: Her
Today, 20th Century Fox released Runner Runner on Blu-ray & DVD. When Richie Furst (Justin Timberlake) gets swindled out of his life savings through online poker, the Princeton student travels to Costa Rica to confront the tycoon behind the gambling website, the sleazy Ivan Block (Ben Affleck). A critical and commercial misfire when it was… Read More Blu-ray Release: Runner Runner
The Joy of Movies 