Hosted by Seth MacFarlane, the 85th Academy Awards took place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles tonight, a ceremony that included a few surprises along with the expected but equally deserving winners. Numerous celebrities were on hand to present and accept the awards, as Argo took home Best Picture at the end of the… Read More The Winners of the 85th Academy Awards
By John C. As the 85th Academy Awards are being handed out this weekend, here are our brief thoughts on all nine of the films in the running for Best Picture. This has been a fascinating and exciting awards season to watch from beginning to end, including frontrunners in several of the top categories and… Read More Reviewing the Best Picture Nominees
At noon EST today, the International Film Music Critics Association (of which I am a member) announced its winners for excellence in musical scoring in 2012. First let me say congratulations to all the winners and nominees – here’s to another year of outstanding music in film. Taking home Score of the Year is Canadian… Read More Winners of the 9th Annual IFMCA Award Announced Today!
Elia Kazan’s definitive 1954 classic On The Waterfront is being released on Blu-ray & DVD today, as part of the Criterion Collection. Terry Malloy (Marlon Brando) is an ex-prizefighter living in a town where the docks are run by the corrupt mob boss Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb). When a man is killed and Terry… Read More Criterion Release: On The Waterfront
After a run in IMAX theatres, Paramount is releasing the 1986 classic Top Gun on Blu-ray today, presented in 3D. Directed by the late Tony Scott, the film follows Maverick (Tom Cruise) and Goose (Anthony Edwards), two young fighter pilots in training. As Maverick falls for his instructor (Kelly McGillis), things take a tragic… Read More Blu-ray Release: Top Gun 3D
Fun Size – A Paramount Pictures’ Release http://www.paramount.com/funsize/ DVD Release Date: February 19th, 2013 Rated PG for sexual content and language Running time: 86 minutes Josh Schwartz (dir.) Max Werner (writer) Deborah Lurie (music) Victoria Justice as Wren Jackson Nicoll as Albert Jane Levy as April Thomas Mann as Roosevelt Our reviews below: ___________________________________________ Fun… Read More DVD Review: Fun Size
By John Corrado Entertaining, moving, exhilarating and sometimes impossible to pin down in terms of genre. These are just some of the words that I would use to describe my favourite movies of 2012, a year that brought us numerous films that deserve to be remembered. Although we are now nearly two months into 2013,… Read More The Best Movies of 2012
Safe Haven – An Alliance Films’ Release https://www.facebook.com/safehavenmovie Release Date: February 14th, 2013 Rated PG for violence, sexual content and language Running time: 115 minutes Lasse Hallström (dir.) Leslie Bohem (screenplay) Dana Stevens (screenplay) Based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks Deborah Lurie (music) Julianne Hough as Katie Josh Duhamel as Alex David Lyons as… Read More Movie Review: Safe Haven
It’s February 14th once again and we would like to wish all of our readers and everyone who has helped make this all possible a very Happy Valentine’s Day! Celebrate by watching the Oscar-nominated short film Paperman, which Disney has generously made available on YouTube. Beautifully animated in black and white with just a splash… Read More Happy Valentine’s Day!
Today, MGM Home Entertainment is releasing the Oscar-nominated Skyfall on Blu-ray & DVD. Directed by Sam Mendes with thrilling action sequences, excellent performances and visually striking cinematography by Roger Deakins, this is a beautifully crafted piece of work that pays tribute to the classic James Bond films, while taking the long running franchise in exciting new… Read More DVD/Blu-ray Release: Skyfall
By John C. Do you know why 2012 was such a great year for film? Because I had a lot more trouble than I usually do putting together my worst list, and that is why it’s only coming over a month into 2013. That’s not to say that the eleven films I have selected for… Read More The Worst Movies of 2012
Only The Young – A KinoSmith Release https://www.facebook.com/onlytheyoungfilm Release Date: February 8th, 2013 @ Bloor Hot Docs Cinema Rated PG for mature themes and language Running time: 72 minutes Elizabeth Mims (dir.) Jason Tippet (dir.) Garrison Saenz as Himself Kevin Conway as Himself Skye Elmore as Herself Kristen Cheriegate as Herself Robin Levy as Himself… Read More Movie Review: Only The Young
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 2012. Leading the pack this year is not one but rather four composers – Mychael Danna, Alexandre Desplat, Fernando Velázquez and John Williams – with four nominations each. … Read More 9th Annual IFMCA Award Nominees Announced Today
Today, Disney Home Entertainment is continuing their ongoing Diamond Edition collection, with the release of their animated classic Peter Pan for the first time on Blu-ray. Released exactly sixty years ago on this day, the film follows the Darling children who are taken to the magical world of Never Land by their hero Peter Pan… Read More Blu-ray Release: Peter Pan
Flight – A Paramount Pictures’ Release http://www.paramount.com/flight/ DVD Release Date: February 5th, 2013 Rated 18A for coarse language, nudity and substance abuse Running time: 138 minutes Robert Zemeckis (dir.) John Gatins (writer) Alan Silvestri (music) Denzel Washington as Whip Whitaker Kelly Reilly as Nicole Don Cheadle as Hugh Lang John Goodman as Harling Mays Nadine… Read More DVD Review: Flight
Won’t Back Down – A 20th Century Fox Release https://www.facebook.com/WontBackDown DVD Release Date: January 15th, 2013 Rated G for mature themes Running time: 121 minutes Daniel Barnz (dir.) Brin Hill as (writer) Daniel Barnz (writer) Marcelo Zarvos (music) Maggie Gyllenhaal as Jamie Fitzpatrick Viola Davis as Nona Alberts Oscar Isaac as Michael Perry Holly Hunter… Read More DVD Review: Won’t Back Down
By John C. Ben Affleck won the top prize at the Directors Guild Awards on Saturday for his impeccable work behind the camera on Argo, an honour that is even more deserved after he was left off the list of nominations at the Academy Awards. The field of five nominees was rounded out by Kathryn… Read More Ben Affleck Wins at the Directors Guild, but who will Triumph at the Oscars?
By John C. Every year, I mark February 2nd by watching Groundhog Day, director Harold Ramis’ 1993 masterpiece. The intriguing and intelligent character study is now celebrating its twentieth anniversary, a milestone that deserves to be recognized with yet another viewing of the film. This is a high concept classic with shades of A Christmas… Read More Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the 1993 Masterpiece “Groundhog Day”
By John C. Directed by Jonathan Levine, Warm Bodies is the first zombie movie that could ever be called a romantic comedy, and the new release will likely use this mix of genres to become a hit. Although we unfortunately won’t be able to publish full reviews, the film mostly works and is worth seeing… Read More For a Zombie Romance, “Warm Bodies” Mostly Works
By John C. The latest from Austrian provocateur Michael Haneke, Amour opens with firefighters breaking down the door of a luxurious apartment in France, only to find the body of Anne (Emmanuelle Riva) lying on a bed surrounded by flowers. There is a crucifix on her chest, as if she is ready to be lowered… Read More Love and Death: Thoughts on the Oscar-Nominated “Amour”
