By John Corrado Marcus (Keith Stanfield) sits on the edge of his bed at the group home where he has lived for several years, as the kind social worker Mason (John Gallagher Jr.) sits down beside him and starts to play a simple beat on the drum. Marcus starts to rap the words he has… Read More The Believable “Short Term 12” Features Beautiful Performances
By John Corrado It’s hard to believe that Schindler’s List is turning twenty this year, because in some ways Steven Spielberg’s masterful 1993 opus on the Holocaust holds up so well that the film feels like it could be a part of this year’s awards season conversation. But the haunting black and white cinematography gives… Read More Remembering Twenty Years of Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List”
By John Corrado Released last Tuesday just a few days before Halloween, Kelly Clarkson’s latest album Wrapped in Red is the very definition of an early Christmas present. That is, a very early gift for the December holiday, that provides a welcome addition to any collection of seasonal music. I’ve found myself writing about several… Read More Kelly Clarkson’s “Wrapped in Red” is a Wonderful Early Christmas Gift
By John Corrado A passionate look at the AIDS crisis and how one man played the corrupt system to help save lives, Dallas Buyers Club is carried by a remarkable performance from Matthew McConaughey that could easily lead the charge to Oscar night. The film opens today in limited release. After missing the world premiere… Read More Matthew McConaughey is Remarkable in “Dallas Buyers Club”
By John Corrado As we approach Halloween, many people have been counting the days by revisiting classics of the horror genre, and James Wan’s artfully crafted and terrifically terrifying The Conjuring already deserves a place alongside them. The film opened in theatres back on July 19th, grossing over $300 million at the worldwide box office,… Read More James Wan’s “The Conjuring” is a Modern Horror Classic
By John Corrado After blowing up the charts with her excellent first albums One of the Boys and the Grammy-nominated Teenage Dream, and becoming the subject of the surprisingly honest documentary Part of Me, Katy Perry is releasing her third studio album tomorrow, titled Prism. Although on the whole not quite as strong as her previous… Read More Thoughts on Katy Perry and “Prism”
By John Corrado When some films reach the anniversary of when they were first released, they’re met with celebration and recognized with new editions. But as the 2003 dramedy Pieces of April quietly reaches the milestone number of ten years, the fanfare isn’t as loud as this small gem rightfully deserves. Taking place on American… Read More Released Ten Years Ago, “Pieces of April” is a Thanksgiving Classic
By John Corrado After delivering a stunning musical comeback with The 20/20 Experience in March, Justin Timberlake has followed up that bestselling album with 2 of 2, a striking collection of songs that build upon the first set while bringing darker themes to the forefront. The reviews this time have been mixed, but I heard the… Read More Justin Timberlake Continues to Dominate with “The 20/20 Experience 2 of 2”
By John Corrado Joseph Gordon-Levitt is one of the most likeable young actors currently working, having already proven himself in multiple different roles. With Don Jon, he proves that he is equally capable as both a writer and director, delivering a solid debut feature that premiered at TIFF and I already look forward to watching… Read More “Don Jon” and “Enough Said” Both Deliver Smart Takes on Romance
By John Corrado After premiering at TIFF and being voted the second runner up for the coveted BlackBerry People’s Choice Award at the festival, Prisoners opened in first place at the box office over the weekend with a respectable $21.4 million. Receiving a passionate response in many circles and provoking a stirring conversation, this is… Read More Denis Villeneuve’s “Prisoners” is a Tense Thriller Guided By Strong Performances
By John Corrado How do you discuss numerous films and days worth of experiences in a single article? I have tried before, and often find myself met with a challenge. But the just wrapped Toronto International Film Festival deserves a final send off, a wrap up of the events that took place mainly over the… Read More TIFF 2013: Thoughts on the Festival and “12 Years a Slave” for People’s Choice
By John Corrado The summer of 2013 has officially come to a close, and some of the movies that we got over the last few months will be remembered for dividing critics and audiences alike. This was a summer that didn’t always deliver hits, but the big and small standouts that we got were stellar.… Read More Looking Back on the Summer of 2013
By John Corrado The statement that “Edgar Wright is brilliant” would be enough to sum up my feelings on The World’s End, the director’s latest and unofficial closer to his excellent Cornetto trilogy that started with Shaun of the Dead in 2004 and Hot Fuzz in 2007. The film opened in fourth place at the… Read More Edgar Wright’s “The World’s End” is a Triumphant Mix of Genres
By John Corrado Earning rave reviews from many critics after playing at Sundance back in January, Prince Avalanche is finely reaching a wider audience and the buzz surrounding the excellent performances of Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch is absolutely deserved. Already enjoying a limited run across the border, Prince Avalanche opens in Toronto at Cineplex… Read More The Quietly Affecting “Prince Avalanche” is Carried by Excellent Performances
By John Corrado Exactly four years ago, Neill Blomkamp literally exploded onto the filmmaking scene with the phenomenal District 9, a compelling science fiction allegory for apartheid in South Africa. The film was an instant classic, a breakout hit that went on to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. This was a stunning debut… Read More Neill Blomkamp’s “Elysium” Delivers Solidly Crafted Entertainment
Because today is a civic holiday here in Ontario and the end of a long weekend, I’m taking the day off from writing my usual Monday article. I’m also trying to save up some of my resources for when the Toronto International Film Festival opens in exactly a month from today, which Cameron Bailey already… Read More No Article Today…
By John Corrado Exactly 25 years ago, one of the top movies at the box office was Who Framed Roger Rabbit, a groundbreaking classic from director Robert Zemeckis that still holds up both in terms of technical mastery and brilliant screenwriting. Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel even devoted an entire section of their show to… Read More After 25 Years, “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” is Still a Groundbreaking Classic
By John Corrado There might only be about a month left in the summer movie season, but The Wolverine delivers something entertainingly different from many of the blockbusters that we have gotten over the last little while. Although we are unable to provide our usual five reviews for the film opening today, I recently caught… Read More “The Wolverine” Delivers Stylish and Smart Superhero Entertainment
By John Corrado I haven’t seen R.I.P.D. and the fact that so many people are able to say the exact same thing is the very problem that the film faced over the weekend. Directed by Robert Schwentke, the movie stars Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds as two cops who have been brought back from the dead… Read More Box Office Numbers and the Future of Watching Movies
By John Corrado Right from the opening scenes of The Crash Reel, which emerged as one of the best films out of Hot Docs, I immediately knew that the documentary would end up being among my favourites of the year. I left the theatre completely blown away by the experience. After gaining universal acclaim on… Read More Lucy Walker’s Stunning Documentary “The Crash Reel” is a Masterpiece
The Joy of Movies 