By John Corrado Today, Elevation Pictures is releasing Danny Collins on DVD, a nice surprise from earlier in the year. Danny Collins (Al Pacino) is an aging pop star who has grown dissatisfied of his affluent life of drugs and sex, when his manager (Christopher Plummer) gives him an undelivered letter that John Lennon wrote forty years earlier,… Read More DVD Release: Danny Collins
By John Corrado ★★★★ (out of 4) Among the best films from last year’s festival circuit was Infinitely Polar Bear, an excellent independent dramedy that did the rounds of Sundance and TIFF, but is only being released now. This is one of the most honest and bighearted portraits of an unique family that I have ever seen,… Read More Review: Infinitely Polar Bear
By John Corrado This week, the 1970 classic Five Easy Pieces is being released on Blu-ray, through the Criterion Collection. Bobby Dupea (Jack Nicholson) is a failed concert pianist, who is drifting through life working on an oil rig, and clinging to a stalled out relationship with waitress Rayette (Karen Black), when he goes to visit… Read More Criterion Release: Five Easy Pieces
By John Corrado Today, Elevation Pictures is releasing the excellent While We’re Young on Blu-ray. Josh (Ben Stiller) is a struggling documentarian in his forties who has settled into a quiet life with his wife (Naomi Watts). When they meet aspiring filmmaker Jamie (Adam Driver) and his free spirited wife (Amanda Seyfried), a hipster couple freewheeling… Read More Blu-ray Release: While We’re Young
By John Corrado ★★ (out of 4) Probably the best scene in Ted 2 comes right near the beginning of this raunchy comedy sequel. The plushy title star (Seth MacFarlane) has just gotten married to his girlfriend Tami-Lynn (Jessica Barth), giving way to a perfectly choreographed musical number that is equal parts Busby Berkeley and Easter… Read More Review: Ted 2
By John Corrado Last week, the excellent music documentary The Wrecking Crew was released on Blu-ray. Told through interviews and archival footage, the film recounts the story of The Wrecking Crew, a group of California studio musicians who anonymously played on some of the most famous albums of all time, helping develop the West Coast Sound and also ushering in producer… Read More Blu-ray Release: The Wrecking Crew
Last week, Disney released Spirited Away and The Cat Returns on Blu-ray, a pair of Studio Ghibli films that come highly recommended for fans of the legendary Japanese animation house. Enjoy! Spirited Away: Released in 2002, Spirited Away is the story of Chihiro (Daveigh Chase), a young girl who is moving to the Japanese countryside, when… Read More Blu-ray Release: Spirited Away and The Cat Returns
By John Corrado The Birder is one of those films that I feel like I have a long relationship with. I’ve been championing the independent comedy for a while now, having first made note of it at the 2014 Canadian Film Fest, before offering a full review when the film opened in theatres this time… Read More Interview: Theodore Bezaire on The Birder
Inside Out – A Walt Disney Studios Release http://movies.disney.com/inside-out/ Release Date: June 19th, 2015 Rated PG for mild thematic elements and some action Running Time: 103 minutes Pete Docter (director) Ronnie Del Carmen (co-director) Meg LeFauve (screenplay) Josh Cooley (screenplay) Pete Docter (screenplay) Michael Giacchino (music) Amy Poehler as Joy (voice) Phyllis Smith as Sadness… Read More Three Views: Inside Out
Released June 1st, 2015 Page count: 365 pages Size: 6” x 9” Film + Video Budgets, 6th Ed. by Maureen A. Ryan Published By Michael Wiese Productions To find out more about Film + Video Budgets or other titles, visit MWP’s website here. – – – – – – – – – – –… Read More Book Review: Film + Video Budgets, 6th Ed.
By John Corrado ★★★½ (out of 4) The original Jurassic Park is one of those films that rewired me as a kid. I must have been about eight years old when I first saw Steven Spielberg’s 1993 classic, and even just watching it on a small television screen in the middle of a summer afternoon,… Read More Review: Jurassic World
By John Corrado Today, Sony Pictures is releasing the recent science fiction film Chappie on Blu-ray. Deon Wilson (Dev Patel) is a computer engineer in South Africa, who helped launch the world’s first robotic police force. But when he steals a broken droid and creates a sentient machine, the invention named Chappie (Sharlto Copley) gets hijacked by a violent… Read More Blu-ray Release: Chappie
By John Corrado After being Oscar-nominated for Best Foreign Language Film, Sony Pictures Classics is releasing Wild Tales on Blu-ray today. Directed by Damián Szifron, the Argentinian film weaves together six different stories, involving a doomed flight, a waitress seeking revenge, an extreme case of road rage, the surprising fallout from a parking ticket, the… Read More Blu-ray Release: Wild Tales
By John Corrado Today, Paramount is releasing the complete season boxed sets of Laverne & Shirley and The Odd Couple on DVD, a pair of classic sitcoms that were both produced by Garry Marshall, and originally aired on CBS. Fans should be delighted with these releases. Enjoy! Laverne & Shirley: The Complete Series: Running from 1976… Read More DVD Release: Complete Series of Laverne & Shirley and The Odd Couple
By John Corrado ★★★★ (out of 4) Leaving the screening of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, I declared that this is already one of my favourite movies, something that the publicists seemed delighted to hear. I was literally feeling abuzz from the film, and I’m sure my excitement was palpable. Now that might… Read More Review: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
By John Corrado ★★★★ (out of 4) Providing a fascinating introduction to one of the most unique families likely ever captured on screen, The Wolfpack is the rare documentary that works as both a compelling social study and a surprisingly moving testimony to the saving power of cinema. After screening at Hot Docs, and gaining acclaim at… Read More Bloor Cinema Release: The Wolfpack
By John Corrado ★★★ (out of 4) Through interviews with creator Lorne Michaels, as well as appearances from both former and current cast members, Live From New York! explores the storied beginnings and cultural importance of Saturday Night Live, over the past forty years. After recently premiering at Hot Docs, the film is opening today at… Read More Review: Live From New York!
By John Corrado Today, Paramount is releasing their recent film Project Almanac on Blu-ray. When David Raskin (Jonny Weston) discovers blueprints for a time machine left behind by his late father, the teenager develops a way to transport himself and his friends through time, with his sister (Virginia Gardner) filming every step of the way, but… Read More Blu-ray Release: Project Almanac
By John Corrado Today, Sony Pictures Classics is releasing the critically acclaimed documentary Red Army on Blu-ray. Directed by Gabe Polsky, the film explores how the famed Russian hockey team was used as propaganda for their soviet government, before the players got tired of the regime and fought to leave the country and play in the… Read More Blu-ray Release: Red Army
By John Corrado ★★★½ (out of 4) Through outstanding performances from Paul Dano and John Cusack, who both portray Brian Wilson at two crucial moments in his career, Love & Mercy offers an excellent biopic of the legendary musical genius and Beach Boys frontman. After premiering at TIFF, the film opens in limited release this weekend. The film… Read More Review: Love & Mercy
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