By John Corrado “Saturday, March 24th, 1984.” These are the first words we hear in The Breakfast Club, the day exactly thirty years ago when “a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal” were forced together during weekend detention, realizing that they were more than just these stereotypes. This is an… Read More March 24th, 1984: “The Breakfast Club” Took Place Thirty Years Ago
By John Corrado ★★½ (out of 4) The first thing audiences will see when attending Muppets Most Wanted is Party Central, the latest short from Pixar. Expanding on the wonderful characters of Oozma Kappa that were first introduced in last year’s Monsters University, this is a hilarious party film that makes great use of the… Read More Review: Muppets Most Wanted
By John Corrado A celebration of homegrown independent cinema, the eighth annual Canadian Film Fest is taking place at The Royal Theatre in Toronto this weekend, starting this evening with the premiere of Patch Town and closing on Saturday night with the appropriately titled Afterparty. Between these three days, the festival will screen a total… Read More The Canadian Film Fest Showcases Homegrown Cinema
Today, Disney is releasing their blockbuster hit Frozen on Blu-ray & DVD. The optimistic Anna (Kristen Bell) and her sister Elsa (Idina Menzel) grew up separated, with Elsa fearing the powers she has to create ice. But when their kingdom is cast into eternal winter, Elsa hides away on a mountain and Anna sets off… Read More Blu-ray Release: Frozen
Today, Disney is releasing the wonderful Saving Mr. Banks on Blu-ray & DVD, one of the best movies of last year. Brilliantly depicting the struggle that Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) faced when trying to convince author P.L. Travers (Emma Thompson) to sign over the film rights to Mary Poppins, this is a moving and entertaining… Read More Blu-ray Release: Saving Mr. Banks
Today, Disney is releasing The Jungle Book 2 for the first time on Blu-ray, a theatrical sequel that originally came out in 2003. When Mowgli (Haley Joel Osment) gets bored living in the “man village” with Shanti (Mae Whitman) and her family, Baloo (John Goodman) brings him back to the jungle, but Shere Khan (Tony… Read More Blu-ray Release: The Jungle Book 2
Last Tuesday, VVS Films released Out of the Furnace on Blu-ray & DVD. Returning from service in Afghanistan, Rodney Baze (Casey Affleck) goes missing after entering the world of underground fighting, causing his older brother Russell (Christian Bale) to seek justice, struggling to finally settle a score with the psychopathic crime lord Harlan DeGroat (Woody… Read More Blu-ray Release: Out of the Furnace and Homefront
By John Corrado **** (out of 4) The distinctive style that Wes Anderson has developed throughout his seven previous features is fully on display in The Grand Budapest Hotel, as the iconic Texas director adds another thematically rich and beautifully produced picture to his perfect filmography. This is the work of a genuine auteur at… Read More Review: The Grand Budapest Hotel
By John Corrado ** (out of 4) The car chases in Need for Speed are often cool, and pretty much anyone who ever had fun spinning Hot Wheels cars around a plastic racetrack as a kid is sure to get some enjoyment out of watching these extended sequences. Now if only even half as much… Read More Review: Need for Speed
The Book Thief – A 20th Century Fox Release http://www.thebookthief.com Blu-ray Release Date: March 11th, 2014 Rated PG for violence and mature themes Running time: 131 minutes Brian Percival (dir.) Michael Petroni (screenplay) Based on the novel by Markus Zusak John Williams (music) Sophie Nélisse as Liesel Meminger Geoffrey Rush as Hans Hubermann Emily Watson as… Read More Blu-ray Review: The Book Thief
Today, Disney is releasing Winnie the Pooh: Springtime With Roo for the first time on Blu-ray. When Rabbit (Ken Sansom) gets overwhelmed and cancels Easter for Spring Cleaning Day, much to the disappointment of little Roo (Jimmy Bennet), it’s up to Winnie the Pooh (Jim Cummings) and his friends to set things right in the… Read More Blu-ray Release: Winnie the Pooh: Springtime With Roo
Mr. Peabody & Sherman – A 20th Century Fox Release http://www.mrpeabodyandsherman.com Release Date: March 7th, 2014 Rated G for cartoon action Running time: 92 minutes Rob Minkoff (dir.) Craig Wright (screenplay) Based on the series by Jay Ward Danny Elfman (music) Ty Burrell as Mr. Peabody (voice) Max Charles as Sherman (voice) Ariel Winter as Penny… Read More Five Views: Mr. Peabody & Sherman
12 Years a Slave – A Fox Searchlight Release http://www.12yearsaslave.com Blu-ray Release Date: March 4th, 2014 Rated 14A for brutal violence, sexual violence, disturbing content Running time: 134 minutes Steve McQueen (dir.) John Ridley (screenplay) Based on the book Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup Hans Zimmer (music) Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon Northup Michael Fassbender… Read More Blu-ray Review: 12 Years a Slave
By John Corrado So there you have it. Two of the best movies of 2013 were honoured last night, with Gravity winning a total of seven Oscars including Best Director for Alfonso Cuarón and 12 Years a Slave taking Best Picture, a pair of powerful films that have stuck with me since first seeing them… Read More “12 Years a Slave” Takes Top Honours and “Gravity” Wins Big at the 86th Oscars
By John Corrado The winners of the 86th Academy Awards were announced this evening, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. The big winner of the night was Gravity, a stunning achievement honoured with a grand total of seven Oscars, including Best Director for Alfonso Cuarón. Best Picture went to Steve McQueen’s incredibly powerful 12 Years a Slave,… Read More Winners of the 86th Academy Awards
By John Corrado No matter how things play out at the 86th Oscars, I have made no secret of my love for all nine films in the running for Best Picture this year. That’s not to say there weren’t other ones I would have loved to see included, but 2013 was such a strong year… Read More Reviewing the Best Picture Nominees
Nebraska – A Paramount Pictures Release http://www.nebraskamovie.com/index_splash.php Blu-ray Release Date: February 25th, 2014 Rated PG for mature themes and language Running time: 114 minutes Alexander Payne (dir.) Bob Nelson (writer) Mark Orton (music) Bruce Dern as Woody Grant Will Forte as David Grant June Squibb as Kate Grant Bob Odenkirk as Ross… Read More Blu-ray Review: Nebraska
Today, Disney Home Entertainment is releasing Thor: The Dark World on Blu-ray & DVD. This is an entertaining entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, that is carried by an excellent cast and provides another fun opportunity to spend time with this colourful cast of characters. We reviewed Thor: The Dark World when the film opened… Read More Blu-ray Release: Thor: The Dark World
Last week, Wes Anderson’s animated classic Fantastic Mr. Fox was released on Blu-ray as part of the Criterion Collection. Based on the book by Roald Dahl, the 2009 film tells the story of the clever and suavely dressed Mr. Fox (George Clooney), who is facing a bit of an existential crisis while trying to outwit… Read More Criterion Release: Fantastic Mr. Fox
By John Corrado I think the entire entertainment industry will breathe a sigh of relief come next Sunday night after the Oscars are finally announced, the last footnote for the banner year of movies that was 2013. But I’m not complaining, because this has been one of the most exciting awards seasons in recent memory,… Read More Some Final Thoughts Before the 86th Oscars
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