By John C. Early in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) tells the title character Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) that “all good stories deserve embellishment.” After bringing J.R.R. Tolkein’s beloved Lord of the Rings trilogy to life with an epic saga that won a total of seventeen Oscars between 2001 and 2003 ,… Read More “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” is a Fantastic Adventure
The nominations for the 70th annual Golden Globes were announced this morning, and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has given lots of love to everything from Argo to Zero Dark Thirty, as Lincoln leads the pack with a total of seven nominations. The five films in the running for Best Picture – Drama are Argo… Read More The Nominations for the 70th Annual Golden Globes
Today, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is releasing Ice Age: Continental Drift on Blu-ray & DVD, just in time for the holidays. The fourth film in the popular and easily enjoyable series, the film provides more of the same with the pleasant characters, and the Blu-ray combo pack would make a good Christmas gift for… Read More DVD/Blu-ray Release: Ice Age: Continental Drift
By John C. Every year, one of my favourite parts of awards season is the downloadable screenplays that the studios upload to their For Your Consideration websites, allowing other writers to study the work behind some of the best movies of the year. As a writer who has completed a feature length screenplay and is… Read More For Your Consideration: Screenplays are an Excellent Resource for Writers
Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet – A KinoSmith Release http://www.JasonBeckerMovie.com/ Release Date: December 7th, 2012 @ Bloor Hot Docs Cinema Rated PG for mature themes and language Running time: 87 minutes Jesse Vile (dir.) Jason Becker (music) Michael Lee Firkins (music) Jason Becker as Himself Ehren Becker as Himself Gary Becker as Himself Pat Becker… Read More Movie Review: Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet
Released September 25th, 2012 Page count: 208 pages Size: 7.25” x 9.25” Pixar Character Encyclopedia Disney/Pixar Published by Dorling Kindersley http://www.dk.com/ – Gift Idea – Over the next few weeks, we will be featuring books and other items marked with the red and green gift idea tag. This is the second in this year’s series.… Read More Book Review: Pixar Character Encyclopedia
Released September 25th, 2012 Page count: 128 pages Size: 9” x 11” Disney Fairies Encyclopedia Published by Dorling Kindersley http://www.dk.com/ – Gift Idea – Over the next few weeks, we will be featuring books and other items marked with the red and green gift idea tag. This is the first in this year’s series. _________________________________________… Read More Book Review: Disney Fairies Encyclopedia
Today, Paramount Home Entertainment is releasing Steven Spielberg’s excellent 2002 film Catch Me If You Can for the first time on Blu-ray, just in time for Christmas. The film is based on the true story of Frank Abignale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio), an 18-year-old con man who made money by successfully passing himself off as a… Read More Blu-ray Release: Catch Me If You Can
Along with Finding Nemo, Disney Home Entertainment is rereleasing the previously available Blu-ray combo pack of Pixar’s 2009 masterpiece Up, now including a copy of the film in 3D. The story of an elderly man named Carl Fredricksen (Edward Asner) who floats his house away to South America only to find that wilderness explorer Russell… Read More Blu-ray Release: Up in 3D
Along with Up, Disney Home Entertainment is releasing director Andrew Stanton’s Pixar classic Finding Nemo on Blu-ray & DVD today, including a copy of the beloved 2003 film in 3D. Filled with charming characters and excellent voice work from a top notch cast, this is a tenderly told and beautifully animated modern classic that looks great in… Read More DVD/Blu-ray Release: Finding Nemo
Today, Walt Disney Home Entertainment is releasing the charming family film The Odd Life of Timothy Green on Blu-ray & DVD, just in time for the holiday season. With solid performances and a heartwarming script by director Peter Hedges, this is a touching and admirably unique little film that comes recommended to those of all… Read More DVD/Blu-ray Release: The Odd Life of Timothy Green
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is releasing this summer’s excellent marital drama Hope Springs on Blu-ray & DVD today. With masterful performances from Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones and Steve Carell as well as a believable script by Vanessa Taylor, this is a refreshingly mature drama that deserves to be remembered at the end of the year. … Read More DVD/Blu-ray Release: Hope Springs
Sparkle – A Sony Pictures’ Release http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/sparkle/ DVD Release Date: November 30th, 2012 Rated PG for violence and mature themes Running time: 116 minutes Salim Akil (dir.) Mara Brock Akil (screenplay) Joel Schumacher (story) Howard Rosenman (story) Salaam Remi (music) Jordin Sparks as Sparkle Carmen Ejogo as Sister Tika Sumpter as Dolores Whitney Houston as… Read More DVD Review: Sparkle
By John C. Two weeks ago, I used my Monday column to write an article about how success at the box office could lead to Oscars for Silver Linings Playbook. I’ve been a champion of the film since first I first saw it back in September at TIFF, and on Friday we finally published our… Read More How Box Office Performance is Affected by Marketing
Silver Linings Playbook – An Alliance Films’ Release http://silverliningsplaybookmovie.com/ Release Date: November 21st, 2012 Rated 14A for coarse language and mature themes Running time: 121 minutes David O. Russell (dir.) David O. Russell (screenplay) Based on the novel The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick Danny Elfman (music) Bradley Cooper as Pat Jennifer Lawrence as… Read More Movie Review: Silver Linings Playbook
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is releasing the excellent threequel Men in Black 3 on Blu-ray & DVD today, just in time for the weekend and gift giving season. With good special effects, a briskly paced running time and an honestly moving twist in the last act, this was one of the best surprises of the… Read More DVD/Blu-ray Release: Men in Black 3
Congratulations to Summer P. who is the winner of our contest! ____________________________________________________ We are pleased to announce that we have copies of the Frankenweenie Unleashed CD and Wreck-It Ralph soundtrack to giveaway (courtesy of Universal Music Canada). Winner will receive both CDs. Both CDs are from two excellent animated films this year, and each… Read More Winner announced! (Win copies of Frankenweenie Unleashed CD and the Wreck-It Ralph Soundtrack!)
By Erin V. A compilation score and song soundtrack, the CD for Wreck-It Ralph opens with the Owl City song written for the film ‘When Can I See You Again.’ This song plays over the end credits, really fits the film, and is fun to listen to on its own as well. Next up is… Read More Soundtrack Review: Wreck-It Ralph
ParaNorman – An Alliance Films’ Release http://paranorman.com/ DVD Release Date: November 27th, 2012 Rated PG for frightening scenes Running time: 93 minutes Chris Butler (dir.) Sam Fell (dir.) Chris Butler (writer) Jon Brion (music) Kodi Smit-McPhee as Norman Babcock (voice) Tucker Albrizzi as Neil (voice) Anna Kendrick as Courtney Babcock (voice) John Goodman as Mr.… Read More DVD Review: ParaNorman
By John C. Since it was published in 2001, Canadian author Yann Martel’s acclaimed and also confounding novel Life of Pi has captivated readers throughout the world, and those who deemed it unfilmable were proven wrong last Wednesday when director Ang Lee’s visually stunning adaptation opened in theatres. After a delightful opening credits sequence that… Read More “Life of Pi” is a Visually Stunning Film That Will Leave You Talking
The Joy of Movies 