By John C. Opening in limited release on July 9th, Lisa Cholodenko’s The Kids Are All Right has been getting high praise and is already on many critics top ten lists. It’s also the kind of film that the Academy would recognize – especially in recent years – with a Best Picture nomination. With a… Read More ‘The Kids’ Oscar chances are still ‘All Right,’ but there are many contenders yet to come
Nanny McPhee Returns – A Universal Pictures’ Release http://www.nannymcphee.com/ Release Date: August 20th Rated G Running time: 1o8 minutes Susanna White (dir.) Emma Thompson (screenplay) Christianna Brand (characters) James Newton Howard (music) Maggie Gyllenhaal as Isabel Green Oscar Steer as Vincent Green Asa Butterfield as Norman Green Lil Woods as Megsie Green Eros Vlahos as… Read More Movie Review: Nanny McPhee Returns
By Erin V. The music created by Bernard Herrmann for such Hitchcock classics as North By Northwest stays in the mind of film and music lovers forever. I was reminded of this, when earlier this year, Polanski’s The Ghost Writer was released. And with it, came a wonderful score by Alexandre Desplat, reminiscent of the… Read More The Scores of The Year So Far – Part 2 – The Ghost Writer
On July 27th, the 1948 classic The Red Shoes was released to The Criterion Collection. Directed by Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger, this story of a star ballerina torn between two loves, is one of the most stunning Technicolor films of the 1940’s. This award-winning 2009 digital restoration is bright and crisp – and it… Read More Criterion Release: The Red Shoes
Yesterday, Alliance Films’ released eleven ‘The Festival Collection’ boxed sets, I’ll be giving notice of three of them here. One set includes Guillermo de Toro’s Pan’s Labrynth, Fernando Meirelles’ Blindness, and Christopher Nolan’s Memento. This collection is rated 18A. (Image currently unavailable) The next set includes Roberto Benigni’s Life Is Beautiful, Scott Hicks’… Read More DVD Release: Alliance Films Festival Collections
Cemetery Junction – A Sony Pictures’ Release http://www.cemeteryjunction.co.uk/ DVD Release Date: August 17th, 2010 Rated 14A for coarse language, and crude content. Running time: 95 minutes Ricky Gervais (dir.) Stephen Merchant (dir.) Ricky Gervais (writer) Stephen Merchant (writer) Tim Atack (music) Tom Hughes as Bruce Pearson Ricky Gervais as Mr. Taylor Christian Cooke as Freddie… Read More DVD Review: Cemetery Junction
Me and Orson Welles – An eOne Films’ Release http://www.meandorsonwellesthemovie.com/ DVD Release Date: August 17th, 2010 Rated PG for mature theme, and coarse language Running time: 113 minutes Richard Linklater (dir.) Holly Gent Palmo (screenplay) Vincent Palmo Jr. (screenplay) Based on the book by Robert Kaplow Michael J. McEvoy (music) Zac Efron as Richard Samuels… Read More DVD Review: Me and Orson Welles
The Good, The Bad, The Weird – An eOne Films’ Release DVD Release Date: August 17th, 2010 Rated 14A for violence and language may offend. Running time: 130 minutes Ji-woon Kim (dir.) Ji-woon Kim (writer) Min-suk Kim (writer) Dalparan (music) Yeong-gyu Jang (music) Kang-ho Song as Yoon Tae-goo / The Weird Byung-hun Lee as Park… Read More DVD Review: The Good, The Bad, The Weird
Gunless – An Alliance Films Release http://gunless.ca/ DVD Release Date: August 17th, 2010 Rated PG for violence. Running time: 89 minutes William Phillips (dir.) William Phillips (screenplay) Paul Gross as Sean ‘The Montana Kid’ Rafferty Sienna Guillory as Jane Taylor Dustin Milligan as Corporal Jonathan Kent Tyler Mane as Jack Smith Callum Keith Rennie as… Read More DVD Review: Gunless
The kids environmental comedy Furry Vengeance is available on DVD and Blu-ray today from eOne Home Entertainment. Although the humour – for adults – is admittedly mostly of the silly/borderline stupid variety, this is sure to be a source of immense entertainment for kids. It’s got a great environmental message as well, so that’s another… Read More DVD/Blu-ray Release: Furry Vengeance
By John C. I normally wouldn’t devote two articles in a row to the same subject, but all could not have been said before even seeing the final episode. This is also my shortest weekly column to date – another first. I was up late last night watching – and taping – the final episode… Read More The Balcony is Closed – Final Thoughts on At The Movies
By John C. After 35 years on the air, in one form or another, At The Movies will air its final episode this weekend. Although the show has undergone many changes over the years, this is the representation of the end of an era. When I interviewed current co-hosts Michael Phillips and A.O. (Tony) Scott… Read More At The Movies – The End of an Era
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – A Universal Pictures’ Release http://www.scottpilgrimthemovie.com/ Release Date: August 13th Rated PG for violence and language may offend Running time: 112 minutes Edgar Wright (dir.) Michael Bacall (screenplay) Edgar Wright (screenplay) Based on the Oni Press graphic novels by Bryan Lee O’ Malley Nigel Godrich (music) Michael Cera as Scott… Read More Movie Review: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
By Erin V. Music is a powerful tool. But it can be over, under, or misused. Blockbuster scores have to be especially careful to walk the fine line of furthering the picture, while still being memorable on their own, and not distracting from the movie. This year, that score for me, was Hans Zimmer’s work… Read More The Scores of The Year So Far – Part 1 – Inception
By John C. On August 6th, I had the chance to interview A.O. (Tony) Scott. Film critic for The New York Times, and current co-host of At The Movies, he and Michael Phillips have done a great job of continuing the legacy of the show – which airs it’s last this coming Sunday. We talked… Read More Interview: At The Movies co-host A.O. Scott
Today, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is releasing Date Night on DVD & Blu-ray. The hilarious duo of Steve Carell and Tina Fey star as a married couple going out for “date night” only to end up – through a case of mistaken identity – having to take down the mob. Both in scenes of action and comedy,… Read More DVD/Blu-ray Release: Date Night
My Name is Khan – A 20th Century Fox Release http://www.foxsearchlight.com/mynameiskhan/ DVD Release Date: August 10th, 2010 Rated PG language may offend, not recommended for young children Running time: 161 minutes Karan Johar (dir.) Shibani Bathija (story and screenplay) Shibani Bathija (dialogue) Niranjan Iyengar (dialogue) Shankar Mahadevan (music) Loy Mendonsa (music) Ehsaan Noorani (music) Shahrukh… Read More DVD Review: My Name is Khan
The Joneses – A TVA Films’ Release DVD Release Date: August 10th, 2010 Rated PG coarse language, sexual content, and substance abuse Running time: 96 minutes Derrick Borte (dir.) Derrick Borte (writer) Shibani Bathija (story) Nick Urata (music) David Duchovny as Steve Jones Demi Moore as Kate Jones Amber Heard as Jenn Jones Ben Hollingsworth… Read More DVD Review: The Joneses
By John C. Over the last year, Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune and A.O. (Tony) Scott of The New York Times have done a great job of continuing the legacy of At The Movies on TV. This coming Sunday, the show will air its last. On July 27th I spoke to Mr. Phillips on the… Read More Interview: At The Movies co-host Michael Phillips
Step Up 3D – A Touchstone Pictures’ Release http://www.youtube.com/user/StepUpMovie Release Date: August 6th Rated PG for brief strong language Running time: 100 minutes Jon M. Chu (dir.) Amy Andelson (writer) Emily Meyer (writer) Duane Adler (characters) Bear McCreary (music) Sharni Vinson as Natalie Rick Malambri as Luke Adam G. Savani as… Read More Movie Review: Step Up 3D
The Joy of Movies 