Once Upon a Time in Anatolia Review
"You guys want to watch a slow movie? I'll give you a slow movie." - Once Upon a Time in Anatolia director Nuri Bilge Ceylan (probably in private)
The Nic Cage Project: Face/Off
To celebrate TIFF’s ongoing Bangkok Dangerous: The Cinema Of Nicolas Cage series, Alan Jones has resurrected his retrospective of the actor’s work entitled The Nic Cage Project. In this edition, Jones takes a look at the John Woo's guns akimbo classic Face/Off – playing tonight at the Lightbox.
The Odds Review
It’s rare that a thriller comes along and pulls you into the world of a movie in a way that really makes you experience the protagonist's fear. Try as it might, The Odds is not one of those rare exceptions. Set against the oxymoronic backdrop of a “high stakes high school gambling ring” the story spins a semi-decent mystery but suffers from a lack of logic and sympathetic characters we can identify with.
Tim & Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie Review
Tim & Eric are smart, that’s for sure, even if I lift my arms in preparative shelter before waxing in any depth about the beauty of their act. But to keep it short, sweet, and pretentious, Tim & Eric's Billion Dollar Movie uses relentless Dada-flavoured antics to subliminally make you and your memes more avant-garde, ya dummy. Unless I’m wrong, then I guess I’m the dummy. Anyways.
Project X Review
The latest entry into the “found footage movie of the month sweepstakes,” Project X , has the potential to be a dorm room classic because of it's content, but that won't stop it from being thoroughly misunderstood. It’s a paean to epic adolescent folly that dares to make getting completely shitfaced look as vainglorious as it really is.
Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax Review
The best adaptation of Dr. Seuss book in recent years, The Lorax will likely cast a magical spell on all who see it, young and old alike.
This Week in DVD: 2/28/12
It's a Beauty Day for DVD releases with the release of the Academy Award winning Hugo, The Kid With a Bike, and one of the best films of last year. Also, Johnny English Reborn and the Canadian action thriller Bounty Hunters.
The Nic Cage Project: Raising Arizona
To celebrate TIFF’s ongoing Bangkok Dangerous: The Cinema Of Nicolas Cage series, Alan Jones has resurrected his retrospective of the actor’s work entitled The Nic Cage Project. In this edition, Jones takes a look at the Coen brothers' Raising Arizona – playing tonight at the Lightbox.
Doppelganger Paul Review
At one time or another, most of us have heard an acquaintance say “I swear I saw your doppelgänger the other day, this guy/girl looked exactly like you.” Or perhaps you’ve been that apparent “doppelgänger” and were mistaken for someone else. However it’s rare that we ever spot someone whom we consider to be our own double, which is the premise of Doppelgänger Paul, an offbeat Canadian comedy with a darkly dry humour that blindsides the viewer at its best moments.
Act of Valor Review
With its use of active duty U.S. Navy Seals instead of actors and its allegedly true to life trappings, it would be far too easy to call Act of Valor out on the carpet for wearing its political leanings on its sleeve. It's pretty bad, but it never fully becomes a self-serious version of Team America and it just barely eschews becoming Call of Duty: The Movie. It's earnest, poorly staged jingoism would be more easily overlooked had the film been made by people who actually have a clue how to direct a movie.
Wanderlust Review
Sketch comedy veteran David Wain returns to the big screen with Walderlust, an uproariously funny and charmingly vulgar film that lets some really great characters do the majority of the work instead of an overly convoluted plot.
Rampart Review
Despite being the mind behind the brilliant L.A. Confidential, writer James Ellroy's work rarely transitions well to the big screen. Much like graphic novelist Frank Miller, Ellroy needs a director who can temper his sometimes unnecessarily over the top and formulaic material into a watchable package. With Ellroy’s latest outing Rampart, director Oren Moverman show’s that he’s simply not up to the challenge leading to film that feels wholly indistinguishable from the author’s past big screen outings about dirty Los Angeles cops.
Goon Review
Calling Goon this generation's Slap Shot would be an understatement. Aside from the obvious surface comparisons to the George Roy Hill/Paul Newman classic about a minor league hockey team going nowhere, director Michael Dowse (Fubar) and co-writer/co-star Jay Baruchel have created a film that outdoes what many hail as the greatest hockey comedy ever made.
This Week in DVD: 2/21/12
During a big week for DVD releases, we take a look at Brett Ratner's Tower Heist, the film festival favourite Martha Marcy May Marlene, the multiple Genie award nominee Café de Flore, and a trio of big name direct to DVD features starring the likes of Chris Evans, Colin Farrell, Keira Knightley, Ryan Reynolds, and Julia Roberts.
The Nic Cage Project: Con Air
To celebrate TIFF’s ongoing Bangkok Dangerous: The Cinema Of Nicolas Cage series, Alan Jones has resurrected his retrospective of the actor’s work entitled The Nic Cage Project. In this edition, Jones boards Simon West's Con Air – playing tonight at the Lightbox.
