This Week in DVD: 2/7/12
This week on DVD we go nose to nose with Lady and the Tramp, shot for shot in the Texas Killing Fields, word for word with Anonymous, and puff for puff with A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas.
film
The Poetry of Precision: Bresson at the Lightbox
Robert Bresson, one of the most important names in classic French cinema, is often overshadowed by the New Wave filmmakers who followed in his footsteps. His filmography is often unjustly relegated to the confines of film studies classes and the shelves of Criterion DVD collectors. The TIFF Bell Lightbox hopes to bring new eyes to Bresson’s work by featuring all thirteen of his films in a retrospective called The Poetry of Precision: The Films of Robert Bresson.
The Nic Cage Project: The Rock
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 on 1996′s Michael Bay-tastic The Rock – playing tonight at the Lightbox.
Moon Point Review
An underdog story both thematically and in its making, Moon Point has you rooting for the characters and filmmakers alike. Since Canadian features, particularly the independents, usually end up seen by few if any, this one should be considered a victory just by virtue of you reading about it here. Fortunately the film does succeed in that it delivers a bit of fluffy entertainment, which is all most really ask for when going to the movies.
Chronicle Review
Just one month after The Devil Inside seemingly ruined the found footage film for everyone, along comes Chronicle, a sci-fi tinged powerhouse of a movie that single-handedly saves the sub-genre to stand as quite possibly the best example of the format. Even more than the iconic Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield, Chronicle dares to tell a dark and bold story that actually feels painfully real and heartbreaking despite being somewhat of a superhero origin story.
The Woman in Black Review
If The Woman in Black is any indication, Daniel Radcliffe will be very savvy when it comes to choosing his post-boy wizard roles. A pitch perfect bit of period horror with menace to spare, this is exactly the kind of film that Harry Potter fans who grew up with the actor would just be starting to get into at their point in their lives. While not reinventing the wheel in any way, director James Watkins has crafted a thoroughly efficient and thrilling genre exercise that evokes favourable comparisons to the works of Wes Craven and Sam Raimi.
Interview: Daniel Radcliffe
Dork Shelf talks to "that Harry Potter guy," Daniel Radcliffe, about breaking out into more adult roles, hosting Saturday Night Live, why everything sounds better when it's said by Alan Rickman, and his latest film, The Woman in Black.
The Innkeepers Review
As his first film since The House of the Devil, The Innkeepers is horror director Ti West’s opportunity to show a winning streak, or at least an uncanny corridor. It also happens to be a chance for star Sara Paxton, often cast as that pretty blonde in really forgettable roles, to earn a new start, not unlike West himself.
This Week in DVD: 1/31/2012
This week's DVD column looks at Ryan Gosling's much talked about Drive, Richard Gere and Topher Grace squaring off in The Double, Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz buying a Dream House, and the re-releases of Lawrence Kasdan's 1991 Grand Canyon and 2001's seminal Monkeybone. Yes, Monkeybone.
Monsieur Lazhar Review
Canadians have been abuzz that one of their own has made its way to a nomination on film’s grandest stage, and rightfully so. Director Philippe Falardeau’s Monsieur Lazhar takes the well worn template of an inspirational teacher movie and creates something far grander out of a type of film that often lends itself to grandstanding and speeches.
The Nic Cage Project: Valley Girl
To celebrate TIFF's upcoming 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 on 1983's Valley Girl - playing tonight at the Lightbox.
The Legend of the Ridiculous Nicolas Cage
Nic Cage is one of Hollywood’s greatest eccentrics in a town know for having more than a few. Over the next 11 weeks the TIFF Bell Lightbox will be honoring the master of overacting with the career retrospective Bangkok Dangerous: The Cinema Of Nicolas Cage. Every Saturday night you’ll be treated to another highlight and hairdo from Cage’s illustrious career ranging from camp to legitimate classics and oh are there such sights to be seen.
One for the Money Review
Say what you will about the career trajectory of actress Katherine Heigl, there’s a decent story hidden somewhere in One for the Money. An angry, out of work woman becoming a bounty hunter and jumping at the chance to bring in a loathsome ex-lover sounds… exactly like that Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston movie The Bounty Hunter with the sexes reversed. That’s pretty much what this movie amounts to, but this is admittedly somewhat better than that debacle. It’s still not very good.
Man on a Ledge Review
Ostensibly a cross between Inside Man and The Negotiator with a healthy dose of Michael Bay style ridiculousness, Man on a Ledge might be the most fun to be had in cinemas this January. It’s an unabashed crowd pleaser that really doesn’t care that it doesn’t make an iota of logical sense.
The Grey Review
Liam Neeson reteams with A-Team director Joe Carnahan for The Grey, a reasonably entertaining B-movie about men trying to survive in a harsh climate with even harsher wildlife.
