Sean Kelly on Movies

Trailer Thoughts: The Bourne Legacy

2012-02-08T14:53:00.000-05:00

Even though the film series apparently concluded with The Bourne Ultimatum, Jeremy Renner takes the reigns as a new superspy, who to aims to continue The Bourne Legacy.

There is not much plot given in this teaser trailer, which introduces the character of Aaron Cross, who is in a program similar to the one Jason Bourne was in. Many supporting cast from the previous films, such as Joan Allen and Albert Finney, return in this film and are joined by new cast members Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton.

While it may seem like this film is way to cash-in on the Bourne franchise without Matt Damon, the film doesn't look to be half bad and will probably end up being a decent follow-up.

The Bourne Legacy opens on August 3.

Trailer Thoughts: The Amazing Spider-Man

2012-02-07T10:07:00.000-05:00

A new trailer has just debuted for the new reboot of the Spider-Man series, which is directed by Marc Webb and stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and Rhys Ifans.

One thing that's apparent by this trailer is that they are trying greatly contrast this film with Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films. Not only are there obvious differences, such as the fact that Spider-Man has returned to using mechanical web-shooters, but it's also apparent that they are aiming for a somewhat more dark and gritty look to the film, as if they were making this the Dark Knight of Spider-Man films.

I'm not completely sold on Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man and I feel his voice isn't the best fit for the character. Maybe it's just because I'm so used to Tobey Maguire in the role, it will probably take longer for me to accept Garfield. That said, I do like the return of Spider-Man's sarcasm.

This trailer also shows off Rhys Ifans as Curt Connors/The Lizard. While the latter is only seen in brief flashes, I'm quite confident that Ifans is going to make a great villain. I quite look forward to seeing more of him.

Overall, even though I still have some apprehensions over the whole reboot thing, there's still enough to like in this trailer to get me excited to see the film when it opens on July 3.

My Thoughts on Man on a Ledge

2012-02-04T19:51:00.000-05:00

Last week when it opened, Man on a Ledge was overshadowed by The Grey and barely registered in the top five with an opening gross of only $8M. However, after finally getting around to seeing the film today (I chose it instead of Woman in Black, which I already saw or Chronicle, which I feared would make me motion sick), I can say that it was a very entertaining heist thriller.

The story of the film is very simple: Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington), a cop wrongly accused of stealing a diamond from wealthy real estable mogul David Englander (Ed Harris), breaks out of jail and, in a desperate move to clear his name, climbs out onto a ledge of a hotel to act as a distraction, while his brother Joey (Jamie Bell) tries to steal the diamond for real to prove with was still in Englander's possession. Rouding out the cast is Elizabeth Banks as police negotiator Lydia Mercer, Anthony Mackie as Nick's old partner Mike, and Genesis Rodriguez as Joey's girlfriend Angie.

The film is a very straight-forward thriller, however I thought it was extremely fun to watch and since the film moves back and forth between Nick on the ledge and the heist, it's not as monotonous as you would expect a film entitled Man on a Ledge to be. I definitely recommend checking it out.

8/10

My Thoughts on Kevin Smith: Live from Behind

2012-02-03T08:24:00.001-05:00

Last night Kevin Smith (along with Jason Mewes) returned to Toronto for a live podcast/Q&A at the Scotiabank Theatre. The event was streamed to movie theatres across North America and that is how I watched it (at the Queensway Cinemas). To be completely honest, I think the stream was probably better than seeing it live, since for the whole show I was treated to a full-screen HD image of Smith, which is definitely a better view than if I was there in person.

One thing I quite enjoyed before the event was that, instead of the usual Cineplex pre-show, there was a sort of "greatest hits" clip reel for Smith, which showed trailers, movie clips, past Q&As, and, my personal favourite, old Nike commercials starring Jason Mewes.

The event consisted of Smith and Mewes recording their podcast Jay and Silent Bob Get Old, which was followed by a Q&A session. There was a quite hilarious moment during the podcast recording, in which the microphones went out and both Smith and Mewes were wondering what's wrong (Smith could be heard asking "Is Toronto under attack?"). In fact, the podcast recording itself was quite hilarious (and raunchy) and was probably my overall favourite part of the event.

At around the halfway point of the three hour event, the event switched to a Q&A format, which went back and forth between live questions and questions posted to Twitter (there was also a single YouTube question at the very beginning). One thing I have to say about this Q&A: Even though I consider myself part of it, Kevin's Smith fanbase sure has some weirdos in it and this Q&A seemed to have attracted some of the most odd Kevin Smith fans I have ever seen.

Here are some highlights from the Q&A, which, because of time constraints, was a more standard Q&A for Smith (i.e. no super-long answers):

About five or so of the people brought Smith a gift. These included everything from a Jay and Silent Bob "Canadian" flag (Smith seemed oblivious to the fact that the flag had a marijuana leaf on it), Jay and Silent Bob drinking glasses, a "save the date" for a Wedding (where Smith was also asked to be the MC), a book about Stoners (dedicated to Smith), and a box of Timbits (one guy also tried to give Smith half of his winnings of a $10 bet, but Smith politely refused).
Probably the best guy to ask a question during the Q&A was this nerdy Asian guy, who talked about his dream Batman villains (I should note the Smith came right up next to the person to help calm his nervousness). The most hilarious of these villain ideas was "Stephen Hawking in a Robot Suit."
Another memorable question was from this black guy in an afro, who wanted Smith to come to karaoke with his after the show and sing "Hanky Panky" by Madonna (to which he sung a few lines right then and there). I should note that, in his answer, Jason Mewes suggested the (awful) karaoke booth that's in the lobby of the Scotiabank theatre.
Some of the more interesting stuff to come out of the Q&A included a description of the very awesome (and expensive) sounding alternate ending to Red State, Smith's desire to premiere his next (and final) film Hit Somebody with a tour of Canadian hockey arenas and announcement that a Jay and Silent Bob animated film is currently in production and Smith has the hopes that it would premiere as part of Midnight Madness at this year's TIFF.

The show ended with a very hilarious audience-participation bit some girl and Jason Mewes simulated sex in the style of Kevin Smith's tortoises Snipper and Snapper (based on a story Smith told during the podcast). It was definitely a sight to remember.

Well that's the event. When I got home, I saw e-mail in my inbox from Fan Expo Canada announcing that Smith and Mewes will be back in Toronto to record a podcast during the convention, which I might consider getting a ticket for (even though I already pay a bundle for Fan Expo).

Remembering the Cinesphere

2012-02-02T12:20:00.003-05:00

It was announced yesterday that the bulk of Ontario Place will be closed for up to five years as the province works to find a way to rejuvenate the waterfront amusement park.

One of the causalities of this announcement was the Cinesphere, which some reports say will actually be torn down as part of these rejuvenations. The Epcot-like globe in the centre of Ontario Place was the world's first permanent IMAX theatre (and up until the mid-1990s, it was the ONLY such theatre in Toronto).

It's sadly ironic that the Cinesphere closes at a time when IMAX is bigger than ever. It was just a little over a month ago when audiences were awed at the dizzying IMAX-shot scenes in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol. In addition, one the most anticipated films of the year, The Dark Knight Rises, will also make heavy use of IMAX.

However, the habit of routinely releasing blockbusters in IMAX is not even a decade old (the first feature-length film released in IMAX was The Matrix Revolutions in 2003). For most of its history, IMAX was all about the 40 minute documentaries that would show at the Cinesphere. There are many memorable docs I saw at the Cinesphere as a kid, including Blue Planet and Ring of Fire, that were still in the theatre's rotation when the announcement was made yesterday.

It's a real shame that this announcement comes right after the Cinesphere celebrated its 40th anniversary. Last year the theatre received a full upgrade (including IMAX 3D capabilities) and all that seems to have now gone to waste. At the very least, the tradition IMAX experience will continue to exist at the Ontario Science Centre's OMNIMAX theatre (an IMAX theatre with a domed screen that surrounds the room).

It still seems very sad that piece of Canadian cinema history had to close because the government could not afford to run the ground it stands on.

Ontario Place Cinesphere
1971-2012

DVD Pick of the Day: Drive

2012-01-31T17:31:00.001-05:00

I still have quite a big backlog from Christmas, so I am being extra picky choosy about purchasing new discs for my collection. However, if there was one film I was most definitely going to get, it was going to be Drive.

There is not much in the way of on-disc special features. There is only really an interview with director Nicolas Winding Refn, along with four behind-the-scenes featurettes (I Drive, Under the Hood, Driver and Irene, and Cut to the Chase). In fact, the most impressive inclusion with this Blu-Ray set is the inclusion of a 30 page mini-magazine, printed by Little White Lies. It was definitely a nice little inclusion.

Details:
Blu-Ray/DVD Combo - $29.99 (CND)
Blu-Ray - $19.99 (US)
Standard DVD - $19.97 (CND), $16.99 (US)
Amazon Instant Video - $3.99US (Rent), $14.99US (Buy)
Film Thoughts: A gripping film with an excellent retro soundtrack.
Film Rating: 9/10

My Thoughts on A Separation

2012-01-31T17:14:00.001-05:00

It all begins with the desire of one Iranian woman to leave Iran for a better life. Her husband does not want to leave and instead wants to stay and care for his father with Alzheimer's. The couple file for divorce and so begins a series of events that will tear their family further apart.

A Separation is most definitely a powerful film. The film takes it slow and allows us time to get to know the characters at the centre of the story, before pulling the rug around from beneath our feet with an event that strike a further divide between the couple at the centre of the film.

The film touches on many themes, such as men vs woman, making decisions based on religious beliefs, and of course the issue about children being in the middle of a divorce.

In the end, even though the couple initially separates for a rather trivial reason, the events of the film create such a divide that it leaves you to wonder what would have happened if he only said yes.

9/10

Revisiting 1982 - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

2012-01-31T10:28:00.001-05:00

1982 is considered a somewhat landmark year in genre cinema. Many films were released this year, which are now considered classics. 1982 was also the year I was born. As such, to coincide with the 30th anniversary of these films (and my 30th birthday), I will pick one 1982 film a month to discuss. Some of these films I'll be seeing for the first time, while others I'll be seeing for the umpteenth time.

For my first film, I decided to choose what is probably my favourite 1982 film - Steven Spielberg's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. As is the case with all my "Revisiting" posts, I might go into SPOILER territory in my discussion.

Let's begin.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

I suppose I'll begin with the version of the film I re-watched. In 2002, Spielberg released a 20th anniversary special edition of the film, which featured new scenes and CGI touch-ups. This version is the basis for the DVD release of the film, however Spielberg also had the sense to include the original theatrical cut. It was that version of the film I decided to re-watch, so I can authentically revisit how the film was in 1982.

E.T. is a film which is told from a child's point of view. The central character is Elliott, who was played by a 10 year old Henry Thomas (whose only notable role for me since then was in 2002's Gangs of New York). He is joined by his teenage brother Michael (Robert MacNaughton) and younger sister Gertie (a very cute 7 year old Drew Barrymore). The only adults central to the plot are Dee Wallace as Elliott's mother Mary and Peter Coyote as the nameless Government agent nicknamed "Keys" (for the constant sound of jingling keys that accompanies him). In fact, with the exception of Mary, none of the adult character's faces are seen until the third act of the film.

Much of the plot is built around the psychic connection between E.T. and Elliott. This is used to comic effect early in the film in a scene where E.T. gets himself drunk on beer, which results in Elliott also becoming intoxicated. This results in one of my favourite scenes, in which Elliott decides to save all the frogs his class are preparing for dissection. Of course, the connection between E.T. and Elliott becomes dangerous in the third act when E.T. gets sick and endangers both their lives.

I should talk a bit about the character of E.T. He is played for the most part by an animatronic puppet (though I believe some of the full body shots were a little person in a suit). I personally thought that the E.T. puppet work was pretty well done. Sure, some of the lip-syncing was stiff, but E.T. still seemed like a real being. Of course, since Spielberg is friends with Georges Lucas, the 2002 Special Edition saw E.T. "cleaned up" with CGI, which does make him look a little more cartoonish than he does in the theatrical cut.

Speaking of George Lucas, I noticed that there are many references to Star Wars scattered throughout the film. For instance, when Elliott is first getting to know E.T., he shows him his Star Wars action figures. A later scene has Michael speaking in a Yoda voice and, most memorable, during a Halloween scene, E.T. sees a kid dressed up as Yoda and chases after him, thinking him to be a fellow Extra Terrestrial.

Another scene that Spielberg insisted on changing for the special edition happens in the climax of the film: Elliott and his friends are racing to return E.T. to his spaceship and they are blocked by a pair of police officers holding rifles. Apparently the inclusion of this scene was one of Spielberg's greatest regrets and for the Special Edition, he digital changed the scene so the officers are now holding walkie talkies. It's not in my place to say that Spielberg was right or wrong in the making the change, however I'm pretty sure that the police had the rifles for the alien and not the kids.

The film received nine Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, and won four: Best Visual Effects, Best Score (the film features one of John Williams' most classic scores), Best Sound Mixing, and Best Sound Editing. After re-watching the film, I was almost wishing that the Academy nominated kids for acting awards. In fact, I thought that Henry Thomas was especially deserving of a nomination. Also, I am not to certain if a fantasy/sci-fi film like E.T. would get nominated if it was released today. It seems the Academy has since moved away from giving Best Picture nominations to genre films (BTW, I'll be talking about the film that actually won Best Picture that year in a later post).

This ends my revisit of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Next month, I will be moving on to a darker science fiction film as I revisit John Carpenter's The Thing.

My Thoughts on The Grey

2012-01-29T20:05:00.000-05:00

Now, on this day of Guillermo del Toro sightings, I also happened to see a movie. They were really hyping this movie over the last few days as having a performance by Liam Neeson that was so good, that plans are already being made to re-release the film in October for a possible Oscar qualifying run (quick shout out to thesubstream.com, where I now contribute movie news).

I do have to say that Liam Neeson's performance was indeed quite good and, quite honestly, it was the best thing about this movie. The Grey is a slow and somber film about surviving in the Alaskan wilderness. Much of the movie was spent with the characters sitting around a fire talking, when they are not avoiding being eaten by a pack of wolves.

I'm probably not as disappointed as some by the lack of man vs wolf action promised in the trailer. However, there's another movie about surviving in the Alaskan wilderness, 1997's The Edge, which does it in a much more interesting way. True the film did have plenty man vs bear action, but it also had some quieter moments, with most of the film being built around the performances of Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin.

Part of me wishes that The Grey was a bit more like The Edge, since there wasn't too much in this film to hold my attention. Liam Neeson was the only one who had semi-decent character development, with the rest of the survivors being more or less wolf fodder.

I will say one thing. I probably would have liked the film more if the story lasted maybe 5-10 minutes longer. Overall, I don't really think it's a bad film, but it's not really a memorable one.

7/10

So, I was standing right behind Guillermo del Toro...

2012-01-29T19:34:00.000-05:00

I had an interesting experience this afternoon as I went to see The Grey. I went to my regular cinema the Cineplex Queensway and, as I always do, I motioned towards the ticket kiosks.

I chose the second kiosk, which only had one person in front of me. When the guy in front of me turned around to leave, I immediately recognized him - I was standing behind Guillermo del Toro!

Since del Toro is in Toronto shooting his new movie Pacific Rim, it wasn't a HUGE surprise to see him, but I still couldn't believe it. The whole thing happened so fast that he was gone before I could react, however I did notice that the machine refused his payment, so I'm sure he might have been slightly peeved at that moment (I saw him again a couple minutes later in the normal box office line - I wonder what movie he saw).

This wasn't the first time I have this type of experience at the Queensway. In 2005, I went to an advance screening of Red Eye at the theatre, which was followed by an autograph session with Wes Craven. Then in 2007, I had the unique experience of watching American Gangster two seats away from Forest Whitaker.

It's amazing who you could run into in Toronto cinemas.

My Thoughts on Monsieur Lazhar

2012-01-29T14:12:00.000-05:00

I saw Canada's Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language film on Friday evening, but a busy couple of days have prevented me on saying anything about it until now.

Quite simply, Monsieur Lazhar is a film about a schoolteacher in Montreal, who takes over a class following the tragic suicide of their previous teacher. The film deals both with how the student's are coping with their teacher's suicide, as well as Lazhar's backstory as a recent immigrant from Algeria.

We learn something quite huge about Lazhar rather earlier on, but somewhat surprisingly, it doesn't become much of a factor in the story until close to the end. Instead, we are treated to a film about how Lazhar gains the respect and admiration of his students, many of whom are mature beyond their years.

Another interesting theme to come up in the film involves what it's like being a teacher in an ultra-politically correct society, where the over-protection of children is prevalent. One of Lazhar's fellow teachers laments on how they are excepted the treat kids like they are radioactive. In another scene, the parent of Lazhar's students that he should "teach her, not try to raise her." The message that comes out in the film is that perhaps the kids don't need as much protection as their parents think they do.

Overall, I thought that Monsieur Lazhar was a pretty good film and I can understand why the film got its Oscar nomination.

8/10

My Thoughts on The Woman in Black

2012-01-26T23:35:00.000-05:00

Tonight I saw and advance screening of this new ghost story staring Daniel Radcliffe, which has its regular release next week. This is Radcliffe's first post-Harry Potter film and it is definitely a different type of role for him, being a gothic horror film.

Radcliffe plays a lawyer, who comes to a small English town to look over the paperwork in an old mansion. The mansion is haunted by a banshee-like spirit, who kills a child in town whenever she is seen.

It's definitely a spooky subject matter, though I thought the film had a very slow pace. I thought that the early appearances of the ghost wasn't all that scary and I thought the scares peaked in the second act during an extended sequence when the mansion becomes akin to haunted fun house in an amusement park.

Overall, I thought that The Woman in Black was decent enough film. It's not the scariest ghost story I've seen, but it had its moments.

7/10

My Thoughts on the Oscar Nominees

2012-01-24T14:53:00.000-05:00

Award season kicked into full gear this morning as the Oscar nominations were announced. As is my usual habit, I shall give my random thoughts:

As a result of slightly modified rules (in which the Academy nominates UP TO ten films), there are only nine Best Picture nominees, six of which I have seen. I highly doubt I'll see the three I haven't seen (Moneyball, The Help, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) before the Oscars (if at all).
Shame, and Michael Fassbender's performance in it, were (not surprisingly) ignored
Gary Oldman receives his first nomination ever
Now we can say "Academy Award Nominated Actor Jonah Hill"
Why is Bérénice Bejo (again) not nominated for LEAD actress?
Sadly no animated nomination for Tintin. Makes it easier to choose Rango.
Second year in a row a Canadian film gets a Best Foreign-language Film nomination. Will be checking out Monsieur Lazhar on Friday.
Only two Best Song nominees? At least The Muppets is included.
Despite being a silent film, The Artist, should have got a sound nominations for the two scenes with sound.
I've seen two of the documentary nominees (I think that's a first).

Well, those are my random thoughts. I definitely say that it will probably be The Artist's year and I expect it to win big during the ceremony. I'll post my full predictions closer to the ceremony on February 26th.

My Thoughts on Haywire

2012-01-19T22:23:00.000-05:00

Steven Soderbergh isn't often known for directing action films and, as it turns out, Haywire isn't your usual action film. Storywise, this type of film, about a black ops agent who has been betrayed, has been told many time before and film is actually bit stylistically similar to the Bourne films.

The film stars former MMA fighter Gina Carano and features many well-choreographed fight scenes. An interesting thing about these scenes is that they are not scored, so the only sounds that's heard are the kicks and punches during the fight. As such, it allows the audience to respond in a very natural manner.

The film sports a very impressive supporting cast that includes Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Bill Paxton, Antonio Banderas, and Michael Douglas (Channing Tatum's in the film as well). I should also mention Michael Angarano, who appears in an absolutely hilarious comic-relief role.

Overall, I have to say that Haywire was probably one of the most enjoyable January releases I've seen.

8/10

Movie Theatres of My Life

2012-01-16T16:23:00.001-05:00

I've been going to cinemas for pretty much my entire life. I can probably say that I've been to most cinemas in Toronto at least once and there's many that I still go to on a regular basis.

I thought that after all the posts I made about the Humber Cinema last year, I should go back and talk about the other cinemas I have fond memories of growing up.

While it would be too much to talk about EVERY cinema I've been to, I thought I would talk about the ones I have the fondest memories of and/or went to the most frequently. Some of these cinemas are now closed, while others I still regularly go to. Enjoy.

Famous Players Westwood

Location: Bloor and Kipling

Started Attending: Late 1980s/early 1990s

Closed Down: 1998

While nothing but a dilapidated building remains today, the Westwood cinema was the primary cinema of my childhood. My parents would often take me to this theatre to see many family friendly films. These included most Disney films, the Super Mario Bros film, and I believe I also saw Hook in this theatre. I stopped going to this theatre when I started going to movies alone and the theatre closed down in 1998.

Famous Players/Alliance Runnymede

Location: Bloor and Runnymede

Started Attending: Early 1990s

Closed Down: 1998

The Runnymede Theatre was a historical theatre in the Bloor West Village neighbourhood where I grew up. While I went to a few films here as a child, the cinema is most memorable for being the location where I saw my first movie without parental supervision. Shortly after I turned 13 in 1995, Batman Forever was released as one of the big summer blockbusters of that year. I was so excited to see the film and was very happy when I found out it was playing at the Runnymede. I then proceeded to go back and forth between the Runnymede and Humber for my movie-going needs.

The Runnymede Theatre closed in 1998 (I went to see Shakespeare in Love at the theatre on its final day) and it has since been converted into a Chapters bookstore (though it still retains the basic layout of the the theatre).

Cineplex Odeon Humber

Location: Bloor and Jane

Started Attending: 1988

Closed Down: 2003 (reopened independently in 2011).

I thought I would at least mention it, however I already talked enough about my history with the theatre.

Cineplex Odeon Sherway

Location: Queensway and West Mall (just across from Sherway Gardens)

Started Attending: 1989

Closed Down: 2001

My most memorable early memory of the Sherway Cinemas was in how it was the location where I saw one of my first non-animated films (Ghostbusters 2). I became a more regular attendee of the theatre in the late-90s, following the closure of the Runnymede Theatre. The Sherway Cinemas quietly closed down in 2001, when it was replaced with the nearby Queensway Cinemas.

Cineplex Odeon Square One

Location: Square One Shopping Centre

Attended: Early 1990s

The Square One cinema (which I believe is now operated by Empire) was a cinema I've only been to a handful of times in the early 1990s. Most of these visits were for seeing special Disney Double Features that used to happen, in which we saw an upcoming Disney film a few weeks early, before staying to see a film that was already in release. The most memorable of these parings that I saw was Aladdin, followed by The Mighty Ducks. The Square One cinema is also memorable for being the theatre where I saw Batman Returns (yes, I was a big Batman fan as a kid).

Cineplex Odeon Queensway

Location: Queensway and Islington

Started Attending: 2001

The Queensway cinema opened in 2001, replacing the nearby Sherway Cinema, and today it remains my primary cinema. If you ever saw Harold and Kumar Go to While Castle, you would know that the Queensway appears on screen in the film (ironically, I did not see that film at the Queensway).

Famous Players Paramount/Cineplex Scotiabank

Location: John and Richmond

Started Attending: Early 2000s

While I thought that the "ScotiaMount" was a cool theatre when it first opened, today I consider it a perfect example of how corporate movie theatres have become. These days I prefer only going to this cinema for IMAX films and I tend to consider other locations before coming here for normal films.

Cineplex Odeon Varsity Cinemas

Location: Bay and Bloor (in the Manulife Centre)

Started Attending: 2003

The Varsity is Cineplex's main arthouse cinema and it's pretty much the place to go for limited release or foreign films (though mainstream releases play here too). I first went to the theatre during my first Toronto Film Festival in 2003 and it helped with my decision to make the theatre my venue of choice when I started volunteering for TIFF in 2006. Even though the theatre is now no longer used for TIFF, I still make a point to come to the theatre semi-regularly.

Alliance Cumberland

Location: Avenue and Cumberland

Started Attending: 2005

A true arthouse cinema, I first went to the Cumberland in 2005 to see Brick and I made it a point to try and return regularly to see films that were outside the mainstream. In it's heyday, the Cumberland had a discount ticket price that made the theatre an inexpensive alternative to mainstream theatres. However, while the cinema still plays independent films, the ticket prices have gone up and more mainstream films have started showing more regularly.

AMC Yonge & Dundas

Location: 10 Dundas East (Yonge and Dundas)

Started Attending: 2008

The biggest multiplex in downtown Toronto opened in one of the best ways ever - free movies! I fondly remember seeing a free screening of 3:10 to Yuma at this theatre as part of its grand opening and I have been a regular attendee at the theatre ever since. In my opinion, the AMC is the best of the cinemas in downtown Toronto and I find that the atmosphere is a bit more pleasant than Cineplex. Also, because films often play on multiple screens, the theatre has the best showtimes in the city, with a new showing often starting every half hour.

The theatre also has some decent indie selections. The most memorable of these that I saw was the full 4 hr+ roadshow version of Che. I definitely love seeing films at this theatre.

And I think that's where I will stop. While there are at least six more cinemas I could put on this list (Silvercity Yorkdale, Silvercity Eglinton, the Boor Cinema, Kingsway Theatre, Bell Lightbox and Toronto Underground), I think these ten cinemas best reflect my memories of growing up seeing films in Toronto. Perhaps I will write a follow-up someday and talk about some more of the cinemas I've been to.

Until then, I hoped you enjoyed this list.

Golden Globes Wrap-Up

2012-01-16T10:45:00.002-05:00

Boy was I off. The Golden Globes last night were not an enjoyable watching experience, as I only correctly predicted 4 of the 14 movie awards. Some were slight miscalculations, with my alternate picks ending up willing, while others seemed complete out of left field.

The biggest surprise of the night for me was that the award for Best Picture - Drama went to The Descendants, with George Clooney also picking up the award for Best Actor - Drama. I'm not sure if this will repeat come Oscar time, but both are now definite frontrunners.

Not so surprising was The Artist's win for Best Picture - Comedy/Musical. It also won for Best Actor - Comedy/Musical and Best Score. I think that The Artist is going to be the true film to beat during the Oscars.

The Oscar nominations are announced in just over a weeks time and it will definitely be an interesting race.

Golden Globes "Predictions"

2012-01-15T13:19:00.000-05:00

This year I decided to write "predictions" in quotes as a way of acknowledging the Golden Globes is a bit of a sham of an awards show.

At one time you can say that the Globes were a good way to see who will win at the Oscars. However, in recent years, you have had Best Picture winners that were out of left field (i.e. 2007's winner Atonement) or completely based on popularity (i.e. 2010's win for Avatar).

I'm going to make predictions because I like the game of it all, but I am sure that I am going to be shocked by at least one of the "winners" tonight.

Best Picture - Drama
Nominees:

The Descendants
The Help
Hugo
The Ides of March
Moneyball
War Horse

Prediction: Hugo
Alternate: The Descendants
Reason: While Hugo also had many comic elements, I believe that it's the best film on this list (for the record, I have yet to see Moneyball or The Help). I don't know why I made The Descendants my alternate pick, I just have a feeling. This is probably the category I have the biggest chance at being shocked by.

Best Picture - Musical or Comedy
Nominees:

The Artist
Bridesmaids
50/50
Midnight in Paris
My Week with Marilyn

Prediction: The Artist
Alternate: Midnight in Paris
Reason: The Artist stands out the most in the category and I'm fairly sure it will win. I also quite liked Midnight in Paris, so I made that my alternate pick.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
Nominees:

George Clooney for The Descendants
Leonardo DiCaprio for J. Edgar
Michael Fassbender for Shame
Ryan Gosling for The Ides of March
Brad Pitt for Moneyball

Prediction: Michael Fassbender
Alternate: Ryan Gosling
Reason: If the HPFA isn't scared by Shame's content, Fassbender is the stand-out here.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Nominees:

Glenn Close for Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis for The Help
Rooney Mara for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton for We Need to Talk About Kevin

Prediction: Tilda Swinton
Alternate: Meryl Streep
Reason: Tilda Swinton will be the one to beat all awards season.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy
Nominees:

Jean Dujardin for The Artist
Brendan Gleeson for The Guard
Joseph Gordon-Levitt for 50/50
Ryan Gosling for Crazy, Stupid, Love.
Owen Wilson for Midnight in Paris

Prediction: Jean Dujardin
Alternate: Ryan Gosling
Reason: Will a silent performance win? I sure hope so.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Nominees:

Jodie Foster for Carnage
Charlize Theron for Young Adult
Kristen Wiig for Bridesmaids
Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn
Kate Winslet for Carnage

Prediction: Kristin Wiig
Alternate: Jodie Foster
Reason: This is always one of the hardest to pick. I love both the Carnage actresses performances, but I fear they may cancel each other out. As such, I'll go with a comedic actress, who needs some proper recognition.

Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Nominees:

Kenneth Branagh for My Week with Marilyn
Albert Brooks for Drive
Jonah Hill for Moneyball
Viggo Mortensen for A Dangerous Method
Christopher Plummer for Beginners

Prediction: Christopher Plummer
Alternate: Viggo Mortensen
Reason: Christopher Plummer's performance totally made Beginners the joy that it was.

Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Nominees:

Bérénice Bejo for The Artist
Jessica Chastain for The Help
Janet McTeer for Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer for The Help
Shailene Woodley for The Descendants

Prediction: Bérénice Bejo
Alternate: Shailene Woodley
Reason: For some odd reason, Bejo is nominated as a supporting actress instead of lead. Either way, she is the stand out here.

Best Director - Motion Picture
Nominees:

Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris
George Clooney for The Ides of March
Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist
Alexander Payne for The Descendants
Martin Scorsese for Hugo

Prediction: Michel Hazanavicius
Alternate: Martin Scorsese
Reason: It will be one or the other.

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
Nominees:

The Artist: Michel Hazanavicius
The Descendants: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
The Ides of March: George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon
Midnight in Paris: Woody Allen
Moneyball: Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, Stan Chervin

Prediction: The Artist
Alternate: Midnight in Paris
Reasion: A screenplay is especially important when the film is silent.

Best Original Score - Motion Picture
Nominees:

The Artist: Ludovic Bource
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
Hugo: Howard Shore
War Horse: John Williams
W.E.: Abel Korzeniowski

Prediction: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Alternate: The Artist
Reason: I like Trent Reznor

Best Original Song - Motion Picture
Nominees:

Albert Nobbs: Brian Byrne, Glenn Close("Lay Your Head Down")
Gnomeo & Juliet: Elton John, Bernie Taupin("Hello Hello")
The Help: Mary J. Blige, Thomas Newman, Harvey Mason Jr., Damon Thomas("The Living Proof")
Machine Gun Preacher: Chris Cornell("The Keeper")
W.E.: Madonna, Julie Frost, Jimmy Harry("Masterpiece")

Prediction: Machine Gun Preacher
Reason: I haven't really heard or care about any of these songs (where's The Muppets), so I'm just picking one from a hat.

Best Animated Feature Film
Nominees:

The Adventures of Tintin
Arthur Christmas
Cars 2
Puss in Boots
Rango

Prediction: The Adventure of Tintin
Alternate: Rango
Reason: I believe both are the best on this list (Pixar had an off year)

Best Foreign Language Film
Nominees:

The Flowers of War (China)
In the Land of Blood and Honey (USA)
The Kid with a Bike (Belgium)
A Separation (Iran)
The Skin I Live In (Spain)

Prediction: The Skin I Live In
Alternate: A Separation
Reason: It's hard picking films I've not yet seen, however I've heard some VERY good things about The Skin I Live In.

And those are my "predictions"

Canada's Top Ten: My Thoughts on Take This Waltz

2012-01-15T01:08:00.002-05:00

For my final film of Canada's Top Ten, I saw this quirky romantic comedy directed by Sarah Polley. One thing that stands out for this film right away is that even though it's a Canadian film that takes place in Toronto, it features a very well-known cast of both Canadian and American actors, including Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Luke Kirby, and Sarah Silverman.

The film centres around a 20-something married woman named Margot (Williams), who lives a happy, yet mundane, life with her husband Lou (Rogen). On a trip to Nova Scotia, she meets the suave Daniel (Kirby), who happens to be her neighbour. Margot begins to believe that Daniel fills a void that is missing in her life with Lou and so begins a love triangle of sorts and Margot and Daniel develop feelings for each other, with Lou being oblivious to his wife's infidelity.

The growing romance between Margot and Daniel is at the centre of the plot of the film and I have to admit that it was a difficult to watch. While, you can understand why Margot wants an alternate to Lou (he seems more interested in his cooking than her), you still end up feeling sorry for him. It helps that Seth Rogen gives a subdued performance for Lou, making him a lovable, yet somewhat naive, schlub. Luke Kirby's performance as Daniel was just as multifaceted. For much of the movie, I found myself hating him for openly flirting with a married woman, however at the same time he initially didn't seem to have any real desire to be a home-wrecker.

That brings us back to Michelle Williams' performance as Margot, who is a character that doesn't know a good thing when she has it. Her character, and her desire to fill a void in her life that probably isn't even really there, is what I gathered to be the true meaning of this film. She ends up being the least sympathetic character of the film, even though you some somewhat pity her at the end.

Overall, Take This Waltz was a quite interesting character study.

8/10

Trailer Thoughts: Casa de mi Padre

2012-01-14T17:42:00.002-05:00

Will Ferrell goes español in this new Western spoof.

I took one look at this trailer and I instantly thought "what the hell?" Who would have thought that Will Ferrell can speak Spanish or that he would go as far and star in an entirely Spanish-language Western-Comedy. The film looks to be both a spoof of Westerns in general, with a few added jokes in the trailer about the perceived prestige of foreign language films.

I would say that language is probably the biggest challenge for the film. Is Will Ferrell's star power high enough to attract people to see a film that is nearly entirely subtitled (for the record, there is at least one English language scene, as seen in the trailer)? That said, I do like how Will Ferrell is being advertised as a newcomer amongst the, mostly Mexican, cast - complete with a Spanish emphasis on his name.

Casa de mi Padre does look like it will be an interesting film and I'll probably try to check it out when it opens in March.

Canada's Top Ten: My Thoughts on Café de Flore

2012-01-14T09:59:00.000-05:00

Last night I saw a film at Canada's Top Ten that I can probably say will end up being the best of the films that I have seen.

Café de Flore tells two stories. The first story, set in present day Montreal, is about a love triangle of sorts in which a DJ named Antoine (Kevin Parent) recently left his wife Carole (Helene Florent) for a new woman named Rose (Evelyne Brochu). Since Antoine and Carole believed each other to be soul mate, each are trying to come to term with this change and move on with their lives. The second story takes place in 1960s Paris and follows Jacqueline (Vanessa Paradis), who has to face the challenges of raising her son Laurent, who has Down syndrome.

I thought the film was fantastically edited in how it seamlessly moved between the two stories. At first it's bit puzzling how these two stories connect - other than the fact that both featured a musical number called "Café de Flore." However, both stories come together by the end - in a very interesting way I might add.

In conclusion, I will say that Café de Flore was an excellent film and it will definitely be my top film of Canada's Top Ten.

9/10

I will conclude my Canada's Top Ten experience tonight when I see Sarah Polley's Take This Waltz.

Canada's Top Ten: My Thoughts on A Dangerous Method

2012-01-12T22:50:00.000-05:00

I'm started to head into the cream of the crop of the Canada's Top Ten selection. A Dangerous Method is of course the latest film by David Cronenberg. The very fact that the film is directed Cronenberg might affect the opinions of some from an auteuristic point of view. On it's the own, I thought that the film was a fairly decent historic drama about the early days of psychoanalysis. However, most people have come to expect a certain type of film from Cronenberg and A Dangerous Method is not it.

This is a very talky film, with much of the plot made up of various conversations. However, these conversations, mostly between Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender) and Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen) were quite intriguing. It was interesting watch them progress from professional colleagues, to friends, to rivals with differing opinions on psychoanalysis (essentially Jung wanted to include religion, Freud did not).

Somewhat less interesting is the romantic plot between Jung and former patient (and later psychoanalyst herself) Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley). While this section of this film (and its use of sexual spanking) is a bit more up Cronenberg's ally, it was an overall distracting from what I was truly interested it - that being the relationship between Jung and Freud. I also couldn't help but feel that Knightly was over-acting somewhat in early scenes depicting Spielrein's hysteria.

Also worth noting was a very short, but memorable, performance by Vincent Cassel as fellow psychoanalyst Otto Gross. He stood out so much in the few minutes he was in the film, I would almost watch an entire film with Cassel playing Gross.

Overall, while the film not really what you would expect from David Cronenberg, it was a fairly interesting look into the world of psychoanalysis.

8/10

Canada's Top Ten: My Thoughts on Edwin Boyd

2012-01-08T19:39:00.001-05:00

The second film I saw at Canada's Top Ten also happened to be the film that won Best Canadian Film at the last film festival.

Edwin Boyd is a film that tells the story of the notorious Canadian bank robber of the same name. The film tells how Edwin Boyd (played by Scott Speedman) got into a life of crime as a way to support his family in the tough years following World World II. It's definitely an interesting story, especially the sad irony that Edwin Boyd's crime spree (which made him one of the most wanted men in the country) resulted in him losing the very thing he started robbing banks for - his family.

Overall I thought that it was an intriguing biopic. It also featured a very impressive supporting cast, for Canadian film, which includes Kelly Reilly, Kevin Durand, and Brian Cox. It was definitely an enjoyable film.

8/10

I won't be seeing another Canada's Top Ten film until Thursday, however it will be the film I am most looking forward to - David Cronenberg's A Dangerous Method

Canada's Top Ten: My Thoughts on Keyhole

2012-01-07T20:25:00.001-05:00

TIFF's annual celebration of Canadian Cinema is now well underway and today I saw the first of five films I plan on seeing in the Canada's Top Ten series - Guy Maddin's Keyhole.

This was only the second of Maddin's films that I have seen, the other being 2008's My Winnipeg. However, it's definitely obvious that Maddin is probably one of most experimental directors around. Not only is Keyhole filmed like it was made in the 1930s, but it also features a surreal dreamlike narrative.

The film is loosely inspired by Homer's The Odyssey, and it features a gangster (Jason Patric) going through a haunted house one room at a time to reach his wife (Isabella Rossellini). This summary doesn't even touch upon the surreal imagery present throughout the film, which seems like an odd mix of Avant-garde and classical narrative.

I do have to say that Keyhole was an interesting film and, even though I a bit puzzled by the end, I still had an overall sense what was going on.

8/10

Watch out tomorrow as I continue Canada's Top Ten with Edwin Boyd.

My Thoughts on Carnage

2012-01-06T17:36:00.002-05:00

Roman Polanski's latest film, based on the play God of Carnage, is a very simple and hilarious film about how a simple conversation can quickly blow out of proportion.

The whole film is one giant coversation between two couples. The son of Nancy and Alan (Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz) hit the son of Penelope and Michael (Jodie Foster and John C. Reilly) with a stick and the two couples are trying to work out a resolution.

At first the two couples seem quite different, with Penelope and Michael coming off as easy going liberals, while Nancy and Alan are uptight and busy conservatives (with Alan always being preoccupied with phone calls from work). However, through the course of the conversation, as tempers begin to flare (and Scotch is introduced), the four of them gradually reveal their true selves and we find out they aren't much different at all.

I thought that Carnage was a real blast. It was fun watching the polite facade slowly fade away over the course of the film until there was nothing left but total anarchy.

9/10

DVD Pick of the Day: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

2012-01-05T19:44:00.000-05:00

Even though I received enough new blu-rays during the holidays to keep me busy for a while, I still couldn't resist picking up what was one my favourite horror films from last year. Don't Be Afraid of the Dark is definitely one intense and suspenseful movie and I look forward to seeing it again tonight.

The blu-ray release of the film has only a few features. First there's a Blu-Ray exclusive gallery of concept art. In addition, there is a trio on featurettes that look at The Story, Blackwood's Mansion, and The Creatures respectively.

Details:
Blu-Ray/DVD Combo - $27.99 (CND)
Blu-Ray - $19.99 (US)
Standard DVD - $22.99 (CND), $2.99 (US)
Film Thoughts: An entertaining film that aims more for intense suspense than jump scares.
Film Rating: 8/10