Salvador (1986)

James Woods’ Oscar nominated performance as a combat photojournalist with Jim Belushi is based on a true story. Directed by Oliver Stone and one of his better, intelligent films.

Hard Boiled (1992)

A classic John Woo film starring hard-boiled cop Chow Yun-Fat and undercover agent Tony Leung. This trigger happy blood bath has plenty of trademark John Woo slo-mo, bullet blasting action and some cheesy Jazz music. This is one of the best Hong Kong action films and the one that landed John Woo in Hollywood.

The Mist (2007)

I posted a longer review earlier this month. The film starts off with great promise but it falls apart and has one of the weakest endings in movie history. Very disappointing. Don’t believe the hype.

The Brave One (2007)

When Jodie Foster and her fiancé are brutally attacked she deals with it by turning into Chuck Bronson and goes on a vigilante killing spree. Okay, so I’m simplifying things a little bit but that’s the gist of this film. Not a bad rental.

Superbad (2007)

This movie was absolutely hilarious! I’d heard mixed reviews but this was easily the funniest film of 2007. Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Fogell was hysterical and reminded me a lot of Michael Anthony Hall when he was funny. Bill Hader and Seth Rogen are also great as two bumbling police officers.

Live Free or Die Hard (2007)

I had my doubts about this one but the buzz was good. I watched in on video and loved it. The action was fabulous. Some of the John McClane dialogue that Bruce Willis had to say just didn’t work but the movie sure did. One of the better popcorn movies of the summer.

Shut Up & Sing (2006)

Shut Up & Sing does a fabulous job of showcasing the talent of the Dixie Chicks. I had no idea that they were such incredible musicians and songwriters. I guess this is why I really liked the film—it completely changed my opinion of the band through great storytelling and direction.

Half Nelson (2006)

Ryan Gosling stars in this indie film about a high school teacher with a nasty little crack habit. One of his 13-year-old students finds him high in a school bathroom and he forms an unusual friendship with her. It reminded me a little of the Natalie Portman/Timothy Hutton friendship in Beautiful Girls (1996). Good film. Gosling’s performance was given an Oscar nomination.

Lessons of Darkness (1992)

Wernog Herzog took a camera crew into Kuwait after the Gulf War to film the incredible oil fires, the environmental disaster and the carnage of war. In typical Herzog fashion he provides the voiceover narration but instead of making a true documentary he presents us with an apocalyptic film of doom and gloom through a series of ‘lessons’. He doesn’t try to be completely factual in terms of locations and the footage. I found it interesting.

Fingers (1978)

Director James Toback’s first film and it’s not very good. It stars Harvey Keitel who does a terrible job of playing a semi-professional pianist compared to Geoffery Rush, Tom Hulce, Gary Oldman, Jamie Foxx, etc. The only thing interesting about this film is that it was one of the first independent films made outside of the studio. Fabregé financed this film. It also has a couple of stars from the Soprano’s TV show - Tony Sirico and Dominic Chianese.

The Sheltering Sky (1990)

Another Bertolucci period film. Starring John Malcovich, Debra Winger and Campbell Scott. This was my first time seeing this film. It’s not one of Bertolucci’s stronger films, even with the spectacular cast. It’s a period piece set in North Africa. I would have been better off watching The English Patient.

The Dreamers (2003)

Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci. I love this film for three reasons. It stars Evan Green (Casino Royale). It all takes place in Paris. And Bertolucci marries footage from Bande à part (the race through the Louvre) with his own footage. It also has a cameo with Jean-Pierre Léaud (lead character in The 400 Blows). If you’re a fan of the French New Wave then you’ll likely enjoy The Dreamers.

Crank (2006)

Jason Statham plays an LA hitman that has bee poisoned and has 87 minutes to live. If his heart rate drops below 55 MPH he will die. What follows is a stylish but poor rip off of the film, Speed. Some people told me this was a great film, others said it blew chunks. Lets just say that the 20 minutes of video commentary I watched was better than the 87 minutes I wasted on this film.

Block Party (2005)

Dave Chapelle’s Block Party, directed by Michel Gondry, is a music documentary. There are comedy sketches with Dave Chapelle, interviews with some weird residents in Brooklyn and some great music performances by The Fugees, Kanye West and more. If you’re under 40 years of age and know any of these talented performers then rent this disc.

In the Company of Men (1997)

One of those films you rent and wonder why you wanted to watch it. I think I rented this because it stars Aaron Eckhart. He and a friend play a cruel joke on a deaf woman. Eckhart is a heatless, sexist pig that you’ll despise by the end of this film. A real downer. Avoid at all costs unless you’re a cruel, sexist pig in which case you’ll love this film.

Irreversible (2002)

Irreversible is an interesting French film that I found hypnotic for its spiraling camera, its extreme violence and its mystery. The entire film plays from end to beginning, scene by scene, making it very similar to Memento. The violence at the beginning of the film seems extreme but stay with the film and you’ll understand why. I found parts of this film, difficult to watch but worth the effort.

Being There (1979)

Peter Sellers plays Chance the gardener in this quirky film directed by Hal Ashby. I loved it for Sellers’ charming portrayal of a simpleton that gets mistaken for a mysterious political insider. An enjoyable film from the golden era of cinema.

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)

The acting is bad but the story is quite interesting in that it deals with the brutality of chain gangs in the deep south. It’s based on a true story and had quite an impact when it was released. There’s no question that this film was an inspiration to Joel and Ethan Cohen in the making of O Brother, Where Art Thou?

The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

This was my first time seeing this Clint Eastwood film which reminded me a lot Palerider and Unforgiven. Great western with a good screenplay by Philip Kaufman.

Eyes Without a Face (1960)

French director Georges Franju’s 1960 horror film was ahead of its time. A brilliant but crazy surgeon abducts young women so that he can attempt face transplants to his daughter’s badly scarred face (from a car accident). None of the transplants work but that doesn’t stop the mad doctor. Oddly enough, the first successful face transplant was on a French woman last year.

Banlieue 13 (2004)

Banlieue 13 or District 13 is a decent French film written by Luc Besson. The action is incredible and the film is really an excuse to showcase David Belle’s parkour. Don’t know what parkour is? Watch this film to find out or watch the opening chase of Casino Royale.

Lucky Number Slevin (2006)

How do you make a movie boring and dull when you have a cast made up Josh Hartnett, Bruce Willis, Lucy Liu, Ben Kingsley, Morgan Freeman and Stanley Tucci? Only director Paul McGuigan can tell you. I found this movie to be disappointingly dull and a little confusing at times.

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)

Shake and bake baby! This Nascar comedy starring Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly and Sacha Baron Cohen is hilarious. I watched it twice and often found myself replaying certain scenes. The sound mix is incredible and some of the crashes are spectacular!

Miami Vice (2006)

When is Hollywood going to stop making old television shows into awful movies. Colin Farrell is terribly miscast in the character of Crocket. Shame on you Michael Mann for squandering your talent.

The Longest Yard (2005)

I passed on this remake when it first came out. I was a little of Adam Sandler movies but who knew that this would be his best comedy? I went to Blockbuster to rent this last night and bought it for $6.99. I started watching around 11:15 PM and finished laughing around 1:20 AM. Hands down, this is the funniest movie I’ve watched this year.

Frenzy (1972)

The second last film that Hitchcock directed and unlike any of his films that I’ve seen. Nudity, profanity, rape, and brutal violence! Wow! There is some really interesting cinematography, sound editing and great suspense. Hitchcock was a genius and still had flashes of creative brilliance, late into his career.

Pride & Prejudice (2005)

It’s been over ten years since I read Pride & Prejudice but it all came back to me while watching this great adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel. Starring Keira Knightley, Judi Dench, Donald Sutherland.

Catwoman (2004)

I’m always skeptical of movies that are directed by people with one name such as Pitof (Catwoman), McG (Charlie’s Angels), and Kaos (Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever). I wasn’t expecting much from Catwoman, especially after all of the bad press it received. Surprisingly, the movie isn’t that bad. The CGI is pretty good except some of sequences where Catwoman is jumping around downtown Vancouver which looks too cartoon-like. Some of the dialog is really cheesy, giving the movie a real campy feel like the Batman television series from the 60s. This DVD is worth a spin in my opinion.

Casino Royale (2006)

I went to a Sunday night (10:30 PM) screening of Casino Royale and the theatre was packed. Why? This is the best James Bond film to date. It’s rare that I’ll watch a film and want to immediately watch it again. Great acting, action, and a fantastic script make this one a winner for me.

The Lost Weekend (1945)

Ray Milland goes on a bender and wins the Oscar! Billy Wilder also won an Oscar for directing this film about a hopeless alcoholic that hits rock bottom. Frank Faylen plays a male nurse named Bim Nolan and he’s fabulously creepy.

The Asphalt Jungle (1950)

Great film noir. The Asphalt Jungle is a gritty, dark heist film that inspired films such as Rififi (1954) and Ocean’s Eleven (1960). The lineup scene at the beginning of the film will remind you of the famous lineup scene in The Usual Suspects (1995) with Benicio Del Torro and Stephen Baldwin.

X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

I didn’t think director Brett Ratner could pull it off but X-Men: The Last Stand is a decent movie. I think I liked it more than the other two films, purely for the non-stop action, ‘popcorn factor’.

United 93 (2006)

I was surprised at how writer/director Paul Greengrass managed to engage the viewer up until the final moments of the film. You can’t help but remember where you were on 9/11 when you watch United 93. You start to relive that day the deeper into the film you get. Before you know it, you feel like one of the doomed passengers and catch a glimpse of how awful and terrifying it must have been. United 93 is powerful filmmaking and worth a rental if you haven’t seen it.

Brief Encounter (1945)

Directed by David Lean and based on a Noel Coward play. A woman meets a stranger in a railway station and has a brief affair. The climax of the film involving Celia Johnson at a railway station is one of the best. The camera work, sound and acting is outstanding. I would rate it as one of the best scenes of all time.

U2: Zoo TV Live from Sydney (1994)

I had a chance to Zoo TV when U2 passed through Toronto around ‘92. This was U2’s most creative stage show and one of the best concerts I’ve ever seen. If you missed them live, then this two-disc DVD set with incredible DTS sound captures the show quite well. The second disc is a little weak but some will find it interesting.

War Photographer (2001)

War Photographer is a fabulous documentary film about photographer, James Nachtwey. It has recent footage of Nachtwey shooting in Kosovo, Palestine and Africa that I found to be quite moving at times. If you’re an amateur photographer then you owe it to yourself to watch this film.

Day For Night (1973)

Day For Night is one of the best films I’ve seen this year. It is director François Truffaut’s metafilm — a film about the making of a film. Truffaut isn’t the first to do this (Fellini, Soderbergh) but Day For Night is by far the best in my opinion. I’m still looking for a copy on DVD to own.

The Devil’s Backbone (2001)

Guillermo del Toro’s horror film takes place in 1939 during the Spanish Civil war. It’s similar to his most recent film, Pan’s Labyrinth, in that takes place in Spain, has a child as the protagonist and has some really gory moments. Worth renting? Oh yeah.

To Gillian On Her 37th Birthday (1996)

This is a pretty lame movie starring Peter Gallagher, Claire Danes and Michelle Pfeiffer as Gillian. Lesson learned? Don’t watch movies that your friend Andy recommends. Even worse, don’t watch them with your wife and tell her that Andy thinks you’re exactly like one of the characters in the film (Bruce Altman).

Ansel Adams: A Documentary Film (2002)

PBS documentary film that examines the life and work of photographer, Ansel Adams. Inspirational to say the least. The video is presented nicely in a 16 x 9. If you’re a photographer or interested in landscape photography then this is required viewing. Adams was a genius.

Inside Man (2006)

Wow! Spike Lee directs Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster and Clive Owen in a bank robbery film. I know what you’re thinking… this has been done a million times before but Russell Gewirtz’s script breathes new life into the genre. Excellent!

Shopgirl (2005)

What a dreadful movie. I hated Steve Martin’s voiceover narration, the music was annoying and I couldn’t stand any of the characters. I’m surprised by how much I disliked this film. It was a real struggle to watch.

The Pink Panther (2006)

Not as great as the original Peter Sellers film but very funny. My favourite scene is the one where Steve Martin’s ‘Clouseau’ attempts to say, “I would like a hamburger” in an American accent. Martin keeps butchering the phrase with various French accents. Stupid but funny.

Le samouraï (1979)

Another classic film from Jean-Pierre Melville on Criterion DVD. It stars Alain Delon as a hit-man of very few words. The dialogue in the film is minimal — only there to move the plot along when absolutely necessary. It’s an approach you don’t see very often in films today but I think it works very effectively for Delon’s character. Great film.

Breaking Away (1979)

The last time I saw this film in widescreen was at the drive-in back in 1979. Who can forget Dennis Quaid playing the tough guy doing burn-outs in his car or Daniel Stern playing the tall goofy kid? The movie looks kind of goofy to me now. Hard to believe that it was nominated for a best picture and won an Oscar for best screenplay.

16 Blocks (2006)

I know what you’re thinking, another Richard Donner copy film with Bruce Willis of all people but wait! This is actually a pretty good film. Bruce Willis plays an overweight, balding, alcoholic cop but it is Mos Def who steals every scene that he is in and rescues this film. He has got some serious range as an actor and was a lot of fun to watch.

Saw II (2005)

A waste of time. I was curious because the film was shot in Toronto last year. Parts of it were pretty disgusting but hardly scary. Most of the film was pretty dumb and the payoff at the end is weak. Saw III is filming in Toronto right now but I think I’ll pass on that one.

Firewall (2006)

Oh man, this was dreadful. Harrison Ford plays the head of security for a Seattle bank. The bad guys force him to rob or his family dies. From the minute he starts mumbling dialogue about shutting out some hackers from the bank computers, you know this film is in trouble. The plot tries remain believable but I didn’t buy any of it.

Cars (2006)

I don’t think Pixar is capable of making a lousy film. With every film, the animation team seems to up the ante in terms of the 3D worlds they create. The 3D environments are incredibly detailed and photorealistic. Cars is the best 3D film of 2006 with a great story to compliment the stunning visuals.

Match Point (2005)

The best film Woody Allen has directed since Sweet and Lowdown (1999). I loved Match Point! It is set in London and features a mostly British cast, the exception being the sultry Scarlett Johansson. What I loved about this thriller is that it doesn’t follow typical movie conventions. Very little of it is cliché or predictable. Just when you thought Woody was dead (creatively) he comes up with gem like Match Point.

Lord of War (2005)

Nicolas Cage plays an arms dealer that gets chased around the world by Interpol. Also stars Ethan Hawke and Ian Holme. Interesting story and very entertaining film.

La Commare Secca (1962)

La Commare Secca (The Grim Reaper) was Bernardo Bertolucci’s first film and it was quite good. After a Roman prostitute is found dead, the usual suspects are rounded up and questioned. A series of flashbacks are used as the suspects try to defend themselves. But who is telling the truth?

A Man Escaped (1956)

Another Robert Bresson film and another prison escape film from a French director. It was based on a true story inside a Nazi prison during WWII. The DVD transfer I saw is pretty shabby and hasn’t been restored but I didn’t find it too distracting. The film is excellent—the best Bresson film I’ve seen so far.

Les Dames Du Bois De Boulogne (1945)

Robert Bresson’s second film and quite good. It’s about a woman who takes revenge on her former lover by tricking him into marrying a prostitute. Those French directors—well ahead of their time.

Memories of Murder (2003)

Awful. I thought I would try something a little different by watching this Korean film. I picked a dud. The whole film is unrealistic, dumb and very pedestrian. My apologies to the director Joon-ho Bong but his film sucks.

Le Notti Bianche (1957)

An Italian film that is beautifully shot in black and white. Marcello Mastroianni stars in this adaptation of a Fyodor Dostoyevsky short story about the search for happiness and true love. The cinematography is excellent and there are a few clever transitions from scene to scene that are ‘borrowed’ in films like Lone Star (1996).

Pickpocket (1959)

A lot of filmmaker’s have raved about Robert Bresson’s Pickpocket. On the Criterion Collection DVD, director Paul Schrader does an introduction to the film and describes it as his favourite movie. I wasn’t as impressed.

The Magdalene Sisters (2002)

Interesting film about the young women who were sent off to Madgalene sisterhood asylum in Ireland. It’s based on the true stories of several women who were abused and brutally treated by the nuns who will one day have some explaining to do.

Naked (1993)

The third Mike Leigh film I’ve watched and I loved it. It deals with isolation and homelessness among other things. David Thewlis in the lead character is absolutely brilliant. His conversation with the ‘Archie the Scotsman with a Tick’ is so funny that I found myself watching the same scene five times.

Prozac Nation (2001)

Based on the best-selling autobiographical novel and starring Christina Ricci. Interesting film in that it shows a young woman dealing with depression while attending Harvard.

Proof (2005)

Not an outstanding film but enjoyed it. The idea that your best creative work is behind you by the time you reach 30 years of age struck a chord with me. I’m approaching 40 years of age and feel like I haven’t done anything significant. Yet.

Downfall (2004)

Excellent film. Great sound. Amazing performance by Bruno Ganz.

The Refugee All Stars (2005)

Saw this at Doc Soup. Loved the music. Great story about some musicians from Sierra Leone.

The Ballad of Jack and Rose (2005)

Quirky. Indie. I liked it. I had to laugh when Daniel Day-Lewis and Camille Belle were driving into a small US village on the east coast. The first store you see in the right side of the frame is a Canadian Tire. The film was actually shot in Canada (Prince Edward Island).

Bully (2001)

Another “shocking” Larry Clark film. I found it to be pretty boring. It was interesting to see Nick Stahl in this role. He looked incredibly young compared to his performance in Sin City and the recent TV series Carnivàle.

Stormy Monday (1988)

Directed by Mike Figgis. Starring Tommy Lee Jones and Melanie Griffith, Sting and a very young Sean Bean. Very mediocre film. I was expecting a lot more.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005)

A good rental. I’m glad I didn’t see this in the theatre because I would have been disappointed.

Heaven’s Gate (1980)

I watched the full 219 minute version on DVD. Beatifully shot but a terrible video transfer. What a waste of time and money. I don’t think any amount of re-editing can save this film. It’s as bad as te critics say.

Secret Honor (1984)

It may have worked as a play but this has to be one of Robert Altman’s worst films. I lasted about 30 minutes into this Criterion Collection DVD. Boring.