• These Vagabond Shoes Are Longing to Stray

    Sullivan's Travels
    April 22, 2016

    It is interesting to chart the history of how time affects the status of actors, directors and the like. Some stars, though long since passed, have lasted the test of time – their names still bandied about in common conversations and the current lexicon. When watching a thriller, we may quickly reference Alfred Hitchcock, or while enjoying the manoeuvres of a physical comic, our minds may harken immediately to Charlie Chaplin or Chris Farley. Yet, it is equally as intriguing to investigate how certain names that were once so prevalent in their own era have become unknown to the common viewer – where only true film afficionados know their reach and influence. This seems to be the case with the highly talented comedic filmmaker Preston Sturges.

  • Bigger, Fatter, and Oh So Greek

    My Big Fat Greek Wedding
    My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2
    April 19, 2016

    Back in 2002, My Big Fat Greek Wedding hit the world by storm. . . and when all was said and done, it became the top grossing romantic comedy of all-time (without ever being number one at the box office). It told the story of an intensely smothering yet loving Greek family living in Chicago by way of our lead and voice over narrator Toula Portokalos (Nia Vardalos – who wrote the story and got an Academy Award nomination for her effort). The plain and slightly nerdy woman, who works at her parents’ restaurant and cannot seem to find love, sets us up for a feel good story that combines the concept of finding love in the most unexpected places with a positive spin on Greek-American stereotypes that hit right on the mark.

  • Are You Listening?

    The Lives of Others
    April 17, 2016

    As viewers, we act as voyeurs, observing the intricacies of the character’s lives – their actions, interactions, relationships, affairs and countless other physical or mental manoeuvres. Films can act as therapy and relief, or can cause self-reflection, disgust or numerous other emotions depending on how we react to what we are scrutinizing on the screen. It may resemble something we have done in our own lives or could illustrate a seedy side of life that we have never even contemplated. A number of directors have cleverly infused their stories around the concept of voyeurism, adding a deeper level to our viewership, to great effect. The first filmmaker to come to mind is Alfred Hitchcock, who masterfully concocted Rear Window and Psycho around these themes, though there are countless other examples: Michael Powell’s Peeping Tom, Peter Weir’s The Truman Show and Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut are merely three more that fall within this category. A European motion picture that once again delves into this intriguing topic is Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s 2006 movie The Lives of Others.

  • Two Timeless Classics from Buster Keaton

    One Week
    The 'High Sign'
    April 15, 2016

    The triumvirate of silent era comedians, in no particular order, are as follows: the ever famous Charlie Chaplin, the oft forgotten Harold Lloyd and ‘The Great Stone Face’ Buster Keaton. As I have already reviewed a film of Lloyd’s and several of Chaplin’s, I thought it would be a good time to visit some of the work of Keaton’s acrobatic and stoic-faced silent era screen personas. To change things up a tad, I also thought it would be fun to look to some of his earlier short films instead of his more iconic full length features like The General.

  • Larry David Playing Larry David Playing Woody Allen

    Whatever Works
    April 12, 2016

    Chance, luck and fate are themes that are often examined in a plethora of genres. One director who analyses these topics in interesting ways is the always entertaining Woody Allen. Many of his recent motion pictures, including Match Point, have scrutinized these random and inscrutable aspects of life: with the phrase "I’d rather be lucky than good" being one of the observations found in the above stated film. Another of his movies, this one more comedic, that tackles these topics is the lesser known 2009 flick Whatever Works.

  • Luck be a Lady Tonight

    Gilda
    April 10, 2016

    There is nothing like a memorable entrance/introduction to an onscreen character. The film that I am reviewing today has three. As the camera pans up at the very beginning of the movie, we are nearly hit by voice over narrator Johnny Farrell’s (Glenn Ford) trick dice. As he leaves the sketchy gambling room (after easily winning some cash with his fake cubes), he is held at gunpoint by a robber. In comes his saviour and soon to be boss, Ballin Mundson (George Macready), who uses his ‘best friend’, a walking stick that hides a dangerously long and sharp bayonet to save the nervous man. But it is the third and final entrance that blows the other two away. After Farrell begins to work for Mundson for some time, he learns, upon his bosses return from a trip, that he has gotten married. As the two enter the dame’s bedroom, her husband asks, "Gilda, are you decent?". Rita Hayworth’s title character, after a slight pause, pops up on the screen, and with a sensual flip of her perfect locks, flirtatiously responds "Me?". Dare I say, drama ensues.