Films That Matter
Johnny on the Spot
There is no doubt that Roberto Benigni will forever have his name etched in the annals of film history after his Academy Award winning film Life is Beautiful – which took home Best Foreign Language Film, Best Score (for Nicola Piovani), and brought forth a most special moment when Benigni climbed atop the seats of the theatre to accept his Best Actor award. Yet, it is a bit of a shame that some of his pre-1997 works are lesser known outside of his native Italy. Case in point, the comedy Johnny Stecchino, circa 1991. Co-written (along with Vincenzo Cerami), directed and starring Benigni, he plays the titular character as well as a near identical lookalike of the man (who is actually our protagonist). Here’s a quick translation – Stecchino means toothpick. So, to explain, Dante is a charming yet rather simple bus driver (who is also trying to pull a disability scam with the government), when one day, he luckily. . . or perhaps unluckily, almost gets run into by a beautiful woman named Maria (Nicoletta Braschi – Benigni’s real life wife) – who seems to be immediately intrigued by the man. As she would exclaim – “Santa Cleopatra!”
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A Bloody Good Time
What We Do in the ShadowsJuly 29, 2016The vampire has become over-used in recent years, making the market feel over-saturated. It has become increasingly difficult to find a way to depict something creative and new within the sub-genre, while not departing from all that is intriguing about the creature. One film that expertly pays tribute to ‘creatures of the night’ while concocting a unique and comedic vision is the 2014 mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows.
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Nice Guys Finish First
The Nice GuysMay 29, 2016Putting Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe together as an action comedy duo seems like a rather unorthodox and risky venture. Both have been able to add touches of humour to certain roles in their impressive resumes, yet they have generally been considered dramatic actors – with neither having truly had the chance to test their jocular delivery. So, it is perhaps slightly surprising that the duo have excellent comedic chemistry and timing in their new film The Nice Guys.
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The Cat Came Back
The Cat Came BackMay 9, 2016As a child, I was enamoured with a kooky Canadian animated short film called The Cat Came Back. Available on VHS (for those of you too young to remember what this is, ask your parents) at my local library, I would take it out every time I entered the historic building. It is likely that I played a huge part in wearing down that cassette tape. Thanks to the National Film Board of Canada, who produced the flick, it is available for free on their website.
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Bigger, Fatter, and Oh So Greek
My Big Fat Greek WeddingMy Big Fat Greek Wedding 2April 19, 2016Back 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.
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Two Timeless Classics from Buster Keaton
One WeekThe 'High Sign'April 15, 2016The 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.
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Larry David Playing Larry David Playing Woody Allen
Whatever WorksApril 12, 2016Chance, 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.
