Films That Matter
Velvet Fog
Taking years as he reveled in the eccentric, outlandish neo-noir mystery thriller landscape he was writing, David Lynch then went on to direct his violent, erotic, drug infused crime caper, calling it Blue Velvet (1986) – with the 1963 song of the same name sung by Bobby Vinton being a big influence on the picture. Though set in the time it was made, the suburban Lumberton feels like it is stuck in the 1950s. Airing a vibe that is more than a touch off-putting, there is no semblance of things being in the right – all seemingly out of time and place. The billboards resemble another era, most of the cars are thirty years old, and lounge singers are popular again.
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Where the Limelight Never Fades
LimelightJanuary 5, 2016There may not be a man who better exemplifies the heights in which one can rise and then fall than the legendary Charlie Chaplin. The British immigrant perfectly illustrates the ‘American Dream’. He started as a vaudeville performer, then became a silent film star – he had already signed a million dollar contract in the 1910's. By early 1919, he had formed United Artists with partners Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford and D.W. Griffith – giving him control over the quality of his beloved product.
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Star Pick with Joe Kraemer
Take a Return Journey to a Galaxy Far, Far AwayStar Wars: Episode IV - A New HopeDecember 27, 2015Star Wars is the talk of the town once again. Episode 7, entitled The Force Awakens is sweeping the box office by storm. So, perhaps it is wise to return to the year 1977 to look at the first film: A New Hope.
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Star Pick with Jacques Demers
Demers Enjoyed the Box of ChocolatesForrest GumpDecember 17, 2014Sen. Jacques Demers, the former head coach of the Montreal Canadiens who led the team to its last Stanley Cup in 1993 and Habs analyst on RDS, was another one of the roasters at the recent Children's Treatment Centre roast of Guy Lauzon. The man spoke very highly of the worthwhile cause and earlier in the evening he spoke to me of his two favourite movies, the first of which will be discussed today.
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Star Pick with Chris 'Knuckles' Nilan
Patton Four Star MoviePattonDecember 17, 2014Two weekends ago, Agape held their annual charity boxing event at Nav Can. This year, their invited celebrity was none other than former NHL heavyweight Chris ‘Knuckles’ Nilan, who supported the event in order to raise money to help battle hunger. The Boston Massachusetts native, who played for such teams as the New York Rangers, Boston Bruins and for most of his career, the Montreal Canadiens (winning his only Stanley Cup with the team in 1986), is fondly remembered for holding numerous records that landed him in the sin-bin and being one of only nine players to ever reach more than 3000 penalty minutes.
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Star Pick with Sharon Osbourne
Lawrence of Arabia an Epic MasterpieceLawrence of ArabiaDecember 17, 2014Last week, Sharon Osbourne, the media personality known for her reality television show The Osbournes (along with rock star husband Ozzy and their children), as well as being a judge on America’s Got Talent and more recently, one of the co-hosts of the daytime series The Talk, was gracious enough to sit down with me for a few minutes to talk film. It did not take Mrs. Osbourne long to single out her favourite – the 1962 epic Lawrence of Arabia. She was captivated by the superb scenery and the brilliant cinematography of legendary director David Lean (The Bridge on the River Kwai, Doctor Zhivago), which made this movie and its imagery unforgettable.
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Star Pick with Jesse Winchester
Good Will for This Classic 90’s MovieGood Will HuntingDecember 17, 2014The National Hockey League season is now underway and for those who are fans of the sport, this is an exciting time of year. I was lucky enough to golf with Jesse Winchester this year, and though it was a somewhat rainy afternoon, it was still an excellent day. The Long Sault native is making his way back to our neck of the woods, as his team, the Colorado Avalanche, are playing in Ottawa on Thursday and in Montreal on Saturday – so I thought it would be a good time to visit this NHLer’s favourite movie – Good Will Hunting.
