Films That Matter
Voodoo, and Zombies, and Ghosts, Oh My
Beating the famed comedy duo of Abbott and Costello to the horror comedy circuit both one and two years prior to their 1941 classic Hold That Ghost, Bob Hope released The Cat and the Canary in 1939, following it up in quick succession (just eight months later) with The Ghost Breakers in 1940 – it was originally a play written by Paul Dickey and Charles W. Goddard (there are also two silent films from 1914 and 1922 based on it that are thought to be lost – the former being directed by Cecil B. DeMille). Directed by George Marshall, the mystery infused horror comedy follows a socialite, Mary Carter (Paulette Goddard), who has learned on a stormy New York night that she has inherited a supposedly haunted castle on a secluded Cuban isle ominously named Black.
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You’re Alright With Caddyshack
CaddyshackApril 13, 2014I think it is finally safe to say that spring is in the air. For me, this time of year brings to mind two things in the realm of sports: the NHL playoffs and the beginning of the golf season. I was lucky enough to run into John Lu at a Montreal Canadiens game recently and we started to talk movies. Lu, who reports on all things sports in Montreal, Habs and beyond, for TSN, was quick to name a classic sports film – Caddyshack, as his favourite comedy of all-time. For him, it was the superb cast and their talents at improvising that placed this movie a notch above the rest.
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Safety Last! Talent First
Safety Last!January 14, 2014This week I’m bringing us back ninety-one years to 1923. The silent era was dominated by a few comic juggernauts. Even to this day, the names of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton are synonymous with their great silent films featuring brilliant physical comedy. One name that has almost been lost to time though is Harold Lloyd, who completed the triumvirate of powerhouse comedians in the 1920's.
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Star Pick with Riley Wheeldon
Be Happy With GilmoreHappy GilmoreAugust 28, 2013Last Tuesday, I was lucky enough to play in the Pro-Am Golf Tournament that was part of the week long festivities of the PGA Canada Tour event known as the Great Waterways Classic which was held at Upper Canada Golf Course in Morrisburg. The weather was beautiful, the course was in excellent shape, and our group teed off with pro golfer Riley Wheeldon – who, as of today, is the top moneymaker on the Canadian Tour this year. It was a superb day full of memorable moments and it did not take too long before the conversation turned to movies. It may be no surprise but Wheeldon’s favourite film of all-time is the classic 1996 golf comedy Happy Gilmore.
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Ghostly Fun
Blackbeard's GhostJuly 23, 2013For almost 100 years, Disney has entertained family audiences with their amazing live-action and animated films. One of my favourites is the oft forgotten 1968 pirate tale Blackbeard’s Ghost.
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Fun Viewing for the Whole Family
Uncle BuckMay 16, 2013As you can probably tell from my other reviews, most of the films that I choose are not family friendly, which is why I have decided to change course and review what I feel is an often overlooked comedy, the 1989 John Hughes’ movie Uncle Buck.
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Criterion Brings Film Back to Modern Times
Modern TimesMay 2, 2013There are many different DVD/Blu-Ray companies that release films to the public, but the one that is definitely the most impressive and in-depth is Criterion. Their collection consists of "important classic and contemporary films" that are brought to you in the highest quality audio and video transfers. Each movie also comes with a plethora of excellent special features that highlight the importance of the film. The Criterion Collection is aimed at film aficionados and it shows.
