Films That Matter
A Law Unto Themselves
The front door to an apartment swings open... an unseen figure walks through the living area and approaches a beautiful blonde woman wearing a robe as she walks around the bathroom... he then deliberately empties the barrel of his revolver into her – this is the jarring cold opening to the film noir Illegal (1955), and one thing is for sure, it knows how to grab your attention. Funnily enough, this was the third adaptation of the 1929 play “The Mouthpiece” by Frank J. Collins, following Mouthpiece (1932) and The Man Who Talked Too Much (1940) – and they say movies are remade too much today. Flash to Victor Scott (Edward G. Robinson), a district attorney who is wise to all the angles and is graced with a silver tongue. With an unyielding desire to win (he got it from growing up and fighting his way out of the slums), he argues every case like it is his last.
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Suck Draws Us In
SuckApril 1, 2016Sometimes going into a movie with low expectations can be a good thing. As I was perusing a discount store one day, I came across a film titled Suck – a rather ominous moniker I must say. Yet the premise, which pays homage to rock and roll while also spoofing vampiric horror in a comedic way, sounded like it could be fun. Plus, the back cover explained that it boasted a rocking soundtrack while featuring cameos from legends like Alice Cooper and Iggy Pop, so I picked up the Blu-Ray for a whopping three dollars.
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The Kid is Hot Tonight
In Old ArizonaMarch 29, 2016Sometimes, a film is able to transcend the era it was made in, truly making it feel as relevant and modern as when it was first released. Yet, others simply have not aged as well. This can sometimes create a rather difficult viewing experience – and that is somewhat the case with the 1928 western In Old Arizona. This western is one of the most important and influential films of the time –
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Easter Update
March 25, 2016I thought this would be a good time to highlight some of the things that have been added to the site over the last little while. For those of you who did not catch my ‘Vigilante Justice’ column, there is now a ‘dual’ style review where I can compare and contrast two movies. You will […]
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A Haunting Love Affair
The Ghost and Mrs. MuirMarch 22, 2016Every once and a while, a writer devises a ghost story that is not mere horror or thriller, but expands the eerie vibe to a more intimate otherworldly friendship or romance. Two of my favourites are the oddball buddy comedy Blackbeard’s Ghost (released by Disney in 1968) as well as the 1990 romantic dramedy simply titled Ghost. I now have a third excellent film to add to this rather abstract list – the 1947 motion picture The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.
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Batter Up
Rookie of the YearMarch 20, 2016The fantasies that flow within a child’s mind are something special that I believe most people lose as they get older (when doubt, reality and logic come into play). Kids have the innate ability to dream about being a professional athlete, a space cowboy or any other bizarre profession (that would baffle the adult mind). The 1993 family sports film Rookie of the Year captures this unbelievable concept of a childhood wish becoming amazing reality.
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Three’s Company
10 Cloverfield LaneMarch 18, 201610 Cloverfield Lane is an unusual quasi-sequel to the 2008 handheld found-footage Godzilla-like monster movie Cloverfield. I watched the original in theatres back when I was at University, and it struck me as a rather exciting, large scaled horror movie. The gargantuan scope of that picture is interestingly scaled back to the complete opposite in this loose spin-off.