Films That Matter
An Impossible Mission
How do you wrap up a franchise like Mission: Impossible? That is, if this even is the final installment... as they’ve made it sound (while at the same time, stars not named ‘Tom Cruise’ pipe up and suggest that might not be so). It has been twenty-nine years, with different writers and visionary directors – from twisty Brian De Palma and the action hair stylings of John Woo, to the lens flares of J.J. Abrams and animation expert Brad Bird, it was only about ten years ago that the franchise decided to opt for The Usual Suspects scribe Christopher McQuarrie for the final four. To return to that opening question once more, you could end with a Sopranos’ style cliffhanger, simply make another entertaining movie like the many before – like Everybody Loves Raymond did it with its final episode, or try to tie everything up in a neat little bow by bringing everything together as the Daniel Craig era did with James Bond. Well, it is definitely more along the lines of the latter example, with some distinct differences.
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An Evening to Remember
February 19, 2016On a cold and blistery winter’s night (Friday, February 12th, 2016 to be exact), where drivers were hit with snow squalls, white outs, icy roads and frigid temperatures, more than three hundred people made their way to the seventy-five year old historic Port Theatre in Cornwall, Ontario to attend the first movie premiere the city has ever held. Though some arrived late and others would not make it to the cinema (some having to turn around, while others had to be towed home), most arrived unscathed, gathering to mingle in the lobby as writer, director, producer, editor and actor Marcus Ovnell waited to graciously greet the attendees.
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The Long and Short of It
The Big ShortFebruary 16, 2016Adam McKay, the comedic director best known for films like Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and Step Brothers, takes a much more serious turn in the Academy Award Best Picture nominee The Big Short.
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Star Pick with Marcus Ovnell
A Road Less TravelledArlington RoadFebruary 14, 2016As you probably read previously, Marcus Ovnell, the writer/director of the outstanding Swedish dramatic thriller The Break-In, explained that his favourite film of all-time was the 1990's classic Shawshank Redemption. Though he said that this was his clear favourite, he also highlighted a lesser known movie as one that I (and others) should watch – the 1999 thriller Arlington Road.
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A Thrilling ‘Sub’ject
Black SeaFebruary 9, 2016A recent movie that has sadly gone completely under the radar is the 2014 submarine heist thriller Black Sea.
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A Tale of Two Cities
BrooklynFebruary 7, 2016I can only imagine how difficult, lonesome and melancholic a solo journey across the Atlantic Ocean must have been for the numerous immigrants who travelled from Europe to North America – especially those who made the journey before technology and ingenuity made things, for lack of a better word, easy.
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Highway to Hell
Mad Max: Fury RoadFebruary 5, 2016It is quite clear that a good story is a vital part of making a quality film. Yet, in certain rare circumstances, the narrative can play a less important role than the majestic visual aspects of storytelling. It can be a risky proposition, and one that rarely works, but when it does, the audience is in for one exciting and mesmerizing ride. This is the case with the Academy Award Best Picture nominee Mad Max: Fury Road.
