Films That Matter
Star Pick with Kurt Angle
It was an absolute pleasure to meet and get a quick interview with the great Kurt Angle this past summer in Ottawa. First making a name for himself on the amateur wrestling circuit, it all culminated with a gold medal win (with a broken neck, no less) at the 1996 Summer Olympics held in Atlanta, Georgia. The ultimate achievement for most amateur athletes, this was not the end for Angle, but only the beginning. Just a mere two years later, he had signed on to the World Wrestling Federation (now the WWE or World Wresting Entertainment), a leap that would soon find him taking professional wrestling by storm. Making his television debut in November of 1999, he was a natural, not only at the wrestling, but also on the mike.
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Darkness Shines Bright
Darkness on the Edge of TownDecember 8, 2015It is not often that I am able to review a movie that claims to be an Irish Shakespearian Western, but that is simply, or perhaps complexly, what Patrick Ryan’s feature film directorial debut Darkness on the Edge of Town is.
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Eye Opening Experience
The Corpse of Anna FritzDecember 6, 2015The last ten years or so have been an extremely exciting time for horror and thriller films coming out of Spanish speaking countries. Whether a classic from Guillermo del Toro (The Devil’s Backbone, Pan’s Labyrinth), or other greats such as J.A. Bayona’s The Orphanage, Guillem Morales’ Julia’s Eyes or Oriol Paulo’s The Body – to name but a few, these films introduce interesting, unique, original or classic ideas and offer a scary spin on the horror/thriller genre. The Corpse of Anna Fritz adds to this golden age of Spanish language horror thrillers (with a warning that this one pushes the limits more than some of the others).
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A Crowning Achievement
The Girl KingDecember 4, 2015I was lucky enough to cover the inaugural St. Lawrence International Film Festival, a four day event that premiered world class films in two countries (the United States and Canada). The cities of Ottawa, Brockville, Canton and Potsdam had the prestigious honour of hosting the first film festival to ever run in two different countries at the same time. Over the next sixteen days, eight of the films I was able to watch will be reviewed.
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Star Pick with Eric Duncan
One Man’s Long Road to RedemptionAmerican History XJanuary 28, 2015Though it may feel like it has been a while, I return once again to my reporting on the celebrities of the Children's Treatment Centre Roast of Guy Lauzon. Having covered the panel prior to Christmas, I now tackle the event's master of ceremonies, North Dundas Mayor Eric Duncan (one of the youngest mayors in the history of Canada, the youngest Warden of SD&G in its 165-year history and chair for the Eastern Ontario Warden's Caucus).
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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.
