Films That Matter
Safety First
Like a severe and utterly serious version of Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 satirical dark comedy Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, you would think that Fail Safe would have been the original release in theatres that was then later spoofed, yet that is not the case. Released approximately six months later in the same year, as you might imagine, it led to very poor returns at the box office – dare I say it (as the film deals with this subject matter)... it was a bomb! Despite that, over time, it has become a bonafide classic. Based upon Eugene Burdick’s 1962 novel of the same name and directed by Sidney Lumet (Dog Day Afternoon), he introduces us to our main players by way of little vignettes.
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Zombification
Day of the DeadJuly 4, 2018They first appeared late one night, which then led to the dawn of a new, more frightening day. . . now, they own said day – the third in George A. Romero’s anthology zombie franchise, 1985's Day of the Dead finds a small group of desolate individuals attempting to survive the ever growing and encroaching human eating hordes, a task that is easier said than done. Featuring a three pronged attack, Romero (who writes and directs) utilizes touches of German Expressionism, 60s psychological horror (think Roman Polanski’s Repulsion) and brutal gore to keep his audience on its toes. Our survivors are cloistered away in an underground military camp – a ragtag team pieced together in the final days of organized chaos to search for some sort of cure for the growing number of undead. They do, from time to time, head out in their helicopter, searching for survivors – the famed Edison theatre in Fort Myers, Florida, can be seen in the opening sequence.
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Fantasy Island
Sea SaltsSwiss Family RobinsonJuly 1, 2018Ah, the way things were. Revel in the past for a moment, won’t you. Imagine walking into a movie theatre in 1960, preferably one built in the golden age of film watching – mohair seats, architectural detailing (crown moulding, wooden panelling), a proper sized atrium. . . and, as you make your way to your place, enjoying some popcorn as the lights dim, you are not bombarded by numerous commercials that take you out of that magic place (and sadly reminding you of the business-centric reality of show business), but rather, are greeted by an animated short, 1949's Sea Salts, the perfect lead-in to your Disney feature, Swiss Family Robinson. These two films did show back to back upon Swiss Family Robinson’s initial run, so they will both be reviewed here. Sea Salts, directed by Jack Hannah, finds ‘Mac’ Bootle Beetle (Dink Trout) recalling his long, rather unusual friendship with sea captain Donald Duck (Clarence Nash) – the pair were forced to abandon ship long ago, finding themselves stranded on a tiny, uncharted isle.
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Star Pick with Randy Havens
Hooked on a FeelingRequiem for a DreamJune 26, 2018It was a pleasure sitting down with Randy Havens at CAPE Cornwall a few months back. Everyone’s favourite science teacher from the ultra popular Netflix series Stranger Things (Mr. Clarke for those wanting his character’s name), the actor has carved out an intriguing persona on the show – a kind-hearted, nurturing mentor and positive influence for the exuberant youths who are constantly dealing with things that go bump in the night. Also having standout roles on the television shows Halt and Catch Fire, Sleepy Hollow, Living the Dream and in the animated series Archer, he will next be seen in a few highly anticipated motion pictures. . . namely the Joel Edgerton written, directed and starring Boy Erased, Jason Reitman’s Gary Hart Presidential campaign biopic The Front Runner, Sean Anders’ newest comedy, Instant Family, and Godzilla: King of the Monsters – the sequel to the favourably reviewed 2014 feature.
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Not Just a Game
TagJune 23, 2018Finding its cinematic milieu somewhere between The Big Chill and The Hangover, 2018's Tag is at times infantile, crude, and must be described as all-around silly, yet, despite this, director Jeff Tomsic pieces it all together in a surprisingly entertaining way – hitting the right chord by way of its stylized action set pieces, clever dialogue and its unique plot (childhood comradery maintained over thirty long years by way of a simple kid’s game). Written for the screen by Mark Steilen and Rob McKittrick (and based upon a Wall Street Journal article entitled, “It Takes Planning, Caution to Avoid Being It” by Russell Adams – meaning that this is another based on true events tale), it tells the story of a group of friends who have been playing the same game of tag for thirty years (each May being the month where the all-out warfare happens). Now living in different cities, the group is comprised of an overly cocky businessman named Bob Callahan (Jon Hamm), a divorced, unemployed druggie, Randy ‘Chilli’ Cillano (Jake Johnson), a mentally fragile, outside the box thinker, Kevin Sable (Hannibal Buress), and the heart behind keeping the guys united, Hogan ‘Hoagie’ Malloy (Ed Helms). . . then there is their long hunted target, the hot-shot of the gang, Jerry Pierce (Jeremy Renner) – a man who has never been tagged in the three decades they have been playing (through a clever combination of speed, smarts, and feral brawn).
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Waterloo… Couldn’t escape if I wanted to
Waterloo BridgeJune 19, 2018One of the great horror directors of the 1930s, James Whale shot Frankenstein, The Old Dark House, The Invisible Man, and The Bride of Frankenstein in just four short years, an impressive feat that also somewhat overshadows a few of his lesser known, non-spook related features – specifically, 1931's Waterloo Bridge. . . which, interestingly enough, earned Whale so much favour with the head of Universal Pictures’ production department, that Carl Laemmle, Jr. (due to a combination of his quality work and coming in under budget), gave the director the choice of anything the studio had in early planning stages – the filmmaker chose Frankenstein, a smart decision. His Waterloo Bridge is based upon Robert E. Sherwood’s 1930 Broadway play of the same name (the playwright based it upon many of his own experiences), where we are transported to London, England, circa World War I. Stuck in the metropolis is Myra (Mae Clarke), a chorus girl who has fallen on hard times.
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Playing Games
Game NightJune 15, 2018Well, if for some reason you’ve ever had the random thought that it would be cool seeing a group of board game loving friends wrapped up in a Taken-like kidnapping mystery – unbeknownst to them (for a good portion of it), then 2018's Game Night is for you. To have some fun, I have tried to work as many titles of games into this review as possible. Written by Mark Perez and directed by John Francis Daley (Bones’ Lance Sweets) and Jonathan Goldstein (the pair were part of the writing staff behind Spider-Man: Homecoming), the plot follows a group of weekly game nighters. . . ultra-competitive married couple Max (Jason Bateman) and Annie (Rachel McAdams), long time sweethearts Kevin (Lamorne Morris) and Michelle (Kylie Bunbury), and the oft ridiculed for having a new piece of dim-witted arm candy each week, Ryan (Billy Magnussen – delivering a great comedic performance in which he too is rather dense) – he has finally surprised the gang by bringing a sharp Irish lass named Sarah (Sharon Horgan); each week is a constant battle to discover who will be numero UNO.
