Moving on...

This posting is long overdue and a little bit of housekeeping.  I have opened a new media and entertainment related blog with a dear friend who was previously the creator and superblogger over at the FFFurbelow.  We hope that you will join us at CineCritical.com and share your ideas, thoughts and interests.  Thank you for reading and I wish you all the best!

http://www.CineCritical.com

A few films to enjoy on a lazy weekend...

It has been awhile since I've actually sat down and written a review. I thought I would ease in by suggesting a few surprisingly good movies you might not otherwise take a second glance at:


WHEN YOU WANT TO STAY IN

Pirate Radio. From the creative talent behind films like Notting Hill and Love Actually comes the story of a group of misfits transmitting rock to the mainland, at a time when the British government would not allow it to be played on public radio. Alternately hilarious and touching, the film is the perfect combination of what made films like Notting Hill popular without the saccharine sweetness that also makes them unwatchable in parts. What's more it has an absolutely killer soundtrack. Then again, how could it not...

SPECIAL BONUS: watch the deleted scenes as they are 45 minutes of absolute hilarity. But do yourself a favour and leave the director intros off. There's a reason he's behind the camera.


Wild Target is another Bill Nighy special, also starring Emily Blunt and Rupert Grint (of Harry Potter fame). The story follows a thief (Blunt) and the assassin who is meant to be killing her (Nighy) but who-- in a strange twist-- becomes her bodyguard. Along for the ride is a hapless bystander played by Grint who seems to have a natural affinity for weapons (much to his and others' surprise). This oddball mix of characters works well together and all three actors are well cast in their roles. A fun and silly modern farce, this film will have you giggling from start to finish.


IF YOU'RE PLANNING A NIGHT OUT

The King's Speech is an inspiring (if a little formulaic) film that follows the late King George VI as he attempts to overcome his stutter. With strong character actors like Helena Bonham Carter and Colin Firth (as the royals) and the always fabulous Geoffrey Rush the fairly conventional writing is elevated to an enjoyable and uplifting outing. I defy you not to feel your heart swell as Firth spits out the final speech.


Morning Glory follows the path of small time tv producer Rachel McAdams as she tries to bump the viewership at her new morning show. Featuring the talents of Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford as the argumentative anchors, this is another feel good movie. Again it is the performances that make this film worn watching but there are more than a few funny lines and it's an altogether enjoyable little Rom Com.

For those of you more into unconventional film, stay tuned as Ill be covering Black Swan and some other less mainstream stuff in the near future.

The Millenium Series: finale over...

I was recently fortunate enough to see the final installment of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series at the theatre and found that I was not disappointed. We pick up at the close of the last book with Lisbeth Salander waking up in a university hospital with injuries from her run in with Alexander Zalachenko in the last movie. She is battered and broken and will be going on trial for attempted murder but defiantly refuses to speak to her doctor or her lawyer at first even though they are working to help her. But in the way that Lisbeth does, our heroine manages to command the respect and loyalty of those around her.

Ultimately this amounts to a movie about Lisbeth's trial with a little intrigue and action thrown in but the part that makes it compelling is that all the things you've watched Lisbeth go through in the last two films come to a head. Without giving too much away we are finally able to see Lisbeth benefit from her take no prisoners attitude and come out on top to a certain extent which is incredibly satisfying.

However what the movie does well with respect to it's karmic attitude towards Lisbeth, also comes off in this instance as a little self serving and unlikely based on the context which has been set up in the rest of the series. That said I'm willing to forgive a little pandering to the audience if only because any other ending would have been insincere. What's more, the last scene manages to be surprising and honest enough that it also counteracts the awkwardness of some of the resolutions.

All in all the series is definitely worth watching and makes me want to have a look at the books. I'm hoping that a little of the pandering can be explained by the translation to a new medium but ultimately I don't really care. This series is the source of one of the most compelling (and well acted) heroines in recent memory and is entirely worth a viewing. While neither of the sequels can outstrip the original film, they are of a better quality than a good deal of the current offerings out there.

Keep Calm...read this one...

So I’ve just started reading a book called Queen and Country which, if I’m honest, I probably should have gotten to awhile ago but it’s no less relevant now than it was when it first came out ten years ago. Following the lives of three “minders” in the British Intelligence service, Queen and Country centres not so much on the characters involved but on their circumstances and the political motivations and concerns surrounding the job that they do. Sounds boring hmm? Actually, it manages to be quite compelling.

Let’s start by letting you know that the author Greg Rucka has won several Eisner awards (think Pulitzers but for comics) not only for this very book but for a fairly major Batman storyline and is the author of many popular turns in the main books for many mainstream comics characters. Add that to the fact that with Queen and Country he’s making his main characters non-Americans so that he can criticize American interests overseas without the book being decried as anti-American (they’re British, what else would they say?). At a time when it was incredibly unfashionable to speak out against the American political machine that was driving Bush to the top, Greg Rucka and his team were making their voices heard; to a select few, but just the same...

With a comfortable blend of humour and tension and steeped in verifiable world news and historical influences, the book keeping me guessing, and interested. The characters are engaging and one feels could almost be real as they traipse through the various life and death situations they’re faced with, all the while bitterly reminding themselves that they’re doing it, “for Queen and Country.”

The one drawback to reading something like this in a trade (i.e. the collection that you can walk into the bookstore and purchase) is that since there are several VERY different artists who worked on this book, the changes are quite jarring. While they do a good job of facilitating the change (i.e. they put a roster into the book whenever the artist changes to make it clear who’s who) I was insulted by the change in main character Tara Chace’s appearance from awkward, almost boyish Tin Tin styled heroine (see the image above) to busty comic vixen who’s co-workers are immediately trying to get into her pants (yes that's the same character on the right side of the adjacent frame). Artist Leandro Fernández goes too far in my estimation when he sends Tara into the office in a blazer that’s cut down to her navel and no bra, nor undershirt to speak of. It’s one thing to draw her as a busty comics character, I’ve been reading comics long enough to know that’s a given but the juxtaposition between the two styles is jarring.

All that said, the series is certainly worth checking out and definitely is a well plotted, well thought out piece of story, with compelling characters and interesting viewpoints on the world. Ten years removed it’s an arresting view of the world as it was through the eyes of a few on the fringes. But then I suppose, that’s what being a comic reader’s all about, yes?

Michael Cera vs. My expectations

Point Cera, with an assist from Edgar Wright.

As you will know if you've been reading for awhile, I've been looking forward to this movie for quite some time. However, I'm not the biggest fan of Michael Cera (this is more out of apathy than dislike). So I was reasonably concerned that I would not enjoy the film, even though I have enjoyed all of Edgar Wright's films thus far. What I didn't allow for was that I wasn't familiar with the source material. And if the film is any indication, I need to get familiar with the source material.

Based on the graphic novel from Toronto born artist/writer Bryan Lee O'Malley, Scott Pilgrim vs. The world follows a twenty something bassist whose band, the sex bab-ombs is struggling to make a name for themselves in the wake of Scott's heartache. With the story centered around Scott's love life, it runs the risk of getting too cutesy but O'Malley's humor deftly deflects any discomfort one might be feeling from the schmaltz. The humor does rely heavily on some basic old school gamer knowledge but manages a certain inclusivity by not being heavy handed about it. In addition to which, the meta humour that is peppered throughout is truly one of the film's strongest points and allows for even the regular moviegoer to enjoy.

Fun and quickly paced, Scott Pilgrim vs. The world is just good natured fun. And it doesn't hurt that it's set in Toronto.

Enjoy!

In honour of a good friend's wedding...

...today's list will be my top wedding movies.

Enjoy!

My Big Fat Greek Wedding (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mS4VPs5OCI)

This is much more traditional than this list was supposed to be but I can't help getting a kick out of the comedy in this film. Light-hearted and enjoyable, this movie is a great curl up and enjoy type that doesn't require much thought.

Rachel Getting Married (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tIvMUy8UDs)

On the flip side, this film gets to the nitty gritty of what being family really means. With a younger sister and maid of honour (Anne Hathaway) who's recently been released from rehab and a whole host of new potential family members in tow, this film leaves you feeling like you've actually been to a wedding...drama and all.

Father of the Bride (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKSmMr0uOHk)

In true Steve Allen fashion this film stumbles through to the bitter end but ultimately shows its heart. God I miss the eighties.

The Wedding Singer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf3cy-eMfkQ)

And from the actual eighties to the fake eighties, this is by far (in my eyes at least) Sandler's best film as he plays frustrated but genuinely kind-hearted Wedding singer Robbie, who's heart has been stolen by an always adorable Drew Barrymore. With the 80's kitsch and the appearance of a Delorian midway through, this film will have even the toughest critic chuckling along.

Four Weddings and a Funeral (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb7bu_n1erY)

No list would be complete without the film that made Hugh Grant famous. Four weddings and a funeral brings you back to the way that romantic comedies used to feel. That is, developed beyond: "Guy + Girl = sex and cooing from the audience".

Monsoon Wedding (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjQjw-UyAX0)

Mira Nair's Golden Lion winning film is set in the four days that precede the arranged marriage of a middle class Indian family's only daughter. This is a film that I've always wanted to sit down and watch as I've heard nothing but good things about it so I figure, why not check it out?

Can you think of any great wedding movies?

TIFF is coming...are you prepared?

Today I came home from a weekend away to find my TIFF ticket package guide waiting in the mailbox for me to peruse and choose. But here's the rub: I went online to find out what was playing and take a look at the reviews so that I can figure out which package will work for me and lo and behold the response was this:



Not Cool. You expect me to pay a whole bunch of money for tickets I'm not even sure I'm going to use? I get that it's a prestige thing and everything but frankly I'm not interested in the showboating...I'm there for the films.

Shame TIFF. Shame!