Category Archives: Recommended

Thoughts on Truly Madly Deeply

Just a heads up for anyone who will be in Halifax this coming Thursday: I'll be hosting Carbon Arc, the Khyber film society's regular screening series, presenting Anthony Minghella's first feature film Truly Madly Deeply, which for years now has been a favourite of mine. Feel free to come on down to the Khyber at 1588 Barrington…Read More

The Fighter review

Directed by David O. Russell Screenplay by Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson Story by Tamasy, Johnson and Keith Dorrington The Fighter isn't really about boxing any more than any genre movie that supersedes its tropes is about that genre. The familiar structure becomes a channel by which characters live and breathe and something…Read More

Reviews: I Am Love, Valhalla Rising, Salt

Directed by Luca GuadagninoStory by Guadagnino, script by Guadagninio,Barbara Alberti, Ivan Cotroneo, Walter FasanoSometimes watching a movie can be like sitting in a classroom. It can be homework. It can also be a party, a rollercoaster ride, skydiving, an awkward conversation. And every once in awhile, a movie can be like someone licking you where…Read More

The Secret in Their Eyes review

Directed by Juan Jose CampanellaWritten by Campanella and Eduardo Sacheri from Sacheri's novel  La Pregunta de Sus OjosNow on DVD.  Buenos Aires 1974: Benjamin Esposito (Ricardo Darin) is a federal agent assigned to a murder case. A 23-year-old woman, a recent bride, is raped and murdered in her home. Esposito, with the help of his…Read More

True Grit review

Directed and written for the screen by Joel and Ethan Coenfrom a novel by Charles PortisThe first thing to note here is this western isn't a remake of the John Wayne picture, the one for which the Duke won his Oscar. The Coens have gone back to the novel, which I hear they liked due…Read More

The King’s Speech review

Directed by Tom HooperScreenplay by David SeidlerWell, isn't this a good time at the movies. It's been rare enough this year to have a good story well told, but when the beats hit the mark so flawlessly, well, I'm prone to hyperbole, I have to admit. Shockingly, The King's Speech is a biopic I really…Read More

Never Let Me Go review

I was quite amazed at this film to start with, since I didn't know much about it, only that the reviews were strong, as is the cast, and that it involved a love triangle. That it's actually hard sci-fi may surprise many. It did me because it's nowhere in the marketing. Just an interesting detail. …Read More