Yearly Archives: 2023

Movie Preview: Growing up Caribbean-born and Hip Hop in Toronto — “Brother”

A kid grows up in a sibling’s shadow in this adaptation of a novel by  David Chariandy. Screens and streams VOD Aug. 4, and this Clement Virgo film looks pretty good, doesn’t it?

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Netflixable? French hustlers Pilfer Perfume — “Gold Brick (Cash)”

“Gold Brick” is a twisty French heist picture that leans on the “cute.” It’s a “Get even with the rich” scheme that involves pilfering perfume from France’s Chartres-centered “Cosmetics Valley” distribution chain. It’s more of a “How to” heist picture … Continue reading

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Classic Film Review: McQueen plays but Jewison holds the Cards in “The Cincinnati Kid” (1965)

I was about five minutes into re-watching “The Cincinnati Kid” when it struck me that I needed to read or re-read director Norman Jewison’s autobiography, or hunt down the recent biography of the Canadian director. He’s not exactly an obscure … Continue reading

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Movie Review: A Different Beast, a VERY unusual “Belle”

“Beauty and the Beast” may have been put in book form by a Frenchwoman in the 18th century. But as Disney and lyricist Howard Ashman reminded us, it’s a “tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme.” Researchers … Continue reading

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The Three Songs of “Insidious: The Red Door”

The first tune that grabs your attention in this horror film, directed by and starring Patrick Wilson, is a re-recorded Kevin Cronin cover of REO Speedwagon’s “Roll with the Changes.” The second is a peculiar little flourish playing on the … Continue reading

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Movie Review — “Insidious: The Red Door”

Patrick Wilson has become something of the poster boy for “When Good Actors Do Horror.” One thing you can be sure of, when Wilson does an “Annabelle,” “Insidious” or “Conjuring” movie, when something that can’t be happening starts happening, he’s … Continue reading

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Classic Film Review: Bujold and Douglas wonder why Dr. Widmark’s so happy to put a patient into a “Coma” (1978)

The cognescenti burn a lot of electrons typing out odes to the adored, enduring superhero of science fiction, Philip K. Dick. But the ongoing appeal of a writer who arrived on the scene right after the author of “Do Androids … Continue reading

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BOX OFFICE: Another “Insidious: The Red Door” haunts “Dial of Destiny” — “Joy Ride” kind of bombs

Based on Thursday night and Friday’s take, “Insidious: The Red Door” could dethrone “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” after just one week at the top of the box office sweepstakes. Deadline.com sees the race as pretty close, with … Continue reading

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Movie Preview: Jon Hamm’s back at work, in a mustache, angling for that “Corner Office”

A Dark Fantasy for the Dog Days of Movie-Going’s summer, Aug. 4. This looks twisted.

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Movie Preview: Helen Mirren goes “Golda” fierce in this bio-pic

The distributor has this trailer — not the Latin market subtitles — attached to showings of “Sound of Freedom.” They haven’t bothered to post their US market trailer on Youtube. Clever. Oscar winner Mirren goes a tad grittier than Ingrid … Continue reading

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