Screening for the final time toady at the Scotiabank Theatre at 9:30 is this highly entertaining, often funny, film about no-budget movies, bad acting, ‘good’ kung fu, and lies. In Moncton, New Brunswick, we are introduced to Elliot Scott and his girlfriend Linda. Elliot’s only desire is to be Canada’s kung fu star, like his heroes…
Hot Docs 2014: Romeo and Juliet in Sarajevo (John Zaritsky)
As part of the retrospective on John Zaritsky, the Canadian Documentarian, there were screenings of some of his films, and I was fortunate enough to make it in to a presentation of his 1994 film, Romeo and Juliet in Sarajevo. This film is stunning and heartbreaking, though age hasn’t necessarily been kind to the format…
Trailer Tracks: Quicksilver (1986) – Thomas Michael Donnelly
It has been forever since I’ve seen this one, and I know it’s in my DVD collection somewhere, so I may have to pull it out and watch it again soon. Kevin Bacon stars as a big shot, who loses everything and then trying to get his life back in order works for a bike…
Hot Docs 2014: Harmontown (Neil Berkeley)
Screening in a special presentation this evening at the Burwash Quad, is the final showing of Harmontown. A no-holds barred portrait of Dan Harmon, the comedic genius behind the much beloved television series, Community. He is also notorious for being difficult to work with, which resulted in his ejection from the show at the end…
Tales of the Gold Monkey (1982) – Honor They Brother & The Lady and The Tiger
Jake is off to high-flying melodrama and adventure in this week’s installment of Tales of the Gold Monkey! The first episode originally aired 24 November 1982 and was written by Danny Lee Cole, Jeff Ray, William Driskill and George Geiger. It starts back in 1937, with Jake (Stephen Collins) still serving in the Flying Tigers,…
Trailer Tracks: First Blood (1982) – Ted Kotcheff
Fresh off the successes the Rocky series, Sylvester Stallone took on the role of Vietnam vet John Rambo, a wanderer who is pushed too far by a small town sheriff played by Brian Dennehy. Richard Crenna co-stars as Rambo’s former commander, and despite the violent looking trailer, the body count in this film is an…
Hot Docs 2014: I Am Big Bird – The Carroll Spinney Story (Chad Walker & Dave LaMattina
There are times when everything comes to a perfect moment, when a film resonates with you, and echoes not only through the memories in the rooms of your mind, but also through the chambers of your heart. The last time it happened to me was Patrick Read Johnson’s 5-25-77, it happened again the other night,…
Hot Docs 2014: Focus On Infinity (Joerg Burger)
Screening this evening at 7pm, with its international premiere at the Hart House Theatre is this documentary posits the eternal queries of who are we, where did we come from and where are we going? It doesn’t provide any answers, it’s more akin to laying on a blanket in the middle of summer and watch…
Trailer Tracks: Contact (1997) – Robert Zemeckis
I read this novel by Carl Sagan a long time ago, and was very eager to see the movie when it was released. For me it was well worth the wait, it was a very human story, set against the backdrop of possible contact with an alien species. With a well-rounded cast including Jodie…
The Rockford Files (1975) – Gearjammers Part I & II
This two-parter, written by Don Carlos Dunaway from a story by Cannell, originally aired 26 September, and 3 October, 1975, and sees Rocky (Noah Beery Jr.) in some serious trouble. The phone gag features someone calling to talk to Jim about the state of the car he borrowed, yes he kept the battery charged…
The Mind Reels 