I had never heard of Silibil ‘n’ Brains, but knowing this was James McAvoy’s directorial debut I had to check it out. It’s based on a true story, and it’s very entertaining. Gavin (Seamus McLean Ross) and Billy (Samuel Bottomley) are just a couple of blokes from Dundee, Scotland. They dream big, and those dreams…
Tag: fame
Rocky II (1979) – Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone writes, directs and stars in his 1979 follow-up to the 1976 hit Rocky. Picking up moments after the first film ended, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) is dealing with the fallout of his fight with Rocky (Stallone) while Rocky is having his first brush with fame and money even as a rematch is on…
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) – Peyton Reed
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the time for mourning is over. Phase 5 begins with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and launches it with a sense of fun, family, and a reminder that despite our affection and connection to these characters, it’s still just a romp. And who better to lead us in some fun…
Star Trek: Voyager (2000) – Virtuoso, and Memorial
Captain’s log: stardate 53556.4 Raf Green and Kenneth Biller pen this Doctor (Robert Picardo) episode that debuted on 26 January, 2000. The holographic Doctor begins to contemplate leaving the Voyager when they arrive at a planet where the diminutive aliens (including guest star Paul Williams) have never developed music, and he becomes a bit of…
A Star is Born (2018) – Blu-Ray Review
The Oscar nominated A Star is Born comes home today on blu-ray from Warner Brothers, and it makes a great addition to the collection, and a fantastic new iteration of the classic story. Starring Bradley Cooper (who also served as the film’s director) and a bravura performance by Lady Gaga (both of them were nominated…
Sunset Boulevard (1950) – Billy Wilder
As I return to the films of yesteryear, thanks to DK Canada’s The Movie Book, I settled in for a film that I’ve never been sure I wanted to watch, Sunset Boulevard. I just never imagined it would be my thing, but it does have a great pedigree including a cast that includes Gloria Swanson…
Fame (1980) – Alan Parker
The next recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of Grease is the iconic 1980 film Fame. The movie proved so popular that it inspired a television series, as well as a remake, but there is nothing like the classic. The film follows a group of students at…
Mother! (2017) – Darren Aronofsky
The cult of celebrity, the ‘ownership’ of fans, the price of love, and the need for peace, privacy, and solace from the madness that is the modern world. Aronofsky’s divisive film, Mother!, comes home on DVD and blu-ray today. Vaguely Lynchian there is the semblance of a ghost story at the heart of the film…
Doctor Who (Matt Smith) – Cold Blood, and Vincent and the Doctor
Rory (Arthur Darvill), Amy (Karen Gillan) and the Doctor (Smith) have their hands full this week as we dive into the second part of the Silurian story that started last week with The Hungry Earth. Cold Blood was written by Chris Chibnall and first aired on 29 May, 2010. The Time Lord is going underground…
Liv Stein
Combining near cinematic imagery that verges on the iconic and powerhouse performances from its actors, Liv Stein, presented by Canadian Stage at the Bluma Appel Theatre in Toronto is sure to wow and elicit discussion. Director Matthew Jocelyn’s sure hand brings Nino Haratischwili’s original German play to the Canadian stage via a translation by Birgit…
The Mind Reels 