Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995) – Stephen Herek

I forgot how much I loved this film. This was one of my go-tos in the mid-90s. It was a film I recommended constantly, one I played in the store, and loved Richard Dreyfuss’ performance as the titular Mr. Holland. An ode to teachers, the film follows Mr, Holland, as he takes a teaching position…

TIFF24: Meet the Barbarians dir. Julie Delpy

Julie Delpy directs and stars in the charming, and delightfully satirical Meet the Barbarians. Set in the small town of Paimpont, France, a teacher, Joelle (Delpy) has convinced the local town council to do their part and take in some Ukranian refugees, they’ve studied, they’ve got a home set-up, have donated groceries, and are ready…

TIFF ’23: Concrete Utopia

Concrete Utopia from South Korea has its North American premiere here at TIFF, and this one is definitely a must-see. While arguably a little heavy-handed in its messaging, the film is a captivating two-hour exploration of the human condition, our faults, and our hopes. An apocalyptic event has struck Seoul, and it seems the only…

Watchmen (2009) – Zack Snyder

Zack Snyder who is always great with visual images, but not the strongest director when it comes to story, takes on Alan Moore’s epic iconic graphic novel, the next stop in the Sci-Fi Chronicles. Visually, the film tends to be very faithful to the original panels, of the comic book, capturing an alternate 1980s filled…