I was stunned when I first saw Saving Private Ryan on opening day, 24 July, 1998. I had never seen war depicted so realistically, so heart-breaking, graphic, and impactful. I held onto the names of Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks like a mantra through the film, to guide me through it, to make everything be…
Tag: hero
Marvel’s Black Panther (2018): Blu-Ray Review
Marvel’s introduction of the iconic Black Panther comes home on blu-ray and DVD today from Walt Disney Pictures, and it is a welcome addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and your home entertainment shelf. The film follows T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) as he assumes the mantle of King of Wakanda, and works to preserve his nation’s…
Superman: Miracle Monday (1981) – Elliot S. Maggin
Superman has always been a hero of mine, and when Christopher Reeve brought the character to the big screen back in 1978, I was a fan for life. At that age, I was completely enchanted by the first film, and it’s follow up in 1980, Superman II. I had the Superman: The Movie Book, I…
Taxi Driver (1976) – Martin Scorsese
Out of all of Scorsese’s work, I think Taxi Driver, the next stop on the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book as I return to the Thriller genre, is my favourite. It also features one of my top performances by Robert De Niro. Much has been said and written about Taxi Driver since…
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) – Past Prologue, and A Man Alone
Station log: stardate unknown Airing on 10 January, 1993, this episode, the first one broadcast following the series premiere was written by Katharyn Powers. The episode continues with its world-building as we are introduced to the Cardasssian, Garak (Andrew Robinson) who begins a very enjoyable, and sometimes manipulative, friendship with Dr. Bashir (Alexander Siddig). The…
Marvel Studio’s Thor: Ragnarok Blu-Ray Review
Thor Ragnarok the immensely enjoyable third solo adventure of the Marvel hero comes home on blu-ray and DVD today, and continues to build on the Marvel Cinematic Universe while also bringing in something new to the adventure… A huge sense of humour and fun. Chris Hemsworth as the titular god shows that he can manage…
Unforgiven (1992) – Clint Eastwood
The next recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of The Wild Bunch, is my all-time favourite western, Eastwood’s multi-Oscar winning film (Best Director, Best Picture, Best Editing, and Best Supporting Actor for Gene Hackman). An ageing gunfighter, William Munny (Eastwood) wants to tend to his tiny parcel…
Coco (2017) – Lee Unkrich, and Adrian Molina
A fiesta for the heart, and the souls. Coco is another proud feather for Pixar, and the House of Mouse. Pixar, since its first full length feature, Toy Story in 1995, has made some of my all time pieces of not only family entertainment, but heart-touching tales filled with humour, amazing art, brilliant stories and…
The Mummy (1932) – Karl Freund
Somehow in my exposure to the Universal Monsters, and classic films I had missed this Boris Karloff classic that allowed the Mummy (Karloff) to join the ranks of such classic monsters as Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, The Invisible Man and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Now, thanks to DK Canada’s The Movie Book,…
Doctor Who (Matt Smith) – Flesh and Stone, and The Vampires of Venice
The Doctor (Smith) and Amy (Karen Gillan) find themselves surrounded by Weeping Angels as the second part of last week’s story continues with Flesh and Stone. Written by Steven Moffat this story first aired on 1 May, 2010. As the Time Lord, his Companion, River Song (Alex Kingston) and Octavian (Iain Glen) alongside the surviving…
The Mind Reels 