It’s that time of year again, and it seems Toronto always knows what to get me for my birthday – a film festival. Specifically the Toronto After Dark film festival. Running October 11th through to the 19th the genre festival features films from around the globe that highlight horror, action and science fiction films that…
Tag: japanese
Throne of Blood (1957) – Akira Kurosawa
The next recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of Kurosawa’s Ran is another classic film from the legendary director, Throne of Blood. Toshiro Mifune, Akira Kubo and Isuzu Yamada star in this action-fantasy-drama. Mifune stars as Taketoki Washizo, while Kubo stars as his childhood friend, and fellow…
South Park: The Complete Eighth Season
Almost nothing is sacred as South Park unleashes its eighth season on blu-ray from Paramount Pictures. Over the course of fourteen episodes, we get another look at the unique Colorado mountain town and the characters who populate it. From a bloody and satanic Christmas episode to a commentary on violence as well as animes, the…
The Twilight Zone (1964) – The Encounter, Mr. Garrity and the Graves, and The Brain Center at Whipple’s
Our penultimate trip to the Twilight Zone gets underway this week, with The Encounter as I draw to the end of The Complete Series on blu-ray from Paramount Pictures. Written by Martin Goldsmith, this episode first debuted on 1 May, 1964. It stars George Takei and Neville Brand. After World War II, prejudices and hatred…
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) – David Lean
Another recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book for my screening of The Great Escape is this David Lean classic starring William Holden, Alec Guinness, and Jack Hawkins. The film walked away with seven Academy Awards, taking home Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Guinness), Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography,…
Toronto After Dark 2016
It’s that time of year again, when horror, sci-fi, action, cult, and just the bizarre movies come to roost and entertain here in Toronto, with the Toronto After Dark Film Festival. 9 nights of movies that, as long as you have the right audience with you, can’t help but entertain. This year seems to be…
Monsters in the Movies – 100 Years of Cinematic Nightmares (2011) – John Landis
How much do I love this book? Let me tell you! This gorgeous, coffee table book, available from DK Canada, penned and compiled by director John Landis (who directed my favourite werewolf movie of all time, An American Werewolf in London, though I was introduced to him through the Thriller video first) has created a…
Batman: The Animated Series (1993) Day of the Samurai, See No Evil and The Demon’s Quest: Part I
Batman (Kevin Conroy) has his hands full again this week! Day of the Samurai faces off, again, with the ninja named Kyodai Ken (Robert Ito), when Bruce learns the assassin has learned the fatal Death Touch attack. Serving as a sequel to Night of the Ninja (s01e28), this one continues to fill out a…
Hot Docs 2016: Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World – Werner Herzog
My Hot Docs got under way this afternoon at about 1pm as I settled in for my first screening at the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema, director Werner Herzog’s latest film, Lo and Behold. I was first struck, as I always am, by the amazing turnout this festival has. It should be no wonder of…
East Side Sushi (2014) – Anthony Lucero
Starting a theatrical run in select cities State-side, is this perfect little concoction that delighted, entertained, and fired my appetite. Director Anthony Lucreo has whipped up a splendid little offering that is wonderfully cast, doesn’t cheat or talk down to its audience, and makes us feel for all of the characters involved. At the film’s…
The Mind Reels 