When I first heard that Spielberg was taking on the classic musical, West Side Story, previously immortalized on celluloid by iconic director Robert Wise, I was a little dubious. Not that I didn’t trust Spielberg. Even with some of his weaker films (BFG) he arguably does something unique and noteworthy, even if it just demonstrates…
Tag: maria
Mission: Impossible (1970) – The Choice, and The Martyr
This week we close out the fourth season of Mission: Impossible. The penultimate episode of the season is definitely the stronger of the two, and lets Leonard Nimoy do a little character work as he plays both IMF agent Paris, and the episode’s nemesis, Emile Vautrain (which you should probably read as Rasputin). In a…
Stakeout (1987) – John Badham
Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez star in this buddy cop action comedy, that sees the mustachioed pair drawing a stakeout assignment, which is going to get a lot more personal than one of them had planned. Slightly goofy, but with a sense of fun, Stakeout directed by John Badham sees Chris (Dreyfuss) and Bill (Estevez)…
Toronto After Dark 2019: Mutant Blast (2018) – Fernando Alle
The second feature of Zombie Night for the Toronto After Dark film festival is this entry from Portugal, which, when coupled with iconic cult production company Troma feels like a VHS throwback to science fiction horror that is so bad that it comes around to good, and is threatening to go bad again. Filled with…
Twins of Evil (1971) -John Hough
Hammer Films last film in the Karnstein trilogy, Twins of Evil, is the next film to sink my fangs into as I continue to explore John Landis’ Monsters in the Movies from DK Canada. Boasting the casting of twin Playboy playmates, Mary and Madeleine Collinson as well as a fantastic performance by Peter Cushing the…
TAD 2018: The Inhabitant (2017) – Guillermo Amoedo
It’s unfortunate that The Exorcist is considered the gold standard in horror films, because the film having its Canadian Premiere at the Scotiabank Theatre as part of the Toronto After Dark film festival is no doubt going to draw comparisons because of it’s subject matter. And that is unfortunate, because the Mexican/Chilean coproduction of The…
Dracula Has Risen From the Grave (1968) – Freddie Francis
I’m starting a new movie book today, and this one should be a lot of fun. DK Canada’s Monsters in the Movies by John Landis is going to bring me a lot of joy I think. There is going to be good films, bad films, schlock, gore, and general awesome-ness. The first section of the…
The Sound of Music (1965) – Robert Wise
My return to the Musical chapter of the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book sees me settling into Robert Wise’s multi-Oscar winning (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Sound, Best Editing and Best Music) adaptation of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The Sound of Music. Starring Julie Andrews (in an Oscar nominated performance) and…
West Side Story (1961) – Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins
Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins direct the film that brings me back to the musical genre in the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book. Stephen Sondheim pens the lyrics for this Academy Award winning musical (including Best Picture) that is an updated retelling of Shakespeare’s beautiful tragedy Romeo & Juliet with Richard Beymer…
The Couturier of Milan (2017) – Ian Hamilton
Next Monday, the adventures of Ava Lee continue in Ian Hamilton’s latest instalment in the addictive, page-turning series that began with The Water Rat of Wanchai and continues now with book nine(!) and one novella – The Couturier of Milan. Over the course of these books, I have grown to consider Ava Lee a friend,…
The Mind Reels 