Hot Docs 2016: Life, Animated – Roger Ross Williams

  If there is a more honest, emotional and human film at this year’s Hot Docs Film Festival, I can’t imagine what it could be. Owen Suskind, the young autistic man who is the focus of William’s objective eye, is a brilliant soul, and we learn through the film, his story, his life, and his…

Hot Docs 2016: Cheer Up – Christy Garland

  Having its World Premiere this evening at Scotiabank at 7pm is this charming, emotional, little gem, that takes us to northern reaches of Finland’s Arctic Circle, and into the lives of some wonderful young women, cheerleaders, who have big hearts, and bigger dreams. Led by their coach Miia, this cheerleading team tries to win…

Magnum, p.i. (1985) – Going Home and Paniolo

  Thomas heads to Virginia in the first episode up this week, Going Home, which aired 31 October, 1985 and was penned by Gene Donalds and Chris Abbott. He returns to Virginia for his grandfather’s funeral, and it opens up a slew of memories, pains, and troubles amongst the family. He’s never been a fan of…

Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) – Guillermo del Toro

  Not sure why this one ended up in the family genre section of the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book, but I guess, it ties in with the Wizard of Oz in terms of a fantasy world, and a young girl. Doesn’t matter, because I love sitting down and watching this one!…

Toronto After Dark: The Diabolical (2015) – Alistair Legrand

  Ali Larter took center screen at the 10th Annual Toronto After Dark Film Festival last night in this spin on the haunted house tale, that to my way of thinking could have been a tad longer to expand on the mythology and story that the film wanted to introduce and play with, because otherwise,…

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014) – Francis Lawrence

  The Sci-Fi Chronicles expedition into the world created by Suzanne Collins with her bestselling Hunger Games trilogy, continue with the first part of the last book, divided into two films, with the second one forthcoming this holiday season. But knowing that it’s only the first part of a two-part story, I knew, going in,…

Black Swan (2010) – Darren Aronofsky

  The next recommendation from my viewing of Gold Diggers of 1933 in the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book, is less musical, but more behind the scenes of a production, and the lead’s gradual descent into madness, in Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan. The beauty and sensuality of the ballet, Swan Lake, is…