James (2024) – Percival Everett

Percival Everett offers a fresh perspective on Mark Twain’s adventure of Huck and Jim. Filled with humor, heartbreak, horror, and irony, Everett’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel is captivating, powerful and entertaining. Jim, as one will remember, is a runaway slave, and is later thought to have murdered Huck. The pair travel down the Mississippi tumbling…

Record of a Spaceborn Few (2018) – Becky Chambers

After how much I enjoyed the first two books in the Wayfarer series by Becky Chambers, I didn’t even read the blurb for the third book. I just jumped into it, waiting to see where Chambers would take me this time. Record of a Spaceborn Few explores the Exodan Fleet. They were the last people…

Spirited Away (2001) – Hayao Miyazaki

The next big title in DK Canada’s incredibly entertaining and informative The Movie Book, is going to allow for a bit of a dive into Miyazaki’s films, which is going to be truly enjoyable as they are always so fully realized and beautifully animated. It’s time to settle in for the Academy Award winning film…

The Shawshank Redemption (1994) – Frank Darabont

If there is a near perfect drama film for me, it is the next recommendation in DK Canada’s The Movie Book, The Shawshank Redemption directed by Frank Darabont, who wrote the screenplay as well, basing it on the short story by Stephen King. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman headline at the iconic King-universe prison, Shawshank,…

Forrest Gump: 25th Anniversary – 4K/Blu-Ray Review

Forrest Gump, starring Tom Hanks, is somehow twenty five years old this year. I don’t want to go over the math on that one, I’d rather simply enjoy this Paramount Pictures released, Bob Zemeckis masterpiece. Presented in stunning 4K or a completely remastered blu-ray, the film is just as brilliant as you remember it. Over…

Let the Right One In (2008) – Tomas Alfredson

DK Canada’s Monsters in the Movies has not disappointed yet, though I admit some of the movies highlighted in the book so far have been less than stellar, I still had a great time watching them. Since starting this book, written by director John Landis, I’ve got to revisit my favorite vampire movies ever, been…

Sophie’s Choice (1982) – Alan J. Pakula

The recommendations from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film for my screening of Schindler’s List are all powerful and exceptional films, and the first one featured some truly stunning performances. Adapted from the novel by William Styron, Pakula adapted and directed this moving and stunning film that sees Meryl Streep, in an Oscar…

Bicycle Thieves (1948) – Vittorio De Sica

It had to happen sooner or later. Working my way through two film books at the same time, one of the titles would have to synch up… And as I continue exploring the fantastic The Movie Book from DK Canada, and delve into the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book, this is the…

Disney/Pixar’s Coco Blu-Ray Review

The Golden Globe winning (and Oscar nominated) film from Pixar, the stunningly beautiful Coco is released to blu-ray and DVD today. Over the course of nineteen films Pixar has established itself as the foremost makers of family entertainment. Entrenched in a faithful and gorgeous representation of Mexican beliefs and traditions, the story follows a young…

The Shape of Water (2017) – Guillermo del Toro

del Toro’s latest film, The Shape of Water is very much a fairy tale for adults, as well as sharing a kinship with the horror films of the 1950s, specifically, 1954’s The Creature From the Black Lagoon (as well as to Abe Sapien as seen in del Toro’s own Hellboy series). But in this film,…