Uncommon Type (2017) – Tom Hanks

I’ve been a fan of Tom Hanks’ since Bosom Buddies, I’ve watched him grow from a comedic actor to one of my favourite all time actors. I have delighted in his career, and love when he steps away from the front of the camera to work behind it, directing, producing, writing. It was his writing…

Fear (2017) – Dirk Kurbjuweit

Hitting trade paperback on Canadian book shelves this week is this engrossing thriller penned by German author Dirk Kurbjuweit. A captivating tale the novel explores themes of love, family, perceptions of masculinity, and the rule of law. The novel opens with a murder. And a confession. For months Randolph Tiefenthaler and his wife, Rebecca and…

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1989) – The Bonding, and Booby Trap

Captain’s log: stardate 43198.7 Ronald D. Moore who would later to go on to reimagine Battlestar Galactica, and bring Outlander to the screen wrote this episode when he joined the writers’ room on the show’s third season. With an original airdate of 23 October, 1989, the show worked within the constraints of series creator Roddenberry’s…

The Twilight Zone (1961) – The Arrival, The Shelter and The Passerby

The Twilight Zone: The Complete Series from Paramount Pictures takes me further this week, as we move deeper into Season 3. First up is The Arrival, penned by series creator, Rod Serling,  this episode had its debut on 22 September, 1961. Grant Sheckly (Harold J. Stone) is an aviation investigator, but even he’s not sure…

Wings of Desire (1987) – Wim Wenders

Remade for those North American audiences who hate to to read as the less than stellar City of Angels, the beautiful Wings of Desire captured hearts and imaginations when it premiered at Cannes, winning Wenders a Best Director award. It is also the next recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book….

A Monster Calls (2011) – Patrick Ness

It’s been a long time since a book has reduced me to tears, but Ness’ powerful, and beautiful young adult books, A Monster Calls has done just that. Inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd who passed before she could tell it herself, the story is a singular experience that is heartbreaking in its truth…

Cold Mountain (2003) – Anthony Minghella

  This beautiful, cinematic adaptation of Charles Frazier’s novel is masterfully brought to life by Minghella, who also wrote the screenplay. My last Civil War stop for the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film following my screening of The Red Badge of Courage is by turns brutal, moving, and gorgeously photographed. Nicole Kidman is…

TIFF 2015: Fire Song (2015) – Adam Garnet Jones

    Having its World Premiere screening today at Scotiabank, with additional screenings on September 15th and 20th, is Fire Song. Writer/director Adam Garnet Jones has created a gentle, and undeniably, moving film that invites you into the lives of its characters, as each one becomes mired and trapped in realities that they seem unable…