I forgot how much I loved this film. This was one of my go-tos in the mid-90s. It was a film I recommended constantly, one I played in the store, and loved Richard Dreyfuss’ performance as the titular Mr. Holland. An ode to teachers, the film follows Mr, Holland, as he takes a teaching position…
Tag: teachers
TIFF ’23: The Holdovers
Director Alexander Payne reunites with his Sideways star, Paul Giamatti in this earnest and laugh-out-loud dramedy that takes us back to the winter of 1970 and Barton, a boy’s prep school where Paul Hunham (Giamatti) teaches Ancient Civilizations and often finds himself clashing with not only his fellow teachers but his students as well, particularly…
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) – Mike Newell
The fourth entry in the Harry Potter franchise is the first to get itself a PG-13 rating, reflecting the fact tht the stories themselves are getting darker, and dealing with heavier subjects. It also sees a new director behind the camera, Mike Newell, who continues the world-building of the series, embracing the visual aesthetic that…
Project Nim (2011) – James Marsh
The What Else to Watch list in DK Canada’s The Movie Book is proving fruitful with some fantastic documentaries, as they recommend a number of titles following my screening of Man On Wire. In the 70s, a newborn chimpanzee, named Nim, is recruited for a scientific experiment to explore nature versus nurture, to see if…
Fame (1980) – Alan Parker
The next recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of Grease is the iconic 1980 film Fame. The movie proved so popular that it inspired a television series, as well as a remake, but there is nothing like the classic. The film follows a group of students at…
The 15:17 to Paris (2018): Blu-Ray Review
Clint Eastwood’s latest directorial effort hits blu-ray today from Warner Brothers, and is based on the true story of three Americans, friends, who stopped a planned terrorist attack on a Paris bound train on 21 August, 2015. As much as I love Eastwood’s body of work, both as a director and as an actor, this…
South Park: The Complete Seventh Season
It’s time for another trip to the small Colorado town of South Park, as I dive into Season Seven of the enduring Comedy Central cartoon show. Released by Paramount Pictures, the Complete Seventh Season on blu-ray gives us a huge dose of comedy over the course of its fifteen episodes. This time out series creators…
Toronto After Dark 2017: Tragedy Girls – Tyler MacIntyre
BFFs, LOLs, LIKES, RETWEETs and MURDER. The Toronto After Dark film festival comes to a close this evening at Scotibank Theatre with the Toronto premiere of the exceptional dark comedy, Tragedy Girls. A Heathers for the cyber age, the film follows two students and best friends, Sadie (Brianna Hildebrand) and McKayla (Alexandra Shipp) who are…
Zero de Conduite (1933) – Jean Vigo
The next stop in DK Canada’s brilliant, and highly enjoyable, The Movie Book is a collection of films by French auteur Jean Vigo. The first one highlighted and serving as gateway to the rest of his work is the short, Zero de Conduite, or Zero for Conduct. Running at a brisk forty-one minutes the film…
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…
The Mind Reels 