Rififi (1955) – Jules Dassin

  I love when the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film brings me a film that I’d never heard of, and then makes me fall in love with it. I dove back into the thriller and crime chapter of the book and was promptly introduced to this brilliant French film that tells of the…

Toronto Youth Shorts 2015

  One of the things I love most about Toronto is that it is rife with Film Festivals, there is always so much creativity and excitement to this town, and filmmakers from all over come to shoot here, and showcase their creations. Well, here’s another cool one to check out! Celebrating it’s 7th year, the…

The Demonologist (2013) – Andrew Pyper

  I was recommended recently to pick up this book, and I was happy to learn he’s yet another Canadian author I had not heard of, but can now add to the list of writers I enjoy. This Demonologist follows Canadian professor David Ullman, who teaches at New York’s Columbia, and is one of the foremost…

Berkshire County (2014) – Audrey Cummings

  Opening theatrically today in Toronto (The Carlton), Ottawa (Landmark Kanata) and Whitby (Landmark Cinemas 24 Whitby) with more to follow in the coming weeks is this horror thriller that wowed them on the festival circuit and took home Best Feature from LA’s Shriekfest. Taking its cues from the John Carpenter classic Halloween, as well as films like…

Hot Docs 2015: (T)error – David Felix Sutcliffe and Lyric R. Cabral 

Screening tonight at the Lightbox at 9:45pm is this thriller of a documentary, that pulls the curtain back from the FBI’s counterterrorism efforts within the continental United States and the revelation that it isn’t all as above-board and by the book as the public would like to believe. Saeed, alias Shariff, an ex-con has been working…

Avenged (2013) – Micheal S. Ojeda

  Releasing from Anchor Bay today, was this supernatural revenge thriller, that surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. I thought it would be a little enjoyable, but I found myself really getting into this one. Zoe (the lovely Amanda Adrienne) is a deaf/mute girl on a road trip to spend some time with her…

Broken Monsters (2014) – Lauren Beukes

  My sister got me this book for Xmas, and I was quite intrigued by the blurb and finally had a chance to dig into it. I was intrigued by the premise, a murdered boy is found in the ruins of what is modern-day Detroit, his lower half is missing, however, and has been replaced…

Mr. Mercedes (2014) – Stephen King

  King released two new novels last year, Mr. Mercedes, and Revival (which is currently awaiting its turn on my bedside table), and I was starting to itch for some King material, so I figured it was time to dive into Mr. Mercedes. I’ll be honest, the blurb on the cover just made it sound…

Body (2015) – Dan Berk & Robert Olsen

  Screening today and again on Thursday at the Slamdance film festival is this taut, tightly written and paced thriller starring three talented young women, Helen Rogers, Alexandra Tushen and Lauren Molina. It’s the Christmas holidays and three BFFs, Holly (Rogers), Cali (Tushen), and Mel (Molina) are hanging out and trying to figure out what…

Chinatown (1974) – Roman Polanski

The final recommendation following my screening of The Big Sleep from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book is one of my favorite Jack Nicholson films, and undeniably one of the best noir films ever made. Jack plays detective J.J. Gittes, and it’s the 40s in the city of Angels. Hired on a…