The next film that I dove into for DK Canada’s The Movie Book is the James Dean classic, Rebel Without a Cause, from 1955. Dean is brilliantly vulnerable as the teen Jim Stark, who is growing up in a troubled home, clashing with his parents, Frank (Jim Backus) and Carol (Ann Doran), and also dealing…
Tag: violent
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) – Elia Kazan
Tennessee Williams’ classic tale comes to the big screen in this 1951 adaptation that is my next stop in DK Canada’s The Movie Book. Now, lets be clear, I’ve never been a fan of Marlon Brando, not ever, he just kind of annoys me, and has his career progressed his lack of professionalism just became…
City of God (2002) – Fernando Meirelles & Katia Lund
City of God, based on a true story is the next recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of Taxi Driver. Brutally violent, jarring in its depictions, and beautifully made the film is a one of a kind experience that takes us into the slums just outside of…
Taxi Driver (1976) – Martin Scorsese
Out of all of Scorsese’s work, I think Taxi Driver, the next stop on the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book as I return to the Thriller genre, is my favourite. It also features one of my top performances by Robert De Niro. Much has been said and written about Taxi Driver since…
Fake Blood (2017) – Rob Grant
Whether Canadian film-makers Rob Grant and Mike Kovac movie is fact or fiction isn’t the point of their latest cinematic effort. What is important is the film’s subject matter, and the commentary it makes on film, violence in cinema and the responsibility of the film-makers. Opening Friday at the Carlton here in Toronto, Fake Blood,…
The Daylight War (2013) – Peter V. Brett
Digging into the third book of The Demon Cycle by Peter V. Brett has been long overdue, but it was very much worth the wait. After the climactic conclusion of the previous instalment, not to mention some of the revelations, the characters are left in some strange places. The novel picks up shortly after the…
Star Trek: The Next Generation (1990) – Reunion, and Future Imperfect
Captain’s log: stardate 44246.3 K’Ehleyr (Suzie Plakson) returns in this episode written by Thomas Perry, Jo Perry, Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga from a story by both Perrys and Drew Deighan. This is also the second episode of eight that was directed by Jonathan Frakes , who plays Commander Riker. First airing on 5…
The Breadwinner (2000) – Deborah Ellis
House of Anansi press has released an updated version of Deborah Ellis’ poignant and beautifully written tale, The Breadwinner. Aimed at younger readers, the book puts a face to stories that help the reader empathise and understand some of the issues that are taking place in Afghanistan. Canadian born Ellis has crafted a whole series, with…
Toronto After Dark 2017: The Villainess – Byung-gil Jung
The hyper-kinetic assassin thriller The Villainess, has it’s Toronto premiere this evening at Toronto After Dark, screening exclusively at Scotiabank Theatre. This South Korean film is nothing short of a high-octane thriller that recalls Besson’s La Femme Nikita with overtones of Tarantino’s Kill Bill. Ok-bin Kim stars as Sook-hee, a violent woman with a violent…
The Big Heat (1953) – Fritz Lang
The next big title in DK Books’ highly informative and entertaining The Movie Book is Fritz Lang’s iconic film M, which I have previously reviewed, but on the What Else to Watch list I came across a title I had’t seen or reviewed before and was eager to dive into, Lang’s 1953 cop noir Thee…
The Mind Reels 