Category Archives: Film

WHILE WE’RE ON THE AWARDS SHOW FRONT …

Congrats to Jon Stewart who will once again be hosting the Academy Awards come February. I only have one hope that I will throw out to the universe in a brief letter as follows: Dear Oscar Telecast Producer Gil Cates: So you’re back huh? This every other year thing with you is getting a bitContinue reading “WHILE WE’RE ON THE AWARDS SHOW FRONT …”

TORONTO IN FOCUS: DAY 7 – A DAY LATE, REPORTING FORM NEW YORK

The last 48 hours are a bit of a blur. A full day of movies on Wednesday that ended in total exhaustion, followed by the intent of one final screening Thursday morning that just didn’t happen because I was too damn tired. I wish I had actually planned to stay at least one or evenContinue reading “TORONTO IN FOCUS: DAY 7 – A DAY LATE, REPORTING FORM NEW YORK”

TORONTO IN FOCUS: DAY 6 – EXHAUSTION MOST DEFINITELY SETTING IN

I have most definitely not “done” the Toronto Film Festival as well as I could, or should, have. I definitely should have prepared more in advance, because then I wouldn’t have spent so much time simply trying to figure out what I would and wouldn’t be able to make. I’ve managed to see a hellContinue reading “TORONTO IN FOCUS: DAY 6 – EXHAUSTION MOST DEFINITELY SETTING IN”

TORONTO IN FOCUS: DAY 5 – A DAY CAN’T BE MUCH MORE FULL

I went to six films today, but I only sat through five. One was simply too unbearable, and combine that with the sweltering heat of that particular screening room, there was no way I could stick it out for more than 30 minutes, even though I had no other particular place to go. All-in-all, though,Continue reading “TORONTO IN FOCUS: DAY 5 – A DAY CAN’T BE MUCH MORE FULL”

TORONTO IN FOCUS: DAYS 1-4, WOW AM I WEARY

Something unexpected has taken-up all the time I meant to write while here in Toronto: simply figuring out what the hell I’m going to get to see while here. With the New York Film Festival press screenings starting next week, I’m staying away from all of those big titles, trying to use my time onContinue reading “TORONTO IN FOCUS: DAYS 1-4, WOW AM I WEARY”

WELCOME BENTEN FILMS

I would be more than remiss was I not to mention how huge a day today is for two friends of mine: Andrew “Filmbrain” Grant and Aaron “Cinephiliac, or rather, I’m-too-busy-getting-paid-to-write-to-update-my-site” Hillis. About a month ago, the two of them announced something I had heard rumblings about for over a year from Andrew: the formationContinue reading “WELCOME BENTEN FILMS”

NOTES FROM TRIBECA: IT SEEMS LIKE JUST YESTERDAY I WATCHED KING OF KONG AS A SUBMISSION

Wow, how a week as jusdt flown by. Now I’m way behind again with posts backing up just waiting to be written. But I have a relatively decent excuse. If you’ve happened to swing by here and paid any attention to my Twitterisms in the column to the left, you would have noticed a fewContinue reading “NOTES FROM TRIBECA: IT SEEMS LIKE JUST YESTERDAY I WATCHED KING OF KONG AS A SUBMISSION”

AN OVERWHELMING WEEKEND AHEAD: NEW RELEASES GALORE AND FILM FORUM NOIR

I’m in the process of writing reviews for both Blame It on Fidel and Becoming Jane, but I probably won’t have either up until this weekend. In short, Julie Gavras’ wonderful Blame It on Fidel is wonderful and well worth your time, a very assured feature debut from the daughter of noted filmmaker Costa-Gavras. BecomingContinue reading “AN OVERWHELMING WEEKEND AHEAD: NEW RELEASES GALORE AND FILM FORUM NOIR”

SUMMER FOR CLASSIC MOVIE LOVERS

If you love old movies — and even more specifically, old movie stars — then August should be your favorite month of the year. It’s always August during which the best of all cable channels presents its “Summer Under the Stars.” That’s when Turner Classic Movies devotes a non-stop 24 hours to a different movieContinue reading “SUMMER FOR CLASSIC MOVIE LOVERS”