The Truman Show: comedy drama satire encapsulating the search for authenticity for self and community under conditions of control and manipulation
Peter Weir, “The Truman Show” (1998) Once in a while Hollywood releases a film that
Category: North American Films
Reviews of films made in Canada and United States including all films made by Hollywood.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch: an individual’s search for wholeness and authenticity delivered in a flat musical adaptation
John Cameron Mitchell, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” (2001) A feisty little number showcasing John
Torn Curtain: an unremarkable spy thriller film let down by poor casting and a laboured script
Alfred Hitchcock, “Torn Curtain” (1966) To properly appreciate how good a director Alfred Hitchcock was
The Founder: a fictional character study calling into question the American Dream and how it enables control and exploitation
John Lee Hancock, “The Founder” (2016) How do you make an engrossing film about a
The Shining: a histrionic epic horror film saved by its themes of control and alien manipulation
Stanley Kubrick, “The Shining” (1980) In most directors’ hands, a Stephen King horror novel of
Portrait of a major 20th-century literary icon and his impact on Western culture in “William Burroughs: Man Within”
Yony Leyser, “William Burroughs: Man Within” (2010) An obvious labour of love for Yony Leyser,
My Winnipeg: an intriguing blend of memoir, documentary and surreal dark fantasy in a paean to a little city on the prairie
Guy Maddin, “My Winnipeg” (2007) An unusual blend of memoir, documentary and dark fantasy, Guy
Snowden: a riveting character study of personal transformation and commitment to personal ideals
Oliver Stone, “Snowden” (2016) Surprisingly even though I’m familiar with the story of National Security
Cold Souls: a dull, flat and unsatisfying comedy about materialism and the nature of identity and existence
Sophie Barthes, “Cold Souls” (2009) In the vein of Charlie Kaufman’s “Being John Malkovich” but
Italian and Italian-language Films | North American Films
The Last Man on Earth: still retaining the power to shock and horrify with a message of post-apocalyptic despair and existential angst
Ubaldo B Ragona and Sidney Salkow, “The Last Man on Earth” (1964) Over 50 years