A personal journal of film and documentary reviews, and reviews of anything else that intrigues me.
Reviews of films made in Canada and United States including all films made by Hollywood.
Peter Weir, “The Truman Show” (1998) Once in a while Hollywood releases a film that encapsulates philosophical ideas about the purpose of life and the human…
John Cameron Mitchell, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” (2001) A feisty little number showcasing John Cameron Mitchell as a director, actor, scriptwriter and singer, “Hedwig and…
Alfred Hitchcock, “Torn Curtain” (1966) To properly appreciate how good a director Alfred Hitchcock was over a career of 50+ years, one needs to see the…
John Lee Hancock, “The Founder” (2016) How do you make an engrossing film about a character who is essentially unlikeable, a predator who steals others’ ideas…
Stanley Kubrick, “The Shining” (1980) In most directors’ hands, a Stephen King horror novel of a family disintegrating under the impact of the husband / father’s…
Yony Leyser, “William Burroughs: Man Within” (2010) An obvious labour of love for Yony Leyser, this documentary on subversive US experimental novelist and artist William S…
Guy Maddin, “My Winnipeg” (2007) An unusual blend of memoir, documentary and dark fantasy, Guy Maddin’s “My Winnipeg” probably does more to promote his home city,…
Oliver Stone, “Snowden” (2016) Surprisingly even though I’m familiar with the story of National Security Agency whistle-blower Edward Snowden through Laura Poitras’ documentary “Citizenfour”, Oliver Stone’s…
Sophie Barthes, “Cold Souls” (2009) In the vein of Charlie Kaufman’s “Being John Malkovich” but without that film’s sprightly tone, “Cold Souls” is a metaphysical comedy…
Italian and Italian-language Films, North American Films
Ubaldo B Ragona and Sidney Salkow, “The Last Man on Earth” (1964) Over 50 years since it was made, this cheaply made horror film has clearly…