Alien (dir. Ridley Scott): unique sci-fi/horror film with much to say about human society
Ridley Scott, “Alien” (1979) In the wake of news that Ridley Scott has started work on “Prometheus”, the movie prologue to “Alien”, it’s timely to revisit…
North American Films
Reviews of films made in Canada and United States including all films made by Hollywood.
Inside Job: hard-hitting documentary about 2007/08 Global Financial Crisis
Charles Ferguson, “Inside Job” (2010) For many people, this incisive documentary on the immediate origins of the 2007 – 08 Global Financial Crisis will prove a…
True Grit (dir. Joel and Ethan Coen): revenge film plays straight and narrow with problematic heroine
Joel and Ethan Coen, “True Grit” (2010) Adapted from the 1968 novel of the same name by Charles Portis, “True Grit” can be read as both…
The Dark Knight: a shallow movie with one-note characters beneath the pyrotechnics
Christopher Nolan, “The Dark Knight” (2008) Second in British-American director Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy that began with “Batman Begins” (2005) and will finish with “The Dark…
Chinatown: film noir addresses serious issues of political and moral corruption
Roman Polanski, “Chinatown” (1974) Chinatown” was Roman Polanski’s foray into the private eye / film noir genre and his last major film for Hollywood. A few…
No Country for Old Men: all the right stuff and still not a great movie
Joel Cohen, “No Country for Old Men” (2007) Is it possible for a movie to have all the “right stuff” – you know, good acting performances,…
Dark City (dir. Alex Proyas): thought-provoking ideas and issues trapped in a prison
Alex Proyas, “Dark City” (1998) An attractive film that combines elements of film noir, mystery, science fiction and (regrettably) action thriller, “Dark City” is a quest…
Easy Rider: film holds a mirror to mainstream US society in 1969 – and beyond
Stripped of the hype that has grown around it over the years, “Easy Rider” is a well-made if loose low-budget flick about two drug dealers Wyatt…
Catfish: a film with a surprising and humbling twist
Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost, “Catfish” (2010) Call it a fake documentary, call it a feature film and call it exploitative but this film about a…
Citizen Kane: interesting film but it privileges style over substance
Orson Welles, “Citizen Kane” (1941) Notwithstanding its tag as America’s greatest film or the world’s greatest film – usually bestowed by American film critics, of course!…