August 11, 2025

Life of Chuck: This is a movie that flew under the radar for me, and I was able to watch it this past week. Starring Tom Hiddleston, Karen Gillan, Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Jacob Tremblay. It is voiced over by Nick Offerman. The story comes from the Stephen King novella, a tale about an ordinary accountant Charles Krantz or Chuck. Interestingly this is a story that is told back to front, specifically it starts with the Third Act, and passes backwards through time and watches what happens with Chuck who is played by Hiddleston. I will add that Ferris Bueller’s Day Off girlfriend Mia Sara makes a surprising appearance for me. It was great to see her after so many years. She plays Chuck’s grandmother. I will do my best to provide an overview but not take away from the wonder in this story.

The Third Act sets the scene in a town with a school, stores, traffic signals and various people. But things are a little strange, as things like the internet has been going down periodically and without any sign of abatement. We meet Chiwetel Ejiofor playing Marty Anderson, who is a teacher at the school. His ex-wife Felicia Gordon played by Karen Gillan is a nurse in the local hospital. Things have been odd during parent-teacher interviews as parents are being defensive and matter-of-fact about continuing education for their children. At the hospital, doctors and nurses are quitting while they deal with an onslaught of suicides in the town. It is a dark time. Together Marty and Felicia talk at length about Carl Sagan’s Cosmic Calendar, where the Big Bang takes place January 1. All of human history in this timeline of billions of years has human existence only within the final minutes of December 31. The Earth has been around a VERY long time. Throughout the town there are signs and billboards that have a picture of accountant Charles Krantz and the well wishes “39 Great Years – Thanks Chuck”. People in town puzzle as to who this Chuck is, and why is his retirement being so well publicized.

The Third Act ends suddenly. Then back in time we see the same town and some characters introduced. Something unexpected and magical happens. It took me completely by surprise. It also forms the basis for the next discussions and scenes which would provide some explanation for what happened. In Act Two Tom is a well dressed business man. In Act One he is a youngster who lives with his grandparents and learns many things from his teachers at school, including his hippy English teacher. In the end the story takes me back to a movie like Big Fish where one man’s life (Albert Finney and Ewan McGregor in that case) is far more amazing and magical than the stories that the father told to his unbelieving son. You learn things as the audience. There are some truisms about life, or at least there is speculation from a different perspective that you may not have considered before. As I was piecing together what I felt was going on, and realizing the end of Act One, it became more clear and I was that much more impressed with the result. Questions about life, those we meet and the world that we create are all laid out for the viewer to decide themselves. I like the A-ha moments in this, and where it takes me. The story stays with me still. I think that we need more movies like this, more so than more superhero movies. I may be showing my age, but so be it. I enthusiastically recommend this movie.

Sinners: I have heard quite a bit of a buzz online about this movie. I was anxious to check it out. On Crave, it is a story that delivered on many levels and more than I had been expecting. To dismiss this as a horror movie is to compartmentalize it too much, because it is much broader than that for me. Set in 1932 in Mississippi among the cotton fields, it tells the story of outlaw twin brothers Smoke and Stack played by Michael B Jordan who have returned to their town from Chicago. They are looking to purchase property and set up a Juke House bar for an evening of entertainment. The first part of the story is them doing exactly that; purchasing the plot, then obtaining food, drink and the musical entertainment.

The movie opens with a discussion about music and how some people are blessed with a gift of music that allows for a connection between the past, present and at times the supernatural (including evil). This is the first aspect which is a divergence from the typical horror film. This film is multi-layered with interactions with the twins who are gangsters in every sense of the word, shooting a couple young people who poke around too much in the contents of their truck. They set up the bar and invite the town to enjoy themselves. One of the musicians is the local preacher’s son who has an excellent voice and plays the guitar beautifully.

But there are other intriguing characters including the local healer Annie who is asked to cook for the customers. There is the harmonica player who gives an excellent explanation about short term profit over longer term gain. Also add in the store owners who provide the food, and the ex-girlfriend of Stack, Mary played by Hailee Steinfeld (newly married to Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen in real life), who is annoyed at being dumped unceremoniously by him and seeks an explanation. Together they gather and party. An outside force arrives and menacingly looks to disrupt the fun, and all hell breaks loose.

I was pleasantly surprised that the well-known historical truths of a fictional character were maintained thoughout, you’ll know what I am referring to when you watch this, and you should. The depth also comes from the times, and racial relations with segregation, The Klan, and a group of people that are interesting in their own right without just being targets. I will note that any viewer needs to watch past all the credits. You will be rewarded for doing so. I have never thought of music in the way portrayed but it does make sense. Music impacts us on various levels and can touch us unlike many other things. Andy in Shawshank Redemption knew it, and explained how time in solitary is easy time when you have Mozart in your head and heart. Music too is universal found in all cultures and across all religions. So I highly recommend this movie as well, although I was place one caveat that there are some gory bloody scenes, which are necessary to the story but may not be for everyone.

August 4th, 2025

Billy Joel: And So It Goes: Just recently released on HBO is a new two-part documentary on the life and music of Billy Joel. I will admit that I thoroughly enjoyed this, even though I wouldn’t say that I am the biggest Joel fan. In fact, in times of fixed phone storage for music I have debated removing my Joel tunes. But that isn’t material here.

Told basically chronologically, we see the life of young Billy Joel growing up in Long Island to a musical Dad who isn’t on the scene long and his poor loving mother. Interviews from school chums say that “there was poor and there there was Joel poor.” Early on what Billy had was a talent, and one that Mom even in hard financial times managed to get music lessons.

What fascinates me in these types of stories is the creative process. I do not possess any artistry in music. I banged on drums in middle and high school but never learned to read music and play an instrument. Guitar or piano would have been useful I feel. I still marvel at those who can sit at a piano and “just play”. For Joel he was part of bands in his younger days and he was quickly identified as someone with talent. I learned a number of things in this story. One is that Joel isn’t Italian but rather Jewish and many of his ancestors had died in German prison camps during WWII. I also learned that he fell in love at an early age with his best friends’ wife. She later married him, raising a step-son for Billy and she later still became his manager. She was an adept manager too, not only committed to her husband’s work but being very organized and business savvy. He lost plenty when she no longer acted as his manager, as he foolishly brought on her brother (his ex-brother-in-law) who ended stealing millions from him. He had written all that amazing music in his early days from albums like The Stranger and 52nd Street with some mega-hits. There is talk of his marriages, as he has been married four times, with the last two being of similar age as his own daughter Alexa Ray (now 40yo). There are some good interviews with musical icons like Paul McCartney, Don Henley, Bruce Springsteen and former band mates. It all adds up to very watchable tv about an artist who has been going through his own renaissance, still selling out the annual Madison Square Garden concert. Also there in the second part is a lengthy discussion about his family history and they in WWII and he looking to reconcile with his Dad, who had moved back to Europe. Fascinating.

His talent is undeniable despite those who claimed he was “derivative” and stole from others. What music that he did create, he created on his own. Producers helped of course but he wrote the songs. There are plenty of musical styles but that is how you stay relevant over many decades and “reinvent” yourself. So rather than delete the Joel music from my phone, I have now supplemented my songs with a couple of his that I had forgotten about. Well worth checking out.

M3GAN 2.0: The original M3GAN was released in 2022 and it has some success. It was notable for the movements and voice of the robotic lead character, and a story which parents can relate to. In it the very busy business executive and developer has created a doll/robot to be a companion to her niece. It is basically a surrogate babysitter, that looks a little bit like Chucky in its creepiness. Things goes awry and there are many lessons learned about the dangers of robots and AI.

The sequel was released June this year and didn’t do very well at the box office. Having just seen it I can understand why. Whereas the original seemed fresh and novel in its approach, the sequel aims for the low hanging fruit in a plot device to have the technology, aimed at household use, and turn it into a military prototype. It doesn’t work. Allison Williams returns as the too-busy robot developer with her older niece and takes measures initially that seem reasonable in addressing the outcome of the first story. But being shown a military use and the desire to create a new version of M3GAN feels forced. There are some good quips between the newer, more lippy version of the robot and the creator/developer as it admonishes the developer and what she had originally created. But it isn’t enough as the story becomes even more silly in its application. Sure putting the intelligence of the new AI robot into a children’s toy version body was funny and clever as technically the developer did as she was asked. But the humour falls away and we are left with a tiresome battle between robots which is nowhere near as compelling as a Terminator 2. It is more the weak effort starring Robin Williams in Toys. I pretty much became fully disengaged when the newer robot started singing. Yep. Singing. The bad person in this isn’t too difficult to pick out and ultimately it falls flat. I cannot recommend it. So a hard pass.

July 28th, 2025

Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight: I had an opportunity on a Cheap Tuesday (discounted tickets at theatres every Tuesday) to go see Superman for which I had little interest, or something unknown and different. I am very glad that I did. One of the great things that movies can do for an audience is to transport them into a different space and time. In this instance it was 1980 in the African country of Rhodesia, later Zimbabwe. Based upon the memoir of Alexandra Fuller of her family’s time in Africa, it shows the impact of war and elections on this family of four on a farm in rural Rhodesia. It is written, directed and acted by veteran actress Embeth Davidtz, as she plays the mother. Nicola (Embeth) and Tim, have two girls, 8yo Bobo, played remarkably by newcomer Lexi Venter and then older sister, likely around 13yo. Bobo is the focus of the story as the precocious, naive and inquisitive Bobo with her family and the local people, including other whites and the African people. One of the Africans who assist with the family and interact with young Bobo is Sarah, played by Zikhona Bali.

The story is simple, showing the daily lives of the people and the girl. Bobo talks early on about African “terrorists” and her fear of them. The family sleeps with guns on their remote farm, and require an armed escort to go into town. Dad has a military job and heads out with other troops in a jeep. There is much tension with an upcoming election. The white population is looking for a victory by a more colonialist leader but the population is leaning towards Robert Mugabe. It is felt that the whites will be driven out with a Mugabe victory. The impact on the family is profound, as Mom is committed to her farm, her dogs and her horses in that order. Mom also has a drinking problem which is explored as well. The family has also previously suffered tragedy with a younger daughter who had passed away. All of these traumas have been experienced by young Bobo – who finds ways to ride dirt bikes, carry an air rifle, drink beer and smoke cigarettes.

I like the direction, as I feel that there are moments were the style of Terence Malick of Tree of Life is borrowed showing images of nature (streams, grass, plants, creatures) intertwined with the story of happenings with the family. I came in to this knowing nothing about this country, its politics and the battles within it. This isn’t ancient history, but at the same time I am reminded that from 1980 until now (45 years), is the same time difference between 1980 and 1935 (before WWII)!! Crazy how time flies! But we have a small glimpse into everyday life in a foreign continent in a country that does not make headlines every day. Sarah the African woman who helps with Bobo is excellent, as she is torn between her husband who feels she is too cozy with the young white girl and it gets noticed by others, but she is just looking to be kind. In tough times, actions however innocent can be interpreted in various ways. This movie shows great insight with quality performances by the Mom, Sarah and the young Bobo. If you can find this, it is worth checking out. Although this was released in 2024, and at TIFF, it is just getting released in Toronto now. Lastly I have to admit that the title likely isn’t helping it sell tickets.

Random Thought: Am I the Only One Who Feels that There is Too Much Pedro Pascal?

Bodkin: This seven-part series is another in a string of quality UK based thrillers and cop stories that have been released in the past few years. There are varying levels of success and quality in these, but overall, as a group they are very good. This series was just released on Netflix and is set in Ireland. For me, being a big fan of Ireland, and stories there, this was an easy sell. The premise is fairly simple with a US-based podcaster looking for a story to talk about as opposed to detectives or police officers. Played by Will Forte, as Gilbert, he had some modest success talking about his life imploding through his podcast, but now seeking a new story to speak about. He ventures off to Ireland, seeking a story to just speak about and decides on a town called Bodkin where there had been some drama with a disappearance of three people. Gilbert before entering Bodkin was joined by Emmy, his researcher (played by Robyn Cara) and an investigative journalist Dove Maloney (played by Siobhan Cullen), who isn’t pleased to be part of this crew as she had been placed on a paid leave from his job.

The town of Bodkin is filled with colourful characters and they are very wary about these three strangers poking around in business that they were trying hard to forget. The podcasters have the intention of just talking to people, with no expectation to be solving any mystery. Dove tells Gilbert emphatically that podcasters aren’t journalists, and she is the one who can focus on digging deeper in the town. Dove as all of the crew have their own issues, and Dove’s run especially deep. She is an orphan and had issues with nuns, convents and small towns. Gilbert has issues with his wife and that relationship. Finally Emmy is looking for more than just researching. They talk to people and investigate. The story proceeds and the team gets in deeper unravelling what turns out to be a real disappearance story with plenty of intrigue and side stories. Although pegged as a comedy-thriller, for me there wasn’t a great deal of comedy. It’s not as dark as a series like Department Q, but there is still some dark material with the past. Ultimately, this was a decent series and I enjoyed. The finale is a little over-the-top, certainly in the town, but it works. There is a suggestion that this is but one story for this group of podcasters and there could be more stories to come. We will see, but this one stands well on its own.

July 21, 2025

Thunderbolts: I had seen the previews and trailers for this latest Marvel release. Like most Marvel comics turned to live film I was wasn’t compelled to seek it out. I was given, however, the opportunity to see this, and so I did. I do like Florence Pugh generally as an actor. The recent work by Sebastian Stan has been good, in roles like The Apprentice as Donald Trump and also A Different Man also held some allure for me to see it.

I went in with low expectations, as I am not a Marvel superhero movie fan. I will say that it didn’t suck. I will further state that I am not an Avengers person, and so call this group of people the New Avengers doesn’t help in my understanding of them and why they are important. Julia Louis Dreyfus surprisingly plays an unlikeable character in this. She is Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (yes it’s a mouthful) and she is in government/intelligence/Director of the CIA and has been working on human subjects to make them super-human. She looks to bring together a new group of people to address a current issue.

The focus really of the movie is Florence Pugh who plays assassin/mercenary Yelena Belova. She is lost in her life, and sees no real purpose in it. She is engaged in tough assignments, and she ends up in an assignment that seems to be designed to have those involve converge and destroy one another. Instead, these disparate characters have decided to figure out what this all means. There among the group is a former disgraced Captain America, another Russian friend of Yelena (Red Guardian), Winter Soldier (Stans, also in government), Taskmaster, and Ghost.

The first half of this movie had my attention. The second half of the movie becomes murkier and loses me with the actions of one of the characters whose abilities seem to be quite hidden. I didn’t care enough about that character and his story to be focused on the solution of the others. I don’t really understand the All Powerful character as a plot device. Yes it provides something for the rest of the team to defeat, however it is just not believable. Of course this is a superhero movie and they are rarely “believable” but still. It is level of disbelief that gets challenged, and in this case shattered. For me, I cannot recommend but I remain the unlikeliest person to take advice on regarding Marvel movies. So please take with a grain of salt.

Incidentally, in case you feel that you have seen Bob before, well he is Bill Pullman’s son, but also played Bob in Top Gun Maverick as the rear navigator in that movie.

Princess Mononoke: One of the side benefits of creating a Top 25 list from last week, is that I get to revisit movies from the past. I was able to review not only Oscar nominations, but have a good look into Netflix and other streaming services. Although this animated film was released in 1997, I do remember that Roger Ebert gave it 4 out of four stars and a thumbs up. It was well earned and I would agree with the sentiment. This version is the Japanese version with subtitles. There is an American version with english speaking actors. I feel as though nothing is lost with the subtitles, and keeping this in its original form.

This film is set in medieval Japan but feels much much like a mythical land, where there are different creatures, and some different deities, notably one that transforms at night and lives in the forest. Some people are utilizing metals and creating early guns with iron pellets and gunpowder. Early on there is a nasty creature (seemingly covered in worm-like creatures) that is destroying the land. A young warrior named Ashitaka steps in to help and is injured by the creature before it is subdued. The injury seems to be spreading, like a steady virus. Meanwhile, there is another female warrior in charge of Iron Town and the forest. The iron ore to forge the weapons can only be mined by destroying the natural forest nearby. A conflict arises between those to advance their interests at the expense of the other. The forest people are lead by a pack of wolves, and the “daughter” of the leader is Princess Mononoke. The Princess meets the young Ashitaka and has an immediate dislike for him, as she has for all humans who she regards as destroyers of her world. Ashitaka wants to better understand both worlds as he learns the value of both worlds and hopes that there is an opportunity to harmony and working together in peace. The story unfolds.

I was thoroughly entertained by this, and was impressed by the animation. It isn’t Disney or Pixar animation but shows that other art forms can related stories effectively. It stands on its own, no need to apologize for being marketly different. The story isn’t simple, and that serves it well. There certainly is a fantasy element to it, and the speaking animals, but it flows well and there is real tension. The effectiveness of the story and animation led me to explore another series this week as below. This can be found on Netflix. Roger Ebert in his review called this a great film. He followed up to say that it was “one of the most visually inventive films I have ever seen”. High praise indeed.

Terminator Zero: Also on Netflix was this animated series from 2024. Based on the James Cameron world, and working in association with it, this series of eight episodes speaks to issues like Judgment Day, nuclear holocaust, rise of machines, artificial intelligence (AI) and family. Set in Japan there is a scientist who is working on an AI entity which he believes can work to eliminate the threat of the American Skynet (from the original movies). The characters here are well aware of the August 29th, 1997 when Skynet takes over all military responsibilities and becomes “self aware” and decides that ALL humans are a threat, and not just the enemies of the US. Nuclear weapons strikes are launched eliminating billions of lives.

It would be a gross over-simplification to state that there is a terminator in this series and he has been sent back through time to impact the future by destroying a human being. It is much deeper than that. At its core, there is discussion about human beings and the value that they provide to earth, the ability to impact the future by going back in time, choices made by children of a parent who work for unseen higher purposes, and AI. The family man, Dr Malcolm Lee, is creating a new AI as mentioned, which has self-named itself Kokoro. Dr Lee has three young children, who have a babysitter since their Mom passed away some years before. The future, like it is a character itself, has been able to send back a human being, named Eiko to combat against the terminator. There is a debate about whether the “new” AI, Kokoro is able to assist or not once it is online. We have seen similar stories like this, with Mission Impossible of a computer entity awaiting being connected to the internet in order to obtain “all knowledge of human beings”. I enjoyed this series as I think it explains well some of the challenges about time travel, as well as other issues like humans creating an AI entity, but then assuming that it will want to do the human’s bidding. That entity may question the value of the humans, and may decide independently how to address worldwide situations. What the human’s want may not be best. How does a human justify the continuing existence of the human species and why we should continue on. There is some good animation at work, along with a story which isn’t just a rehashing of the Termination storyline. If you like Terminator, this could be for you.

Department Q: This is a new series released on Netflix, with nine episodes. As seemingly only the UK can seem to do, they create compelling viewing with characters with depth. There is no lack of these types of series with Slow Horses, The Fall, Killing Eve, Broadchurch and many others. The primary star is Matthew Goode, with Edinburgh Scotland as the setting. Goode is a police detective who is part of a dramatic scene with his partner and is injured. Goode is known as difficult to work with, as he has an air of superiority. The dramatic event is a setback, and he becomes a bit of an outsider. His bosses, however, choose to bring him back and help to solve the mystery surrounding his event. He is relegated to the basement, and is joined by a few other misfits. The task of Goode and his team is to solve some cold cases. They select one of a missing lawyer, who is presumed dead from a case over four years ago. We are shown some of the background of the woman lawyer and her situation. The rest of the episodes address solving this case.

I like that these characters have depth, and they have flaws and issues to address in their personal lives as well as their professional lives. Some of the scenes here are disturbing, and it is a very dark situation for any human being to be experiencing. Goode certainly has anger issues, he has a difficult situation with his son and a roommate, in addition to strained relations with his boss and people in power. Yet he is very observant and can teach those around him a great deal in their efforts in crime solving. Akram Salim, an immigrant from Syria, who by happenstance joins up with Goode is a very interesting character. He adds valuable insight and some new methods in looking to uncover aspects of the crime. I liked this, and it was worth my time. There is a plot device that I have seen used in other movies, like Christopher Nolan’s The Prestige, but it does ties itself well together.

July 14, 2025 Top 25 List 2000-2025

Top 25 Movies from 2000 – 2025: It seems that lists for the quarter century for movies have been published on many different outlets. And even though there are still five more months left in 2025, I have decided to provide my list. This is not a simple undertaking, and I will readily admit that I have likely missed many movies. My list is 25, and that’s only one movie per year. It’s funny that it didn’t work out this way since some years had none, while others had multiple films listed. My process was to look at some directors over the past twenty five years, along with some actors, the Oscar nominations and winners and compile a list. Then comedies and horror films were reviewed and I needed to do some searching since generally these movies are not Oscar nominated. I looked at my preliminary list, which was 66 films, which I needed to cull down to the final list. In looking at the list I wanted to then focus on those movies that were re-watchable and enjoyable for me. I am asked often to recommend a movie from time to time and these would be movies I would suggest. I suspect that many would disagree either with the movies on the list or their placement on the list. I welcome any discourse. I will provide some context for the first five and leave the rest, because this post doesn’t need to be many, many pages.

So here is the list:

Imitation Game (2014) – my top movie of the last 25 years. Chosen because it is a compelling story, well told and well acted. Benedict Cumberbatch is excellent as Alan Turning, the inventor of the modern day computer. This movie works on a number of levels, both as a compelling war story as a team tries to solve the Enigma encryption machine invented by the Nazis. Interlaced with this story is the role of women, and notably portrayed by Keira Knightley included in the team. There is internal conflict, and then the issue of military intelligence and how to deal with this type of sensitive information. All of it becomes one of the most memorable and watchable movies for me. This movie remains in my Best Picture for 2015 instead of Birdman, and this movie will be long remembered and re-watched than the Winner.
Gladiator (2000) – when first released, I saw this Ridley Scott film in the theatre. I was underwhelmed by the CGI used, and especially for the scenes of the Coliseum in Rome. It looked cartoonish. I wasn’t a fan of Jacquin Phoenix’s portrayal of an Emperor who seemed weak and whiny trying to eclipse his slain father. Russell Crowe won for his incredible portrayal of the Spaniard, and gladiator Maximus. This won Best Picture. It didn’t win for Best Director, nor for Best Original Score composed by the remarkable Hans Zimmer. For me, this movie grew on me over time, and the music especially became more near and dear. So this movie has risen steadily in my best list and twenty five years later is second. Ridley Scott remains one of my favourite directors, as you will see later in my list.
Arrival (2016): Denis Villeneuve made a big splash with this movie, which I saw in a theatre in California. My first viewing was derailed by the seeimgly lazy plot device of using time shifts. The alien crafts had made themselves known in various locations around the world. In the US Amy Adams is brought in as a translator to work on communicating with the alien ship hovering in the US. Beyond the science fiction, this story is deeper as a woman explores her relationship with her daughter and her husband. As a parent, over time and rewatching the power of the story became more apparent. I like this. I see more upon every viewing of this film and enjoy it more. Moonlight won Best Picture this year. Amy Adams wasn’t even nominated. Despite the snub, this movie remains one of my favourites.
Tree of Life (2011): This is one of the most divisive of films. For me, Terrence Malick’s emotional visually stunning film is a disjointed series of images that tells (generally) the story of a family in Texas in the 1950s. Why does this work for me? I think that this movie works because it seeps into the viewer’s psyche. With pictures and music, images piece together memories. Time passes, children grow, and we see this family move forward. But this plot takes a back seat to feelings. Experiencing the pictures. Many will disagree, and I am okay with that. Oscar nominated for Best Picture, Director and Cinematography. None of these won. This was a year for The Artist for Oscar, and I feel, yet again, that this was a miss.
The Dark Knight (2008): Christopher Nolan, I think, is one of the most impressive directors for this quarter century. His body of work is recognized a number of times in my list. I like that he works in IMAX and real film, as opposed to digitally. His films should be watched on the biggest screen the audience can find. Many would question having a superhero movie in my top 5. There are so many superhero movies ever since CGI has allowed more impressive story development. But seeing Christian Bale as Batman, and the unforgettable performance of Heath Ledger as The Joker, Nolan had elevated the superhero movie to be hard hitting social commentary. For me, this is the best superhero movie. The Dark Knight series of three films with Batman Begins, this and Dark Knight Rises were all excellent.

The rest of the Top 25.

Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
Ford v Ferrari (2019)
CODA (2021)
Inglorious Basterds (2009)
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Hereditary (2018) – horror film
Interstellar (2014)
Selma (2014)
There Will Be Blood (2007) – Daniel Day-Lewis in an incredible role
Inception (2010)
Bridesmaids (2011) – comedy
Lord of the Rings (2001) – trilogy which began in 2001, and eventual Best Picture
All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)
The Martian (2015)
Finding Nemo (2003)
1917 (2019)
Minority Report (2002) – Steven Spielberg film
Casino Royale (2006) – the reboot of a tired James Bond genre which reinvigorated the franchise with Daniel Craig as Bond.
Kingdom of Heaven (2005) – Ridley Scott once again in an underrated and underappreciated film
40 Year Old Virgin (2005) – comedy

Other notables: Boyhood (2014), Up (2009), Big Fish (2003), Before Sunset (2004), Oppenheimer (2023) and Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

So there it is. Let the debate begin. Feel free to comment. Any favourites missing? Why does my list not work? Each of these films are ones that I would recommend, and I have seen multiple times.

July 7, 2025

Shark Whisperer: this is a new documentary on Netflix and features an Australian woman named Ocean Ramsey who is looking to show a different way to view and study sharks. She is passionate about sharks from a very young age. This is her story.

Ocean had decided early on that she loved being in the water and she had spent some time in the ocean with some sharks (like nurse sharks) but she worked on holding her breath longer and spent more time with sharks. It was there that she spent more time with reef sharks and tiger sharks. Both are very prevalent in Hawaii and have been known to harm surfers and bathers. Ocean’s partner is her photographer. So he is in the water with her, filming her. Together she noted the behaviour of the tiger sharks as they interacted with her, and later how they interacted with each other. She places her hand on the snout of the shark as she swims with them and they approach her directly. Not everyone agrees with her methods and they believe that she should observe and not interact with the sharks. Later in the show we see that a dead sperm whale is offshore and she decides to see the sharks that she expects to gather. One of the sharks that unexpectedly turns up is a 25 foot great white shark. The pictures that she takes swimming with this massive shark are remarkable.
Part of me wonders if Ocean wasn’t blond and pretty whether this gets made. That may sound sexist but part of the debate about Ocean is her desire for publicity, her Instagram account and popularity. Not exactly what scientists generally do (although there is the notable exception of Jacques Cousteau in the 1970s). For those who are like me and enjoy sharks and wish we knew more about them I think Ocean has observed some unique tiger shark behaviour like mating behaviour that is adding to the general knowledge about these mysterious creatures. It’s worth a view.

How to Train Your Dragon (2025): I had watched the original animated film on a plane a little over a week ago. I wanted to know the story, as I had heard some good things about it and I knew that this “live” version was being released. Universal is taking a page out of Disney’s book by releasing the same story with live action as opposed to animated. Disney has had some wins with Jungle Book, and some misses with Snow White most recently. This live version is almost a shot for shot re-take of the animated film. From the opening sequence introducing the island where the Vikings live and fight the dragons who kill their livestock. The Vikings also curiously have Scottish accents. But never mind that. There are the elders, the classmates of young boy Hiccup (played by Mason Thames) and the townspeople.

I only noticed a couple of scenes that were different. One involved the young female Astrid near the end where she makes a very dangerous move that doesn’t add a lot to the story.

In the end a good story remains a good story. The CGI dragons are well done. The human actors do a decent job. Certainty the CGI for Toothless is very good and captures the character very well with eyes, facial expression and emotions.

I am not sure that I needed to see this twice (in effect) but I wasn’t disappointed. I did miss Jay Barushel who I felt was a perfect voice for the uncertain young man who was not a typical Viking who was ready to kill dragons but was more interested in learning more and finding different ways to interact with them. In the end there are some unexpected twists and many characters have an opportunity to grow. This would of course be a good film for children (I was in a packed theatre after school was out for the summer) but it is also good for adults who appreciate good visuals and a good story.

June 30, 2025

F1: The Movie: A talented aging type-A rebellious personality in his “late 50s” (although never specified) looks to rekindle the magic by teaching a young upstart in a male dominated field. Sound familiar? Last year it was Tom Cruise (age 63 on Thursday) in Top Gun: Maverick and this year it is Brad Pitt (age 61) in this new release with much fanfare. They are both directed by Joseph Kosinski. Oh and Jerry Bruckheimer is also involved in both. The formula works again. I should probably state that I am the likely audience dynamic. I am just a couple years younger than Pitt and Cruise. I would like to think that I can pilot a jet or drive a F1 race car better and faster than a twenty-something elite athlete but I just can’t. In this installment Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, a former F1 driver who has fallen from grace in his twenties, had failed relationships and has no money or prospects. What he does have is talent behind the wheel driving. Any wheel. He is approached by a former F1 racing buddy, played by Javier Bardem, who is a principal in a fledging and struggling F1 team and he is desperate halfway through a season for a new driver who can drive, but also serve as a mentor for his hot new young raw driver. An offer is made.

And then the story continues as the cocky upstart learns to deal with a new aging driving partner. Hayes also has to learn about his new team, designer, and other team members. The learning curve is steep as Hayes is flown in and then has to drive in the car which is struggling for handling and performance. Kerry Condon is the lead designer seeking more speed.

For me I find it interesting that popular movies involve a man past his best before date looking to show how impressive he can be today against much younger people. He will teach while also excelling. Whether it is in an F-18 fighter jet or a race car. Even though Lewis Hamilton is a producer of this movie, I can see why current drivers like him or World Champion Max Verstappen would have a difficult time swallowing the premise that an older former racer can defeat them in a car which hadn’t registered a single point in the standings halfway through the season, let alone won a race. Having said that, this is fun. I was entertained. Hans Zimmer adds in some music. There is real tension. Some of the shots taken inside the cars and on the track are outstanding. The audience gets a feel for the stresses of these drivers and the speed of the cars. As a summer blockbuster this one fits the bill. Pitt has plenty of charisma and there are some good jokes. There are also some quality emotional tie ins too. Overall this is worth the admission and a lot of fun. Go and check it out.

June 16, 2025

Sleepless in Seattle: I was away this past week and didn’t watch many shows nor movies. However before leaving I had re-watched this 1993 film with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. First of all, it was good to see Meg Ryan again, as I had remembered her. She and Tom Hanks had good chemistry, and although she was never supermodel hot, she was always attractive and funny. She was cute.

The story I was amazed to find mirrored many aspects of a movie like Serendipity, with Kate Beckensale and John Cusack. An engaged person is not so sure that they are marrying “the One” but have just gone along with it at this point. They are introduced to a stranger and seek them out to an extent which appears a little extreme. In Sleepless it is over the radio with Annie (played by Meg Ryan) listening to a young boy Jonah (played by the delightful Ross Malinger) call a syndicated radio program making a pitch for his Dad (played by Hanks) to find a new wife, as his wife had died earlier from cancer. Jonah wants to find a new Mom.

Annie is a writer and she hears this story. She shares with friend, played by Rosie O’Donnell and her fiance (played by Bill Pullman). She decides she wants to write a story about this boy, as it has gotten some media attention since it first aired. Meanwhile, Hanks is not pleased that his son called a radio program, and gave their address on the show, in order to try and help him find a new relationship. His touching question to Jonah is “aren’t we doing okay?”. The mail starts to roll in, and Hanks and Jonah are reading responses to Jonah’s situation. Jonah likes a letter from Annie. Hanks decides he wants to avoid long distances (Annie is from Baltimore, while they live in Seattle). He meets another woman and they begin dating. Eventually Jonah takes things into his own hands as he wants to force his Dad to meet Annie at the Empire State Building in NYC on Valentine’s Day. This mirrors one of the original rom-com’s from 1957 An Affair to Remember, with Cary Grant, later re-done with Warren Beatty and Annette Bening in 1994 called Love Affair.

For me, one of the challenges in such movies is that the partners of the two romantic interests are simply not attractive in actions or in looks. Why is this the case? Why can’t those partners be just people that aren’t a fit for those others? Bill Pullman has eating and sleeping issues, and is generally too geeky for a woman like Meg Ryan. The audience isn’t surprised that she is seeking out someone who just sounds nice. I will admit that I think that Jonah and his sarcasm with Dad’s girlfriend, with the horrible laugh, is polite but just oozes with contempt. Should Dad be introducing this woman to Jonah so early in the relationship? One would suggest now in 2025 that the answer is likely no. However for the time, Dad may feel that his son is his only family, and that he wants to see if Jonah gets along with someone he is dating. These are not easy choices. But despite any challenges, this is still a delightful movie. Hanks and Ryan, despite very little time on screen together, have good chemistry and they are likeable actors. So this is a good rom-com and has likeable characters. It was worth the time to visit, for the first time or a repeat after a long while.

Alien Earth: Alison shared a trailor for a new series on FX in August. From what I can tell, it is based upon Alien, or the Alien world which has had numerous storylines. Alien was released in 1979. Ridley Scott was the director. There were eight more Alien-related movies to come with varying level of success. The latest one Alien Romulus was reviewed by me last year, and I was not a fan. I find that there hasn’t been enough new ideas in the alien world. Prometheus and Alien Covenant I liked more than Romulus. I am not really sure what to make of this attached but I will leave that for the viewer to decide.

June 9th, 2025

I watched two documentaries this past week from iconic Hollywood women. The first was Elizabeth Taylor, then the other was Faye Dunaway. Both were on Netflix. I also watched Nixon on Nixon which was a documentary and analysis of the Nixon Oval Office tapes that were not released until 2013. Nixon ensured that while he was alive that they were not released.

I have to say that I have watched some really good and interesting documentaries lately. These three are added to that list.

Elizabeth Taylor: Lost Tapes. New tapes have recently been found with interviews of Elizabeth Taylor. Some from 1964 and then others later. The documentary examines the life of the iconic actress who is probably most known for her eight marriages to seven different men.

But make no mistake that Taylor was Hollywood royalty. She was the first actress to receive $1m for a role (the over-budget Cleopatra with Richard Burton with whom she married twice). She was married three times in her early twenties. Only one of her marriages ended in a death. Ironically in the film she says that he (Director Mike Todd) was the love of her life. She later in life was an early champion for research into AIDS. Many of her early closest friends were gay including Roddy McDowell, Rock Hudson and Montgomery Clift. I enjoyed this glimpse back into her life. The fishbowl even then for the major film stars was intense.

Faye Dunaway:

Faye is currently still alive and 84 years old. She lives in New York. The film documents her life as she rose quickly to stardom with the major role in Bonnie and Clyde which propelled her career to new heights. Interestingly Warren Beatty wasn’t sure about her for that role but the director insisted on her. In 1967, it was her fifth role. Other amazing roles followed in Chinatown, Network, Thomas Crowne Affair with Steve McQueen and Mommie Dearest which had a lukewarm reception. She is still acting. She was married twice. Once to rocker Peter Wolf from J Geils Band.

I enjoyed this too. Faye had a reputation of being difficult to work with. Much of this probably comes from her perfectionism. She admits to being bi-polar. This could obviously cause some issues on the set. Together these two women have created some amazing and memorable roles. They have both been awarded Oscars. This is worth checking out.

Nixon on Nixon: Also on Netflix. Richard Nixon I would expect would think was the high water mark for Presidents who used the Office as their own personal means of addressing those who didn’t agree with him. Having been defeated by JFK early on, Nixon was very suspicious and vindictive at times.

This documentary uses excerpts from the tapes known only to a few close Nixon confidants and were subpoenaed during Watergate. Nixon refused but the Supreme Court disagreed.

I watched this because I wanted to be refreshed with some of the Nixon issues of the day. Note he was dealing with Vietnam, China and a press that was viewed as against him. In the tapes you hear the President speak freely and surprisingly about blacks, Jewish people, the press, and others. You can see why he wanted to suppress them. But all of this pales with the current administration. Nixon still believed in the rule of law, and when impeachment was being proposed he chose to resign. I wouldn’t say that current President Donald Trump is Nixon 2.0 but rather Nixon x10. This is a good insight into what transpired 50 years ago, and how things while they have changed, they can still have recurring themes. Well worth a watch.

Tim Weiner’s new book, *One Man Against The World*, explores some of the questions surrounding the presidency of Richard Nixon.

June 2, 2025

Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds: In my youth, after my first flight on an airplane I had always thought of being a pilot. When asked what alternative career I would have pursued other than law, I always respond that I would have wanted to be a pilot. That interest in airplanes also transferred into an affinity for making model airplanes, and also going to air shows (mostly to see the jets). Going to the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto Air Show each Labour Day weekend has been a ritual for decades. I am most impressed by the US air demonstration teams of the Navy (the Blue Angels) and the Air Force (the Thunderbirds). The Navy flies F-18s, and the Air Force the F-16. When I saw that Netflix was releasing a documentary on the Air Force Thunderbirds I was eager to seek it out.

What they have done is put together a story about the 2023 Thunderbird season, with the pilots, family and crew involved. Half of the team changes each year as the pilots are assigned for a two-year engagement. In 2023, they have a leader (call sign Astro) entering into his second season. One of the major milestones for the team collectively each year is to become certified from the top brass. It involves training for the coming show, and demonstrating that it can be performed safely for all members. The Thunderbirds put on approximately 60 shows a season. It is a grueling and intense time for all involved. Astro’s wife points out that when her husband approached her about doing this assignment (being the leader of the team) that historically there has been a 10% chance at dying while with the team. The last fatality was in 2018 when a pilot blacked out doing a high g-force manoever. I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this, and not just for seeing the jets perform in their tight formations (when the wings can be within 18 inches of each other) but also the human stories. The certification process is difficult, and we see one of the pilots struggling with the final air burst demonstration. These are elite pilots, who have flown combat missions, and thousands of hours and are the best of the best. Yet air demonstration is not what they trained for at all. So there is a steep learning curve with plenty of pressure and knowing that your life, and those of your team are at stake. For me it gives me a much greater appreciation for the skill involved in this most difficult but glamourous job. The training, the stresses on the human body, the coordination of effort and the magnificence of the machines involved is astounding. Seek it out, as it is worth your time.

Andor Season 2: I have mentioned in previous posts that a friend had suggested that I check out Andor. And despite my last review stating that I wouldn’t rush out to see Rogue One again, I did anyway! I have the blu-ray dvd and just watched it after the conclusion of the first season. I will preface my remarks in that I have been utterly disappointed in the Star Wars offerings since Disney has taken over from George Lucas. From Solo, to Boba Fett, to Obi Wan and others nothing has come close to living up to the Star Wars creativity and wonder. This includes the sequels of the main story (episodes VII, VIII and IX) and The Mandalorian which started out decently and faded. I also noted that Andor is a significant investment in time. Both seasons are 12 episodes and those are close to an hour each, so you are in for 24 hours of viewing. This is the conclusion to the series. So I was more than a little skeptical about what lay ahead. What I can report is that Season 2 gets better and better, and from the episodes regarding Ghorman it becomes more compelling. The intrigue is on a number of levels. From the Imperial side, there is leadership (Ben Mendelsohn being at the top as Krennic), the middle management with Dedra Meero and Syril Karn and then the emerging Rebellion side which has the same power structure. Cassian Andor is a soldier among many with his love interest and friends.

It is all coming together really well. It is well written and well acted. There is weight to the situation and the intensity rises. Aspects of Rogue One, where were simply introduced without background make more sense, like the battle droids. But it has so many aspects that start to come together, and for me it likely will require another viewing to fully appreciate it. Not sure I am prepared to invest even more time, but like Alison was saying to me, she is taking a slow approach to this series and not binging it to more fully enjoy it and savour it. I am understanding that approach more. Sure, some episodes are stronger than others, but there are some really strong episodes. Who would have expected Senator Mon Mothma to be so important, from a minor character in A New Hope and later Return of the Jedi. She and Luthen Rael (played by Stellen Skarsgard) are laying the foundation for resistence to an oppressive Imperial regime. All of that ties well into the manifesto from the young rebel Karis Nemik (played by Alex Lawther) in the first season, in the mission on “Aldhani”. In summary, this for me is the best effort from Disney for Star Wars. They aren’t just putting out mindless content that leverages off the work of Lucas and known characters, but rather created a fulsome overview in the elements leading up to Rogue One and A New Hope. It is fair to say that Rogue One is viewed differently after seeing this series. Well done Disney, giving credit where credit is due.

Pee Wee As Himself: Periodically on X, formerly Twitter, there are random questions posed like “name a character played by a person that coudn’t be done by anyone else?”. For me other than Napoleon Dynamite actor Jon Heder, Paul Reubens comes to mind as the incomparable Pee Wee Herman. Reubens was a comedic actor, and he created this alter ego many years ago. The story of the creation, and the years leading up to that moment are outlined in this two-part documentary. Reubens died in July 2023, shortly after completing this documentary.

Reubens and his life had been tied to Pee Wee Herman for so long, and he (without telling the director and producers of the documentary) had been fighting illness, specifically acute myelogenous leukemia and metastatic lung cancer. He wanted to tell HIS story and to be seen, which I can respect. The first episode talks about his early days, and being at school. He had ultimately joined a group of comedic actors, who had performed improv and put on shows. I think the genesis of the idea about the man-child who is Pee Wee. Then once performed it took on a life of its own.

Reubens was gay, and his early days he was in a long term same-sex relationship that eventually ended. He decided to pour himself into his career. One thing about Reubens is that he wrote much of the material (along with SNL alumnus Phil Hartman) and had most of the decisions about casting and sets. He surrounded himself with quality people, although he was a perfectionist and a bit of a control freak. One can see that control even in speaking with the director on camera about the production of the documentary. Of course, episode two cannot avoid speaking about Reubens’ fall from grace when he was found and charged with public indecency at an adult movie theatre. Much of this was prompted by a prosecutor who was looking for re-election and wanted to make a public splash. Reubens suffered from this humiliation in addition to a charge later of having possession of child pornography which he vehemently denied and which the facts brought forward certainly seems to support.

I enjoyed this. I think it met Reubens’ goal of having the audience know his story. Pee Wee’s Playhouse was cutting edge, must-watch TV on Saturday mornings as a university student and ran from 1986 to 1990. It was funny. The first movie was excellent. Reubens latched on to not only an idea and concept, but to the entire world that his creation Pee Wee lived within. This iconic character will live as a remembrance of the genius that Paul Reubens and team brought to the world at that time. This is well worth watching.

Flow: This Latvian animated film has won both the Oscar and the Golden Globe for animated film. The first ever Oscar award for Latvia. Both awards were displayed in the Latvian National Museum of Art where 15,000 people came to see them over ten days. This movie is on Crave now. Sometimes art, creativity and visuals come together so well that the plot is not as important in the grand scheme of things. For me, this is such a film. There is no dialogue at all in this movie. Basically, there is an adult black cat in a wilderness that very quickly has to deal with a catastrophic environmental event. The cat’s world is flooding, and quickly. Other animals around the cat are scrambling just like the cat is, including a pack of dogs of various breeds that were initially chasing the cat. In very much a Life of Pi kind of way, a boat out of the blue arrives. It is a lifeline to survival, and different creatures need to be able to life in tight spaces together. Along with it comes other animals, some friend and others not. The animals need to respond to what has occurred. No explanation is given, no political statement is made, like global warming. Instead the viewer is able to make up its own mind. Because there is no dialogue, the creatures need to be able to communicate their feelings and emotions with non-verbal cues. The animators have done an excellent job with the cat mannerisms, but who would have expected the same with the meerkat or the cappyberra? It is all good.

I enjoyed this. I had questions. None of them were answered. So I get to fill in my own blanks. Be sure to watch until the very end. This kept my attention, and I am glad that I watched it. I think too from an awards standpoint, an independent film like this winning is a very good thing for the industry. It doesn’t always have to be a Disney/Pixar film that wins Best Animated film.