MOVIES THIS WEEK (JULY 27)

This week is an ok week for movies.
First off,The Simpsons Movie is finally released and is sure to make some noise. It's the first ever Simpsons movie, after a long, long, long (and still going strong) run on TV. It features Homer in an adventure to save the world from a catastrophe he may have caused. I think it's safe to assume that this movie is going to be good. They can't mess this up. At worse it'll be OK.

A potential hit-or-miss movie would be the British sci-fi flick Sunshine. Directed by cult filmmaker Danny Boyle (The Beach, 28 days later, Trainspotting), and written by Alex Garland (The Beach), the movie is about a group of astronauts in 2057 whose mission is to reignite the failing sun. On their way there, they received a signal from a previous mission that was launched years earlier and never came back.... I love sci-fi but it's so easy to miss target with those films... I'll probably check this one out and let you know.

The other potential hit of the week end would be the Catherine Zeta-Jones/ Aaron Eckhart romantic comedy No Reservations. Need I say more ?
Also out is Taxi 4, the fourth instalment in the popular French film series. It features cars, girls, and a lot of humour (mostly involving a quirky police officer). It seems weird to release another movie in this franchise (started in the 90s) but as long as it sells, I guess there's no harm to it.
Another blockbuster release, I know who killed me is more geared to the adolescent market. It features Lindsay Lohan (sober) in a mysterious thriller about a girl who wakes up not remembering anything and is convinced she has been killed two weeks earlier (now that's a plot that is sure to move today's youth!)

On the more indie side, the new Werner Herzog film is out. It's called Rescue Dawn and is about an Dieter Dengler, an American soldier (Christian Bale) captured by Viet' guerrilleros during the infamous Vietnam war in 1966. This should be interesting since Herzog did a documentary about Dengler 10 years ago (LITTLE DIETER NEEDS TO FLY).
La Faute à Fidel could be an interesting French film about Anna, a nine-year old girl whose uncle is a chilian militant. He dies in combat and this leads to his sister moving to Paris, into the life of Anna.
Also, Cinema du Parc offers two new repertory films this week. Cafe Transit, an Iranian film about a woman who takes over a café at the Turkish border. Benis par le feu (Illuminados por el fuego) is a Spanish film about war friendships.

Enjoy your week-end (and week) in movies !

NEW MOVIES THIS WEEK (JULY 20-27)

This is a nicer movie week than last week, featuring eclectic releases that will please all. Still fresh from the Harry Potter craziness, many moviegoers will be stuck at home this week end reading the much anticipated final book of the series. For others, there are a couple of interesting movie outings you can check out.

First of all, LIBERO is my pick for the week end. review : It's a fabulous, down to earth and touching italian film about a family that has been deserted by a nymphomaniac (?) mother who keeps leaving home only to come back for brief periods. This leaves the family hanging and tense. But the movie isn't depressing at all, like you would expect from such a story. It's really all about a little boy's experience of this situation and how it affects his daily life and upbringing. The actors are all wonderful, the pace is perfect. Girls, the dad is pretty hot too !

Next up would be MON MEILLEUR AMI, an apparently innovative and funny French comedy from Patrice Leconte (who brought us gems like Ridicule and La fille sur le Pont). It features Daniel Auteil as a businessman who apparently doesn't have any "best friend" and has to prove that he does to avoid ridicule. He meets this taxi driver (Dany Boon) and an unusual releationships develops as they try to convince people that they are best friends.

Also out this week is the new Steve Buscemi movie (something I really look forward to), Interview. It stars Buscemi interviewing a big shot celebrity. Could only be delightful. The movie was made as a testament to murdered filmmaker Teo Van Gogh.

The blockbuster releases of the week would be I now pronounce you Chuck and Larry (starring Adam Sandler as a pretend gay man, trying to get a good insurance deal) and Hairspray, which looks promising but could be a disaster.
Another potential big hit is the Quebec Comedy Ma Tante Aline, with Béatrice Picard, Sylvie Léonard and Rémi-Pierre Paquin.

Other movies worth checking out : Dans Paris (by controversial french director Christophe Honoré, with Louis Garrel and Romain Duris), This Filthy World, a John Waters documentary + Retrospective at cinema du parc (see next post)

NEW MOVIES THIS WEEK (JUL 13-20)

Well it's safe to say that this week will be Harry potter week at the movies. I just saw the film and really thought it was a great ride. The series has reach a good maturity and they have learned how to balance action and character development. In this particular one, character development takes over as the actors improve their skills, the writing gets less cheesy and the directing uses a new realistic style....

other releases worth mentioning this week are:

Adam's Apple, a funny, weird comedy about a priest with strict and irrevocable faith who reforms prisoners in his small town church.

Lars Von Trier's The Director. I've seen the film back when it was playing at the New Cinema Festival and it's really a departure from his recent work and a return to the type of movies he made in his dogma era (the idots etc...). This film is cute, original but overall doesn't leave you with much more than a cute story with amusing characters. It's like The Office goes on the big screen, with a little less catch phrases ;)

Scenes of a sexual nature is also out and features everything but sex! I've seen bits and pieces of the film and it's really a long bore with endless discussions. The acting however is fine and intelligent and the editing is interesting.

Another interesting title out this week is God grew tired of us, a story of 4 africans (from soudan) who aren't familiar with our civilization, and are brought to NYC for this documentary. An interesting look at our culture through the eyes of traditionalism. I foresee a nice reflexion on where we're coming from and where we're heading....


other releases : Captivity, Belle Toujours, Introducing the Dwights

all showtimes at cinemamontreal.com

MOVIES THIS WEEK (JULY 6-13)

Well this week is the 4th-of-July/Harry-potter-Anticipation week and therefore all interesting releases are halted. We are left with a bunch of blockbusters to savor with butter and coke. However, there are many alternatives to this : foremost, the fantasia festival (see previous posts) is rockin in town. Also, the Cinema du Parc is offering interesting thematic groupings (also in previous posts) and there are a couple indie releases that could satisfy some....

I will go, however, to the dark side (which I love) and recommend my favorite blockbusters for the week.

Biggest release this week is the very long-anticipated Transformers Movie. Basically, any fan of the comics, cartoons or action figures should check this out. Reviews are generally ok, and action movie fans shouldn't be disappointed. To me, it seems more aimed at teenagers, considering the film's casting and the feel of the trailer. But everyone has a child - and a teenager- in him. So don't snob this ! (I will though because I just don't care enough hehe)

Next off is License to Wed, a comedy (!) featuring Robin Williams. It's been a while since one of these came out. Mr Williams got us accustomed to his dark side these last few years but he's back with full-fledged, exaggerated comedy. The premise of this film is rather amusing : Before getting married, a couple (Mandy Morre and John Krasinki from The Office) has to pass a priest's crash course (including abstinence and proving your love in objectionable ways hehe). This seems like a fun film, a light comedy for the weekend.

First off, the fourth Die Hard is here and breaking all the rules (as action movies should). So is Sicko, creating controversy all over, and generating a lot of "do we trust michael moore?" debates....

On a more independent side, two movies are making a premiere this week. You Kill Me, which features a serial killer gone morgue-worker... Could be funny. Philip Baker hall is in it so it can't be that bad ;)
Another indie release is the French Bled Number One where an Algerian prisoner in france gets released and sent back to his country. A story about finding yourself through your roots and making the balance with modernity. Could be interesting actually.

For crazy fans like me, don't forget that Harry Potter comes out Wednesday ! (not friday). So start lining up and brace yourself for a hogwarts craziness before the book release next week.... Keep note that for crazier potter fans, the film will play premiere on tuesday evening. Check the Scotia Bank Theatre for more info (god how I hate that new name!)



All showtimes at cinemamontreal.com

Movies this week (June 30- July 6) (updated)

Well, this week is certainly one to watch in movies. Two big productions worth checking out and a great foreign gem.

Starting off with Michael Moore's new film, Sicko. that takes a hit at the health system in the states. It is said to be controversial, not particularly democrat (as his previous movies where) and extremely funny. Seems to me like a typical Moore Movie and I'm in !

Also out is the new Pixar effort, Ratatouille. Featuring a talking mouse that gives cooking instructions to a french rookie chef, can anything really go wrong ? Plus, pixar hasn't released a bad movie EVER ! which is enough for me to check this one out. Just saw the movie and all I can say is that Pixar managed once again to top themselves and deliver a movie that is so visually stunning and whose story is so compelling that we wonder why we still watch live action films....

Lastly, on a more indie note, La Raison du plus faible, a Belgian film is out at the Ex-centris and is definetly worth checking out. I saw the film recently and I found it extremely realistic and well paced. The characters are so interesting and layered that you don't get bored for a second in the film. The tension builds naturally and leads to a very grandiose conclusion....

Other films out : Live free or Die Hard (aka die hard 4), Evening (star-studded indie drama), eagle vs. Shark, L'homme de Cuivre, Nitro (Quebec made action film)

All showtimes at cinemamontreal.com

MY MOVIE PICKS THIS WEEK (UPDATED)

This week is another interesting movie week. A lot of documentaries, some horror and a blockbuster comedy are on the menu.

First off, you should all check out a documentary called MANUFACTURING DISSENT. It's a doc about Michael Moore, documented by two Canadians that start off with a blatant admiration for the guy and end up shedding some light on his unorthodox methods. I saw the film and It's sometimes very deranging : isn't the whole point of documentary film making to tell the truth ? Is it acceptable to bend it to make a point ? I'm personally not sure about the answer, but it's definetly an interesting question to ask. Saw the film. It's interesting but it did'nt succeed to make me doubt Moore's methods. I personally believe that a little deceit and manipulation is needed to shake people up. So I say : Go Michael ! That being said, this documentary is very well paced and extremely interesting.

Also out this week end is A MIGHTY HEART, just fresh out of the Cannes Festival and features Angelina Jolie (in what the press are calling her best role yet) as the wife of a journalist who disappears in Pakistan (based on a very interesting true story). Just saw the film, it's a very good depiction of those events and it was shot in a very respectful, non-exaggerated, non-cheesy fashion. Performances feel reel and are gut-wrenching. I loved this film !

Other releases :
1408 (horror), Evan Almighty (comedy), Zidane (documentary, apparently very good one), Gracie (sports dramatic comedy) and Trois rois (music doc)

For showtimes, check cinemamontreal.com