Awkward (2011-2016)

Genre: TV / Comedy

Starring: Ashley Rickards, Beau Mirchoff, Nikki DeLoach

Number of seasons: 5

The five seasons of this MTV series takes us through the last few years of high school and first years of college of Jenna Hamilton, an awkward aspiring writer with an on-and-off rocky relationship with jock Matty McKibben. When the show starts, Jenna accidently hurts herself in what will be falsely perceived for a long time as a suicide attempt.

Awkward is a funny and quite cute. The show dares to go a little beyond the usual teen shlock and even manages to be a little crude (not too much). The characters are well defined, though a little cliché at times and a little too pretty. Even the losers are a little too cute to feel real. Nonetheless, the viewers are sure to recognize a bit of their own life in the hick school and college experience of this show. Very entertaining.

Rating: «««

Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

Genre: Biographical / Drama

Directed by: Mel Gibson

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey

Running time: 139 minutes

Based on a 2004 documentary called The Conscientious Objector, this films tells the story of Desmond Doss, who joined the army as a medic and went to the front during World War II, all the while refusing to use a gun or any weapon in the line of duty due to his religious beliefs. Doss would eventually be awarded the Medal of Honor for his service.

As far as cinematography goes, this film is great. The war images were well shot and felt really realistic. It really gave you the feeling that you were there with them fighting.

My main problem with it is in the acting. I know that there were many praises and award nominations, but I just did not feel it. I can’t put my finger quite on it, but it did not resonate with me. And Vince Vaughn as a Sergeant was not convincing.

Rating: «««

Olympus Has Fallen (2003)

Genre: Action / Thriller

Directed by: Antoine Fuqua

Starring: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman

Running time: 119 minutes

Mike Banning was head of the security detail for US President Benjamin Asher until a car accident on Christmas evening. Banning managed to extricate the president from the limo before it fell over the side of a bridge, but the First Lady, who was knocked out and stuck, plunged to her death. Eighteen months later, Banning is working a desk job at the Treasury HQ. After a North-Korean guerrilla group attacks and takes control of the White House, all the while holding the president hostage, Banning will spring back into action to save his former boss and friend.

Olympus Has Fallen is your typical Hollywood action film, where the bad guys are foreigners and are extra evil, and where Americans are virtuous and courageous. There are lots of explosions and people getting shot. After a while, there are so many deaths and wounded people that it feels like a video game and you stop caring a little bit for the characters.

That being said, while not completely original and devoid of clichés, this film still offers some entertainment for the fans of fast-paced action. Gerard Butler’s performance also helps make this better than it should be.

This film would be followed by a sequel, London Has Fallen, already reviewed on this site.

Rating: «««

Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama (1988)

Genre: Horror / Comedy

Directed by: David DeCoteau

Starring: Linnea Quigley, Andras Jones, Robin Rochelle, Carla Baron

Running time: 80 minutes

A group of three nerdy frat boys decide to go spy on an initiation ceremony held by a neighboring sorority. They get caught and are forced to join the girls being initiated in the last part of their challenge, which consists in breaking into the local bowling alley and stealing a trophy. When they get inside, they come upon an imp, who will soon make their lives a living hell.

This film is so bad it is somewhat funny. It has all the elements of the teen sex horror/comedy. We have scantily clad young ladies getting spanked with a paddle by older girls, pervy young men and all kinds of shenanigans, though the whole thing is quite tame compared to other movies.

Though it contains a few humorous cheesy moments, this flick doesn’t have much to offer. Not even the best of its genre.

Rating: ««

Calvaire (2004)

Genre: Franco / Horror

Réalisation: Fabrice Du Welz

Distribution: Laurent Lucas, Jackie Berroyer, Philippe Nahon

Durée: 94 minutes

Marc Stevens est un chanteur qui voyage seul dans sa camionnette pour faire son spectacle, destiné plus particulièrement aux personnes âgées, dans les différents coins de la Belgique. Alors qu’il quitte une maison de retraite après son tour de chant pour se rendre à un autre événement pour Noël, le véhicule de Marc tombe en panne dans un coin isolé, tout près d’une auberge. L’aubergiste, Bartel, promet d’aider le jeune chanteur, mais, le prenant pour la réincarnation de la femme qui l’a quitté et lui a brisé le cœur, il le séquestre, le viole et l’enlaidit en lui coupant les cheveux pour s’assurer de le garder pour lui.

Quel film déstabilisant. Je sais que le réalisateur s’est inspiré de différentes œuvres du cinéma européen du même genre, mais j’y ai aussi vu des traces de Misery et de Deliverance. Calvaire met en scène des personnages effrayants de véracité. L’ascenseur ne monte pas jusqu’à l’étage du haut pour les habitants de ce village où Marc Stevens se retrouve prisonnier. Même si le jeu est parfois un peu gros, l’atmosphère du film et la tension qui monte peu à peu fait ressentir toute la pression que le personnage principal doit vivre. Certaines scènes sont particulièrement dures, de par les sons et de par l’image. Un film à voir, mais pas pour les âmes sensibles.

Note: ««««

Escroc, Macho et Gigolo (1983)

Genre: Franco / Comedy

Réalisation: Bruno Corbucci

Distribution: Bud Spencer, Tomas Milian

Durée: 101 minutes

Tony Roma se fait beaucoup d’ennemis en séduisant les épouses d’hommes riches pour ensuite leur dérober bijoux et argent. En plus, en s’échappant d’une chambre où le mari arrive plus tôt que prévu, Tony est témoin du meurtre d’un homme par la mafia. Roma échappe continuellement aux autorités, donc le sergent Alan Parker, qui a une feuille de route sans faille quand vient le temps d’intercepter des fugitifs, est mis sur sa trace. Parker devra bientôt protéger sa cible des autres qui le pourchassent.

Il y a de bons moments dans Escroc, Macho et Gigolo, mais les éléments qui font le charme des films de Bud Spencer (principalement les bagarres) sont trop peu présents à mon goût dans cette œuvre. Cela dit, la chimie entre les deux acteurs principaux est bonne, et le film est somme toute divertissant. Le personnage de Tony Roma est très caricatural, mais, pour ce genre de film, c'est normal.

Note: «««

Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond (2017)

Genre: Documentary

Directed by: Chris Smith

Starring: Jim Carrey

Running time: 94 minutes

This Netflix original documentary covers the creative process actor Jim Carrey went through to portray Andy Kaufman on screen and the shooting of the film Man on the Moon.

This film goes back and forth between a recent interview with Jim Carrey and archived footage shot during the making of Man on the Moon. Those watching this documentary might end up finding Carrey a little cuckoo, and who could blame them, but this movie is a magnificent look into the mind of a very creative man. As creative as he is, though, I’m not sure I’d like to put up with him on a regular basis.

Rating: «««««

Man on the Moon (1999)

Genre: Biographical / Comedy

Directed by: Milos Forman

Starring: Jim Carrey, Danny DeVito, Courtney Love, Paul Giamatti

Running time: 119 minutes

This 1999 biographical film covers the life story of comic Andy Kaufman, from his youth in the suburbs of New York to his untimely death from cancer at the age of 35.

The quality of Man on the Man as a movie relies largely on the shoulders of Jim Carrey, who did such an amazing job bringing Kaufman back to life. It seems the Canadian-born actor was tough to work with on the set, since he only wanted to be referred to as Andy. That kind of dedication must have been hard to deal with at the time, but it showed in the result.

After its release, this film received much criticism from people claiming that it tampered a whole lot with facts and only focused on a small portion of the man Andy Kaufman was. I can see that: There clearly was an oversimplification of the subject. That being said, for Carrey’s performance, this will always be a movie I love.

Rating: ««««

The Case for Christ (2017)

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Jon Gunn

Starring: Mike Vogel, Erika Christensen, Faye Dunaway

Running time: 113 minutes

After her young daughter almost chokes to death on a bubble gum in a restaurant, Leslie Strobel decides to let Christian faith into her life. Her husband Lee, an investigative journalist who has long been a fervent atheist, strongly disapproves of this newfound faith. Being obsessed with the idea that facts trump everything else, he starts an investigation to disprove once and for all the concept of the resurrection of Christ.

This film is inspired by the true events in the life of Lee Strobel, a real journalist. I am quite shocked at the strength of his opposition to his wife’s newfound faith back then. It seemed quite overblown to me. Nonetheless, in spite of this being a Christian film, I found the story quite compelling and the acting to be very good. It is not often the case with that genre, but it was here.

My own wife has become interested in religion, which brought us to seeing this movie. I am not offended by it; I just find it weird and I remain a very lapsed Catholic. I might not fully agree with the conclusions and the message of this film, but I can certainly appreciate its cinematic merits.

Rating: «««

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014)

Genre: Film Noir

Directed by: Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller

Starring: Jessica Alba, Mickey Rourke, Josh Brolin, Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Running time: 102 minutes

This second installment in the Sin City movie franchise offers another collection of short stories inspired by Frank Miller’s graphic novel collection of the same name. It is part prequel, part sequel, with some of the old characters coming back and some new ones.

The visual signature that was a strong element of the first movie is still there, with the mixture of black-and-white and color. Unfortunately, the stories being told are not quite as compelling as in the first Sin City film. It was decent, but nothing to write home about.

Rating: «««

Metallica: S & M (1999)

Metallica: S & M (1999)

Genre: Musical

Directed by: Wayne Isham

Starring: James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, Jason Newsted

Running time: 133 minutes

Over two days, in April of 1999, the band Metallica got on stage, in Berkeley, California, with The San Fransisco Symphony. What came out of those two shows is an amazing blend of heavy metal and orchestra music. At first glance, one would think that these two genres would not mix. But, the people involved made it work. This is a grandiose show, well worth seeing.

Rating: «««««

London Has Fallen (2016)

Genre: Action / Thriller

Directed by: Babak Nakafi

Starring: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman

Running time: 99 minutes

As they all travel to London to attend the funeral of the UK Prime Minister, the group of world leaders present come under attack from a group of Pakistani terrorists. The main target is US president Benjamin Asher. Asher’s head of security Mike Banning will have to do everything in his power to stop the terrorists from taking the president and executing him live on the Internet.

It took me a while to get into this one. I just realized that it is a sequel and I have not seen the first film, which might be a factor. That being said, the acting felt uninspired. Once the action started, though, London Has Fallen became a fun thrilling ride, as long as you did not overanalyze it. It is full of action movie clichés, but, taken for what it is, it is entertaining.

Rating: «««

Sin City (2005)

Genre: Film Noir

Directed by: Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller

Starring: Jessica Alba, Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, Bruce Willis

Running time: 124 minutes

Sin City offers a collection of short stories inspired by Frank Miller’s graphic novel collection of the same name.

With a loaded cast on board, Sin City is above all else a visual tour de force. Shot mostly in black and white, with color being added to certain objects and characters, this film is a wonderful work of cinematography. The stories are filled with violence, but the visual signature of Sin City makes the whole thing beautiful and artistic.

Some of the acting was a bit weak at times, in spite of the big names involved, but this is a flick well worth seeing for the visual aspect of it.

Rating: ««««

A Good Man (2014)

Genre: Action

Directed by: Keoni Waxman

Starring: Steven Seagal, Victor Webster, Tzi Ma

Running time: 103 minutes

The leader of a failed cover operation joins Sasha, a man forced to work for the Russian Mafia to pay off his father’s debt, to protect Sasha’s two younger sisters against Mr. Chen, an arms dealer.

The lack of subtlety, the bad acting, the clichés, the over-the-top martial arts; this movie has everything any Steven Seagal flick has ever had. Watching this one with my dad over the weekend, we got a good chuckle out of the fact that Seagal must have been cold at all times. Even when he was indoors, having a beer, he had that big leather jacket zipped up. He must have gone to the modern Axl Rose school of thought about layering clothes. Even at the end, when he was making out with a girl, a gross scene that made no sense, he still had the leather protection.

Really, in spite of the comic relief it provided, I recommend skipping this one.

Rating: «

Metallica: Cunning Stunts (1998)

Genre: Musical

Directed by: Wayne Isham

Starring: James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, Jason Newsted

Running time: 121 minutes

This concert film offers a Metallica show recorded over two days in May 1997, in Fort Worth, Texas. It offers a great number of their hits, older and newer (at that point), performed in high-octane fashion in front of a hot crowd. There is also some different and interesting song choices here, such as So What?, the Anti-Nowhere League song. Overall, a very good show well worth watching again.

Rating: «««««

Patriots Day (2016)

Genre: Action / Drama

Directed by: Peter Berg

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Kevin Bacon, John Goodman

Running time: 133 minutes

Patriots Day deals with the events of the bombing perpetrated in April 2013 by brothers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev during the Boston Marathon and the massive manhunt that followed and lead to the death of one them and the arrest of the other.

With this 2016 film, we are given a glimpse into these real life events as seen through the eyes of a few of the people who lived through it. Fictional characters, like the one portrayed by Mark Wahlberg, are also added to the mix.

Some might object to the fact that this movie glamorizes the real events on the Boston Marathon bombing, but I like how this film pays homage to the first responders, the victims and the survivors of these terrible circumstances. Boston really pulled together in difficult times, and that needed to be mentioned.

As for the movie itself, it was action packed and compelling, with good acting performances. I dug how they ended by a touching tribute to the real people affected by the tragic events.

Rating: ««««

Hidden Figures (2016)

Genre: Biographical / Drama

Directed by: Theodore Melfi

Starring: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kevin Costner

Running time: 127 minutes

Based on the non-fiction book of the same name written by Margot Lee Shetterly, Hidden Figures tells the story of three black female mathematicians who had to combat segregation and bigotry as they worked at the NASA during the Space War of the 1960’s between the United States and the USSR.

It is amazing to think that things were the way they were not that long ago. Things sure are not perfect today, but we’ve come a long way. In itself, it is a great thing that the story of these three women was told on the big screen, so they can finally fully take their rightful place in history. That being said, it is unfortunate that the filmmakers felt the need to embellish and change the facts to tell a more compelling story.

The story of Hidden Figures is indeed compelling in itself, and it is largely carried on screen by the great acting performances of all involved. The tone felt a bit off at times, as if the characters were on the outside looking in. I highly doubt that people making history are walking around telling each other that they are making history as it happens. Nonetheless, these actresses managed to pull us in and make us care for these very real women. I also appreciated the epilogue, where we got some of the facts about the rest of the story of these important women.

Overall, this is a movie to see, in spite of its few flaws.

Rating: ««««

Faut pas pousser (1980)

Genre: Franco / Comedy

Réalisation: Michele Lupo

Distribution: Bud Spencer, Cary Guffey

Durée: 99 minutes

Dans cette suite du film Le Shérif et les Extra-terrestres, le shérif Bon Scott et son jeune ami H 7.25 réussissent à échapper à l’armée, qui veut prendre l’enfant extra-terrestre pour en connaître tous les secrets. Ils s’en vont dans la ville de Maroe, en Géorgie, qui se cherche un shérif pour régler le désordre qui y règne. C’est dans cette ville qu’ils seront confrontés à des Aliens de la planète Damien, qui veulent prendre contrôle de la population.

Du premier au second film de ce duo, le charme s’était quelque peu dissipé. C’est comme si les gens impliqués avaient voulu presser plus de jus qu’il y en avait réellement dans le fruit. Malgré quelques bons moments, ce film est loin d’être mémorable.

Note: ««

Le vendeur (2011)

Genre: Franco / Drama

Réalisation: Sébastien Pilote

Distribution: Gilbert Sicotte, Nathalie Cavezalli, Jeremy Tessier

Durée: 107 minutes

Marcel Lévesque est vendeur de voiture et il est un véritable expert dans ce domaine. Au concessionnaire où il travaille, il est le vendeur du mois depuis des années. Au bord de la retraite, il n’a dans sa vie, à part son boulot, que sa fille adulte, qui est coiffeuse, et son petit-fils, avec qui il passe souvent du temps. Une tragédie viendra tout chambarder dans la vie de Marcel.

Le vendeur est un film sobre qui défile à un très lent rythme, mais c’est ce qu’il faut pour raconter l’histoire de ce personnage qu’est Marcel Lévesque. Gilbert Sicotte est criant de vérité dans le rôle principal, et il est facile de reconnaître dans Marcel Lévesque une génération d’hommes qui nous a précédés.

Ce petit film est à voir, même s’il pourra paraître lourd et dépourvu d’action pour certain.

Note: ««««

Arrival (2016)

Genre: Science-Fiction

Directed by: Denis Villeneuve

Starring: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker

Running time: 116 minutes

After 12 extraterrestrial spacecrafts appear at various locations on Earth, the U.S. Army recruits linguist Louise Banks and physicist Ian Donnelly and brings them to an army encampment in Montana to decipher these creatures’ language and find out why they came on earth.

The director and the actors did a great job here to convey a certain mood and various emotions, but, at some point, I just got completely lost in the whole thing. It is true that science-fiction is not really my thing, so maybe this film required more energy than I had to give this weekend. I should give this one another chance somewhere down the line.

Rating: «««

Deux super-flics (1977)

Genre: Franco / Comedy

Réalisation: E.B. Clucher

Distribution: Bud Spencer, Terence Hill, David Huddleston

Durée: 93 minutes

Matt et Wilbur se rencontrent par pur hasard après avoir, chacun leur tour, eu maille à partir avec les personnes responsables des embauches au port de Miami. Ils décident de faire équipe pour commettre un hold-up, mais ils se retrouvent par erreur au poste de police. Deux policiers qu’ils ont rencontrés plus tôt les prennent pour deux nouvelles recrues, alors les deux acolytes se voient dans l’obligation de s’enrôler.

Ce film demeure sans contredit mon préféré de toute la collection impliquant Bud Spencer et Terence Hill. L’histoire est tirée par les cheveux et les bagarres sont exagérées, mais j’éprouve un tel bonheur à retrouver ces films qui ont marqué mon enfance. Il y a encore au fond de moi cet enfant qui rêvait de devenir gros et fort comme Bud Spencer. Ne manque plus que la force.

Note: «««««

The Lenny Bruce Performance Film (1967)

Genre: Comedy / Documentary

Directed by: John Magnuson

Starring: Lenny Bruce

Running time: 72 minutes

Lenny Bruce did not only open doors for the comedians that would come after him: He blew them open. He did so with his determination to do things his way, constantly pushing the envelope way past what the powers-that-be were willing to take back then. He did it, and, in the end, he paid the price with multiple arrests for public obscenity and the trials that followed.

This film, shot in black-and-white, captures his next-to-last live performance, in San Fransisco, before his untimely death from a drug overdose. In front of a small crowd, Bruce mostly reads from the transcripts of his trials, trying to defend his act. As a person who has done stand-up and who likes to joke around, I found it sad to see such a great man having to explain himself in such a way. There is not much worse that having to explain humor to take all the fun out of it.

Lenny Bruce’s pace on stage is sometimes hard to follow, but this film remains a major part of history and it should be seen by fans of stand-up comedy. Many others were able to do what they did because Lenny Bruce led the way.

Rating: ««««

Rodney Carrington: Here Comes the Truth (2017)

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Brandon Jones

Starring: Rodney Carrington

Running time: 66 minutes

When you watch Rodney Carrington on stage, you have to expect redneck humor. In his latest comedy special, titled Her Comes the Truth, Carrington discusses his divorce, his massive weight gain, his lack of motivation, sex, Viagra, crabs, Donald Trump, Mexicans and many other topics.

This Netflix special starts strong, with good material that made me laugh hard. Then, one thing the comic said became a little too true and apparent: He lacks motivation. As it went along, the material started to get weaker and weaker. By the end, I was curious to hear his country songs, which are usually funny. I was disappointed here. The new tunes were not that great, and then Carrington rehashed a few of his better known hits, but, in the process, he delivered inferior versions. As a singer, you can get away with coasting on the hits. As a comic, you have to keep it fresh.

So, while this show had its moments, it was a disappointment to me in the end.

Rating: ««

Lola Versus (2012)

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Directed by: Daryl Wein

Cast: Greta Gerwig, Joel Kinnaman, Zoe Lister-Jones

Running time: 87 minutes

Just as she is hard at work preparing her wedding, Lola gets dumped by her boyfriend, who has developed a severe case of cold feet. Along with her two closest friends, she tries to enjoy life to the fullest, in an effort to get over the loss.

For some reason, I had a hard getting into this film. The story was uninteresting and the acting was bland. The whole thing felt pointless.

Rating: «

The Shack (2017)

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Stuart Hazeldine

Cast: Sam Worthington, Octacia Spencer, Graham Greene

Running time: 132 minutes

Mackenzie (Mack) Phillips suffered abuse at the hands of his alcoholic father as a child. Now an adult, he lives with his wife and three kids in a house where religion holds a very important place. After his youngest daughter is kidnapped and killed by a serial killer during a camping trip, Mack’s life falls apart. One day, during the next winter, Mack finds in his mailbox a typewritten letter inviting him to the cabin where his daughter’s torn dress and blood were found.

Based on the William P. Young novel of the same name, The Shack is an overlong long sermon and a melodramatic mess. I was bored to tears shortly after the beginning, and the fact that it was over two hours long made it even worse. The story had potential, but it fell very short.

Rating: «

Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky (1991)

Genre: Foreign / Thriller

Directed by: Lam Nai-choi

Cast: Fan Siu-Wong, Fan Mei Sheng, Ho Ka-kui

Running time: 91 minutes

Ricky is sent to jail on a 10-year manslaughter sentence after killing the man who was indirectly responsible for the death of his girlfriend. Stuck in a corrupt fully privatized prison, Ricky will use his supernatural powers and his knowledge of martial arts to fight for justice.

This Hong Kong martial arts film would disgust many casual viewers I am sure. There is tons of violence and a lot of gory scenes. Blood, broken limbs, punches going through body parts, guts and bodies in meat grinders. That being said, the action and the violence are so campy and over-the-top that I found the whole thing to be funny.

The Story of Ricky is an entertaining slice of cheesy cinema.

Rating: «««

Gerald's Game (2017)

Genre: Horror

Directed by: Mike Flanagan

Cast: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood

Running time: 103 minutes

Based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, this film is the story of Gerald and Jessie Burlingame, a couple which have been together for many years. They travel to an isolated lake house in Alabama for a romantic getaway, with the hope of repairing their strained relationship. Soon after arrival, they move on to the bedroom, where Gerald handcuffs his wife to the bed after taking a Viagra tablet. But, things don’t go quite as planned.

Carla Gugino offers a career-defining performance as Jessie Burlingame, a woman with many burdening secrets buried inside her. Bruce Greenwood is also very solid as Gerald, and not only because of the Viagra.

Gerald’s Game is a really good psychological horror movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat, wondering what is real and what is just the fruit of the captive woman’s distressed mind. When good filmmaking is paired with solid acting, it makes an entertaining flick. The story got a little weird for me in a few twists and turns, towards the end, but I still give it high praises.

Rating: ««««

Bill Hicks: Sane Man (1989)

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Kevin Booth and David Johndrow

Cast: Bill Hicks

Running time: 81 minutes

Bill Hicks was not your typical comedian that alternates rapidly through setups and punchlines at a rapid pace through a nice little set. Hicks challenged the norms and did things his way. In this rare live show of his caught on tape, recorded on stage in Austin Texas, the late comic discusses drugs, tobacco, alcohol, music, pop culture and a multitude of other topics.

If you are a sensitive soul who gets easily offended, Bill Hicks is not for you. If you prefer clean cut comedy, again, Bill Hicks is not for you. Hicks took no prisoners. Some of his antics did annoy me a bit, but he made me laugh and think a whole lot, and I found myself agreeing with much of what he said. Sometimes, only the names will change, but the feelings remain the same.

Rating: ««««

Where Hope Grows (2014)

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Chris Dowling

Cast: David DeSanctis, Danica McKellar, Kerr Smith

Running time: 95 minutes

Calvin Campbell is a former baseball player whose promising career with the Detroit Tigers was cut short by personal issues. Now living alone with his teenage daughter, he spends his days and nights getting drunk with friends and avoiding real work. After striking an unlikely friendship with Produce, a kid with Down Syndrome who works at a local grocery store, the fallen hero starts to question his own life choices.

Like most faith-based movies, Where Hope Grows is not very high on the subtlety level. The characters are very one-dimensional and the story is very basic. The important thing is here to inspire. As far as that goes, this film offers a cute story that will probably resonate with lots of folks in search of answers.

Rating: «««

Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)

Genre: Comedy / Musical

Directed by: Mel Brooks

Cast: Cary Elwes, Richard Lewis, Dave Chapelle, Amy Yasbeck

Running time: 104 minutes

Upon coming back to England, Robin of Loxley finds out that his family is dead and that his home has been repossessed by Prince John, who has assumed control of the nation while King Richard has been away fighting in the Crusades. Robin assembles a group of men to help him fight Prince John and seduce Maid Marian.

This musical comedy is a parody or spoof, if you will, of the Robin Hood story. The acting is decent and there are a few truly funny moments here and there, but the majority of the material misses the mark and ends up being subpar for the stupid comedy genre.

Honorable mentions to Dave Chapelle for his performance and to Dom DeLuise for his Brando impersonation; the Godfather homage was cute. Overall, though, this was not really my cup of tea.

Rating: ««

Foo Fighters: Back and Forth (2011)

Genre: Documentary

Directed by: James Moll

Cast: Dave Grohl, William Goldsmith, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel

Running time: 101 minutes

This rockumentary covers the history of the Foo Fighters, a band that Dave Grohl created after his previous band, Nirvana, was permanently terminated by Kurt Cobain’s death. Through personnel changes, egos clashing, substances abuse, personal conflicts and increasing success, Foo Fighters: Back and Forth offers a captivating view into a little piece of what I love to call rock n’ roll.

Dave Grohl is an artist that has grown on me over the last few years. At first, I did not care much for him, but, through time, he has gained a fan in me. And this film made a nice contribution to my appreciation of what he has to offer.

This documentary is very entertaining and compelling. There is some humor, and some tender moments. I highly recommend it for any fan of rock music.

Rating: «««««

Blame It on Rio (1984)

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Directed by: Stanley Donen

Cast: Michael Caine, Joseph Bologna, Michelle Johnson, Demi Moore

Running time: 100 minutes

Matthew Hollis is set to go on a trip to Rio, with his wife Karen, his teenage daughter Nikki, his best friend and colleague Victor and Victor’s 17 years old daughter Jennifer. At the last minute, Matthew’s wife announces that she’s going to a different location to spend some time alone and think. The trip to Rio goes ahead, and, over the course of the vacation, Jennifer seduces Matthew and has an affair with him.

This film was trying to bank on a risqué and taboo situation in an exotic location, while playing it all for laughs. The problem is that it was not that funny and the whole situation was unrealistic and, frankly, a little creepy. It is surprising, really, that an actor such as Michael Caine was willing to get involved in this.

Rating: «

The Beguiled (1971)

Genre: Thriller / Drama

Directed by: Don Siegel

Cast: Clint Eastwood, Geraldine Page

Running time: 105 minutes

During the American Civil War, John McBurney, a wounded Union soldier, is found by 12 year old Amy, just outside the gate of the Mississippi seminary school for girls where she is a student. McBurney is brought inside, where headmistress Martha Farmsworth decides to bring him back to health before reporting him to the Confederate troops. Being an isolated man in a house filled with women and girls might be more than the wounded soldier can take.

The action of this film feels a little too static and complacent for a Clint Eastwood movie. The pace is slow, and the story is melodramatic to the max. Some of the acting was okay, but, in other cases, it was over-the-top. There was also that very awkward scene towards the beginning where Eastwood’s character tells a 12 year old girl that she’s old enough to kiss and then plants a smooch on her lips.

Overall, though this film has gotten great reviews in the past, I just did not feel it.

Rating: ««

George Harrison: Living in the Material World (2011)

Genre: Documentary

Directed by: Martin Scorsese

Cast: Olivia Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton

Running time: 208 minutes

This documentary, directed by Martin Scorsese, looks back on the life of rock guitarist, singer and songwriter, George Harrison. It starts with Harrison’s formative years, and then goes on through the Beatles era, the search for meaning in a material world and then onto the man’s solo career and early passing, at the age of 58.

In this film, we get to hear from family members, friends and a number of musicians who worked with George Harrison over the years. Scorsese has shown himself to be a great fan of music in his life and he seemed to have a genuine respect and appreciation for the former Beatle by the way he made this documentary. Some touchy situations were discussed, such as Harrison’s former wife leaving him for his friend Eric Clapton, but it was all done in a very delicate way.

I found it interesting to see a very thorough documentary film on George Harrison, a Beatles member that I always found to be so much underrated. It was great that some light could shine on all that he has accomplished in his career.

The only fault I found with this documentary was technical: The sound of the musical material was quite high, while the sound of the interviews was low, so I had to keep adjusting my set all the way through. Other than that small flaw, this is a must see.

Rating: ««««

Man with the gun (1955)

Genre: Western

Directed by: Richard Wilson

Cast: Robert Mitchum, Jan Sterling, Henry Hull

Running time: 83 minutes

Clint Tollinger, a “town tamer” with a heavy reputation behind him, comes to Sheridan City to try to reconcile with Nelly Bain, with minimal success. As they are dealing with the heavy hand of Dade Holman and his gang, the town council of Sheridan City is reluctantly convinced to hire Tollinger to clean up the situation.

Having mostly seen Robert Mitchum in the bad guy role, in such films as the original Cape Fear and Night of the Hunter, it was a nice change to see him as a justice seeker, though with unorthodox methods. Mitchum was the perfect person to carry that role.

Man with the Gun offered some nice twists on the typical western flicks and it was a very entertaining contribution to the genre.

Rating: ««««

The Other One: The Long, Strange Trip of Bob Weir (2014)

Genre: Documentary

Directed by: Mike Fleiss

Cast: Bob Weir, Trixie Garcia, Mike Gordon, Sammy Hagar

Running time: 85 minutes

This rock documentary takes a deep look at the life & times of The Grateful Dead, through the eyes of one of its founding and surviving members, Bob Weir. We are taken through the youth and early days of the man who was known to many as the good looking one in the band. He was most certainly a creative force for the group, and he is still going strong today.

I have never been a diehard fan of The Grateful Dead – or Deadhead, if you will – but I most certainly enjoyed learning more about that band who managed to cultivate quite a cult following through the years. I have always loved to hear about music and the people who create it, so, in that sense; this was very pleasant for me. It remains a documentary that was really well done.

Rating: ««««

Troublemakers (1994)

Genre: Western / Comedy

Réalisateur: Terence Hill

Distribution: Terence Hill, Bud Spencer

Durée: 101 minutes

Deux frères séparés par la vie se voient forcés de travailler ensemble, malgré leurs relations tendues, afin d’en arriver à leurs fins.

Ce film est arrivé un peu plus tard dans la lignée des spaghettis westerns/comédie de Bud Spencer et Terence Hill. Hill est aussi le réalisateur de Troublemakers. Je dois avouer que ce film m’a quelque peu déçu. Autant le scénario que le jeu des acteurs semblaient manquer d’inspiration. En plus, les voix françaises du doublage ne sont pas les mêmes que dans les plus vieux films, ce que j’ai trouvé dommage.

Rating: ««

Lewis Black: Black on Broadway (2004)

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Paul Miller

Cast: Lewis Black

Running time: 58 minutes

Taking the stage at the Brooks Atkinson Theater, in New York, in 2004, Lewis Black delved into the kind of humor he has come to be very well known for: extremely political, yet politically incorrect. Black does not hesitate for a second to criticize and poke fun at his own country, but he does not come from a biased point of view. I like that. Both Democrats and Republicans get freely skewered over the course of almost an hour.

In this comedy special, Lewis Black discusses such topics as bottled water, corporate greed, stupidity in America and more. The tone is very acidic, so that might not be everybody’s cup of tea, but I liked it. Lewis Black in a thinking man’s comedian that does his job quite well on stage. I highly recommend this show if you can track it down.

Rating: ««««

Muscle Shoals (2013)

Genre: Documentary

Directed by: Greg “Freddy” Camalier

Cast: Gregg Allman, Bono, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Aretha Franklin

Running time: 111 minutes

This documentary film tells the story of two recording studios, FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, which have become two major players in the music industry. A great number of artists have travelled to Muscle Shoals, a little town in Alabama, to record at either of those two studios, and many of them share here on film their thoughts as to what made that little corner of the world so special. We also get to hear from the people behind these two mystical places.

It is amazing to think that this little town in the Southern United States had such an impact on the music industry and on the sounds of rock n’ roll, soul and R & B. Artists such as The Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers, Percy Sledge, Aretha Franklin and many more have found themselves in Muscle Shoals during various parts of their careers.

This is a film that is sure the please the music lovers out there. It went a bit long for me, with some superfluous details, but, overall, it was really interesting.

Rating: ««««

De père en flic 2 (2017)

Genre: Franco / Comedy

Réalisateur: Émile Gaudreault

Distribution: Michel Côté, Louis-José Houde, Karine Vanasse, Patrice Robitaille

Durée: 117 minutes

Jacques Laroche et son fils Marc ont encore des relations tendues, tant dans leur vie de tous les jours que dans leur milieu de travail, au sein de la police. Jacques est seul et au bord de la retraite, tandis que la relation de Marc avec sa copine Alice bat de l’aile. Marc et Alice se joindront à une thérapie de groupe, question de, à la fois, travailler à leur couple et talonner le bras droit du chef de la mafia. Jacques, pour sa part, ne pourra pas s’empêcher de s’immiscer dans le feu de l’action.

Ce film est la suite de la comédie de 2009, réalisée également par Émile Gaudreault et mettant en vedette les deux mêmes acteurs principaux. Cette deuxième mouture est somme toute mieux réussie, à mon humble avis.

Tout d’abord, la chimie entre Michel Côté et Louis-José Houde s’est solidifiée. Également, le matériel qui leur a été fourni était de meilleure qualité. Cette fois, les répliques du personnage de Marc Laroche semblaient avoir été écrites pour cadrer parfaitement dans la bouche de Louis-José Houde, et la livraison s’en est trouvée grandement plus naturelle.

Notons aussi que les personnages secondaires étaient mieux étoffés et mieux joués ce coup-ci. Karine Vanasse, Patrice Robitaille et Julie LeBreton ont bien su tirer leur épingle du jeu.

Tout compte fait, De père en flic 2 est une très bonne comédie, hyper divertissante.

Rating: ««««