Wasabi (2001)

 Genre: Franco / Comedy
Réalisateur: Gérard Krawczyk
Distribution: Jean Reno, Michel Muller, Ryoko Hirosue 

Running time: 100 minutes

 

Hubert Fiorentini est un policier aux méthodes non conventionnelles. Alors qu’il est suspendu de son travail, il reçoit un appel voulant qu’une ancienne flamme, à l’époque où il travaillait au Japon, est décédée, le laissant comme exécuteur testamentaire. Sur place, il réalise qu’il est le père d’une jeune adulte, qu’il doit maintenant protéger de la mafia japonaise.

Malgré les raccourcis cinématographiques et les invraisemblances, ce film est somme toute assez divertissant. Jean Reno est parfait dans son rôle, et de même pour Michel Muller.

Rating: «««

Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: A Schitt's Creek Farewell (2020)

Genre: Documentary
Directed by: Amy Segal
Cast: Dan Levy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Annie Murphy

Running Time: 44 minutes

 

In this recently released documentary, we hear from the creators of the Schitt’s Creek sitcom, who explain how it all came about. They discuss the writing and the casting process. Cast and crew also share their thoughts, on how they got into the fold and on their experience, particularly around the sixth and last season. Cast, crew, journalists and celebrity fans also talked about the impact of the show on society as it got more and more popular.

This is a feel-good little documentary. With all that is going on in the world, it is so great to get such a rush of positivity. This is what is served here, in this documentary.

Rating: «««««

Before Sunrise (1995)

Genre: Romance / Drama
Directed by: Richard Linklater
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy
Running Time: 101 minutes

 

On a train from Budapest, Jesse, an American, meets French girl Céline. After striking up a long conversation, Jesse invites Céline to spend the night with him walking around Vienna, before he flies back home the next morning. She accepts, and through their night of wandering around, a strong bond develops between them.

This is beautiful film. Very wordy, but it was beautifully written and played on screen by the two leads. You follow these two young people around Vienna and you believe them. They feel real, and you root for them. This film actually brings me back to my younger days or searching.

Rating: «««««

Schitt's Creek (2015-2020)

 Genre: TV / Comedy
Starring: Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Dan Levy, Anne Murphy 

Number of seasons: 6

 

The Rose family — Johnny (a video store chain owner) and Moira (an aging soap opera actress) and their adult children David and Alexis — are defrauded by business managers and lose the totality of their fortune. All they have left is the little town of Schitt’s Creek, that Johnny bought for David a while back as a joke birthday gift. They relocate there, living in adjacent rooms in a rundown motel, where they have to adjust to a new life.

This is such a little gem of a Canadian sitcom, created by the father and son duo of Eugene and Dan Levy. It is well written and well played on screen by a cast of talented folks. Some of the characters are over-the-top, but it becomes part of the charm of Schitt’s Creek. There was a lull for me, about halfway through the six seasons, but, by the end, I was quite touched.

I particularly enjoyed the fact that an effort was put into developing all of the characters, not just the main ones. By the end of season 6, all the characters had evolved somewhat. The show also tackled some very current issues in its writing. Overall, I loved Schitt’s Creek.

Rating: ««««

 

Larry The Cable Guy: Remain Seated (2020)

Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Brian Volk-Weiss
Cast: Larry The Cable Guy 

Running Time: 67 minutes

 

Live on stage from Joliet, IL, Larry The Cable Guy delves head first in the redneck humor that he has been known for. He discusses such topics as his weight, his wife, shopping at Walmart and much more.

Last Saturday, I was looking for something light, and I was well served with this blue collar comedy stuff. I was quite entertained while it lasted, but there is not much left after it is done. Larry has the charm of not taking himself seriously in this character. It is a fun comedy special.

Rating: «««

The Big Show Show (2020)

 
Genre: TV / Comedy
Starring: Paul Wight, Allison Munn, Reylynn Caster 

Number of episodes: 9

 

Paul Wight, known around the world by wrestling fans as The Big Show, plays a fictionalized version of himself here. As his wrestling career is winding down, the big man is looking for what is next, living with his wife and two young daughters. An older teenage daughter from a previous relationship comes to live with them.

As a long-time wrestling fan, I wanted to enjoy this show. But, I just could not. Big Show himself is not without comedic talent. He’s especially good with the physical stuff, which is a feat considering his size. The problem is the material that was written was weak and the supporting cast was just bad. Most characters were more annoying than funny. No wonder this lasted for a season and a Christmas episode. The episode where fellow pro wrestlers Mark Henry and Mick Foley visit is a rare highlight.

 

Rating: ««

Jaws (1975)

 Genre: Thriller
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw 

Running Time: 124 minutes

 

After a great white shark starts attacking and killing swimmers near the beach of Amity Island, police chief Martin Brody embark on a boat with a marine biologist and a professional shark hunter to go on a mission to kill the awful beast.

This is a true cinema classic directed by Steven Spielberg. The action offers a thrilling ride, and most of the actors are really good. My only problem was with Robert Shaw as shark hunter Quint. I found him so hard to understand when he spoke that it took away from the movie experience for me. Other than that, I love this film. 

It all felt so actual to watch this again. A danger on the horizon, but people don't want to make the necessary sacrifices. Sounds familiar?

Rating: ««««

A League of Their Own (1992)

 Genre: Comedy / Drama
Directed by: Penny Marshall
Cast: Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Madonna 

Running Time: 128 minutes

 

A group of women are recruited to form a four teams baseball league during World War II, as the conflict threatens to shut down the MLB season. Decades later, surviving members of the league attend the grand opening of an exhibit for them at the Baseball Hall of Fame.

I had seen this film when it first came out, and, looking at it today, I must say that it aged pretty well. I watched it with my wife. It was the first time for her and she enjoyed it too. Now she knows the origin of: There’s no crying in baseball. I love to use that line.

Here is a compelling story put on screen by a talented director and great actors. It makes for a very entertaining two hours of movie watching.

Rating: «««««

Holidate (2020)

 
Genre: Romantic Comedy / Christmas
Directed by: John Whitesell
Cast: Emma Roberts, Luke Bracey, Jake Manley 

Running Time: 103 minutes

 

Sloane and Jackson are two eternally single people tired of the dating scene and of the pressure family holidays put on finding a special someone. After a chance meeting in a shopping mall, they decide to become each other’s date for every holiday, with a rule to never get attached and to never sleep with each other.

While this is a very formulaic, predictable holiday movie, it remains quite cute, thanks to decent acting and a good dose of humour. It does not take itself too seriously, which is charming in movies. This is some light holiday fun.

Rating: «««

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

 Genre: Superhero
Directed by: Jon Watts
Cast: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Jon Favreau 

Running Time: 133 minutes

 

Peter Parker is a teenager with superpowers who must balance high school life and his superhero apprentice work as Spider-Man. His eagerness is putting him at odds with the powers-that-be at Stark Enterprises, but, after facing The Vulture, Parker is dead set on doing what needs to be done.

This movie was a lot of fun, I enjoyed very much. Very decent acting, a good dose of humour and an enjoyable soundtrack. I was thoroughly entertained over for the time this movie lasted.

Rating: ««««

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

 
Genre: Romance / Drama
Directed by: Ang Lee
Cast: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, Michelle Williams 

Running Time: 134 minutes

 

Adapted from the short story of the same name by Annie Proulx, this film tells the love story of two male ranchers, Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist, over a period od 20 years in the American West, after they met on a job herding sheep on Brokeback Mountain.

This is magnificent film with a compelling story involving complex, multi-dimensional characters. All of the cast members involved were just right for their respective roles and they did their job brilliantly. They made these characters believable. The scenery was breathtaking and the director did a solid job bringing everything together. It felt a little long towards the end, but it is well worth watching.

Rating: ««««

Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)

 
Genre: Horror
Directed by: Adam Marcus
Starring: John D. LeMay, Kari Keegan, Steven Williams, Kane Hodder
Running time: 90 minutes

 

Jason Voorhees is trapped and killed by an undercover group of FBI agents and his remains are sent to the morgue, but his heart, that is still beating, starts inhabiting various bodies to go on a killing spree while looking for the few surviving family members he has left. It needs to enter the body of a family member so that Jason can live again, and only a family member can truly stop it from happening.

This movie is just bad. I actually felt dirty after watching it. The acting is crappy and the story is a mess and makes no sense. Really, filmmaking went to hell with Jason here. While the pointless nudity and the violence of the unrated version can be fun, it is not enough to give this title any merit. This was the ninth installment of the original series, and it should have died long before it got to that point. And the overkill attempt at gore was not entertaining either.

Rating: «

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion (2020)

 Genre: Documentary
Directed by: Marcus Raboy
Cast: Will Smith, Alfonso Ribeiro, Tatyana Ali, Karyn Parsons 

Running Time: 75 minutes

 

Thirty years later, the surviving cast members of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, a popular NBC sitcom from the 90’s, got back together to discuss their experience on the show, their favorite moments and the cultural impact of this particular project.

I loved The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as a teenager. I watched episodes again and again, I know them by heart by now. My favorite moments from this TV special were to tribute to James Avery, who played Uncle Phil and who passed in 2013, and the “peace treaty” between Will Smith and Janet Hubert, who played Aunt Vivian for the first half of the six seasons of the show. You could see the love the cast members had for James Avery, a major father figure in the history of American television. As for the burying of the hatchet, it was great to see Will Smith give Janet Hubert a chance to say her piece. Life is too short to hold grudges, and it was truly emotional to see that feud end.

My only gripe with this special is that it was too short and that we barely heard from Joseph Marcell, who played Geoffrey Butler, one of my favorite characters on the show.

Other than that, it was a great walk down memory lane that made me feel like watching that show one more time.

Rating: ««««

Kevin Hart: Zero F**ks Given (2020)

 
Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Leslie Small
Cast: Kevin Hart 

Running Time: 69 minutes

 

In this comedy special recorded from the comfort of his own home, in front of a very small crowd (because of COVID-19), actor and comedian Kevin Hart dives into a fast-paced set that takes no prisoner. Hart discusses getting COVID-19 (or The Vid as he calls it). He also discusses the controversy he personally had to deal with recently, the changing times, cancel culture, family and many other topics.

A few jokes missed the mark, but, overall, this was a very good stand-up comedy special. Many laugh-out-loud moments.

Rating: ««««

Tough Guy: The Bob Probert Story (2019)

 Genre: Documentary
Directed by: Georgie Day
Cast: Chris Chelios, Don Cherry, Tie Domi, Dani Probert 

Running Time: 94 minutes

 

Through archived footage and interviews with family and friends, this documentary tells the tragic story of hockey enforcer Bob Probert, for his beginnings in Canada, to his reaching success with the Detroit Red Wings and to his demise at the hands of his personal demons.

This film was very compelling. I had seen Probert play hockey on TV over the years, but it was quite interesting to see his life story. This documentary offers an interesting look at the situation many hockey players known to be fighters on the ice go through later in life, with concussions and such. It was also quite touching to hear from his mom, his bother, his wife and his kids. It made the whole thing feel very personal. In the end, I could have taken a little bit more.

Overall, though this film was not perfect, it was a very good watch.

Rating: ««««

20 Feet from Stardom (2013)

 Genre: Documentary
Directed by: Morgan Neville
Cast: Darlene Love, Judith Hill, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer 

Running Time: 90 minutes

 

This documentary looks at the life and career of a group of backup singers—mostly women—that have performed over the years with such acts as The Rolling Stones, Ray Charles, David Bowie and many more. This film also looks at these talented singers’ difficulty in reaching the spotlight and in getting their talents properly recognized.

As a long-time music lover, I truly enjoyed this enlightening documentary. So many talented people do not get proper recognition in the music business, and it is nice to see that such a film can do at least a little bit to help. It was treat to learn more about such talented artists as Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Darlene Love, Judith Love, Tata Vega and others. This movie is a real treat for the music fans out there.

Rating: «««««