Well, hello there, kind folks. If you’re visiting this blog of mine, I presume that you have a certain interest in the cinema. As for me, even since my early childhood, I have had a deep love of everything related to movies and television. As far as I can remember, I have been more at ease in front of a screen than in the yard, outside, playing. It is a great way to travel, though other people’s stories, without having to foot any kind of steep bill. Over the years, I feel that movie-watching has even fuelled my own creativity.

All that being said, I welcome you in my Cinephile’s Nest. I hope you enjoy it here, feel free to come back at any time. Here you will find reviews of current movies and older ones. TV shows also. Some classics that have remained some of my favourites, some that have disappointed me. I will use a very basic star (*) system to grade them from 1 to 5 (5 being sliced bread level). Remember, these are just my tastes. I will try to explain in each review what I liked about these particular movies, without giving spoilers.

Il y aura aussi des critiques en français pour les films francophones, car j'aime également le cinéma dans ma langue maternelle. Avant d'apprendre l'anglais, plus jeune, je louais des tonnes de films traduits en français, surtout ceux de Bud Spencer et Terrence Hill. Ma mère a eu le choc de sa vie lorsqu'un jour, dans la boîte d'un de ces films, Deep Throat avait malencontreusement inséré. Une expérience formatrice pour le jeune cinéphile que je suis.

Bienvenue à tous, amusez-vous bien.

I welcome you all here, enjoy yourself.

Friday, March 31, 2023

Problem Child 2 (1991)

 Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Brian Levant
Cast: John Ritter, Michael Oliver, Jack Warden, Ivyann Schwan
Time: 90 minutes

 


Ben Healy, now a single father to his adopted turbulent son Junior, moves with his kid to Mortville, Oregon, with the hope of turning over a new leaf. Ben wants to get back on the dating scene, but Junior, being overly protective of the only family he loves, becomes very troublesome again. Junior also crosses path with another problem child, a little girl his age named Trixie.

 Another blast from the past for me. Sure, much of the humor is low brown and tasteless, but it remains entertaining for what it is. It is fun to see the nasty shenanigans being pulled by those two kids. Not a classic by any stretch of the imagination, but pleasurable nonetheless.

Rating: «««

Thursday, March 30, 2023

Bert Kreischer: Razzle Dazzle (2023)

Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Jeff Tomsic
Cast: Bert Kreischer
Time: 60 minutes

 


Live on stage, Bert Kreischer, a man known around the world now for doing stand-up comedy without a shirt, discusses his kids’ bullying ways, his wife’s redneck ways, his inability to fit into a California neighborhood, an hilarious escape room adventure with his family and much more.

This is the best, beginning to end, Bert Kreischer comedy show I have seen so far. The man has really honed his craft as a storyteller. He had me in stitches all the way through. I laughed so hard at one point that I had to catch my breath again.

Rating: «««««

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

L'affaire Dumont (2012)

Genre: Franco / Drama
Réalisateur: Podz, Daniel Grou
Distribution: Marc-André Grondin, Geneviève Brouillette, Marilyn Castonguay
Durée : 121 minutes


 

Basé sur des faits réels, ce film raconte l’histoire de Michel Dumont, un livreur de dépanneur qui est arrêté et condamné pour un viol qu’il a toujours maintenu ne pas avoir commis. Sa femme, Solange Tremblay, s’est battue inlassablement pour le faire libérer, croyant dur comme fer à l’innocence de son mari.

L’histoire de Michel Dumont est fascinante en soit. Alors, je me demande pourquoi un artiste et réalisateur talentueux comme Podz a pris une telle approche qui nous a donné un film aussi drabe. Dès le départ, j’ai eu du mal à embarquer. C’est comme si on arrivait au milieu d’un univers boueux où on ne comprend rien. C’était peut-être l’effet voulu par rapport à l’histoire, mais ce n’était pas un choix gagnant à mon humble avis. Les choses se sont légèrement améliorées en deuxième partie de film, mais c’était trop peu, trop tard pour moi.

Le jeu des acteurs était aussi souvent gros et que dire des perruques et costumes? La fausse chevelure donnée à Marc-André Grondin était risible tellement elle avait l’air fausse. Ça me rappelle quand Daniel Lavoie avait joué Félix à la télé.

Alors, en somme, un film à oublier pour moi. Ce genre d’histoire a déjà été racontée au cinéma, et de façon bien plus intéressante.

Note: ««

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

Champions (2023)

Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Bobby Farrelly
Cast: Woody Harrelson, Kaitlin Olson, Ernie Hudson
Time: 124 minutes

 


Marcus Marakovich is a minor league basketball assistant coach with much aptitude for the game but zero people skills. After getting fired from his assistant coaching job for shoving the coach during an argument, Marcus gets arrested for a DUI. Instead of getting jail time, he gets community service. He must coach a group a group of kids with intellectual disabilities who are forming a basketball team called the friends.

This film is a US adaptation of a Spanish movie based on a true story. Went to see it with my wife last weekend, and we enjoyed very much. It is a very cute movie. I dig Harrelson as an actor, and the supporting cast do a good job here too. The story is a tad predictable, though I appreciated how a few surprises were thrown in there towards the end.

Rating: ««««

Monday, March 27, 2023

Gimme Shelter (1970)

Genre: Documentary
Directed by: Albert Maysles, David Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin
Cast: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Tina Turner
Time: 91 minutes

 


This documentary film chronicles the 1969 tour of the United States by The Rolling Stones, which culminated in the now infamous Nightmare at Altamont, a free concert organized by The Stones in the San Francisco area, with the Hell’s Angels as security, that turned deadly for a young man that was stabbed multiple times after taking out a gun.

In this film, made in the Direct Cinema style, we see footage from the 1969 tour and the events leading up to the Altamont free concert. There is a lot of backstage footage with the Stones and their entourage and then we see a lot from that awful night, including the actual stabbing.

This is a fascinating documentary. Some of the material is grainy and the sound quality is not always optimal, but it is a captivating look at a major event in the history of music and counter-culture.

Rating: ««««

Thursday, March 23, 2023

Upside Down (2012)

Genre: Romance / Science-fiction
Directed by: Juan Diego Salanas
Cast: Jim Sturgess, Kirsten Dunst
Time: 108 minutes


 

Adam Kirk and Eden Moore are lovers living in two separate sections of a two-planet world with dual gravity. They try to get together but mixing between planets is forbidden and they are torn apart. A decade later, their paths crosses again, and Adam tries to win back the love of Eden, who suffers from partial amnesia.

The visuals here are absolutely unbelievable. The parallels with our world and the matter of classes and differences, while not subtle, are compelling. The fact remains that this kind of film is not really my thing. It was fine entertainment for what it was.

Rating: «««

Chartrand et Simonne (2003)

Genre: TV / Franco / Biographical
Distribution: Luc Picard, Geneviève Rioux
Nombre d’épisodes: 12


 

Cette mini-série québécoise raconte de façon légèrement romancée, sur 12 épisodes, l’histoire d’amour ainsi que d’engagement social et politique du syndicaliste Michel Chartrand et de sa femme, la figure sociale féministe Simonne Monet.

J’ai été un peu déçu en revisitant cette œuvre, qui était franchement meilleure dans mes souvenirs. Beaucoup des comédiens et comédiennes jouent gros et faux, et je crois qu’une grosse partie du blâme revient aux scénarios. On ne sent jamais que les personnages ont des conversations. Tout est projeté comme un discours. La seule grâce qui ressort de cette mini-série est le travail de Luc Picard pour incarner Michel Chartrand. Il est criant de vérité, c’est incroyable. Quelques-unes de ses répliques m’ont bien fait rire aussi. L’aspect de l’histoire du Québec était aussi intéressante à voir. Mais, dans l’ensemble, c’est une œuvre de télé qui a bien mal vieilli.

Rating: ««

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Les Filles de Caleb (1990-1991)

 Genre: TV / Franco / Drama
Distribution: Marina Orsini, Roy Dupuis, Germain Houde
Nombre d’épisodes: 20

 


Ce téléroman historique raconte l’histoire d’Émilie Bordeleau, fille de Caleb, et de sa tumultueuse et passionnée histoire d’amour avec Ovila Pronovost, au tournant du XXe siècle. Ovila, qui sera d’abord son élève à l’école de rang en Mauricie, au Québec, deviendra son mari et le père de ses nombreux enfants.

Il y a si longtemps que j’ai lu les livres d’Arlète Cousture sur lesquels cette série est basée et que j’ai regardé cette série réalisée de main de maître par Jean Beaudin que j’en avais oublié des bouts. Quel travail avait été fait pour recréer le Québec rural du tournant du 20e siècle. Les costumes, les décors et tout le reste, on y croit. Pour les acteurs principaux, le jeu est convaincant. Un visionnement à ce moment-ci de ma vie m’a donné une nouvelle appréciation pour cette histoire. C’est un peu kitch par bout, mais néanmoins divertissant. Quelques scènes auront marqué l'imaginaire.

Rating: ««««

Problem Child (1990)

Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Dennis Dugan
Cast: John Ritter, Michael Oliver, Gilbert Gottfried, Amy Yasbeck
Time: 81 minutes


 

Unable to have a child the regular way, Ben and Florence Healy decide to adopt Junior, a 7-year old boy who went from home to home before ending up in an orphanage. What the Healy’s do not know is that the boy is a problem child who brings trouble and mischief wherever he goes.

This is a silly, albeit fun, comedy. The characters are over-the-top and clichéd, but the actors portraying them are carrying them farther than that kind of material makes you expect. This came out when I was a teenager, so it brought back memories and it was cool to revisit it so many years later.

Rating: «««

Monday, March 20, 2023

Norbourg (2022)

Genre: Franco / Drama
Réalisateur: Maxime Giroux
Distribution: Vincent-Guillaume Otis, François Arnaud, Christine Beaulieu
Durée : 119 minutes

 


Eric Asselin est enquêteur et vérificateur pour l’Autorité des marchés financiers. Il a la responsabilité d’enquêter sur le dossier de Vincent Lacroix et de la compagnie Norbourg. Attiré par l’appât du gain, Asselin quitte son poste pour se joindre à Lacroix. L’affaire Norbourg est devenue un des pires scandales financiers de l’histoire du Québec. De nombreux investisseurs seront floués de toutes leurs économies.

Malgré l’excellent travail des acteurs principaux, j’ai trouvé le scénario un peu lourdaud. En plus, bien peu de place à été fait pour l’aspect des investisseurs floués dans toute cette histoire.

Note: «««

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

Scream (2022)

Genre: Horror
Directed by: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin
Cast: Melissa Barrera, Mason Gooding, Jenna Ortega
Time: 114 minutes

 


Twenty-five years after the original Woodsboro murders, a new Ghostface is striking fear in town by targeting a group of teenagers somewhat related to the horrible events that happened a quarter of a century before. Sidney Prescott, Gale Weathers and Dewey Riley come back to help stop this new menace.

This film is the fifth installment in the Scream franchise, but it was sold as a reboot of the original. It follows the events of Scream 4 and it was the first movie in the franchise to not be directed by Wes Craven, who passed in 2005.

It offers some decent entertainment. Some of the acting was a little uneven, but it was a nice treat to see the old characters back in supporting roles. This film was very meta, but the filmmakers managed to do it with some charm to it. It was an interesting play on the genre.

Rating: «««

Monday, March 13, 2023

Ça sent la coupe (2017)

Genre: Franco / Comedy / Drama
Réalisateur: Patrice Sauvé
Distribution: Louis-José Houde, Julianne Côté, Émilie Bibeau
Durée : 90 minutes

 


Max passe le plus clair de son temps à regarder les parties des Canadiens de Montréal avec ses amis et à opérer l’entreprise de son défunt père, située sous son appartement. C’est sa copine Julie qui écope le plus dans cette équation, et, au début d’une nouvelle saison, elle décide de le quitter. Max passe alors tout la saison de hockey à essayer de la reconquérir et à réévaluer ses choix de vie.

C’est fort sympathique comme comédie dramatique. J’ai apprécié l’aspect de la relation avec le père et de l’amour du hockey. L’histoire manquait un peu de focus à certains endroits, et le film m’a presque perdu en cours de route, mais, à la fin, j’ai été touché. Un bon divertissement.

Note: «««

Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Absolute Deception (2013)

Genre: Action / Thriller
Directed by: Brian Tranchard-Smith
Starring: Cuba Gooding Jr, Emmanuelle Vaugier, Evert McQueen
Running time: 92 minutes


 

After finding out from an FBI agent that the husband she thought had died in a car accident a while back was in fact a police informant who had just been killed in Australia, journalist Rebecca Scott travels Down Under, to the Gold Coast, to investigate the matter further with John Nelson, the FBI agent that gave her the information.

What an absolute deception this film is; the story is convoluted and goes nowhere, and the acting is so uninspired. Oh, how Cuba Gooding Jr. has fallen as an actor. This film was barely over 90 minutes, and it felt like it lasted twice as long. And the end was not satisfying. It was like waiting forever for bad food.

Rating: «

Tuesday, March 7, 2023

Chris Rock: Selective Outrage (2023)

Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Joel Gallen
Starring: Chris Rock
Running time: 69 minutes


 

In his last comedy special, recorded live in Baltimore, Maryland, comedian Chris Rock covers many topics, such as Megan Markle, the Kardashians, racism and wokeness. He also tackles the giant elephant in the room, i.e. his beef with Will Smith and the slap seen around the world at the Oscars last year.

In my humble opinion, Rock hit a home run with this special. He was funny, the material was solid, and he delivered it all with great stage presence. The man has experience. Even when he fumbled on some words towards the end, he kept on going and made it funny. The Will Smith stuff was a great comeback. All in all, a very good show.

Rating: ««««