The Rolling Stones: Havana Moon (2016)

Genre: Musical

Directed by: Paul Dugdale

Cast: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Ron Wood

Running time: 116 minutes

Following the US government’s decision to lift the embargo sanctions against Cuba, efforts were made to bring the longest reigning active rock band in the world, The Rolling Stones, on this island of the Caribbean as part of their tour of Latin America. The result of these efforts was a massive free outdoor concert attended by over half a million people.  

On The Rolling Stones: Havana Moon, we see a rock and blues band in great form performing 13 of their timeless classics on stage to the delight of the spectators. Many a smile could be seen on stage and in the crowd, and many Cubans gathered there were visibly emotional to be able to witness such a momentous occasion.

In most circles, we take music for granted, but when access to art is limited, it has to feel truly liberating to have it thrown at you in such grandiose fashion. As we can hear Keith Richards himself say before the show starts: “You ban something, you’re making a little more tasty”.

This concert, which lasts close to 2 hours, is prefaced by a short sit-down interview with the four members of The Rolling Stones, who discuss the process that brought them to Cuba and their experience there. Also, towards the end, we can hear each of them talk about what makes each of their colleagues so special.

The Stones put a lot of younger bands to shame. They manage to put ageing and egos aside and put on a great show. After over 50 years together, they still look like they are having fun. It is true that, in the old days, things were built to last.

Rating: «««««

Jimmy P. (2013)

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Arnaud Desplechin

Cast: Benicio del Toro, Mathieu Amalric, Elya Baskin

Running time: 100 minutes

Based on true events, this film tells the story of Jimmy Picard, a Blackfoot Native American dealing with debilitating health issues after serving in World War II. He goes to the hospital, in Topeka, Kansas, but tests reveal no sign of physical issues with the ailing vet. French doctor George Devereux is called in for his knowledge in ethnology and psychoanalysis. Over the course of many one-on-one discussions, the doctor will try to uncover the roots of the problem.

This film is based on the book written by George Devereux about his work at the veteran hospital in Topeka, Kansas.

Benicio del Toro is solid in the lead role. He is great at portraying his character’s vulnerability. It is no surprise, really, as the actor has accustomed us to great performances. Mathieu Amalric is also very good in the role of George Devereaux.

Jimmy P. is a very beautiful film that deals with racism, with the fragility of the human mind and with sympathy. I highly recommend this one.

Rating: ««««

Righteous Kill (2008)

Genre: Thriller

Directed by: Jon Avnet

Cast: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Curtis Jackson

Running time: 100 minutes

Turk and Rooster are two police detectives on the trail of the Poetry Boy killer, a man going around town killing criminals and leaving a small poem behind as a signature. Soon enough, Turk is suspected by some of his colleagues to be the person behind these killings.

This cop thriller was absolutely trashed by critics. I think that people expected so much out of it, since it was only the second film in history where De Niro and Pacino shared the screen, after Heat, that most left disappointed.

As for me, I though the film was decent. The acting was pretty good and the story was compelling. I particularly liked how we were swerved at the end.

Considering the parties involved, it could have been great, but, at least, it was good.

Rating: «««

The Opera Singer (2016)

Genre: Short / Drama

Directed by: Steve Kahn

Cast: Shannon Elizabeth, Rena DuShea, Sarah DuShey

Running time: 3 minutes

As the end of her life is approaching, an old woman is reflecting with regrets upon her past and her unfulfilled dreams to be an international opera singer.

This short film, which was directed and written by Steve Kahn, packs up a lot of emotions into its three minutes duration. It is a beautiful short movie about life, about dreams and about regrets. I must admit that I was a bit surprised with the choice of Shannon Elizabeth, of American Pie fame, to narrate this one, but she does a good job with it.

While The Opera Singer was a bit sad and melodramatic, I found it to be a very touching and inspirational film. Life is too short to risk ending up filled with regrets; we must live fully while we can.

Rating: ««««

Les 3 P'tits Cochons (2007)

Genre: Franco / Comedy

Réalisateur: Patrick Huard

Distribution: Guillaume Lemay-Thivierge, Claude Legault, Paul Doucet

Durée: 124 minutes

Christian, Mathieu et Rémi sont trois frères qui se retrouvent au chevet de leur mère, dans le coma à l’hôpital. Au fil des jours qui passent, les trois adultes discutent de la vie, de leur couple respectif et de fidélité. Christian et Mathieu, les deux plus jeunes, ont une vision bien différente de Rémi sur le sujet, et cette divergence nourrit les discussions entre eux à mesure que les choses changent dans leur vie.

Les dialogues dans cette comédie de 2007, réalisée par l’acteur et humoriste Patrick Huard, sont souvent savoureux. J’ai beaucoup ri en regardant ce film. Le sujet des relations de couple ne se démode pas et il est traité de façon très actuelle dans Les 3 P’tits Cochons.

Le jeu des acteurs principaux et de la majorité des acteurs secondaires est assez solide. En fait, il n’y a que Mahée Paiement qui détone ici pour moi. À mes yeux, elle était un peu trop et un peu fausse.

Somme toute, Les 3 P’tits Cochons est une bonne comédie, fort drôle, quoique un peu trop longue. Huard aurait facilement pu couper dans le gras un peu et offrir un produit plus serré et solide.

Rating: ««««

Can't Buy Me Love (1987)

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Steve Rash

Cast: Patrick Dempsey, Amanda Peterson, Seth Green

Running time: 94 minutes

Ronald Miller is a high school nerd who pays off the most popular girl in school, head cheerleader Cynthia Mancini, to pretend to date him for a month, so that he will be seen as a cool kid by the others. The plan works like a charm, but Ronald’s newfound popularity in school goes to his head, and, like it usually does in these cases, the scheme backfires.

Since we are talking about a teen comedy from the 80’s, cheesiness is to be expected. For the most part, this is a cute film. The acting is decent and the storyline is compelling enough. As we have seen through the years, teenagers are easy to influence. Once they think you are cool, you can get almost anything over, even a weird dance.

Unfortunately, my appreciation for this movie crumbled towards the end. I was willing to give it a lot of leeway, as a product of its time and genre, but that speech in the cafeteria by Ronald close to the end of the film totally ruined it for me. It came off so cheesy, preachy and lame that it was laughable. Disappointing.

Rating: ««

Waitress (2007)

Genre: Comedy / Drama

Directed by: Adrienne Shelly

Cast: Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Cheryl Hines, Adrienne Shelly

Running time: 104 minutes

Jenna works as a waitress in a diner, where she is also known for creating various delicious pies. She has been living for years with her deadbeat husband, who she does not love anymore, and she is afraid to leave him. After discovering that she is pregnant with her husband’s baby, Jenna’s life is turned upside down. Her dreams of escaping her present situation seem to be melting away. There is also Jenna’s new doctor, young Jim Pomatter, who is bringing a very different male presence in her life.

This is a much better movie than I first expected it to be. It is a very compelling tale about love, courage and dreams. It is also a nice way to show how motherhood will change a woman's priorities sometimes. While a little clichéd, the characters are interesting and easy to get emotionally invested in. You want to see how it will all end. The ending is a bit cheesy, but it is nonetheless pleasing to see.

Keri Russell does a very good job in the lead role. It is also a treat to see Andy Griffith is a small but important role.

There is a tragic side to this film. Adrienne Shelly, who wrote and directed this film (she also played a small role in it), was killed shortly before its release. For her last work as a filmmaker, she did a solid job of telling a sweet story about compelling characters.

Rating: «« « «

Love Actually (2003)

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Directed by: Richard Curtis

Cast: Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Forth, Laura Linney, Emma Thompson

Running time: 136 minutes

This 2003 romantic comedy tells 10 different stories of love involving multiple characters. As the movie goes along, links between characters are discovered and most of their lives converge to a same meeting point around Christmas time.

This film has often been called a Christmas classic and the ultimate romantic comedy. It is indeed overly sweet and a little cheesy at times, but, still, it remains a very charming work of art. It is clearly aimed at being a feel-good movie, and, in that sense, the target has been hit straight in the bullseye.

A great ensemble cast has been assembled for Love Actually. It is (actually) an amazing thing to witness. I am sure many took a pay cut to take part in the project. There are so many names of talented people, and there are also Elisha Cuthbert and January Jones, I will not bother naming them all. Every actor from whom I expected a solid performance did not disappoint. I was particularly touched by Emma Thompson and Laura Linney’s characters.

All things considered, while Love Actually is very, very sweet, almost to a fault, it is still such a pleasant feel-good movie that there is no way for me to dislike it.

Rating: «« « «

Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Directed by: Mike Newell

Cast: Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell, Kristin Scott Thomas

Running time: 117 minutes

While serving as best man in a wedding, Charles, an Englishman living in London, meets Carrie, a single American woman, with whom he spends the night. Over the course of three more weddings and a funeral, Carrie keeps crossing Charles’ path.

In this movie, once again, Hugh Grant plays…Hugh Grant: A good-natured and socially awkward guy who goes from relationship to relationship without settling down. He knows the kind of role well. Andie MacDowell and him have a pretty good chemistry on screen.

In my humble opinion, this film dragged on a little too long. There were some sweet moments and some very funny ones, like the first time Rowan Atkinson’s character officiates a wedding. This film is not without charm, but, overall, it just felt a little generic and forgettable to me.

Rating: «« «

Searching for Sugar Man (2012)

Genre: Documentary / Author’s Favorites

Directed by: Malik Bendjelloul

Cast: Sixto Rodriguez

Running time: 86 minutes

In the 1970’s, American musician Sixto Rodriguez released a couple of albums that did not make much of a splash in the US and then he vanished out of the public eye. For some reason, Rodriguez’s albums made their way to South Africa, where the artist became a true cultural phenomenon. In the late 1990’s, two Cape Town men decided to go on a mission to find out what had happened to the singer/songwriter their country loved so much. Rumors had it that he had committed suicide on stage, but what was the truth?

If you have yet to see this film and if you don’t know much about it, I don’t want to say too much and ruin it. All I will say is that it is a wonderful piece of documentary cinema that is well worth your time. It is a heart-warming tale about the power of music as something that has no border or limit. This film has made me smile and shed a tear or two. I highly recommend it, and I also recommend the music of Rodriguez. Great stuff.

Rating: «« « « «

John Tucker Must Die (2006)

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Directed by: Betty Thomas

Cast: Jesse Metcalfe, Brittany Snow, Ashanti

Running time: 89 minutes

After having to move once again to a new city and school because her single mom has been dumped by another deadbeat, Kate has had enough of players. In her new school, John Tucker is the star jock who gets all the girls. When three girls from different cliques find out that John Tucker has been dating them all at the same time, they devise a plan with the help of Kate to break his heart.

This is your average cute teen movie; not the best of the genre, but not the worst either. The acting is ok for the most part and there is some funny material in the dialogue. I laughed out loud a few times.

Like any romantic comedy built for teens, the ending is predictable, as these kinds of elaborate schemes always backfire. With these movies, it is always better to go in with low expectations.

Rating: «« «

Sam Kinison: Breaking the Rules (1987)

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Walter C. Miller

Cast: Sam Kinison

Running time: 50 minutes

In this HBO special of his, from 1987, Sam Kinison dove on stage without any effort to hold back. He ranted and raved, he screamed at the top of his lungs; basically, he was up to his usual antics. And, people loved it.

In Breaking the Rules, the preacher turned stand-up comic, who would die in a car crash five years later, talked about drugs, about women (his favorite subject), about sex and about religion. He did it with his razor-sharp tongue, never afraid to throw out an obscenity or two in the midst of a sentence.

Some of the material did not age so well and would likely come off as sexist, homophobic and such, but it was a product of its time.

Overall, this is a very funny stand-up comedy show, with some great raunchy material. A few lines miss the mark, but the majority of it was great.

Rating: «« ««

Eastern Promises (2007)

Genre: Thriller

Directed by: David Cronenberg

Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel

Running time: 101 minutes

Anna is a Russian-British midwife working in a London hospital. After delivering the baby of a teenage prostitute who died during labor, she decides to investigate the dead girl’s story, with the help of the diary she left behind. Anna soon realizes that the deceased prostitute is linked to a Russian mob family operating in London. She ends up with the family’s hired hand, Nikolai, on her tracks in what could be a very dangerious situation for her.

This film has received rave reviews from critics over the years, and that has me wondering if there is something wrong with me. I really did not like this movie. I found Mortensen, Watts and Cassel totally unbelievable in their respective roles. They never managed to make me emotionally invested into their characters’ fates.

As for the story, it had a few compelling elements and nice twist that I did not expect towards the end, but it was not enough to make this Eastern Promises enjoyable. Maybe if it had been Naomi Watts fighting naked in a locker room shower, I would have cared a little bit more, but probably not: Overall, I found this film quite disappointingly boring.

Rating: ««

La Petite Reine (2014)

Genre: Franco / Drama

Réalisateur: Alexis Durant-Brault

Distribution: Laurence Leboeuf, Patrice Robitaille, Denis Bouchard

Running time: 108 minutes

Julie Arseneau est une championne dans le monde compétitif du cyclisme international et elle est la coqueluche de sa nation. Malheureusement, croulant sous la pression de son entourage et prise par le désir de tout le monde de la voir continuer à gagner des compétitions, elle tombe dans l’enfer du dopage et de la violence.

La Petite Reine est librement inspiré de l’histoire vraie de la championne cycliste Geneviève Jeanson, qui a abandonné la compétition en 2006 et ensuite avoué s’être dopée. Les noms de la cycliste et des personnages secondaires ont été changés, mais le fond de l’histoire demeure très semblable.

Laurence Leboeuf et Patrice Robitaille portent une grande part de ce film sur leurs épaules et ils le font de brillante façon. Les deux sont très justes dans leur interprétation respective. Pour ce qui est de Denis Bouchard, il joue Denis Bouchard, cette fois dans les souliers d’un père qui préfèrent jouer à l’autruche que de voir la réalité en face.

La Petite Reine est un film très intéressant. La réalisation est bien rythmée et nous amène tout de suite au cœur de l’action, dans un monde de compétition infernale, où le moindre raccourci pour mieux performer peut nous être fatal.

Rating: ««««

Girl Most Likely (2012)

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini

Cast: Kristen Wiig, Annette Bening, Matt Dillon

Running time: 104 minutes

After being dumped by her boyfriend and losing her job at a magazine in New York, Imogene stages a suicide attempt and ends up in the hospital. Upon her release, she is forced to go live for a while with her estranged mother, in New Jersey. Imogene’s life is turned upside down when she discovers that, contrary to what her mom had been saying before, her father is not dead.

This is a cute film, but not much more than that.

Story-wise, there are a few good moments, but nothing spectacular. The big denouement leading to the happy ending is just plain silly. There definitely were missed opportunities at comedy. For example, the first morning after coming back to the family home, Imogene confronts her mom about hearing her and her new boyfriend going at it in the bedroom. But, in the previous scene, all we see is Imogene going to bed. We don’t see or hear anything that happens, so the discussion comes out of nowhere. 

The on screen chemistry between Wiig and Bening was good and there were a few moments that made me smile in this film, but, all things considered, Girl Most Likely was very disappointing.

Rating: ««

Mémoires affectives (2004)

Genre: Franco / Drama

Réalisateur: Francis Leclerc

Distribution: Roy Dupuis, Guy Thauvette, Nathalie Coupal

Durée: 100 minutes

Après avoir été fauché par un véhicule lors d’un délit de fuite, le vétérinaire Alexandre Tourneur se retrouve dans un profond coma. À sa sortie du coma, il se retrouve amnésique. Avec l’aide parfois complexe à obtenir de son entourage, Alexandre tente tant bien que mal de recoller les morceaux de sa vie et de ce qui lui est arrivé. S’il retrouve ces souvenirs oubliés, le regrettera-t-il?

Ce film est réalisé de main de maître par Francis Leclerc, qui se trouve à être le fils du poète et chanteur, Félix Leclerc. L’utilisation des couleurs, de l’éclairage et de tous ces autres trucs cinématographiques est très judicieuse.

Fidèle à ses habitudes, Roy Dupuis campe très bien son rôle. Il est vraiment difficile de lui trouver des failles à celui-là. Il était la personne toute désignée pour interpréter Alexandre Tourneur.

Le rythme est un peu lent dans Mémoires affectives, à l’image d’une sortie de coma. Le film semble incomplet également, avec trop de pistes de souvenirs exploitées à moitié, surtout en ce qui a trait aux relations familiales d’Alexandre.

Cela étant dit, ce film en est un de grande qualité et il est à voir.

Rating: ««««

Filth (2013)

Genre: Comedy / Drama

Directed by: Jon S. Baird

Cast: James McAvoy, Jamie Bell, Jim Broadbent

Running time: 97 minutes

Based on the Irvine Welsh novel of the same name, Filth is the story of Bruce Robertson, an unscrupulous Scottish police detective in line for an upcoming promotion to Detective Inspector. So as to better his chances, he puts all of his manipulative wits at work to mess with his colleagues/adversaries in the race to the higher ranking job. Unfortunately for him, his addiction to drugs and risky sexual behavior and his Bipolar disorder are spiraling out of control and it is a serious obstacle on his path to success.

James McAvoy is excellent in the lead role. He brings the manic and excessive traits of Bruce Robertson to life in a very convincing way.

I really love the cinematography of this film. It is dark, grimy…basically, it is filthy. The story takes some nice twists and turns and keeps you guessing all the way through. Nothing is served to you on a silver platter, which I love when it is done well in movies.

I thought the ending was a bit much, in terms of an attempt at cuteness, but, overall, this is very good dark comedy/drama.

Rating: ««««

24 Hour Party People (2002)

Genre: Comedy / Drama

Directed by: Michael Winterbottom

Cast: Steve Coogan, Paddy Considine, Andy Serkis

Running time: 117 minutes

Inspired by true events, rumors and urban legends, 24 Hour Party People tells the story of the music business in Manchester, England, from the late 70’s to the early 90’s, as seen through the eyes of Tony Wilson, a news reporter and the head of Fantasy Records. It is a tale of music, of big dreams and of mismanagement.

This is a film that does not take itself seriously. From the start, narrator Tony Wilson, played brilliantly by Steve Coogan, lets you know what to expect. The fourth wall is often broken, and it is made clear that things may not have happened exactly as they are being portrayed in the movie.

I had seen this movie years ago and hated it; I probably did not get it. Now that I am more familiar with some of the bands, mentioned, such as The Sex Pistols, The Buzzcocks, Joy Division, New Order, and such, it was easier for me to get into it. Also, having seen the movie about the life of Ian Curtis, the late singer of Joy Division, who committed suicide at the age of 23, it was interesting to get a different perspective on things in regards to his short life and early demise.

24 Hour Party People will not be everyone’s cup of tea. The story is not told in a traditional cinematic way and we are constantly bombarded by fast-paced images and various colors. For traditionalists, it might be overly disconcerting. To me, it was a fresh and different way to look at things and quite a thrilling time of movie-watching.

Rating: «««««

Amistad (1997)

Genre: Drama / Historical

Directed by: Steven Spielberg

Cast: Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, Matthew McConaughey

Running time: 154 minutes

Based on true story, Amistad tells the tale of a group of black men who were bought as slaves by Spanish folks in 1839. On a ship called La Amistad, off the coast of Cuba, the enslaved men freed themselves of their chains and took over control of the boat, before being arrested by the US authorities further down the line. Their recapture was followed by an American court case, to determine the men’s fate, that went up to the Supreme Court.

First off, what a team we have here. As director, we have Steven Spielberg, a man well known for being able to weave a compelling story on screen. Once again, he did not disappoint here. Also, we have a loaded cast of talented actors, all in top form. When you can count on people like Anthony Hopkins, Matthew McConaughey and Morgan Freeman to play roles and you feed them good material, it is bound to make a solid film.

While the historical accuracy of this film has been justifiably disputed (heck, this is Hollywood we are talking about), Amistad is still a very good movie about a truly ugly part of American history. In spite of the liberties taken by the filmmakers, the essence is there, and it is packages in a very compelling movie. The cinematography was great; some of the scenes can be hard to take, but it was necessary to show the violence that some people had to go through to be free.

All things considered, Amistad is a film I highly recommend. It is a little long, but it well worth it.

Rating: ««««

The Thin Red Line (1998)

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Terrence Malick

Cast: Sean Penn, Adrien Brody, Jim Caviezel

Running time: 170 minutes

This war drama, which is based on the novel by James Jones, is a semi-fictionalized account of the Battle of Mount Austen, during World War II, through the eyes of a group of Infantry soldiers sent to Guadalcanal as reinforcements to help seize territory from the Japanese.

The action in The Thin Red Line is more internal than external. This is more about inner thoughts than outward action. It is about finding inner truth in spite of the ugliness of war. The fight scenes are good, but so much time is spent on drab inner dialogue that I kind of lost focus after a while. And, at close to three hours, this movie is much, much too long.

The cast of this film is loaded with big names, but, in the end, all the characters kind of melt into one another and become unimportant.

Cinematography-wise, the images in The Thin Red Line are beautiful, but the story itself left me cold. While this has gotten many rave reviews over the years, I simply did not find it compelling.

Rating: ««

Bill Hicks: Revelations (1993)

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Chris Bould

Cast: Bill Hicks

Running time: 56 minutes

From the moment Bill Hicks walked on the stage of the Dominion Theatre, in London, for his Revelations comedy special, you could tell what he was all about. With a long coat and a black hat, Jimi Hendrix blaring on the speakers, you knew you were dealing with a badass and a rebel. And that is exactly what the late comic was. You can ask Denis Leary how great Bill Hicks’ material was.

In Revelations, Hicks dealt with religion, drugs, music and many other things, and he did with his usual corrosive style. After all, as he said: “I don’t mean to sound bitter, cold, or cruel, but I am, so that’s how it comes out.

The material in this show is very solid. I found myself agreeing with Hicks on many topics. The late comedian would tend to derail himself a bit by going into long sound effects with his mouth stuck to the microphone, which would get a little tedious after a while, but, when he would bring his comedy train back on track, he had me laughing again.

Overall, a very funny show and a nice introduction to the genius of Bill Hicks, a man who never played by the rules. Revelations is not your typical chuckle-fest; it challenges the viewer. It is well worth it, if you are up to it.

Rating: «« ««

The Dukes of Hazzard (2005)

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Jay Chandrasekhar

Cast: Johnny Knoxville, Seann William Scott, Jessica Simpson, Burt Reynolds, Willie Nelson

Running time: 106 minutes

Cousins Bo, Luke and Daisy Duke go through life making and selling moonshine with their uncle Jesse, all the while fighting off the constant torment from commissionner Boss Hogg and Sheriff Roscoe Coltrane. When the cousins find out that Boss Hogg is planning on strip mining Hazzard county, they have to work together to stop him…and win a stock-car race.

This adaptation of the famous TV show from the 70’s and 80’s is a very lame one, if we are to put it bluntly. I have always been a fan of Seann William Scott, and I popped for a moment to see Willie Nelson as an actor. And Jessica Simpson is cute in cutoff jeans, though probably not much of an ideal conversation partner. Unfortunately, the material they were given was nothing special. It was unfunny drivel used as an excuse to tie together some car chases.

I thought it was a nice touch to have people react to the General Lee’s confederate flag when the boys visit the big city. Times have changed since the original TV show, and it was cool to incorporate that. The pointless nudity when Bo and Luke visit the university campus was also fun. But, none of that was enough to make this film a good one. Skip it, unless you are sucker for the things this movie has to offer.

Rating: ««