Monsieur Lazhar (2011)

Genre: Franco / Drama
Réalisation: Philippe Falardeau
Distribution: Mohamed Fellag, Sophie Nélisse, Émilien Néron
Durée: 94 minutes

 

Martine Lachance, une enseignante du primaire à Montréal, s’enlève la vie par pendaison dans sa classe au cours d’une période de récréation, laissant ses élèves dans un choc profond. Un réfugié algérien un peu rigide et au passé difficile, Bashir Lazhar, prend la relève comme enseignant de la classe de la défunte.

Monsieur Lazhar demeure un très bon film, très touchant, mais non sans failles. D’abord, notons que la distribution fait du bon boulot. Même les jeunes acteurs et actrices rendent bien leur rôle. L’histoire est bien ficelée, quoique le tout se gâte à la fin. On dirait que le tout se termine trop sèchement, comme s’il manquait quelque chose à cette histoire. Ça laisse un goût de frustration au bout du compte.

Rating: «««

If I Leave Here Tomorrow: A Film About Lynyrd Skynyrd (2018)

Genre: Documentary
Directed by: Stephen Kijak
Cast: Gary Rossington, Johnny Van Zant, Bob Burns
Time: 97 minutes

 

This film covers the genesis of the Lynyrd Skynyrd band, its rise to fame at a young age, its songs, the excesses, the in-fighting, the plane crash that took the lives of many of them, and its rebirth with new members joining the survivors of the crash.

This movie was well done. It was a compelling documentary about a southern rock band that left its mark. The filmmakers even dared to touch on sensitive subjects, such as racism, and they did it tastefully. I was particularly moved by the survivors of the infamous plane crash recollecting the tragic event from their point of view. This is truly a great rock documentary.

 Rating: «««««

Turn It Up!: A Celebration of the Electric Guitar (2014)

Genre: Documentary
Directed by: Robert Radler
Cast: Kevin Bacon, B.B. King, Nancy Wilson, Slash
Time: 86 minutes

 

Hosted by actor and musician Kevin Bacon, this documentary looks at the history of the electric guitar and of the competing brands of makers of the beloved instrument. We hear from famous musicians, such as B.B. King, Paul Stanley, Nancy Wilson, Slash, Jerry Cantrell and many more, and from business people who also enjoy playing the guitar in their free time. This film is very informative. As a lover of the guitar myself, I sure was interested. It made me want to pick up the guitar again.

Rating: ««««

Ron White: A Little Unprofessional (2012)

Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Tom Forrest
Cast: Ron White, Margo Rey
Time: 79 minutes

 

Live on stage at the Paramount Theatre in Austin, Texas, Ron White looked right at home in his home State, with a mic, a stool, some whiskey and a cigar. He delved into his typical brand of humor, discussing his wife, marriage, fatherhood, Tiger Woods, Dr. Phil, the Special Olympics, homosexuality and so much more. White’s material can be crude, but it is a lot of fun. The stories are interesting, and the punch lines are solid. The big Texan comic has perfected and mastered his style. He does not set out to make you reflect on things, but he makes you laugh about them. Even when he tackles difficult matters, he never comes off as mean-spirited. I enjoyed this show very much.

 Rating: ««««

Nobody (2021)

Genre: Action
Directed by: Ilya Naishuller
Cast: Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, RZA, Christopher Lloyd
Running Time: 92 minutes

 

Hutch Mansell is a retired government assassin who moved on to a regular life with a wife, two kids and a tedious job working for his father-in-law. After his house gets broken into by two armed robbers, putting his family in danger, Hutch reverts to his old ways, setting in motion a series of violent events that will get him in trouble with a crazy drug lord.

I loved this film. The story is a little nuts, and some of the support cast’s work is a little over-the-top, but Bob Odenkirk is so awesome in the lead role, it is amazing. He carries this film. He looks so unmenacing, but he can kick ass and he ends up being believable at it. I love when that can be pulled off on screen. And seeing Christopher Lloyd again was a treat.

Rating: ««««

14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible (2021)

Genre: Documentary
Directed by: Torquil Jones
Cast: Nirmal Purja
Running Time: 101 minutes

 

Nepalese mountaineer Normal Purja undertakes, along with his team, to climb the 14 peaks around the world that are over 8,000 meters within a period of 7 months. The previous record was 7 years.

I watched this with my wife over the weekend, since this is her kind of thing. While this was not my cup of tea, I still found it entertaining, interesting and inspiring. It takes a whole lot of guts (or maybe craziness) to try this kind of challenge.

Rating: ««««

The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)

Genre: Drama
Directed by: Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz
Cast: Shia LeBeouf, Zack Gottsagen, Dakota Johnson
Running Time: 98 minutes

 

Zak, a young adult with Down syndrome, escapes his assisted living facility with the hope of having his idol train him to be a professional wrestler. On the outside, Zak meets Tyler, a rebel fisherman on the run from his enemies. The two men form a bond and start traveling together.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. The acting was solid, the story was compelling, and the whole thing had me hooked all the way through. It was also a nice treat to see the likes of Mick Foley and Jake Roberts in a movie. Highly recommended for the human aspect of this tale on film.

Rating: «««««