T.F.S. Bitter Sweet

The Toronto Film Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study and enjoyment of film and movies.

The second movie this week was Bitter Sweet (1940) starring Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy pictured above.  This Oscar nominated musical begins when we find out that a well to do daughter of an aristocrat has secretly fallen in love with her music teacher.  Already engaged through an arranged marriage the two are desperate to be together so they elope to Vienna..  The story continues as the couple try to make a go of a life there in Vienna.  A good story line and some great singing acts make this a wonderful film to watch. (3.5/6.0)

T.F.S. Kiss Me Again

The Toronto Film Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study and enjoyment of film and movies.

The movie Kiss Me Again (1931) is an extremely enjoyable musical staring Bernice Claire (pictured below) and Walter Pigeon.  The storyline follows the lives if a rich aristocrat, a poor little shop girl with big dreams, and a pair of meddling fathers who want their children to marry the people THEY want, no matter what.  Kiss Me Again is actually a re-work of a longer movie... Toast Of The Legion.   Unfortunately the studio decided that the longer version wasn't working well so they reedited the movie removing alot of the song footage of Pigeon.  Although Kiss Me Again works extremely well, I still would have like seeing the longer version.  The comedy of the busy body dads.. and a great comic performance by Frank McHugh make for a fantastic movie.  (4.0/6.0)

Inception

Okay, easily the most intelligent movie of the year.  Definitely not a movie where you can go in and distractedly pay attention and expect to get much out at the end.  I loved this movie and that is just because of the fact that there is SO little good science fiction being made lately...  and I would say Inception surpasses the good category and borders on the great.  Like District 9 the previous year Inception raises the bar and enters the group of truly mind blowing sci-fi.   Now the problem of writing a review for this movie is that it's almost impossible to describe what the movie is about, without either losing its key essence or having to write a novel.   At it's core Inception is a heist movie but instead of money or riches.. the criminals are stealing thoughts and ideas.   In the beginning we are introduced to Cob (Leonardo Di Caprio) a thought their.. people hire him to enter peoples dreams and steal their ideas and secrets right from their brains.  Cob is a reluctant thief though... he wants nothing more than to get back to his children... but because of a unfortunate circumstance in his past he cannot.   Then someone offers him the opportunity he is seeking.. one more job and he will be given a clean record.  The job??  To not STEAL a thought.. but PLANT a thought in the marks mind.. without getting caught doing it.   Okay.. that is a TREMENDOUSLY simplified version of the storyline.. I am hardly doing it justice.  The cinematography was eye popping.. as Christopher Nolan attempts to bring his idea of the dreamscape to the big screen.  The laws of gravity, time, space and proportion are broken... as people enter each others dreams.   Leonardo Di Caprio gives his usual stellar performance as the trouble anti-hero and Ellen Page does a creditable job playing up as the rookie "dream thief" of the group.   This is definitely a movie you need to see at the theaters... more than once if you can.  I know I want to see it again just to take it all in.  (6.0/6.0)

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Okay... so here is the second Jerry Bruckheimer movie of the summer.. the first being The Prince Of Persia: The Sand Of Time.  On the whole they seem very similar.  The same amount of action.  The same quality of the story.  The same level of star power.. IE Jake Gyllenhal vs Nicolas Cage.  The thing I like about Bruckheimer movies is that they ARE very similar.  It's very comforting going in knowing what to expect.  In Bruickheimer's case that is a half way decent popcorn/action movie, that will entertain me for a couple of hours.    That being said...  I definitely LIKED The Sorcerer's Apprentice more than Prince of Persia and I think it was due to a couple of things.   The main one being Jay Baruchel playing the role of the apprentice.  I thought he was awesome portraying the geeky physics nerd thrown into extraordinary circumstances.  I liked the humour he brought to the role and his subtle one liners flowed easily.  I also liked how the writers were able to flesh out the whole Sorcerer's Apprentice story line.   I mean it's impressive taking a 5 animated clip from Fantasia and making a feature length movie out of it.  I don't think you NEED to see this at the theater... DVD will be fine... but you also wont feel you wasted your money if you do go.  (4.5/6.0)

T.F.S. My Sister Eileen

The Toronto Film Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study and enjoyment of film and movies.

My Sister Eileen (1942) is an Oscar nominated comedy about two young women who move to New York from Ohio in order to establish their careers.  The havoc that ensues as they try to establish themselves makes for a fantastic fish out of water story guaranteed to make you laugh out loud.   I didn't quite like this movie as much as I liked Dream Girl but I think that came down to personal preference.  When I think about it there really wasn't anything in this film that I disliked.   A great cameo by the 3 Stooges at the end makes for an amusing ending to a good movie.   (4.0/6.0)

T.F.S. Dream Girl

The Toronto Film Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study and enjoyment of film and movies.

I found Dream Girl (1948) to be light hearted, funny and easy to watch.  The story is about Georgina played by Betty Hutton who is constantly day dreaming about what a life that could be but isn't.  Until the day she meets her match in a hard nosed sports writer who wants her to live her life and not dream about it.   Spark's fly as the two butt heads over their differing world views... but is Georgina's distaste a cover for a secret attraction??   The movie is a bit corny in areas... but not distractingly so.  I really enjoyed the banter between the two leads... as they slowly came together.   (4.5/6.0)

Despicable Me

Okay... another HOME RUN for animated movies in 2010.  After seeing How To Train Your Dragon.. I was wondering how Despicable Me would compare.  I am happy to report that it is on par, if not better than Dragon.  In Despicable Me Steve Carell voices the character of Gru of the world Super Villains.  His dream is to pull off the a truly horrible despicable crime and cement his status as the top villain.  When three orphan girls come unexpectedly into his life he is ill prepared to be the "daddy" type.  From there the comedy ensues as the girls worm there way into his "stone cold" heart and start to defrost his icy interior.   The 3D is once again amazing in this movie.  Animated movies seem to suit this new technology, as I have yet to see a bad example.  The writing was also superb... with a ton of inside jokes and sly references to the every day world. I am looking forward to seeing this movie again.. just so I can pay closer attention to what is being said.. to pick up on all the humour.   The minions.. Gru's trusted henchmen.. are hilarious.. and will keep the young folk watching in stitches..  (even us "older" young folk) Definitely go see this movie...  It's well worth the price of admission.   (6.0/6.0)

Knight And Day

So it was interesting this summer that we were treated to two movies following the theme of having an "everyday" women being thrown into the world of espionage and adventure when they meet a handsome stranger who happens to be a secret agent.   The first movie was Killers with Katherine Heigl and Ashton Kutcher.  Now, I liked that movie..  but that win in spite of the fact that it really wasn't that great.   Knight and Day on the other hand, has succeeded in almost every aspect where Killers failed.   This movie stars Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise as the major characters and they seem to have way more chemistry as a couple than Heigl and Kutcher were able to pull off.  Cruise is a way more believable secret agent and he has a great sense of comedic timing that plays well off Diaz.  The action sequences are a bit over the top but I found I didn't mind too much as the story was so engaging.   It's really too bad that Cruise is such a "freak" in real life.  Although I wouldn't call him a great actor, he is decent... and I usually like the movies that he is in.  I have been a fan of Cameron Diaz from way back so it was great to see her in this movie.  A fun summer popcorn movie definitely worth seeing at the theater.   (4.0/6.0)

Predators

Ahhhh finally!!!  A worthy successor to Arnie's great 1980 science fiction action flick Predator.  I remember bugging my dad incessantly for a week to go see that movie when I was a boy.  In my mind, what could be better than Arnold Schwarzenegger (a boyhood hero of mine) up against a 9ft tall alien behemoth... to see who would come out on top.  (I had NO doubt Arnie would come out on top)  My fond memories of seeing that movie with my dad is what makes seeing this modern day sequel so exciting to see.  Especially after the DISMAL and DISAPPOINTING sequels that they have tried to pass off over the past 20 years.   The first sequel with Danny Glover was definitely weak sauce compared to the first.. and I wont even comment on the two AVP movies.  I deny that those even exist.  I am happy to report though that this new sequel has come close to the greatness of the original.  Although Arnold isn't in it.. Adrien Brody does a credible job of portraying a relentless survivalist.. willing to do anything to beat the aliens.  The special effects are excellent... with a spare amount of CGI use.   The aliens are substantial being portrayed by actual actors in costume and makeup as opposed to computer generated.   The story/plot line is intricate and intriguing enough to keep your attention.. and the action sequences flow naturally without being forced.   For all those of you who have a nostalgic attachment to the old Predator movie.. you will love this sequel.  Those of you who haven't seen the orginal.. (you have lived a sheltered life) you can watch this movie fresh.. and still enjoy.   (4.5/6.0)

T.F.S. Twentieth Century

The Toronto Film Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study and enjoyment of film and movies.

Twentieth Century is a wacky comedy about a megalomaniac stage director (Barrymore) and his star pupil / actress (Lombard).  After Lombard's character leaves because she can't stand the overbearing director.. Jaffe..  he soon finds himself in bitter straights after a series of flops at the box office.  Desperate.. Jaffe flees the city aboard the Twentieth Century train, only to find that he is on board with his former star.  These two over the top characters (who are more alike than they want to admit) spar with each other.. as each tries to get one better over the other.  Although the comedy in this movie was funny at times... I found I didn't like the over bearing John Barrymore.  I know that is they way he was SUPPOSED to be... but I found it unappealing a bit.  On the whole the movie was good...  just that small bit though made it not as appealing as We're Not Dressing.   (4.0/6.0)

T.F.S. We're Not Dressing

This past Monday I had the opportunity to attend one of the screenings of the Toronto Film Society.  This local club or society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the appreciation of film.

We're Not Dressing is a light hearted musical starring Bing Crosby, Carole Lombard, George  Burns and Gracie Allen.  Crosby plays a sailor who is comically shipwrecked with a spoiled socialite played by Lombard.  Crosby and Lombard's characters are in love with each other but their differing world views makes a comedy of errors ensue.  George Burns and Gracie Allen liven things up as well, playing a geologist and his dim-witted wife also on the island (unbeknown to the shipwrecked couple)  I loved the chemistry that both Bing Crosby and Corole Lombard had together.. and of course George and Gracie are famous for just the same thing.  (5.0/6.0)

Jim.. I knew you'd come

Hey guys... I just thought I would pass this on.  I just heard this today and it definitely spoke to me.   Hope you like it.

Horror gripped the heart of a World War I soldier, as he saw his lifelong friend fall in the battle ground.  Caught in a trench with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head, the soldier asked his Lieutenant if he might go out into the "no man's land" between the trenches to bring his fallen comrade back.  "You can go," said the Lieutenant, "but I don't think it will be worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you may throw your life away."

The Lieutenant's words didn't matter, and the soldier went anyway.  Miraculously, he managed to reach his friend, hoist him onto his shoulder, and bring him back to their company's trench.  As the two of them tumbled in together to the bottom of the trench, the officer checked the wounded soldier, then looked kindly at his friend. "I had told you it wouldn't be worth it," he said. "Your friend is dead and you are mortally wounded."

"It was worth it, Sir," said the soldier.

"What do you mean, worth it?" responded the Lieutenant "Your friend is dead."

"Yes Sir," the private answered, "but it was worth it because when I got to him, he was still alive and he said...

"JIM ... , I KNEW YOU'D COME."