By John H. Foote (**) Criterion Blu Ray I first saw this odd, creepy film when it was released in 1990, my wife and I coming away truly feeling creeped out, disliking the characters, but neither one of us could shake the film. We had planned to see it again, but it was out of…
By John H. Foote The seventies cinema stands out as perhaps the finest in the history of cinema, an era dominated by urgent films, and movies that explored with welcome freedoms about what was happening in the world. Suddenly nudity was commonplace, sex was explored with honesty, language was equally honest as vulgarity became commonplace…
By John H. Foote (****) Long revered as one of the greatest films made in Canada, Goin’ Down the Road burst onto the Canadian film scene in 1970 and has been among the most discussed and written about films since its debut. Goin’ Down the Road played for over a year in New York City,…
By John H. Foote Every film you haven’t seen is a new experience. That has and always will be our site’s vision. Always. Seek out all films. The year it was made should not matter, whether it is black and white or colour should not make a difference. Give everything you have not seen a…
By John H. Foote Hollywood took a major hit yesterday with the cancellation of three major films, one of then an Oscar front runner directed by an industry giant. Steven Spielberg’s highly anticipated remake of the Oscar winning film and Broadway smash West Side Story has been postponed an entire year, pushed back to 2021.…
It is with profound regret and deep sadness that we announce the passing of Nick Maylor, one of our original writers and the producer of our podcast at Foote and Friends on Film. Nick passed away last week. Nick encountered John H. Foote as a student at the Toronto Film School, where Nick was often seen…
By John H. Foote At the end of it all, I would be lying if I said I had the slightest enjoyment of TIFF this year. I missed the energy of the cavernous, crowded Scotiabank Theatre or the spacious, still new Lightbox, the many busy conversations in the audiences before each film, other critics picking…
By John H. Foote (*) Place your brain on pause for this one, put your suspension of disbelief on high, (for as long as you can), be willing to go along with every goofy plot device, especially the narrative, and just go along for the ride. Start picking at the plot, you might never stop,…
By John H. Foote (****) We were in New York City in the summer of 2010 for a week, my wife and daughters. Sherri was doing very well after chemotherapy and radiation treatments, and though filled with energy, she would be gone in less than two years. As our cab weaved through the busy streets…
By John H. Foote (**) This gritty, tough love look at a relationship between a father and son who are strangers to each other has some strong acting within, but the truth is I screened it this morning and not given it a thought until I had to write this. Normally, if I have seen…