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 (****) 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 Do film buffs truly understand just what a ground-breaking film Alfred Hitchcock’s terrifying Psycho was? This was a monumental film, breaking fresh ground for a tried and true genre, and influencing dozens of films in the future. To this day I still encounter film students who discuss the massacre in the shower…
By John H. Foote Each year when the esteemed American Film Institute (AFI) announces its annual Lifetime Achievement Award winner, I hope to hear the name Francis Ford Coppola. For 30 years I have listened for his name, for 30 years I have been disappointed. Three times I have interviewed Coppola, and each time the…
By Marie-Renée Goulet My favourite movie genre is by far biographical movies. I love history, and I find some people and events fascinating. I love how I can escape to a different time and place, knowing that much attention has been paid to the details of a specific era. Frequently, we see a headline in…
By Craig Leask What was it about the 1970’s – that decade full of contradiction and change? The Vietnam War (1955–1975) was in full swing and escalating with no sign of resolution and the oil crisis was ravaging the economy. These factors led to a restless population and, for the first time, a public who…
By Alan Hurst Film comedy had a good year in 1996. The critically acclaimed Fargo and Jerry Maguire were major critical and box office hits. Lighter fare included Eddie Murphy’s reboot of The Nutty Professor; Mike Nichols’ glossy and laugh-out-loud Americanization of The Birdcage; the riotous teaming of Diane Keaton, Bette Midler and Goldie Hawn…
By John H. Foote (**) Watching Al Pacino thunder brilliantly through The Irishman (2019), portraying Jimmy Hoffa, earning an Oscar nomination for his work, I finally got around to re-watching Hoffa just a couple days ago. Danny DeVito directed the film written by the great playwright David Mamet and, despite the weaknesses in the film…
By John H. Foote (****) For the first time on Blu Ray, the gentle, sparse love story, and tale of redemption Tender Mercies comes to the small screens. Like a well written country and western song, Tender Mercies is all about hurtin’ and living with the pain. Life deals out some harsh cards and it…
By Alan Hurst One of the lightweight joys of movie going in the 1970’s through the 1990’s was the effervescent good time usually guaranteed by seeing Goldie Hawn on screen. She was pretty, she was funny, she had the dramatic chops when the opportunity allowed, and she was smart. Very smart. She could also sing…