(2 Jul) Predator (1987, John McTiernan) [ review ] 93
(6 Jul) Game of Death (2017, Sébastien Landry & Laurence “Baz” Morais)87
[ Reviewed on Extra Beurre ]
(7 Jul) Le problème d’infiltration (2017, Robert Morin)91
[ Reviewed on Extra Beurre ]
(8 Jul) GLOW: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (2012, Brett Whitcomb)
[ I binge-watched season one of the GLOW series in two days and mostly liked it, even though it kinda peaked with the pilot. Female wrestling is just awesome, as is the ensemble cast led by Alison Brie and especially Marc Maron. But a couple of Twitter friends told me this documentary was way better, which is rather true. We get a much fuller impression of what the GLOW TV show was like and who all the real-life, colourful characters were. And what we see of the aftermath of the show is often heartbreaking, particularly seeing Mount Fiji in a nursing home. Then again, it gives you newfound respect for the creators/writers of the GLOW series, who actually invented almost all of the comedic and/or dramatic material, taking inspiration only from general ideas. ]
(13 Jul) The Villainess (2017, Jung Byung-gil)88
[ Reviewed on Extra Beurre ]
(14 Jul) De père en flic 2 (2017, Émile Gaudreault)64
[ Reviewed on Extra Beurre ]
(18 Jul) Radius (2017, Caroline Labrèche & Steeve Léonard)76
[ Reviewed on Extra Beurre ]
(19 Jul) War for the Planet of the Apes (2017, Matt Reeves)89
[ Reviewed on Extra Beurre ]
(20 Jul) Dunkirk (2017, Christopher Nolan)93
[ Reviewed on Extra Beurre ]
(22 Jul) Lowlife (2017, Ryan Prows)93
[ Reviewed on Extra Beurre ]
(24 Jul) Karmina (1996, Gabriel Pelletier)77
[ It’s funny what either added nostalgia or the fact that I saw this movie again for the first time in forever in a brand-new 4K version in a crowded theatre can do to a movie I once found to be messy, campy and only sorta enjoyable. Tonight, laughing out loud along with 300+ people at the wonderfully silly gags & stunts and the cast’s over the top performances, I ended up feeling that this is basically our “Ghostbusters” or “BeetleJuice”, i.e. a hilarious comedy that skillfully plays with genre tropes. Starring the great Isabelle Cyr as a lady vampire about to be married off by her parents (Raymond Cloutier & Sylvie Potvin) to businessman Vlad (screenwriter Yves P. Pelletier) who flees Transylvania and ends up in Montreal, where she crashes at her aunt’s (France Castel) and falls in love with a human keyboard player (Robert Brouillette), this is also sort of a horror-laced variation on “Coming to America”. In any case, it’s a whole lotta fun. Special mention to scene-stealer Gildor Roy! ]
(25 Jul) Il était une fois dans l’Est (1974, André Brassard)51
[ I love Michel Tremblay’s writing – the use of joual, the colorful characters, the trashy/poetic universe. But this screenplay is all over the place, mish-mashing elements from a bunch of his theatrical stories into something that still often resembles a filmed play. It’s all quite badly directed, shot and cut, yet it remains compelling enough thanks to the sparks of Tremblay genius that shine through. ]
(27 Jul) A View to a Kill (1985, John Glen)85
[ “Wow! What a view!” “To a kill.”
Having grown up in the ‘80s, the late Roger Moore was basically “my” James Bond. Not the best per se, but the one I’m fondest of. Movies like “A View to a Kill” might be all kinds of silly and campy, but they’re full of fun gags & stunts and always, there’s that twinkle in Moore’s eye that makes it all work. This particular episode also stands out for: 1) the absolutely awesome Duran Duran theme song (which is echoed throughout John Barry’s score); 2) the typically hilarious performance byChristopher Walken as the villain; 3) the striking physical presence of Grace Jones as his henchwoman; and 4) the extra work by newcomer Dolph Lundgren! Throw in a classic ski sequence for the cold open and memorable set pieces on the Eiffel Tower and the Golden Gate Bridge, and you get a wildly entertaining time at the movies. ]
(31 Jul) Dunkirk (2017, Christopher Nolan)9395
[ I loved “Dunkirk” in 70mm, but in IMAX, it’s practically another movie. On the giant screen with the super powerful sound, it’s more immersive and intense than ever. Also, on second viewing, the ingenuity of Nolan’s screenplay is all the more impressive. I’m now ready to give it 5 stars and to call it a masterpiece. ]