Christy

You know I love an underdog sports film. There are tons of them. It's basically its own genre, right? And boxing films - good grief - there are so many, it's bananas. So do we really need another one? Yes. We. Do. The first time I laid eyes on Sydney Sweeney was in a film called Reality. I have been a big Sweeney fan since. Christy (Sweeney) is the true story of Christy Martin, the woman who put female professional boxing on the map in the '90s. Christy was gay but she hid it from the world. She married her trainer, Jim Martin (Ben Foster). So why do you need to watch another sports film? This is no ordinary sports film - it's also a horror movie, in the same way Gimme Shelter is a horror movie. I hated Jim Martin from the first frame I saw him in. I hated his hair. Ben Foster should be nominated for all the awards for creating a character this unlikable. And Christy's mother, Joyce Salters is played by Merritt Wever (Nurse Jackie) was also unbelievable good (I hated her character too) - awards for her too, please. And then back to Sweeney. It goes without saying that I thought she gave a powerhouse performance. This film is a very long and slow burn and when it hits at the end, it's a knockout. I might have cried. And on top of all this, after all the boxing movies I have watched - all the Rocky films and all the Creeds, Raging Bull, etc. - director David Michôd has somehow managed to make the fight scenes feel fresh. Christy hits like a freight train. Catch it streaming or go rent it from Movies 'N Stuff here in Ottawa.  

Keeper

Keeper marks Osgood Perkins' seventh directorial feature. Trivia: he is the son of actor Anthony Perkins. I hadn't heard of Osgood until all the hype about Longlegs, with Nic Cage, began to swirl about. I didn't love Longlegs as much as I was hoping to. It started great, but it never seemed to get going. Then came along The Monkey. I had a blast with this one. The Monkey was a fun horror film. Which brings us to his latest: Keeper. As I type this, the Rotten Tomatoes critic and audience scores sit at 51% and 40% respectively - a splat, as RT puts it. I had planned to see it in the theatre but didn't get around to it in time. A shame, I believe. I would have loved to see it on the big screen because it's a visual stunner. Like Tornado I just reviewed, the colour palette of this film is beige, brown, and grey. It feels like you walked into a GAP store in the mid '90s. Ha. Anyway, the story is a creepy cabin in the woods tale, except the cabin is an minimalist modern beautiful home, set in an idyllic forest with a tranquil stream running nearby. Oh, and there is another house nearby - crazy cousin Darren lives there. So, the plot is simple, Dr. Malcolm Westbridge (Rossif Sutherland) brings his new girlfriend Liz (Tatiana Maslany) up for a weekend at his "cottage." Malcolm's self-described asshole cousin lives next door. Things go strange quickly. Perkins knows how to make a haunting and disturbing atmosphere out of almost nothing. It's a formulaic story but the surreal and haunting images felt so fresh that my film-nerd squirrel tail went straight up with excitement. And Tatiana Maslany's performance, going loopy, is a fun trip. Keeper is a keeper. Catch it streaming or go rent it from Movies 'N Stuff here in Ottawa.        

Tornado

Want a period piece which feels like it was made by the lovechild of Akira Kurosawa and Sergio Leone and stars Tim Roth as the bad guy? Of course you do! That lovechild is writer and director, John Maclean, who only has one feature-length film before this to his credit, Slow West (a film I haven't seen but now intend to). Tornado is about a young girl, who goes by the name of Tornado (Kôki). She and her samurai father are travelling through the English countryside in 1790, occasionally stopping to put on puppet shows in their travelling theatre stagecoach. Along comes Tim Roth and his band of bad guys and well I won't spoil a thing. Go watch it. The famous Sergio Leone facial close-ups are on full display. The patience of Kurosawa, the slow stress-building of Leone - Maclean has learned from the best to take his time. The thing I dislike about Marvel movies is they are so loud and inelegant; beastly like a neon pig-ape draped in the American flag. Tornado is Zen beauty. It's in no hurry, but then suddenly it cuts fast and clean - you don't see it coming. For me, it's one of the best Westerns I've seen in a while. It's a mosaic of grey and brown but it's gorgeous nonetheless. With a short runtime of 90 minutes, it's a piece of candy. Taste this treat streaming on Crave or see if Peter has it at Movies 'N Stuff here in Ottawa. 

Reflection in a Dead Diamond

When you go to a fancy restaurant and they make something like a deconstructed peanut-butter and jelly sandwich, you might get something which has the three elements, peanuts, jelly, and some sort of bread product - it might just be a cracker - on a plate and it might look like modern art. Some might call it pretentious. This kind of fun isn't for everyone. Reflection in a Dead Diamond is a deconstructed Bond film. All the elements of a spy thriller are here, Mission: Impossible-style rubber masks, '80s ninja assassins, and cars with machine gun headlights, but it was like they were handed off to David Lynch. There is story here but to say it's coherent would be misleading. Some might call it pretentious. Co-writers and directors, Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani have created an eye-popping ode to Bond as well as a deconstructed one. I would say it's film-nerd fun. The opening sequence of a man on a beach having a drink is worth the price of admission alone, which was cheap because I found this little gem - this diamond - streaming on Shudder. It feels to me like MUBI or The Criterion Channel would be the more appropriate place to find such an arty post-modernist film experiment. If you are tired of spy tropes, then this one will shake things up for you (not stir them) and give you something to reflect on. 

The Baltimorons

If John Cassavetes had ever gotten around to making a romantic Christmas movie, I feel like it would have looked very close to Jay Duplass's The Baltimorons. This movie gives off serious Sideways vibes. What's it all about? Cliff (Michael Strassner) is a recovering alcoholic, ex-standup performer trying to get his life together with his fiancée, Brittany (Olivia Luccardi). On Christmas Eve, Cliff has an accident which lands him in the care of dentist Didi (Liz Larsen). Didi is divorced, a grandmother, and her ex has just gotten remarried to a younger woman. Her grown daughter has invited Didi to partake in the festivities of her ex's new nuptials, on Christmas Eve. Didi has no intention of going, but then Cliff happens. I won't say any more. I loved this little film. Liz Larsen gives us something that resembles Gena Rowlands in a Cassavetes film, a tough-gal, no-nonsense woman with a big heart if you can crack that tough-nut exterior. Didi has seen some life in her life. And Cliff, he is damaged goods. They both are. You want to cheer these two on. I laughed a few times out loud - a rare thing for me. Like I said, I loved this little film. I'm sure it's destined to become and indie Christmas classic. If you are looking for quirky fun, then let this be your oddball match. Catch it in theatres now or go rent it from Movies 'N Stuff when available.      

Gomorrah

Criterion keeps educating me, keeps expanding my film knowledge, reaching around the globe. This time it has taken me to Naples, Italy. The year is 2008. The fictional film is based on the nonfiction book by Roberto Saviano about the crime mafia of the region known as The Camorra. When I hear Italian "mafia" I think of films like The Godfather, Goodfellas, and The Untouchables. I think of men in suits, smoking cigars, and fancy cars. I think, Robert De Niro. Gomorrah isn't like that at all and De Niro is nowhere in sight. This is a grittier, Boyz N the (Italian) Hood style film. It was like Andrea Arnold or Sean Baker were asked to make an Italian mob movie - let me film-nerd translate that for you: What you get feels like a documentary style feature with its focus being on working class people and low level gangsters, in some cases, kids desiring to work for thugs. With a runtime of 137 minutes, director Matteo Garrone has made a big sweeping film with multiple overlapping story lines. One of which is about two adolescent young men who find a stockpile of mob guns. These two run around quoting Scarface, shooting off machine guns in their underpants by the edge of a shallow river - it's a crazy scene. Another story line follows a tailor who secretly sneaks off to help a rival Chinese company with their clothing - Italian fashion is cutthroat. This movie is shocking, riveting, and unforgettable. If you are looking for a contemporary crime drama with people in underpants, you could watch Joaquin Phoenix in Joker or you could watch Gomorrah. I would choose the latter, if you know what's good for you. Streaming on the Criterion channel or go rent it from Movies 'N Stuff here in Ottawa. 

The Ugly Stepsister

Last year my favourite film was The Substance. If you haven't seen it, you really should. If you were to take it and mash it together with Cinderella, you would have The Ugly Stepsister. This Norwegian horror comedy is something I wasn't expecting and didn't know I needed until I watched it. Quite frankly, I find it wild that it actually exists. I don't like period pieces - frilly lace, candelabras, and horse-drawn carriages usually are not my cup of tea. It's got to be pretty darn good to get my attention and The Ugly Stepsister is just that. First off, it's gorgeous - the costumes, the sets, the lighting. It feels like money, time and a lot of care went into it. Secondly, it's bananas - a body horror version of Cinderella. Seriously. And then, thirdly, Lea Myren . She plays Elvira, one of the stepsisters of Cinderella (known as Agnes in the film and played by Thea Sofie Loch Næss). Lea Myren is absolutely fantastic as the jealous, bug-eyed, will-do-anything (and I mean anything) character trying to beautify herself in order to win the hand of Prince Charming. I wish she would be nominated for some best actress awards, but sadly I think Hollywood Cinderellas will cause her to be overlooked. Like The Substance, this film is not for the squeamish - there is a lot of disturbing, gross, and very dark humour here. I loved it. Let writer/director Emilie Blichfeldt be your sick and twisted fairy godmother and catch it streaming on Shudder (or hopefully you can find a copy at Movies 'N Stuff here in Ottawa). Do it, before you turn into a pumpkin.      

The Stringer: The Man Who Took the Photo

So one of my favourite films this year is Weapons. If you have seen it or even seen the poster for it, you will see children running with their arms out, like the napalm girl in the famous 1972 Vietnam war photograph credited to photojournalist, Nick Út. Weapons writer/director, Zach Cregger based his children's unique running style on that famous photograph. That photo won Nick Út the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography and the World Press Photo of the Year in 1973. The photo made Nick Út an international star. This photo has been attributed, partially, with ending the war in Vietnam. So for 52 years, this was the story. Then Carl Robinson showed up. His story changes everything. Not the power of the image - that remains intact. It's who took the picture. Robinson, who was working with the Associated Press (AP) at the time in 1972, was told by his boss, to change the name on the napalm girl photo from the stringer (a low level paid Vietnamese contract photojournalist) Nguyễn Thành Nghệ to Nick Út. Robinson did what he was told but it haunted him, especially since Nick Út received and took all the credit for the photo. This documentary reminded me of  Batman & Bill, which is about Bill Finger, the co-creator of Batman, and one might argue, the main creator of Batman. Bob Kane took all the credit and Bill Finger died alone and penniless. Bill Finger is now listed in the credits of all DC Batman related movies and comics. I hope that Nguyễn Thành Nghệ, because of this documentary, The Stringer, will be given his proper acknowledgement. Catch this fascinating documentary streaming now on Netflix. 

After the Hunt

I'm in the minority of people who liked this film. In fact, most critics and audiences hated it (as I type this, the Rotten Tomatoes scores stand at a dismal 37% and 38% respectively). And I will say this, the film is pretentious, sort of. I can understand if people feel this way. It didn't bother me. It reminded me of Fincher's The Social Network. There is a cool-hipster vibe here, intellectual PhD tigers on leather sofas like they were in an Annie Leibovitz photo shoot. They drink wine and spirits like they were the drinking the blood of weak first year undergraduates, ready to pounce on any struggling idea. Eat them alive. What's it about? Its focus is Yale College professor, Alma (Julia Roberts), her psychoanalyst husband, Frederik (Michael Stuhlbarg), her star student, Maggie (Ayo Edebiri), and Alma's fellow professor Hank (Andrew Garfield) as Alma and Hank vie for tenure. Maggie, post smarty-pants party accuses Hank of sexual assault and then everything falls into chaos. There are no clear answers given and no clear villains. I'm not exactly sure what we are to take away from it all. Perhaps it's a commentary on all the #Metoo films we have had, or maybe it's telling us that truth is messy, as is life. What it definitely is, it's captivating. And the soundtrack! If Spike Lee's Highest 2 Lowest is an example of how to ruin a film with a jazzy soundtrack, then After the Hunt is how make a film great with a jazzy soundtrack. Looking for a film that may challenge you? Want to see Julia Roberts give a performance that will knock your socks off? Then check out After the Hunt in theatres or go rent it from Movies 'N Stuff here in Ottawa. 

The Beast in Me

I haven't blogged about a series in a good long while, mostly because I tend to focus my attention on films but partially because most of the series I have watched recently aren't worth your time. Welcome to The Beast in Me - a high paced thriller starring Claire Danes as Aggie Wiggs, a grieving, recently divorced, Pulitzer prize-winning writer who is living in a wealthy neighbourhood somewhere in New Jersey. Her house is in decline as is her attempt to write a follow-up work to her wildly successful first book. Wiggs is a mess. Along comes a brash, new neighbour who has just moved into the giant house next door - a famous real-estate developer, Nile Jarvis (Matthew Rhys) who is rumoured to have killed his former wife - disappeared without a trace. Aggie and Nile clash, at first but then. . . could Nile be the inspiration Aggie needs for her new book? This is a wild ride of FBI agents, city developers, and artist exhibitions. Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys are fabulous in this. It's so well done and so fast-paced and it sticks the landing. It's not Pulitzer Prize winning stuff, it's bestseller trash, and I loved it all. Catch the page-turner now streaming on Netflix or go rent it from Movies 'N Stuff here in Ottawa when available.  

Wild Goat Surf

The U.K. has Andrea Arnold. The U.S. has Sean Baker. Who is the Canadian equivalent? Turns out it's Caitlyn Sponheimer. Never heard of her? Me neither. She is the writer, director, and star of Wild Goat Surf, a 2023 Canadian film which seems to have gotten overlooked by everyone. This one is about Goat (Shayelin Martin), a young skater-girl/tomboy who lives with her waitressing/hairdressing mother Jane (Sponheimer) and every summer they illegally sublet their apartment and go live in an Okanagan trailer park to make a little extra cash. Goat hangs with the other kids in the trailer park and they get up to some trouble. Part American Honey, part The Florida Project, this coming of age tale breathes like a harmonica in a Neil Young song around a campfire. Everyone seems to have a beer on the go and is always a little tipsy. Shayelin Martin (Goat) is excellent as she dreams about becoming a surfer - her world slowly crashing around her. Caitlyn Sponheimer has crafted a beautiful looking film. Catch this streaming on Crave, though I'm not sure where else you can find it. It's a shame because I think it's a film that deserves a bigger audience. I hope Ms. Sponheimer gets another chance to make another beautiful film.  

Stolen: Heist of the Century

2025 feels like the year of the documentary. Here is another Netflix true-crime doc gracing my blog as one of the year's best films. This is the true story of one of the largest diamond heists in history which took place in 2003 in Antwerp Belgium. A group of thieves broke into an almost impenetrable vault (obviously not that impenetrable if they got in, right?) and grabbed millions upon millions of diamonds and then simply disappeared. I love heist movies. This documentary plays like any great one. The fact it's a true story made me love it even more. Leonardo Notarbartolo was the mastermind behind it. He really is a remarkable character. Forget Mission: Impossible, this is the real deal. Or sort of. Can Notarbartolo be trusted in his recounting? Sometimes it felt like it was a Kaiser Soze tale being spun, which made the whole thing even more entertaining. I won't say anything more, because I don't want to spoil the magic of this incredible heist. Catch this while you can, if you can (see what I did there). Streaming on Netflix.   

Train Dreams

Joel Edgerton gives a performance that will break your heart, maybe a few times. He is an actor I love. He has this childlike innocence and a kindness which seems to float about him and yet at the same time he has a rugged masculinity; he would be equally at home as a guest on the Wiggles or doing an Old Spice commercial. You might have seen him most recently in Apple's sci-fi series Dark Matter (which I also loved). Train Dreams is about a man, Robert Grainier (Edgerton) who finds himself at the rapidly changing beginning of the 20th century building the railroad. He meets a woman (Felicity Jones) and starts a family but has to leave them for long stints to work. Director Clint Bentley has made a gorgeous film, thick with rain, smoke, blue skies, trees, and flowers - it's a nature buffet. It's also a tale of grief, just as thick with sadness. Like I said, Edgerton will break your heart, maybe a few times. Give him all the nominations for this one. Catch it in theatres if you can. It will be streaming on Netflix. Or go rent it from Movies 'N Stuff. 

Bugonia

Yorgos Lanthimos is quickly becoming a director I love. I confess I didn't care for The Lobster. However, as my friend Edward likes to say, maybe I watched it wrong. The Killing of a Sacred Deer I was riveted by. Poor Things made my Top Ten List of 2023, and Kinds of Kindness made my 2024 list. Bugonia marks Emma Stone's third straight appearance in Lanthimos films. There must be a kind of weird they both enjoy. Yorgos Lanthimos makes weird films; strange, arty, and very beautiful. I'm grateful for them. Jesse Plemons is back again too from Kinds of Kindness, a three-story film, the middle one being about a man who believes his wife to be an alien. Bugonia is almost this same story, with the exact same actors. Bugonia is actually based on the 2003 Korean film by Jang Joon-hwan, Save the Green Planet. I saw it at TIFF with my friend Jeff but have little recollection of it until he brought it up. Thank you Jeff! So what's it all about? Teddy (Plemons) believes Michelle (Stone) is an alien and he would like to meet the high-ranking alien overlord to negotiate Earth's release from captivity. That's all I'm giving you. It's strange, compelling, and funny. The ending of the film actually made me love it more - often films struggle to land the ending, this one is the opposite. Catch it in theatres now or go get it from Movies 'N Stuff when available. 

The Perfect Neighbor

I watched a Canadian film, Rituals, starring Hal Holbrook, at Ottawa's Mayfair Theatre many, many years ago. The film at times was so grainy, it was almost unwatchable - the equivalent of black and white TV snow. Despite this, I loved the film. It's Canada's Deliverance. Cinephile's often get into the weeds about 35 mm prints and what kind of camera or lens David Fincher use when he shot. . . whatever. Frank Capra's Lost Horizon has footage missing and it's still a great film. What does this all have to do with The Perfect Neighbor, Netflix's latest crime documentary? Well most of it police body-cam footage. It doesn't look great and it doesn't matter, because it's riveting. My wife and I have been watching true crime documentaries for 25 years and when I tell you this is a good one, please pay attention. This is the true story of a "Karen," a grumpy white woman who didn't like kids playing in the yard beside her house. She would call the cops. A lot. For me, this film is a grisly portrait of America. In a year of scathing portraits of America, (Eddington, On Battle After Another) you can add this one to the examination of the dumpster fire south of our border. I won't spoil it for you, but The Perfect Neighbor is a kettle on the stove. Slowly it begins to boil. It's tragic. There have been a lot of good documentaries this year. Don't scream at this one to get off your lawn - invite it in. Streaming on Netflix. 

The House that Jack Built

I have been scarred. It's pretentious as fuck. It's also horrifying, boring, arty, and likely to be a polarizing to audiences. Lars von Trier's The House that Jack Built is a portrait of a serial killer unlike any you have seen before. Like I mentioned, it's boring and yet, the longer you stick with it, the more un-boring it becomes. It slowly transforms into something horrifying, disturbing, and riveting. There are images stuck in my head and I'm not sure I like them there. Matt Dillon, who I've always loved as an actor, it an interesting choice. He has always played characters that have a bit of a bad-boy edge, a kind of beer swilling, pool playing greasy punk with attitude. At the same time he has a kind of apple-pie, football all-American quality to him. So to have him play somebody who commits horrific killings somehow makes it all that much worse. The movie kind of walks up to you and says, "So you like horror movies do you? Well then watch this!"  The film is two and a half hours long and at times you will be made uncomfortable. Lars Von Trier's take on the serial killer film will leave you questioning - How dark do you want to go? Why am I even watching this? What is the point? Is there a deeper meaning or is the point that there is none? The ending of the film is pure art house cinema. To watch this movie is to have an experience. It won't be for everyone. I understand those who hate it and I can understand those who think it's brilliant. Do you like horror movies? Well try this one and see if that is really true.

Chain Reactions

Similar in style to Lynch/Oz, this is a candid conversation about one film, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Five individuals are profiled with their thoughts and feelings about the film and what they believe the film's cultural impact and legacy are. The most notable of those guests profiled is Stephen King, however for me the most interesting is comedian, Patton Oswalt. I found his assessment to be the most robust and thought-out. Famous Japanese horror auteur Takashi Miike says that without seeing Texas Chainsaw, he wouldn't have become the filmmaker he is. Chain Reactions is not going to be for everyone. This is cinephile geek stuff. That said, it is a documentary about what art is and how the horror genre fits in. There are tons of references to other films, other directors, and visual artists - Hieronymus Bosch, Francis Bacon, etc. This isn't a documentary about the making of the film, although there are aspects of that which creep in. There are no cast or crew interviews, just five people talking about the film. I loved it. I confess that I did rewatch Chainsaw a few days prior to seeing this documentary. I'm not sure it's necessary but I think it gave me a deeper appreciation of the subject matter. Chainsaw is a tough film to sit through. Made in 1974, it remains one of the most terrifying and disturbing films ever made. This year, a year that has given us two harsh and scathing portraits of America - Eddington and One Battle After Another -  Chain Reactions' discussion of Chainsaw seems to fit right in. 

One Battle After Another

It's likely, from all the hype and reviews, to win the Oscar for best picture of the year. Cinephiles have been wetting their pants for Paul Thomas Anderson's new movie, One Battle After Another. I confess, I have not been his biggest fan. I have enjoyed some of his work (Boogie Nights, Magnolia) and loathed others (Punch Drunk Love and Inherent Vice). I LOVED Licorice Pizza. I thought it might be his best work to date. Next to it will stand this film, One Battle After Another. Like Eddington, it's a contemporary portrait of America in what I might classify as a Coen Brothers' style thriller-comedy. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Bob, an explosives expert for a radical left wing revolutionary group The French 75. He raises a daughter on his own and has kept off the grid for 16 years until his nemesis, Col. Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn) comes looking for Bob's daughter. Bob and Sensei Sergio St. Carlos (Benicio Del Toro) go on a rescue mission to get Bob's daughter back. There is a ton to love in this film. Sean Penn's army walk, like he's had a pickle jammed up his ass, is fantastic. Benicio's "few small beers" line is great. And the best, DiCaprio trying to remember the password for the rendezvous point is one of the funniest things you will see all year (almost as good as him trying to manage the stairs in The Wolf of Wall Street). Is it the best film of the year? For me, no. I liked Eddington and Weapons more. However One Battle After Another will likely land in third place and is one of Anderson's best works. The car chase scenes are some of the best I've ever seen on film. Catch this now in theatres. 

Hopscotch

I acquired this Criterion DVD from Peter Thompson, the owner and operator of Movies 'N Stuff here in Ottawa. I usually make several weekly pilgrimages to his store - you never know what film treasures you will discover. I had never heard of Hopscotch before, a film from 1980 starring Walter Matthau. When I think about Walter Matthau, I think of The Odd Couple and then I think of Grumpy Old Men. Then maybe a basset hound. I have never really thought of him as a leading man. Hopscotch has delightfully changed my view of the actor. He plays Kendig, an aging cold-war CIA agent who has been demoted from field work, interacting with his KGB counterpart, to doing paperwork at a desk. Ned Beatty plays his short, over zealous, petty boss who is the one responsible for Kendig's abrupt change in job roles. Kendig doesn't dig it and promptly goes AWOL. Let the fun begin. Kendig has a romance going with a woman from Vienna, played by Glenda Jackson, who sports a short hairdo like she belongs from the 60s. In fact, the whole film has a 60s vibe to it, rather than that of 1980. I loved it - it took me back to a different time. This was pure fun. Catch it on the Criterion Channel or go rent it from Peter at Movies N Stuff here in Ottawa. 

Night Always Comes

If you look around most cities across North America, you will see the disparity of the growing economic divide compounded by the opioid crisis in the form of tent cities. Drug-addicted and broke - a sea of broken and desperate people. Petty crime and violence are always just at an arm's length away. Welcome to the world of Night Always Comes. John Cassavetes might be the godfather of grunge, but directors like Andrea Arnold (Fish Tank, American Honey, Bird), Sean Baker (Anora, The Florida Project, Red Rocket), and the Safdie brothers (Goodtime, Uncut Gems) have brought slumming-it to the next level. Night Always Comes ranks up there with this lot - maybe the bottom of the top, but the top nonetheless. What's it all about? Vanessa Kirby plays Lynette, a woman who is trying to purchase her rental home for herself and her brother who has Down's Syndrome (played by Zack Gottsagen (The Peanut Butter Falcon) who really does have Down's Syndrome). The clock is ticking for Lynette, she only has less than 24 hours to gather the money for the down payment otherwise their house, their home, is going to another bidder. Lynette's mother Doreen lives with them (played by Jennifer Jason Leigh). Doreen is the opposite of helpful. So the race to get money is on, everything on the line, and Lynette will do unsavory things to get it. Night Always Comes has an Uncut Gems/Anora manic energy about it and I was glued to it. We are living in dark times and this film reflects that. Catch it now streaming on Netflix. 

The Long Walk

Before The Hunger Games, there was The Long Walk, penned under Stephen King's other writer name, Richard Bachman. Televised sporting events where participants fight to the death seem to almost be a dystopian sub-genre or maybe you're just watching a Gladiator movie? Regardless, The Long Walk seems to be set in a fictional 1950s/1960s where America looks like, well today, economically depressed, at least for the working class. How to inspire the country to work hard? Show them a bunch of teenaged boys (50, one per state) walking, walking until there is only one left. The winner gets one wish and a ton of money. The catch, if you fall below 3 mph, you get a warning - a few warnings, then you are shot dead. It's walk or die, with no end, until there is only one left. It's riveting. It's slow and terrifying and I found myself getting rather emotional at times. The amazing cast is lead by Cooper Hoffman (Ray) and David Jonsson (Pete). Every single actor in this is great. Mark Hamill plays The Major. The colours of this film are washed out, greys and browns - it felt like something out of Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, with a kind of post WWI depression-era sensibility to it. Big open skies and roads. Walk or die.  March yourself over to the cinema and catch this marathon of terror, now playing. 

The Conjuring: Last Rites

This marks the 4th and potentially last film in The Conjuring series (not to mention the Annabelle and The Nun spin offs, each with multiple entries of their own - The Conjuring Universe). Although this horror franchise seems to be doing well because they keep making them - conjuring up money I say - so you never know if it's really over (one last jump scare, a few more dollars, eh?). Take my money! I have loved them all, at least The Conjuring films. The chemistry between Lorraine and Ed Warren (played by Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson) is undeniably great - I would watch another four Conjuring films! So, is Last Rites any good? I'm biased but of course it is! It's great! Maybe the best since the first. Ignore the Rotten Tomatoes score! Pay no attention. What's this one all about? Well the Warrens have a daughter, Judy (Mia Tomlinson) and she seems to have inherited her mother's powers to perceive unwanted spirits. A family needs help but Ed's heart isn't good, so he shouldn't be fighting ghosts - doctor's orders. But hey, this family really needs help and The Warrens, well they don't run from a fight. Sinks of blood, haunted mirrors, axe wielding ghost farmers, creepy dolls, and a bunch of other ghoulish nonsense to get us ready for the Halloween season ahead. Exorcism fun for the whole family. Grab some popcorn, the body of Christ, and some holy water and catch this entity in theatres now. Rent it from Movies N' Stuff in Ottawa when it becomes available.     

Caught Stealing

Darren Aronofsky is a director I truly admire. His film, Requiem for a Dream is on my list of films to see before you die. I would say any film nerd worth their weight in salt has a healthy respect for the man. His contemporary, Christopher Nolan has achieved more success, more notoriety, than Aronofsky, or at least it seems that way to me. However for me, (I'm about to use a geeky Star Trek analogy) Nolan's films feel like they were directed by Mr. Spock (cold and mathematical). Whereas Aronofsky's films feel like they were directed by Leonard McCoy (passionate, jaded, with a chip on his shoulder). I love Spock with all my being, but McCoy, damn it, well he just might be my favourite. Back to the review!

What's it all about? Caught Stealing is a crime caper very much in the wheelhouse of such directors as Guy Ritchie, the Coen Brothers, and Quentin Tarantino - a fast paced action thriller with lots of seedy gangsters milling about. Austin Butler plays Hank, a once high school baseball prodigy destined for the big leagues, only to have an injury sideline his career. Now he is a bartender and a drunk who is dating Yvonne (Zoë Kravitz). Hank's mohawk sporting punk neighbour, Russ (Matt Smith - of Dr. Who fame, who is wonderful here) suddenly has to leave town and gives his cat to Hank to look after. This is when the bad guys show up and the madness ensues. There have been tons of these mistaken identity type things, a fish out of water mad-capped crime comedies, but this one feels surprisingly fresh. And fun. I haven't enjoyed this type of film in what seems like forever. It's great. For Aronofsky, it's a departure from his dark art-house sadness. There is still plenty of seediness and a whole lot of crazy (Aronofsky trademarks) but it feels light and silly, albeit gruesome and violent at times. It reminded me of Martin Scorsese's After Hours. Caught Stealing is also full of great small performances by Liev Schreiber, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Carol Kane to name a few. Catch this foul ball of fun in theatres now. 

It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley

I struggle with how to assess documentaries in general. If you know nothing of the subject matter, then you should care about the subject matter by the end of the doc. At least that's how I feel about documentaries. Musical biographical docs are particularly tricky. Sometimes I worry that I'm biased. For example, earlier this year I blogged about Becoming Led Zeppelin. I love Led Zeppelin, so I was already invested. I still believe it to be a fascinating doc. Whereas I knew nothing about Jeff Buckley. I knew his name and I assumed I would know his music - I don't pay a great deal of attention to the names of songs and who sings what (or as much as should). I was expecting to hear songs that I knew and be like, "Oh yeah, so that's Jeff Buckley." However, those revelations did not come. I grew up in the grunge era, the same time Jeff Buckley was touring with his first album, Grace. Jeff's life is a fascinating one, trying to distinguish himself from his somewhat famous father, Tim Buckley, and yet wanting to have a relationship with a man who didn't want to have one with him. Jeff's musical tastes were all over the map, from Edith Piaf to Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, to his favourite, Led Zeppelin. Buckley had a friendship with Chris Cornell, and David Bowie called Grace the best album ever made. I had no idea about any of this. When Robert Plant told Buckley he was the next greatest thing since slice bread (I'm paraphrasing) Buckley turned white and disappeared for two days. Interviews conducted with ex-girlfriends and his mother tell a story of a brilliant young man with self doubt and lots of ambition. This is a portrait of a musical genius who left the world tragically too soon. This documentary will make you care, make you feel for a man you don't know, and that's the best a doc can do. Catch it in theatres now.  

Weapons

I’m confident, even with a bunch of October Halloween releases coming, that Weapons will be my favourite horror movie of the year. Not only a horror film, but it will be landing in my top ten movies of 2025. Writer/director Zach Cregger has crafted a very special film - it’s spectacular. If you haven’t seen the trailer yet, don’t. Just go. I won’t spoil a thing. All that I will share is that it’s about a small town and some kids who go missing - The Exorcist: Believer, Prisoners, Poltergeist, etc.  There have been lots. This is a fresh take. The story itself is told in a similar manner to Strange Darling. If you haven't seen that, then more film homework for you. What I mean is, Weapons is told through overlapping timelines and from six different perspectives of the same story. It's brilliant, it's riveting and it very, very slowly builds to one of the craziest endings I've seen in a while. There is an on-foot chase scene that is my favourite thing I've seen since Kathryn Bigelow's Point Break. Actor Amy Madigan - she was my favourite part of this movie. OMG did I love her in this. Best supporting actress nominations please. Julia Garner and James Brolin star and they are also both wonderful. Go get armed and get yourself to Weapons in theatres now. 

Sketch

I saw this at the St. Laurent Theatres here in Ottawa. Occasionally they have first run films, like this one, but mostly it’s second run stuff and a lot of Indian action movies. I didn’t want it to go past everyone without it getting the attention it deserves. It is distributed by Angel Studios, a Christian-themed entertainment company. As an atheist I have no problem watching anything put out by any religion, so long as I don’t feel like I am being judged or preached at. There is nothing preachy happening here. This is simply a great family film, a kid’s film, with a great concept. It’s about Amber (Bianca Belle), a young girl who channels her emotions into her sketchbook. Amber’s drawings are often dark, monstrously so. Her brother discovers a magical pool of toilet bowl blue water that can fix things. When Amber’s sketchbook accidentally falls in, her drawings come to life. The movie feels like something that would have been produced in the 80s. By today’s standards, it’s frightening - Pet Sematary, Jeepers Creepers, and Arachnophobia spring to mind, but not quite as visceral. It’s a family movie after all. First-time writer director Seth Worley has made a special film, touching, and delightful. Let this one draw you in and colour your day. In theatres now. Rent it from Movies’N Stuff when available. 

Together

Relationships are hard, especially for artists, and extra especially if they aren't hugely successful. Just read my review on Materialists and you will get an earful. Together is the horror movie version of Materialists. Well not quite, but close enough. Dave Franco plays Tim, a mid-thirties musician who still hasn't "made it" on the scene. His teacher girlfriend, Millie - played by Alison Brie - has accepted a job two hours away from the big city teaching in a small town. City boy Tim has agreed to move there, although he doesn't seem thrilled about it. Their ten-year relationship needs some work. They need some bonding time. Well they get it alright. This is a body horror picture and it puts together (see what I did there) different pieces of different horror movies - The Descent, The Shining, Alien, The Thing, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers to name a few. It glues aspects of these films together (wink) and gives us something that feels fresh thanks to writer/director, Michael Shanks. Together also has some outstanding and terrifying visuals. You should definitely get together for this one. In theatres now or go rent it from Movies 'N Stuff in Ottawa when it comes out.   

Materialists

I have a friend who told me when I was going to Algonquin College to get a "real" job, that women don't want a guy who isn't financially secure - long haired artist freaks are romantic, but women will eventually dump my ass because nobody wants to be poor. Was my friend right? I will admit that poverty sucks. I have managed to be an artist, a writer and have a full time job. I also got married and had kids. I know a writer who did not compromise, never got a "real" job and just wrote - he also got married and had kids. He suffered in poverty for decades and had just as much shitty writing success as me. What's my point? Most artists, writers, actors, painters, cartoonists, never reach the heights of George Clooney or Stephen King. Heck, even moderately successful writers here in Canada still have some sort of side job (teaching, etc.) to make ends meet. What has this all to do with the movie, Materialists you ask? Well this is the heart of the picture - do you marry the guy with money and have an easy life or do you marry the struggling actor, the love of your life and be poor? This is Lucy's (Dakota Johnson) dilemma. Lucy has given up her dream to become an actor and now she is a high-end Manhattan matchmaker for the wealthy. Along comes handsome, tall, and extremely rich Harry (Pedro Pascal) who doesn't want Lucy's services, he wants Lucy. Lucy likes money and eating in fancy restaurants. Will she end up with him or John (Chris Evans) who is at the top end of his 30s and still living with roommates and working a part time job to support his acting dream? Full confession, I didn't care for writer/director Celine Song's first film, Past Lives. However I certainly enjoyed this one. This is a smart film for adults and Song's writing is strong. I was impressed. All these actors I mentioned have been Marvel superheroes. I bet they all did it for the money. Catch this regular person movie at your local repertory theatre or if you are in Ottawa, rent it from Movies 'N Stuff.  

The Ballad of Wallis Island

It is very hard not to be charmed by this lovely little film which is a kind of mashup of Local Hero meets The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. What's it all about? Lottery winner and music fan, Charles (Tim Key) has a dream to bring his favourite folk duo, McGwyer & Mortimer - (Herb McGwyer and Nell Mortimer played by Tom Basden and Carey Mulligan) back together after their break-up thirteen years prior for a private show on the remote island of Wallis. Charles and his late wife were huge fans of the duo. Charles is planning on having the concert of the fifth anniversary of her passing. There is a lot of what you might consider schmaltz, but it doesn't come off that way. And it goes in directions I didn't expect largely due to Charles himself. He has a personality like a goofy birthday card, the dialogue he spews is a rhyming sing-song of pop culture nonsense which you cannot help but enjoy. The music is great and the chemistry and tension between Herb and Nell is well done. These characters felt real. This was playing in theatres for a long time. If you missed it, it's now streaming on Prime. Or go rent it a Movies 'N Stuff here in Ottawa. 

Disturbia

My kids were just starting out as inhabitants on this planet so I missed Disturbia when it came out in 2007. Plus nobody told me about it! Which is why I'm telling you. I love Alfred Hitchcock. He is my favourite director of all time (I'm not sure he was an excellent human but for sure he was an excellent director). My favourite of his films is Rear Window (1954), starring the late, great Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly. If for some reason you haven't seen this movie, Rear Window, stop what you are doing and go watch this. Don't read on, go watch it. Then, come back here and finish my blog post. So, now you have seen Rear Window (great, right?) you will know that there have been copies. Brian De Palma made Body Double, which is his homage to Rear Window and Vertigo. I also love this movie. And this brings us to Disturbia starring Shia LaBeouf as Kale. No spoilers here, so with that, I will say that high-school Kale becomes in some way housebound, unable to leave his property. His mom, Canadian actress, Carrie-Anne Moss (from Matrix fame) has cut off his access to video games on top of it all. So Kale has nothing to do but look out the window. New hot girl has moved in next door (Sarah Roemer) and there is a creepy guy across the street (David Morse). Let the Rear Window fun play out. I loved it. It's fantastic. Shia LaBeouf - what a talent. I'm a big fan. It was Andrea Arnold's American Honey that turned me into a fan. If you haven't seen American Honey, then you have film homework. Then, Honey Boy where Shia plays his own father - amazing. Then The Peanut Butter Falcon - it's a delight. So for me to go back and see Shia before all this was a treat. Go get some binoculars and go watch Disturbia now. 

Sorry, Baby

Writer, director, and star, Eva Victor needs to be nominated for all the awards this season. I'm truly impressed. I would say she is extraordinary, except after watching Sorry, Baby the word "extraordinary" might be triggering. This is a portrait of a woman, Agnes, an academic college professor of literature, who undergoes a traumatic event and its aftermath. It's personal. It's also funny despite the heavy subject matter. The characters are fully formed and the dialogue is very well written - natural, witty, and smart. Naomi Ackie plays Lydie, Agnes's best friend and trauma confidant. Lucas Hedges plays Gavin, the next-door neighbor and potential love interest. And then there is the small role of character actor, John Carroll Lynch as Pete, the sandwich maker. I love Lynch in everything he does. He always fills the frame with warmth (or terror, depending on the role). Sorry, Baby is a story about surviving trauma. It's also about healing and friendship. It's intelligent, funny, honest, and empathetic. It is another clear example of why I go to the movies. It will no doubt make my list of best films of the year. In Ottawa it was playing at the Bytwone (maybe it will come back). No doubt it is likely to show up at the Mayfair. And I know it's on order for rent at Movies 'N Stuff on Kilborn. Catch this one for sure. 

Eddington

Savage. This word not only perfectly describes Ari Aster’s latest film but it's also a word frequently used by the late great writer Hunter S. Thompson. Thompson used it to describe the work of his often-collaborator, artist Ralph Steadman. As I watched Eddington I thought about the work of Steadman, especially from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Steadman’s portraits of Americans are often grotesque, unflattering, and as Thompson would say, savage. So too, is Ari Aster’s Eddington, a film that takes place in the early days of the pandemic, more specifically, May 2020, in the small New Mexican town of Eddington. Sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) doesn't enjoy wearing a mask and doesn't think anyone should who is uncomfortable doing so. The town's mayor, Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) is running for reelection and is unhappy with his town's law enforcement. Cross decides to run for mayor himself - it's buffoonery. The whole film has a Coen brothers feel to it, Burn After Reading crossed with No Country for Old Men. It's darkly funny. At times as ridiculous as South Park, and I mean this as a compliment. Ari Aster was already one of my new favourtie directors. Beau is Afraid was my top pick for 2023. Eddington solidifies Aster is one of the best writers and directors working today, up there with Christopher Nolan, David Fincher, and the Coen brothers. Eddington is a scathing, savage, and tremendously funny portrait of modern America. Catch it in theatres now. In Ottawa, it's currently playing at the Bytowne.   

Jurassic World: Rebirth

David Koepp is a busy man. If you don't know who that is, he is the writer of the latest Jurassic film, Jurassic World: Rebirth. He has also given us, this year, Presence and Black Bag, two films by Steven Soderbergh. David Koepp co-wrote the first two Jurassic Park films with the late, great Michael Crichton. Koepp also wrote and directed one of my favourite films, The Trigger Effect - a film about what happens when the power goes out, much like Leave the World Behind. That film starred Mahershala Ali, who also stars in this latest Jurassic movie, alongside Scarlett Johansson. Koepp is a gifted storyteller, a talented writer. He knows what works and what works is having characters you care about. Also, kids. Throw kids into the mix, put them in danger, and you got yourself a winner - it's a Steven Spielberg formula, who is also an executive producer on this film and his DNA is all over it. Of the seven films this franchise has produced, it's the best thing since the original. The last three World films have felt like the Star Wars prequels - not good but we watched them anyway because we were hoping for some sort of magic. Go get chased by some monsters, in theatres now. 

M3GAN 2.0

"Final Destination: Bloodlines" was definitely not on my summer BINGO card to make an entry on McPherson's Movie Marquee. Equally unlikely, maybe even more so, was "M3GAN 2.0" and yet, like Trump's second presidency, here we are. The first M3GAN was fun, a female dancing Chucky but it wasn't much more. It did score an honourable mention the year it came out here on the Marquee. M3gan 2.0 is a complete and utter upgrade. In some ways, it's just Terminator 2, the girl version, minus the time travel. It's also self aware, like any evil A.I. is, and thus funny. You can tell that the people who made this film like films. There are nods to Fritz Lang's Metropolis, and a plethora of inside Steven Seagal references. It felt like an 80s action film, in the best possible way - Die Hard crawling through air vents, and a ridiculous sequence of building a robot in a lab like the A-Team. What's it all about? M3GAN has been weaponized by the military into Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno) but you know A.I., it always goes rogue, and goes evil. It's M3GAN Vs Amelia - the showdown of the summer. On Deadly Ground for sure! Download this upgrade in theatres now.  

The Assessment

 

Welcome to the future, where the planet has gone to hell. Protective domes, greenhouse food, banned household pets, and population control are part of this dystopian world, a world where we find Mia (Elizabeth Olsen) and Aaryan (Himesh Patel) who would like to have a child but are required to have an assessment by the state to see if they are suitable parents. The assessment is done by an assessor over a week-long period. Enter, Virginia (Alicia Vikander) as the government parent appraiser. She is there to observe, test, play act, and finally render a verdict. Her decision is final. Virginia, for a good chunk of the time, pretends to be their child and goes full method acting. It is darkly funny at times. If you are a parent or even an observer of parents, you will know certain scenarios improvised here - food tantrums, bad dreams, etc. Virginia also tasks Mia and Aaryan to build a from-IKEA-hell child playhouse - a test of patience and sanity; welcome to the Amazing Race. This sci-fi world feels as fresh as when "Gattaca" was released, or more recently the impressive, "Vesper." This is director Fleur Fortune first feature length film and if they don't hit it quite out of the park, they definitely made it to third. Catch this baby now streaming on Prime. 

Dangerous Animals

"The Silence of the Lambs" meets "Jaws." Considering Jaws turns 50 this year, what a wonderful way to celebrate Bruce (that's the shark). Dead Calm came out 36 years ago and Lambchops 34. "Dangerous Animals" isn't as good as any of these, but it's darn close. I haven't had as much fun with this type of thriller in a while. You might argue that "Dangerous Animals" is just a rip off of better films. You could. I think it's fresh and original and pays homage to these other wonderful films. So, what's it all about?  Jai Courtney plays Bruce Tucker (notice that first name), tour boat captain, lover of rock 'n roll, and a videographer. Oh, and also a serial killer. Along comes, Zephyr (Hassie Harrison), free spirit, surfer, and general badass who can quote "Point Break." She's also Bruce's next targeted victim. I will tell you nothing more. All aboard for this summer's most fun water park ride. In theatres now. 

Secret Mall Apartment

This is a documentary about the Providence Place Mall, its construction, its impacts on the community, and the gentrification of artists' spaces. It's also about artist Michael Townsend, the leader of an eight- person artist collective as they squatted inside the mall, turning a 750-square-foot hidden dead-space into a livable apartment. Michael Townsend is a different kind of artist. The separation between art and life is blurry, if there is one at all for Michael. A performance artist, an art teacher, someone who has donated years of his time at a children's hospital doing tape art on the walls, a man with his art team doing a five- year post-9/11 tape art project honoring everyone who lost their lives. Michael makes art where you would least expect it. "Secret Mall Apartment" asks questions - was this four-year apartment experiment a prank? An art installation? A secret clubhouse for a group of weirdo artists? An act of defiance against gentrification? Maybe a mix of all these. I tell you what is is for sure, it's fascinating. As an artist, I found Michael Townsend to be both inspirational and refreshing. "Secret Mall Apartment" is a hidden gem that you should try to find in theatres now. 

Final Destination: Bloodlines

Agoraphobics rejoice! The outside world is a dangerous place - Rube Goldberg death traps are everywhere. If you throw a penny off the CN Tower, well you could kill someone! If you are unfamiliar with the Final Destination franchise, the formula goes like this: Certain individuals escape Death by way of a premonition (don't get on that plane, you're going to die!) and then Death hunts down all those who were supposed to die in that plane crash. It's a formula to print money. "Bloodlines" represents the sixth entry in the franchise. I think I only watched the first one. It's a clever enough premise but I wasn't expecting much from this latest film. It's fantastic. The deaths are spectacular and fun, the action sequences are something Dwayne Johnson would be proud to be in, and the story - Aaron Sorkin would have been proud to have written it. (Just kidding about the Sorkin bit.) That said, the team of writers who worked on this did an excellent job. To my own surprise (nobody warned me it was coming!), "Final Destination: Bloodlines" has arrived here on the Marquee. Make this your next horror destination. In theatres now. 

Friendship

"Dumb and Dumber" meets "Swimfan." Tim Robinson plays Craig, a kind of socially unaware man-child whose wife has recently gone through cancer and survived. They have a teenage son and have put their house up for sale. A package arrives on their doorstep. Wrong address. Craig walks it over to his new neighbor, Austin (Paul Rudd). Austin is a weatherman on the local news. He is also in a band. Craig is smitten with Austin's effortless coolness. When Austin invites Craig to hang with him and his bro friends one night, well it goes all awkward. There is a lot of funny stuff here and sometimes the jokes take the whole length of the movie to hit the punchline. Craig getting stronger-stuff from the teenager at the cellphone store was a highlight. I don't want to tell you too much because I want you to discover everything yourself - like the entrance to a secret cave that leads to a land of magical comedy. Catch it in theatres now or go rent it from Movies 'N Stuff when it becomes available. 

Bring Her Back

"Frankenstein," "The Monkey's Paw," and "Pet Sematary" - we have been dealing with death and grief, fictionally since we have been writing stories as people. We will continue to do so because it is what binds us together - the loss of friends and family and our own existential crises - we must all face our own deaths. Add "Bring Her Back" to the list. What's this one all about? Legally blind, Piper (Sora Wong) and her older half-brother Andy (Billy Barratt) tragically lose their father and are put into the foster care of a woman named Laura (Sally Hawkins). Turns out that Laura also had a blind daughter, who, you guessed it, died. You can SEE where this is going - see what I did there? Piper and Andy have a complex relationship but they are now very tight and they have a secret code word - grapefruit. An ironclad, never lie word for telling the truth. "Talk To Me" is a very tough act to follow. The Australian brothers, Danny and Michael Philippou are back, and they are bringing it again. It, being their brand of horror. Is "Bring Her Back" as good? Grapefruit. No, but it's good enough to land an entry here on the Marquee. There are some fresh and arresting visuals for you cinema nerds, and I think you will love them. Grapefruit. Catch it now in theatres. 

Pee-wee as Himself

There is both an immediate intimacy and sadness when a close up of Paul Reubens' face appears on screen. We lost the actor from cancer in 2023 and this posthumous documentary is like receiving a letter from a dead friend. This is a portrait of a man who kept secrets - the documentary filmmakers didn't even know he was dying. It's looking over everything, a reflection of a life lived, and laying it out warts and all. I found it to be fascinating. For example, did you know that Paul Reubens was in the same theatre group as Cassandra Peterson (Elvira) and Phil Hartman? Hartman was on Pee-wee's Playhouse before leaving for SNL. Laurence Fishburne was also a Pee-wee Playhouse regular. Like I said, fascinating. Reubens himself was as ambitious as Joan Rivers - he gave up a lot and pushed himself back into the closet for the sake of a career. He became one of the biggest and most recognizable stars of the 1980s. Pee-wee Herman was huge. Then it came all crashing down. It's an intimate portrait and as an artist and a collector of stuff, I felt I could relate to a lot of it. I found it to be very moving. Both melancholy and inspiring. One of the best celebrity documentaries I've seen. Catch it streaming on HBO.   

Gimme Shelter

Stage security at rock concerts seems to have come a long, long way since 1969. But then again, do we have outdoor concerts with 300,000 people anymore? "Gimme Shelter" is a 1970 documentary about the 1969 Rolling Stones concert at the Altamont Speedway in sunny California. It was a free concert and people thought it might be a companion bookend to Woodstock from early that year. The Hells Angels were hired as security for the show. When I was a young man, I read "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test" and Hunter Thompson's "Hell's Angels." I was fascinated with this period of American history - mostly the story of LSD and how it came to affect so much of the culture. It surprises me that I only got around to watching this documentary now. It's a fascinating time capsule. It's also a horror movie. The Rolling Stones were at the height of their popularity and fans were ravenous to see them, touch them physically if possible. The film starts with Mick Jagger watching footage of his band performing at Madison Square Garden, during which three individuals, fans, rush the stage to touch, hug, or somehow engage physically with the band - all three within minutes of each other. Mick and the boys kept playing. Scary for them. What's even scarier? Hells Angels. As I said, this is a horror movie. People tripping out of their gourds, stoned to the hilt on LSD and/or mushrooms, zombie-like march towards the stage, some of them naked. It's "It Follows" but for real. There is a terrifying scene where Mick is singing on stage and beside him is a man who looks like he is transforming into a zombie or werewolf - high as a loon. I watched in complete horror. From the start you know there is a death coming and the whole film is filled with dread. Both riveting and horrifying, one of the most fascinating rock documentaries you will see. Watch it on the Criterion Channel or go rent it in Ottawa from Movies 'N Stuff.