Scarecrow (1973)

 As you are likely aware, we recently lost the great Gene Hackman. Here in Ottawa, the Mayfair Theatre (Ottawa's oldest movie theatre and my favourite place on earth) has been putting on a Gene Hackman retrospective to honour the late actor. Class act, Mayfair. Last night I went with a good friend to watch "Scarecrow," staring Hackman and a very young Al Pacino. I took film very seriously at a young age and there was a time when I sought to watch all the films of actors like Gene Hackman - if they weren't available for rent at my local video store, didn't play at the Mayfair, or weren't shown on TV, there was no other way to find them. "Scarecrow" was one of those films I missed. What a delight this movie is. From the opening shot, watching Hackman come down that sun-soaked hill to the credits, I thought, "They just don't make them like this anymore." Hackman plays an ex-con looking to open a car wash business and runs into Pacino, an ex-sailor. Their adventure begins. Part "Midnight Cowboy," part "Cool Hand Luke," part "The Last Detail," it's a whole lot of nostalgia - for both the actors, a time before cellphones, and an are when you could smoke a cigar inside a department store. I don't think it has the emotional punch of "Midnight Cowboy" but "Scarecrow" certainly features two wonderful performances by two great actors in their prime. Definitely a film to seek out. Go rent it from Movies 'N Stuff here in Ottawa. 

Knox Goes Away

Another hitman on his last job movie! The second one this year! "American Star" being the first. It seems like everyone wants in on Liam Neeson's share of his action corner market. Michael Keaton (one of our favourite bat people) directs and stars in, "Knox Goes Away," a film about an aging hitman who has developed Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, a fast moving form of dementia. Knox only has weeks left before things go south for him. He has to cash-out and make things right with his estranged son Miles (James Marsden). Coincidently Miles has done something bad and needs his father's help. The movie is somewhat pedestrian, we have seen all this before, however the supporting cast is so good, especially the performance of James Marsden, which was a standout for me. Al Pacino plays Knox's boss - he reminded me of Dr. Teeth from the Electric Mayhem (The Muppet Rock Band). This movie was floating between being an honourable mention and a full entry on the blog. I didn't want to let Knox go away without giving Keaton the attention his clever film deserves. Catch it in theatres if possible, or on streaming services when available, or rent it from your favourite video store: in Ottawa that would be Movies 'N' Stuff.