Coraline

It's a rare thing for me to watch animated films. I don't seek them out. "Coraline" came out in 2009 when my kids were three and five, so it was overlooked as something I might take them too. Fast forward to 2024 and my now eighteen year old son's girlfriend asks me, have you seen "Coraline?" To which my answer was a polite and simple, "No." I didn't bother to be snooty about it. In my head it was something like, "Little girl, I watch films, not cartoons." I kept my inner snob hidden. But then I was down at my local video store, Movies 'N Stuff, and the owner, Peter told me he had just gone to see "Coraline" in 3D. "Is it any good?" I asked. "What? You've never seen it? It's great." (I feel like this line has been used by me and every other film nerd a million times). Peter has movies for sale (and rent) at his store. There was a copy of "Coraline" for $5. I purchased. I watched. Now I blog about it because it was wonderful. What's it all about? This stop motion film is about a girl, Coraline who moves into a creepy old house with her writer parents who have no time for her. She discovers a hidden door to an alternate version of her world, where her parents are attentive to all her needs and cook her favourite foods. The only thing is they have black buttons for eyes. Then things get dark, so dark it's almost not for kids. But it is. This isn't Disney, so it isn't cutesy. The amination has this grungy DYI feel to it. It's so creative and interesting and thus felt surprisingly fresh. The closest thing I could compare it to is if you crossed Tim Burton with "Wallace and Gromit" and threw in a little Loony Toons. I loved the story and all the side characters. If you haven't see it ("What? You haven't seen it?) then this is something to watch during this Halloween season. Button up!

Mikey and Nicky

I have loved Peter Falk since I laid eyes on him in "Columbo" the TV series. And John Cassavetes, a good actor and an amazing director - if you have never seen a Cassavetes film, start with "A Woman Under the Influence" and "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie." This film, "Mikey and Nicky" has been on my to-watch list for some time. It was a banger. Directed by Elaine May (who is 92 years old as I type this) who made this wonderful film in 1976. She worked on "Tootsie," wrote "Heaven Can Wait," "Primary Colors," and wrote and directed "Ishtar." So what's this film all about? Cassavetes plays Nicky, a man wanted by the mob and there is a hit out on his life. He calls up his pal Mikey (Falk) for help, but Mikey really isn't his pal, he wants Nicky dead too. Ned Beatty plays the hitman who is always trying to catch up. There is crazed energy in this film and Cassavetes is manic. There was also a great joy for me in going back in time to the world of draft houses, pull-tab cans of beer, large cars, payphones, and non-stop smoking. This movie is a dance between Cassavetes and Falk, bringing them together on an inevitable death march - reminded me a little of "The Last Detail." M. Emmet Walsh shows up as a bus driver. I loved this movie. Go watch it on the Criterion Channel or rent it from Movies 'N' Stuff here in Ottawa.  

Strange Darling

Last year, "The Passenger" made my honourable mention list of the best films of 2023 because of the performance of Kyle Gallner, an actor I had never heard of before. His performance in that film was so good it elevated the material from a C to a B+, almost landing the whole picture to full blog entry. Well I'm happy to report, Mr. Gallner is back again this year in one of the most fun thrillers of the year. And his onscreen dancing partner in "Strange Darling" is Willa Fitzgerald, another powerhouse. I would love to see her get a nomination for some shiny award for her work in this one. What's it all about? I will tell you nothing except it's like a Tarantino style thriller if crossed with "Memento." The screwy order of the film really helps to keep the audience engaged and thinking. I think you could argue it's a cheap gimmick but I thought it was brilliant. This movie is pop rock candy, a bloody nose of cocaine. The dialogue and supporting characters are quirky - did I mention Barbra Hershey is in it? She is! This is all you need to know. Go hunt this one down in a theatre near you. 

Cure

"Cure" is a Japanese film from 1997 - another recommendation from Peter Thompson, owner and operator of Movies 'N Stuff. This eerie thriller is about a cop, Det. Kenichi Takab (Koji Yakusho - who is the lead in this year's "Perfect Days") who is investigating a series of killings. Each victim has been killed by someone they know but then marked in a particular way, thus linking these otherwise unconnected murders. It reminded me of "Jacob's Ladder" and maybe a little bit of Wes Craven's "Shocker." It's got a great Japanese creepy horror sensibility to it - like "The Ring." Slightly gory at times, I was glued to this one. Feeling not great because you haven't seen any good thrillers lately, well this is the cure! You can stream it on the Criterion Channel or go rent it from Peter at Movies 'N Stuff. 

Caligula The Ultimate Cut

So the original film, "Caligula" from 1979 had this reputation of being soft core porn and an utterly stupid waste of your time. Big budget trash. A skin rag for the big screen. I had never seen it, the original that is, but was always curious about it; see the horror with my own eyes. It had become something of a cult film, then I think people stopped caring completely. Forty plus years later, this new Ultimate Cut has been released with a run time of almost three hours. I was never bored for a second. Being a film nerd, to see Peter O'Toole, Sir John Gielgud, Helen Mirren, and of course, Malcolm McDowell all young (relatively) and walking around was a thrill in itself. I've tried to separate my enthusiasm and be objective to what I witnessed, which was an absolutely wild ride. If you took The Twilight Zone's "It's a Good Life" (the one about the kid who has supernatural powers to control everyone including his parents) and turned it into a three hour movie set in the Roman Empire and it was produced by Penthouse in 1976, you would get this feral film, a completely unforgettable experience. I don't know if Malcolm McDowell would now be eligible for an Oscar (I'm sure there are rules against it) for this re-release, but I would love to see him nominated if such a thing were possible. What you see here cannot be unseen. If you remember the scene in "Rob Roy" where Tim Roth's character rapes Jessica Lange's, well McDowell's Caligula does one better. It's dark and crazy and I couldn't stop watching it. This is something to behold. Catch it in the theatre if possible. The Ultimate Cut is out now.  

Cuckoo

Air Aster brought us to Sweden in "Midsommar." Director and writer, Tilman Singer takes us to Germany in his new film, "Cuckoo." Being half Danish myself, I get the weirdness factor that Scandinavian/Germanic vibes can give off; cultures that feel somewhat OCD about cleanliness, clean furniture lines, and has a thing for pickled cabbage - sauerkraut. Like Midsommar," "Cuckoo" revolves around a young American girl, Gretchen (Hunter Schafer) travelling abroad. She hits the Alps with her father, stepmother and mute half sister. She finds herself working in a hotel in the German mountains. The hotel and its owner give off an aura of uncomfortable and strange right from the outset. Things only get stranger and creepier as we go deeper in - hotel guests vomiting in the lobby. It's just what you want in a horror film, hitting the right dissonant notes putting the whole thing into the key of crazy. Cuckoo indeed. Check yourself in for a stay at this niffy little horror film, in theatres now. If you are in Ottawa, rent it from Movies 'N Stuff when it becomes available. 

Trap

Well this film has tanked on Rotten Tomatoes but I think M. Night Shyamalan gets an undeserved bad rap. My favourite director is Alfred Hitchcock and "Trap" is the most Hitchcockian thing Shyamalan has given us to date. What's it all about? A dad, Cooper (Josh Hartnett) takes his tween daughter to see a pop concert, Lady Raven (played by Saleka Shyamalan, M. Night's real daughter) at a large stadium. Police arrive in droves. They are there to set a trap for The Butcher, a serial killer who they believe will be in attendance at the concert. They will be checking all men leaving the show. They know who they are looking for and he looks a lot like Cooper. The fun is watching how Cooper struggles to get his way out of it. The film starts somewhat with a slow tempo but quickly builds. It's not "North by Northwest" but it's in the ballpark of that kind of fun. It was great to see Josh Hartnett back in a leading role. Saleka Shyamalan was fabulous as Lady Raven. I was highly entertained. Go get caught up in this one and see it in theaters now or rent it when it comes out on disc from Movies 'N Stuff if you're in Ottawa.