Despicable Me 3 came out in theatres recently, is the fourth film to star the lovable yellow minions, and is being successful across the globe. Illumination Pictures developed DM3 as their 8th film in their 10th year of operation, (the first Despicable Me is their first) and as a first for them, used a wider aspect ratio (2.35:1 versus 1.85:1, it shows on the big screen). Music was made by Pharrell Williams, the minions, and by Heitor Pereira (who has…
Having recently watched some more recently made nature videos, I wanted to watch some older ones such as the IMAX and National Geographic produced Mountain Gorilla which came out in 1992. IMAX films are often less than 1 hour long, have great resolution (in spite of watching on a DVD), and capture some amazing moments in the wild. This short documentary takes its time getting to the gorillas and the narration is paced and voiced in a stuffy science class…
Tom Hanks is a talented, versatile, Oscar winning actor and producer who has had success in the industry for decades. One of the first movies that made me really appreciate what he can do was Forrest Gump in 1994. Hanks played the title character who was kind, intellectually non-threatening, and a fast runner, and it earned Tom his second best actor Oscar in a row (after winning the previous year for Philadelphia, co-starring Denzel Washington). He brought to the role…
After the last season of the tv series Vikings ended, I began to miss having those wild Europeans in my house. The show is graphic, honest, and full of intriguing characters so I was happy to finally watch all 4 episodes of the History Channel’s Real Vikings. This 4 part series explores the history and growth of actual vikings and also heavily references the tv show. Two of the lead vikings on the show are based on people who really…
Sylvester Stallone has been a movie star for decades, writes and directs some of the films he acts in, and has been recognized by the Oscars. He has made a career of playing roles where he can appear to be peaceful but when pushed, he can push back and carry an action film on his back. Sylvester was well known to film audiences when First Blood (1982) premiered, the first of his John Rambo films. Drifting into town, misunderstood and…
Everyone should see a Coen brothers movie to see if they like their style, their humor, the actors, and for the laughs. The Big Lebowski might be my favorite of their films due to how funny the film is, the absurdity of the plot, and the performances of numerous cast members. I have been a fan of Joel and Ethan Coen since Raising Arizona (1987 starring Nicolas Cage) which they also wrote and directed and I rewatched The Big Lebowski…
I made a “deal” with my significant other that if we watched Fifty Shades Darker (2017), the sequel to Fifty Shades of Grey (2015), then we would have to watch a parody film based on the first one, Fifty Shades of Black (2016). Lately I have been watching a lot of parodies, I especially like ones with Marlon Wayans, and two years ago we watched the first Fifty Shades of Grey. The trailers for the dramatic movies make the films…
Tom Cruise stars in exciting films, is an Oscar nominated actor, and has been a movie star for decades. I first saw Tom in Top Gun (1986), playing a fighter jet pilot opposite Val Kilmer, and I instantly wanted to ride a motorbike and fly a plane like him. He was cool but intense, charming but naive, and is definitely made to be on camera. His boyish charm has only slightly warn off over the years, and a sequel has…
For Canada Day yesterday I watched a richly Canadian made film, Strange Brew. Based on their characters from the tv show SCTV (1976-1984), Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas play brothers who drink beer, eat doughnuts, and wear toques (all playing into the Canadian stereotype that, now reflecting in hindsight, they helped contribute to). The movie echoes cinematic pairings such as Cheech and Chong, Bill and Ted, and Wayne and Garth, and was filmed primarily in Ontario. An animated series appeared…
I watched a film made by a Québec born writer/director Denis Villeneuve, because I have been watching some French movies made in France lately (but Canada Day is tomorrow), it is highly rated, and I love other movies Villeneuve has made, (Prisoners and Sicario). Incendies is a drama about two siblings who travel to the Middle East to fulfill their mother’s will and discover more about their family. Based on a play by Wajdi Mouawad, Incendies was nominated for best…