Movie Box Review

We are heading into the holiday stretch and for a lot of TV watchers that can often mean absolutely nothing to watch, but for fans of monsters, magic & heroes have no fear as The 12 Days of SpaceMAS is almost here. From Thursday December 22, 2011 to Monday January 2, 2012 Space Channel will be jam packing our days with marathons of monster movies to entire seasons of TV and possible the most exciting for Whovians, the Doctor Who Christmas Special being played on Christmas Day.

Myself, I'm gearing up more for the movie marathons, especially Beast Feast Marathon over 2 Days which has a mega-load of monster movies including Mega Piranha, Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus, Mega Shark vs Crocosaurus and of course Mega Python vs Gatoroid (starring Tiffany & Debbie Gibson!). Also included in Beast Feast is shark classic Jaws and two of my faves: Deep Blue Sea and Rogue (killer crocodile!) starring Radha Mitchell & Sam Worthington and I might finally get to see the infamous Black Sheep!

There are also lots of films for dinosaurs fans (Jurrasic Park trilogy + Triassic Attack & Aztec Rex), Comic Book Hero fans with several Batman films and 2 Thor Films: The Almighty Thor and Thor: Hammer of the Gods and then the Man vs. Machine marathon with I, Robot, Demolition Man, Stealth, Transformers 1 & 2 and Starship Troopers 1 & 2. Although I think Starship Troopers is a bit of a cheat....weren't the monsters just.. bugs? Meh! No matter, it's all in good fun and it's got cool tech - perhaps they mutate to machines in the sequel.

For the TV fans there are lots of shows to catch up with including Season 1 & 2 of Merlin (great lead up to Season 4 premiere on January 7, 2012), Sanctuary Season 4 marathon, Christmas with the Doctor and Torchwood Marathon.

With so many awesome options, the true question is, what *won't* you watch?

Here's a listing of the full 12 Days of SpaceMAS:
Day 1 - Thurs Dec 22, 2011: Comic Book Hero Marathon
Day 2 - Fri Dec 23, 2011: Dino-Might Marathon
Day 3 - Sat Dec 24, 2011: Family Fantasy Marathon
Day 4 - Sun Dec 25, 2011: Christmas with the Doctor
Day 5 - Mon Dec 26, 2011: Beast Feast Marathon Day 1
Day 6 - Tues Dec 27, 2011: Beast Feast Marathon Day 2
Day 7 - Weds Dec 28, 2011: Magical Merlin Marathon Day 1
Day 8 - Thurs Dec 29, 2011: Magical Merlin Marathon Day 2
Day 9 - Fri Dec 30, 2011: Sanctuary Season 4 Marathon
Day 10 - Sat Dec 31, 2011: Man vs. Machine Marathon Day 1
Day 11 - Sun Jan 1, 2012: Man vs. Machine Marathon Day 2
Day 12 - Mon Jan 2, 2012: Torchwood Marathon

Thurs Dec 22, 2011: Comic Book Hero Marathon
7 p.m. ET – THOR: HAMMER OF THE GODS
8:55 p.m. ET – THE ALMIGHTY THOR (Encore at 9 a.m. ET on Dec. 23)
10:50 p.m. ET – BATMAN
1:25 a.m. ET – BATMAN RETURNS
4 a.m. ET – BATMAN FOREVER
6:30 a.m. ET – BATMAN AND ROBIN

Fri Dec 23, 2011: Dino-Might Marathon
11 a.m. ET – AZTEC REX (Encores at 9:50 p.m. ET and on Dec. 24 at 6:50 a.m. ET)
12:55 p.m. ET – TRIASSIC ATTACK
2:45 p.m. ET – JURASSIC PARK (Encore at 11:45 p.m. ET)
5:20 p.m. ET – THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK 2 (Encore at 2:20 a.m. ET on Dec. 24)
7:55 p.m. ET – JURASSIC PARK 3 (Encore at 4:55 a.m. ET on Dec. 24)

Sat Dec 24, 2011: Family Fantasy Marathon
8:45 a.m. ET – BEETLEJUICE (Encores at 1:40 a.m. ET on Dec. 25)
10:40 a.m. ET – NEVERLAND (NIGHT ONE) (Encores at 7:05 p.m. ET and on Dec. 25 at 3:40 a.m. ET)
12:35 p.m. ET – NEVERLAND (NIGHT TWO) (Encores at 9:05 p.m. ET and on Dec. 25 at 5:35 a.m. ET)
2:30 p.m. ET – E.T. (Encore at 11:05 p.m. ET)
5 p.m. ET – STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS

Sun Dec 25, 2011: Christmas With The Doctor
7:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. ET – Back-to-back episodes of DOCTOR WHO (Season 6)
8 p.m. – 6:30 a.m. ET – Back-to-back DOCTOR WHO specials including:
THE DOCTOR, THE WIDOW AND THE WARDROBE Premieres Sunday Dec 25 at 9 pm ET on SPACE


THE DOCTOR, THE WIDOW AND THE WARDROBE Premieres Sunday Dec 25 at 9 pm ET on SPACE

Mon Dec 26, 2011 - Beast Feast Day 2:
9 a.m. ET – DEEP BLUE SEA
11:10 a.m. ET – MEGA PIRANHA (Encore at 4:40 p.m. ET)
1 p.m. ET – COPPERHEAD
2:50 p.m. ET – MEGA PYTHON VS. GATOROID
6:30 p.m. ET – MEGA SHARK VS. GIANT OCTOPUS
8:25 p.m. ET – MEGA SHARK VS. CROCOSAURUS
10:15 p.m. ET – JAWS (Encore at 4:30 a.m. ET)
12:45 a.m. ET – MALIBU SHARK ATTACK
2:35 a.m. ET – RAZORBACK

Tues Dec 27, 2011 - Beast Feast Day 2:
7 a.m. ET – COPPERHEAD
8:50 a.m. ET – MEGA PIRANHA
10:40 a.m. ET – MEGA SHARK VS. GIANT OCTOPUS
12:30 p.m. ET – MEGA SHARK VS. CROCOSAURUS
2:20 p.m. ET – MEGA SHARK VS. GATOROID
4:10 p.m. ET – ANACONDA (Encore at 12:20 a.m. ET)
6 p.m. ET – MALIBU SHARK ATTACK
7:50 p.m. ET – JAWS
10:20 p.m. ET – ROGUE (Encore at 4 a.m. ET)
2:10 a.m. ET – BLACK SHEEP

Wed Dec 28, 2011 - Magical Merlin Day 1:
6 a.m. – 6 p.m. ET – Back-to-back episodes of MERLIN (Season 1) (Episodes repeat from 6 p.m. – 6 a.m. ET)

Thurs Dec 29, 2011 - Magical Merlin Day 2:
6 a.m. – 6 p.m. ET – Back-to-back episodes of MERLIN (Season 2) (Episodes repeat from 6 p.m. – 6 a.m. ET)

Fri Dec 30, 2011: Sanctuary Season 4 Marathon
11 a.m. – 11:22 p.m. ET – Back-to-back episodes of SANCTUARY (Season 4)
Final three episodes of the season start at 8:30 p.m. ET
Encore broadcasts from 11:22 – 11:30 a.m. ET

Sat Dec 31, 2011 - Man vs Machine Day 1:
11:30 a.m. ET – DEMOLITION MAN (Encore at 12:30 a.m. ET)
1:50 p.m. ET – STEALTH (Encore at 2:50 a.m. ET)
4:20 p.m. ET – I, ROBOT
6:40 p.m. ET – TRANSFORMERS (Encore at 5:20 a.m. ET)
9:35 p.m. ET – TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN

Sun Jan 1, 2012 - Man vs Machine Day 2
8:15 a.m. ET – TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN (Encore at 6:55 p.m. ET)
11:10 a.m. ET – STEALTH
1:40 p.m. ET – I, ROBOT
4 p.m. ET – TRANSFORMERS
9:50 p.m. ET – STARSHIP TROOPERS
12:30 a.m. ET – STARSHIP TROOPERS 2: HERO OF THE FEDERATION
2:20 a.m. ET – ALIEN VS. PREDATOR
4:30 a.m. ET – STARGATE

TORCHWOOD Marathon
Monday, Jan. 2, 2012
7 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET – Back-to-back episodes of TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF THE EARH
1 p.m. – 12:10 a.m. ET – Back-to-back episodes of TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY


Sanctuary Cast Photo Credit Sanctuary Productions

Cross posted at Hexed: Sisterhood of the Supernatural

We are heading into the holiday stretch and for a lot of TV watchers that can often mean absolutely nothing to watch, but for fans of monsters, magic & heroes have no fear as The 12 Days of SpaceMAS is almost here. From Thursday December 22, 2011 to Monday January 2, 2012 Space Channel will be jam packing our days with marathons of monster movies to entire seasons of TV and possible the most exciting for Whovians, the Doctor Who Christmas Special being played on Christmas Day.

Myself, I'm gearing up more for the movie marathons, especially Beast Feast Marathon over 2 Days which has a mega-load of monster movies including Mega Piranha, Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus, Mega Shark vs Crocosaurus and of course Mega Python vs Gatoroid (starring Tiffany & Debbie Gibson!). Also included in Beast Feast is shark classic Jaws and two of my faves: Deep Blue Sea and Rogue (killer crocodile!) starring Radha Mitchell & Sam Worthington and I might finally get to see the infamous Black Sheep!

There are also lots of films for dinosaurs fans (Jurrasic Park trilogy + Triassic Attack & Aztec Rex), Comic Book Hero fans with several Batman films and 2 Thor Films: The Almighty Thor and Thor: Hammer of the Gods and then the Man vs. Machine marathon with I, Robot, Demolition Man, Stealth, Transformers 1 & 2 and Starship Troopers 1 & 2. Although I think Starship Troopers is a bit of a cheat....weren't the monsters just.. bugs? Meh! No matter, it's all in good fun and it's got cool tech - perhaps they mutate to machines in the sequel.

For the TV fans there are lots of shows to catch up with including Season 1 & 2 of Merlin (great lead up to Season 4 premiere on January 7, 2012), Sanctuary Season 4 marathon, Christmas with the Doctor and Torchwood Marathon.

With so many awesome options, the true question is, what *won't* you watch?

Here's a listing of the full 12 Days of SpaceMAS:
Day 1 - Thurs Dec 22, 2011: Comic Book Hero Marathon
Day 2 - Fri Dec 23, 2011: Dino-Might Marathon
Day 3 - Sat Dec 24, 2011: Family Fantasy Marathon
Day 4 - Sun Dec 25, 2011: Christmas with the Doctor
Day 5 - Mon Dec 26, 2011: Beast Feast Marathon Day 1
Day 6 - Tues Dec 27, 2011: Beast Feast Marathon Day 2
Day 7 - Weds Dec 28, 2011: Magical Merlin Marathon Day 1
Day 8 - Thurs Dec 29, 2011: Magical Merlin Marathon Day 2
Day 9 - Fri Dec 30, 2011: Sanctuary Season 4 Marathon
Day 10 - Sat Dec 31, 2011: Man vs. Machine Marathon Day 1
Day 11 - Sun Jan 1, 2012: Man vs. Machine Marathon Day 2
Day 12 - Mon Jan 2, 2012: Torchwood Marathon

Thurs Dec 22, 2011: Comic Book Hero Marathon
7 p.m. ET – THOR: HAMMER OF THE GODS
8:55 p.m. ET – THE ALMIGHTY THOR (Encore at 9 a.m. ET on Dec. 23)
10:50 p.m. ET – BATMAN
1:25 a.m. ET – BATMAN RETURNS
4 a.m. ET – BATMAN FOREVER
6:30 a.m. ET – BATMAN AND ROBIN

Fri Dec 23, 2011: Dino-Might Marathon
11 a.m. ET – AZTEC REX (Encores at 9:50 p.m. ET and on Dec. 24 at 6:50 a.m. ET)
12:55 p.m. ET – TRIASSIC ATTACK
2:45 p.m. ET – JURASSIC PARK (Encore at 11:45 p.m. ET)
5:20 p.m. ET – THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK 2 (Encore at 2:20 a.m. ET on Dec. 24)
7:55 p.m. ET – JURASSIC PARK 3 (Encore at 4:55 a.m. ET on Dec. 24)

Sat Dec 24, 2011: Family Fantasy Marathon
8:45 a.m. ET – BEETLEJUICE (Encores at 1:40 a.m. ET on Dec. 25)
10:40 a.m. ET – NEVERLAND (NIGHT ONE) (Encores at 7:05 p.m. ET and on Dec. 25 at 3:40 a.m. ET)
12:35 p.m. ET – NEVERLAND (NIGHT TWO) (Encores at 9:05 p.m. ET and on Dec. 25 at 5:35 a.m. ET)
2:30 p.m. ET – E.T. (Encore at 11:05 p.m. ET)
5 p.m. ET – STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS

Sun Dec 25, 2011: Christmas With The Doctor
7:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. ET – Back-to-back episodes of DOCTOR WHO (Season 6)
8 p.m. – 6:30 a.m. ET – Back-to-back DOCTOR WHO specials including:
THE DOCTOR, THE WIDOW AND THE WARDROBE Premieres Sunday Dec 25 at 9 pm ET on SPACE


THE DOCTOR, THE WIDOW AND THE WARDROBE Premieres Sunday Dec 25 at 9 pm ET on SPACE

Mon Dec 26, 2011 - Beast Feast Day 2:
9 a.m. ET – DEEP BLUE SEA
11:10 a.m. ET – MEGA PIRANHA (Encore at 4:40 p.m. ET)
1 p.m. ET – COPPERHEAD
2:50 p.m. ET – MEGA PYTHON VS. GATOROID
6:30 p.m. ET – MEGA SHARK VS. GIANT OCTOPUS
8:25 p.m. ET – MEGA SHARK VS. CROCOSAURUS
10:15 p.m. ET – JAWS (Encore at 4:30 a.m. ET)
12:45 a.m. ET – MALIBU SHARK ATTACK
2:35 a.m. ET – RAZORBACK

Tues Dec 27, 2011 - Beast Feast Day 2:
7 a.m. ET – COPPERHEAD
8:50 a.m. ET – MEGA PIRANHA
10:40 a.m. ET – MEGA SHARK VS. GIANT OCTOPUS
12:30 p.m. ET – MEGA SHARK VS. CROCOSAURUS
2:20 p.m. ET – MEGA SHARK VS. GATOROID
4:10 p.m. ET – ANACONDA (Encore at 12:20 a.m. ET)
6 p.m. ET – MALIBU SHARK ATTACK
7:50 p.m. ET – JAWS
10:20 p.m. ET – ROGUE (Encore at 4 a.m. ET)
2:10 a.m. ET – BLACK SHEEP

Wed Dec 28, 2011 - Magical Merlin Day 1:
6 a.m. – 6 p.m. ET – Back-to-back episodes of MERLIN (Season 1) (Episodes repeat from 6 p.m. – 6 a.m. ET)

Thurs Dec 29, 2011 - Magical Merlin Day 2:
6 a.m. – 6 p.m. ET – Back-to-back episodes of MERLIN (Season 2) (Episodes repeat from 6 p.m. – 6 a.m. ET)

Fri Dec 30, 2011: Sanctuary Season 4 Marathon
11 a.m. – 11:22 p.m. ET – Back-to-back episodes of SANCTUARY (Season 4)
Final three episodes of the season start at 8:30 p.m. ET
Encore broadcasts from 11:22 – 11:30 a.m. ET

Sat Dec 31, 2011 - Man vs Machine Day 1:
11:30 a.m. ET – DEMOLITION MAN (Encore at 12:30 a.m. ET)
1:50 p.m. ET – STEALTH (Encore at 2:50 a.m. ET)
4:20 p.m. ET – I, ROBOT
6:40 p.m. ET – TRANSFORMERS (Encore at 5:20 a.m. ET)
9:35 p.m. ET – TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN

Sun Jan 1, 2012 - Man vs Machine Day 2
8:15 a.m. ET – TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN (Encore at 6:55 p.m. ET)
11:10 a.m. ET – STEALTH
1:40 p.m. ET – I, ROBOT
4 p.m. ET – TRANSFORMERS
9:50 p.m. ET – STARSHIP TROOPERS
12:30 a.m. ET – STARSHIP TROOPERS 2: HERO OF THE FEDERATION
2:20 a.m. ET – ALIEN VS. PREDATOR
4:30 a.m. ET – STARGATE

TORCHWOOD Marathon
Monday, Jan. 2, 2012
7 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET – Back-to-back episodes of TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF THE EARH
1 p.m. – 12:10 a.m. ET – Back-to-back episodes of TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY


Sanctuary Cast Photo Credit Sanctuary Productions

Cross posted at Hexed: Sisterhood of the Supernatural

Must-See's

• The Runaways - really stellar biopic centred two band members of The Runaways, and the casting and performances here are great with Kristen Stewart (Twilight) as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning (The Twilight Saga: New Moon) as Cherie Currie. I really enjoyed the femme centric nature of the double female protagonist film that embraces the freedom & fun equally alongside the frantic & gritty time and situations.

Can-Con

• Chloe - erotic thriller from Atom Egoyan starring Julianne Moore, Amanda Seyfred and Liam Neeson. Lovingly set and featuring Toronto as it's setting and from that perspective along it's fun to watch and point out all the familiar haunts. And the acting and tone is very good too :)

Biggies

• Edge of Darkness - Mel Gibson stars in this eeriely different take on vengeance film that's cut from an older cloth that what I think we are used to in a CSI centric crime world.
• The Bounty Hunter - couldn't pay me to see this Jennifer Aniston / Gerard Butler ex's and resistant to each others company rom com. Actually, I would watch it if you paid me - but only if you did.

My To See List

• The Boys: The Sherman Brother's Story - documentary on songwriters for Disney tunes? Yep. I'm there. Trailers certainly looked charming and I'm looking forward to catching up with this one.
• From Paris, With Love - I'ma little surprzied I didn't get out to this action/thriller in the theatre but it looked like it might be just over the edge of brutal. I loved District B13 / Banlieue B13from director Pierre Morel, but found Taken a little too harsh. But, my curiosity is piqued to see what trouble John Travolta and Jonathan Rhys Meyers get up to in this one.
• Leap Year - sure the rom com looks extremely predictable but it also looks pretty cute and I love the cast of Amy Adams, Matthew Goode and Adam Scott.

Series

• I know I already talked about both of them last month but with late October starts both In Treatment Season 3 and Durham Country Season 3 continue in November with new episodes on HBO Canada.

For the Twi-Hards

• Looking to spot Twi-Stars? Along with the aforementioned The Runaways with the ladies of the saga, you can all check out the gents this month in Remember Me starring Robert Pattinson and Valentines' Day starring Taylor Lautner.

Mpix Pick

• The Taking of Pellum One Two Three - starring Walther Matthau and Robert Shaw, this is an one absolutely fantastic heist drama centred on a subway train. The film is great overall and it features one of my favourite opening ever as it features the funkiest music that won't ever let you forget it came out in the 1970s.

These are just some of the highlights I've picked out of what is new this month on TMN. They have loads more titles and you can check them out all over at the TMN website.

Must-See's

• The Runaways - really stellar biopic centred two band members of The Runaways, and the casting and performances here are great with Kristen Stewart (Twilight) as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning (The Twilight Saga: New Moon) as Cherie Currie. I really enjoyed the femme centric nature of the double female protagonist film that embraces the freedom & fun equally alongside the frantic & gritty time and situations.

Can-Con

• Chloe - erotic thriller from Atom Egoyan starring Julianne Moore, Amanda Seyfred and Liam Neeson. Lovingly set and featuring Toronto as it's setting and from that perspective along it's fun to watch and point out all the familiar haunts. And the acting and tone is very good too :)

Biggies

• Edge of Darkness - Mel Gibson stars in this eeriely different take on vengeance film that's cut from an older cloth that what I think we are used to in a CSI centric crime world.
• The Bounty Hunter - couldn't pay me to see this Jennifer Aniston / Gerard Butler ex's and resistant to each others company rom com. Actually, I would watch it if you paid me - but only if you did.

My To See List

• The Boys: The Sherman Brother's Story - documentary on songwriters for Disney tunes? Yep. I'm there. Trailers certainly looked charming and I'm looking forward to catching up with this one.
• From Paris, With Love - I'ma little surprzied I didn't get out to this action/thriller in the theatre but it looked like it might be just over the edge of brutal. I loved District B13 / Banlieue B13from director Pierre Morel, but found Taken a little too harsh. But, my curiosity is piqued to see what trouble John Travolta and Jonathan Rhys Meyers get up to in this one.
• Leap Year - sure the rom com looks extremely predictable but it also looks pretty cute and I love the cast of Amy Adams, Matthew Goode and Adam Scott.

Series

• I know I already talked about both of them last month but with late October starts both In Treatment Season 3 and Durham Country Season 3 continue in November with new episodes on HBO Canada.

For the Twi-Hards

• Looking to spot Twi-Stars? Along with the aforementioned The Runaways with the ladies of the saga, you can all check out the gents this month in Remember Me starring Robert Pattinson and Valentines' Day starring Taylor Lautner.

Mpix Pick

• The Taking of Pellum One Two Three - starring Walther Matthau and Robert Shaw, this is an one absolutely fantastic heist drama centred on a subway train. The film is great overall and it features one of my favourite opening ever as it features the funkiest music that won't ever let you forget it came out in the 1970s.

These are just some of the highlights I've picked out of what is new this month on TMN. They have loads more titles and you can check them out all over at the TMN website.

Dir: Min Sook Lee (Tiger Spirit)
Documentary
2010 (TV)

Reason to see: I loved Min Sook Lee's powerful documentary Tiger Spirit

The Real MASH is a documentary that looks at the real life men & women who worked in MASH (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) units, who in the inspiration for the for film & TV series M*A*S*H. It's a fascinating look at the series and it's effect, longevity and impact on the viewers, the actors and the people who were involved in actual MASH units during The Korean war.

I loved how it incorporated interviews with actual men & women who were the inspiration for characters and scenarios alongside footage from series, dramatizations and interviews with the actual M*A*S*H actors such including Jamie Farr (Corporal Klinger), Loretta Swit
(Hot Lips Houlihan) and Gary Burghoff (Radar). There is a beautiful seamless feel to it, although it touches of many different aspects and impacts. I also enjoyed how it showcased an interesting model for a TV series, where the people who actually lived through it and how they in turn became contributors to the show with story ideas. The documentary shows a beautiful 360 degrees awareness and inclusion not only of the people involved but also the people it touched.

It's a compelling commentary on not only power of a film and television, but on the impact of the medium and the messages that it can provide.

The Real MASH premieres on History Television Monday October 11, 2010 at 9pm EST & repeats Tuesday, October 12, 2010 8pm EST. See more at The Real MASH website and also TV times & listings.

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it
I'd watch it again
I'd recommend it

Return to Film Reviews

© Shannon Ridler, 2010

Dir: Min Sook Lee (Tiger Spirit)
Documentary
2010 (TV)

Reason to see: I loved Min Sook Lee's powerful documentary Tiger Spirit

The Real MASH is a documentary that looks at the real life men & women who worked in MASH (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) units, who in the inspiration for the for film & TV series M*A*S*H. It's a fascinating look at the series and it's effect, longevity and impact on the viewers, the actors and the people who were involved in actual MASH units during The Korean war.

I loved how it incorporated interviews with actual men & women who were the inspiration for characters and scenarios alongside footage from series, dramatizations and interviews with the actual M*A*S*H actors such including Jamie Farr (Corporal Klinger), Loretta Swit
(Hot Lips Houlihan) and Gary Burghoff (Radar). There is a beautiful seamless feel to it, although it touches of many different aspects and impacts. I also enjoyed how it showcased an interesting model for a TV series, where the people who actually lived through it and how they in turn became contributors to the show with story ideas. The documentary shows a beautiful 360 degrees awareness and inclusion not only of the people involved but also the people it touched.

It's a compelling commentary on not only power of a film and television, but on the impact of the medium and the messages that it can provide.

The Real MASH premieres on History Television Monday October 11, 2010 at 9pm EST & repeats Tuesday, October 12, 2010 8pm EST. See more at The Real MASH website and also TV times & listings.

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it
I'd watch it again
I'd recommend it

Return to Film Reviews

© Shannon Ridler, 2010

Oddly I only have a few Halloweeny picks for this month on TMN, although if you are looking for creepy there are tons of classics on Mpix from The Exorcist to Amityville along with fun ones like Pet Sematary, for which I will always hear The Ramones song in my head when I hear that title. "I don't want to be buried... in a pet semetary... don't want to live my life again..."

Must See's

• District 13: Ultimatum - Sequel to District B13 / Banlieue B13 and again is jam packed with more underdog good folks vs the baddies and filled to the brim with more parkour action and fight sequences. It follows a very similar structure to the original but it's still a very fun watch. Both David Belle and Cyril Raffaelli reprise their roles and are impressive in the high flying action and buddy-film-ness.
• Passenger Side - fantastic urban road movie starring Adam Scott and Joel Bissonnette as brothers driving around but not really feeling like they are going anywhere, although isn't it the journey that matters? The beautiful casual dialogue, quick wit and chemistry between the two guys make this a stand out film. And it's Canadian (although set in the States).

Highly Enjoyable

• The Crazies - remake of the 1973 George A. Romero film of the same name, this one stars Timothy Olyphant and Radha Mitchell who live in a town that becomes exposed to a deadly virus. I actually quite enjoyed this film, although never got around to reviewing it. One of the best things about it is a fantastic performance by Joe Anderson in a supporting role, I'll watch it again and again just for that. Fair warning for anyone queasy that it might not be the best fit as it's very gory.
• Legion - I keep joking that I am in the Legion of One who liked this take on the edge of apocalypse time where a rebel angel shows up to fight the good fight in a drifter town. Certainly not perfect, but it was a heck of a lot of fun.

The Biggies

• The Blind Side - Sandra Bullock and Quinton Aaron star in this based on a true story film following the rise of a football player after being taking into a family after being homeless.
• Shutter Island - Leonardo Dicaprio stars in this thriller from Martin Scorsese. I wasn't overly impressed by it (actually I laughed a lot watching it... but it's hard to discuss why without going to spoiler territory). The pacing & tone are great making it a pretty solid thriller, but I coudln't really 'go there' a lot of the time.

Series:

• In Treatment Season 3 - Starring Gabriel Byrne as a therapist are a fly on the wall during his daily sessions with patients along with getting snippets into his struggles with his own personal life. I know this series is much loved and I truly adored season 1 (and now really have to catch up on Season 2!). In Treatment shows on HBO Canada.
• Durham Country Season 3 - Wow, I didn't even realize they were doing a season 3, and I just watched all of Season 1 and 2 for a DVD review. Very chilling Canadian crime drama starring Hugh Dillon, will run on HBO Canada.

My To Watch List

• The Lovely Bones - I just didn't make it out to this one in the theatre
• Pirate Radio - I like the original title of The Boat That Rocked more, but this one actually never made it to the theatre in Toronto so I never saw it. British period comedy set on a boat sounds like a recipe for fun for me.
• Suck - Canadian rock/vampire film starring Alice Cooper? I'm still kicking myself for not getting to see this at TIFF last year and hoped it would make regular theatres, but it didn't.

These are just some of the highlights I've picked out of what is new this month on TMN. They have loads more titles and you can check them out all over at the TMN website.

Oddly I only have a few Halloweeny picks for this month on TMN, although if you are looking for creepy there are tons of classics on Mpix from The Exorcist to Amityville along with fun ones like Pet Sematary, for which I will always hear The Ramones song in my head when I hear that title. "I don't want to be buried... in a pet semetary... don't want to live my life again..."

Must See's

• District 13: Ultimatum - Sequel to District B13 / Banlieue B13 and again is jam packed with more underdog good folks vs the baddies and filled to the brim with more parkour action and fight sequences. It follows a very similar structure to the original but it's still a very fun watch. Both David Belle and Cyril Raffaelli reprise their roles and are impressive in the high flying action and buddy-film-ness.
• Passenger Side - fantastic urban road movie starring Adam Scott and Joel Bissonnette as brothers driving around but not really feeling like they are going anywhere, although isn't it the journey that matters? The beautiful casual dialogue, quick wit and chemistry between the two guys make this a stand out film. And it's Canadian (although set in the States).

Highly Enjoyable

• The Crazies - remake of the 1973 George A. Romero film of the same name, this one stars Timothy Olyphant and Radha Mitchell who live in a town that becomes exposed to a deadly virus. I actually quite enjoyed this film, although never got around to reviewing it. One of the best things about it is a fantastic performance by Joe Anderson in a supporting role, I'll watch it again and again just for that. Fair warning for anyone queasy that it might not be the best fit as it's very gory.
• Legion - I keep joking that I am in the Legion of One who liked this take on the edge of apocalypse time where a rebel angel shows up to fight the good fight in a drifter town. Certainly not perfect, but it was a heck of a lot of fun.

The Biggies

• The Blind Side - Sandra Bullock and Quinton Aaron star in this based on a true story film following the rise of a football player after being taking into a family after being homeless.
• Shutter Island - Leonardo Dicaprio stars in this thriller from Martin Scorsese. I wasn't overly impressed by it (actually I laughed a lot watching it... but it's hard to discuss why without going to spoiler territory). The pacing & tone are great making it a pretty solid thriller, but I coudln't really 'go there' a lot of the time.

Series:

• In Treatment Season 3 - Starring Gabriel Byrne as a therapist are a fly on the wall during his daily sessions with patients along with getting snippets into his struggles with his own personal life. I know this series is much loved and I truly adored season 1 (and now really have to catch up on Season 2!). In Treatment shows on HBO Canada.
• Durham Country Season 3 - Wow, I didn't even realize they were doing a season 3, and I just watched all of Season 1 and 2 for a DVD review. Very chilling Canadian crime drama starring Hugh Dillon, will run on HBO Canada.

My To Watch List

• The Lovely Bones - I just didn't make it out to this one in the theatre
• Pirate Radio - I like the original title of The Boat That Rocked more, but this one actually never made it to the theatre in Toronto so I never saw it. British period comedy set on a boat sounds like a recipe for fun for me.
• Suck - Canadian rock/vampire film starring Alice Cooper? I'm still kicking myself for not getting to see this at TIFF last year and hoped it would make regular theatres, but it didn't.

These are just some of the highlights I've picked out of what is new this month on TMN. They have loads more titles and you can check them out all over at the TMN website.

It's time to have a looks at new & notable films debuting on TMN (The Movie Network) this month. I didn't get my magazine (yet) this month, so used a different method for checking the new films - that appears to be a big listing and then the ones with trailers look "new" new. Fingers crossed these are all "new" new, but even if not they are all notable! Lots of my faves in this lot.

Must See's

• The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus - one of my favourite films of last year and is a magical, whimsical, dark and fantastical film rich with layered story, fantastic characters and superb performances. Directed by Terry Gilliam (Brazil, Tideland).
• Grown Up Movie Star - one of my favourite films of this year, this is a beautiful and touching coming of age story of a girl growing up in on the East Coast of Canada.
• J'ai tué ma mère / I Killed My Mother - yet another of my favourite films of this year, and another coming of age film, and also Canadian but this time follows a teen guy in Quebec. Highly acclaimed feature film directorial debut (and also starring) Xavier Dolan.
• The Damned United - biopic following the life of football manager Brian Clough (played by Michael Sheen from Underworld: Rise of the Lycans and The Twilight Saga: New Moon) and his obsession and involvement with the United Team in the late 60's / early 70's.

Highly Enjoyable

• Ninja Assassin - starring South Korean superstar Rain as, you guessed it, a ninja assassin. Very bloody & gory but I absolutely adore this film because it really is what it is.. ninjas... assassins... blood... it's all good
• Nine - film based on the stage play inspired by Fellini's film 8 1/2. Yes, that's a bit of a mouthful and perhaps would be clearer with a diagram. Stars Daniel Day-Lewis and lots of amazing women including Dame Judi Dench, Penélope Cruz, Marion Marion Cotillard. And it's a musical.
• Sherlock Holmes - Extremely fun historical adventure mystery film and reboot Mr. Holmes and friends. Stars Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes and Jude Law as Watson, and the two have ridiculously good chemistry. Directed by Guy Ritchie (Lock, Stock and Two Smocking Barrels, Snatch), and a sequel is in the works for 2011.
• Dear John - Based on the Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name, Dear John stars Channing Tatum & Amanda Seyfried as two people who fall for each and work to maintain a long distance romance through letters while John returns to military duty overseas.

The Biggies

• Up in the Air - George Clooney stars as a professional at laying people off.
• The Road - post apocalyptic journey film based on the book by Cormac McCarthy
• Love Happens- romantic comedy with Jennifer Aniston and Aaron Eckhart.
• A Serious Man - latest from the Coen Brothers.

My To Watch List

• GravyTrain - comedy from the folks that brought us the hilarious Rock, Paper, Scissors: The Way of the Tosser, which is als on this month.
• Riverworld - this had me at "SciFi" and "Tahmoh Penikett" (Helo from BSG), but it's a 3hr TV ness and is about reawakening in a a watery location. In other words, sounds awesome.
• Stonehenge Apocalypse - more SciFi TV-ness, looks like TV movie, centred on chain of events that start from finding human remains near Stonehenge. And, stars Misha Collins (Castiel on Supernatural)
• Ponyo - I've only heard great things about this animated film from Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle).

How I did with August
Horrible! I didn't catch anything new other than watching True Blood. I just missed The Informant! but will certainly catch it once it's on On Demand. Was a busy month, but I can't believe I didn't see anything new on TMN. Let's hope in September see more.

It's time to have a looks at new & notable films debuting on TMN (The Movie Network) this month. I didn't get my magazine (yet) this month, so used a different method for checking the new films - that appears to be a big listing and then the ones with trailers look "new" new. Fingers crossed these are all "new" new, but even if not they are all notable! Lots of my faves in this lot.

Must See's

• The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus - one of my favourite films of last year and is a magical, whimsical, dark and fantastical film rich with layered story, fantastic characters and superb performances. Directed by Terry Gilliam (Brazil, Tideland).
• Grown Up Movie Star - one of my favourite films of this year, this is a beautiful and touching coming of age story of a girl growing up in on the East Coast of Canada.
• J'ai tué ma mère / I Killed My Mother - yet another of my favourite films of this year, and another coming of age film, and also Canadian but this time follows a teen guy in Quebec. Highly acclaimed feature film directorial debut (and also starring) Xavier Dolan.
• The Damned United - biopic following the life of football manager Brian Clough (played by Michael Sheen from Underworld: Rise of the Lycans and The Twilight Saga: New Moon) and his obsession and involvement with the United Team in the late 60's / early 70's.

Highly Enjoyable

• Ninja Assassin - starring South Korean superstar Rain as, you guessed it, a ninja assassin. Very bloody & gory but I absolutely adore this film because it really is what it is.. ninjas... assassins... blood... it's all good
• Nine - film based on the stage play inspired by Fellini's film 8 1/2. Yes, that's a bit of a mouthful and perhaps would be clearer with a diagram. Stars Daniel Day-Lewis and lots of amazing women including Dame Judi Dench, Penélope Cruz, Marion Marion Cotillard. And it's a musical.
• Sherlock Holmes - Extremely fun historical adventure mystery film and reboot Mr. Holmes and friends. Stars Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes and Jude Law as Watson, and the two have ridiculously good chemistry. Directed by Guy Ritchie (Lock, Stock and Two Smocking Barrels, Snatch), and a sequel is in the works for 2011.
• Dear John - Based on the Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name, Dear John stars Channing Tatum & Amanda Seyfried as two people who fall for each and work to maintain a long distance romance through letters while John returns to military duty overseas.

The Biggies

• Up in the Air - George Clooney stars as a professional at laying people off.
• The Road - post apocalyptic journey film based on the book by Cormac McCarthy
• Love Happens- romantic comedy with Jennifer Aniston and Aaron Eckhart.
• A Serious Man - latest from the Coen Brothers.

My To Watch List

• GravyTrain - comedy from the folks that brought us the hilarious Rock, Paper, Scissors: The Way of the Tosser, which is als on this month.
• Riverworld - this had me at "SciFi" and "Tahmoh Penikett" (Helo from BSG), but it's a 3hr TV ness and is about reawakening in a a watery location. In other words, sounds awesome.
• Stonehenge Apocalypse - more SciFi TV-ness, looks like TV movie, centred on chain of events that start from finding human remains near Stonehenge. And, stars Misha Collins (Castiel on Supernatural)
• Ponyo - I've only heard great things about this animated film from Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle).

How I did with August
Horrible! I didn't catch anything new other than watching True Blood. I just missed The Informant! but will certainly catch it once it's on On Demand. Was a busy month, but I can't believe I didn't see anything new on TMN. Let's hope in September see more.

Here's a look at some of the new & notable films debuting on TMN (The Movie Network) this month!

Must See's

• Bronson- directed by Nicolas Winding Refn (The Pusher Trilogy, Valhalla Rising) and starring Tom Hardy, is well more than enough to get me to see any film and after seeing Bronson, I've cemented that I'll always see any work either of them do. Bronson is a biopic on a man in prison who supplanted his own personality with that of Charles Bronson and has the goal of reaching fame through becoming known for being violent. I know that might make a lot of people think it's a no, but believe me this film is a yes, yes, yes. Tom Hardy is a force to be reckoned with and he is the heart of the film give a performance that is easily one of the best of 2009. You might not know his name yet, although trekkies will recognize him as Praetor Shinzon from Star Trek: Nemesis, or most recently as Eames delivering all the best lines in Inception. And we'll continue to see his work as it was recently announced that he's playing the title role in the upcoming 2012 remake of Mad Mad. One of the best films of 2009.
• Valentino: The Last Emperor - fantastic documentary on the fashion designed Valentino and his haute couture fashion house, life and work. A must for any fashion folk.
• The Young Victoria - Another film that is one of the best films of 2009, this one starring Emily Blunt as a, you guessed it, young Queen Victoria. It's absolutely breathtaking not only as a period piece, but as a great film with a strong female protagonist that is based on a real person which is so refreshing to see. It's also beautifully about power, leadership and love. It truly has it all.

Highly Enjoyable

• The Fourth Kind - I know this one wasn't everyones cup of tea given the fact that the previews indicate that it's based on fact (when it isn't), but either way it still was one of the scariest films I had seen in years.
• Big River Man - fascinating documentary following Slovenian endurance swimmer Martin Strel's attempt to swim the Amazon River.

The Biggie's

• Inglourious Basterds - I can't not mention this one as so many people talk about it and I'm sure many want to see it. Won't be me though, no interest there.
• Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire - Not a perfect film, but certainly a powerful film with fantastic performances of people on a brutal journey. Kleenex is required for viewing though. Lots of it.

CanCon

• Defendor - Hamilton-set regular-guy-thinks-he's-a-superhero film starring Woody Harrelson. Not quite my cup of tea but I know lots of people that really enjoyed it.

My To Watch List

• The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day - probably won't see this this month as I still have to see the *first* Boondock Saints first!
• The Box - I'll watch any thrillers, but I wasn't interested in the premise of this one enough to see it in the theatre
• The Informant - Matt Damon = yes. Plus, the based-on-true-life-but-looks-too-unbelievable-to-believe and whistle-blower thing is just too crazy to pass up.
• Tetro - missed this Francis Ford Coppola film during it's limited theatrical release
• The Time Traveller's Wife - Another one not likely to see this month as I want to get through the book first, and I've been trying to do that since sometime last year!

How I Did With July
So last month I set out six films that I was interested in seeing that were debuting on TMN: Armoured, AstroBoy, The Final Destination, Flame & Citron, The Invention of Lying and Love & Savagery. Out of those 6 I only managed to see one of them, and oddly that was The Final Destination which was pretty much awful however pretty much exactly what I expected. I did also get to see Surrogates which was no where near as awful as everyone is saying, and caught Stuart: A Life Backwards because it stars Tom Hardy (yes, I'm talking about him again and will continue to urge you to see Bronson) and it was good but a bit of a hard watch due to content of the protagonist being a suicidal/drug addict/homeless man... but it still is a great performance. I also freely admit to watching both Robsessed and Twilight in Forks: The Saga of a Small Town, both Twilight-centric documentaries, with Robsessed being focused on Robert Pattinson and it was okay but felt very much like something you'd see on a music TV channel about a 'star', but Twilight in Forks: The Saga of a Small Town was actually a very well put together and interesting documentary on the Twi-Effect on the real town of Forks. I talk about those two films more in depth on the latest episode of Before the Dawn: A Twilight Podcast.

These are just some of the highlights I've picked out of what is new this month on TMN. They have loads more titles and you can check them out all over at the TMN website.

Here's a look at some of the new & notable films debuting on TMN (The Movie Network) this month!

Must See's

• Bronson- directed by Nicolas Winding Refn (The Pusher Trilogy, Valhalla Rising) and starring Tom Hardy, is well more than enough to get me to see any film and after seeing Bronson, I've cemented that I'll always see any work either of them do. Bronson is a biopic on a man in prison who supplanted his own personality with that of Charles Bronson and has the goal of reaching fame through becoming known for being violent. I know that might make a lot of people think it's a no, but believe me this film is a yes, yes, yes. Tom Hardy is a force to be reckoned with and he is the heart of the film give a performance that is easily one of the best of 2009. You might not know his name yet, although trekkies will recognize him as Praetor Shinzon from Star Trek: Nemesis, or most recently as Eames delivering all the best lines in Inception. And we'll continue to see his work as it was recently announced that he's playing the title role in the upcoming 2012 remake of Mad Mad. One of the best films of 2009.
• Valentino: The Last Emperor - fantastic documentary on the fashion designed Valentino and his haute couture fashion house, life and work. A must for any fashion folk.
• The Young Victoria - Another film that is one of the best films of 2009, this one starring Emily Blunt as a, you guessed it, young Queen Victoria. It's absolutely breathtaking not only as a period piece, but as a great film with a strong female protagonist that is based on a real person which is so refreshing to see. It's also beautifully about power, leadership and love. It truly has it all.

Highly Enjoyable

• The Fourth Kind - I know this one wasn't everyones cup of tea given the fact that the previews indicate that it's based on fact (when it isn't), but either way it still was one of the scariest films I had seen in years.
• Big River Man - fascinating documentary following Slovenian endurance swimmer Martin Strel's attempt to swim the Amazon River.

The Biggie's

• Inglourious Basterds - I can't not mention this one as so many people talk about it and I'm sure many want to see it. Won't be me though, no interest there.
• Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire - Not a perfect film, but certainly a powerful film with fantastic performances of people on a brutal journey. Kleenex is required for viewing though. Lots of it.

CanCon

• Defendor - Hamilton-set regular-guy-thinks-he's-a-superhero film starring Woody Harrelson. Not quite my cup of tea but I know lots of people that really enjoyed it.

My To Watch List

• The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day - probably won't see this this month as I still have to see the *first* Boondock Saints first!
• The Box - I'll watch any thrillers, but I wasn't interested in the premise of this one enough to see it in the theatre
• The Informant - Matt Damon = yes. Plus, the based-on-true-life-but-looks-too-unbelievable-to-believe and whistle-blower thing is just too crazy to pass up.
• Tetro - missed this Francis Ford Coppola film during it's limited theatrical release
• The Time Traveller's Wife - Another one not likely to see this month as I want to get through the book first, and I've been trying to do that since sometime last year!

How I Did With July
So last month I set out six films that I was interested in seeing that were debuting on TMN: Armoured, AstroBoy, The Final Destination, Flame & Citron, The Invention of Lying and Love & Savagery. Out of those 6 I only managed to see one of them, and oddly that was The Final Destination which was pretty much awful however pretty much exactly what I expected. I did also get to see Surrogates which was no where near as awful as everyone is saying, and caught Stuart: A Life Backwards because it stars Tom Hardy (yes, I'm talking about him again and will continue to urge you to see Bronson) and it was good but a bit of a hard watch due to content of the protagonist being a suicidal/drug addict/homeless man... but it still is a great performance. I also freely admit to watching both Robsessed and Twilight in Forks: The Saga of a Small Town, both Twilight-centric documentaries, with Robsessed being focused on Robert Pattinson and it was okay but felt very much like something you'd see on a music TV channel about a 'star', but Twilight in Forks: The Saga of a Small Town was actually a very well put together and interesting documentary on the Twi-Effect on the real town of Forks. I talk about those two films more in depth on the latest episode of Before the Dawn: A Twilight Podcast.

These are just some of the highlights I've picked out of what is new this month on TMN. They have loads more titles and you can check them out all over at the TMN website.

Every month when the TMN (The Movie Network) guide comes in the mail, I can't wait to sit down with a cup of tea and highighter in hand to see what films are on this month and what I plan on seeing. What hits my to watch list is often a combination of big titles, festival favourites, Canadian film and almost always a few guilty pleasures. Instead of keeping these picks to myself, I thought why not share some of my picks with you? I hope you enjoy the selections!

Must-see's:

• Black Dynamite - Michael Jai White stars as Black Dynamite (Dy-no-mite! Dy-no-mite!), a competent cool cat kung fu chopping anti-drug, pro-lovin' beefcake in this hilarious pitch perfect blaxsplotation comedy. It's truly the funnest films I've seen in a long time, so much so that I have to keep watching it to catch parts I miss because I'm laughing so hard. Don't miss it.
• Every Little Step- documentary of the auditions and casting of the revival of A Chorus Line on Broadway. A must-see for anyone who loves the performing arts, especially dance. Bonus must-see if you are familiar with A Chorus Line (film or stage), but knowledge of that isn't required. This film makes me cry, in a good way, every time I see it.
• Moon - Sam Rockwell delivers a fantastic performance in this sensational science fiction film. It's one you really don't need to know anything about going in, and it's hard to discuss unless you've seen it so I never reviewed it but it is one of my favourite films from 2009 and I highly recommend it. Feature film directorial debut from Duncan Jones, I can't wait to see what he does next!
  

Highly Enjoyable:

• Coco Avant Chanel - biopic about the one and only Coco Chanel, before she became Chanel. Must-see for fashion lovers, the clothing is ... ridiculous. Great performance by Audrey Tautou (Amélie) in the title role.
• Paranormal Activity - one of the scariest films I've seen in years! Plus, it's a little indie film that could. Low budget, but not low class, this using what it has to a tee using first person and stationary recordings to it's benefit with a solid story and big scares. Well worth a watch.

Guilty Pleasures

• Bandslam - Caught this one just a few days ago and absolutely loved it. Has a very very 'known' structure as a base (reads quite like a dance film, but substitute school rock bands for dance), but elaborates nicely on it incorporating the power of music, friendship and family. Really quite touching.
• Sorority Row - Watched this last night and made me laugh, a lot. It's not a comedy though, it's a horror film of the slasher variety and set in a Sorority so you get your paint-by-numbers party scenes and what you'd expect to go along with that. But, I have to say it kept me guessing which is kind of embarrassing because I couldn't figure it out, but it was way more engaging, and funny, than I'd ever imagined.

My To Watch List:

• Armoured - Bank heist? I'm in!
• Astro Boy - Can't help but be curious
• Final Destination - I oddly like this crazy series of films, but waited to see it in it's non-3D glory
• Flame & Citron - purely for the Mads Mikkelsen factor
• The Invention of Lying - I've heard good things about this Ricky Gervais comedy
• Love & Savagery - Canadian historical romance ... I dare say, that's a must-see genre for me! I didn't even realize that until I wrote it.

New Series
The Pillars of Earth - political turmoil in 12th century England? Sounds interesting to me. Casting includes Donald Sutherland, Ian McShane, Rufus Sewell and Allison Pill. Starts July 23, 2010 (see more info here).

For the Twi-Fans
Lucky month for Twi-fans as the they will be showing not only The Twilight Saga: New Moon starting this month but also 2 Twilight-ish-centric documentaries: Robsessed which looks at the popularity and obsession people have with actor Robert Pattinson and Twilight in Forks: The Saga of the Real Town which title says it all. I've actually not see either documentary, so they technically also fall under 'guilty pleasure' for me as I know I'll be checking them out. If you want to see the whole kid & caboodle, you can - on July 24, 2010 they are having a bit of a marathon going showing Robsessed, Twilight, The Twilight Saga: New Moon and Twilight in Forks: The Saga of the Real Town all in one go started at 5:35pm EST. Fun times!

Popular Titles
Disaster flick 2012 premieres along with dystopic animated film 9, Michael Moore's documentary Capitalism: A Love Story, Michael Mann's period crime film Public Enemies and the scifi thriller Surrogates starring Bruce Willis.

These are just some of the highlights I've picked out of what is new this month on TMN. They have loads more titles and you can check them out all over at the TMN website.

Every month when the TMN (The Movie Network) guide comes in the mail, I can't wait to sit down with a cup of tea and highighter in hand to see what films are on this month and what I plan on seeing. What hits my to watch list is often a combination of big titles, festival favourites, Canadian film and almost always a few guilty pleasures. Instead of keeping these picks to myself, I thought why not share some of my picks with you? I hope you enjoy the selections!

Must-see's:

• Black Dynamite - Michael Jai White stars as Black Dynamite (Dy-no-mite! Dy-no-mite!), a competent cool cat kung fu chopping anti-drug, pro-lovin' beefcake in this hilarious pitch perfect blaxsplotation comedy. It's truly the funnest films I've seen in a long time, so much so that I have to keep watching it to catch parts I miss because I'm laughing so hard. Don't miss it.
• Every Little Step- documentary of the auditions and casting of the revival of A Chorus Line on Broadway. A must-see for anyone who loves the performing arts, especially dance. Bonus must-see if you are familiar with A Chorus Line (film or stage), but knowledge of that isn't required. This film makes me cry, in a good way, every time I see it.
• Moon - Sam Rockwell delivers a fantastic performance in this sensational science fiction film. It's one you really don't need to know anything about going in, and it's hard to discuss unless you've seen it so I never reviewed it but it is one of my favourite films from 2009 and I highly recommend it. Feature film directorial debut from Duncan Jones, I can't wait to see what he does next!
  

Highly Enjoyable:

• Coco Avant Chanel - biopic about the one and only Coco Chanel, before she became Chanel. Must-see for fashion lovers, the clothing is ... ridiculous. Great performance by Audrey Tautou (Amélie) in the title role.
• Paranormal Activity - one of the scariest films I've seen in years! Plus, it's a little indie film that could. Low budget, but not low class, this using what it has to a tee using first person and stationary recordings to it's benefit with a solid story and big scares. Well worth a watch.

Guilty Pleasures

• Bandslam - Caught this one just a few days ago and absolutely loved it. Has a very very 'known' structure as a base (reads quite like a dance film, but substitute school rock bands for dance), but elaborates nicely on it incorporating the power of music, friendship and family. Really quite touching.
• Sorority Row - Watched this last night and made me laugh, a lot. It's not a comedy though, it's a horror film of the slasher variety and set in a Sorority so you get your paint-by-numbers party scenes and what you'd expect to go along with that. But, I have to say it kept me guessing which is kind of embarrassing because I couldn't figure it out, but it was way more engaging, and funny, than I'd ever imagined.

My To Watch List:

• Armoured - Bank heist? I'm in!
• Astro Boy - Can't help but be curious
• Final Destination - I oddly like this crazy series of films, but waited to see it in it's non-3D glory
• Flame & Citron - purely for the Mads Mikkelsen factor
• The Invention of Lying - I've heard good things about this Ricky Gervais comedy
• Love & Savagery - Canadian historical romance ... I dare say, that's a must-see genre for me! I didn't even realize that until I wrote it.

New Series
The Pillars of Earth - political turmoil in 12th century England? Sounds interesting to me. Casting includes Donald Sutherland, Ian McShane, Rufus Sewell and Allison Pill. Starts July 23, 2010 (see more info here).

For the Twi-Fans
Lucky month for Twi-fans as the they will be showing not only The Twilight Saga: New Moon starting this month but also 2 Twilight-ish-centric documentaries: Robsessed which looks at the popularity and obsession people have with actor Robert Pattinson and Twilight in Forks: The Saga of the Real Town which title says it all. I've actually not see either documentary, so they technically also fall under 'guilty pleasure' for me as I know I'll be checking them out. If you want to see the whole kid & caboodle, you can - on July 24, 2010 they are having a bit of a marathon going showing Robsessed, Twilight, The Twilight Saga: New Moon and Twilight in Forks: The Saga of the Real Town all in one go started at 5:35pm EST. Fun times!

Popular Titles
Disaster flick 2012 premieres along with dystopic animated film 9, Michael Moore's documentary Capitalism: A Love Story, Michael Mann's period crime film Public Enemies and the scifi thriller Surrogates starring Bruce Willis.

These are just some of the highlights I've picked out of what is new this month on TMN. They have loads more titles and you can check them out all over at the TMN website.

Akira Kurosawa. Almost three years ago to this day that I watched a Akira Kurosawa film for the first time. The film was Rashômon. What an way to be introduced to his work, considering the film itself is a masterpiece as is now firmly planted in my favourite films of all time. He is a director that created so many brilliant film from Ikiru to Seven Samurai / Shichinin no samurai. Even if you haven't seen his work, you will have seen his influence on other filmmakers, sometimes as homage but also in outright thievery. But, originals are where the heart is and Kurosawa had a lot of heart. From samurais to school teachers to public servants he brought us unique and emotional tales that know no bounds. A visionary and master storyteller, he is a director that I know is a touch stone for many of us and I always know I am amongst friends if we can wax poetically about the man they called The Emperor.

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of his birth, which is next Tuesday March 23, 2010, there is a lot of Kurosawa love out there. Univarn is celebrating with 23 Days of Kurosawa over at his site Life in Equinox, we also have lots Kurosawa coverage over at the Toronto J-Film Pow Wow and the Criterion Current has a Kurosawa Birthday Month going on there.

If you are looking to see his films, TCM is showcasing many titles over the next little while. This is a wonderful opportunity to seen and enjoy his work.

Check out the TCM website for more information including their regular schedule and Canadian schedule. Here's a run down of the films still to be shown on the Canadian schedule:

Tuesday March 16, 2010

8:00 PM - The Bad Sleep Well (1960)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Masayuki Mori, Kyoko Kagawa

10:45 PM - High And Low (1963)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Kyoko Kagawa, Tatsuya Nakadai

Wednesday March 17, 2010

1:15 AM - Red Beard (1965)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Yuzo Kayama, Yoshio Tsuchiya

4:30 AM - I Live In Fear (1955)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Kamatari Fujiwara, Kazuo Kato, Toshiro Mifune

6:15 AM - Scandal (1950)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Yoko Katsuragi, Toshiro Mifune, Noriko Sengoku

Tuesday March 23, 2010

6:00 AM - Sanshiro Sugata (1943)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Ryunosuke Tsukigata, Akitake Kono, Shoji Kiyokawa

7:30 AM - The Most Beautiful (1944)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Takashi Shimura, Shoji Kiyokawa, Ichiro Sugai

9:00 AM - The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail (1945)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Kenjiro Okochi, Susumu Fujita, Kenichi Enomoto.

10:00 AM - Sanshiro Sugata Part 2 (1945)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Denjiro Okochi, Susumu Fujita, Ryunosuke Tsukigata

11:30 AM - No Regrets For Our Youth (1946)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Danjiro Oicochi, Eiko Miyoshi, Setsuko Hara

1:30 PM - One Wonderful Sunday (1947)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Midori Ariyama, Chieko Nakakita, Isao Numasaiki

3:30 PM - Drunken Angel (1948)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Takashi Shimura, Toshiro Mifune, Reizaburo Yamamoto

5:30 PM - Stray Dog (1949)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi, Shimamura, Keiko Awaji

8:00 PM - Rashomon (1950)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Machiko Kyo, Masayuki Mori

9:30 PM - Seven Samurai (1954)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Kuninori Kodo

Wednesday March 24, 2010

1:00 AM - Yojimbo (1961)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Eijiro Tono, Seizaburo Kawazu.

3:00 AM - Sanjuro (1962)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Hakadai, Yuzo Kayama.

4:45 AM- Dodes 'Ka-Den (1970)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Yoshitaka Zushi, Kin Sugai, Kaou Kato.

Akira Kurosawa. Almost three years ago to this day that I watched a Akira Kurosawa film for the first time. The film was Rashômon. What an way to be introduced to his work, considering the film itself is a masterpiece as is now firmly planted in my favourite films of all time. He is a director that created so many brilliant film from Ikiru to Seven Samurai / Shichinin no samurai. Even if you haven't seen his work, you will have seen his influence on other filmmakers, sometimes as homage but also in outright thievery. But, originals are where the heart is and Kurosawa had a lot of heart. From samurais to school teachers to public servants he brought us unique and emotional tales that know no bounds. A visionary and master storyteller, he is a director that I know is a touch stone for many of us and I always know I am amongst friends if we can wax poetically about the man they called The Emperor.

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of his birth, which is next Tuesday March 23, 2010, there is a lot of Kurosawa love out there. Univarn is celebrating with 23 Days of Kurosawa over at his site Life in Equinox, we also have lots Kurosawa coverage over at the Toronto J-Film Pow Wow and the Criterion Current has a Kurosawa Birthday Month going on there.

If you are looking to see his films, TCM is showcasing many titles over the next little while. This is a wonderful opportunity to seen and enjoy his work.

Check out the TCM website for more information including their regular schedule and Canadian schedule. Here's a run down of the films still to be shown on the Canadian schedule:

Tuesday March 16, 2010

8:00 PM - The Bad Sleep Well (1960)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Masayuki Mori, Kyoko Kagawa

10:45 PM - High And Low (1963)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Kyoko Kagawa, Tatsuya Nakadai

Wednesday March 17, 2010

1:15 AM - Red Beard (1965)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Yuzo Kayama, Yoshio Tsuchiya

4:30 AM - I Live In Fear (1955)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Kamatari Fujiwara, Kazuo Kato, Toshiro Mifune

6:15 AM - Scandal (1950)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Yoko Katsuragi, Toshiro Mifune, Noriko Sengoku

Tuesday March 23, 2010

6:00 AM - Sanshiro Sugata (1943)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Ryunosuke Tsukigata, Akitake Kono, Shoji Kiyokawa

7:30 AM - The Most Beautiful (1944)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Takashi Shimura, Shoji Kiyokawa, Ichiro Sugai

9:00 AM - The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail (1945)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Kenjiro Okochi, Susumu Fujita, Kenichi Enomoto.

10:00 AM - Sanshiro Sugata Part 2 (1945)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Denjiro Okochi, Susumu Fujita, Ryunosuke Tsukigata

11:30 AM - No Regrets For Our Youth (1946)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Danjiro Oicochi, Eiko Miyoshi, Setsuko Hara

1:30 PM - One Wonderful Sunday (1947)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Midori Ariyama, Chieko Nakakita, Isao Numasaiki

3:30 PM - Drunken Angel (1948)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Takashi Shimura, Toshiro Mifune, Reizaburo Yamamoto

5:30 PM - Stray Dog (1949)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi, Shimamura, Keiko Awaji

8:00 PM - Rashomon (1950)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Machiko Kyo, Masayuki Mori

9:30 PM - Seven Samurai (1954)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Kuninori Kodo

Wednesday March 24, 2010

1:00 AM - Yojimbo (1961)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Eijiro Tono, Seizaburo Kawazu.

3:00 AM - Sanjuro (1962)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Hakadai, Yuzo Kayama.

4:45 AM- Dodes 'Ka-Den (1970)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Yoshitaka Zushi, Kin Sugai, Kaou Kato.

I always look forward to what Space plays on holidays. Where many channels play repeats, things you always see or the 'it was first the first time but really are you playing the same film all day' can sometimes lose it charm. But not Space, they always come up with a new spin on things - even if it's films we've seen (and loved) before, now to enjoy again! Let's have a look at what the 12 Days of Space-Mas has in store for us.

Wednesday December 23, 2009 - Overeating Marathon
Watch out as what is being eaten is people! That's right it's Christmas Zombie style! It starts off with Shaun of the Dead at 9pm EST and continues with Warriors of Terra, Feast and The Brain From Planet Arous.

Thursday December 24 – Friday December 25, 2009 - The Complete Star Wars Marathon
Grab your lightsabre and do your hair in Leia braids for the holidays. Whether it's a white Christmas or green Christmas you can enjoy the sights Dantooine and Hoth.
Prequels (Ep 1 -3) play on Dec 24/09 starting at 3pm EST, all three shown then repeat
Classic Trilogy (Ep 4 -6) plays Dec 25/09 at 11:25am EST and again at 10:15pm EST.
The animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars is also in the mix playing on December 25 at 8pm EST.

Saturday December 26 – Sunday December 27, 2009 - The Star Trek Movie Marathon
Wow, there are so many Star Trek films that they can't be shown in one calendar day! The films will be showing from Dec 26 to 28, 2009 but if you want to watch them in order from The Motion Picture to Nemesis then you are looking to start at Dec 26 at 9:45 pm until 10:15 on the 27th. Wow. See my reviews of each and every Star Trek film here.

Monday December 28, 2009 - When Animals Attack!
Oh my... beasts and biting things galore are about to attack as of 8am EST on Dec 28 with Swarmed, then Locusts: 8th Plague, then continuing with Jaws': 2, III, The Revenge. Some crazy titles in here including Black Sheep and Razorback.

Tuesday December 29 – Wednesday December 30, 2009 - Superhero Marathon
Superheroes pick up the midweek slack bringing joy, er... I mean saving the world. The marathon kicks off 2:30 pm ET with Batman and includes several of the Batman Films, Spider-Man and X2: X-Men United.

Thursday December 31, 2009 - End of the World Movie Marathon
Nothing says New Years like the Apocalypse! Doomsdays films takeover the final day of the year with everything from The Day After Tomorrow to Path of Destruction to Independence Day to Twister. Bring on the mayhem!

When we get to the New Year we shift to series over films but the titles are still awesome. Friday January 1, 2010 brings us a "Torchwood: Children of Earth Marathon", Sunday January 3, 2010 is "Stargate: Universe Marathon" - great time to catch up if you missed any of the series.

Saturday January 2, 2010 is current to be announced and noted as a premiere - very curious as to what it will bring.

All times noted are EST. I encourage you to confirm times through your local listings.