"You have to show a movie at a party. It's a Hollywood law."

Shauna and I love to watch the American Film Institute (AFI) specials that air once a year or so. Each year the AFI creates a “Top 100 Best of” movie list of various topics. Top 100 Best film quotes or Top 100 Best film songs. A couple of years ago they aired ‘AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Movies’, a list of the 100 best American movies. A fairly ambitious and potentially controversial undertaking, if you ask me. I was surprised by how many ‘older’ films were on the list, but that’s really a subject for a later blog. What I was interested to note was that Singin’ in the Rain was number 10 on the list. I recalled that the title song had been ranked number 3 in ‘AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Songs’ list, and perhaps not surprisingly, was listed right at the top of ‘AFI’s 100 Years of Musicals’. Clearly it’s a very popular film.

I had seen the famous Singin’ in the Rain dance sequence with Gene Kelly, I knew the song, I accepted that it was a famous, popular piece of filmmaking. What I hadn’t ever done was actually sit down and watch it. At least, not until this past Sunday. And while I may not agree with a lot of the choices in AFI’s 100 Years... 100 Movies list, I can certainly understand why Singin’ in the Rain is near the top.

At this point it’s pretty much impossible to say anything about the film that hasn’t already been said a thousand times before. The story is clever and interesting, especially for a film buff like me who loves learning about how movies are made. For anyone who hasn’t seen it, Singin’ in the Rain is set during the era of filmmaking when “talking movies” were brand new. ‘The Jazz Singer’, the first “talkie”, has just been released and Monumental Pictures wants to get on the bandwagon. The only problem is that their leading lady in silent films has a terrible voice and could be the ruin of the studio. I won’t go into any more details but the storyline is clever, intriguing and highly entertaining.
The dialogue is witty and hilarious at times, which surprised me since we’re talking about a film that was released 23 years before I was even born. I’ve seen several ‘older’ films with dated dialogue that is now campy, cliché and in some cases down-right absurd. Singin’ in the Rain somehow manages to stay fresh and funny 56 years later.

Saying that the music is great is kind of like saying that the Empire State Building is tall. I’m reminded of a quote from Fawtly Towers, “Next contestant, Mrs. Sybil Fawlty from Torquay. Specialist subject – the bleeding obvious.” I was surprised by how many familiar tunes there were, including “Make ‘Em Laugh”, “Gotta Dance” and the non-Viagra version of “Good Morning”.

Saying that the dancing is great is kind of like saying that the dancing is great. Actually, it’s exactly like saying that. The dancing is great. I know it makes me sound old but they just don’t make movies like that anymore. I really enjoyed the dance numbers with all their extravagant sets and incredible choreography. Many of the scenes with Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor were almost hypnotic. Though I did find myself wondering if their routines would get them past the judges on ‘So You Think You Can Dance’.

The Two-disc Special Edition DVD is a great package that contains the theatrical release in glorious Dolby Digital 5.1 and un-glorious Full Frame 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio. What does that mean? Well, if you have an older, non-HD TV it means the picture will look normal. If you have a new HD TV, it means you will have black bars at the sides of the frame. Unless you decide to zoom the picture or something, which you should never do because it ruins the original aspect ratio. Unless you are afraid of burn-in, in which case you should consider using the zoom like I was forced to do. In any case I don’t think anyone is going to complain much about the picture quality of a 56-year old film. Except me. Full frame? Really?

The second disc is packed with special features the likes of which I’ve never seen before. Because I haven’t watched them yet.

Bottom line, if you are a fan of movies and you have never seen Singin’ in the Rain I highly recommend it. It is a classic in every sense of the word and rightly deserves its number 10 spot on AFI’s list. If this film doesn’t make you smile then I say to you the same thing my wife says to me when I fail to cry at sad movies; “You have no heart.”

“You know you've reached rock bottom when you're told you have character flaws by a man who hanged his predecessor in a military coup.”

Have I mentioned recently how much I love movies?

Shauna and I subscribe to a DVD rental company called Zip.ca, which allows you to rent DVDs through the mail. I’ll try to remember to post a blog about the site sometime so you can all check it out. The upshot is that we’ve had a chance to watch a lot of movies that you either can’t find at Blockbuster or you choose not to rent because the New Releases wall is just too tempting to pass up. Here’s a quick summary of some of the flicks we’ve had a chance to watch using Zip.

Joyeux Noel

I’ve wanted to see this movie for some time after seeing the trailer over 2 years ago. We were never able to find it at Blockbuster however. Fortunately Zip.ca carries about 20 times as many titles so it was a piece of cake to get this one delivered right to our door. It tells the true story of German, French and Scottish soldiers who celebrated Christmas together in the trenches during World War I. Told from all three sides and pieced together from letters recovered after the war, Joyeux Noel is both hear-warming and eye-opening. Shauna and I were delighted by this little gem and highly recommend it. Some may find it a little cliché, but the fact that these events really took place will hopefully transform cliché into hope.

Charlie Wilson’s War

Another war movie, sort of. Again based on a true story, Charlie Wilson’s War recounts the efforts of Senator Charlie Wilson, womanizer, party animal and casual drug user, as he conspires to make a difference in the Soviet War in Afghanistan. Starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman (one of our favourites), this film shows an interesting side of war and politics. The ultimate message is what really intrigued me, however. I won’t spoil it for you but anyone who is familiar with the history of the Soviet/Afghanistan war and how it relates to recent violence in Afghanistan will already have a good idea of what I’m talking about. Although Tom Hanks’ character is a little hard to like at the outset, he changes your mind with his actions. A great example of how our lives can either be defined by how we live or by what we do. Highly recommended.

Lars and the Real Girl

This is a quirky little film about a man struggling with loss, love and fitting in. Lars lives in his brother’s garage and has a very difficult time interacting with people. Then one day he knocks on his brother and sister-in-law’s door and announces he has a visitor. They are delighted until they realize his visitor is a lifelike sex-doll name Bianca, ordered from the Internet. Lars intentions are a complete surprise however, as the town folk discover that he’s trying to find a meaningful relationship while reconciling the loss of his mother. This movie is definitely not what you expect as Lars’ friends and family go the extra mile to accept Bianca into their lives while trying to help Lars find what he’s looking for. Shauna and I really enjoyed this look at the human psyche and the unique ways in which Lars finds healing.

There Will Be Blood

Nominated for Best Picture this year, There Will Be Blood appears to be about the early days of oil drilling at the turn of the century. There’s a lot more going on here, however. The greed fuelled search for oil is merely a backdrop for a film which is a true character story. Daniel Day Lewis gives an incredible performance in this dramatic and chilling story which, I’m told, is based on true events, or at least on real people. The characters’ motivations are the real heart of this story. The truth is somewhere beneath the surface and the constant struggle for power, money and fame ensure that, in the end, there will be blood. This is one of those “deep” movies that will keep you thinking and contains as many themes as you’re willing to consider. Definitely recommended.

American Gangster

Two of my favourite actors, Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington, star in this dramatic story of an African American gangster who takes over the drug trade in New York during the 1970s and the police detective determined to bring him down. Another character film, American Gangster is a little slow but filled with drama and intensity. It’s definitely not the action film that the trailers suggest. It is, however, a good story filled with some great acting. I appreciate films that manage to effectively show the perceived advantages of being a gangster as well as the very real, very grim reality of the consequence of such a life. I’m not sure if I would add this film to my collection or not, which is usually my stamp of approval for any film, but it was certainly worth watching once. If you’re a fan of either Denzel or Russell you probably can’t go wrong with this one.

Raging Bull

This is another title that I added to my ‘Ziplist’ as part of a collection of older, classic movies that I’ve never seen. Raging Bull was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar in 1980 and gave Robert De Niro his first Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role. While on the surface this appears to be simply a “boxing movie” (as my wife calls them), the story is much deeper and focuses on the character of Jake La Motta and the struggles he has both in, and out of the ring. I can totally appreciate the impressive performance that De Niro gives in this film, but I’m not convinced that Raging Bull has stood the test of time. Special and visual effects aside, I think if this movie were released today it would get criticized for its writing and somewhat oversimplified story points. Many consider Raging Bull to be one of the most powerful movies, ever, but I have to disagree. Perhaps it was groundbreaking and powerful back in 1980, but this is one of those classics that has lost some of its steam over the years. I’m glad I saw it, but I really don’t see what all the fuss was about.

The Grifters

I actually don’t have much to say about The Grifters. It wasn’t at all what I thought it was going to be about. Although the story does involve con-men (and women) this is definitely not a “caper film” like I’m used to. That doesn’t necessarily make it a bad film, but I just wasn’t able to buy into the characters enough to be that concerned with the events that unfold. If anyone wants to help me re-write that last sentence I’m all ears. Overall I found The Grifters a little boring and strange. Maybe my expectations got the best of me. It happens.

"Let's face it, this is not the worst thing you've caught me doing."

Wow. I can’t believe it’s been over a year since my last post.

Well, ok. Actually, I CAN believe that. I think I just gave up for a while there. I don’t really know what has inspired me to add another entry today, but here it is. Will this be the beginning of an epic Blog comeback? Only time will tell…

Regardless of the reason for getting back on the blog-wagon, I have some great things to blog about. First and foremost, I have officially entered the world of BLU RAY!!

I got a Playstation 3 for my birthday. I am not a console gamer, by any means and this is not a console gaming blog. But there are two very important reasons why owning a Playstation 3 is critical to any DVD buff.

1) It is the most cost effective and up-to-date Blu Ray player on the market. It acts as an up-converting DVD player, so your old DVDs will look great. But Blu Ray Discs (BD) look spectacular.

2) Rock Band. Ok, I know that’s not a movie but it’s worth mentioning. I’m not a musician, but now I can feel like one in the privacy of my basement.

Back to the Blu Ray thing. For the 4 of you who have not yet heard of Blu Ray it is the latest and greatest in home movie technology. Blu Ray discs can hold a LOT more information than a standard DVD. The upshot of that is movies can be stored on a Blu Ray disc at a significantly higher resolution and with uncompressed sound. This results in a stunning picture with a high level of detail and crystal clear audio.

“But my movies look good enough as they are,” you might say. Well, that may be so. Perhaps you are able to engage completely in the movies you have on DVD. It’s possible that you fully enjoy your standard definition DVD movies on your 27”, non-HD TV. Maybe you don’t need high definition Blu Ray to enjoy film.


No. That’s wrong. Trust me. There’s a small chance I’m just overly excited about Blu Ray and am unable to offer an unbiased, objective analysis of Blu Ray versus Standard DVD. But probably not.

Ok, now that we’ve settled that, go out and buy a PS3, an HDMI cable and a shiny new HD TV. Come back when you’ve got it all set up.

Done? Good. Let’s continue.

Now that you’ve got that new PS3 you’re probably wondering which Blu Ray disc to buy first. Don’t worry. I can help with that too.


Iron Man. Go buy it. Watch it. Love it.

I knew I was going to like this movie, but I had no idea how much I was going to like it. Shauna often tells me stories of how she used to watch Batman on VHS over and over again. I can recall seeing Batman in the theatre about 5 or 6 times and then wanting to watch it every day on video as well. That’s how I feel about Iron Man. It took me a while to identify the exact, special quality that makes this film so exciting for me. Was it the story? Was it the writing? The special effects? Robert Downey Jr.’s incredible performance?

I was having a hard time figuring it out because there are so many other movies I love that have those exact same qualities but are somehow different. So what was it?

I want to be Iron Man.

This movie makes me feel like I’m back in junior high again and I all want is to be Tony Stark and have my own Iron Man suit. It’s just so cool.

I could talk all day about the story (terrific), the writing (fantastic) and the witty, sharp performance given by Downey (did I say incredible already?). But ultimately the biggest draw for me is that this movie is loads of fun and makes me feel like I’m 12 years old again. I could watch it over and over again because each time I get to feel a little bit like Tony Stark. I get to fly over Malibu and dogfight with jets and take out the bad guys with mere flick of the wrist. I get to be Iron Man.

Maybe all of that sounds immature and childish.

It should. That’s kind of the point. Sometimes we complain about immaturity and sometimes we long to relive our youth when our imaginations ran wild and we didn’t care what others thought. I hope Iron Man makes you feel like the latter.