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After watching Jeremy Scahill’s film, Dirty Wars, and reading his book of the same name, my considered opinion is that he should be nominated for an Academy Award and considered for a Pulitzer Prize.

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This Week in Home Video previews all the latest Blu-ray, DVD and on-demand titles hitting the street this week, plus lost gems, crazed Cancon, outrageous cult titles and the best places to rent or buy movies in Toronto.

Stoker (20th Century Fox)

Park Chan-wood, the auteur behind such visceral films as Oldboy and I’m A Cyborg, aims his lens squarely at dysfunctional Americana in this beautifuly photographed gothic mystery.

After her father dies, India (Mia Wasikowska) becomes obsessed with her Uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode), a man who she never knew existed but has come to live with her and her unstable mother (Nicole Kidman).

Extras include short pieces on the look of the film, the music, the work of Park Chan-wood, and much more.

ALSO OUT THIS WEEK

Jack the Giant Slayer (Warner Bros.)

Campy CGI-heavy retelling of the Beanstalk fable, with a slightly more sinister giant and heart-throbby Jack (UK import Nicholas Hoult). Directed by Bryan Singer, best known for his work on The X-Men and that Superman movie no-one really liked. Extras include deleted scenes, a gag reel, and a behind the scenes expose hosted by baby faced Hoult.

Jack (eOne)

Not to be confused with the above title, this clunky CBC biopic chronicles local hero humanitarian Jack Layton as his health wore down during the 2011 election. Cutting between his final campaign and moments from his past, Jack’s earnest melodrama might have been better served with more distance from its subject matter ; CBC has produced amazing biopics of Tommmy Douglas and Trudeau, decades after they had passed on, and this feels rushed. An important story and man, who hopefully will get a more detailed look-in in the future. Extras include interviews with Rick Roberts, Olivia Chow, and former MTV VJ Sook-Yin Lee, who plays Olivia Chow here.

The Howling: Collector’s Edition (Scream Factory)

The second greatest werewolf movie ever made (after An American Werewolf in London, also from 1981) follows a shaken up TV journalist (Dee Wallace, aka the mom from E.T) looking for a retreat but inadvertently uncovering a colony of werewolves masquerading as new age self-help weirdos. Brim full of in-jokes and references to classic horror films, this is a triumph of special effects, studied pacing and mood based horror. Extras include audio commentary from director Joe Dante, deleted scenes, a look at the locations and an in-depth documentary marking the influence it had on subsequent horror films.

Lifeforce: Collector’s Edition (Scream Factory)

After the gargantuan financial success of Poltergeist, director Tobe Hooper was given a blank cheque to realize this pulpy sci-fi action flick that starts off with aw shucks astronauts exploring Halley’s Comet and ends with London being overrun with zombies and the apocalypse waiting in the wings. While utterly bananas, Lifeforce has a sense of fun and grand wonder that is missing from major sci-fi blockbusters of late, who could stand to loosen up a bit (see Prometheus). Bountiful extras include insightful commentary from Hooper, retrospective on the cast (including a pre-Jean Luc Patrick Stewart), a look at the amazing special effects form John “Star Wars” Dykstra, and much more!

Quartet (eOne)

Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut plays like a 2-hour promotion from Zoomer: Long time status quo at a home for retried musicians is thrown into disarray with the arrival of Downton dame Maggie Smith, kicking off all sorts of comedic and romantic mishap. Perfect for a night in with Grandma.

American Mary(Anchor Bay)

B.C’s Twin Soska Sisters engineered this steel cold bit of ultraviolence with an eye on Amercian Psycho, and probably early Cronenberg. The first hour is great, with Ginger Snaps alumni Katherine Isabelle delivering a layered performance and a great sleazy Canadian grindhouse vibe. The second half however, gets nasty as a slight twist on the rape/revenge genre (which has been somewhat crowded of late) careens all over the place. Regardless, the Soska Sisters are a duo to keep an eye on, and their commentary on the DVD is a highlight.

Movie 43 (eOne)

Botched concept comedy experiment made by 12 directors (including Brett Ratner and James Gunn), this bottom of the barrel assortment of sketches plays like a 3rd rate MADtv prime-time special. With a cast including Halle Berry, Anna Faris, Richard Gere, Emma Stone and a bunch of other people who should have known better.

Springhill: Series 1 (Acorn)

Described as “Twin Peaks” meets “Eastenders”, this spooky 90s UK drama series effortlessly blends mundane soap opera drama with supernatural themes. No doubt head writer Russell T Davies went on to revive Doctor Who in 2005, and creator Paul Abbot went on to birth Shameless. Series 1 contains 26 episodes, 624 minutes of videotaped soapy British goodness. Hopefully Series 2 isn’t far behind

Things to Come(Criterion Collection)

Truly prophetic Sci-Fi masterpiece from H.G Wells, who conceived, wrote and oversaw this ambitious look at the past and future of humankind, through war, disease, dictatorship and finally utopia. Made before World War 2 had kicked off, Things to Come is a deft classic of imagination and technical audacity. The Criterion Collection have turned in an array of amazing extras for a film of this age, including un-used special effects footage from noted Futurist László Moholy-Nagy, audio recording from 1936 of a reading from H.G. Wells, and an audio commentary from film historian David Kalat.

STILL FRESH

• Ninja III: The Domination
• Oz the Great and Powerful
• Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters 3D
• Enter the Dragon: 40th Anniversary Edition
• Doctor Who – The Mind of Evil
• Doctor Who – Inferno: Special Edition
• The Inbetweeners Season 3
• Hunky Dory

TORONTO SPOTTING CHECK LIST PART 1

We all know that Hollywood loves to shoot movies in Toronto, while dressing it up to look like Chicago, or New York, or even Pittsburgh, but have you ever spotted a Toronto landmark in something which was so un-Torontonian that you hardly believed your eyes? Here are five classic Toronto locations which pop up in the following movies, believe it or not.

SHERWAY GARDENS

CASA LOMA

DIP’N'SIP DONUTS ON KINGSTON ROAD

HONEST ED’S

QUEEN ST EAST BETWEEN BROADVIEW AND PAPE

After a career spent improvising, the Oscar-nominated actor doesn’t change a thing in Nebraska

Because of ‘Duddy Kravitz’ Dreyfuss did ‘Jaws’—but he couldn’t get a berth on Spielberg’s yacht in Cannes

A terrible film spawned two direct-to-video sequels. Naturally, everything was shot in Toronto.

Toronto’s extensive work on the silver screen reveals that, while we have the chameleonic ability to look like anywhere from New York City to Moscow, the disguise doesn’t always hold up to scrutiny. Reel Toronto revels in digging up and displaying the films that attempt to mask, hide, or—in rare cases—proudly display our city. In [...]

This Week in Home Video previews all the latest Blu-ray, DVD and on-demand titles hitting the street this week, plus lost gems, crazed Cancon, outrageous cult titles and the best places to rent or buy movies in Toronto.
Mama (eOne)

Domestic horror …

Take one part Brothers Grimm and one part Malory’s Morte d’Artur, add a dash of Tolkein, a pinch of Joan of Arc, a sprinkling of Robin Hood and a sprig of English folklore; mix it in a bowl with copious … Continue reading →

What to watch at Hot Docs as it gets down to the wire.

It ain’t over until it’s over, and there is still one full weekend of Hot Doc’ing left! First up, get grooving and body-moving with Finding the Funk (, 1:30 p.m. Bloor Hot Docs Cinema), a history of the musical genre of funk. Interviewing James Brown, George Clinton, and Sly, the doc looks back at the [...]

Looking for a way to plan your Hot Docs viewing? We’re breaking down some of the festival’s 11 film programmes for you, one by one.

Canadian Sepctrum is unique among the 11 programmes on this year’s Hot Docs schedule, because it features only films by Canadian documentarians, be they veterans or first-timers. Hot Docs’ mandate is to promote our national film culture, so the docs that fall under this heading are particularly important components of the festival. Click any of [...]

On his new novel and how Connors served as a stepping stone for his film career

As Hot Docs enters its final stretch, here’s what to see.

Hot Docs day nine and we’re feeling fine! Here’s what to see to keep those nice vibes going. Kick things off by letting it all go with Free the Mind (, 6 p.m., ROM Theatre), a doc about how yoga can help vets and kids with PTSD. It’s both a portrait of those suffering from [...]

Brian D. Johnson on what to see this weekend

An MIA’s family will contribute DNA to prove the man lost to the jungles of Vietnam is their kin

As Hot Docs 2013 shifts into weekend mode, there are plenty of films worth seeing.

On the eighth day of Hot Docs, the film gods gave to thee…three docs that got our reviewers’ thumbs up. Straight from Sundance, The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear (, 6 p.m., Scotiabank Theatre) looks at the lives of young Georgians (that’s Georgia the country, not the state) in an innovative way. Director Tinatin Gurchiani [...]

This Week in Film rounds up noteworthy new releases in theatres, rep cinema and avant-garde screenings, festivals, and other special cinema-related events happening in Toronto.

NEW RELEASES

Iron Man 3 (Varsity, Scotiabank)

Gwyneth Paltrow says this is the last of the Iron Man films (at least until the inevitable reboot comes some 10 or so years from now; Taylor Lautner as Iron Man? Could happen…), so best we all get our fix of the sarcastic superhero now. The Iron Man franchise has always, thanks to Robert Downey Jr., stood out for being a genuinely funny comic book movie, allowing us to chuckle in between ‘splosions; with Jr.’s return, this holds true for this entry, which might actually be the funniest one yet. Not much else to say; it’s more of the same, and the same in this case is a rare case of a good thing.

Also opening in theatres this week:

• ChristCORE (The Royal)
• Kon-Tiki (Varsity)
• Shootout At Wadala (Cineplex Yonge & Dundas)
• Still Mine (Varsity)

REP CINEMA

Science on Film: Julie Payette on Apollo 13 (Wednesday, May 8 at 7PM; TIFF Bell Lightbox)

We’ve all seen Apollo 13 before. It might be the defining outer space dramatization in the cinema history, and in retrospect it looks even more miraculous for the absence of sci-fi gimmicks and cheap thrills. I’m normally a bit wary of these Science on Film speaker-to-film pairings, but this one seems like it will be legitimately enlightening and inspired. Julie Payette is a Montreal engineer and astronaut who’s completed two spaceflights, and has spent more than 25 days in space. Few have first-hand experience with the anxieties of space travel, so I’m excited to hear her experience watching this film, or really anything she has to say about NASA, the future of space programs, etc.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

The Grub-Stake Revisited (Monday, May 6 at 7:30PM; TIFF Bell Lightbox)

This special live event recreates Bert Van Tuyle’s classic 1923 melodrama The Grub Stake with a new musical score and dialogue derived from the works of William Shakespeare. Written by Canadian Nell Shipman, the film itself tells the tale of a spirited gal who journeys to the Klondike during the 1898 Gold rush to find love and prosperity, only to discover that greed and villainy rule the day in Dawson City. (This predates Greed, The Gold Rush, and By the Law, it should be noted.) Premiered to great acclaim at Whitehorse’s Available Light Film Festival in 2012, this “Revisitation” is a wonderful opportunity to see a Canadian classic recontextualized into an exciting and imaginative new beast.

Love `Em or Hate `Em: 4 Controversial Directors in Nayman’s Terms (Mondays at 7PM, May 6 – June 3; Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre)
+
Stanley Kubrick: A Lecture Series by Adam Nayman (Bi-weekly on Thursday at 7PM, May 9 – June 20; Revue Cinema)

Adam Nayman – the ubiquitous Toronto-based writer for publications such as Cinema Scope Magazine, Reverse Shot, The Globe and Mail, and The Grid – talks a lot. Fortunately for us, his thoughts on cinema and its history are some of the most erudite thoughts one can hope for on the medium. His successful lecture series on the Coen brothers’ oeuvre has just recently wrapped up, and we’re excited to learn that he’s swiftly following it up with not one but two new lecture series.

One is an encore/update of one of his more popular series on controversial filmmakers (the first one on David Cronenberg (May 6) I’m particularly excited excited for, especially on the heels of TIFF’s Fall retrospective of his work), and the other is on four late Kubrick masterpieces. Both promise to be more fun than film school, but at least as enlightening.

Lead still from Iron Man 3.

One week gone, but Hot Docs is going strong!

A week into Hot Docs 2013—my how time flies when you’re having a doc of a good time!—and today’s offerings keep up the pace. Torontonian Liz Marshall’s The Ghosts in our Machine (, 6:30 p.m.

Looking for a way to plan your Hot Docs viewing? We’re breaking down some of the festival’s 11 film programmes for you, one by one.

International Spectrum is the most polyglot of Hot Docs 2013′s 11 film programmes, with a slate made up of submissions from countries that include Egypt, Serbia, Brazil, Finland, Denmark, and China, to name just a few. You won’t necessarily find many familiar names or topics among these selections, but then that’s the whole idea. Click [...]

More docs for you to do!

On day six of Hot Docs, love—or, at least, sex—is in the air. And Gaza, too! What? Just roll with it, folks. First up is the excellent Fuck for Forest (, 4 p.m. TIFF Bell Lighbox). Michal Marczak’s documentary embeds his camera with a Berlin-based group that makes porn and uses the profits to try [...]

This Week in Home Video previews all the latest Blu-ray, DVD and on-demand titles hitting the street this week, plus lost gems, crazed Cancon, outrageous cult titles and the best places to rent or buy movies in Toronto.

Silver Linings Playbook (eOne)

Being able to find gut busting comedy in senseless tragedy is the greatest asset Hollywood auteur David O. Russell seems to possess, and Silver Linings Playbook blackly delivers it in spades. While the final 30 minutes is about as conventional and saccharine as most feel good Oscar-baiting pictures come, the first 90 minutes is both dark and unrelentingly comedic, with Bradley Cooper‘s unhinged portrayal of a man who has lost it all and moved back home with his parents equal parts pathetic, terrifying and hilarious. Is this a defining Romantic movie moment for the twentyteens?

Extras include fluffy featurettes with titles like “Learn to Dance like Pat & Tiffany”, and “Silver Linings Playbook: The Movie That Became A Movement”, which slightly betray the punk and anti-establishment pedigree in which Russell used to operate. Much better to skip them and go straight for LOLs with “Going Steadicam with Bradley Cooper”.

ALSO OUT THIS WEEK

Not Fade Away (Paramount)

Rock’N'Roll fuelled 1960s-set drama about a band who set out to be the next Rolling Stones. Full of great performances, lush period detail and a killer sound track, but you can’t help shake the feeling that for his feature film debut The Sopranos creator David Chase could have done something a little more envelope pushing than an inoffensive variation on That Thing You Do! Extras include deleted scenes and a short about living in the Sixties.

The Vampire Lovers (Scream Factory)

Scream Factory’s 1080p HD line of re-mastered editions of neglected horror classic continues from strength to strength, with the release of this Hammer Horror gothic a particular highpoint. Based upon J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s novella “Carmilla”, this atmospheric period piece has both buckets of blood and a buxom lesbian Vampire who feeds on all the innocent young female townsfolk. Featuring Hammer stalwart Peter Cushing as the Van Helsing-type vampire slayer. Extras include a reading of “Carmilla” by silk-voxed star Ingrid Pitt, and a superb making-of featurette entitled “Femme Fantastique: Resurrecting the Vampire Lovers”

The Guilt Trip (Paramount)

Strangely sweet Boomer fantasy fulfillment in which shrill aged Barbara Streisand plays odd couple with Seth Rogan on a cross country trip. While the classic road pic Planes, Trains and Automobiles is in no immediate danger of losing its crown, this has its moments even if it’s brand of innocent comedy feels like it drove in from the mid-1990s in a Mazda Miata, which doesn’t sit well next to the SUV like juggernaut of Judd Apatow‘s Cineplex of inane vulgarity.

Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 3 (Paramount)

According to proper Trekkies, this was the TV season when Star Trek: The Next Generation ceased being a low rent spandex wearing Xerox of its poppy predecessor, and began to carve out a legacy for itself as the defining blueprint for the franchise until J.J. Abrams came along with his lens flares and punked it up, making it a lot less formal but losing the hard Sci-Fi earnestness in the process.

So many great episodes here, including the fan favorite “Yesterday’s Enterprise,” featuring an alternative universe where war with the Klingons has militarized the Federation to the point of near fascism; “The Offspring,” in which the troubled android Data builds a daughter, and “The Best of Both Worlds”, surely the most intense season ending cliff-hanger since J. R Ewing took a bullet for his troubles. In addition to all the episodes being spruced up in glorious 1080p, Extras include a gag reel, a new documentary about key season 3 episodes, and a reunion of the writing staff.

The Big Boss/Fists of Fury (Shout Factory)

Two bone crunching classic Bruce Lee flicks highlighting his still untouchable master Martial Art style and the cheery grime of 1970s Drive-In film making.

Funny Girl (Sony)

For those who did not enjoy the Barbara Streisand of The Guilt Trip, an antidote comes in the form of her greatest work starring in the true life story of Fanny Brice. Restored for Bluray, the film has never looked so good, nor has its memorable tune “People who need people are the luckiest people in the world” sounded so clear.

Night of the Scarecrow (Olive Films)

A group of teenagers release the spirit of a warlock who uses a possessed scarecrow to wipe out those descended from the people who wronged him years ago. Long lost 90s VHS horror brought back from the dead and still slightly more entertaining than it sounds.

STILL FRESH

• Gangster Squad
• Pawn
• Mr. Selfridge
• The Central Park Five
• Broken City
• The Impossible
• Cold Prey II
• Manborg
• Message From Space

TORONTO FILM OBSCURIA ON YOUTUBE

There are some movies so bland and eye batting awful that they will never be shown on TV, or in a theatre, or released onto DVD or Bluray. The Reincarnate is one such movie. Thanks to that greatest channel in the world YouTube, it is ready to be watched whenever you are.

Corporate lawyer Everet Julian (played by Jack Creley, later to immortalize Professor Brian Oblivion in Videodrome) discovers he doesn’t have very long to live, and must transfer his spirit into the body of another as per the philosophy of the ancient Sakana Cult.

What follows runs the gamut from religious sacrifices to killer cats, and everything in between. Billed as Canada’s first entry into the burgeoning horror genre, it did indeed preceed the usual suspect Black Christmas. Watch out for Forest Ranger/ Polka Dot Door host Rex Hagon as an early victim. Play spot the Toronto location, or just kick back and marvel at how the Horror genre morphed from this to torture porn in four short decades.

Lead photo from Silver Linings Playbook

Porch Stories is, or will be, a film by Sarah Goodman. It will star (among others) Laura Barrett, By Devine Right’s José Miguel Contreras and comic Alex Tindal. It will also be paid for by you, hopefully, please? Check out the IndieGoGo campaign and pitch in where you can: