This is s special kind of film.
Tag: 2013
Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013, J.J. Abrams)
I was somewhat of a Star Trek fan in my youth: I watched The Next Generation pretty much all the time it was on – both new episodes and reruns – I watched DS9 and Voyager and I watched enough reruns of the original series, to the point where I probably saw a small majority …
Your 2013-14 Toronto Raptors
A little while ago I wondered aloud whether or not this Raptors team would rank among the best ever. [Editor’s note: Post since deleted because a) it was just a listicle of good Raptors teams and b) 2019 happened.] Now that they have been eliminated by the Nets, I think we can say that they …
2013-14 Toronto Maple Leafs Review
I must admit, I am pretty much done with the Leafs at this point. Not so much the team, but management. Both Burke and Nonis have made numerous avoidable mistakes – Nonis is making Burke look practically visionary so far – and the Leafs haven’t been a playoff team in a decade. (We should regard …
Pain and Gain (2013, Michael Bay)
I don’t like Michael Bay’s movies, at least I haven’t since I grew up. Some people have tried to defend him, claiming he is some kind of modern Godard-esque stylistic rebel. I have never felt that way. I usually feel like his films don’t defy internal film logic because of some kind of deep-seeded artistic …
Warm Bodies (2013, Jonathan Levine)
From the very beginning, this movie – and presumably its source, the novel – violates many if not most genre conventions. So maybe it shouldn’t judged on the terms of those conventions. Because if it is judged on the conventions of the genre, it is bad. But I guess if it willfully violates the genre’s …
American Hustle (2013, David O. Russell)
I don’t really know where to start with this strange and kind of brilliant film.
The Campaign to Fire Dave Nonis: Dion Phaneuf and the Liles Trade
On New Year’s Eve the Toronto Maple Leafs extended Dion Phaneuf. On Year’s Eve they traded John-Michael Liles and a prospect for Tim Gleason.
The Bad Plus Live at the Wintergarden Theatre, December 12, 2013
I only knew the Bad Plus from their excellent jazz covers of rock songs and I actually was completely unaware that they were doing their own material for some time.
Breaking Bad (2008)
This review obviously contains spoilers.
The Kids in the Hall Live at Isabel Bader Theatre, Toronto, December 6, 2013
I approached last night with a mixture of over-excitement and trepidation. The Kids in the Hall was the first thing I ever saw that said to me “it’s okay to be weird, in fact you can wear that as a badge.” I was a little young when I first caught glimpses of the show on …
Gravity (2013, Alfonso Cuaron)
Every so often, a film comes along that redefines what is possible in cinema.
Alex Steen’s Hot Start to the 2013-14 NHL Season
I know Steen’s hot start this year is unsustainable and likely going to end very soon – his GPG is currently .93 on the season! But I can’t help regretting that the Leafs let him go and, moreover, that I supported the move at the time.
30 Rock (2006)
When Seinfeld ended, I was done with the sit-com. I honestly didn’t see what it could possibly offer me any more. Television was getting smarter – and would get significantly smarter over the next decade – and I just couldn’t handle being told when to laugh or having to suspend my disbelief to laugh at …
The Campaign to Fire Dave Nonis: 2013-14 Maple Leafs Season Preview
I feel somewhat embarrassed to say that I completely missed the Franson extension that I had been hammering my drum about. All I can say is that it’s been busy at work lately, and I have had less energy to read NHL transaction logs at night. As previously, I am relying on Capgeek’s depth chart …
TIFF 2013 Wrap Up
This year I managed to see only 10 films. I say ‘only’ because usually I see at least 12 and because next year I would like to say more. Alas. What follows are the ten movies I have seen this year, ranked by how good I thought they were.
12 Years a Slave (2013, Steve McQueen)
This may seem a weird thing to say but I think this is McQueen’s least difficult material to date. Obviously, slavery is a difficult subject – this is not an easy film to watch – but it is not morally difficult subject, at least for most of us. Hunger may not have been morally difficult …
The Police Officer’s Wife (2013, Philip Gronning)
There are perhaps few movies I have seen more in need of a little common-sense editing than this film. The filmmakers made a bizarre choice which may have made some kind of artistic sense in post-production but which pretty much punishes the audience for watching this film in reality.
A Field in England (2013, Ben Wheatley)
I don’t really know where to begin with this film. Experimental or avant garde cinema – whether that cinema forsakes narrative or not – rarely has a sense of humour.
Almost Human (2013, Joe Begos)
So Jen, I’m trying to decide if this was the worst movie I have ever seen at TIFF. Really, Seth? That seem’s a little harsh. But Jen, the opening 5-10 minutes of it were painful. Seth, you’re right, that was bad. As was that scene in the diner, Seth. Jen, it was like we were …
Dangerous Acts Starring the Unstable Elements of Belarus (2013, Madeleine Sackler)
This is an important and emotionally compelling film about theatre under repressive regimes.
Wolfe Island Music Festival 2013
This was my third year attending the Wolfe Island Music Festival (WIMF) and though I can’t say that I found it as musically entertaining as previous years I had a good time as always at pretty much the only festival I manage to get my ass too.
The Campaign to Fire Dave Nonis: Gunnarsson and the Leafs financial flexibility
I am happy to see Gunnarsson re-signed for a reasonable amount of money: 3 years @ $3.15 mil. As I have said elsewhere, I think he has been the most consistent Leafs D for a couple of years now. The salary is a substantial raise, but what else could we have expected? Gunnarsson and his agent …
The 2013 Hockey Hall of Fame Class
First off, congratulations to the inductees. I think all the NHL players are deserving. I remain rather confused as to why only 3 NHL players were inducted this year when one could argue there were other deserving players (cough Lindros cough). But just for shits and giggles lets go over the men who were inducted. …
The Campaign to Fire Dave Nonis: 2013 Free Agent Frenzy
Consider, if you will, the following four NHL players: Player A 27 years old 238 regular season games 82 game average: 18G, 28A, -14, 19:20 ATOI Player B 29 years old 426 regular season games 82 game average: 19G, 14A, -6, 14:07 ATOI Player C 29 years old 367 regular season games 82 game average: …
The Campaign to Fire Dave Nonis: The Grabovski Buy-Out
This is what I wrote in March 2012 when the Leafs extended Grabovski, just over a year ago: I like Grabo. He is probably my favourite forward on the Leafs at the moment. But liking him has nothing to do with sound hockey decisions and this contract is not a sound hockey decision. Grabo may …
The Campaign to Fire Dave Nonis: The Komisarek Buy-Out
When Maple Leafs General Manage Brian Burke traded Francois Beauchemin a few years ago – one of his best trades, perhaps his best – he publicly stated he was fixing a mistake. This statement was really strange to many of us given that Beauchemin, though inconsistent, was still infinitely better than the other defenseman Burke …
This is the End (2013, directed by Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen)
I knew nothing about this movie going in, save for that it was starring some famous comedic actors as themselves and that it was about the end of the world. I saw it because the ex-girlfriend wanted to. I had never seen – or really heard of – the short and I think I may …
Does Patrick Kane deserve the Conn Smythe Trophy?
So, earlier in this final, I had a post ready to go about the Bruins and the Leafs and how the Bruins’ success meant nothing to the Leafs despite what most Leafs fans on Facebook seem to believe. I had to delete the post this morning and I must say that it was actually a …
The Campaign to Fire Dave Nonis: The Bernier Trade
The Leafs, who made it to the first round of the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade almost solely because of their goaltender, have traded for another goalie. This of course raises a question or two, mainly: Why are the Leafs so desperate to replace Reimer? But before we get to that …