Reeling Back

Full site index

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1,961 days, 1,001 postings [16/02/19] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992) All beautiful surfaces, no discernible depth
1939 (50th anniversary feature; 1989) Looking forward to the best memories
1941 (1979) Chaos has to be seen to be believed
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) Our future contained less odyssey, more oddity
2010 (1984) Second Odyssey more down to earth
84 Charing Cross Road (1987) Soft-focus nostalgia for lost amenities
90 days, 100 postings [01/08/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New

A

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A Beginning . . . [10/03/13] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Abdication, The (1974) How to solve a problem like Kristina
Abyss, The (1989) Cameron's first voyage to the bottom of the sea
Accused, The (1988) Message delivered with stunning force
Action: The October Crisis of 1970 (1974; doc) Posing questions, wrestling with answers
Adam’s Rib (Rebro Adama; 1991; Russia) Human comedy emphasizing the human
Addams Family Values (1993) Sappy sequel soaked in nostalgia
Addams Family, The (1991) Addams Family adaptation underfunny
Adjuster, The (1991) Psycho-drama targets social concerns
Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother, The (1975) Monarch's loyallest subjects serve her memory
Adventurers, The (1970) Making a big, boring movie
Adventures of Baron Munchausen, The (1988) Ingenious use of hot air and fantasy
Adventures of Barry McKenzie, The (1972) Making light of Antipodean aspiration
Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, The (1984) Going to Planet Ten, Real soon
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in Vancouver [12/09/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Agnes of God (1985) Drama offers a clash of symbols
Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer (1993; doc) A truth more appalling than fiction
Air America (1990) Making war for fun and profit
Airheads (1994) Rebellion to take seriously or for fun
Airplane (1980) You ever been in a cockpit before?
Airport (1970) Ushering in the era of disaster cinema
Airport 1975 (1974) The stewardess is flying the plane!
Airport ’77 (1977) A glimpse into entertainment’s future included
Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams (Yume; 1990) Summing up a legend’s life lessons
Al Jazeera America obit [01/17/16] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Aladdin (1992) Igniting flames of cartoon inspiration
Alice in Wonderland (1976) Wonderland visit left its mark on DeBell
Alice Munro, Nobel Prize winner [10/16/13] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Alien (1979) Major nightmare machinery set in motion
Alien Nation (1988) Cops serve and protect in Slagtown
Alien Thunder (Le tonnerre rouge; aka Dan Candy's Law; 1974) Redneck redcoat's tale turns tragic
Alien3 (1992) Adult fantasy dares to be a downer
Aliens (1986) True heroic spirit evident in Ripley's return
All That Jazz (1979) Life affirmed in a great mortality tale
All the President's Men (1976) All the President's Men is the five-star final
Altered States (1980) Dr. Jekyll meets the Incredible Hulk
Always (1989) Keeping love’s fires burning
Amadeus (1984) Amadeus celebrates divine spark in us all
Amateur, The (1981) Taking the Company's business private
Amazon Women on the Moon (1987) Anthology short on really big laughs
American Boyfriends (1989) Teens enjoy autumn's leavetaking
American Graffiti (1973) . . . Because the Wolfman is everywhere . . .
American Pop (1981) Soundtracking immigrant experience
American Tail, An (1986) And the streets are paved with cheese
American Werewolf in London, An (1981) Crossing the pond with fang in cheek
Amerika (1983; doc.) Developing a non-narrative cinema
Amos & Andrew (1993) Dated comedy with a timely message
Ancient Chinese curse [01/06/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
And God Created Woman (1988) Missing the potential in its plot
Andrei Rublev (1966; Russia) No solution for the sorrows of Mother Russia
Android (1983) Feeling like a new kind of human
Animal House (1978) Canadian colours in humour's new hue
Anne of the Thousand Days (1969) Bujold survives noise and unsubtlety
Annie Hall (1977) Insight combined with comic invention
Another Smith for Paradise (1972) Smitty does well by doing good
Another Stakeout (1993) Second helping just a little different
Any Which Way You Can (1980) Bad career move for an ambitious ape
Apocalypse Now (1979) Exposing the horror, confronting the truth
Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, The (1974) Flatmates' pact results in fine film
April 1, 1977: Star Trek Leaked memo reveals studio's options
April 1, 1990. Casting Call Someday these remakes will come
April 1, 2022 [01/04/22] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
April 2014 items [04/07/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
April Fool’s [01/04/21] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Arachnophobia (1990) Web-spinners really nature’s heroes
Art of Heavy Metal, The (1981 book) Author reveals Heavy Metal secrets
Arthur 2: On the Rocks (1988) Second round is worse than the first
Assassination of Trotsky, The (1972) Worlds away from the Winter Palace
Atlantic City (1980) Never too late to make good
Atomic Cafe, The (1982; doc) Life's a blast in the era of the atom
Avanti! (1972) Billy Wilder's master course in comedy
Avengers, The (2012) A Major impression in A minor role
Away From Her (2008) [01/16/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New

B

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B.C. election 2017 [05/10/17] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
B.C. Feature Films 1 Reeling Back to the Silent era
B.C. Feature Films 2 Victoria's 'quota quickies' (1932-38)
B.C. Feature Films 3 Outside Vancouver (1937-75)
B.C. Feature Films 4 Vancouver: Beginnings (1932-69)
B.C. Feature Films 5 Vancouver features (1970-71)
B.C. Feature Films 6 Vancouver feature films (1972-75)
B.C. Feature Films 7 Miscellaneous films & sources
B.C. Film Firsts In B.C., our movie history starts here
Babar: The Movie (1989) Good intentions just not good enough
Back in Action (1993) Specializing in familiar stock shocks
Back to the Beach (1987) Never too old for a seashore shindig
Back to the Future (1985) Making it Stateside a Canadian tradition
Back To The Future Part II (1989) History rewritten to add shocks to the awe
Back To The Future Part III (1990) Reconnecting with our inner cowboy
Backdraft (1991) Real role models found in fire halls
Bad Lieutenant (1992) Giving in to corruption and despair
Bad News Bears, The (1976) Good news entertainment a laugh riot
Barcode Time 2020 [01/06/20] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Basic Instinct (1992) A deadly challenge to the old boys club
Batman (1989) Burton probes comic's noir tomorrow
Batman Forever (1995) Rearranging the heritage furnishings
Batman Returns (1992) Examining a madness born of anger
Battle Beyond the Stars (1980) Corman film school's master class
Battle in Seattle (2007) People aware that the WTO is bad
Battlestar Galactica (1978) Bonanza treks into the far beyond
Bay Boy, The (1984) Director's homecoming a family affair
Bear Island (1979) Adventure lacks leaven of humour
Beautiful Dreamers (1990) Art and science find common cause
Beauty and the Beast (1991) More advertising art from a silver age
Beavers (1988; doc) Celebrating nature’s own dam builder
Beetlejuice (1988) Hellzapoppin' fun in the Hereafter
Behind the Oscar (1993 book) Casting doubt on Oscar's honesty
Behold Hawaii (1983; doc) Encountering the island’s “old ways”
Being Different (1981) A world in which distortion is reality
Being There (1979) Making light of messianic messages
Being Ukrainian [15/04/22] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Belladonna (1973) Satanic history inspires early anime
Ben-Hur (2016) Sanctimony with a veneer of spectacle
Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens (1979) Human condition comically chronicled
Best Day Ever: Aiden Kesler 1994-2011 (2011) Teen rages against dying of the light
Best of Times, The (1986) Arrested adolescent psycho-dramatics
Bethune: The Making of a Hero (1990) Awkward telling of the passionate tale
Betsy, The (1978) Classy take on the Robbins rubbish
Better Than Chocolate (1999) Soft centres, hard centres . . . I like all the chocolates in the box
Between Friends (1973) Shebib follows the wrong story
Beyond Your Wildest Dreams (1981) A long way from transcending genre limits
Big (1988) Comic charm in unintended consequences
Big Fix, The (1978) Sam Spade’s successor for the ’60s
Big Parade, The (Da yue bing; 1986; China) A step forward before a pulling back
Billy the Kid Versus Dracula (1966) American values menaced by aliens
Bingo (1974) Vision includes street-level humanity
Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor-Kings, The (1976) Lots of heart along with authentic soul
Bird on a Wire (1990) Multiple roles for versatile vancouver
Birthday celebrations [01/06/16] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Black Christmas (1974) Sorority house stalking shocker
Black History Month 2022 [15/02/22] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Black Robe (1991) The 1630s seen in 1950s shades of grey
Blacula (1972) Impossible to ignore the black arts
Blade Runner (1982) Future noir has slick commercial touch
Blaze (1989) Poetic licence and historic liberties taken
Blazing Saddles (1974) An exercise in the comedy of excess
Blindside (1987) Serious stuff struggling to get out
Blood for Dracula (Andy Warhol’s Dracula; 1974) Unwashed unimpressed by undead
Blue Max, The (1966) Here’s to fighting for a lost cause
Blue Steel (1990) Director dealing in seductive violence
Blue Thunder (1983) Glimpses of today in an '80s action epic
Bob Roberts (1992) “Vote first. Ask questions later.”
Body Heat (1981) Debuting director's solid first impression
Born Losers (1967) Achieves much by daring more
Boxer Rebellion (Ba guo lian jun; 1975; China) History viewed from the Chinese side
Boy Who Could Fly, The (1986) Fine fantasy explores magic of belief
Brain-in-a-box report [09/16/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Brazil (1985) Creating a mind-haunting social satire
Brimstone and Treacle (1982) An angel of mercy with an unholy agenda
British Animation Invasion, The (1991) Acknowledging an absolute mastery
Broadway Danny Rose (1984) Comedy fulfills contractual obligation
Brood, The (1979) Probes modern medical malfeasance
Brother from Another Planet, The (1984) Challenging take on the tabula rasa
Brother of the Wind (1972) Wolf ways downright primitive, savage
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) Swanson stakes out her place in Slayer history
Bugs Bunny Film Festival, The (1993) Tooning into the best of Blanc
Bull Durham (1988) Celebrating summer's sacred rites
Burbs, The (1989) Dealing with the neighbours from hell
Buried on Sunday (1992) Island decides to take its fish and go
Burning Season, The (1993) Exploring feminism’s consequences
But Not in Canada! (1976 book) Canadians no better, but no worse
By Design (1982) A non-formula domestic comedy
Byline, Michael Walsh [10/31/13] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New

C

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C&L Internet Club [12/13/13] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Cabaret (1972) Deciding to whom the future belongs
Cabin in the Woods, The (2012) Horror homage a Whedon winner
Cadence (1990) Status quo served by class warfare
Calendar (1993) Language only part of the problem
Caligula (1979) Protesters prolong controversial film's run
Canadian content calculation [05/15/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Cancer recovery [09/04/18] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Cannibal Girls (1973) Offering something new on the menu
Car 54, Where Are You? (1994) Car 54, Where Are You? Good lord, it's Toronto!
Carmen (1983; Spain) Reimagining her in a flamenco style
Carmen (1984; France) Just smoulders when it should sizzle
Carrie (1976) Blood bath for a Prom Queen
Carry On Sergeant! (1928) Exploiting Canada's service tradition
Casablanca (1941) Making the best of black and white choices
Caveman (1981) Alunda is cave-speak for love in bloom
Certain Fury (1985) Young stars already past their prime
Chaindance (1991) Finding a different way to do things
Changeling, The (1980) An uneasy presence lurks within
Chaplin (1992) Emphasizing all the reasons to just smile
Chariots of Fire (1981) The virtue and folly of sport in simpler times
Child Under a Leaf (1974) Child bearing seen as a malicious act
China Mission (1980; doc) Film a disservice to a great Canadian
Chinese New Year [01/02/22] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Christina (1974) Starring Vancouver as Big Town, U.S.A.
Christmas feature package [12/24/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Christmas Story, A (1983) One film that really is a classic
Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (1992) Mariner's mistake sets off historical debate
Cinema Sewer 31 (2018; magazine) Truth, liberty and the pursuit of high office
Citizen Kane (1941) Unexpected legacy of Xanadu's lord
Clan of the Cave Bear (1986) Evolution epic both serious and silly
Class of '44 (1973) Shallow sequel gets a failing grade
Clearcut (Terre Rouge; 1991) Spirit of the land taking its revenge
Clockwork Orange, A (1971) Combining coarseness and culture
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) Hope instead of fear of first contact
Cold Front (1989) Script a minute short of hard-boiled
Colonel Chabert (1994; France) Surviving after the long walk home
Colonel Redl (Oberst Redl; Germany, 1985) Driven by his contradictory demons
Color Purple, The (1985) Celebrating cinematic good works
Com-Ex, 1966's Hart House Comic Book Exposition VanCAF celebrates once and future art
Coma (1978) Spare-parts drama a factory second
Comic Book Confidential (1988) Chronicling comics and other outrages
Comic Book Movies Looking at movies inspired by comics
Comics as an Art Form exhibition (1971) Celebrating the socially distant art form
Comics: Three histories (1972; 1972; 1974 books) Recording the moment of maturation
Comin’ At Ya! (1981) Spaghetti western stereoscopified
Coming to America (1988) A tedious tribute to Eddie’s ego
Commitments, The (1991) Not the black Irish, but Irish as Blacks
Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt (1989; doc) Film generates both anger and tears
Computer maintenance [07/17/16] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Concrete Angels (1987) Rockin’ out on Toronto’s mean streets
Coneheads (1993) Coneheads subpar suburban satire
Congo (1995) More fun than another dinosaur hunt
Continental Divide (1981) Not the oddness we were expecting
Conversation, The (1974) Coppola puts surveillance under scrutiny
Convoy (1978) CB song inspires interstate insurrection
Cool Breeze (1972) As ever, diamonds are for stealing
Cool World (1992) Holli is adult animator's goodbye girl
Cordélia (1980) Period piece made timeless drama
Cotton Club, The (1984) Gangland drama meets the musical
Countess Dracula (1971) More an allegory than shock machine
Country Music Nitely (1978, doc) Celebrating production partners' debut
Cousins (1989) Transatlantic transition works a treat
Cowboy Way, The (1994) Black hats, white hats, hat tricks
Crazies, The (1973) When trust is not an option
Crazy Moon (1987) Examining some early indiscretions
Crazy People (1990) A concept we don’t know much about
Crimson Tide (1995) Debating the issue beneath the waves
Crooked Hearts (1991) Because everybody's family is crazy
Crusade that Cleaned Up Comics (1967) No Hope for an historian’s interview
Cry Freedom (1987) Martyr's tale a call to action
Curating Reeling Back [04/13/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New

D

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Dad (1989) Hugs abound in reconciliation comedy
Damned in the U.S.A. (1992; doc) Documentary preaches to the converted
Damned, The (1969) Indulging a fascination with fascism
Dance Me Outside (1994) Not just growing up, but growing wise
Dances with Wolves (1990) Reclaiming life among the Lakota
Dark Star (1974) Anticipating those galaxies far away
Darkman (1990) Insulting the good name of comics
Date Associations R Us [06/12/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Daughters of the Dust (1991) More found poetry than a narrative drama
David Cronenberg for the Hall of Fame [07/04/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Day of the Locust, The (1975) Sour satire falls short of its target
Day the Music Died [02/03/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Daylight Savings 2014 postings [03/14/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Dead Wrong (1983) So Canadian to play cops for laughs
Dead Zone, The (1983) Second sight shows future shocks
Dead, The (1987) Huston bows out with an elegant aside
Deadly Currents (1991; doc) Adding substance to headline rhetoric
Deadly Tail, A (2016; book) Movie mania at the Great Crossroads
Dear Inspector (Tendre Poulet; 1977; France) Love can be a multi-tasking thing
Death Becomes Her (1992) Turning some great actors into ’toons
Death Hunt (1981) Falsifying history for fun and profit
Death on the Nile (1978) Projecting palatable personal warmth
Death Ship (1980) Ship's cargo a load of Nazi nonsense
Death Weekend (The House by the Lake; 1976) Her choice is submission or survival
Deceivers, The (1988) Penetrating resistance to company rule
Decline of the American Empire, The (Le déclin de l'empire américain; 1986) Ciné excellence has a Québec accent
Deep Throat Part II (1974) Second time far from a charm
Delta Force (1986) Identifying with the better murderer
Demon Seed (1977) Love is more than a glitch in the code
Dennis the Menace (1993) Sadism, humiliation as entertainment
Deserters (1983) Vietnam conflict's Vancouver front
Destroyer (1988) Real talent stuck in a cinema cellar
Devil and Max Devlin, The (1981) A directionless Disney tests its limits
Devil's Brigade, The (1968) Hollywood remembers our history for us
Dial M for Murder (1954) Hitchcock thrills in all three dimensions
Dick Tracy (1990) Success a tribute to mass marketing
Die Hard (1988) Celebrate the day as if it's your last
Die Hard 2 (1990) Ultraviolence with a moral compass
Dim Sum - A Little Bit of Heart (Chinese; 1985) Negotiating family’s formal obligations
Diplomatic Immunity (1991) Making the choice not to walk away
Dirty Little Billy (1972) Ugly duckling becomes an ugly duck
Discoverers, The (1992; doc) Expanding on an Expo moment
Distant Thunder (1988) Torn between fairness and popularity
Distinguished Gentleman, The (1992) Washington a city of broken dreams
Divine Madness (1980; doc) Preserving that 70s outrageousness
Dixie Lyle's A Taste Fur Murder [02/21/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Do the Right Thing (1989) Getting past our irrational attitudes
Doc Hollywood (1991) Affirming Capra's cracker barrel values
Dog Who Stopped the War, The (La guerre des tuques; 1984) Snow queen commands ice palace
Dolores Claiborne (1995) Essentially it’s a homicidal chick flick
Don't Look Now (1973) Shrill shocker fails to fulfill prophecies
Donald Trump’s Korean War [05/01/17] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Donald Trump’s victory in defeat [10/24/16] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Dorothy, Alice and Me [06/26/16] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Dracula (1979) Family feelings save Dracula director
Dracula Sucks (1978) Vampire no match for censor’s stake
Dragonslayer (1981) Warming to a new screen experience
Dream Is Alive, The (1985; doc) Astronaut endorses IMAX experience
Drop Zone (1994) Proving that white women can jump
Drum (1976) Persisting in the pursuit of vulgarianism
Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox, The (1976) Less than the sum of its comic parts
DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp (1990) Not the McDuck that inspired Lucas
Dumbo (1941) A product of its time; a timeless classic
Dune (1984) Director's vision distinctively baroque

E

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E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) Marooned alien hides in plain sight
Earth Girls Are Easy (1988) Close encounters of the satiric kind
Earthquake (1974) Bujold makes the earth move for Heston
East End Hustle (1976) Director wants to be taken seriously
Easter's eggs [04/14/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Ed Wood (1994) Mythologizing Hollywood hallucinations
Eiger Sanction, The (1975) Unsteady response to real questions
Eight Men Out (1983) Baseball’s mythic moment of shame
Elections vs environment [08/06/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Embattled Shadows (1978 book) Approach suits the Canadian spirit
Empire of the Sun (1987) Spielberg forces hope into Ballard's tale
Empire Strikes Back, The (1980) Changing the game made Episode V the second
Empress Dowager, The (Qīng Guó Qīng Chéng; 1975; China) A new standard in Hong Kong cinema
Eversmile, New Jersey (1989) Preaching the gospel of happy teeth
Evil Under the Sun (1982) As sophisticated as a Cole Porter tune
Executive Action (1973) Executive Action taken against JFK
Exit to Eden (1994) Saskatchewan says no to S&M comedy
Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977) Ambitious sequel cues laugher, not screams
Exorcist, The (1973) Scaring up the old time religion
Expo86-01 The cinematic sequel to Expo 67
Expo86-02 Small world creates Expo's big shows
Expo86-03 Small nation produces big innovation
Expo86-04 One ring to entertain them all
Expo86-05 Seeing the world in three dimensions
Expo86-06 Showscan a look into film's future
Expo86-07 It doesn't get any bigger than IMAX
Expo86-08 Holovision a smoke & mirrors illusion
Expo86-09 Video's scene-stealing supporting role
Expo86-10 One day is worth thousands of photos
Expo86-11 Simulating visits to faraway places
Expo86-12 Many screens work to hold attention
Expo86-13 Much to enjoy on screens off the site
Expo86-14 Returned from Oz to help the world discover B.C.
Expo86-15 Communication seriously considered
Expo86-16 Introducing a 3D format that works
Expo86-17 State's mission to create the future
Expo86-18 Neighbours celebrate differences
Expo86-19 Balanced view of tradition, innovation
Expo86-20 Central Canada's content contrasted
Expo86-21 Celebrating the Land of Living Skies
Expo86-22 Slogan’s origins evoke special spell
Expo86-23 Promoting a united European future
Expo86-24 Cosmos becomes a European frontier
Expo86-25 Nations still playing the train game
Expo86-26 Involving audiences with star power
Expo86-27 The Viking approach to exploration
Expo86-28 An artful approach to Italy’s progress
Expo86-29 Overcoming tradition’s boundaries
Expo86-30 Films foreshadow departure to come
Expo86-31 Memories that have lasted a lifetime
Expo86-32 Surrounding us with natural beauty
Expo86-33 Trains, planes once owned by us all
Expo86-34 Examining Islam and Christianity
Expo86-35 Introducing a Pacific Rim sensibility
Expo86-36 Seeking stability in a changing world
Expo86-37 Looking into global village’s future
Expo86-38 Final thoughts on our Expo summer

F

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F.I.S.T. (1978) On the line with the world's workers
Fabulous Baker Boys, The (1989) Baker Boy has a Happy New Year's Eve
Falling Down (1993) Rambo gets a serio-satirical remake
Falling Over Backward (1990) Sentimental journey with a hard edge
Family Plot (1976) Couples sharing an heir of danger
Fantasia (1940) Cartoon concert serves up classics
Fantastic Planet, The (La planete savage; 1973) Surreal style for a sidereal story
Fantastic Voyage (1966) Cold war spin on inner-space opera
Far From Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog (1995) Best friends survive in the wilderness
Farewell My Concubine (Ba wang bie ji; 1993; China) Beginning the great Asian drama
Farewell to 2020 [01/01/21] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) Meditating on middle-class deprivation
Fatal Beauty (1987) Dirty Harriet brings wit to drug wars
Father-daughter theme [01/31/16] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Female Misbehavior (1992; doc) Cinémathèque hosts girls’ porn party
Femme Nikita, La (1990) Fufilling a need to make things happen
Ferngully: The Last Rainforest (1992) Aussie-inspired eco-toon a treat
Festival of Christianity and the Arts (1974) Christianity focus of campus arts fest
Festival of Claymation (1987) Stop-motion animation’s big moment
Filmmaking Industry 1 Introducing an Encyclopedia entry
Filmmaking Industry 2 In Silent Forests (1897-1920)
Filmmaking Industry 3 Victoria’s Quota Quickies (1933-1938)
Filmmaking Industry 4 The Pre-Television era (1939-1952)
Filmmaking Industry 5 From TV to the CFDC (1953-1967)
Filmmaking Industry 6 From CFDC to BCFC (1968-1977)
Filmmaking Industry 7 Welcome to Brollywood (1978-2000)
Filmmaking Industry 8 Bibliography for all sources consulted
Final Countdown, The (1980) Final Countdown remembers Pearl Harbor
Final Option, The (a.k.a. Who Dares Wins; 1982) SAS makes war on the peace lobby
Fire and Ice (1983) Producing a one-of-a-kind cartoon
Fires of Kuwait (1992; doc) Celebrating a fearless few's courage
First Nudie Musical, The (1976) Film revolution, with some nudity required
First Season, The (1989) Survival and adjustment on the bridge
Fish Called Wanda, A (1988) This Fish is a gut-busting mid-Atlantic catch
Flash Gordon (1980) Flash back to escapism's pure roots
Flash Theatre Presents (comic book, 1970) Vancouver artists opt for independence
Flashpoint (1984) Flashpoint in light of Winter Kills
Flesh Gordon (1974) Spoofing the sex implied in the serials
Flight of the Eagle (Ingenjör Andrées Luftfärd;1982; Sweden) Swedes compete for bragging rights
Flintstones, The (1994) Flintstones among the turkey slices
Fly II, The (1989) Little more than good-looking gore
Flyers (1982; doc) Recreating a classic crash landing
Fog, The (1980) Scream queen stars with Psycho mom
Food of the Gods, The (1976) Wells never given a sporting chance
For Pete’s Sake (1974) Manful mugging overshadows males
Fort Apache, the Bronx (1981) Believe that good will come of doing good
Four Musketeers, The (1974) Somber sequel's summation is slapdash
Fourth Man, The (De vierde man; 1983, Dutch) Portrait of the artist as a disaster area
Fourth Protocol, The (1987) Returning to some serious Russophobia
Fox, The (1967) Relocating English lust to Canada
Freshman, The (1990) Pitched to a screwball comedy crowd
Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning (1985) Finding his doppelganger
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986) Strange ideas of entertainment
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989) Water-logged maniac is back again
Fringe Dwellers, The (1986) Being her own person, no matter what
Fritz the Cat (1972) Comix with a deranged Disney look
Front Page, The (1974) Classic comedy remake loud, dull, unfunny
Front, The (1976) . . . but the guts are malfunctioning
FTA (1972) Sharing the truths the troops already know
Fugitive, The (1993) Man-on-the-run drama no mere rerun
Futureworld (1976) Outraging our sense of the sensible

G

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Gaily, Gaily (1969) Newsman comes of age in Chicago
Galaxina (1980) Overstated to the point of absurdity
Games of the XXI Olympiad, Montreal 1976 (1977; doc) Official record not at all informative
Gandhi (1982) Revolution brought about by example
Garde à vue (Under Suspicion; 1981, France) Pursuing a resolution by year’s end
Gardens of Stone (1987) Testing essential human decency
Generation of change [03/30/16] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Genocide (1982; doc) Nazi Holocaust horrors were real
Geoff Olson [08/21/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
George Stevens: A Flimmaker’s Journey (1984; doc) Less analysis than an act of filial piety
George's Island (1989) Guarding Kidd's George's Island gold
Getting of Wisdom, The (1977) Education as the key to “better things”
Ghost Dad (1990) Dad’s demise hardly a laughing matter
Ghostbusters (1984) Getting involved with possessed people
Girl and the General, The (La ragazza e il generale; 1967) Worthwhile debate reduced to clichés
Girl with the Red Hair, The (Het Meisje Met Het Rode Haar; 1981; Dutch) Defending justice outside a classroom
Give My Regards To Broad Street (1984) Day wasted in the mind of a pop star
Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) Mamet questions the good in greed
Glenn Miller Story, The (1954) The sound found and a myth made
God Rides a Harley (1988; doc) Christian Riders carry message forth
Godfather, The (1972) Celebrating the birth of a new Hollywood
Godfather: Part II, The (1974) Making clear the meaning of it all
Godfather: Part III, The (1990) Argues for leaving well enough alone
Godzilla (1985) Tokyo survives yet another stomping
Golden Harvest Theatre (1974) Chinese film empires battle in B.C.
Golden wedding anniversary [12/28/18] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Goldengirl (1979) Olympic competition as science project
Gone With the Wind (1939) Old Southern myth lavishly lamented
Good Mother, The (1988) Soap-operatic schlock from Spock
Goodbye, Norma Jean (1976) First to the screen but least with the facts
Goonies, The (1985) An amusement park ride on celluloid
Gorillas in the Mist: The Adventure of Dian Fossey (1988) Her weird, wonderful life celebrated
Gray Lady Down (1978) Praise God and General Dynamics
Great Mouse Detective, The (1986) Mystery keeps critic on seat's edge
Great Northfield Minnesota Raid, The (1972) Dubious Western legends ride again
Great Train Robbery, The (1979) Victorian adventure on the right track
Great Waldo Pepper, The (1975) War’s aftermath a flight into forgetting
Greater Vancouver Book My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Greenpeace: Voyages to Save the Whales (1976) Easton gets shot seen around the world
Gremlins (1984) Setting out a seasonal cinema buffet
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) Charting the chaos that is civilization
Grey Fox, The (1982) Inspired by a new, different frontier
Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984) Hard to take cartoon society seriously
Grocer’s Wife, The (1991) Fantasy offers art on training wheels
Groundhog Day (1993) The day that everything didn't change
Groundstar Conspiracy, The (1972) SFU ground zero for sci-fi in B.C.
Guardian, The (1990)
Gung Ho (1986) Exploiting opportunities in hard times
Guyana - Cult of the Damned (1979) Answers none of the questions raised

H

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H (1990) Intense tragedy of self-imprisonment
Hair (1979) A musical past its time made timeless
Hallowe’en & Creepy Clowns [10/31/16] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Handmaid’s Tale, The (1990) Cinematic dystopia a disappoinment
Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) Off-season Allen features moments of mirth
Happy New Year (La Bonne Année; 1973; France) Love not factored into his crime plan
Hard Part Begins, The (1973) With authentic mood and gritty reality
Harlan County, U.S.A. (1976) The chronicle of a long, bitter battle
Harry in Your Pocket (1973) Personal relations shortchanged
Havana (1990) Ambiguous new American revolution
Hawaii (1966) Setting out to change a people’s gods
Heart and Souls (1993) Celebrating Twilight Zone mysticism
Heartaches (1981) Shebib goes down the road again
Hearts and Minds (1974; doc) What is it good for? Absolutely nothing!
Hearts of Darkness (1991; doc) Abandoned project given new life
Heaven (1987; doc) Facing the question of sex after death
Heavy Metal (1981) Heavy Metal falls short of promise
Heavy Metal Share Offering (1980) Heavy Metal financing based on share unit sales
Heavy Traffic (1974) Artist object of Establishment's ire
Henry V (1989) Restoring the blood and doubt to Will's work
Hercules (1983) Moon maidens added to mythological mix
Hero (1992) Something more than a four-letter word
Hero and the Terror (1988) Taking the fun out of entertainment
Heroes Two (Fang Shi Yu yu Hong Xiguan; 1974; Hong Kong) One for the kung-fu cognoscenti
Hidden Fortress, The (Kakushi toride no san-akunin; 1958; Japan) Discovering the source of a new hope
High (aka In; 1967) Sex more poignant than passionate
High Stakes (1987) Gross screenplay defeats comic intent
High-Ballin' (1978) Rural raunch designed for drive-ins
Hindenburg, The (1975) Era of the airship ends with a bang
History of the World: Part I (1981) Shlock with a side order of schtick
Hitler: The Last Ten Days (1973) Fuhrerbunker birthday bash beginning of end
Hocus Pocus (1993) Our film in focus is Hocus Pocus
Hoffa (1992) Struggling with labour’s place in history
Hollywood Theatre (Vancouver; 1984) Surviving as an independent
Hollywood's First Choices (1994 book) “Revelations” lacking in enterprise
Hollywood’s Canada (1975 book) Ottawa complicit in Hollywood’s fraud
Home Alone (1990) Idiot's guide to injuring home intruders
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989) Big adventure crossing the backyard
Hook (1991) New Neverland a politically correct theme park
Hookers On Davie (1984; doc) Documentary seen as activist cinema
Hot Shots! (1991) His dream to “bomb stuff, kill people”
Hotel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie (1988; doc) Results of delayed justice examined
Hound of the Baskervilles, The (1939) What one man can invent, another can discover
Household Saints (1993) Man deals. God stacks the deck.
Housekeeping (1987) Sisters shown world of possibilities
Howard the Duck (1986) Existential humour missing in action
Hudsucker Proxy, The (1994) Derivative, design-driven populism
Hunt for Red October, The (1990) Russophobes live to fight another day
Husbands and Wives (1992) Mock doc lacking in substance, style

I

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I Am Curious Yellow (Jag ä nyfiken - en film i gult; 1967; Sweden) Swedish activist challenges U.S. censorship
I Love a Man in Uniform (aka A Man in Uniform; 1993) Seduced by force's dark side
I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978) Director's debut recalls really big shew
I.Q. (1994) Cold War nostalgia a guilty pleasure
Ides of March [15/03/22] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Ilsa - She Wolf of the SS (1975) Canadians finance landmark film shocker
Imaginary Tale, An (Une histoire inventée; 1990) Comic charm lost after a rape scene
Impolite (1993) Impolite Chronicles A Death Foretold
Impromptu (1991) Herstory is gloriously adult entertainment
In Praise of Older Women (1978) In praise of Helen Shaver
Inbreaker, The (1974) Script fails to answer basic questions
Inchon (1981) MacArthur returns as Korea's saviour
Incident at Oglala: The Leonard Peltier Story (1992; doc) Result is outrage, not understanding
Insatiable (1980) Crossing from Rabid to Insatiable
Inserts (1975) Pioneers in the neoplastic arts
Inside the Seed (2013 stage play) [10/09/13] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Interview: Ames, Leon (performer; 1972) UnearthIng intrigue after hours in B.C.
Interview: Anderson, Carl (performer) His signature tune: I gotta be me
Interview: Bakshi, Ralph (director) Gambling on a cartooning revolution
Interview: Berton, Pierre (author; 1975) Communications shape who we are
Interview: Bluth, Don (director) Transcending the paint and panels
Interview: Bogdanovich, Peter (director) Bypassing arguments about money
Interview: Brault, Michel (Director) Government secrecy a threat to us all
Interview: Castle, William (director); Marceau, Marcel (performer) Master of Shock directs mime genius
Interview: Chambers, Marilyn (performer; 1980) Deep down, David's laughing a lot
Interview: Chambers, Marilyn (performer; 1983) It's a matter of freedom of choice
Interview: Chase, Duane (performer) Alpine acting bred a love of geology
Interview: Coppola, Francis Ford (director) Filmmaker looks to next adventure
Interview: Crawford, Johnny (performer) Transition to adult roles no easy task
Interview: Crawley, F.R. Budge (producer) Planning for future of feature films
Interview: Crocker, Barry (performer) Australians learn to hold their own
Interview: Cross, Ben (performer) I'm taking it in my strides
Interview: Derek, John (director) Beautiful porn a directorial challenge
Interview: Downey, Robert (director; 1967) A satirical voice from the underground
Interview: Duke, Daryl (director; 1973) Marketing maturity the way forward
Interview: Field, Sally (performer) "They all said you'll never do it"
Interview: Francovich, Allan (director) Holding the Company to account
Interview: Fruet, William (director; 1973) “It’s hell of a way to start a business”
Interview: Hackman, Gene (Performer; 1989) Saying something he can be proud of
Interview: Jarrott, Charles (director) Giving Canadian movies a bit of class
Interview: Juliani, John (director) Canadian film conventions challenged
Interview: Keane, Laurence (producer) Genres meshed, couple created
Interview: Kemeny, John (producer; 1976) Bethune an intense, complex subject
Interview: King, Allan (director) Exposing cherished cinematic myths
Interview: Kurtz, Gary (producer) No interest in being an administrator
Interview: Lee, Christopher (performer; 1975; 1980) Quality script draws acting icon to B.C.
Interview: Lovelace, Linda (performer) Looking forward without regret
Interview: Medak, Peter (Director) Making sense of fantastical things
Interview: Mimieux, Yvette (performer) Contributing to entertainment’s cause
Interview: Needham, Hal (director; 1979) Falling into a career of fun and games
Interview: Newman, Sydney (producer) NFB's Newman bears gifts to China
Interview: Pakula, Alan J. (director) Tension threatened by tedium
Interview: Petrie, Daniel (director; 1978) Anticipating venomous critical attacks
Interview: Pidgeon, Walter (performer) Never a thought for retirement
Interview: Pleasence, Donald (performer; 1973) Finding the fun in being the bad guy
Interview: Pleasence, Donald (performer; 1974) Pleasence praises the beauty of B.C.
Interview: Porter, Bob (Flesh Gordon investor) Sexy satire has surprising B.C. roots
Interview: Price, Vincent (performer; 1974) Remaining faithful to his first love: art
Interview: Saba, Arn (comic artist) Where I should have been all along
Interview: Sayles, John (director) Downward mobility as screen subject
Interview: Shatner, William (performer) High impact on a low budget
Interview: Stewart, Walter (author; 1976) Modern journalists argue for the truth
Interview: Towers, Harry Alan (producer) London-born producer a London buff
Interview: Wallace, Ratch (producer) Believing in a better future for film
Invaders from Mars (1986) First contact nightmares revisited
Invisible, The [01/05/22] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Ishtar (1987) One cinematic synonym for disaster

J

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James Burke's influence on Reeling Back [12/22/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Janis (1974; doc) Truth told between the lines
Jaws (1975) Scary fish tale is a great white blockbuster
Jazz Singer, The (1927); Don Juan (1926) It sounds like deja vu all over again
Jésus de Montréal (1989) Examining His message in today’s world
Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) Greatest story holds up in rock retelling
JFK (1991) Executive Action taken against JFK
Joe versus the Volcano (1990) Heroically facing an eruption of reality
John and the Missus (1986) Tribute paid to magnificent obsession
John Badham on Directing - 2nd Ed (2020 book) Not about to give up on art or craft
Joshua Then and Now (1985) Finding a feature within a mini-series
Joss Whedon achievements eclipsed [08/23/17] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Journey (1972) Mind, emotions engaged in flex time
Journey Into Fear (1975) Name cast no guarantee of success
Juggernaut (1974) Survival epic sets a high standard
July 2014 Celebrations [07/03/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Jungle Fever (1991) Curious about Caucasian women
Jurassic Park (1993) Devolving back to the future of fantasy
Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. (1992) Individual and self-aware, if not likeable

K

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Kafka (1991) Living the nightmare that is reality
Kamouraska (1973) Damned until death does them part
Keep It in the Family (1973) Ham steak, overdone, thickly sliced
Khartoum (1966) Serving up scenario with the scenery
Killing Kennedy (2013) [11/17/13] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
King Kong (1933) Uncensored ape shows savage side
King Kong (1976) No magic in Manhattan monkeyshines
King Lear (1971) Filmgoers ill-served by Brook's excerpts
King Lear (Korol Lir; 1971; Russia) The Screen's greatest Lear speaks Russian
King Ralph (1991) Finding fun in the rites of succession
Kitsilano Solar House (1980; doc) Finding something new under the sun
Kittens on the Internet [09/08/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Knight_Moves (1992) King's Game played for psycho shocks
Koyaanisqatsi (1982) The truth shall make you queasy
Kristine DeBell 2016 [03/06/16] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New

L

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L.A. Story (1991) Five-day forecast includes wry wit
La Florida (1993) Francophone family follows a dream
Labyrinth (1986) Oz among a Labyrinth of influences
Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones (1973; doc) Concert doc a monaural mediocrity
Lady in Red, The (1979) Hollywood ending still a possibility
Lady Jane (1986) Pity the daughter of a really bad dad
Lady Macbeth (2016) Grimm without the happily-ever-after ending
Lair of the White Worm, The (1988) Doubling down on the entendres
Land Before Time, The (1988) Family values as old as the dinosaurs
Land that Time Forgot, The (1975) Mariners put their Great War on hold
Last Boy Scout, The (1991) Willis draws upon his inner Bogart
Last Buffalo, The (1990; doc) Creating a work of big screen poetry
Last Emperor, The (1987) Historical epic a cultural revelation
Last Exit to Brooklyn (1989) Adaptation given period Hollywood look
Last Man on Earth, The (1964) Last Man was my first review
Last Tango in Paris (Ultimo tango a Parigi; 1972; France) Art less interesting than the commerce
Last Tempest, The (Ying tai qi xue; 1976; China) Distraction fatal to reformer’s cause
Last Waltz, The (1978; doc.) Thanks for all the musical memories
Latitude 55° (1982) Caught in a blizzard of discovery
Lawrence of Arabia (1962) Understanding Empire's role in Arab insurrection
L’homme à tout faire (The Handyman; 1980) Settling for the strawberry Kool-Aid
League of Their Own, A (1992) Davis leads league in scenes stolen
Legend (1985) Wit for Europe, violence for America
Legend of Kootenai Brown, The (1991) Having fun with B.C. history
Legend of Nigger Charley, The (1972) Exploiting American racial resentments
Legend of the Lone Ranger, The (1981) Stolid star dooms ranger's return
Leon: The Professional (1994) Comics influenced tale of assassin's apprentice
Leonard Part 6 (1987) Little fun to be found in spycraft satire
Les Ordres (1974) Examining Canada's October Crisis
Lethal Weapon (1987) Cop buddies generate thrills, laughter
Licence to Kill (1989) Loyalty more important than obedience
Lies My Father Told Me (1975) An unmoving chronicle of childhood
Life and Times of Chester-Angus Ramsgood, The (1970) Aspirations exceed accomplishments
Lifeforce (1985) Close encounter includes naked shocks
Light Years (Gandahar; 1988) Market tuning misses original's intent
Linda Lovelace for President (1975) Sophomoric take on celebrity politics
Link (1986) A special feeling for society’s outsiders
Lion of the Desert (1981) Unsubtle epic offers teaching moment
Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones (1990; doc) Film's structure strikes the wrong note
Little Dorrit (1988) Overlapping chronicles explore Dickensian truth
Little Mermaid, The (1989) Dane's pain lost under the sea
Little Night Music, A (1978) Sondheim's joyous musical recalls bygone days
Live and Let Die (1973) Placing the emphasis on action
Living Daylights, The (1987) Be prepared for Bond as Boy Scout
Logan's Run (1976) Introducing shopping mall sci-fi
Lonely Lady, The (1983) Wanting it in the worst way
Longest Day, The (1962) Today’s memories brought to you by the letter D
Look Who's Talking Now (1993) Third Vancouver visit all bark, no bite
Look Who's Talking Too (1990) Mr. Toilet Man a problem
Looker (1981) No such thing as an idea past its time
Lord of the Rings, The (1978) Cartoon grab for the One Ring
Lorenzo’s Oil (1992) Spotlight on an orphan disease
Lost Boys, The (1987) Comic shocks as Dracula meets Peter Pan
Lotomania (1980; doc) Regressively taxing poor and elderly
Love and Human Remains (1993) Penetrating parable probes our reality
Love at First Sight (1977) Sight gags outlandish but restrained
Love Field (1992) Ruby meets flight from Love Field
Love in Three Dimensions (1973) Only the material lacks depth
Love You! (1979) Director attempts to legitimate porn
Loyalties (1986) Feminist parable a Canadian classic
Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N. (1966) Castaway comedy in the Disney style
Lucky Lady (1975) Reality sacrificed for a happy ending

M

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M.A.S.H. (1970) Calculated insanity key to surviving war's madness
Macbeth (1971) Reinventing screen Shakespeare for the 1970s
Mad Adventures of 'Rabbi' Jacob, The (Les aventures de Rabbi Jacob, 1973; France) Finding farce in the era's big issues
Mad Dog and Glory (1993) Exploring stuff of downtown dreams
Magic Christian, The (1969) Making the most of an awful muddle
Magicians of the Silver Screen (Báječní muži s klikou; 1978; Czechoslovakia) History with grace, charm, humour
Maintenance mystery I [04/22/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Maintenance mystery II [05/01/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Malarek (1988) Turning a true story into pulp fiction
Man of La Mancha (1972) A song of praise to real, robust beauty
Man of No Importance, A (1993) Importance of the Wilde man within
Man Who Saw Tomorrow, The (1981; doc) Dire predictions of war and peace
Man Who Wasn't There, The (1983) A Sensation, A Scene and A Smile
Man with the Golden Gun, The (1974) Half wits finding fun in fouling up
Mandingo (1975) The enduring fever dream of white privilege
March 2014 early postings [03/22/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
March 2014 late postings [03/28/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
March/April 2014 postings [04/03/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Maria Chapdelaine (1983) A Québec classic comes to life
Marie-Anne (1978) Rich history as Harlequin romance
Marking milestones [16/01/22] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Married Couple, A (1969; doc) Creating an urban true-life adventure
Married to It (1991) A celebration of marital commitment
Marshall McLuhan and me [01/06/22] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994) Reanimated with style and overstatement
Mary, Queen of Scots (1971) A woman first, and then a monarch
Masala (1992) Many influences stirred into the mix
Mask, The (1994) Comic triumph has comic-book roots
Massacre in Rome (1973) Making the argument for mass murder
Masters of the Universe (1987) Making movies to move inventory
Matewan (1987) Remembering the way it was . . . and is
Matinee (1993) B-picturing Missile Crisis Fright
Matinee (aka Midnight Matinee; 1989) Characters developed, not body count
Maverick (1994) Revisiting a legend of the West
Mâles, Les (The Men; 1971) Feminism prevails in forest primeval
Meatballs (1979) Kinder, gentler cousin of Animal House
Medical report [09/11/16] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992) Ethics are a matter of choosing sides
Men From the Monastery (Shao Lin zi di; 1974; Hong Kong) Letting loose an historic anger
Mensa convention address (2002) What really happened on 9/11, 2001
Meta musings [04/03/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn (1983) Dune buggies the future of transport
Metropolis (1927/1984) Restoration of a future seen from the past
Miami Blues (1990) Fringe folk need a recipe for survival
Midsummer Night's Dream (2013 stage play) [10/21/13] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Millhouse: A White Comedy (1991; doc.) A tradition of pillorying the president
Mindfield (1989) Over-the-top take on shocking truths
Missouri Breaks, The (1976) Grand old genre running out of gas
Mixed Company (1974) Advocating for big-tent family values
Mixed Nuts (1994) Holiday countdown begins with a bowlful
Mo’ Better Blues (1990) Film’s style triumphs over substance
Mohammad, Messenger of God (aka The Message; 1976) Epic attempts to bridge religious divide
Molière (France; 1978) Ponderous tribute to a comic genius
Monkey Trouble (1994) Neither too silly nor too scary for kids
Monsignor (1982) Sinners subject of big, bold junk movie
Montreal Main (1974) Exploring life as a dramatic happening
Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life (1983) Pythons squeezing out stale spew
Moonraker (1979) Comic turn restores life to series
Moonstruck (1987) A tale of Italian-American twitterpation
Morons from Outer Space (1985) A good rule upon first contact: Don’t Panic
Mort d'un Bûcheron, La (The Death of a Lumberjack; 1973) Ambition goes beyond the possible
Mother's Boys (1994) Even bad mothers have their day
Mother, Jugs & Speed (1976) Humanizing this misfit team a tough job
Mr. & Mrs. Bridge (1990)
Mr. Holmes (2015) Fine-tuned rage against dying of the light
Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994) What have you learned, Dorothy?
Much Ado About Nothing (2012) Come. Bid me do anything for thee.
Mulholland Dr. (2001) Solving the mystery of Mulholland Dr.
Muppet Movie, The (1979) Kermit’s show business success story
Murder By Decree (1979) Dr. Watson as a collaborator, not a foil
Murder on the Orient Express (1974) Nostalgia overblown to perfection
My American Cousin (1985) Satisfying tale of summer survival
My Brilliant Career (1979) Belonging to a world of art, literature, music
My Sweet Little Village (Vesničko má středisková; 1985; Czechoslovakia) Making the most of the mini-dramas
My Two Expos [06/01/16] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New

N

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Nagasaki bombing 2014 anniversary [08/09/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear, The (1991) Too often it’s too true to be funny
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult (1994) Lots of spots for screen’s good sports
Naked Gun, The (1988) Clearing a colleague, saving a queen
Naming Hurricanes [02/27/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Naomi Klein lecture [10/22/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Napoléon (1927) Legendary movie masterwork restored
Nasty Girl, The (Das schreckliche Mädchen; 1990; Germany) Finding humour in serious situations
Nathan Cohen sets the rules [04/16/17] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
National Canadian Film Day [04/29/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
National Film Board of Canada's Animation Festival, The (1991) Our Canadian tax dollars at play
Needful Things (1993) Castle Rock found on B.C. coast
Neptune Factor, The (1973) Important questions are unanswered
Network (1976) Seeing into broadcasting's future
Nevada Smith (1966) Whitewashing prurience and brutality
Never Cry Wolf (1983) Smith captures spirit of Mowat
Never Say Never Again (1983) Return to Bondage a blow for independence
Neverending Story II: The Next Chapter (1990) Second round offers Neverending tedium
Neverending Story, The (1984) Inner logic lacking in fantasy epic
New film (Mr. Holmes) reviewed [07/17/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
New Hampshire 2016 [02/11/16] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
New Life, A (1988) Recycling ideas a decade out of date
New Year 2017 “Not Dead Yet” playlist [01/02/17] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
New Year's 2020 [01/01/20] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
New Year’s Eve [31/12/21] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Newsies (1992) Musical memorializes bid for fair wages
Newsstand global warming coverage [12/6/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
NFB postings; Press Freedom Day [05/07/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Night of the Comet (1984) Wit, style make for a memorable Apocalypse
Nightmare Before Christmas, The (1993) Pumpkin King sings of Sandy Claws
Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge, A (1986) Second chapter lacking in shock value
Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, A (1987) Messy mix of supernatural & pseudo-science
Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, A (1988) Dream girl takes on eternal killer
Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child, A (1989) The Hallowe’en party’s at 13 Elm Street
Nightmare on Elm Street, A (1984) A new twist on the teen-killer genre
Nine to Five (1980) What a way to make a living
Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) Orwell's future is now our past
Nobody's Fool (1995) What counts is doing right by kids and dogs
Norma Rae (1979) Moments of truth worth remembering
North China Commune (1980; doc) Documenting life in another land
North of Pittsburgh (1992) Seeking justice, or maybe just survival
Nosferatu the Vampyre (Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht; 1979; Germany) Damsel is the ultimate stakeholder
Not a Love Story: A Film About Pornography (1981; doc) Not a lot of honesty or nuance here
Not just a fruit fly [07/11/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Nothing Personal (1980) Things that don’t make it anymore
Notorious Bettie Page, The (2006) Witness Borne to the Passion of the Pin Up Queen
Nude Bomb, The (1980) Naked advertising in The Nude Bomb

O

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Obituary for Michael Walsh
Octopussy (1983) Eschewing high tech for low cunning
Of Unknown Origin (1983) Maximum tension with minimum gore
Official Story, The (Los Desaparecidos; 1985; Argentina) Truth put ahead of blissful ignorance
Oklahoma Crude (1973) Civic virtue hard to find in Oil City
On Company Business (1980; doc) Taking stock of U.S. covert operations
Once Upon a Forest (1993) Serving up environmental junk food
Once Were Warriors (1994) Drowning in metropolitan shallows
One from the Heart (1982) Coming to terms with an inner music
One Magic Christmas (1985) Angel represents Santa with claws
One month old today [11/04/13] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Opening Shots (1993 book) Wanting it in the worst way
Ordinary People (1980) Going deep, rather than off the deep end
Orphan Black [09/22/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Our Hitler (Der Gral; 1977; Germany) About the man guilty of everything
Out of Africa (1985) Love blossoms in humanity's cradle
Out of the Blue (CeBe,1980; No Looking Back, 1983) Tale's raw realism reflects punk era
Outer Space Connection, The (1975; doc) On the line with ancient astronauts
Outsiders, The (1983) Giving it all the look of importance
Overboard (1987) Romance a result of eternal optimism

P

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Palais Royale (1988) Recalling Toronto the Less-than-Good
Pamela Mala Sinha [10/20/17] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Paper Moon (1973) Director displays canny commercial sense
Paper Wedding (Les Noces de Papier; 1990) Romantic rebellion in a refugee crisis
Paper, The (1994) The Paper looks for heroes in all the wrong places
Paperback Hero (1973) Song sets scene for misfit's tale
Paperhouse (1988) Real world responsibilities confronted
Parasite (1982) Preventing a post-holocaust plague
Paris, November 13, 2015 [11/20/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Park Theatre (Vancouver; 1990) “Jesus house” ripe for resurrection
Partis pour la Gloire (1975) Quebec resists call to King's war
Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973) Kids key to director’s tale of the Kid
Patti Rocks (1988) Serving up a slice of cinematic true grit
Payday (1973) Mythologizing American mobility
Peanut Butter Solution, The (1985) A talent for unconventional invention
Peggy Sue Got Married (1986) Caught dreaming impossible dreams
Peplum provoke interest [07/29/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Perfect (1985) Exposing infotainment's buff underbelly
Perfect World, A (1993) The American Way's deepest flaws examined
Perfectly Normal (1990) A self-consciously stylish urban satire
Personal Services (1987) The point of being old is being dirty
Peter’s Friends (1992) The Big Chill with English accents
Philip K. Dick and me [02/26/17] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Philip K. Dick radio documentary [12/22/16] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Physical Evidence (1989) Challenge, change in low-tech drama
Pick-up Artist, The (1987) Scoring a matter of playing the odds
Pink Cadillac (1989) Comic foils more scary than screwball
Pink Floyd: The Wall (1982) Nostalgia for emotional polarization
Pirates of Penzance, The (1983) The very model of a modern movie musical
Plague Dogs, The (1982) Animation shows capacity for tragedy
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) When getting there is no fun at all
Platoon (1987) Generation messed up fighting wrong war
Player, The (1992) Beneath all the tinsel lies the real tinsel
Players, The (1994 book) Companion for videocassette viewers
Plaza Theatre (Vancouver; 1993) Promising to make art its specialty
Pocahontas (1995) Ravenous wolves, raging hormones
Pocahontas: The Legend (1995) An alternative to the cartoon musical
Poetic Justice (1993) Realizing the black American dream
Point of No Return (1993) Resurrection includes redemption
Point Roberts Theatre (1971) X-entertainment just over the border
Police Academy (1984) Cop show just small screen silliness
Poltergeist (1982) Nightmares intrude on suburban dream
Popeye (1980) Sailor man a singing superhero
Porky's (1982) Rude humour a Canadian specialty
Porky's II: The Next Day (1983) Defending Juliet's right to her Romeo
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, A (1977) Profiling one dull and dreary fellow
Poseidon Adventure, The (1972) Preaching the gospel of self-help
Powaqqatsi (1988) Industrialization cast in villain’s role
Prancer (1989) Prancer makes glad childhood's heart
Predator (1987) Your basic mano a monstro movie
Predestination at Sasquan [10/02/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Princess Bride, The (1987) When television was called books
Print the Legend Newspapering in the movies
Private Function, A (1984) Appetite for position, protein laid bare
Private Lessons (1981) Rich kid majors in sex education
Project X (1987) Signing the beginning of understanding
Prophecy (1979) Monster mania trumps serious issues
Prospero's Books (1991) Shakespeare: The Tempest Storm Version
Protocol (1984) Getting involved and getting informed
Puberty Blues (1981) Chafing against rebellious submission
Pulp Fiction (1994) Fascinatingly vile, utterly irresistible creatures
Puppetoon Movie, The (1987) Imagining how the future might look
Pure Luck (1991) Laughter somehow lost in translation
Purple Rose of Cairo, The (1985) Exploring the reel to real experience
Purple Taxi, The (Un Taxi Mauve; 1977) International cast on an Irish vacation
Pursuit of D.B. Cooper, The (1981) Air piracy tale played for fun and profit

Q

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Q & A (1990) Between what’s legal and what’s right
Quarantine (1989) Techno-punk parable a prophetic tale
Quest for Fire (1981) Humour leavens life lessons
Quiz: Afterlife adventures Shooting on location in the hereafter
Quiz: Arthur Hiller, director Directing the laughter and the tears
Quiz: Britannia Rules Screen Fantasy Accenting a cinema's English roots
Quiz: Canada's Film Firsts Our movies had to start somewhere
Quiz: Comic Strip to Screen Back pages providing screen scenes
Quiz: Dionne Quintuplets Canada home to the original fab five
Quiz: Fun with the Fuhrer Cinema's villain for all seasons
Quiz: Gender Benders Cross-dressing for acting honours
Quiz: He Shoots, He Scores Stars taking their shots on goal
Quiz: James Bond at 18 When there were but three
Quiz: Johnny Depp turns 53 Telling tales of his Terminal City days
Quiz: Keanu Reeves turns 51 Reality check reveals northern roots
Quiz: Lords and Lovers Wearing crowns, wielding power
Quiz: Mount Royal Mummers Spotting Tinseltown's Montrealers
Quiz: My Fellow Canadians Great White North to White House
Quiz: Press Gang How do you spell Star Reporters?
Quiz: Queen City Players Spotting Tinseltown's Torontonians
Quiz: Sci-Fi Shakespeareans TV sci-fi constant as its northern stars
Quiz: Search for Canuckula Canada has a Dracul-action plan
Quiz: Star Captains Viewed from the bridge
Quiz: Traveling through time Movies taking trips through time

R

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Radioland Murders (1994) Homage to radio 20 years in the making
Ragtime Summer (1977) Conscience in conflict with reputation
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) A Whizzbang return to days of yesteryear
Rainbow Boys, The (1973) Star's performance as good as gold
Rainbow, The (1989) Exploring the limits of her individuality
Raising Cain (1992)
Rapture, The (1991) Fundamentalist's tale taken seriously
Recommendation for Mercy (1975) Court's decision called into question
Red Sonja (1985) Fending off epic unwholesomeness
Reds (1981) Revolution betrayed, revolutionaries mourned
Reefer Madness (1936) Exposing true facts about devil’s weed
Reel Vancouver: An Insider's Guide (1996 book) Location spotting in Hollywood North
Reeling Back’s 3rd Anniversary [09/30/16] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Ref, The (1994) Irish elf provides the profanity
Rejeanne Padovani (1973) Peeling back the layers of civic decay
Report of the Commission on Obscenity and Pornography, The (1970 book) Historic findings represent a road not taken
Report: Nathaniel Branden (lecturer) Ayn Rand inspired a capitalist Christ
Return of the Jedi (1983) Concluding with Episode VI, which arrived third
Return of the Secaucus Seven (1979) Boomers look back on basic training
Return to the Blue Lagoon (1991) Discovering natural love with Victorian values
Reuben, Reuben (1983) Celebrating a rhymer’s wicked ways
Rhapsody in August (Hachi-gatsu no rapusodî ; 1991; Japan) Simple truths painfully illuminated
Rhinestone (1984) Shaped to performers’ personalities
Right Stuff, The (1975) In the footsteps of Ham, the Mercury Seven
Ring of Fire (1991; doc.) Bigger is not necessarily better
Ritz, The (1976) Coming to terms with homophile humour
Roadkill (1989) Falls short of spiritual transcendence
Rob Roy (1995) Rogue MacGregor's tale a western in kilts
Robin and Marian (1976) Love's final arrow takes flight over Sherwood
Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) Satirical shafts missing their marks
RoboCop (1987) Murphy's law is enforcement's future
Rock-A-Doodle (1991) Blending brashness with blarney
Rocketeer, The (1991) Celebrating yesteryear's pulp heroics
Rocky (1976) Wringing as many tears as it does cheers
Rocky IV (1985) Cold warriors warmed over
Rollerball (1975) Its vision of tomorrow is all too true today
Rollercoaster (1977) Homegrown terrorist does it for dollars
Romero (1989) Preaching the gospel of social justice
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1990) Hamlet as viewed from stage left
Rowdyman, The (1972) Celebrating a life of whiskey, wenching
Roxanne (1987) Romantic comedy with a classic twist
Royal Flash (1975) Mere tongue in cheek is not enough
Ruby (1992) Ruby meets flight from Love Field
Rude Awakening (1989) What a difference a generation makes
Rumble Fish (1983) Looking for someplace to burn out
Runaway (1984) Future cops battle bad 'bots
Running Brave (1983) Bias is built into the casting process
Russia House, The (1990) Caught in an historic transitional moment
Russian Roulette (1975) Taking a shot at cold war stereotypes
Rustling of Leaves: Inside the Philippine Revolution, A (1988; doc.) Honest portrait of national turmoil

S

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S.O.B. (1981) Expose of show biz debauchery a little late
Salome’s Last Dance (1988) Celebrating unlicensed licentiousness
Same Time, Next Year (1978) Life less tango, more like a fandango
Samuel Lount (1985) Democracy's form shaped by sacrifice
Santa Claus (1985) Santa Claus biography kid-friendly
Sasquan damage report [09/01/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Sasquan in Spokane [08/18/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Saturn 3 (1980) No controlling a sex-charged robot
Savage Messiah (1972) Public rebellion as a work of art
Savages (1972) Astonished by a perfect sphere’s arrival
Scandal (1989) British misbehaviour in the Hollywood style
Scandale (1982) On Her Majesty’s sexual service
Scanners (1981) Providing a mind-blowing experience
Schindler's List (1993) Humanity recovered in the face of tragedy
School Daze (1988) Putting on a show with anger evident
Scrooged (1988) Scaring the Dickens out of a Scrooge
Second Animation Celebration, The (1989) Anthology offers craft's best
Second Wind (1976) In pursuit of something more
Secret of the Sword, The (1985) Artless animated ad for TV cartoons
Secret Policeman's Other Ball, The (1982; doc) Doing good works, but not good work
Self/less (2015) Rich add death dodging to tax avoidance
Seventh anniversary [04/10/20] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Sex on Skis (Après-ski; 1971) Who knows what's lost in translation?
Sex, Drugs & Democracy (1994; doc) Dutch uncle’s good advice to Canada
Shadow Dancing (1988) An unprepossessing possession
Shadow of China (1989) I want to be the voice of Hong Kong
Shadow of the Wolf (1992) Native magic lost in melodramatics
Shampoo (1975) Making America fashionable again
Shanks (1974) Collaboration is creatively confused
Shape of Things to Come, The (1979) Cute robot hardly true to Wells
She's Gotta Have It (1986) Offered as the first black yuppie movie
Sheena (1984) Three-step plan guaranteed failure
Shining, The (1980) Slumming artist's schlocker
Shoot the Moon (1982) Bailing on their California dream
Shoot to Kill (1988) Jurisdictional issues ignored
Short Circuit (1986) Questioning life, death and ethical behaviour
Sid and Nancy (1986) Peripheral visionary's view of punk
Siddhartha (1972) Truth reduced to a philosophical fairy tale
Silence of the North (1981) Powerful roles for nature, landscape
Silent Running (1972) Film foresees danger to future's forest
Silicon Screen [03/11/20] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Silver Streak (1976) Pryor engineers a great train robbery
Single White Female (1992) Trapped in a formula gothic tale
Sirens (1994) Shedding an era’s inhibitions
Skyward (1985; doc) Unforced environmental messaging
Slap Shot (1977) Polite Canadian myths shattered
Slaughter (1972) Body counting one way to stay awake
Smokey and the Bandit - Part 3 (1983) Spectacular stunts in search of a story
Sneakers (1992) Computer security as comic concept
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) Celebrating the first princess's 50th
Soldier of Orange (Soldaat van Oranje; 1977, Dutch) National service an ambiguous choice
Soldier’s Story, A (1984) Testing our emotional growth and maturity
Son of Dracula (1974) Between rock and the shock place
Sound of Music, The (1965) Nuns, Nazis, kids bring life to the hills
Soundtracks: Napoléon (1927/1994) An echo of Honegger’s Napoléon
Soundtracks: Heavy Metal — The Score (1981) Bernstein is Heavy Metal's musical star
Soundtracks: Howard Shore (7 scores) Notes on seven scores by Howard Shore
Soundtracks: Jerry Goldsmith (8 Scores) Notes on 8 scores by Jerry Goldsmith
Soundtracks: John Williams (11 scores) Notes on eleven scores by John Williams
South of Wawa (1992) Recalling Canada's love of losers
Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983) Lots to like in an amiable sci-fi mess
Speaking Parts (1989) Sex and the scan-lined psyche
Special Day, A (Una giornata particolare; 1977) Historic moment melds sex, politics
Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen, The (2017 book) Such stuff as dreams are made on
Speed (1994) Bus thriller Sandy's big breakthrough
Spirit of the Beehive, The (El espiritu de la colmena; 1973, Spain) Living in the land of a monster-god
Splash (1984) Mythic maiden inspires movie magic
Spring 2014 postings [03/18/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Squamish Five, The (1988) Bombs at the centre of direct action
Stakeout (1987) Comic plot pays off in serious shocks
Star 80 (1983) Every man’s fantasy a true-life tragedy
Star Trek and Leonard Nimoy's passing [03/05/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) Nimoy Directs us to a whale of a good time
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) Seeking what lies on the other side
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) A fine finale, though hardly the end
Star Trek: Generations (1994) Fans make the trek into Sci Fi's future
Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) TV spin-off reunites final frontiersmen
Star Wars (1977) Only afterwards did the first become the fourth
Starship Invasions (1977) Earth’s population problem solved
State of Siege (État de siège, 1972; France) A.I.D. comes with an unexpected price
Stay Tuned (1992) TV satire is like watching souls fry
Stewardesses, The (1968/81) Separating the facts from the artifact
Stop the Presses! (1976 book) Big screen reporters are Barris's beat
Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot (1992) Boy’s best friend serves and protects
Storm (1987) Survival shocker stuck in first gear
Straight Talk (1992) Connecting in a pre-digital world
Strange Brew: The Adventures of Bob and Doug McKenzie (1983) Sharing a brew with Bob, Doug and Will
Strangers in A Strange Land: The Adventures of a Film Crew in the Heart of China (1988; doc) Selfless choice as the Canadian way
Street Kids (1985; doc) Making sense of life on the street
Street Smart (1987) Newsman's methods, motives examined
Streetcar Named Desire, A (1951) Confronting the beast in American culture
Stripper (1986; doc) Recognition and respect for the world's best
Stunt Man, The (1980) Behind the curtain at the moment of creation
Summer 2014 ends [09/17/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Summer 2014 Solstice [05/29/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Summer 2014 surge [07/19/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Super Fly (1972) Living the urban black American Dream
Super Mario Bros. (1993) Great game bombs on the big screen
Supergirl (1984) Girl of Steel more Disney than DC
Superman II (1980) Lester's sequel less than stellar
Superman III (1983) First love lost in comic mess
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) Superhero series end disappoints
Superman, The Movie (1978) Superman falls for wonder newswoman
Supreme Kid, The (1977) A dark dream of desperation, despair
Surf Theatre (Port Coquitlam; 1970) Adapting program to changing times
Surf Theatre (Port Coquitlam; 1972) First one in is first to be squeezed out
Surfacing (1981) Film adaptation lacks directiion
Sword in the Stone, The (1963) Mouse factory version of Arthur's tale
Sylvia Herpolscheimer Academy [01/28/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New

T

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Tai-Pan (1986) Celebrating commercial opportunities
Tales from the Crypt (1972) Screen shocks from banned books
Talk Radio (1988) Listening to a country in deep trouble
Tall Tale: The Unbelievable Adventures of Pecos Bill (1995) Wacky fantasy promotes core values
Tampopo (1985; Japan) Satisfying a variety of life’s appetites
Tankerbomb (1978; doc) Pipeline proposals threaten environment
Tanya Huff on book vs movie [02/01/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Tarzan the Ape Man (1981) Bo fleshes out role of Tarzan's mate
Teen Wolf (1985) Hirsute, hormonal high school horrors
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) Quick-quipping reptiles fight crime
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret Of The Ooze (1991) Few treats here for the big kids
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Turtles Are Back . . . in Time (1993) Delicious departure from the formula
Telefon (1977) Bronson sent to put down the Telefon
Television's family ties [01/27/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Ten Commandments, The (1956) DeMille's second go at Exodus his final act of excess
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) Terminator sequel seriously entertaining
Terminator, The (1984) Mayhem master makes high-tech debut
Terry Fox Story, The (1983) Film not up to its subject's stature
That Night in Varennes (La Nuit de Varennes; 1982; France) Swiftly paced intellectual adventure
That’s Entertainment! (1974; doc.) Recalling a time when movies sang
Thing, The (1982) Close encounter of an unpleasant kind
This Boy's Life (1993) Making the best of a bad bargain
This Is Cinerama (1952) Putting the “big” in big-screen movies
Three Caballeros, The (1945) Animation's own victory celebration
Three Musketeers, The (1973) Never a dull moment in Lester's film
Threepenny Opera, The (Die Dreigroschenoper; 1963; Germany) Effort at mass marketing misfires
Threshold (1981) Medical thriller provokes thought
Thunderheart (1992) Investigating a third world in America
Ticket to Heaven (1981) Cult addiction a crisis of our times
Tilaï (The Law; Burkina Faso; 1990) Exposing generational conflicts
Time Bandits (1981) Literate laughter, and not just for kids
Time travelling [04/25/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Timecop (1994) The future of law enforcement
Titanica (1992; doc) Deep-sea dive reveals sea changes
To Be or Not to Be (1983) Saving the world to save the theatre
To the Devil, a Daughter (1976) Tepid take on an underground of evil
Together Brothers (1974) Develops situations, not characters
Tokyo Cowboy (1994) Comic vision a singular achievement
Tom and Jerry - The Movie (1993) Lacklustre return to the big screen
Tommy (1975) See me! Feel me! Touch me! Heal me!
Too Outrageous Animation (1994) With something to offend everyone
Top Gun (1986) Simple-minded nonsense from our sponsor
Total Recall (1990) Looking ahead to the tech of today
Towering Inferno, The (1974) Disaster shocks taken to new heights
Trans Mountain Pipeline protests [11/25/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Transylvania 6-5000 (1985) Horror-comedy’s tricks no treat
Treasure of the Four Crowns (1983) Visual assaults lack logic or wit
Tremors (1990) Creature feature that's fast and funny
Tribute (1980) Heart and hope in human comedy
True Confessions (1981) Resolving conflicts with brotherly love
Truly, Madly, Deeply (1990) Ghost’s story takes a comic turn
Tsongas/health care op-ed (1992) Medicare debate an American tragedy
Turk 182! (1985) Breaking social contract has consequences
Turner & Hooch (1989) Cop's best buddy his deputy dog
TV 2013 season finales [05/19/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
TV 2014 fall season [08/15/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
TV check list (iZombie) [07/25/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Twenty Six Days from the Life of Dostoyevsky (Dvadtsat shest dney iz zhizni Dostoevskogo; 1981; Russia) Literary lion finds steno's spunk a tonic
Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) Travels through Serling's dimension
Two Amorous Women (Deux femmes en or; 1970) Dubbing dampens film’s joie de vivre
Two bicycles, three riders [15/10/19] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Two of a Kind (1983) Bedevilled dose of double boredom

U

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Ulysses (1967) Historically great, if not artistically so
Under Fire (1983) Good guys, bad guys and cheap shrimp
Under the Volcano (1984) Briton's binge falls short of high tragedy
Undercover Blues (1993) Spy spoof has post-feminst sensibility
Unforgiven (1992) An American auteur's greatest hit
Unlawful Entry (1992) To serve whom? To protect what?
Up 'n' Coming (1983) How stars are made, not born
Ups and Downs (1983) Approval no guarantee of authenticity
Uptown Saturday Night (1974) An impressive package of comic talent

V

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Valérie (1969) Cultural fallout from Quiet Revolution
VanBook Feature Film Fest 01 Honouring Vancouver's pioneers
VanBook Feature Film Fest 02 Filmed in God's Country
VanBook Feature Film Fest 03 The future is filmed here
VanBook Feature Film Fest 04 Documenting reality
VanBook Feature Film Fest 05 The young and the restless
VanBook Feature Film Fest 06 Romance in the rain forest
VanBook Feature Film Fest 07 Play it again, Vancouver
VanBook Feature Film Fest 08 Vancouver actually playing Vancouver
VanBook Feature Film Fest 09 Spawning sequels, and even series
VanBook Feature Film Fest 10 Acting opposite big scene country
VanBook Feature Film Fest 11 Honouring Vancouver's own auteur
VanBook Feature Film Fest 12 Shooting high hopes on low budgets
VanBook Feature Film Fest 13 Fears factored into filmic equation
VanBook Feature Film Fest 14 Exploring mad, mad, mad worlds
VanBook Feature Film Fest 15 Variations on the thin blue plotline
VanBook Feature Film Fest 16 Sending in the clowns
VanBook Feature Film Fest 17 Scene-stealers working for treats
VanBook Feature Film Fest 18 Translating B.C.'s beauty to the world
VanBook Feature Film Fest 19 Something for after-hours audiences
VanBook Feature Film Fest 20 Taking the picture show on the road
VanBook Feature Film Fest INDEX Navigating 70 years of B.C. film history
VanCAF 2015 aftermath [06/01/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Vancouver 2014 Municipal election [11/15/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Vancouver 2014 theatre season [08/31/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Vancouver Book [12/24/13] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Vancouver East Cinema (1990) Curtain falls on an urban institution
Vancouver's Pacific Press (1979) 8-month-long strike shutters dailies
VCON 2 - Philip K. Dick (1972) Weighing in on Wells versus Verne
VCON 40's Whedon moment [10/24/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Videodrome (1983) Understanding Cathode Ray Mission
VIFF Jury Duty (1992) Summoned to serve; first selected
Villain, The (1979) Western action bears the Acme brand
Vincent & Theo (1990) Altman's Van Gogh portrait goes for the grit
Violence, wholesale and retail [15/05/22] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Vip, mio fratello superuomo (Vip, My Brother Superman; 1968) Advertising a target-rich environment
Visitor, The (1974) Inflaming the winterland imagination
Vixen! (1968) Busty blockbuster set in beautiful B.C.
Volcano: An Inquiry Into the Life and Death of Malcolm Lowry (1976; doc) Expat author claimed for Canada
Volunteers (1985) Bridge-building comedy breaks new wind
Vraie Nature de Bernadette, La (The True Nature of Bernadette; 1972) Somewhere between saint and whore

W

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W.C. Fields and Me (1976) Love, but little sympathy for a devil
W.C. Fields bookshelf (1969; 1971; 1972) Four volumes recall a unique rye wit
Walker (1987) America's God-given rights questioned
Walt Disney media visionary [02/13/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Wannsee Conference, The (Die Wannseekonferenz; 1984; Germany)) Historical horror in a civilized setting
War in Ukraine [01/03/22] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
War Room, The (1993; doc) The selling of the presidential product
WarGames (1983) Hacking into old-school movie magic
Wars, The (1983) Great War inspires not-so-great film
Wartime Romance (Voenno-polevoy roman; 1983; Russia) Glimpsing another sort of fog of war
Was alcohol involved? [03/23/15] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Watership Down (1978) Charming journey to a promised land
We the Living (Noi Viva, Addio Kira!; 1942; Italy) Experiencing the world according to Rand
Weavers: Wasn’t That a Time!, The (1982; doc) Together again for a reunion concert
We’re No Angels (1989) Faithless remake fails to be funny
Wedding In White (1972) Setting standards in style, sensitivity
Weekend at Bernie's (1989) Corpse comedy digs up little laughter
Weird Science (1985) Hurried tale of techno-teen dreaming
Westworld (1973) Interesting ideas given bland presentation
What Do You Say to a Naked Lady? (1970; doc) Narrator’s voice has a built-in pant
When Harry Met Sally . . . (1989) Finding wonderful truths wildly funny
Where the Buffalo Roam (1980) A muse for crazy, committed times
Where the Heart Is (1990) King Lear through the looking-glass
While You Were Sleeping (1995) A pleasure to see it play out
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016) Learning to embrace her own strength
White Dawn, The (1974) Learning the meaning of civilization
White Light (1991) Surviving a near-death experience
White Palace (1990) Hedging bets, indulging in misdirection
White Room (1990) Back down a well-travelled path
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) Animation's greatest stars celebrated
Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978) Hilarious, hideous murder on the menu
Who’s Harry Crumb? (1989) Jokes that neither win, place nor show
Whose Life Is It Anyway? (1981) Taking responsibility for the final decision
Why Rock the Boat? (1974) Canadian take on Capraesque comedy
Widows' Peak (1994) Peeking into Irish widows' world
Wild at Heart (1990) Mother's love complicates young lust
Windwalker (1980) Respecting that which has been lost
Winnie and Nelson Mandela (1986; doc) Speaking out against racialist policies
Winter Kills (1979) Flashpoint in light of Winter Kills
Winter Tan, A (1987) Intense, all-stops-out performance
Wisecracks (1992; doc) Standing up to the comic patriarchy
Witness to Apartheid (1986; doc) System kills hope, breeds violence
Wizards (1977) Sword and sorcery fellowship forged
Wolfpen Principle, The (1974) Seeking freedom from an urban cage
Woman Demon Human (Ren gui qing; 1987; China) Feminism behind the mask of tradition
Women of Al Jazeera [07/03/17] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Women’s anger [08/04/17] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
World According to Garp, The (1982) Wrestling with problems of adaptation
WSC-01: Preview feature (1971) Global gathering celebrates the Bard
WSC-02: Opening report (1971) Shakespeare a geopolitical necessity
WSC-03: Tuesday report (1971) Criticism troubled by many meanings
WSC-04: Wednesday report (1971) Bard builds a better dramatic model
WSC-05: Thursday report (1971) Shakespeare from Freud’s perspective
WSC-06: Friday report (1971) Behind the scenes is a student team
WSC-07: First Folio feature (1971) Performance, preservation in the blood
WSC-08: Saturday report (1971) Kozintsev a man from the other side
WSC-09: Closing report (1971) Film preserves not text but metaphor
WSC-10: Summary feature (1971) Toasting the vision of Rudie Habenicht

X

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Xanadu (1980) Mysterious misfire from a decent director
Xrystos voskres! (1971 feature) The fine art of Ukrainian Easter Eggs

Y

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Year One Done [10/03/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Year Two Begins [10/12/14] My Blog; Your Guide to What's New
Yentl (1983) Diva-director's debut a charming oddity
Young Frankenstein (1974) Finding fun in Frankenstein’s castle
Young Guns II (1990) Charisma not the same as having a plan
Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) Pulp thrills in place of deductive skills
Young Winston (1972) Modern touches at odds with epic approach

Z

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Z (1969; France) Facing death bravely, living life courageously
Zelly and Me (1988) Surviving pre-teen separation anxiety
Zulu Dawn (1979) Churchillian flag-waving out of fashion