Reviews
Continuum (2012)
Fantastic Series - All the Great Elements to an Amazing Time Travel Story
Usually I shy away from Canadian produced TV...although, in the past year or so, there's been some great stuff - but typically filmed in Toronto. So, when I saw a show that was about my favorite topic (time travel) and it was set in my hometown (Vancouver) and starred an actress I liked and had seen in other stuff (Rachel Nichols) I thought, yep - I am going to watch this one.
I was suckered in from the first episode. The futuristic scenes of my city were very intriguing and the special effects were surprisingly good.
Something about the way Simon Barry has made this show screams of one very big thing: quality. Everything I am seeing is so well-done: the visuals, the music, the casting, the acting, the writing - all of it. I especially loved scenes where he 'future-ized' Vancouver scenery (in particular that scene in Chinatown/Gastown where there is a 360 pan of the landscape that goes from present to future and back again...fantastic! I had to save that and show my friends!).
The thing that impresses me the most as I sat and watched the final episode of the season: it's sort of reminding me of time travel a la The Terminator. You know, that sort of storyline where you need to send back someone in time in order to make the future happen kind of thing? It all sort of came together in the end to make perfect sense - and really set up some great stuff for season 2. I even got to see a local actor in the season finale (Ian Tracy), who's in, like, everything that is filmed in Vancouver! He played the crazy guy who built the 'time machine'.
This is really a brilliant show. It's only downfall is that some episodes suffered from the 'cop show' formula, but ultimately, they still somehow seemed to always come back to a connection with Liber8 - so all is forgiven!
Bomb Girls (2012)
Exciting and Fresh Look at Canadian Women in Wartime
This show keeps getting better and better every week. It's a shame that it's almost over.
What I like most about this show (in addition to the amazing acting by Tilly and Belfour) is how it clearly depicts Canadian history so accurately, right down to how people spoke and how everyone behaved, while still keeping the audience highly entertained. There's so much detail that goes into society, status, race, morals, etc in every single episode. My favorite scene so far was with Marco and Lorna and the spaghetti...really great (how Italian culture was still quite foreign to this Canadian woman - how often do we get to see that on American television?).
You can tell the producers put a lot of thought into casting and they really had a great script to work with. It's simply a stunning show - and really quite surprising for me, considering a lot of Canadian content lacks that spark to pull you in. This show has spark - and then some!!!
Barbie as the Island Princess (2007)
Our Favorite Barbie Movie - And an excellent movie overall...
I find it hard to believe that these Barbie movies don't get more exposure or recognition, because I think the are all so amazing. I didn't even know that these movies existed until I let my 2 year old daughter pick out a movie at the video store. She picked Barbie & The 12 Dancing Princesses (which is also a favorite). I expected them to be silly and not to have much depth (like my son's Land Before Time movies). Boy, was I wrong! They are so good, we've bought almost all of them now.
The reason I love this movie so much is that it's the ultimate love story (and not just love of a "boy & girl", but the love of family, too). It reminds me a little of the movie "Ever After" with Drew Barrymore. Sure, it's the standard 'formula' movie, but it's very satisfying and quite touching in the end (I even cried! A 40 year old woman crying watching a BARBIE movie! I can't believe I am even admitting that!). Not to mention, the songs are excellent. I am not much for musicals, but the songs in this movie really fit in. They don't just break out in song for no reason - it really meshes into the storyline (like most Disney movies I love like Beauty & The Beast and The Little Mermaid, but perhaps even more effectively than those). The woman that sings the songs also sang in the other Barbie musical movies and her voice is phenomenal.
The best part about this movie is that it's not scary in any way for the small kids. My son likes Barbie in the Magic of Pegasus better (because of the scary Wenlock), but watches this one along with his sister just as intently.
Keep the WONDERFUL Barbie movies coming. We are HUGE fans!
My Life (1993)
A very accurate portrait of a terminal expectant father
I watched this movie again after many years and it still moves me to sobbing tears. Bruce Joel Rubin wrote and directed what a lot of people would consider one of the most emotionally moving motion pictures ever made. His vision of childhood disappointment and hanging onto anger are so accurate. His portrait of a young family before, during and after a birth are also very accurate and amusing. And the way he wrote and captured a family accepting, preparing and experiencing a terminal death is so touching and very, very real.
It's a shame that Bruce Joel Rubin wasn't recognized for an Oscar, but I guess the Academy figured since he already had one (for writing Ghost), he didn't need another.
This movie easily marks Keaton's finest performance, in my opinion. He gets to show off his funny side as well as display some pretty deep emotions. As many IMDb members have already stated, he's one of the most underrated actors.
For anyone that has lost a family member to cancer, you will immediately be brought back to the time you lost your loved one. It is so true to life - really well done. For anyone who hasn't lost a loved one to cancer, you will be reminded that life is so precious. Whoever you are, you will cry - so have the tissues handy.