All Together Now

Release date: unknown

Adrian Wills directs what is essentially a 90 minute commercial for both the Beatles and Cirque du Soleil's newest show, LOVE. But even knowing that going in is fine as I'm a fan of Cirque, and their marriage of the Beatles music with their performance art makes for a joyous, sentimental ride. Along the way we get to see Yoko (who I suspect must be very challenging to work alongside), Paul, Ringo and George Harrison's widow collaborating on the project and the 5th Beatle, George Martin, continuing to work his magic. Sir George says it best: that each generation discovers the Beatles in their own way. Certainly LOVE will continue this tradition. All Together Now is beautiful and well worth seeing if you're a fan of either the Beatles or Cirque. I suspect it will bring a tear to your eye.

My rating 10 out of 10.

Carny

Release date: unknown

Based on the photographs of Virginia lee Hunter in her book, Carny: Americana on the Midway, director Alison Murray shows us the odd yet lyrical stories of carnies she captured after her year and a half on the road with them. The result immediately confirmed my long held view on these strange/scary people (take your pick) but did temper it with an understanding of their lives and choices. Carnies are, in a fashion, America's gypsies. Struggling day-to-day on next to nothing, and often fleeing something in their pasts, these unique people find acceptance in the company of similar souls. Carnies, while odd, are no different than the rest of us in seeking love and acceptance as they strive to live their version of the American dream.

My rating 7 out of 10.

Murphy's Law

Release date: 19 April 2008 (Toronto, Canada)

Chris Murphy, a York University film student, turned his camera on his own family in this short documentary about fathers and sons. Chris acts a voyeur filming his drug addicted/school dropout brother in conversations about life and responsibility with his father, who does a great job upholding the image of Canada Post workers as slightly, well, eccentric. The result is a good first film though, frankly, I don't believe it is a documentary. While I do subscribe to the Rimbaud philosophy that the only unbelievable thing is that nothing is unbelievable, this family dynamic is just too darn strange not to have had parts scripted.

My rating 6 out of 10.

Second Skin

Release date: 7 March 2008 (USA)

Directed by Juan Carlos Pineiro, Second Skin shows us the world of MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) games like World of Warcraft, Second Life and EverQuest and the addictions they can spawn. Eighty percent of players are between the ages of 20-35 and many are obese. The result of playing games in some cases for up to 13-15 hours a day! We see gamers who end up living commune-like so they can play. We see gamers who end up meeting and falling in love with other gamers they only ever met virtually. We see gamers who's passion has slipped into addiction to the point where they've lost everything. Along the way, we see college professors speak about what it means to the 'real' world when people retreat to a 'virtual' one to form friends and families. We see the 'gold' factories in China where young kids work for next to nothing to gain gold which is then traded for more status within the gaming world. MMOs are truly spawning a world within a world that we all will have to deal with as surely as we have to deal with gambling/alcohol addictions.

My rating 7 out of 10.

The Bourne Ultimatum

Release date: 25 July 2007 (Los Angeles, USA)

Paul Greengrass returns to direct part three of the Jason Bourne saga with Matt Damon in the starring role again. In this version, we see Jason going back to his roots, so to speak, to discover who birthed him into the covert killer he is. Turns out it is no one less then Albert Finney. Joan Allen, as Pamela Landy, is also back covertly helping Jason get to the root of his programming. This film is taunter and tighter than the lost-in-the-wilderness ride that was Bourne 2 and is a thoroughly good ride from its shakey-camera-action start to its neatly stitched-up conclusion, floating body and all.

My rating 8 out of 10.

Sicko

Release date: 19 May 2007 (Cannes Film Festival)

Michael Moore's latest opus concerns America's sad healthcare system and the crazy truth that American HMOs are more concerned with making money than in helping American's live healthy lives. Done in his usual one-man-strikes-up-a-conversation style, it is simultaneously funny and sad. Moore uses some great visuals to illustrate just how crazy the American system is. To note but two: 1) Moore shows us the list of medical exclusions insurance companies use to deny your claim as a rolling screen alla the opening of Star Wars, complete with music; and, 2) Moore's use of dollar figure bubbles that follow American politicians as they march into Congress to sign a new Seniors drug bill. These pieces are funny (in a sorrowful way) and very effective. In what is surely the most shocking note, Moore shows us the endgame of all American insurances companies, which is: to deny every claim. Such a culture is bred to the point where doctors and HMO staff actually get bonuses based on the number of denials they produce. Now that's sick.

For showing us both how lucky we are to be Canadians, and how important it is never to turn your head and cough while in America, my rating 8 out of 10.

Superbad

Release date: 17 August 2007 (Canada)

Directed by Greg Mottola, Superbad is a super funny look back at your teenage summer before college when it was all about booze and getting laid. Enter three misfit lads, geeky Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), joker Seth (Jonah Hill) and nice-boy-next-door Evan (the always great Michael Cera, most recently of Juno fame). When the threesome get an invite to a party where all three hope to hookup with the girls of their dreams (ideally, drunk) the fun begins, with Fogell's fake Hawaiian ID starting the adventure. More than an coming of age story, Superbad weaves a great story of friends and the nature of friendship when guys are teens and won't dare admit just how much they 'love' (in a nonsexual way) their best friends. Ripe with racy dialogue, a great performance (which he'll likely never top) by Fogell, and an embarrassing (if true?) portrayal of cops, Superbad is a rare teen sexploitation movie that is simultaneously funny and truly heartwarming.

My rating a solid 9 out of 10.

Shaolin Soccer

Release date: 12 July 2001 (Hong Kong)

Irreverent best describes this classic kung fu meets soccer meets the Matrix film, directed by (and starring) Stephen Chow. Shaolin Soccer won a slew of top honours at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 2001, and deservedly so. The story is a way-over-the-top one of silliness involving a young shaolin kung fu student (Chow) looking to spread the kung fu philosophy. When he runs into a former soccer star (and his five buddies), a plot is set to reunite the now retired team and bring it to greatest against "Team Evil" and thus spread shaolin kung fu philosophy to people everywhere. While that sounds ridiculous - and it is - you'll just smile and laugh your way through all 2 hours. It's truly a kick.

My rating 8 out of 10.