Category Archives: Cinema

Val Lewton: A Master of Suspense

Posted on February 19, 2018 by Cliff Burns

I have to give a plug to the folks at The Secret History of Hollywood. I’ve spent the last couple of days listening to podcasts of their comprehensive, 6-part documentary on the life and career of an under-appreciated cinematic genius, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, classic cinema, cult film, film, horror movie, movie, Orson Welles, Val Lewton | Tagged Cat People, classic cult films, horror movies, I Walked With A Zombie, Jacques Tourneur, RKO Pictures, Val Lewton | Leave a comment

Best Movies of 2017

Posted on January 4, 2018 by Cliff Burns

For the second year in a row I managed to watch over one hundred movies in 2017. Here is a roster of my favorite cinematic experiences of the past year: “I, Daniel Blake” (Directed by Ken Loach) “Dogtooth” (Directed by … Continue reading →

Posted in Best movies of the year, Cinema, classic cinema, Documentary, film, film review, foreign language film, movie, movie review | Tagged Andrei Tarkovsky, best films of 2017, best movies of 2017, Cinema, film, Ken Loach, movies | Leave a comment

Silver Saucers & Bug-Eyed Monsters

Posted on November 7, 2017 by Cliff Burns

Keep Watching the Skies: American Science Fiction Movies of the Fifties (21st Century Edition) by Bill Warren (Introduced by Howard Waldrop) McFarland & Company Inc., Publishers (2010) A thoroughly remarkable tome. At once an invaluable, nay, exhaustive resource and a … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, Cinema, classic cinema, cult film, film, movie, science fiction film | Tagged Bill Warren, book review, classic science fiction films, cult films, Howard Waldrop, Keep Watching the Skies | Leave a comment

Film quote

Posted on May 26, 2017 by Cliff Burns

“Could it be that some film directors (like Hitchcock), if they are to gaze with such longing, are safer and freer if they don’t ask too much about their own motives? Is it possible that a similar liberating restraint applies … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, classic cinema, film, movie | Tagged Alfred Hitchcock, Cinema, David Thomson, film, film quote, movie quote, movies, The Big Screen | Leave a comment

“Kedi” (Turkey; 2016)

Posted on April 1, 2017 by Cliff Burns

“Kedi” (Documentary; 79 minutes) Director and Producer: Ceyda Torun My wife and I spent ten days in Istanbul during the summer of 2016. Despite arriving only a short time after an attempted coup, we found the atmosphere of the ancient city … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, Documentary, film, film review, foreign language film, movie, movie review | Tagged "Kedi", cats of Istanbul, Ceyda Torun, Charlie Wuppermann, film, Istanbul, movie, movie about cats, Turkey, Turkish cinema | Leave a comment

Best Movies of 2016: An Eclectic Roster

Posted on January 7, 2017 by Cliff Burns

I managed to squeeze in over 100 films in 2016. A good mix of foreign and domestic releases (those looking for blockbusters, comic book flicks and eye candy should search elsewhere). Here’s my list of favourites: “High Rise” (Director: Ben … Continue reading →

Posted in Academy Award, Best movies of the year, Cinema, classic cinema, cult film, Czech New Wave, Documentary, film, foreign language film, movie | Tagged Ben Wheatley, Best films of 2016, best movies of 2016, Cinema, Czech New Wave, David Lynch, film, Jeff Nichols, movies, The Wolfpack | Leave a comment

“Loving”–Now Playing at the Roxy Theatre (Saskatoon)

Posted on January 3, 2017 by Cliff Burns

“Loving” (2016) Writer & Director: Jeff Nichols Cast: Ruth Negga, Joel Edgerton, Will Dalton, Alano Miller, Terry Abney, Nick Kroll, Bill Camp Contemporary American cinema rarely produces a feature film of such undeniable excellence as Jeff Nichols’ “Loving”. These days, … Continue reading →

Posted in Academy Award, Best movies of the year, Cinema, film, film review, movie, movie review | Tagged "Loving", Academy Award nominee, best movies of 2016, civil rights, film, Jeff Nichols, movies, Nancy Buirski, Oscar contender, racism, segregation | Leave a comment

I have seen the future…

Posted on October 22, 2016 by Cliff Burns

…and it looks like this: <p><a href=”https://vimeo.com/147365861″>UNCANNY VALLEY</a> from <a href=”https://vimeo.com/user12563589″>3DAR</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p>

Posted in Cinema, cult film, fantasy film, film, movie, science fiction film, short film | Tagged "Uncanny Valley", Cinema, science fiction, short film, short movie, virtual reality | Leave a comment

Short film by Jiri Sozansky

Posted on August 18, 2016 by Cliff Burns

From the same year, “1984”, a short film by Czech artist Jiri Sozansky.

Posted in Cinema, cult film, experimental film, film, foreign language film, movie | Tagged art film, Czech cinema, experimental film, Jiri Sozansky, surreal | Leave a comment

“High-Rise” (Directed by Ben Wheatley)

Posted on May 28, 2016 by Cliff Burns

High-Rise (2016) Director: Ben Wheatley Writers: Amy Jump & Ben Wheatley Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Sienna Miller, Jeremy Irons, Luke Evans, Elizabeth Moss A magnificent adaptation of J.G. Ballard’s cooly savage, satirical novel, Ben Wheatley’s “High-Rise” is gruesomely faithful to Ballard’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, classic cinema, cult film, film, film review, movie, movie review | Tagged "Eraserhead", "Fight Club", "High-Rise", Amy Jump, Ben Wheatley, British cinema, Cinema, film, J.G. Ballard, movie review, Tom Hiddleston | Leave a comment