This film would definitely fall into the 'minor noir' category. What it does have going for it is that every character in it is corrupt and appear to be on a doomed trajectory. Definitely one of the more cynical noirs to be made in the '50s. Glenn Ford as the beleaguered cop who struggles between ethics and greed is an agreeable protagonist - Ricardo Montalban is his partner - less conflicted as he is tired of not being respected for his police work and dreams of being able to afford that 'rich Corinthian leather' in his cars. Rita Hayworth is long way from Gilda here - playing a down on her luck lush who still has feelings for the married Ford and vice versa. Elke Sommer looks good but her thespian skills are minimal - she's more window dressing than a meaningful co-star. it's a flick to admire more than one to like.

I enjoyed Mr. Qureshi's previous book 'R.A.C.E.' and once again with 'The October Five' he has created a compelling mystery which has layers of complexity, characterization and intrigue; while still, maintaining a sense of humour. The vigilante group of the title are unique in that they are made up of the folks we pass on the street every day...but he keeps us guessing till the final few pages as to what their motivation is and who is trying to stop them. A superbly crafted mystery that makes me want to keep reading more from this talented author.

It's nice to read an exciting mystery that is a true original and not 'an assembly line thriller' in the vein of James Patterson. The author has created a singular character in the amusing Jon Rupret - a funny and amiable character who succeeds on his own terms while making us laugh every time he's on the page. I hope to read more from this author and his creation.

Stephen McHattie has a great central role as a veteran 'Johnny Fever-like' dee-jay in Pontypool; a small Central Ontario town besieged by some unknown terror. The claustrophobic setting of a radio station located in the basement of a church where there are no windows puts the viewer in the same shoes as the three principal cast members. Kudos to McDonald for bringing this suspenseful Tony Burgess novel to the screen and proving that low budget filmmaking can triumph over the blockbusters as long as you trust your audience's imagination. Only quibble for me is that the pay-off of the terrific set-up is a little disappointing and ambiguous. Still a worthwhile flick to check out late in the evening.

Being of Scottish descent I am a little biased toward this movie's cultural origins but if you want to see an intelligent, well acted, charming film that makes you long for a visit to 'the old country', this is it. Peter Reigert, Peter McKay and Burt Lancaster are all excellent in this film about how the residents of a small Scottish town can be influenced by greed when a big oil company sends a corporate savvy but culturally naive representative to make them an offer they can't refuse. This gem is full of charm and wit the characterize the best films of Bill Forsythe. Lancaster adds a touch of class to the proceedings in one of his last great performances as the eccentric oil man with an obsession for the night skies. Mark Knopfler's atmospheric score is a delight. If you enjoy this magical film, you may want to check out "Gregory's Girl" and "Comfort and Joy" by the same director. It's unfortunate that Bill Forsythe seemed unable to keep the momentum going in the world cinema after a promising beginning in the '80s. We need more voices in the world like him.

I watched the entire collection today so grab a coffee and prepare for some voluminous comments.

I was eighteen by the time SNL hit the air in '75, so my bias is toward the first five years. Disc One (1975-1980, hosted by the suitably satirical Chevy Chase, features performances by Simon & Garfunkel, Joe Cocker, Patti Smith, Elvis Costello's subversive rendering of "Radio Radio" and the Blues Brothers debut of "Soul Man". Steve Martin's comedic "King Tut" and Gilda's Patti Smith parody "Candy Slice" are welcome additions to this disk, making Vol. 1 worthy of a 5 star review on its own. The rest of the collection is uneven, but includes solid performances by acts ranging from Neil Young and Rick James to The Back Street Boys and Hanson. Kudos to the late Shannon Hoon and his band "Blind Melon" for making the most of their '15 minutes of fame' with a spirited rendering of "No Rain". If period kitsch is your thing, you get The Spice Girls flashy "Wannabe", The Bangles solid "Hazy Shade of Winter" and Ricky Martin's inevitable, "La Vida Loco".

The set feature five different hosts for each of the five year time slots covered. I would rate them comedically as follows: Vol. 1, Chevy Chase B+, 2. Martin Short B+, 3. Al Franken B, 4. Jay "Fighting For Air" Mohr D- (his Peggy Lee 'joke' was a particular low point) and 5. Cheri Oteri gets an A. Ms. Oteri is 'host' who consistently treat her role as a performance...a saving grace to the otherwise forgettable disk 5 which suffers from the inclusion of out-of-place acts such as Garth Brooks, The Backstreet Boys and Mariah Carey, all of whom pale 'thematically' against the predominantly high energy rock acts in the collection.

The sound quality is fine and although "sampling" becomes more prominent in the latter years (eg. Beck, Snoop Dogg and especially Shirley "Garbage" Manson's "Special" which seems to be a lip-sync job...) most of the acts feature strong vocals and well executed intstrumentation. The only technical quibble is that Michael Sipe's vocal level is noticeably low on "Losing My Religion". As producer Lorne Michaels notes, many of the acts broke out with their appearance on SNL. To that end, it's interesting to see some of the lesser known performers like the four ladies of "En Vogue" give not only terrific performances but to seem so happy to be given the shot. I liked the fact that they added music-related comedy segments and many of Lorne Michaels' comments, particularly on the Sinead O'Connor 'anti-Pope' controversy, are insightful. The sketches and song parodies are about as consistent as the show was over the same period. Comedic bits with Mick Jagger, Madonna and Aerosmith work, the ones with Beck & Garth Brooks are less successful. Seeing these again, I noticed certain 'live' moments, like Martin Short as Ed Grimley whispering to Tina Turner to repeat her line due to the applause and more revealing, Gilda Radner (widely reputed to have been a sweet, self-effacing person) playing the self-absorbed punk princess "Candy Slice" and breaking character to apologize to John Belushi after spitting (too much) booze in his face.

The bottom line; if you are a fan of the show and popular music in general, I would recommend this set. If you stopped watching after the first five years, Volume 1 will still work as nostalgia. As for those the other reviewers -- whose concision I admire -- and who complained of the ommission of some of their favourite artists, no doubt the SNL team will take note and cull together another collection. Until then, Party On Wayne! Party On Garth!

Kudos to the director, screenwriter and cast for having some fun with this low budget entry in the 'Amityville Series'. This time, a clock from the original house is salvaged by an architect and 'all hell literally breaks loose'. The actors are credible, the effects are gross and if you check your brain at the door, you will enjoy this entertaining horror yarn. It even has a nifty little twist at the end. Underrated, and worthy of a 4 for effort.

The "warts and all" performance given by Joan Allen is the main reason to see this movie. She plays an embittered woman who has seemingly been jilted by her long term husband for a younger woman. The projection of her rage toward a man her own age who is sleeping with her daughter is one of the more "startlingly honest" moments you'll ever see in a movie. Kevin Costner is never less than credible as Allen's sleepy eyed boozin' buddy come lover and the pair have good chemistry. How the absence of the father effects the four daughters in film is primarily focused on how they react to their angry, heavy drinking mom. One quibble is the annoying plot twist toward the end which seems, to me at least, entirely unnecessary. The "upside" to the anger is that the characters all grow through the experience and still maintain their diginity and their sense of humour. This is a well made film for adults who appreciate good writing and superb acting. Unlike the "effects driven schlock" which must be seen on the big screen to appreciate any of its charms, the other upside of "Upside" is that it will work just as well on DVD. See for yourself.

Was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this TV mini-series. While the original back in the '70s starring David Soul was o-kay, the direction, writing and pace are far superior in the 'Rob Lowe' version. The actors all acquit themselves well, including a campy turns by Donald Sutherland and Rutger Hauer. If you've read the book and are a King fan, this will a be a welcome edition to your DVD collection.