Staff Picks: Past Films

Jennifer P's Pick
This is an extensive and exciting survey of artists burning up contemporary art scenes around the world, put together by the good ol’ PBS. Each series explores 3-4 themes (i.e. power, romance, ecology, etc.) and presents the viewer with a grouping of artists whose works directly or indirectly respond to these themes. The artists selected are as diverse as their practice, demonstrating just how dynamic the world of art making is in our present century. A fascinating watch from the perspective of the avid art lover right down to those mildly curious.

Michael's pick
I grew up watching Batman: The Animated Series. I recently went through the entire series and was surprised to discover that it still holds up; it’s still excellent. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was a full theatrical release during the series’ run. It tells the tale of Bruce Wayne’s long-lost love Andrea Beaumont, and her reappearance into his life at the same time as a murderous new villain is stalking Gotham. Kevin Conroy is excellent as usual as Batman (he’s the one who first came up with the idea of Bruce Wayne/Batman having separate voices), and Mark Hamill (yes, that Mark Hamill) kills it as the Joker, as always (his Joker is second only to Ledger’s, and it’s a close call).

Michael's pick
One of the most depressing films of all time, The Battle of Algiers tells the story of the Algerian Revolution. With atrocities committed by both sides, the war in many ways heralded the advent of modern terrorist tactics. This is not a fun movie. But it is a masterpiece, a film that everyone should see.

Tania's pick
Another Bogie and Bacall classic, with all the common ingredients. A world-weary detective, a rich dame, her crazy sex-mad sister, and some fabulous vintage Los Angeles locales. Based on a novel by noir maestro Raymond Chandler, the script has holes you could drive a 40’s Packard through, but the dialogue snaps, crackles, and pops. The question remains: Who killed the chauffeur?

Tania's pick
Historical intrigue from schlock-maestro Paul Verhooven. Verhooven claims his fascination with gore, evidenced in sci-fi films like Robocop, Total Recall and Starship Troopers, started when he was a boy in WWII Holland. This realistic take on the Dutch Resistance has great acting and wonderful tension.

Tania's pick
Before they blew our minds with The Matrix, Lana (then Larry) and Lilly (then Andy) Wachowski put together a dirty little ace of a neo-noir. Steeped in longing looks and treachery, this caper film features 90’s “It” girls, Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilley, plus everyone’s favourite whining gangster, Joe Pantoliano. If you like your LGBTQ+ content with a side of hot and bothered, Bound has the full meal deal.

Tania's pick
Recommended by MOPA instructor and New Zealander, David Geary, this film explores manhood from the perspective of a Maori youth. “The film is delightful in its colorful production values, with animated and fantasy interludes” – Roger Ebert

Michael's pick
I’m a huge David Lean fan. He didn’t make many movies (relatively speaking, considering his long career), but the ones he did are masterpieces. Bridge on the River Kwai is no exception. Based on a true story, it tells how a bunch of British POWs worked on building a vital bridge for their Japanese captors, and how the Allies made plans to destroy it before it was finished. Alec Guinness (the original Obi-Wan Kenobi and staple of many a Lean film) won an Oscar for his portrayal of a captured British colonel who, in trying to ensure the men under him were treated well, lost sight of the bigger picture.

Michael's pick
An excellent adaptation of the first book in the Narnia series. While it's not on the same level as The Lord of the Rings, it's still very, very good. One of my favorite fantasy series of all time.

Michael's pick
Citizen Kane is rightly considered one of the greatest films of all time. It begins at the end, with the death of its title character, the millionaire Charles Foster Kane. A reporter intrigued by Kane’s strange final words (or rather, his strange single final word: “Rosebud”) begins digging into Kane’s past in an attempt to uncover just what Kane meant when he said this. His investigation uncovers a good life gone bad, an idealist who became corrupted. And it was all because of one fateful day…

Janine & Jessica's pick
This very engaging film is based on a real life story. It begins in the midst of the AIDS epidemic in 1985, with a homophobic Texan cowboy, Ron Woodroof, who is diagnosed HIV-positive and given 30 days to live. Ostracized from his community and mainstream medicine, this alcoholic redneck transforms what is left of his life to seeking alternative treatments, eventually becoming an entrepreneurial advocate for all outcasts fallen victim to the disease, and going so far as to take legal action against the stringent and unethical policies of the FDA.

Michael's pick
Quite simply one of the greatest films of all time. It redefined the superhero genre from the cartoony films of the past, and instead brought serious drama to the table. And no wonder: its cast boasts six Oscar nominees/winners, including of course Heath Ledger as the Joker, a role for which he won the second posthumous acting Oscar in history. Even if you’re not into superhero films, I would highly recommend it.

Michael's pick
A perfect ending to the greatest movie trilogy of all time.

Michael's pick
A hilarious and satirical dark comedy about the chaotic power struggle that occurred in the Soviet Union when Stalin died. One of the things I like about the film is that the actors make absolutely no attempt to put on fake Russian accents. It’s done in such a way that it greatly adds to the levity. While the performances are great all around, Oscar Isaac (Malfoy Sr. from Harry Potter) steals the show as General Zhukov, and Steve Buscemi is also very good as Khrushchev.

Michael's pick
Another Tarantino movie in which Christoph Waltz steals the show. This time around Waltz plays a good guy, as he is cast as a dentist-turned-bounty hunter named Dr. King Schultz in the old US south (a role for which he won his second Oscar in as many movies working for Tarantino). The film also features excellent award-worthy performances from several others, most notably from Leonardo DiCaprio as a psychotic slave owner and Samuel L. Jackson as his faithful head slave. All that’s without even mentioning the titular Django (Jamie Foxx), a slave who becomes Schultz’s bounty-hunting apprentice as he searches for his missing wife.

Michael's pick
Another classic David Lean film, this recounts the story of a love affair that takes place in Revolutionary Russia. The book on which it was based was actually banned in the Soviet Union, and the author was forced to decline the Nobel Prize (though Nikita Khrushchev would later actually read the book when he was no longer in office and comment, “I never should have banned this book.”)
Gross/interesting fact: during the part when the old woman is pulled up onto the moving train and screams, her legs were actually run over. Not only did Lean keep the scene in the movie, he didn’t halt production for any length of time.

Michael's pick
Not just one of the best war movies I’ve ever seen, but one of the best movies, period. This tells the true story of Hitler’s last days in the bunker, from the point of view of his secretary. The acting is brilliant all-around, but Bruno Ganz as Hitler is particularly excellent – how he wasn’t nominated for an Oscar is beyond me.
On another note, if you’ve ever seen one of those literally thousands of “Hitler rants” videos on Youtube, this is the film they’re from. Having seen many of them myself, I thought there was no way I could ever take that scene seriously if I saw it for real. Boy, was I wrong.

Michael's pick
You’ll never think of the words “Mein Fuhrer!” in quite the same way after watching this hilarious black comedy about the end of the world due to a nuclear war. Peter Sellers absolutely kills it playing three roles: an army captain, the President of the United States, and of course, the titular and outrageously funny Dr. Strangelove, a “reformed” former Nazi weapons scientist. While most comedies don’t age well, Dr. Strangelove is very much the exception rather than the rule.

Michael's pick
An excellent biopic about Ray Kroc, the self-proclaimed “founder” of McDonald’s. (Spoiler: he didn’t actually found it – though he was responsible for it becoming the massive entity it is today). Michael Keaton is excellent as the sleazy-yet-compelling Kroc, and probably should have gotten an Oscar nomination for his performance.

Elizabeth's pick
I love anything with Greta Gerwig.

Michael's pick
There's a great joke, "What's the best Star Trek film, and why is it Galaxy Quest?" Which is so true. Part-satire and part-homage, Galaxy Quest centers around the cast of a Star Trek-like show who are reduced to appearing at conventions to make a living. That is, until aliens who thought the show was real show up in need of help from the “commander” and his crew. With great performances all around, two that standout are Alan Rickman as a Shakespearean actor forced to forever play a Spock-like part he hates, and Sam Rockwell as an extra who got killed on the show and is paranoid that it will happen to him for real. Even if you're not a Star Trek/Sci-Fi fan, you'll love Galaxy Quest.

Michael's pick
A modern classic (has it really been two decades since this came out? Time flies). With outstanding performances all around and a terrific story, this is one of the great films of all time, an old-school Roman epic and tale of revenge in the tradition of Ben-Hur and Spartacus. This DVD contains both the theatrical and extended cut.

Michael's pick
Quite simply one of the greatest films of all time, and father of the modern mob movie (pun intended). Endlessly quotable, and endlessly parodied, very few films have ever been made that are as good as this.

Trevor's pick
Tarantino loves this one! Headstones’ frontman Hugh Dillon leads the fictional punk band’s reunion tour across Canada as the aging rockers try to make some more dough. Based on the works of Michael Turner (The Pornographer’s Poem: a novel), Bruce McDonald’s documentary-style road trip has possibly one of the best soundtracks you will ever hear. Yeah, you’ll have “Son of a Bitch to the Core” stuck in your head after seeing this one.

Blaze's pick
A dark romantic comedy about an 18 year old man obsessed with death who falls in love with a 79 year old woman full of life. Subversive of the traditional Rom-Com genre and Maude is one of the most original takes on the Manic Pixie Dreamgirl trope.

Tania's pick
Hedwig returned to Broadway recently with Neil Patrick Harris pulling the wig down off the shelf and getting his sparkle on. If you didn’t have the bucks to jet to the Great White Way, you can enjoy one of the best musicals of the last 25 years in the comfort of your own space. Tuneful and poignant, Hedwig will have you singing along and holding up your hands.

Michael's pick
I’m a martial arts film junkie. That said, I don’t like it when characters are literally flying around the screen, exhibiting supernatural powers without any explanation for it. Hero doesn’t fall into this pitfall: the entire film is a story being told by Jet Li’s character, and to say he takes liberties with his tale would be an understatement. Li’s character is also not the most reliable of narrators, for as the film progresses it becomes evident that he has an ulterior motive for telling his tale…

Michael's pick
Nominated for several Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actress, The Imitation Game is based on the real life story of Alan Turing, a mathematician who was recruited to head up the British efforts to crack the “unbreakable” Nazi Enigma machine, the device that encoded all their communications.

Michael's pick
Quite possibly Quentin Tarantino’s best film, this endlessly quotable alternate-history tale chronicles a group of American soldiers of Jewish descent as they wreak havoc behind Nazi lines. With excellent performances all around from a star-studded cast, Christoph Waltz steals the show as a deranged but brilliant Nazi detective charged with hunting down Jews, a role for which he won his first Oscar. Highly recommended.

Michael's pick
As usual, Pixar delivers fine work in this film. The plot is a little difficult to describe. It is centered around the personified, anthropomorphic feelings of a young girl named Riley. The feelings (Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust) live in Riley’s brain and control how she reacts to things, forming her personality. (There’s more to it than that, but like I said, it’s difficult to describe).
Funny tidbit: there’s a meme that says the premise of all Pixar movies can be summed up as “What if X had feelings?” So Toy Story is “What if toys had feelings?” A Bug’s Life: “What if bugs had feelings?” And on it goes, until you get to Inside Out: “What if feelings had feelings?”

Michael's pick
Jean-Claude Van Damme turns in an Oscar-calibre performance as he plays himself in this pseudo-biographical film. Coming off losing a high-profile custody battle for his daughter, he returns home to Belgium only to get caught in the middle of a bank robbery and taken hostage. To make things worse, the cops think he did it because they saw him just before the gates were shut, and everyone knows he’s desperate for money because of the trial. The performances are excellent all around, but Van Damme’s in particular is surprisingly good – the quote on the cover, “He deserves not a black belt, but an Oscar” is not an embellishment by any stretch of the imagination.

Jessica's pick
One of the best de-stress movies around. Perfect with your favorite treat and drink. Get ready for a twisty ending!

Michael's pick
ABSOLUTELY. FREAKING. INSANE. These words aptly describe Billy Mitchell, the real-life villain in this documentary about the rivalry between him and average joe Steve Wiebe as they compete over the world record in Donkey Kong. It sounds like a somewhat ludicrous premise, but what makes it well worth watching are the extreme lengths to which Mitchell goes to keep his high score. If this was fiction I wouldn’t believe it. You seriously couldn’t make this stuff up.

Tania's pick
Discover the men behind The Who in this rockin’ doc. Who made mod?

Michael's pick
Directed by David Lean, one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, this recounts the true story of how British officer T. E. Lawrence helped unite various Arab factions and successfully revolt against the Ottoman Empire during World War I. A classic film for the ages, Lawrence of Arabia is a movie everyone should see.

Tania's pick
His recent “retirement” notwithstanding, Steven Soderbergh has produced some of the most stylish films in recent American history (Out of Sight, Ocean’s 11), and this one is no exception. It’s a great fish-out-of-water neo-noir, with sun-drenched LA looking as menacing as usual. Peter Fonda, Luis Guzman and Leslie Ann Warren are fantastic, but it’s Terence Stamp’s show as the cockney gangster looking for answers to his daughter’s untimely demise. The soundtrack and score both augment the spare, character-driven storytelling perfectly.

Tania's pick
A documentary exploration of the world’s most cinematically-inclined city as seen through its primary product. Film essayist Thom Anderson uses impeccable research, a treasure trove of film clips and archival footage plus a deadpan (and amusingly cranky) narrative to demonstrate the role Los Angeles has played in on-screen cinematic history.

Tania's pick
Intense portrait of modern English painter Francis Bacon. Derek Jacobi glowers as the moody Bacon and a pre-Bond Daniel Craig makes an appearance in a key role.

Tania's pick
Four interlocking documentaries weave a story of modern Brazil, focusing on environmental issues, political corruption, and economic divisions, all told with an arresting narrative style.

Elizabeth's pick
This documentary is the sequel to Miss Representation, this time focusing on the socialization of men and the societal pressures they face. Following boys and men struggling to stay true to themselves while negotiating America's narrow definition of masculinity and examining the psychological effects this has. The film examines the stereotypes males face and the implications of language that is associated with ‘maleness’. Masculinity is examined in relation to drinking, homophobia, depression, bullying, the stigmatization of male intimacy, crime, videogames, porn and campus sexual assault.

Michael's pick
Yes, I know there’s a fundamental flaw to the logic of this film, and no, I don’t care – it’s just that good. Written and directed by Christopher Nolan (the best director in Hollywood right now), it stars Guy Pearce as an anterograde amnesiac (he can’t form new memories, meaning he pretty much instantly forgets everything that happens to him – sadly, this is a real condition) on the trail of his wife’s murderer. Simply put, it’s fantastic, as everything by Nolan is.

Tania's pick
Dark and nasty, this early Cohen work features some stellar performances by vets like the recently deceased Albert Finney and “where did he go” 90’s boy Gabriel Byrne, as well as an indelible turn by John Turturro.

Elizabeth's pick
Miss Representation is a documentary exploring the way in which media represents women in limited and sexist images. It explores the idea that mainstream media contributes to the under representation of women in influential positions in society and challenges how media sexism plays a part in women’s ability to attain these leadership roles. The film addresses that even though women have become better represented in media, the idea of equality is still far from true with women still facing stereotypes and double standards of their appearances and personas. Featuring interviews with academics, politicians and media icons as the film explores these obstacles.

Tania's pick
The centre of the Best Picture kerfuffle at the 2016 Oscars is an amazingly powerful and introspective piece of storytelling. Focusing on a single young black man as he navigates growing up in modern America, the performances are telling and true.

Tania's pick
This groundbreaking play becomes an HBO movie documenting the AIDS crisis as it unfolded in the 1980’s New York gay activist community. An all-star cast (Mark Rufallo, Jim Parsons, Taylor Kitsch, Alfred Molina and Julia Roberts) makes the most of compelling dialogue and the drama created by an unfolding epidemic.

William Demopoulos's pick
Fantastic cast: Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikowska, Anton Yelchin, and John Hurt. Amazing topic: Vampires that have no desire to bite watch two cities decay. Jim J asks the question: If you could live forever, how would your perception of our world change? This film is the answer. Only a little action, beautifully shot, great dialogue, some nudity but no sex. Academic references to: Tesla, Shakespeare.

Tania's pick
The veteran academic and popular TV presenter makes his subjects come alive without dumbing down his analysis.

Michael's pick
This is probably Spielberg’s best blockbuster film since 2002’s Catch Me If You Can, and one of the few movies I’ve ever seen that’s better than the book it’s based on. It’s set in a dystopian near-future where mega-corporations basically run the planet, and people escape reality by spending all their time in a V.R. game where they can be whoever/whatever they want. When the game’s founder dies, he leaves his multi-billion-dollar estate, including total control of the game, up for grabs to whoever wins a contest he designed. Naturally, chaos ensues. While the story and performances are excellent, probably the most fun part of the movie is trying to catch all the pop culture references.

Dalene's pick
An engaging film with a fantastic soundtrack which is now on my regular playlist. The novel was shortlisted for a Booker Prize in 2007.

Michael's pick
Often parodied, realistically ultra-violent, and downright depressing, this is nonetheless a masterpiece everyone should see. It chronicles the true story of a squad sent to find and bring back a soldier behind enemy lines during WWII. If you haven’t seen it, you should.

Michael's pick
"The list is life." One of the greatest films of all time, it chronicles the true story of how German businessman Oskar Schindler saved 1,000 Jews during the Holocaust. This was the film that broke Steven Spielberg’s Oscar curse (he’d previously been nominated 5 times, but hadn’t won once).

Michael's pick
A superhero movie with a comic twist, this film is about a teenage kid who turns into an adult with superpowers when he says a magic word. Naturally, he's completely irresponsible with said powers, using them to do things like buy booze and busk for money (instead of playing music, he shows off how he can shoot lightning from his hands). Shazam is just a fun film.

Fun fact: there's a long and convoluted history to the character, but originally he was called "Captain Marvel," and actually predates Marvel's character of the same name by several decades. It's only in recent times that DC has dropped the moniker, mostly to avoid confusion with Marvel's version.

Tania's pick
Hear about the Holocaust from survivors. Consistently voted one of the best documentaries of all time.

Tania's pick
It’s a classic for a reason. Bursting with enough song and dance to shake off the wettest Vancouver weekend, you don’t know musicals until you’ve seen this apex of the Hollywood golden age. Dare you not to smile (or LOL) during the “Make ‘Em Laugh” number!

Dalene's pick
David Wosniak needed money so donating his sperm seemed like a good idea until 533 children, now young adults, pursued legal action challenging the anonymity clause to find out who their father was. There was a Hollywood version of this film with Vince Vaughn, but this version is Canadian, eh, and Patrick Huard is a funny guy.

Dalene's pick
What’s a Canadian journalist doing in Rwanda filming a documentary about AIDS just as the Rwandan genocide begins? Will he end up falling in love with the lovely Gentille, a Tutsi waitress at his hotel? Quebec filmmaker, Robert Favreau, weaves these details together beautifully.
Rather read the book? A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali by Gil Courtemanche.

Sabrina's pick
If you’re going to watch one Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers film, this is it! Hilarious screwball antics, a classic score, and elegant dance numbers make Top Hat a classic that can be enjoyed by all ages. Chances are that you’ve heard Irving Berlin’s famous song “Cheek to Cheek,” but you’ll fall in love with the song once you see Fred and Ginger glide across the dance floor to it. It’s not all romance though: Eric Blore as the valet, and Helen Broderick as Madge bring cheeky banter to the film.

Michael's pick
“I feel all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.” This classic film is about the bombing of Pearl Harbor, from both the Japanese and American points of view. It faithfully recreates much of what happened leading up to the attack, and makes for fascinating drama. For those wondering, “Tora!” apparently means “Tiger” in Japanese, and these were the code words used to launch the attack.

Michael's pick
This is one of my favourite films of all time. Jim Carrey stars in his first dramatic role as a man whose entire life is being broadcast as a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week TV show (the film was released before the advent of reality TV, mind you). Everyone he knows is an actor, his entire town is one big set, and – here’s the kicker – he is unaware of all this.

Michael's pick
I usually find westerns boring, but Unforgiven is just outstanding. One of very few Best Picture winners that actually deserved it, the film tells the story of a retired outlaw and widower who decides to pursue an illegal bounty because he needs the reward money for his family. The transformation Eastwood’s character undergoes throughout the film is second only to that of Al Pacino’s in The Godfather. The film also has excellent performances from Morgan Freeman as Eastwood’s old partner-in-crime, and Gene Hackman as a vicious, sadistic sheriff.

Michael's pick
Based on the true story of how FBI agent Eliot Ness and his team of “untouchables” took down Al Capone. Sean Connery won an Oscar for his portrayal of a street cop who joins Ness’s team, and the usually-wooden Kevin Costner is quite good as the earnest and idealistic Ness.

Fun story: apparently director Brian De Palma contacted Bob Hoskins about playing Capone, in case Robert De Niro wasn’t able to (the latter was starring in a Broadway play at the time, and it wasn’t clear if that would conflict with filming). When De Niro was able to come through, De Palma sent Hoskins a £20,000 cheque as thanks for his time. In response, Hoskins called De Palma and said, “Brian, if you’ve ever got any films you don’t want me in, you just give me a call!”

Michael's pick
An excellent biopic on the life of Johnny Cash. Even if you’re not into his music, it’s well worth a watch.

Blaze's pick
An up and coming drummer is recruited into a prestigious music school and is selected to join the studio band for a renowned jazz instructor. The movie focuses on the relationship between the abusive teacher and the willing student, and how far both of them are willing to go to achieve greatness. This movie contains one of the most tense scenes in years, with an unforgettable finish.

Trevor's pick
One of the smartest shows of all time. Over five seasons, this Baltimore police drama looked at both sides of cops and criminals where you start to understand both groups better – you probably don’t like either of them by the end, but wow, what a ride.