Full Wolf Moon Dreamboard

Here is my Full Moon Dreamboard for this months Full Wolf Moon, and it's only fitting that The Wolfman makes an appearance on it!

See more Dreamboards and inspiration over at Jamie Ridler Studios. You can even make your own Dreamboard for this Full Wolf Moon and linky it up!

It will be interesting to see what this month brings.

Film Reviews - Sword & Sandals

Shannon's Definition of Sword & Sandals Films: Films that includes someone wielding a sword and wearing sandals, but also includes gladiator & Greek mythology as well as historically set epic adventurous and biopics set in the Greco-Roman period. They are easy to pick out, but are a micro-genre that tend to fall under the home genres of action, adventure, historical, fantasy or biopic.

Love Sword & Sandals films? Check out the Sword & Sandals Marathon & Wrap Up Vlog as well as Episode 25 of the Movie Moxie Podcast where I take on Sword & Sandals Films as a Genre and discuss the definition of a sword & sandal film, notable sword & sandal films, my favourite sword & sandal films and review The Eagle.

300
Agora
Alexander
Arn: The Knight Templar
Centurion
Clash of the Titans (1981)
Clash of the Titans (2010)
Cleopatra (1963)
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Destroyer
Conan the Barbarian (2011)
Eagle, The
Gladiator
Hercules (1983)
Immortals
Ironclad
Jason in the Argonauts (1963)
Julius Caesar (1953)
Outlander
Pathfinder
Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Robin Hood (2010)
Scorpion King, The
Spartacus
Troy

Back to Genre List

Legion

Dir: Scott Stewart - feature film directorial debut
Cast: Paul Bettany, Dennis Quaid, Adrianne Palicki, Lucas Black, Kevin Durand, Tyrese Gibson, Kate Walsh, Willa Holland, Jon Tenney
USA, 2010

Seen: January 25, 2010

Reason to see: Apocalyptic, Paul Bettany, Angels... I'm there

Legion placed #8 on my list of Most Anticipated Films of the Year, which is quite a feat for a January release which is often full of not the best horror films and festival/awards spill over from the year before which made it all the more fun to trek out to the theatre and be genuinely excited about what I was about to see.

I didn't know a lot about the story going in other than that it had angels, action, inferences to an upcoming apocalypse, probably a prophecy and starred Paul Bettany and all of that sounded great to me! Although I could easily sit here and pick apart the film, especially when it comes to images or ideas that very familiar from other films, that doesn't change the fact that it was really fun to watch. In fact, it's a great film to mull over afterwards because you can pull the parallels to other films but it also raises several of it's own questions and ideas.

I do wish Legion had focused a little more on character development, although several of the actors brought a lot more to their characters than I would have expected. In particular, Tyrese Gibson does a great job throughout the film giving us a something different that I would have expected. But when it comes to characters, Paul Bettany as the angel Michael is the heart of the film bringing us strength, courage and defiance - a temperamental trio that is bold and brewing.

In terms of supernatural/religious based thrilled, it's not up to the level of Constantine being more action centric and not as unique in it's art direction, but it's still a fun ride and one I know I'd be happy to see again and again.

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it
I'll buy it
I'd recommend it as a fun action film of the supernatural flavour

15 minutes of preshow including 3 commercials and 5 previews: Season of the Witch, Kick-Ass, Hot Tub Time Machine, Death at a Funeral (2010) and Takers

Return to Film Reviews

© Shannon Ridler, 2010

Crazy Heart

Dir: Scott Cooper - feature film directorial debut
Cast: Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell
USA, 2010

Seen: January 15, 2010

Reason to see: The trailer moved me almost to tears

I've sat a little bit on reviewing Crazy Heart, because after seeing it I became stumped on how to express what I thought about it. My initial reaction to the trailer was so strong that it put my expectations rather high, add to that Jeff Bridges has received several acting nominations for his performance, and since then has won not only the Golden Globe (Acting - Drama) but also the Screen Actor's Guild Award. Is it an award worthy performance? Yes it is, I can't deny it that but I'm stuck because it's a story we've seen many times before.

I'm not usually one to complain over seeing one story more than once, and it's not like we will likely every stop seeing films about troubled artists because seeing their journey can often be heartbreaking, inspiring, emotional and showcase their artistry - which is a great story to show in film. But here it feels so very similar to A Star is Born, even though Crazy Heart is based on the novel by Thomas Cobb.

I wasn't connecting as much to this film as I expected so, as much like The Wrestler I didn't feel much empathy to the main character. Do I feel like they are in a tough situation? Yes. Do I think they do anything to change that? Not so much. I think the tolerance level for empathizing with troubled artist is lower than it used to be, or perhaps it is that the expectations are higher.

As the film is character driven, what it does have on it's side is the performances. As already mentioned Jeff Bridges is intense in his performance as country singer Bad Blake. Maggie Gyllenhaal does a great job as well, even though her character's back story as a journalist feels underdeveloped, it actually works in the favour of the film as if it's from Bad Blake's perspective. Colin Farrell was completely compelling in his supporting role, even though I was completely surprized to see him in it as I don't remember seeing that in any of the trailers or promos at all, which is a little strange.

Overall, even though the story felt familiar it is still a powerful journey. But what really stood out for me was the quiet moments of the film, the relationships as they built up tenderly and the awkward moments of truth. But tragedies do hit their marks very well along, all of which felt genuine which made them the harder to watch to see happen.

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it, but not as much as I expected
I'm not sure I'd watch it again but I'd get the soundtrack
I'd recommend it to fans of music films and those who enjoy watching films for great performances

16 minutes of preshow including 4 commercials and 5 previews: Greenberg, A Prophet, Nowhere Boy, Knight & Day and Date Night

Return to Film Reviews

© Shannon Ridler, 2010

Film Fan Fridays for Friday January 29, 2010

Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!

Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday January 29, 2010! This week we are heavy on the limited releases which include two Canadian films La Donation / The Legacy and Grown Up Movie Star and we also have our first slew of festivals of the year. If you want to keep up to date on upcoming festivals around Toronto I've got you covered - check out the 2010 Toronto Film Festival Listing which has not only this weeks festivals but well festivals into the future as well.

In limited release this week we have 5 releases and 2 of those are Canadian to boot. I'm thrilled to share that the beautiful film La Donation / The Legacy is hitting theatres, it's the third film in Bernard Émond humanist trilogy exploring Faith (La neuvaine), Hope (Contre toute espérance) and now Charity with La Donation but don't let the fact that it's in a series keep you away - you can watch it as a stand alone film if you haven't seen the first two yet, and I highly recommend catching all of them when you can. Next up for Canadian releases is Grown Up Movie Star which is hitting out theatres straight after being at Sundance 2010. Also in limited release is the award winning drama Bliss / Mutluluk, Brazilian thriller Body / Corpo and the documentary The Yes Men Fix the World.

In wide release this week we have just 2 releases. First up is When in Rome a romantic comedy starring Kristen Bell who is unlucky in love and decides to take matters into her own hands and out of a lucky fountain which result in some bizarre results. Also in wide release is Edge of Darkness a crime/thriller of the revenge flavour starring Mel Gibson and Ray Winstone from Casino Royale director Martin Campbell.

Have a great weekend!

Shannon

Festival Watch

The 8 Fest Small-Gauge Film Festival
A festival focusing on small-gauge film including 8mm, Super 8, 9.5mm, loops and zoetropes
January 27 - 31, 2010 at Canadian Corps Headquarters, 201 Niagara Street (Just South of King), in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Caribbean Tales Youth Film Festival
February 2 - 25, 2010 at the William Doo Auditorium, 45 Willcocks Avenue in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Friday January 29, 2010 Releases

Bliss / Mutluluk
Dir: Abdullah Oguz (Sicak, O simdi mahkum)
Cast: Özgü Namal, Talat Bulut, Murat Han
Turkey/Greece
Limited Release
Official Film Site, IMDb Page

Body / Corpo
Writers/Dirs: Rossana Foglia & Rubens Rewald - feature film directorial debuts
Cast: Regiane Alves, Rejane Arruda, Louise Cardoso, Chris Couto, Leonardo Medeiros
Brazil
Limited Release
No Official Film Site or Trailer Found, IMDb Page

La Donation / The Legacy
Dir: Bernard Émond (La neuvaine, Contre toute espérance)
Cast: Élise Guilbault, Jacques Godin, Éric Hoziel, Françoise Graton, Angèle Coutu
Canada
Limited Release
Official Film Site & Trailer, IMDb Page

Edge of Darkness
Dir: Martin Campbell (The Green Lantern (2011), Casino Royale)
Cast: Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, Bojana Novakovic
UK/USA
Official Film Site & Trailer, IMDb Page, Trailer

Grown Up Movie Star
Writer/Dir: Adriana Maggs - feature film directorial debut
Cast: Shawn Doyle, Tatiana Maslany, Jonny Harris, Julia Kennedy, Mark O'Brien, Steve Cochrane, Andy Jones
Canada
Limited Release
Official Film Site & Trailer, IMDb Page

When in Rome
Dir: Mark Steven Johnson (Ghost Rider, Daredevil)
Cast: Kristen Bell, Josh Duhamel, Anjelica Huston, Jon Heder, Will Arnett
USA
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

The Yes Men Fix the World
Dirs: Andy Bichlbaum & Mike Bonanno - feature film directorial debuts
Documentary
France/UK/USA
Limited Release
Official Film Site & Trailer, IMDb Page

**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada as of January 29, 2010**

Film Festivals in Toronto - 2010

This is a listing of confirmed dates for film festivals in 2010 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Listings are added throughout the year when dates are confirmed. Want to look ahead? Take a look at the 2009 listing for an idea of how the year may turn out.

January 2010

The 8 Fest Small-Gauge Film Festival
A festival focusing on small-gauge film including 8mm, Super 8, 9.5mm, loops and zoetropes
January 27 - 31, 2010 at Canadian Corps Headquarters, 201 Niagara Street (Just South of King), in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

February 2010

Caribbean Tales Youth Film Festival
February 2 - 25, 2010 at the William Doo Auditorium, 45 Willcocks Avenue in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

3rd Annual Toronto-Romanian Film Festival
February 4 - 7, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Great Digital Film Festival 2010
A selection of classic, cult and popular film shown in digital or High Definition
February 5 - 11, 2010 at Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Reel Paddling Film Festival
February 11, 2010 at the Bloor Cinema, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Reel Artists Film Festival
February 24 - 28, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Toronto Human Rights Watch Film Festival
February 24 - March 6, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Taiwan Cinema Yesterday and Today Film Festival
February 26 - 28, 2010 at Innis Town Hall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

March 2010

Cinéfranco Youth & Family Program
March 1 - 10, 2010 at The Bloor Cinema in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

World of Comedy Film Festival
March 5 - 7, 2010 at Innis Town Hall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Canadian Music Week Film Festival
March 12 - 13, 2010 at NFB, 150 John St., in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

UofT Film Festival
March 13, 2010 at Hart House in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Toronto Japanese Short Film Festival
March 18 - 21, 2010 at Innis Town Hall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Muck
Festival of Movies of Un-Common Knowledge, films that challenge us and views of the world around us.
March 21, 2010 at The Royal in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Female Eye Film Festival
March 24 – 28, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Banff Mountain Film Festival
March 26 - 28, 2010 at the Bloor Cinema in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Cinéfranco
13th Annual Celebration of International Francophone Cinema
March 26 - April 3, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

April 2010

Images Festival
Festival of independent film, video and other time-based media
April 1 - 10, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Toronto Silent Film Festival
April 6 - 15, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Reelworld Film Festival
Festival celebrating diversity in film, video, and new media
April 7 - 11, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Toronto Tibet Film Festival
April 9 - 10, 2010 at the Bloor Cinema in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Sprockets
Toronto International Film Festival for Children
April 17 - 23, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Toronto Jewish Film Festival
April 17 - 25, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

May 2010

Hot Docs
Canadian International Documentary Film Festival
April 29 - May 9, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Ryerson University Film Festival
5th annual presentation of films by the graduating class at Ryerson University
May 14 - 16, 2010 at The Royal in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Toronto Russian Film Festival (TRFF)
May 14 - 16, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Inside Out
20th Annual Toronto Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival
May 20 - 30, 2010 in various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

2010 Student Film Showcase
May 26, 2010 at the AMC Yonge & Dundas

June 2010

Worldwide Short Film Festival

June 1 - 6, 2010 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Doc Now.ca Festival
Film, Photography & New Media
June 7 - 26 2010, at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Luminato
Toronto Festival of Arts + Creativity
June 11 - 20, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

North by Northeast Music and Film Festival & Conference (NXNE)
June 16 - 20, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

ReelHeART International Film Festival
On Hiatus for 2010 (more info here)

Muck
Festival of Movies of Un-Common Knowledge, films that challenge us and views of the world around us.
June 20, 2010 at The Royal in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Parkdale Film and Video Showcase
June 25 - 27, 2010 at various locations in Parkdale in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

July 2010

Toronto Youth Shorts Film Festival
July 14 - 17, 2010 at Innis Town Hall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Toronto Singapore Film Festival
July 16 -17, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Bite Me! Film Festival
Toronto International Body Image Film and Arts Festival
July 17 - 18, 2010 at the NFB in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Shinsedai Cinema Festival
The New Generation of Japanese Film Festival
July 22 - 25, 2010 at The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Human Rights Doc Fest
July 23 - 25, 2010 at The NFB, 150 John St., in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Caribbean Tales Film Festival
July 30 - August 2, 2010, at Harbourfront in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

August 2010

Toronto After Dark Film Festival
Horror, Sci-Fi, Action & Cult Film Festival
August 13 - 20, 2010 at the Bloor Cinema, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Queer West Film Festival
August 14, 2010 at the Revue Cinema in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Fan Expo
August 27 - 29, 2010 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

September 2010

Toronto Independent Film Festival
Festival of Independent Filmmaking
September 8 - 18, 2010, at the Toronto Underground Cinema in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Toronto International Film Festival
September 9 - 19, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Toronto Urban Film Festival
Collection of 1 minute silent films shown on the TTC
September 10 - 19, 2010 on TTC subway platforms in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Brazilian Film Festival of Toronto
September 23 -26, 2010 at The Bloor location in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

COMMFFEST
(Global) Community Film Festival
September 23 -26, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Canadian Sport Film Festival
September 30 - October 2, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Filmi
South Asian Film Festival
September 30 - October 2, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Indie Can Film Festival
Indie Can is a film festival that screens non-judged independent films
September 30 - October 2, 2010 at Innis Town Hall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

October 2010

Toronto Palestine Film Festival
October 2 - 8, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Toronto Hispano-American Film Festival
Spanish language film festival featuring dramas, comedies, and documentaries from Spanish speaking countries
October 7 - 16, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

EnRoute Film Festival 2010
Featuring short film from emerging Canadian filmmakers, which are broadcast on Air Canada
Wednesday October 13, 2010 at the Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Planet in Focus Film Festival
International Environmental Film and Video Festival
October 13 - 17, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Est Docs
Estonian Documentary Film Festival
October 15 - 22, 2010 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Moving Image Film Festival
This festival focus is to welcome fusion and clash of different genres and the experimentation of moving images
October 15 - 17, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Macedonian Film Festival
October 16 - 17, 2010 at Innis Town Hall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Brazil Film Fest
October 21 - 24, 2010 at the The Royal in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival
Celebrating works of Indigenous peoples from around the world
October 20 - 24, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Israel Film Festival
October 24 - 28, 2010 at the Sheppard Grande in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

International Diaspora Film Festival
October 28 - November 6, 2010 at Innis Town Hall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

November 2010

Regent Park Film Festival
A free event with complimentary childcare
November 3 - 6, 2010 at Lord Dufferin Public School in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Rendezvous with Madness Film Festival
Films focusing on mental health and addiction
November 5 - 13, 2010 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Toronto International Portuguese Film Festival
November 5 - 7, 2010 at Casa Do Alentejo in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival
November 9 - 15, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

aluCine
Toronto Latin Media Festival
November 18 - 21, 2010 at various locations in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Reel Awareness
Human Rights Film Festival
November 18 - 21, 2010 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

European Union Film Festival
November 18 - 30, 2010 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Breast Fest Film Festival
Film festival dedicated to breast cancer awareness
November 19 - 21, 2010 at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Ekran
Toronto Polish Film Festival
November 19 - 21, 2010 at The Revue in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Toronto Creole Film Festival
November 19 - 21, 2010 at Jackman Hall at the AGO in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Canadian Labour International Film Festival
November 20 - 28, 2010 at Innis Town Hall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Do you know about a festival or screening not on the list? Contact me by email

Conan the Destroyer

Dir: Richard Fleischer (Red Sonja, Soylent Green)
Based on the stories by Robert E. Howard
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mako, Grace Jones, Olivia d'Abo, Wilt Chamberlain, Tracey Walter, Sarah Douglas
USA, 1984

Revisited: January 27, 2010

Reason to Watch & Review: For the Sword & Sandal Marathon*

The general consensus on the Conan films seems to be that Conan the Barbarian is awesome, and Conan the Destroyer sucks, which means it's not all that fair that I watched the films back to back. But, I knew I liked Conan the Destroyer more than most and there are certain scenes and characters that will always shine through for me.

While watching, I kept wondering to myself "What is it that makes people not like this film?", and then it became abundantly clear. The effects. Oh boy. I'm willing to give films the benefit of the doubt, acknowledge the time period and limitations, but not here. It's a mere 2 years after Conan the Barbarian yet the effects are so much worse, and in part it's the choices they made of when and where to use them because have to say that they were not great choices. This is one challenge that all fantasy/historical films that have a magical element face - how will you show something that doesn't exist in reality, be it a creature, a place or an occurrence. In Conan the Destroyer all the times they used effects I had to contain laughter. It also moved the sorcery element from feeling powerful and mythical to more sideshow and goofy. Add to that some of the fighting feels straight up an 80's WWF wrestling match, and I was dumbfounded.

It's also seemed to reverse good choice that were made in the first film - instead of little dialogue, we get a fair amount of dialogue. Instead of just a few comedic moments (mostly unintentional) we have a whole character dedicated to comic relief which actually wasn't so bad. Instead of working with beautiful locations, we get created sets and effects. Play to the strengths, not the other way around!

That being said I can forgive the film a lot simply for Grace Jones' character Zula, a fierce warrior who fights with unmatched energy and vigour. What I love about that character is she never gives up, never complains, is extremely capable and goes for what she wants - it's awesome. Of course the film tempers by having a Princess Jehnna, played by Olivia d'Abo, who is part of a prophecy and I was worried that that would get a little Temple of Doom-like with her being whiny, but that isn't really the case although her isolation of the world in general leads to lots of awkward comedy about men and women which provided more comic relief that really didn't feel necessary.

Overall, it's true that it's no where near as good as Conan the Barbarian, but there is enough in there for it to be an enjoyable and fun watch.

Shannon's Overall View:
I didn't love it but I love the things that I love about it
I own it
I'd recommend it as a light/fun adventure film

Return to Film Reviews

© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Sword & Sandal Marathon is a 13 week marathon exploring sword & sandal films in anticipation of the 2010 release of Clash of the Titans (2010)

Conan the Barbarian

Dir: John Milius (Red Dawn, Flight of the Intruder)
Based on the stories by Robert E. Howard
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Earl Jones, Sandahl Bergman, Mako, Ben Davidson, Max von Sydow
USA, 1982

Revisited: January 26, 2010

Reason to Watch & Review: For the Sword & Sandal Marathon*

Revisiting Conan the Barbarian was such a treat as I have lots of fond memories of it from growing up, but I found myself having to really stop and focus on watching the film because I've seen it so many times that it took effort to really 'see' it. It's strange - I haven't had that happens since I revisited Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, who knew these two films would have anything in common?

This is an epic movie on many levels, from the epic journey of the main character to the fantastic world it is set in with magic and sorcery. One of the things I love most about Conan the Barbarian is that it really plays to it's strengths and doesn't let possible weaknesses gets in the way. It's a great adventure story, which is sets up through narration and follows through with action which visual takes us for a right for the majority of the journey. I'd admit that the dialogue isn't fantastic but it keeps it brief and what we are left either works well or at the very least is pretty amusing. The film also plays the epic card very well with fantastic locations, impressive sets and iconic heroes and villains. The score is powerful and really amps up the charging energy at all the right moments.

Out of the sword & sandal films so far, I'm surprized to say that Conan is the least likable character. Not that I disliked him, but when you sit down and think about it he's not a terrific guy (hence: Barbarian) and this film is primarily based on revenge as opposed to overall good vs evil theme. I almost didn't notice this about his character because it's tempered by Arnold Schwarzenegger charisma which brings a lot to the screen.

A huge bonus to the film is getting to see the character of Valeria, played by Sandahl Bergman, who is a thief by definition but plays out as a warrior. She is the first to jump into action, fearless, resourceful and can fight to boot. It's always welcome to have strong female characters and she is a fantastic one. The fighting overall it pretty awesome combining creativity with straight up skill for impressive and inventive results. It's didn't feel that gory overall although there are some pretty intense moments, I was surprized to see the DVD had an R rating but perhaps that is due to to the nudity and not violence.

Overall it's a great adventure and one that I'm sure to revisit again and again.

Shannon's Overall View:
I loved it
I own it
I'd recommend it as a great adventure/sword & sandals film

Return to Film Reviews

© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Sword & Sandal Marathon is a 13 week marathon exploring sword & sandal films in anticipation of the 2010 release of Clash of the Titans

Avatar Stays Strong in Week 6: Canadian, North American, UK & Australian Box Office January 22, 2010 Weekend

I feel like I'm running out of things to say about Avatar and the box office, although this was the first week when I was at the theatre it wasn't listed as sold out. I wonder how many folks are going back and revisiting it vs first time views. So far it's showing no signs of not being the top pick out there. Legion came in as #2 in Canada and North America, although it didn't open as strong as The Book of Eli. Invictus opens strong in Australia landing at #3 in it's first week, new on the UK charts are Brothers and Un prophète which land at #9 and #10 in their debut week. Un prophète will open here February 19, 2010.

Top 20 Movies in Canada for the January 22, 2010 weekend
1. Avatar
2. Legion *
3. Tooth Fairy *
4. The Book of Eli
5. Sherlock Holmes
6. The Lovely Bones
7. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
8. It's Complicated
9. Extraordinary Measures *
10. The Spy Next Door
11. Up In the Air
12. Leap Year
13. The Metropolitan Opera: Les contes d'Hoffmann
14. The Blind Side
15. Daybreakers
16. Youth in Revolt
17. The Princess and the Frog
18. A Single Man
19. Invictus
20. Nine

Top 20 Movies in North America for the January 22, 2010 weekend
1. Avatar
2. Legion *
3. The Book of Eli
4. Tooth Fairy *
5. The Lovely Bones
6. Sherlock Holmes
7. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
8. Extraordinary Measures *
9. It's Complicated
10. The Spy Next Door
11. The Blind Side
12. Up In the Air
13. Leap Year
14. Daybreakers
15. To Save a Life *
16. Crazy Heart
17. The Princess and the Frog
18. Youth in Revolt
19. The Young Victoria
20. A Single Man

Top 10 Movies in the UK for the January 22, 2010 weekend
1. Avatar
2. Sherlock Holmes
3. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
4. Up in the Air
5. It's Complicated
6. Toy Story 2
7. The Book of Eli
8. Daybreakers
9. Brothers *
10. Un prophète *

Top 20 Movies in Australia for the January 21 - 24 2010 weekend
1. Avatar
2. Tooth Fairy
3. Invictus *
4. It's Complicated
5. Up in the Air
6. Sherlock Holmes
7. Bran Nue Dae
8. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel
9. Nine *
10. The Princess and the Frog
11. Toy Story 1 & 2 in 3D *
12. Old Dogs
13. The Lovely Bones
14. Fantastic Mr. Fox
15. In the Loop *
16. Bright Star
17. Nowhere Boy
18. An Education
19. Did You Hear About the Morgans?
20. Veer *

* indicates opening weekend in noted location

Source: Canada & North America info, UK info, Australia Info

DVD Releases: January 26, 2010

It's Tuesday which means it's DVD Day! Let's have a look at a selection of the films that are being released on DVD today.

There are two titles that are heading straight to my wish list this week as both made my Favourite Films of 2009 list and they are Drew Barrymore's director debut roller derby awesomeness of Whip It and Little Ashes the Salvador Dalí, Federico García Lorca and Luis Buñuel relationship biopic starring Robert Pattinson, Javier Beltrán and Matthew McNulty respectively. Both films are rich in characters who go through compelling journeys and also have awesome music.

Several films that are coming out that I only know little bits about but still am very curious include the festival buzz film Import Export, Canadian film The Timekeeper / L'heure de vérité starring Roy Dupuis, one of two Clive Owen releases of the day The Boys are Back, concert film of the 1974 concert in Zaire Soul Power and documentary Prom Night in Mississippi.

Interesting looking films that got a wider release that are coming to DVD include thriller/romance starring Julia Roberts & Clive Owen Duplicity, acclaimed animated film Mary and Max, romcom Ghost of Girlfriends Past, sci-fi thriller Surrogates and the fourth in the street racing series that welcomes back it's original cast Fast & Furious.

Also out this week is Michael Jackson's This is It, TV show remade for big screen Land of the Lost, book to film adaptation I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell and thriller Last House on the Left.

Titles on Amazon.ca (Canada):


Titles on Amazon.com (US), if available:


The Timekeeper / L'heure de vérité & Mary and Max have no current US release date

Week in Film Vlog: January 25, 2010

Canada's Top Ten 2009: Cairo Time, Passenger Side
Theatrical: High Life, Legion, My Most Anticipated Films of 2010 List, The Warriors
101 in 1001: Eraserhead, Happy Together, Brides of Dracula
Sword & Sandal: Jason in the Argonauts (1963)
Random: Curse of the Werewolf, The Proposal

Before the Dawn: A Twilight Podcast - Episode 36: Daybreakers Discussion

Before the Dawn: A Twilight Podcast - Episode 36 is up!

This week Marina & I's have an all out discussion on the 2010 vampire film Daybreakers starring Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, Sam Neill and Claudia Karvan. It's complete with spoilers so I highly recommend listening to it after you've seen the film.

Before the Dawn: A Twilight Podcast is a weekly 1/2 hour podcast meeting all your audio Twilight needs!

Poll Results: In General, Film Trailers Show Us....

Almost a perfectly even split on the poll results for In General, Film Trailers Show Us.... with a tie of 46% to 46% on the trailers showing us Just Enough to Get Me Interested and Way To Much of the Film. I'm in the way to much boat, but I do see trailers an awful lot these days. Surprizingly 7% answered that they don't watch trailers and no one thinks that they show Not Enough to Tell if I'm Interested in Film.

46% - TIE: Just Enough to Get Me Interested & Way To Much of the Film
7% - I Don't Watch Trailers
0% - Not Enough to Tell if I'm Interested in Film

Thanks for voting!

2010 Own/Unseen Challenge

Last year one of the film challenges I set for myself was to see all the unseen films I had around the house be they borrowed or owned. I'm not usually one for purchasing films unseen but they started to pile up so this seemed like the perfect solution. The challenge completely worked and I made my way through the titles by the end of the year. Ironically, throughout the year I ended up acquiring exactly the same number of titles so now I have another 18 films to get through. If it worked once, I've got faith it will work again. So here comes the 2010 Own/Unseen Challenge.

Challenge Status: Over and Incomplete
Films Seen: 11/19

Airport - seen
Airport '77
Airport 1975
Alexander - seen
Babylon A.D. - seen
Cargo 200
Concorde: Airport '79, The
Darkon - seen
Dracula's Daughter - seen
House of Dracula - seen
Kwaidan
Miss Julie (1999)
Pathfinder - seen
Punisher: War Zone - seen
S. Darko - seen
Son of Dracula - seen
Titan A.E.
Transsiberian
Vinyan - seen

Update at the end of 2010: I sadly only made it though 11 of the 19 titles in my owned/unseen challenge, and I did made a good go of it (albeit it mostly at an end-of-year push), I just couldn't make it through them all. Even though I've continued to accumulated more unseen films throughout the year, doing this challenge really got me thinking strongly about buying films I haven't seen yet. I do plan on working through most of the remaining titles, maybe I'll see them by the end of 2011.

Film Fan Fridays for Friday January 22, 2010

Hello Film Fans and Fanatics!

Welcome to Film Fan Fridays for Friday January 22, 2010! We only made it a few weeks into the year before hitting some snags on odd releases, we have 5 films in regular release and then 2 more that just miss the mark either being short film with a really long title (Petropolis: Aerial Perspectives on the Alberta Tar Sands) or having a really short run with Revanche stopping by The Bloor for 5 days. But on to the regular releases where we have a week is full of history, inspiration and fantasy.

In limited release this week we have just one release with The Last Station, a film that has popped up on the radar primarily for Helen Mirren performance which has been snagging nominations everywhere. The Last Station is a biopic on Russian author Leo Tolstoy, played by Christopher Plummer, also starring James McAvoy, Paul Giamatti and of course Helen Mirren.

In wide release this week we have 4 releases and 2 of those star Paul Bettany! What are the chances? Take your pick of him either as Charles Darwin in Creation alongside Jennifer Connelly in the biopic that was the Gala opener for TIFF in 2009. Or if you prefer a little more rough 'n' tumble there is the apocalypse & angel action flick Legion, which is the first of 2 supernatural action flicks by director Scott Stewart - look for Priest in August 2010 (also starring Paul Bettany). Next up is a slightly different kind fantastical creature with Tooth Fairy starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as hockey player and ... you guessed it a tooth fairy. Last up for the week is the Extraordinary Measures which centres of a families journey to find a cure for a genetic disorder.

We also have 2 films that are neither here nor there when it comes to limited/wide release. Petropolis: Aerial Perspectives on the Alberta Tar Sands a 43 minute Canadian documentary short film plays at The Royal and the Oscar nominated Austrian film Revanche does 5 day run over at The Bloor.

Have a great weekend!

Shannon

Friday January 15, 2010 Releases

Creation
Dir: Jon Amiel (The Core)
Cast: Paul Bettany, Jennifer Connelly, Jeremy Northam
UK
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

Extraordinary Measures
Dir: Tom Vaughan (Starter for 10)
Cast: Brendan Fraser, Harrison Ford, Keri Russell, Meredith Droeger, Diego Velaquez
USA
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

The Last Station
Dir: Michael Hoffman (Restoration, Soapdish)
Cast: Christopher Plummer, Helen Mirren, James McAvoy, Paul Giamatti
Germany/Russia/UK
Limited Release
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

Legion
Dir: Scott Stewart - feature film directorial debut
Cast: Paul Bettany, Dennis Quaid, Adrianne Palicki, Lucas Black, Kevin Durand, Tyrese Gibson
USA
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

Tooth Fairy
Dir: Michael Lembeck (The Santa Clause 2)
Cast: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Ashley Judd, Julie Andrews, Billy Crystal, Seth MacFarlane
USA/Canada
Official Film Site, IMDb Page, Trailer

**please note this list of releases reflects first run film released in Toronto, Ontario, Canada as of January 22, 2010**

BAFTA Nominations in 2010 (films from 2009)

The BAFTA nominees for 2010 Awards have been announced and it looks like it will be an interesting year for these awards. Three film dominate the nominations with 8 nods each: Avatar, An Education and The Hurt Locker. Hot on their heels is District 9 with 7 nominations, and then Inglourious Basterds & Up in the Air each with 6 nominations.

It feels like a year with a fair amount of well deserved recognition so far. Thrilled to see that Duncan Jones (Moon) & Sam Taylor-Wood (Nowhere Boy, Love You More) are two of the nominees for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Production. Also amazing to see that Carey Mulligan was not only nominated for Leading Actress for her performance in An Education but also is in the running for the Orange Rising Star Award. All talented artist to keep you eye on.

There are a few surprizes in what we aren't seeing such as a nomination for Emily Blunt for The Young Victoria, a film that received two nods for Costumes and Make Up & Hair. I really expected Emily Blunt to get a nod here. I was also hoping for Sam Rockwell to get a Leading Actor nomination for his fantastic performance in Moon, but no luck there however the film did receive nominations for Outstanding British Film and Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Production. Also really surprized to see no nomination for Tom Hardy in Bronson as I found that to be one of the strongest performances of the year.

A few of the films haven't hit theatres here in Toronto yet, but they will soon. Mark your calendars for Fish Tank (February 19, 2010), A Prophet (February 26, 2010) and Nowhere Boy (March 26, 2010). For list up more upcoming 2010 releases look here.

The BAFTA's (Orange British Academy Film Awards) will take place on Sunday February 21st 2010. See more info at the BAFTA site.

BEST FILM
Avatar - James Cameron, Jon Landau
An Education - Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey
The Hurt Locker - Nominees TBC
Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire - Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness, Gary Magness
Up In The Air - Ivan Reitman, Jason Reitman, Daniel Dubiecki

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
An Education - Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey, Lone Scherfig, Nick Hornby
Fish Tank - Kees Kasander, Nick Laws, Andrea Arnold
In The Loop - Kevin Loader, Adam Tandy, Armando Iannucci, Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Tony Roche
Moon - Stuart Fenegan, Trudie Styler, Duncan Jones, Nathan Parker
Nowhere Boy - Robert Bernstein, Douglas Rae, Kevin Loader, Sam Taylor-Wood, Matt Greenhalgh

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
Lucy Bailey, Andrew Thompson, Elizabeth Morgan Hemlock, David Pearson - Directors, Producers – Mugabe and the White African
Eran Creevy - Writer/Director – Shifty
Stuart Hazeldine - Writer/Director – Exam
Duncan Jones - Director – Moon
Sam Taylor-Wood - Director – Nowhere Boy

DIRECTOR
Avatar - James Cameron
District 9 - Neill Blomkamp
An Education - Lone Scherfig
The Hurt Locker - Kathryn Bigelow
Inglourious Basterds - Quentin Tarantino

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Hangover - Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
The Hurt Locker - Mark Boal
Inglorious Basterds - Quentin Tarantino
A Serious Man - Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Up - Bob Peterson, Pete Docter

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
District 9 - Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell
An Education - Nick Hornby
In the Loop - Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire - Geoffrey Fletcher
Up in the Air - Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Broken Embraces - Agustín Almodóvar, Pedro Almodóvar
Coco Before Chanel - Carole Scotta, Caroline Benjo, Philippe Carcassonne, Anne Fontaine
Let the Right One In - Carl Molinder, John Nordling, Tomas Alfredson
A Prophet - Pascale Caucheteux, Marco Chergui, Alix Raynaud, Jacques Audiard
The White Ribbon - Stefan Arndt, Veit Heiduschka, Margaret Menegoz, Michael Haneke

ANIMATED FILM
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Up

LEADING ACTOR
Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart
George Clooney - Up in the Air
Colin Firth - A Single Man
Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker
Andy Serkis - Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll

LEADING ACTRESS
Carey Mulligan - An Education
Saoirse Ronan - The Lovely Bones
Gabourey Sidibe - Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia
Audrey Tautou - Coco Before Chanel

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Alec Baldwin - It’s Complicated
Christian McKay - Me and Orson Welles
Alfred Molina - An Education
Stanley Tucci - The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Anne-Marie Duff - Nowhere Boy
Vera Farmiga - Up in the Air
Anna Kendrick - Up in the Air
Mo'Nique - Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Kristin Scott Thomas - Nowhere Boy

MUSIC
Avatar - James Horner
Crazy Heart - T-Bone Burnett, Stephen Bruton
Fantastic Mr. Fox - Alexandre Desplat
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll - Chaz Jankel
Up - Michael Giacchino

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Avatar - Mauro Fiore
District 9 - Trent Opaloch
The Hurt Locker - Barry Ackroyd
Inglourious Basterds - Robert Richardson
The Road - Javier Aguirresarobe

EDITING
Avatar - Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua, James Cameron
District 9 - Julian Clarke
The Hurt Locker - Bob Murawski, Chris Innis
Inglourious Basterds - Sally Menke
Up in the Air - Dana E. Glauberman

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Avatar - Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg, Kim Sinclair
District 9 - Philip Ivey, Guy Poltgieter
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Stuart Craig, Stephenie McMillan
The Imaginarius of Doctor Parnassus - Nominees TBC
Inglorious Basterds - David Wasco, Sandy Reynolds Wasco

COSTUME DESIGN
Bright Star - Janet Patterson
Coco Before Chanel - Catherine Leterrier
An Education - Odile Dicks-Mireaux
A Single Man - Arianne Phillips
The Young Victoria - Sandy Powell

SOUND
Avatar - Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson, Tony Johnson, Addison Teague
District 9 - Brent Burge, Chris Ward, Dave Whitehead, Michael Hedges, Ken Saville
The Hurt Locker - Ray Beckett, Paul N. J. Ottosson, Craig Stauffer
Star Trek - Peter J. Devlin, Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer, Mark Stoeckinger, Ben Burtt
Up - Tom Myers, Michael Silvers, Michael Semanick

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
Avatar - Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham, Andrew R. Jones
District 9 - Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros, Matt Aitken
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - John Richardson, Tim Burke, Tim Alexander, Nicolas Aithadi
The Hurt Locker - Richard Stutsman
Star Trek - Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh, Burt Dalton

MAKE UP & HAIR
Coco Before Chanel - Thi Thanh Tu Nguyen, Jane Milon
An Education - Lizzie Yianni Georgiou
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus - Sarah Monzani
Nine - Peter ‘Swords’ King
The Young Victoria - Jenny Shircore

SHORT ANIMATION
The Happy Duckling - Gili Dolev
Mother of Many - Sally Arthur, Emma Lazenby
The Gruffalo - Michael Rose, Martin Pope, Jakob Schuh, Max Lang

SHORT FILM
14 - Asitha Ameresekere
I Do Air - James Bolton, Martina Amati
Jade - Samm Haillay, Daniel Elliott
Mixtape - Luti Fagbenle, Luke Snellin
Off Season - Jacob Jaffke, Jonathan van Tulleken

ORANGE RISING STAR AWARD
Jesse Eisenberg
Nicholas Hoult
Carey Mulligan
Tahar Rahim
Kristen Stewart

Avatar Stays Strong in Week 5 - Canadian, North American, UK & Australian Box Office January 15, 2010 Weekend

No sign of any film taking over the top from Avatar's success, it stays strong as #1 in it's 5th week and likely will even pick up steam with it's two 2 Golden Globe wins (director, film - drama). The Book of Eli does land the #2 stop on both the Canadian & North American charts, but only hits #6 in the UK. The Spy Next Door debuts in the top ten of the Canadian & North American charts and Up in the Air makes it's UK debut at #5. Australia gets Tooth Fairy before the rest of us and it takes the #2 spot.

Top 20 Movies in Canada for the January 15, 2010 weekend
1. Avatar
2. The Book of Eli *
3. Sherlock Holmes
4. The Lovely Bones
5. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
6. It's Complicated
7. The Spy Next Door *
8. Leap Year
9. Daybreakers
10. Up In the Air
11. Youth in Revolt
12. The Blind Side
13. The Princess and the Frog
14. Nine
15. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
16. The Twilight Saga: New Moon
17. Invictus
18. A Single Man
19. The Girl Who Played With Fire
20. The Young Victoria

Top 20 Movies in North America for the January 15, 2010 weekend
1. Avatar
2. The Book of Eli *
3. The Lovely Bones
4. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
5. Sherlock Holmes
6. The Spy Next Door *
7. It's Complicated
8. Leap Year
9. The Blind Side
10. Up In the Air
11. Daybreakers
12. Youth in Revolt
13. The Princess and the Frog
14. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
15. The Young Victoria
16. The Twilight Saga: New Moon
17. A Single Man
18. Invictus
19. Crazy Heart
20. Nine

Top 10 Movies in the UK for the January 15, 2010 weekend
1. Avatar
2. Sherlock Holmes
3. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
4. It's Complicated
5. Up in the Air *
6. The Book of Eli *
7. Daybreakers
8. The Road
9. Did You Hear About the Morgans?
10. St Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold

Top 20 Movies in Australia for the January 14 - 17 2010 weekend
1. Avatar
2. Tooth Fairy *
3. It's Complicated
4. Sherlock Holmes
5. Up in the Air *
6. Bran Nue Dae *
7. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel
8. The Princess and the Frog
9. Old Dogs
10. The Lovely Bones
11. Fantastic Mr. Fox
12. Did You Hear About the Morgans?
13. Bright Star
14. The Twilight Saga: New Moon
15. Nowhere Boy
16. Broken Embraces
17. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
18. 3 Idiots
19. Dinosaurs Alive 3D
20. Chance Pe Dance *

* indicates opening weekend in noted location

Source: Canada & North America info, UK info, Australia Info

Jason and the Argonauts (1963)

Dir: Don Chaffey (One Million Years B.C., The Viking Queen)
Cast: Todd Armstrong, Nancy Kovack, Gary Raymond, Niall MacGinnis, Laurence Naismith, Honor Blackman, Nigel Green, Douglas Wilmer
UK/USA, 1963

Seen: January 17, 2010 on VHS

Reason to Watch & Review: For the Sword & Sandal Marathon*

This is the first film of the marathon that is a first time viewing, which was quite a treat. I had a very general idea of what I might be in for so I settled in with my popcorn to be taken away to into the land of myth and who knows what else!

Although made roughly 20 years apart, Jason and the Argonauts (1963) has strong similarities to Clash of the Titans (1981), as we follow the heroic journey of a man whom is faced with a situation to fix through no wrong doing of his own. Jason and the Argonauts follows Jason who is working towards righting the wrong of his usurped kingdom, while being watched by the Gods. The film has a great cast of characters that come along for the adventure, but I really felt the heart of the story was the character of Jason. One of the most interesting characteristics about Jason is that he doesn't complain about the cards he's been dealt, nor expect any special treatment. He will certainly use the tools that are available, but does so with intelligence and grace. He uses innovation to deal with the tasks at hand and has the ability to draws people through keying into their personal motivation along with chance to be a part of something great. Both of these are powerful tool and great reminder that there is more than one solution to any one problem or scenario.

Aside from the characters, an epic journey always needs obstacles to overcome and when dealing with myths you can be sure the obstacles will be formidable. This is, of course, where the special effects come into play and even though I hadn't seen this film before several of the scenes with special effects where familiar, so I guess I've watched a few programs that showcased Ray Harryhausen's work. Although some of the blue screened effects don't fair too well over time, they still conveyed a sense of grand scale and vast challenges. I did however really enjoy the effects that were stop motion a great deal, and I'm sure if I had seen this film as a kid they would have scared me to bits!

The film is a great weekend afternoon type watch, and it's amazing that I found it can evoke a sense of nostalgia even though I hadn't seen it before. I really enjoyed the characters, their choices, the journey and the questions it brings to the surface. It's a great blend of fun adventure with lessons learned. A real treat.

So far the two veins of the Sword & Sandal films I've explored are Greek mythology and gladiator stories. It's interesting to note that both have the common trait of one group of characters watching another complete or compete in tasks where they stakes are stacked against them - but the viewers have little care for the players, only for the battle. This feels like it puts the view in a rather odd position - watching people watch these adventures for their own entertainment, when we ourselves are doing the same.

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it
Ill watch it again
I'd recommend it as fun, nostalgic adventure film

Return to Film Reviews

© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Sword & Sandal Marathon is a 13 week marathon exploring sword & sandal films in anticipation of the 2010 release of Clash of the Titans