The Wild Ride

Sad to say Jack Nicholson shows no signs of his future greatness in this 1960 knock-off of REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE. Clocking in at just over an hour I have to presume this baby was made to run the drive-in circuit along with other films just as bad. Some neat faux Beatnik dialogue is of interest and NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST's Georginna Carter shows up for this horrible ride as well. While certainly of interest to die hard Nicholson fans I would still suggest you leave this sucker in the dollar bin should you come across it.

The Final Cut

Robin Williams used this odd science fiction vehicle to end his "dark period" trilogy and it will no doubt leave most viewers with mixed feelings. I quite thought this offering from writer/director Omar Naim was extremely interesting and I'm sadly perplexed as to why it never did better at the box office. The story revolves around Williams who is what is known as a cutter, which is the final editor of one's memory footage from birth to death stored in an organic chip. Haunted by a childhood memory of his own, he is disconnected from the societal norms and lives a cold an unfulfilled life. This is all I wish to tell you. With shades of Phillip K. Dick, the story does have some major holes in it but these can be overlooked because of Williams cold and resteained performance in this eerie and disturbing picture. Mira Sorvino is her usual lovely self and play a pivotal role here as does Thom Bishops and James Caviezel. Stephanie Romanov, who we all know and love from ANGEL has a small bit part here which is a shame because as much as I love Sorvino I truly thought Romanov would have been better in the lead. Keep your eyes open for this one on SPACE or the SCI-FI channel as no doubt it will be in rotation soon.

Smart Kitchen Tip #11

Never throw lettuce leaves or ice cubes in a deep fryer

Of Human Bondage

This 1934 adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham's classic 1915 novel still stands out as the best. With Leslie Howard as the clubfooted disillusioned Philip Carey countered by Bette Davis as the gutterly Mildred Rogers, OF HUMAN BONDAGE stands out not only for it screen content at the time but for many unique shots and blockings provided by legendary director John Cromwell. While slightly overdramatic at times even by todays standards, Davis as Rogers still will send your Spidey senses a tingling...shamed to say I've know far too many women like this leading lady! In any case, keep your eyes posted for this gem in the late night movie section of your telecaster.

Roller Boogie

It would be easy for me to simply trash this as the garbage it on the surface it appears to be. Simplistic plot with Linda Blair as a spoiled rich girl slumming it on the boardwalks of Venice Beach, California falls in roller skate love with Olympian wanna be. There, not that we have the "story" out of the way here is why ROLLER BOOGIE actually is of use.....it is a perfect time capsule displaying the nonsense of speedos and hard bods of 1979 and though the men's style is as dated as a model T Ford the women look as if they just walked off of the set of a modern day porno shoot. Must be something in the water down there in Venice! As for poor Linda Blair....what can I say...she doesn;t seem to be able to act her way out of her spandex tights here but she has such a beautiful smile and looks to be having so much fun it is simply infectious. Real life roller skating champion Jim Bray is no better in the acting department but appears to give it his all and this is a part of where the charm in ROLLER BOOGIE is...unlike a simple dance film, the roller skating skills, no matter how silly you think it is, are something to behold. A good little walk down memory lane for anybody unfortunate enough to remember this craze and look for cult fave M.G. Kelly as the DJ!

Happy Hell Night

I say shit damn but this be one bloody awful piece of work. I huess you know you're in trouble when the director's only big credit prior to this was a one epsiode stint on MR. ROGER'S NEIGHBORHOOD and though he would follow HAPPY HELL NIGHT with the equally bad BRAINSCAN it is with great pleasure there has been no more work from director Brian Owens and let's hope there won't be! Sad thing is, he had Darren McGavin towards the end of his career and a young Jorja Fox at the beginning of hers. Granted it is an uncredited role for her but she does have a nice death scene even if the special effects are horrid. Also of note is the early work of Sam Rockwell who went on to a very illustrious future and we will see him in the upcoming screen version of CHUCK PALAHNIUK's CHOKE. There is one interesting scene where a marble Jesus comes to life on the cross and it was executed so well it sticks out like a sore spear and the scenes in which we see Charles Cragin (who I'm not sure was in make-up!) as Malius are good for a few cheap pops. All in all, best to leave this little number in the delete bin where it belongs.

Richard III

There is no need for me to say much on this one. The classic play about power and madness is updated to a mythical 1930's England with the magnificent Ian McKellen portraying the said power hungry madman of the title. Echoing the Nazi regime of the period, this all-star presentation is one of the few times I feel shifting Shakespeare's time frames actually works. McKellen who also doctored the play for the screen is once again stunning to watch, this is no surprise whatsoever, you could put him in a SIMPSON's cartoon (wait...has he done one already???) and I'll be in awe.....what is amazing is Annette Bening as Queen Elizabeth....not sure why but seeing her in such a role wasa shock for me. Pay special attention to the end, Ian is at his wry finest there!

Sahara

There was a twenty five year hiatus for Clive Cussler's main man Dirk Pitt and for the life of me I have no idea why. The character of Pitt was made for the big screen harkening back to the adventure heroes of old. Oh, it certainly helps that he is the ficticious alter-ego of Cussler himself much in the vein of Fleming and Deighton. Sadly I must confess to avoiding this film as I was unhappy with Matthew McConaughey cast as Pitt but much as Daniel Craig walked away owning the James Bond role, McConaughey from the first scene stands tall as a perfect fit for Pitt. He provides the charm, wit and brawn mixed with supreme confidence which has made Dirk Pitt a multi-million book seller for Cussler and if the word istrue Clive was unhappy with this film, then like I mentioned before I have no idea why. Is the film believable? No, but who the hell cares....it's a action adventure...leave your brain at the popcorn stand and enjoy the ride. Oh, and along for said ride is Penelope Cruz, she of the most amazing philtrum in the known universe, as well as Steve Zahn who is perfect as the comic relief giving buddy here. With support from Delroy Lindo and William H. Macy I've often heard complaints about SAHARA mainly concerning how underused the fine secondary cast was.....to this I say bollocks! This is the DIRK PITT show, we didn't come here to see the leading lady wax the light philosophic...we came to see her scream, need saving and look mighty damn hot while she does it and Cruz to her credit seems to get it. The secondary characters, thereto back Pitt up and keep the story moving along....nothing more. This was one hell of an ambitious project for director Breck Eisner and if he brings the same style to the upcoming CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON remake we should all be in for a special treat. See, what makes SAHARA so special is it is a film for the whole family. Sure, there is plenty of gun play and a bit of mild violence but overall this baby is a clean as a whistle making it a rarity in today's market. I can only hope it won't take another twenty five years for Dirk Pitt to grace the silver screen.

The Horse Whisperer

Novelist Nicholas Evans smashed a homer out of the park with this baby and sadly he tried to capture the proverbial loaded bat in a bottle with a couple of similar follow ups with less than desirable results. We'll forgive him for this because THE HORSE WHISPERER is just that damn good and it's a mighty odd thing when a film maker comes along and manages to make a better movie than the book itself. Robert Redford does just that. I had the pleasure (?!?!?!?!) of seeing this at one of the MOVIES FOR MOMS afternoons and let me tell you if I were to visit the WAILING WALL itself I don't think I'd hear as much crying.....so yes..let's get this out of the way...it is a chick flick with a capital C.....and yet it is so much more than this. It is a film about healing and to this day I'm not sure if Evans was telling the story for it's own sake or if he was using the relationship between horse and whisperer as a metaphor of the interactions between divorcing couples. It doesn't really matter....the film is about healing plain and simple. The fact Redford was able to direct and star here is a testament to his skill and the performance a young Scarlett Johansson turns in is truly breath-taking. Kristin Scott Thomas does some fine work and has one brilliant scene in particular with Dianne Wiest. Chris Cooper and Sam Neill are along for the ride as is Kate Bosworth all be it too briefly....and yes that is country music star Allison Moorer singing in the barn dance sequence. SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER......Also of note is the early scene where the horse gets hit by the transport truck. I've seen a hell of a lot of horror films in my years and I've never seen anything as disturbing as this one. That aside, this is one hell of a serious film and it only goes on to cement Robert Redford as one of the greatest talents of our time.

The Story of Bridget

I've pointed out recently my support for a group called TINY PAWS DOG RESCUE CANADA and I want to bring to your attention a story unfolding on their website right now. It concerns the story of an 11 year old dog who was thrown off of a bridge just outside Winnipeg. The dog is recovering fine, what makes this of import is the back story surrounding it and I sincerely hope you will visit their site to read the story for yourself.

www.tpdr.ca

Human cruelty is no mystery to me, never has and I doubt it ever will be...however...for this scenario to have occured just boggles my mind.

The Field

Irish director Jim Sheridan has some mighty fine films under his belt but for my money none compare to masterpiece about the people about those who survived the great famine. Adapted from the famous John B. Keane play, THE FIELD provides an avenue for the amazing Richard Harris to show why he was considered one of the greatest actors ever to grace the screen. Shakespearian in it's delivery on all accounts, THE FIELD is by no means a pleasant story and though set in the past, like any great tale it rings a bell of clarity quite applicable to today's world. Harris garnered his second Oscar nomination for his work here and I must say I've always been happy he was cast as Dumbledore in the early HARRY POTTER films as it may provide the impetus for another generation to take a closer look at his work in the future. John Hurt as the Bird to Harris' Bull is as captivating as always and Sean Bean more than holds his own along side these two masters. My only complaint would sadly rest with Sheridan's casting of "the Yank". Tom Berenger sticks out like a sore thumb here, which may very well be the point as the character demands it but there is something about his look which makes him not fit at all. Malachy McCourt makes his screen debut and look for Brendan Gleeson and Sean McGinley in his second role on the big screen. With superb visuals and excellent pacing make sure to take a second look at the scene with Bull and the mirror towards the end. You will be hard pressed to find a better performance from Harris in any of his other work and that my friend is seriously saying something.

Huang tu di (Yellow Earth)

This 1984 gem about a communist soldier sent to a remote rural community in China to compile local folk songs is a film you will not shake easily. Haunting in both it's vision and sound HUANG TU DI was a success in art houses throughout the world. Rich in metaphor and presented in a lusciously stark fashion it manages to show both the beauty and the hardships of the desperate poor and though it seems to be on the surface a simple film attacking the effectiveness of communism I honestly feel it was more of a statement on the great despair of life in general. Directed and adapted by Kaige Chen who also gave us FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE make sure to watch this one whilst headache or hangover free as the Chinese style of singing, while beautiful at times, can be mighty hard on the ears.

David Bowie: A Reality Tour

There are a few Bowie concert DVD's floating around out there but none will satisfy you more than A REALITY TOUR. One of his best stage presentations in years, A REALITY TOUR offer all of the old hits and faves as well as the best of his modern work up to EATHLING. Shot in Dublin, Ireland, director Marcus Viner does a fone job translating the live experience to the small screen making this one you should certainly treat yourself to!

The Sixth Sense

Well, we all know here what I think of Shyamalan's work and as much as I like to rail on about THE SIXTH SENSE. It's a fine viewing for anybody who knows nothing about horror films and we'll leave it at that. Bruce Willis is great as always and Haley Joel Osment was well deserving of his Oscar nod and that's all I'm going to say about it.

Blind Fury

An odd offering from the often dependable director Phillip Noyce, this Rutger Hauer vehicles suffers from some serious uneveness. Mind you, it does have some funny moments and in the hands of another film maker this baby would have fallen flat on it's face. Hauer as always is totally watchable and there is some fine support from Meg Foster (who sadly they kill off way too early) and Terry O'Quinn when he still had some hair left on his head. Adequate fight scenes with a nice car chase, this is by no means a must-see but a fine slice for a Saturday morn view.

Sidewalk Rage II

It has become a daunting task indeed......this art of simply walking from point A to B. You've all heard me complain about people going out of their bloody way to walk in to me...this is old news. My new complaint has to do with my vision quest. It is spring here in Toronto and the ladies are out in full force....but can I get a look at 'em? Not bloody likely! It seems every time I try to check some babe out up ahead....some ugly fucker has to go and block my view. Try it yourself...trust me...it's true! I mean, Jessica Alba could be right up there in front of you and the second you try to cop a peek I swear Rossie O'Donnell will float like a fucking Goodyear blimp out of bleedin' nowhere and blot out the scene like a wayward thunder cloud. Flamethrower anyone?

Artificial Intelligence: AI

Stanley Kubrick worked on this project, inspired by the Brian Aldiss short story, in the final eight or nine years before his death, finally handing off his notes and designs to Steven Spielberg, who, upon release of the film was treated worse than some of the robots he featured. I can't be bothered going in to the fine points of if it is a good film or not.....yes...it has some problems but you'll either like it or you won't! I loved it and on my recent viewing, which I suspect is my 30th or so, I loved it even more. I'm sure I read SUPERTOYS LAST ALL SUMMER LONG when I was a youngen as I went through a serious Aldiss phase but I don't seem to recall him going so heavy on the Pinocchio parallel, it doesn't really matter, here it works. Haley Joel Osment puts in another stunning performance to add to his resume and Jude Law is just bloody awesome. Hell, even William Hurt brings an emotion or so to the table.......but who I really want to talk about is the great voice actor Jack Angel who gives life to Teddy. Under normal circumstances I would simply loathe a character such as Teddy but he plays such a pivotal role in the story and utilized so properly there is no way I cannot like him. Also of note is the band at the FLESH FAIR, those would be my boys MINISTRY who were actually chosen by Kubrick who heard their work on set whilst shooting EYES WIDE SHUT. Well worth the three hours you will need to invest to watch this one but please, let me warn you first....you will want to watch it again.

Also let me warn you...if women and children are watching it with you......you'll need a bloody case, not a box, of Kleenex

and does anybody know if the rumour of Aldiss helping Kubrick and Clarke out with 2001 is true?

Five Days in September: The Rebirth of an Orchestra

The only problem I have with this superb documentary from Barbara Willis Sweete is the subtitle itself. Why is called a rebirth when the Toronto Symphony Orchestra never died? Oh sure, David came on in a temporary role to replace Saraste on his departure but this to be hardly qualifies a call to morge. In any case, this examination of Peter Oundjian is a highly entertaining (honestly) look at just what goes in to launching a new music director in a major city and say what you will the TSO are a world class orchestra even if they are not in a world class city in the truest sense. With performances from musical cross-overs Emanuel Ax (who steals the show with his humble nature in a heartbeat), Yo-Yo Ma and the fabulous Rene Fleming this doc provides ample meat for the music lover, yet, it's soul and magic comes from Oundjian who is one of the most dynamic and personable Maestros ever to grace our home stage. Under the direction of Sweete, who has plenty of experience shooting this sort of thing, the end result is a study not to be missed.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera

I'm not even going to bother tearing a strip off of this one for fear of pissing off a legion of female fans world wide...especially as I couldn't sit through the stage version even WITH Paul Stanley in the lead. I will say this however...it wouldn't have been a bad film (at least I think not as I bloody well couldn't finish it either and I watch EVERYTHING!) if they got rid of Andrew Lloyd Webber's music and I'm sure as bloody hell glad Daniel Craig is the new James Bond and not Gerard Butler. Man, I would have loved to have seen old Sean Connery play the damn Phantom in this, he would've straightened both Webber and Schumacher right the hell out..."I schay Mr. Andy...your mushic right royally schucks here"

Ghost Ship

Well, the critics sure sunk this baby when it came out and it's a shame because it not all that bad. Director Steve Beck who also gave us THIR13EN GHOSTS but is perhaps better known for his visual effects works never lets a good story get in the way of a good shot, so it is understandable why GHOST SHIP is thin on plot but large on atmosphere. So be it, the opening scene is one of the best you will see and though slow in the middle this one brings the thrills and chills in ample quantity making it a fine little side dish to an evenings viewing.....try mixing it with THE FOG and OPEN WATER and if nothing else you have the charasmatic Desmond Harrington and Julianna Margulies working along side Gabriel Byrne. True to form, the poor black guy Isaiah Washington has to get killed off by a ghostie he's trying to hook up with, a role I thought better suited for Karl Urban, but hell, the flick is full of cliches so why stop at having the brother try to bang the ghost.

Beauty Shop

This Queen Latifah vehicle really needs no blurb, you either like her or you don't...end of story. This is not one of her stronger showcases but it delivers the vibe many have come to know and love. What is worth mentioning is Kevin Bacon turning in a snot faced performance as a flaming poof hair salon owner...bloody priceless and just makes me love him even more than I already did!

TINY PAWS DOG RESCUE CANADA

I just wanted to take a moment and make you aware of a charity I whole heartedly support. Please take a moment to visit http://www.tpdr.ca/ to see what they are all about. Perhaps you might be interested in attending the Chistmas in Fall fundraiser?

Hitch

I'm not a big fan of dance in film but I'm always willing to make an exception when Andy Tennant is in the director's seat. HITCH is a simple romantic comedy about a "date doctor" who meets his match and this is really all you need to know about it. It works, it's funny, touching and all the things these type of films are supposed to be. What makes it special is the ability for lead Will Smith to get out of the way as it were and let his supporting cast have their well justified moments in the spotlight......this case being the very talented Kevin James who puts in a killer turn as the shy and bumbling Albert who enlists the services of Hitch to woo the woman of his dreams. Eva Mendes, Amber Valletta and Julie Ann Emery are great in each of their respective roles but the real magic is all Tennant's.....he simply has this wonderful ability to take an ordinary script and breathe life in to the thing which elevates the whole thing. Legendary ball player Dave Winfield is supposed to have a cameo in there somewhere but for the life of me I missed it...if sombody spots him please let me know.

Chosen

In this 2005 short we have what looks like a Blue Man Group member who's strayed from drumming and gone in to the machete hacking business...oh...and there is some business about urban ninjas.

Abre los ojos (Open Your Eyes)

Much has been written on this masterwork from Chilean director Alejandro Amenabar and righfully so! While most only know the Cameron Crowe's literal remake VANILLA SKY the original from Spain demands a serious look. While the two versions are almost identicle, right down to both having Penelope Cruz as leading actress, Amenabar's take delivers more mind-fucks for the buck. This may have a lot to do with it being subtitled and Europe shot but I find the way he blocks a shot to be more stimulating to the eye than Crowes style. A serious pervert alert here has the lovely Cruz in one smoking nudie scene as well as turning in a fine performance all around.

Solaris

One can only hope history will be kinder to this Steven Soderbergh remake than the critics and film going public were. A supremely fine rendition of the Stanislaw Lem novel SOLYARIS this is not a film for those in search of whizz-bang shenanigans and bug eyed slime creatures. No, in reality SOLARIS is a love story about loss and regret disguised as a science fiction movie. Yes, there are some space ships and a nubula like thingy which is never truly explained...these are of no real import. What is under the microscope here is the human condition and this may be Soderbergh's finest hour. George Clooney is superb in the leading role as a disturbed psychologist who is sent to the research station observing Solaris to figure out what the hell is wrong with everybody. What he finds is a dead wife and a crew of certified whack jobs. Visually stunning with wonderful use of music and sound this vehicle may bore the living hell out of most but if you are looking for a thinking person's evening of entertainment SOLARIS will not fail you. If nothing else it's worth watching just to look at Natascha McElhone who is perfectly cast here.

The Mothman Prophecies

Richard Hatem does a bang-up job adapting a portion of John A Keel's legendary book detailing the events that took place between November 1966 and December 1967 in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Rather than detailing the UFO, Men in Black, cryptozoology hodge podge of Keel's account, Hatem picks the real nice and tasty bits and delivers a tightly crafted creep fest for veteran music video director Mark Pellington to work with. I'll leave the spooks for you to find on your own but I will mention if you do not have a home theatre system you may want to watch this baby with somebody who does. I say the because because the sound engineering is stunning and deserves to be appreciated to the fullest. Richard Gere turns in a fine performance in the lead with outstanding support from Laura Linney and Will Patton and look for director Pellington as a bar keep and also listen for him as he voices Indrid Cold A.K.A The Mothman. Solid in pacing and style and packing a wollop of a conclusion THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES is not a film you will forget quickly if ever!

Spider-Man III

Remember ISHTAR....SPIDER-MAN III is the new one!

Ocean's Twelve

Danny Ocean and his crew return to cause trouble in this fine follow up to Steven Soderbergh's 2004 remake and once again the chemistry works just fine. It's always great to see a superstar ensenble put their respective egos to the side and bang out a nice little yarn. As always, I don't wish to go in to the story as I prefer to let you enjoy it for yourself....I will let you know everybody is back with a few nice little add-ons. Bruce Willis has a riotous cameo as himself and the great Albert Finney lends his presence to a key character. Not quite as tight as the first one (remake, not the original) but still a fine little view on a rainy cold night.

The Village

I avoid M. Night Shyamalan's (or Shama lama ding dong as a director friend of mine who shall not be named here calls him) movies like the plague and when the critics, who have long pampered and darlinged this tit head, shred one of his films chances are it iwll remain on my unseen list. Forever! On the other hand, when a lady lays a screener on me I'm not gonna let fly with just how much I hate this guy, I'll simply accept the gift, put it in one of the festering piles of "to be watched" littering my pad and think no more of it. Well, today was the day , THE VILLAGE came up in the pile and had to be watched and what a bloody pleasant surprise. He left Richard Mattheson alone and came up with something of his own for a change and the results are quite striking. With fine performances from Joaquin Phoenix, Sigourney Weaver, William Hurt, Adrien Brody, Brendan Gleeson and Bryce Dallas Howard (who we'll be seeing as Gwen Stacy in SPIDER-MAN 3 later this week) THE VILLAGE delivers a strong broody feel with some absolutley amazing cinematography. With a tight script and a mighty fine ending for a change, I'm at a total loss as to why this film was slammed so hard. Sure, it has the Hammer feel to it, and this is not a bad thing, and there are serious WICKER MAN elements to it but not enough so as to be plageristic. So, I'll give credit where credit is due, the bugger, no matter what I think about him, really pulls the rabbit out of the hat with this one making THE VILLAGE worth a most definate looksy!

Living Dead Live Part Two-More Gore in 2004

Like many things I blurb here in my blog LIVING DEAD LIVE is for a very select market at best. While haunts are a big thing in the States they have yet to properly catch on with the same enthusiasm here in Canada. Other than your midway spook-houses and the Screamers events, very little can be found in this "live" genre across or beloved country. It is for this reason I'm quite fond of watching self proclaimed "horrormaster" Rich Hanf show off his goods. I've never had the pleasure of visiting a lot of the U.S. haunts so I really don;t know if Hanf is the best or not, doesn't really matter if he is...his carny barker style is perfect for hosting this "how-to" DVD and while his instructions may be useful to those trying to break in to this lucrative seasonal business...I just simply enjoyed watching him scare the shit out of tons of kiddies. Not sure who was doing the video work for him but as the camera man is following groups of crying and screaming kids through this house of horror, he can't help laughing himself senseless, hence I found my self pissing my pants right along with him. In a bonus feature on the disc Hanf delivers some serious goods in MONSTEROUS MONEY MAKERS and besides being quite entertaining he offers what sounds to me to be some damn seriously good advice. No doubt you'd have to track it down on eBay or something but if this is your cup of gruel it's well worth the price of admission.

Armageddon

Director Michael Bay has been repeatedly raked over the proverbial coals for this all-star ensemble piece and for good damn reason....it sucks. It stinks of propaganda so much I often wonder if the U.S. government didn;t bank-roll the sucker. That being said, there are a lot of things to enjoy in this film if you leave your I.Q. at the popcorn stand......mainly Liv Tyler. I could watch a movie about her eating breakfast and I'd be entertained. Bruce Willis frowns a lot, Ben Affleck looks all serious and Steve Buscemi sings. Oh, there are lots of other people there to look at as well but you can find them for yourself. Seeing as J.J. Abrams was brought in to doctor the script I suppose we should just be thankful the damn film has an ending! Look for a wonderful cameo from real life shuttle astronaut Shannon Lucid who, if we were faced with the meteor problem today for real, would no doubt be up there doing the job, again, for real!

The Paper

Another fine offering from director Ron Howard, THE PAPER provides a wonderful slice of life view in to a modern day newsroom. With Michael Keaton giving one of the best performances of his life the story revolves around the wrongful arrest of two kids in a mob related execution. Robert Duvall delivers some of the best lines of his life here and look for a nice cameo from pre-CSI Gary Dourdan. Also of note is the late Spalding Grey's work as a rival newspaper editor. Fine late night television viewing.

Come On Down-Searching for the American Dream

The super of my building threw this DVD me which I found useful as it explained why there was a Cadillac painted like a Canadian flag out in the back parking lot. It belongs to film maker Adamm Liley who set out across America in said car in search of the great American dream and documenting his experiences along the way. This short gained some notoriety for having one of the last interviews with Hunter S. Thompson in it, and rightly so but it should be mentioned there is a hell of a lot more going on here than just that. What we have is an odd look at America through the eyes of one Canadian and what Liley chooses to feature here will be of great interest to viewers both sides of the border. One of the more striking elements is how Canadians view guns and this is a constant theme throughout. I don't wish to give away too much here as it will ruin your experience with this baby so I will keep it short...find the DVD or keep your eyes posted for it on TV though I have no idea who's running it......either way...make sure you don't miss it!