Cars

Once again, Disney and Pixar have come up with the winning formula.

Cars is a magical animated film that will delight children and adults alike.

Its full of humour and pathos and truth. Its an instant classic that will be around for generations to come.

Cars tells the story of Lightning McQueen, an outgoing red racing car who is challenging for the Championship in his rookie season. McQueen and two rivals, had finished in a virtual tie during the last race of the season, so was travelling across the country to participate in the Piston Cup Championship where only the three finalists would compete.

En route, McQueen winds up in police custody in the sleepy town of Radiator Springs and is forced to repair the towns main street, which he had destroyed on his way through town.

While doing his community service, McQueen gets to know the towns offbeat characters, including Doc Hudson, the 1951 Hudson Hornet with a hazy past, Mater, the rusty tow truck driver who is just a kid at heart, and falls for Sally Carrera, a sexy 2002 Porsche.

All of the characters of Radiator Springs are somewhat unusual, but all are loveable. Each one adds a different dimension to the make-up of the town.

McQueen and Sally carry on a careful, but budding romance, as McQueen works off his debt to the town.

The humour in this film is absolutely delightful and will tickle everyones funny bone, no matter the age.

Cars is a feast for the eyes and the ears. The animation is superb and the musical score is terrific, as a mix of old and new songs drive the story along.

This is a film that everyone should see.

Starring the Voices of: Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, Cheech Marin, Tony Shalhoub, Guido Quaroni, Jenifer Lewis, Paul Dooly, Michael Wallis, George Carlin, Katherine Helmond, John Ratzenberger, Michael Keaton, Richard Petty, Jeremy Piven, Bob Costar, Michael Schumacher, Jay Leno, Mario Andretti. With the additional voices of: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Dave Foley.

A Prairie Home Companion

Its laid back, its slow moving, its corny, but it is funny and true to life.

Robert Altman is known for his unusual directing style and he uses it once again in this little fable about a radio show that has remained on the air for decades but has finally hit the last roundup, falling victim to a large modern corporation.

In some ways, A Prairie Home Companion, mixes fact and fiction. There really is such a radio show that has broadcast over American Public Radio for over 25 years. But the real show is still on the air.

Garrison Keillor, the real show host, plays the same role in the film, giving us a taste of the droll, self-effacing style that has kept the show on the air waves for so long.

Altman and Keillor brought in an ensemble cast that just sparkles throughout. Not all them can sing or play instruments, but they do a magnificent job despite that.

Woody Harrelson and John C. Reilly play Dusty and Lefty, two singing cowboys who specialize in off-colour material.

Garrison Keillor is the glue that keeps the entire production together. His folksy stories and down home commercials, as well as his old time singing style mesh perfectly with the mid-western life style he seems to represent.

A Prairie Home Companion wont be for everyone. But if you like music and corny jokes, and a slice of life, be sure to catch it while you can. Ive seen it twice already and am ready to go back again.

Starring: Garrison Keillor, Kevin Kline, Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, Woody Harrelson, John C. Reilly, Lindsay Lohan, Virginia Madsen, Tommy Lee Jones, L.Q. Jones.

Recent DVDs

The Festival Collection: Canada

Mongrel Media released eight Canadian movies on DVD in celebration of Canada Day. In partnership with Blockbuster, which will have exclusivity on this collection, Mongrel is trying to raise the profile of Canadian films with this selection of brand new award winning and critically acclaimed films.

Included in this collection is Eve & The Fire Horse, a beautiful little film about two young girls growing up in a traditional Chinese immigrant family in Vancouver. Eve is 9 years old and her sister is 11, as they try to make room in their world for both Confucius and Jesus.

Lucid tells the story of John Rothman, who has difficulty sleeping. His marriage has broken up and he is stressed out trying to raise his young daughter. He is in danger of losing his job as a psychologist and life has become very difficult. Or has it?

Niagara Motel focuses on a low rent motel in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Kevin Pollack plays a sleezy low-life trying to convince a young waitress to star in a cheap porno film, and all the guests at the hotel have problems galore.

The End of Silence is director Anita Dorons first feature length film and music sensation Sarah Harmers acting debut. This beautifully shot drama about a dancer and her boyfriend is a terrific example of Canadian cinema at its best.

Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic

Edgy, politically incorrect, offensive, but sometimes very funny.

These are the comments that have greeted this film by stand-up comic Sarah Silverman.

When you watch this film you sometimes cant believe that someone with such a pretty mouth could utter such outrageous comments. But she does. And this is a film that is only for the strong of heart and generous of spirit.

It will disgust many and delight others.

Aquamarine

A comedy for young teenage girls. Two best friends find a mermaid looking to escape her controlling father, who wants to marry her off to a man she doesnt like. The girls makes friends with the mermaid and try to set her up with the local hunky life-guard, in the hope that the mermaid will grant them their wish to remain together. One of the girls is about to move to Australia.

Starring: Sara Paxton, Emma Roberts, Joanna JoJo Levesque

The Boys of Baraka

Documentary about a group of boys who leave their ghetto homes to enroll in a school in Africa. The school offers them an opportunity to break out of the vicious cycle of poverty and violence that threatens to envelope them at home.