Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Solidrariol Am I Missing Something?

SteinMo What a freaking movie. So many twists and turns. Absolutely intense from start to finish.

Kaydan Christian A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

EilisNiGhliasain Would you like to watch a "whimsical" - to quote Roger Ebert - film shot in Newfoundland where the scenery is a good part of the whimsy? Then "Rare Birds" is your box of chocolates. It stars gorgeous Molly Parker as Alice and a not quite so hot but still handsome William Hurt as Dave. The chemistry between these actors is your "valentine" and Andy Jones as Phonse is your comedy. He is brilliant as a loyal but scheming best friend to Dave. Every scene - excluding the ones with Phonse's "recreational submarine? - is charming. Who wouldn't want a buddy like him to add spice to life?Actor Andy Jones is well known in Canada. It's no wonder why.Another Canadian charmer in the film is Molly Parker. Ms Parker's Alice is an intelligently sexy complement to William Hurt's Dave. And because of this, Dave falls in love pretty well right after he fleetingly looks at and greets Alice at a dinner party.Despite Mr. Hurt as a headliner - and it is well-deserved - this is a quintessentially Canadian film. Éilís knows many Newfoundlanders might want her to write "Newfoundland" instead of "Canadian" film. But western Canadians like herself have grandparents from the province. And they have been enjoying the Newfie comedic talent on Canada's screens since the dawn of television.

rooprect This is a charming film without any car chases, gunfights, gratuitous sex or cgi superheroes. Instead you get a lot of moody comedy, wacky characters, gorgeous coastal Canadian scenery and plenty of accents to go with.But as with many great Canadian comedies (such as New Waterford Girl, set in the same area) you need to familiarize yourself with some Canadian stereotypes & inside jokes. First of all, you have to understand that the entire east coast of Canada exists in a mind-numbed state of boredom. Nothing happens. Ever. So any film that has a submarine & an extinct duck is already a heart-pounding thriller.That brings me to Canadian stereotype #2: Canadians are obsessed with waterfowl. It doesn't help that the national currency--upon which most other countries proudly display the image of their greatest leaders--in Canada has a picture of a duck.Canadian stereotype #3: The police (RCP) are totally useless, unless you need someone to jump start your engine. With this in mind, you might find the ending of the movie extra hilarious.Canadian stereotype #4: Canadians are hyper-paranoid anxiety attacks waiting to happen. Canadians are convinced that every phone is bugged, every street has secret cameras, and government helicopters circle high overhead with infrared detectors, making sure no one so much as spits on the sidewalk. William Hurt pulls off the role brilliantly, acting like a borderline neurotic basket case when anything the least bit unusual happens.I could go on, having lived in Newfoundland for several years (by the way, it's pronounced 'newfound-LAND') and having learned some but not nearly all the quirks of the region, but I think your best bet would be to experience it yourself someday. Just bear in mind, as you watch the movie, that it's hilarious to approximately 500,000 people on the planet. The rest of the world may not get all the gags, but it's a fun movie nonetheless.

IslandMadMacs Wonderful, fantastic, special, and yes - Rare. I know I detest it when reviewers gush, particularly for a marginal film whose mindless hordes of fans are whipped into passion by the legion of talking heads. Parroting what they say, or worse, believing what they've witnessed actually stumbles its way into the 'special' category. I can think of a good dozen half-baked flicks where it's more important to invoke the sanctioned dogma rather than speak a personal truth. ('Titanic' and 'Dr. Strangelove' come to mind) This isn't one of them.Just finished watching "Rare Birds" and I'm genuinely floored - exhausted even. I'm laughed and loved out, totally depleted from the joy of this film. It's been a loooooong time since I enjoyed losing myself in a mildly out-of-kilter world inhabited by good friends, good meals, fine wines, a stunningly beautiful woman, industrial spies from the recreational vehicle conglomerates, 20 kilos of cocaine, perpetual fusion energy, an extinct mallard, and lest we forget, a homemade submarine of questionable seaworthiness. (note to self: gotta fix that brake)If you loved "Local Hero", this will find a wonderful home in your collection. I'm planning on purchasing an extra just for the office - for when I need to 'get away'.

Ronald Clercx In this day and age of fast paced, overstylished movies, comes this tale of a chef and his close friend, who tries to save his buddies deserted restaurant, by inventing the sighting of a near extinct duck near the location to attract customers.While this is going on, there is still time left to work on a recreational submarine, in a basement which is filled with cocaine and the most strange flat lamps.Hurt is acting his guts out as the clumsy, near nerve wrecked chef who's lost in an absurd world. And there is romance too.Well, it's a long time ago I didn't see a movie which reminded me of another one, and this alone is quite an accomplishment. A lovely little movie, quite serene and if you ask me highly underrated pearl of creative cinema.