Film critic | Peter Howell Night Vision

How I learned to abide — and love — “The Big Lebowski”

Starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, Sam Elliott, Peter Stormare, David Huddleston, Philip Seymour...

"The Grand Budapest Hotel" lets you have your cake and watch it, too

The Grand Budapest Hotel Starring Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, Saoirse Ronan, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, F. Murray Abraham, Jude Law,...

"Blade Runner" is a beautiful dystopian nightmare

Starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos, M. Emmet Walsh, Daryl Hannah, Joanna Cassidy, Joe Turkel. Written...

"Apocalypse Now" and the stark splendour of "the horror, the horror"

Starring Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Lawrence Fishburne, Dennis Hopper, Fred Forrest Lance, Sam Bottoms, Albert Hall,...

Triumphant movies for these troubled times

"Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" (Twentieth Century Fox) On that awful day of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, when we were all...

"2001: A Space Odyssey" is still the ultimate trip, out there and in the mind

Starring Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester, Daniel Richter, Douglas Rain, Leonard Rossiter, Margaret Tyzack, Robert Beatty,...

"Amazing Grace" — with Aretha Franklin at her peak — is a dazzling discovery

Documentary about the 1972 recording of Amazing Grace, Aretha Franklin’s classic gospel album. Directed by Sydney Pollack. Now streaming...

"Apollo 11" doc is one giant leap for moon watchers — and movie lovers

Documentary on the 1969 voyage of Apollo 11, the first moon landing. Starring Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. Directed...

"The Hunt" alarmingly mirrors current politics and panics

Starring Betty Gilpin, Hilary Swank, Ike Barinholtz, Emma Roberts, Wayne Duvall, Amy Madigan and Reed Birney. Written by Nick Cuse and...

"Sorry We Missed You" a bleak depiction of life in the fast-delivery lane

Starring Kris Hitchen, Debbie Honeywood, Rhys Stone, Katie Proctor and Ross Brewster. Written by Paul Laverty. Directed by Ken Loach....

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Movies I can't live without

Toronto Star movie critic Peter Howell has written a book about his 25 favourite movies, with highly personal reviews from Apocalypse Now to The Wizard of Oz.

Here's a sample of his review of 2001: A Space Odyssey, his all-time favourite film:

"It was billed as The Ultimate Trip and the hyperbole was justified, then as now.

Stanley Kubrick's space opus still seems like the future, 52 years after its release and 19 years after its significant title year. It never gets old and I never tire of seeing it, even after 50-plus viewings..."