Goon
Netflix Streaming
DVD | Blu-ray
Directed by Michael Dowse
Starring Seann William Scott, Liev Schreiber, Jay Baruchel, Marc-Andre Grondin, Alison Pill, Kim Coates, David Lawrence, Robb Wells, John Paul Tremblay, Mike Smith
Magnet Films
Originally Released: September 10, 2011

Goon is one of those movies that will sneak up on you and surprise you. You see it for what seems like forever pop up in your suggestions on Netflix, and then when you finally decide to give it a shot; it hits you across the back of the head with its cleverness and its subtleties as well. Primarily a comedy film, Goon has some deep-rooted social commentary within, with a unique and noteworthy performance from Seann William Scott.

Directed by Michael Dowse, and roughly based on a true story that served as inspiration for the basis of the tale, Goon follows Doug Glatt (Scott) caught in a rut in his daily life. He feels despondent and isolated, and unconnected – the black sheep of the family, and only one buddy in the form of foul-mouthed hockey TV commentator Pat (Jay Baruchel). With a talent in fighting, Glatt goes through life as a bouncer for a local club, while passionately keeping track of his favorite sport, hockey.

Mercy Thompson: Moon Called #8
Written by Patricia Briggs, David Lawrence
Art by Tyler Walpole
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: Sept. 8, 2011
Cover Price: $3.99

I haven’t read the previous issues in the first volume of the graphic novel adaptation of the Mercy Thompson series by urban fantasy mainstay Patricia Briggs, but I’m familiar with the actual books that the comics are based on. The artwork is well done, and fans of the books will be pleased with the depictions of the central characters, which largely match their descriptions as set out by Briggs.

The storyline involves a high risk werewolf mission that Mercy is caught in the middle of. She’s as tough as ever, and because of Briggs’ direct involvement with the storyline, it’s true to her books and the plotline therein. And although Briggs’ writing has never suffered from slow pacing in the novels, the same immediacy is conveyed in the graphic novel, but better. Mercy has to rescue a girl named Jesse and her dad, but their captors are intense and very dangerous, which makes their escape difficult.

Fubar: Balls To The Wall
Blu-ray | DVD | On Demand
Directed by Michael Dowse
Starring: David Lawrence, Paul J. Spence, Andrew Sparacino, Terra Hazelton
Screen Media Films
Release date: April 20, 2011

The sequel to the Canadian mockumentary comedy, FUBAR, has arrived. Screen Media Films have been marketing this film as “Spinal Tap meets The Trailer Park Boys” – but it’s got a bit of Jackass in there too, as well as a touch of Tenacious D, Bill and Ted, and Wayne’s World thrown in for good measure. And while there is truth to the comparisons above, there’s something about the sequel, Fubar: Balls to the Wall that stands on its own. If you’re a metalhead, and enjoy any of the films mentioned above, then this is a movie you will most likely enjoy.

And there’s metal and hard rock spread nicely throughout this film, with songs from and references to bands such as Dio, Krokus, Blue Cheer, Poison, Slaughter, and much more.