Search - Last Night on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Mild Violence, Nudity, Profanity, Sexual Situations Movie Release: 1998 DVD Release: 03/28/2000 Format: DVD - Pan and Scan - Closed Captioned Audio Tracks: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 36 mins Studio: Universal Studios Members Wishing: 6 Genres: Comedy Drama, Black Comedy, Sci-Fi Disaster Film, Urban Comedy See Also: Last Night

Don McKellar wrote and directed this comedy-drama about the last night of the world, part of the 12-film Arte series of movies about the Millennium. Set in Toronto, Patrick (McKellar) endures a faux Christmas celebration with his family while Sandra (Sandra Oh) tries to get across town to commit suicide with her husband, a gas company employee Duncan (David Cronenberg). Meanwhile, Craig (Callum Keith Rennie) hopes to achieve sexual satisfaction with several women on his list. Still mourning his dead wife, Patrick plans his last moments alone, until he and Sandra crosspaths. Shown in the Directors Fortnight section at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Don McKellar - Patrick Wheeler
Sandra Oh - Sandra
Callum Keith Rennie - Craig Zwiller
Sarah Polley - Jennifer Wheeler
David Cronenberg - Duncan

Don McKellar's Last Night works as a stylish, absurd, and small-scale look at the final hours of life on Earth for a group of assorted individuals. It's disappointing that the DVD is presented in a 1.33:1 aspect ratio. While Last Night is not a special-effects extravaganza, it still deserves more than the pan-and-scan treatment. At least the digital transfer is quite good; the movie's apocalyptic-minimal look, bizarre colors, and lighting are intact. The sound is quite good as well; all dialogue is clear and the musical soundtrack is allowed to be appropriately funny, edgy, or sad as required. The =Last Night DVD also skimps on the usual features associated with movies that play to an arthouse crowd. Supplementary materials consist only of a chapter list with scene selection, a theatrical trailer (which is best avoided until one has watched the movie, as it gives away key moments in the plot), and language options. While the bare-bones supplementary material is common to low-budget movies, the 1.33:1 aspect ratio is a minor crime. ~ Tim DiGravina, All Movie Guide