Search - Last Night on DVD

Powerful and Grim

Jeffrey Leach | Omaha, NE USA | 10/18/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Most films dealing with apocalyptic themes, especially nowadays, likes to use a ton of flashy special effects and thundering soundtracks to convey the imminent demise of our planet. Fortunately for viewers who want something a little more thought provoking, other films about the end of the world occasionally slip through the cracks. One of these films is "Last Night," a chilling, low budget piece of cinema from Canada. "Last Night" doesn't have huge asteroids slamming into the planet, or killer plagues turning the human population into dust, but it does have heavy atmosphere and compelling performances from several actors and actresses you have probably never heard about. The movie even casts famous horror film director David Cronenberg in a major role. If you tire easily of the big Hollywood action/apocalypse films, turn to something like "Last Night" to get your Armageddon fix. About the only problem I had with "Last Night" concerned the play list on the radio station as it counted down the top 500 songs of all time. Personally, I didn't recognize very many of these tunes; I would have picked a few numbers that are more upbeat myself."Last Night" distressingly describes the last six hours of the last night the human race will ever see. Set in Toronto, Canada, the movie closely follows the final hours of several individuals, including a reclusive loner and his family, his best friend, an Asian woman desperately trying to reach her husband before the catastrophe arrives, an energy executive and his secretary, and a former high school French teacher. Perhaps surprisingly, most of these people sedately go about the last moments of their lives as though it isn't a big deal. The reason for this maddening calmness rests with the fact that the entire planet has known for some months that the end is coming, so most of the hysterical behavior you would expect to see has already worked itself out of most people's systems (Not everyone accepts their destiny. The streets are dangerous in places, with gangs going around tipping over buses or shooting and robbing people, but many people are staying at home quietly planning their final activities). What remains is a slightly sad resignation of the inescapable as each individual in the film goes about his or her personal business. Duncan, the energy executive played by Canadian director David Cronenberg, spends his last few hours calling all of his customers to promise them that the power will remain on until the bitter end. Patrick Wheeler, the main character of the film and the loner who wishes to spend his last moments of life alone, makes an appearance at a family Christmas party where some of his pent up bitterness about a life cut short seep out in vitriolic comments to his parents and sister. His friend resorts to playing sexual games, trying to sleep with as many women of different races and physical attributes as possible. One of the women he conquers is his former French teacher, played effectively by a still sexy Genevieve Bujold. Bujold's appearance marks one of the most absurdly comic moments of the film when she quizzes a confused Patrick on his French speaking skills. The best performance in "Last Night" comes from the remarkable and beautiful Sandra Oh, who plays the Asian woman looking for her husband. She soon comes into Patrick's orbit, and seeks his help so she can carry out a grisly pact she made with her spouse. Oh, perhaps better than anyone else in the film, truly conveys the utter helplessness of the unfolding situation.There seems to be some difficulty among viewers concerning what exactly will destroy the human race in this movie. I find this a bit odd because the ending gives a clear hint, and if that isn't enough, the fact that the sun still shines at midnight should provide a further clue. But what destroys the earth isn't as important as what the characters do regarding their impending fate, and that fate hangs over every action in the film like a black pall. Occasionally, the time flashes on the screen as the characters move another hour closer to doom, giving the whole film an incredible sense of claustrophobic tension. Arguably, the best line in the film comes from Patrick and his oversexed buddy, when Patrick says "See you later" and his friend replies without missing a beat, "No, you won't." Moments like these continually pull the viewer back into the unbearable agony of the film's central premise: There is no hope here, no magical hiding place in the mountains or under the sea where someone can avoid their fate. The ending is never in doubt in "Last Night."If I had to compare "Last Night" with another film or book, I would say that Nevil Shute's "On the Beach" closely resembles this film in its psychological exploration of an unavoidable apocalyptic disaster. I noticed I was quiet and reflective for some time after watching this film, always a good indication that a movie or a book touched me in some way. Regrettably, the DVD of "Last Night" is a bare bones edition. All you get on the disc is a theatrical trailer and the film. I think a commentary would have been nice, at the very least, but ultimately the movie succeeds without any further elaborations by the director or writers. Hopefully, this great movie will see a reissue on DVD soon."

Brilliant film, available in WS in Canada only

James Luckard | Los Angeles, CA | 09/29/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love this film, but I'll avoid going into why, since everyone else has already described how great it is. The new Lions Gate American DVD is just a reissue of the old Universal DVD. They are both Pan & Scan (Boo! Hiss!)

Just recently, a widescreen version has finally become available. It is only available in Canada, and is released by Alliance Atlantis. Be careful, as there is an older Alliance Atlantis disc that is Pan & Scan, like the two American discs. You can get the new disc at amazon.ca, where the ASIN number for the widescreen disc is: B0002XGJSW

Note that it has no bonus features and is not anamorphically enhanced. Also, the image quality is no real improvement over the dull, washed out look of the existing discs. It also costs about twenty-five dollars plus shipping, nearly double the cost of the American disc. Widescreen, however, was certainly worth it for me."

The End As It Should Be

Jill Traynor | 04/02/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"No fire and brimstone, no biblical monsters, no masshysteria...not even a crazy old person screaming to all to save theirsouls. This is the story of the last night on earth. For the past few months the people of earth have known that the world would end at this midnight, obviously having something to do with the sun...which even at 11:59:59 shines as brightly as midday. Around the city of Toronto, a family sits down to Christmas dinner, though it is not Christmas. A man working for the gas company (David Cronenberg) calls everyone in Toronto to let them know that their gas will be on for as long as possible. His wife (Sandra Oh) desperately attempts to get home after her car is vandalized by looters. A man elsewhere in the city attempts every sexual fantasy he has ever considered. When another gentleman (McKellar, who also directed) who has every intention sitting home alone listening to music up until the end runs into Sandra, and they wind up spending their last hours together. There has never to my knowledge ever been a film like this one. No drama, no hysterics, this movie shows the world as it most likely really would end were we to be made aware of it a couple of months in advance. It makes you sit down and think for a moment about who you would like to spend your last hours with. Family, friends, lovers? Who would be important to you during the last six hours, and how would you wish to spend it with them? I couldn't fathom of it, but McKellar, who also wrote this story, does a brilliant job of it. This movie is amazing and beautiful and rarely tragic. It is definitely worth your time and definitely worth the purchase. It's food for thought, and a brilliant accomplishment by McKellar. If you like him, check out some of his other work such as Exotica and eXistenZ. END"

A quiet little masterpiece

Jill Traynor | 07/26/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"First of all, I hope you haven't read the Amazon.com review above, as it spoils one of the film's surprises. Second, I would give the film itself 5 stars, but I deduct a star for the lackluster DVD presentation. It's full-frame (not letterboxed) and as for extras, there are none - it's your basic no-frills movie-and-a-trailer. Bleh. (Hell, the trailer is letterboxed at 1.85, why isn't the film?) Having said that, you still need to own this. Or at least rent it, be blown away, come back here, and order it. Don McKellar has fashioned one of the most subtly moving directorial debuts in recent memory. So many classic moments...Callum Keith Rennie showing his friend McKellar his special room; Sandra Oh's reaction to a message on an answering machine; David Cronenberg (yes, him; great director, kind of a one-note actor, but his presence here is amusing and perfectly Canadian) sitting alone in his apartment eating ice cream; McKellar and his sister Sarah Polley (who deserves more screen time) trying to grin and bear it as their mom throws the final Christmas party they'll never get to have; Cronenberg's employee at the gas company getting drunk and wobbling around the office; Genevieve Bujold saying "Bon voyage" in the elevator. It's a full package. The movie honestly earns its laughs and tears (I'm not a big crier at movies, but I misted up a few times). McKellar's handling of a variety of characters, and crosscutting between same, should be an object lesson to any filmmaker attempting this type of group portrait (are you listening, P.T. Anderson? A movie doesn't have to be 3 hours long and have characters blurt out their neuroses in order to move us). This is a quiet, understated, very Canadian vision of the end of the world. In 95 minutes it speaks volumes about the variety of approaches to life and death (do you go for the gold and try to fulfill your wildest fantasies? or do you strive to maintain some dignity and integrity in the face of apocalypse?). Look at this film and look at "Armageddon," and it will tell you everything that's wrong with Hollywood blockbusters and everything that can be terrific about indie films."