GAME – JAN. 7, 2007 VS. TAMPA BAY: “He went 2-on-1 with Mark Recchi and Mark Recchi gave him a pass to the front and he jumped. I was behind and I saw everything. I’m not just talking about his jump; I’m talking about he tried so hard to score. He started in the D-zone and he saw Mark Recchi a little bit in front of him. And he just started to skate so hard and go in a straight line, and I just knew he was going to score because he went so hard. He was so hungry to score and I remember he dove and just a little chip to the puck. It’s an amazing goal.”
ANECDOTE: “We have a lot of memories, and my best one is when I came to Pittsburgh for the first time and we had dinner. Me, Sid, Mario (Lemieux) and (Sergei Gonchar). It was the first time we met each other. And now, after 15 years, he’s not ‘Sid the Kid’ anymore. He is an old man (laughs). But he is a great leader, great teammate and the most professional hockey player I have ever seen.”
Kris Letang, teammate since 2005
MOMENT: “I remember in Game 6 of the 2016 Stanley Cup Final against San Jose, he told me before the game that we were going to team up for the biggest goal, and we ended up scoring the game-winner. I thought that was a pretty special thing between me and him.”
ANECDOTE: “I’ve been with him for 15 years, so it’s tough to say one thing. Sid would just come up with me to pick my son up after school and sit around and wait for the kids to come out. He would bring him Gatorade and just spend a little bit of time with Alex.”
Jake Guentzel, teammate since 2016
MOMENT: “I think the most memorable moment that I watched was his Golden Goal in Vancouver. I think that was just every kid’s dream, to score that goal. So it’s pretty cool to see, and just to realize that you’re a part of it now and to play alongside him is pretty cool.”
ANECDOTE: “I think the first time I got called up in training camp, I didn’t really know anyone. He went out of his way and took 10 minutes of his time and just came and talked to me. He shook my hand and introduced himself and told me if I ever need anything, he’ll be there for me. So just being a young guy who doesn’t really know anyone, that just made me feel really comfortable.”
Brian Dumoulin, teammate since 2013
MOMENT: “My favorite Crosby moment was in Game 2 of the 2016 Eastern Conference Final versus Tampa Bay. We were tied 2-2 in overtime. It was Sid’s first playoff OT goal of his career. Passed it to Rusty and Rusty made a good move pulling up off the blue line and passes to Sid, who beat Andrei Vasilevskiy blocker-side to win in OT.”
ANECDOTE: “Just at team parties, whenever we’re playing beer pong, his elbows are always hanging over the table. So if you ever play Sid, make sure you check his elbows (laughs).”
Bryan Rust, teammate since 2014
GAME – JAN. 1, 2008 AT BUFFALO: “The game that comes to mind when I think about Sid and his career is the outdoor game in Buffalo with the snow. He got the shootout game-winner. I can’t remember what year that was, but it was the first real taste I got of Sidney Crosby and how good he was. He was on the main stage in the outdoor game and it was definitely just a fun memory.”
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ANECDOTE: “That was a good one by Dumo (laughs). That is true. I think anytime anyone has food or treats on the plane or the bus, you can always find Sid coming by trying to look for a handout, for sure.”
Max Talbot, teammate from 2005-11
GAME – NOV. 10, 2005 VS. MONTREAL: “I will always in my mind remember that goal against Montreal Canadiens. The first one he scored in a shootout. I was there and it was like his ‘welcome to the NHL’ moment.”
ANECDOTE: “After we won the Cup in ’09, Geno and I went to the Awards in Las Vegas, brought the Cup and everything. Sid was still hurt, so he didn’t go, but he met us in Miami. We’re not even a week away from winning the Stanley Cup, his first one. We’re on the beach, just relaxing and stuff. We go to dinner that night, hang out, go to bed pretty late. The next morning I show up for breakfast in my bathing suit just going to lay on the beach again. I see Sid with his running shoes on and he’s going to run. I’m like, ‘what are you doing?! What are we doing?” He was like, ‘well, let’s prepare to win another Cup.’ And I’m like ‘dude, relax (laughs).’ That just shows how driven he is. He’s already thinking about the second Cup. I was like, ‘I’m not following you there. I’m going to relax and get a tan (laughs).'”
Colby Armstrong, teammate from 2005-08 and contributor to AT&T SportsNet
GAME – NOV. 16, 2005 AT PHILADELPHIA: “I was still in Wilkes-Barre, I hadn’t been called up yet. It was Sid’s first year. And our strength coach said, ‘Hey Armpit, you want to go watch Crosby in Philly?’ It was a couple hours down the road, so I was like yeah, let’s go. We’ll go down there, have a nice meal, watch Sid. We’ll get tickets, we’ll sit in the stands. I’m in the minors, no big deal. It was my first time seeing Sid play an NHL game live, which was really cool – in Philly, nonetheless. And he scored the overtime winner after getting his teeth knocked out by Hatcher. He’s down, he’s yelling, he’s slamming his helmet. This kid is just a disturber on top of being really good, right? He was INVOLVED, man. They were trying to get to the young kid and his nose was right in there and he didn’t back down. I was in the stands, literally drinking a beer, watching the game, and he gets a breakaway and scores in overtime. Then he has that celebration where his teeth are all chipped, his mouth is bleeding, it’s a great Crosby clip. But that was when I first saw him. I was in the stands, as a fan, and I saw the battle level and compete and skill. The guy that got it done when it mattered. And against Philly, in Philly, which was really cool. A fan in our section said, ‘I think we’re going to have to get used to this’ (laughs).”
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Bill Guerin, teammate from 2008-10 and member of Penguins management from 2011-19
GAME – MARCH 5, 2009 VS. FLORIDA: “Honestly, my first game with the Penguins playing with Sid, I knew he could use his backhand better than anybody. And he ripped this backhand pass to me – it was like over a guy’s stick through another guy’s legs – and it landed right near my stick. I kind of screwed it up because I wasn’t expecting somebody to actually try that. I’m like, oh my God, you made that pass, and it was to me. I was like, I got to be ready for anything with this guy. I played with some great players over the years, and this guy was just special. He was just different. I was like oh, man. Here we go (laughs).”
ANECDOTE: “When he scored 50 goals, I would always give him a hard time about how good of a passer I was. I think I had 24 assists that year. So it was the middle of the summer and I got a package at my house. I opened it up, and it was a brand-new iPad. I’m like, what the hell is this? And there was a note from Sid in there. And it just said, ‘Never scored 50 until I played with you.’ And he told me thanks. I just thought it was so cool.”
Bryan Trottier, Hockey Hall of Famer and Penguins partnership sales liason
GAME – NOV. 21, 2011 VS. NY ISLANDERS: “He picked up the puck and just found a gear that I’ve never seen him find before. And then he went in and scored a goal. I said, that was beyond vintage Crosby. He’s made some incredible plays throughout his career. Just hitting pucks out of the air and deflection types of plays…as I tell my son, there’s only a few of us that can do that (laughs). I don’t even dare put myself at his level. That would be my game because we were all anticipating what he was going to play like, what it was going to be like. And when he found that gear, I was like, he’s back (laughs). He might have found another gear. It was so funny – when I played in the league, Gilbert Perreault played for Buffalo. When he attacked, he’d be coming down the ice with the puck. And you’d just see the fear of the defensemen he was going at. And those were my teammates, and I would tease them after, like guys, if I had a camera in your face. It wasn’t like, oh yeah, come to Papa, I got ya. It was like no, no, no! And then you see Mario do that to guys, and then all of a sudden you got Sidney. I could be sitting in the top of the building and you can almost see eyes bulging out of the player’s heads, like shoot, he’s coming down on me!”
ANECDOTE: “I went down just to say hello to him the very first time during his rookie season in 2005. His humility jumped at me right away, like he was just so respectful of the game. He lights up when he talks to you. I was pretty excited to go down, so I brought my son. He was about 4 years old. And I was sitting there visiting with him, and Sid took all of his attention and gave it all to my kid. I said to Sid, you want to know something? You are so freakin’ cool. That, to me, was just spectacular. After a few minutes he looked up at Sid, who said all right, little guy, nice to meet you. Then my son looked up at me and he goes, Dad, I’ve got to go to the bathroom. And Mario said, I’ll take him. I said no, no, no (laughs). It was just amazing how I came down to meet Sid and Sid kind of turned it around on me and talked to my son. That’s the genuine side of a human being. And then right behind that, Mario outdoes him by taking my son to the bathroom. I’ve got a picture of him holding Mario’s hand walking him there. My kid didn’t care who was taking him, he’s just got to go (laughs). He had no clue it was one of the greatest players in the history of the game.”
Eric Fehr, teammate from 2015-17
GAME: “Looking back, I don’t remember the scores of all the games, but I remember the good times with my teammates. Sid is always great for bringing the guys together. I’m honored to have played a few games with Sid on his way to 1,000.”
ANECDOTE: “One of my favorite Sid stories is from our Cup run in 2016. Everyone knows Sid is superstitious; this one worked out to our advantage. On our first trip to New York, a bunch of us went out to eat dinner the night before Game 3. Sid was kind enough to pick up the tab. We won. The next game I went somewhere else for dinner, but Sid was with almost the same group as before Game 3. Sid made sure everyone sat in the same spot and even ordered the same meal I had the previous time and put it in my spot. Sid picked up the tab the rest of the way through the playoffs. It worked out for everyone; we won the Cup and enjoyed some great dinners along the way!”
Joe Vitale, teammate from 2010-14
GAME – NOV. 21, 2011 VS. NY ISLANDERS: “I’ll never forget it. That was the most memorable night I played with Sid, because that was the game he returned from all those concussions. That was the first game I was healthy scratched in all season long because he returned, but that’s okay. It worked out well (laughs). I think the coach made a good decision by putting Sid in and not me. First period, he goes out there and puts a backhander underneath the bar. Incredible. The place almost erupted. I think he had four points in the night. That was one game I’ll never forget.”
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ANECDOTE: “Aside from the hockey, I remember more about Sid off the ice. And I wish fans had more of an insight on what an incredible person he is, because he is 10 times the person than he is the player. My first camp in 2009, I was so scared and so nervous in my stall. The Penguins had just won the Cup. No one was really talking to me. I was kind of this undersized, under-talented kid from St. Louis, Missouri, and I’ll never forget Sid sitting down next to me in the stall and introducing himself. We talked about St. Louis, we talked about some of our favorite restaurants, and he really helped me settle into my first camp. It’s things like that I wish more people knew about Sid, because again, he is 10 times the person than he is the player.”
Mike “Doc” Emrick, legendary hockey broadcaster who has called virtually all of the big moments in Crosby’s career
GAME – NOV. 16, 2005 AT PHILADELPHIA: “It was Sid’s second visit to Philly in November of 2005. Eddie Olczyk was coach. Jocelyn Thibault was the starter but Konstantin Koltsov hit him in the throat with a warm up shot so Marc-Andre Fleury was in. Sid was victimized twice by amateur dentist Dr. Derian Hatcher, who performed a reported extraction of two teeth with his stick, unpenalized. Despite that, Sid and Fleury were brilliant and the game went to OT tied 2-2. Ryan Malone’s defensive-zone outlet pass sent Sid in on a breakaway and he beat Antero Niittimaki to make Wachovia Arena quiet. In my 47 years, I used the phrase ‘with the game on his stick’ a total of two times. Both times with Sid. Both times he scored. That night was the first. He was first star. Two goals, one assist, 3-2 Penguins win.”
ANECDOTE: “It was June 13, 2017, after the second of back-to-back parades and the guys still in town for a trip to PNC Park before the Rockies-Pirates game. When he first came to the Penguins, Sid had told me he played Little League in Nova Scotia as both a pitcher and catcher. That night, he was to throw out the first pitch. The Penguins and Pirates got to share a lot of time in the clubhouse, Sid got to warm up a bit, and then walked out with the Stanley Cup and his teammates to the mound. With defenseman Ron Hainsey catching and that night’s MLB plate umpire Jerry Meals from Butler, PA crouched behind in his normal position, Sid tossed in his pitch for a called “stee-rike.” It was a good night for the Bucs too. Andrew McCutchen had two homers in a 5-2 win.”
Eddie Olcyzk, broadcaster and Penguins head coach during Crosby’s rookie year
GAME – NOV. 16, 2005 AT PHI: “I was there when the whole thing went down with Derian Hatcher in Philadelphia and Sid taking a penalty while we were on the power play. I remember saying look, you’ve been tested your whole life, you’ve been challenged your whole life. People are trying to get under your skin and trying to goad you into penalties and whatever. Hatcher achieved his goal when all that happened after Sid lost his teeth, and it should have been a penalty earlier. There wasn’t, and Sid retaliated. That’s going to happen. You’ve got guys that have played in the league 15 years that retaliate and he had only played eight or nine games. And to take people back, the Penguins had not won a game in Philadelphia in like 10 years. Then Sid had the puck on a stick, like Doc Emrick said, and we won in overtime. His first game in New Jersey and the buildup; his first goal against Boston; and then that game in Philly – having been part all three of those was something that I’m very blessed to have been a part of. But that Philly game certainly was a coming out party for Sid and for the organization, too, because we had had a such a tough time winning in Philadelphia. It had been forever. So that was pretty remarkable.”
ANECDOTE: “For the short time I was with Sid and coaching him, the one thing that made you feel like the organization was in good hands moving forward is that anytime you had a 1-on-1 session with him with video or whatever, he knew exactly what was going to be played and what should have happened even before you hit play. He is just an incredible student of the game. The understanding, the wanting to get better…I don’t want to say it blew me away, but I just knew that this kid wanted to be the best and was going to do everything possible to make that happen. I don’t think the majority of players of today are students of the game, both current and historically, like Sid is. That was the one thing that made me feel good as a guy that took pride in knowing the people that came before, watching the game, learning the game, studying the game themselves and not counting on somebody to pull them aside and show him. He wanted to watch his shifts or watch this clip. So that was the one thing, is just even before the play was on, he knew what was going to be shown.”
Phil Bourque, Penguins Radio Network color analyst
GAME(S) – NOV. 16, 2005 AT PHILADELPHIA AND NOV. 21, 2011 VS. NY ISLANDERS: “Probably my two most memorable moments in this 1,000-game span for Sidney Crosby would probably be his first year, I think it was his second game in Philadelphia. You remember that game. Derian Hatcher just absolutely mauls him. Bloody mouth, comes back and scores the overtime winner. That one I’ll never forget. And also, I just have goosebumps right now even thinking about it – the time in 2011 when he came back against the New York Islanders. Came back from a concussion, scores on the backhand top-shelf. I just remember the feeling in the building, the feeling in the booth, just pure joy for him. And it was great to see this building explode and their happiness for Sid to be able to come back and play.”
Mike Chiasson, childhood friend and Penguins goaltending professional
GAME – NOV. 10, 2005 VS. MTL: “I think for me, it was that shootout goal against Montreal with the leg kick. It wasn’t close to the biggest game of his career, but I think that’s when it sunk in that he is a superstar. And it being his childhood team, the thing that stands out to me the most is when they flashed to Troy in the stands and you could see the excitement. He’s a guy that doesn’t show much emotion, so to see him almost giddy…That almost gives me chills talking about it now, with the leg kick and then seeing how proud Troy was. That one really sticks with me.”
ANECDOTE: “There’s so many. As one of his best friends, I could write a book. But I think for me, I go back to that first Stanley Cup and when he brought it back to Cole Harbour for the first time. For him to organize the street hockey game for us to play for the Cup, it was like we were kids again. Growing up, that was all we did, playing street hockey when we weren’t on the ice. To actually have the Cup there and him include us in that – the winning team got to take a lap with the Cup – it was almost like we made it. It was a ‘we’ thing. I think for all of us, that’s something you could never imagine doing. We all realized our dream was over (laughs), so that was our game, you know?”
GAME – MARCH 21, 2017 VS. BUFFALO: “As a team physician, unfortunately the ones that jog the memory the most are the ones where there was an injury. Years ago there was a home game against Buffalo where a puck hit him in the mouth. I went to the hospital with him and we went into surgery. Like any surgery, there was a high level of concentration during the procedure. But then out of nowhere, the anesthesiologist, who was likely not a sports fan, looks up and says to me, ‘Just curious – what’s the big deal here? Who is this guy, anyways?’ I chuckled to myself and thought, ‘You are the perfect person for this job and patient privacy.'”
ANECDOTE: “There’s a lot of things that Sidney and I have shared together, but probably the one that comes to mind the most is what he does for my two girls during warmups any time they’re down there at the glass watching him from Suite 66. They usually stand there and then he stealthily comes up next to the glass with his back to the glass, and he takes a bunch of snow from the ice and then dumps it on their heads. They know it’s going down, but they play along and look around like, where did that come from? They’re wearing Crosby jerseys, so it’s especially funny for them. He’s done this for years. It’s unusual for him, because he’s a creature of habit, but he’ll change up his routine just to do that. He always asks them if they’re sleeping well, and tells the girls sleep is a weapon.”
Chris Stewart, Penguins head athletic trainer
GAME – OCT. 7, 2005 VS. CAROLINA AND JAN. 1, 2008 VS. BUFFALO: “There’s just so many of them. From the first outdoor game goal that he scored in to my first year in the league, we went to a shootout against Carolina and it was Sid, Mario and Ziggy Palffy. There’s so many moments just stand out for me with him. But a lot of the times that stand out to me are behind the scenes, how he leads, how he handles situations as a person, just an unbelievable guy.”
ANECDOTE: “Sid as person is unbelievable. He’s been with my family 15 years now. At Christmas parties or anything like that, he’s more than generous with his time, taking photos with them and giving them the enjoyment of meeting him. “
Dana Heinze, Penguins head equipment manager
MEMORY: “I’ve been with Sid for so many years, I’ve seen so many amazing things transpire with him on the ice and his teammates. He is unbelievable out there. There was a situation one year when were in Los Angeles and we were playing the Kings. His skate holder broke, and we were going into overtime. At that time, nobody had changeable steel. So I changed his holder as fast as humanly possible, he went out there and actually scored the game-winning goal in overtime. That was a pretty neat thing.”
STORY: “I wasn’t with him his first year as a rookie, but I’ve been with him since the second year. I came from Tampa Bay to Pittsburgh, and I’m not going to lie, I was a bit intimidated knowing that the Penguins had Sidney Crosby. I was so nervous, I reached out to Brad Richards, who was on the Lightning. I knew Brad Richards knew Sid, and I asked Brad to contact Sid and let him know that I was a good guy (laughs). Then when I got to Pittsburgh, I met Sid and we had a great conversation. And he made me feel so welcome right off the bat. That’s Sid. Just a down-to-earth, normal guy. Sid’s work ethic is by far second to none, and his attention to detail is so dialed in, but I think the most important part of Sid is he’s a great person. He’s very thoughtful. Just recently, the other night when we beat the Capitals, he asked for two used game pucks so he could make sure that Mr. Hextall and Mr. Burke each got a game puck.”
Danny Kroll, Penguins assistant equipment manager
GAME – NOV. 21, 2011 VS. NYI: “Sid’s comeback game vs. the Islanders in 2011. After all the concussion issues, all the uncertainty and all the hard work and drive to come back, that was a memorable game…then he goes out and scores a magnificent goal about five minutes in. Couldn’t imagine the joy and jubilation he had in that moment. Couldn’t have happened to a better player or person.”
STORY: “Something I’ll always remember was Game 7 in Detroit in 2009. The bench area was extra small at the Joe, so I watched most of the game on the TV in our dressing room. Sid came off early in the second period after that collision along the boards. So he’s in the medical room getting checked out and he later told me, ‘I knew we scored that second goal because I heard you jump up and scream.’ We all know how that game ended. What a night!”
Andy Saucier, Penguins video coach
GAME: OCT. 23, 2018 VS. EDM – “If I have to pick one out of the 1,000, I’ll go with Oct. 23, 2018 versus Edmonton with Sid’s OT winner. There have been so many jaw-dropping moments over the years, but that one really stands out.”
STORY: “This isn’t a particular story or anything, but one of the most impressive things I’ve come to know about Sid is how good his memory is when it comes to plays and other things that happen on the ice. I can’t tell you how many times at the end of a video session he’s made reference to some specific play from earlier in the season, or even from years back, with an absurd amount of detail. Then when you go and find what he’s talking about, everything is spot on. He’s got the opponent, approximate time on the clock, whether we were at home or on the road. His memory is incredible.”
Mike Davenport, Penguins director of production operations
GAME: “Can’t say I have a favorite game because working so many of them over the years, I’ve seen so many great plays and goals from him. I’ve probably worked 96 percent of the home games since he started. What sticks out to me from shooting video of him all these years is that during morning skates, you would watch him work on something in particular, and then you would wait to see that particular play used in the game that night.”
ANECDOTE: “When Sid skated for the first time on March 14, 2011 after his first concussion, I saw him skating. I ran to grab a camera and went running back. I was told to wait before shooting and ask Sid his permission first. I was in the Zamboni entrance and quickly walked around to the runway to ask him. As I got to the bench, he comes skating over and goes, what’s up? I asked him if it’s okay to shoot him since everyone would want to see him skate for the first time. He laughed and said sure, but that he just finished for the day. I said okay, no problem. He goes walking down the runway, stops short of walking into the locker room, turns around and walks back to me. He says, what if I go back out there and do a lap around, would that work? I said yeah, but you don’t have to. He says, no problem, and proceeds to walk back out onto the ice. He goes down and shoots a puck into the net, skates back around and heads back down the runway.”
Mark Madden, Pittsburgh radio personality
GAME: NOV. 16, 2005 AT PHI: “It’s difficult to select my favorite Sidney Crosby game. It’s like choosing the brightest star in the sky. But I’m taking the path less traveled. It was Nov. 16, 2005 at Philadelphia. Crosby was a rookie. He took a stick to the face that shattered three of his teeth and necessitated stitches. But when overtime arrived, Crosby netted the first OT winner of his career on a breakaway, then stared down the Flyers, the rink and the entire city of Philadelphia with a jagged-tooth glare that was both grotesque and magnificent. It was Crosby’s second goal and third point in a 3-2 victory. Crosby went into the lion’s den and shot him. He beat the Flyers at Philadelphia, then subtly yet unmistakably rubbed it in. I knew right then that Crosby was one of us. That’s no less true 1,000 games later.”
STORY: “In terms of personal interaction, Crosby has always been terrific with me and my show. We laugh. I’ve never treated him like he’s made of glass, and he seems to like that. He’s a standup guy and, even as a teenager, was mature beyond his years. My mother and I were very close. I lost her in 2006. The Penguins’ season had ended. I came home one day not long after her passing and there was a message from Crosby on my answering machine. His condolences were warm and sincere. They brought tears. That’s a terrific gesture in any context – but even more so when you’re calling from Latvia, where Crosby was playing for Canada in the World Championships. Sidney Crosby is a one-of-a-kind player and person. Heck, I even root for Canada when Crosby’s on the team. That’s a big deal. I’ll have to explain myself to Herb Brooks someday.”
Bob Pompeani, KDKA-TV sports director for 38 years
GAME – OCT. 23, 2018 AT EDM: “There are so many great Crosby games and moments, like the playoff hat trick vs. the Capitals and Alex Ovechkin. Also, his shootout game-winner against the Montreal Canadiens, and so many others. But for me, I still can’t get past the overtime clinic he put on in Edmonton in overtime on Oct. 23, 2018. It was a 5-5 game and Crosby – basically one on three – weaved his way through Oilers players and eventually deposited a backhand game-winner top shelf. To me, that was vintage Crosby and a reminder to Connor McDavid that Crosby can still dominate games, especially at the most critical moments.”
Tweet from @penguins: “What a goal””He’s still got it””Beautiful, buddy””???? DaDaDa DaDaDa ????”Crosby dazzles in Edmonton: https://t.co/gzyfMcVobM pic.twitter.com/MbPyFW5CyBSTORY: Crosby is a rarity in sports today, especially in the social media, me-me-me world in which we live. Crosby continues to be about us-us-us as the consummate teammate, captain and face of the league. He takes that responsibility seriously and ALWAYS understands his role with regard to media requests and community needs. He always tries to take care of the local TV stations at least once a year. But for me, it was on a trip to Nova Scotia to cover his annual hockey camp. I asked a lot of Crosby that day. I wanted him to wear a wireless microphone for us, and he graciously agreed. When it was done, he asked if that was good enough, or did we need more? I said it was great. But upon reviewing the video later that day, I was so impressed that during his clinic for kids, he asked the entire staff of volunteers what they wanted for lunch, and made sure the orders were placed. Later, when the food arrived, he made sure all the orders were correct and then spent several minutes with each of the campers. He took pictures, he listened to their stories and offered advice to every single one of them. He got as much out of that as those kids did. He does not worry about his brand like so many do. His brand is well known even without any social media posts. Crosby rises by lifting others. I admire that.”
Steve Mears, Penguins play-by-play broadcaster for AT&T SportsNet
GAME – NOV. 21, 2011 VS. NYI: “That was one of those special games where you just KNEW when you walked into the arena that night that you’d see something special. There was so much anticipation and buzz in the building for a comeback that was highly anticipated across the hockey world. Crosby had spent nearly a year recovering from concussion/neck issues and made his return in a November home game against the New York Islanders. Five minutes into the game, he picked up the puck and exploded through center ice, got around the Islander defense and whipped a classic backhand shot past goalie Anders Nilsson. The roar from the crowd was deafening. Looking back now, it was really the first time that the new building shook. And the goal – speed, power, backhand shot, euphoric celebration – was the perfect way to signify that he was back. Knowing everything that he had been through, the uncertainty of his future and the unpredictability of his injury, that was the most memorable moment for me. For a franchise that is loaded with memorable comeback stories, that night was right up there with them all.”
STORY: “Two years ago, we were in Toronto about to leave the hotel for a game against the Maple Leafs. The city of Toronto, of course, usually means a large number of fans hanging out outside the hotel looking for autographs. Crosby walked out and obliged by signing as many jerseys and photos as he could. It was impossible to get them all. The departure time struck and the bus started to inch away from the parking lot. All of a sudden we hear from the back of the bus: “Hang on.” Sid had seen one disappointed kid, maybe 8 or 9 years old, who didn’t get an autograph out of the crowd. He had the bus stop, which few people on Earth can do even one second after a bus full of routine-oriented hockey players determined to get to the rink for a game is scheduled to leave. He walked to the front, had someone grab the kid’s jersey, signed it and sent it back to him. To look through the window and see the sheer elation and joy on this kid’s face was so special. Regarding Sid, I just sat there and thought to myself, ‘he just gets it.’ He put himself in that kid’s shoes, probably because he used to BE that kid, and made someone’s day in the process. It was one of so many examples over the years with Sid where you say, ‘he just gets it.'”
Dan Potash, Penguins rinkside reporter for AT&T SportsNet
GAME – NOV. 10, 2005 VS. MTL: “I’ll go back to one of the earliest moments of his professional career with the Penguins that stands out and makes me say, ‘wow.’ The Montreal Canadiens came to Pittsburgh to play the Penguins early in the season in 2005. It was the first time that Crosby was facing a team from Canada, and it happened to be the Canadiens, which was the team that he followed growing up, the team that his father was drafted by many years before. So there were so many storylines to this contest. Obviously, all eyes in Canada were watching. All eyes in Pittsburgh were watching because we were already excited about what Crosby was doing during his short time as a rookie with the Penguins. It was a 2-2 game, went to a shootout, and it was Crosby versus Jocelyn Thibault. We heard that he had some great moves and could do some unbelievable things on the ice, but his backhand…which, to this day, continues to be a thing of beauty…he used it to roof the puck so hard that it took the water bottle that was sitting on top of the net and shot it what felt like through the roof at Civic Arena. It was probably just 10 feet, but still, it’s so unbelievable to see that happen. And as much as you would think that it would happen a lot, it doesn’t. And it was so cool, because as he blew the roof off with the goal, he certainly did the same at Civic Arena. The place went absolutely crazy. I remember the camera angles from the broadcast I was watching panned to the crowd and they had an isolated shot of his dad, Troy, who just was going berserk. It was so much fun to watch him share the moment from the seats as a proud father as his son beat the Montreal Canadiens. It’s one of many thrilling moments, but for me, that was the first real big ‘wow moment’ for 87. Obviously I’ve seen many more in the hundreds of games since and look forward to seeing many more.”
ANECDOTE: “In the summer of 2005 I was traveling from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles. My direct flight got canceled and my new itinerary had a layover in Detroit. When I arrived in Detroit, I realize I’ve been given a middle seat, and I’m not happy about it. I get on the plane and the person that’s got the window seat in the row I am sitting in has a huge equipment bag buried underneath their feet. So I’m like, ‘Oh, all right, we’re all going to be squeezed in.’ So I sit down, buckle up, we take off, just decide to make conversation at some point and nnotice that his bag has some kind of hockey logo on it. So I asked him, ‘Where do you play? Why are you on your way to Los Angeles?’ And he tells me that he’s going to work out and train. The draft’s coming up, and so I asked if he hoped to play professionally. And eventually he said he was from Canada, things like that. So I asked him what his name is, and he says, ‘Sidney Crosby.’ I knew the name; I knew who he was. I knew that the impact he would have on the league, once he was drafted, but I just didn’t recognize him. He looks at my polo shirt, and it says Fox Sports Pittsburgh, and he said, ‘So are you a sportscaster?’ I said yes, introduced myself and we began talking. I tell him all about my time in Pittsburgh and the teams I covered and that I covered Mario Lemieux. And he said, ‘Well, I’m actually on my way to Los Angeles to work out with Mario.’ It was something that Sid’s agent had set up just to kind of keep him sharp and with the draft coming up later that summer. So, we continue our conversation and it was it was great. He was just a regular guy. And we talked about all kinds of stuff, from where he grew up to where I grew up and about Pittsburgh. We finally land and I say, ‘Hey, man, I wish you the best of luck. I’m sure whatever the NHL has in store for you, I’ll see you at some point down the line.’ Well, of course, we all know what happens. The Penguins win the lottery, they get to draft Sidney. That night, I did a live satellite talkback with Crosby from his home. And I was anchoring Pittsburgh Sports Tonight that evening, so we’re sitting at the desk. This was a pre-taped interview, so I can see Sid in his home in the monitor but he can’t see us, he could only hear us. So as we’re getting all wired up and ready to go, I quickly ask Sidney, ‘Hey, do you remember a flight from Detroit to Los Angeles from this past summer earlier in the summer? A guy that you met that was a sportscaster?’ And he just kind of smiles and goes, ‘Yeah, I remember! Hey, what’s up, man? I know this guy. How are you? What’s going on?’ And it was really funny because I remember a few people in our studio turning their heads at me like, how do you know him, and I’m sure that the heads on his end in Nova Scotia were turning as well. Well, fast forward even more to Penguins’ training camp. First day, he walks into the media room at Mellon Arena and we make eye contact, gives me a big smile and puts out his hand asking, ‘Hey, how you doing?’ So, just really funny how things work out. I had no idea that we would end up working with each other, if you will, for many years, and it was all based off this total surprise meeting on a commercial flight from Detroit to Los Angeles.”
Toronto, on – Blood in the Snow Film Festival (BITS), a unique and imaginative showcase of contemporary Canadian genre films are pleased to announce the popular Festival is back for its 13th exciting year. The highly anticipated Horror Film festival presented by Super Channelruns November 18th– 23rd at Toronto’sIsabel Bader Theatre. The successful, long running festivaltakes on many different faces this year that include Scary, Action Horror, Horror Comedy, Sci-Fi and Thrillers. Festival goers will be kept on the edge of their seats with this year’s powerful line-up.
Blood in the Snow Festival begins with the return of alumni (Wolf Cop) Lowell Dean’s action horror feature Dark Match featuring wrestling veteran Chris Jericho followed by the mysterious Hunting Mathew Nichols. The unexpected thrills continue with Blood in the Snow World Premiere of Pins and Needles and the Fantasia Best First Feature Award winner, Self Driver. The festival ends this year on a fun note with the Toronto Premiere of Scared Sh*tless (featuring Kids in the Hall’s Mark McKinney). Other titles include the horror anthology series Creepy Bits and Zoom call shock of Invited by Blood in the Snow alumni Navin Ramaswaran (Poor Agnes). The festival will also include five feature length short film programs including the festivals comedy horror program Funny Frights and UnusualSights and the highly anticipated Dark Visions program, part of opening night festivities. Blood in the Snow Film Festival Director and Founder, Kelly Michael Stewart anticipates this year’s festival to be its strongest. “This was the first time in our 13 year history, all our programmers agreed on the exact same eight feature programs we have selected.”
Below is this year’s horror fest’s excitinglineup of features and shorts scheduled to screen, in-person at the Isabel Bader theatre.
**All festival features will be preceded by a short film and followed by a Q&A with filmmakers.
Super Channel is pleased to once again assume the role of Presenting Sponsor for the Blood in the Snow Film Festival. We extend our sincere appreciation to the entire BITS team for their unwavering commitment to amplifying the voices of diverse filmmakers and providing a platform for the celebration of Canadian genre content. –Don McDonald, the CEO of Super Channel
Blood in the Snow Festival 2024 Full screening schedule:
Monday November 18th 7pm – Dark Visions
Shiva (13:29) dir. Josh Saltzman
Shiva is an unnerving tale about a recently widowed woman who breaks with a long-held Jewish mourning ritual in hopes of connecting with her deceased husband.
How to Stay Awake (5:30) dir. Vanessa Magic
A woman fights to stay awake, to avoid battling the terrifying realm of sleep paralysis, but as she risks everything to break free, will she be released from the grip of her nocturnal tormentor?
Pocket Princess (9:45)dir. Olivia Loccisano
A young girl must take part in a dangerous task in order to complete her doll collection in this miniature fairytale.
For Rent (10:33) dir. Michèle Kaye
In her new home, Donna unravels a sinister truth—her landlord is a demon with a dark appetite. As her family mysteriously vanishes, Donna confronts the demonic landlord, only to plunge into a shadowy game where the house hungers for more than just occupants. An ominous cycle begins, shrouded in mystery.
Lucy’s Birthday (9:29) dir. Peter Sreckovic
A father struggles to enjoy his young daughter’s birthday despite a series of strange and disturbing disruptions.
Parasitic (10:00) dir. Ryan M Andrews
Last call at a dive bar, a writer struggling to find his voice gets more than he bargains for.
Naualli (6:00) dir. Adrian Gonzalez de la Pena
A grieving man seeks revenge, unwittingly awakening a mystical creature known as the Nagual.
The Saint and The Bear (6:34) dir. Dallas R Soonias
Two strangers cross paths on an ominous park bench.
The Sorrow (13:00) dir. Thomas Affolter
A retired army general and his live-in nurse find they are not alone in a house filled with dark secrets.
Cadabra (6:00) dir. Tiffany Wice
An amateur magician receives more than he anticipated when he purchases a cursed hat from the estate of his deceased hero.
9:30 – Dark Matchdir. Lowell Dean Horror / Action
A small time WRESTLING COMPANY accepts a well-paying but too good to be true gig.
Tuesday November 19th 7pm – Mournful Mediums
Night Lab (15:00) dir. Andrew Ellinas
When a mysterious package arrives from one of the lab’s field research stations, a promising young researcher uncovers a conspiracy against her masterminded by her jealous boss. She soon finds herself having to grapple with her conscience before making a life-or-death decision.
Dirty Bad Wrong (14:40) dir. Erica Orofino
Desperate to keep her promise to host the best superhero party for her 6-year-old, young mother Sid, a sex worker, takes extreme measures and books a last-minute client with a dark fetish.
Midnight at the lonely river (17:00) dir. Abraham Cote
When the lights go out at a seedy little motel bar, at the crossroads of a seedy little town, nefarious happenings are taking place, and three predators are enacting their evil deeds. Enter Vicky, a drifter who quickly realizes what’s happening right under everyone’s nose. After midnight, In the shadows of this dim establishment, evil begets evil, and the predator becomes the prey.
Mean Ends (14:58) dir. Émile Lavoie
A buried body, a missing sister and an inquisitive neighbour makes for a hell of an evening. And the sun isn’t close to settling on Eric’s sh*tty day.
Stuffy (18:26) dir. Dan Nicholls
A young couple sets off in the middle of the night to bury their kid’s stuffed bunny, as one of them is convinced that the stuffy might be cursed.
Dungeon of Death (18:33) dir. Brian P. Rowe
Torturer Raullin loves a work challenge, especially if that challenge involves hurting people to extract information from them.
9:30 – Hunting Matthew Nichols(96 mins) dir. Markian Tarasiuk
Twenty-three years after her brother mysteriously disappeared, a documentary filmmaker sets out to solve his missing person’s case. But when a disturbing piece of evidence is revealed, she comes to believe that her brother might still be alive.
w/ short: Josephine (6:15) dir. John Francis Bregar
A man haunted by his past seeks forgiveness from his deceased wife, but a session with two spirit mediums leads to an unsettling encounter.
Wednesday November 20th 7pm – BITS and BYTES
Ezra (10:57) dirs. Luke Hutchie, Mike Mildon, Marianna Phung
After fleeing the dark and demonic chains of his shadowy old home, Ezra, a killer gay vampire, takes a leap of faith and enters the modern world.
Head Shop (18:14 episode 1-3) dir. Namaï Kham Po
In a post-apocalyptic world, Anna’s life and work are dominated by her father Sylvestre, a short-tempered mechanic with a terrible reputation for tearing the head off anyone who dares cross him. He decides that she’s old enough to follow in his footsteps, much to her dismay. To prove herself, she must now decapitate her first victim. Can she find a way to defy fate?
D dot H (18 :15 episodes 1-2) dirs. Meegwun Fairbrother, Mary Galloway
Struggling artist Doug is visited by the beautiful and enigmatic H, who claims he holds the power to visiting “inconceivable places.” Still half-asleep, Doug is shocked when H vanishes suddenly and her doppelganger, Hannah, strides past.
Creepy Bits: “Last Sonata” (21:08) dir.
Adrian Bobb, Ashlea Wessel, David J. Fernandes, Sid Zanforlin and Kelly Paoli.
Set among forests, lakes, and small towns, Creepy Bits is a horror anthology series helmed by five innovative filmmakers exploring themes of human vs. nature, the invasion and destruction of the natural world by outsiders, and isolation within a vast, eerie landscape that is not afraid to fight back.
Tales from the Void: “Whistle in the Woods” (24:36) dir. Francesco Loschiavo
Horror anthology TV series based on stories from r/NoSleep. Each tale blends genre thrills & social commentary exploring the dark side of the human psyche.
9:30 – Self Driverdir. Michael Pierro Thriller
Facing mounting expenses and the unrelenting pressure of modern living, a down-on-his-luck cab driver is lured on to a mysterious new app that promises fast, easy money. As his first night on the job unfolds, he is pulled ever deeper into the dark underbelly of society, embarking on a journey that will test his moral code and shake his understanding of what it means to have freewill. The question becomes not how much money he can make, but what he’ll be compelled to do to make it.
A couple on a cottage getaway tries to work on their relationship but ends up getting more than they bargained for when they discover something sinister lurking beneath the surface.
Thursday November 21st 7pm – Funny Frights
Midnight Snack (1:41) dir. Sandra Foisy
Hunger always strikes in the dead of night.
Hell is a Teenage Girl (15:00) dir. Stephen Sawchuk
Every Halloween, the small town of Springboro is terrorized by its resident SLASHER – a masked serial killer who targets sinful teenagers that break ‘The Rules of Horror’ – don’t drink, don’t do drugs, and don’t have sex!
Gaslit (10:36) dir. Anna MacLean
A woman goes to dangerous lengths to prove she wasn’t responsible for a fart.
Bath Bomb (9:55) dir. Colin G Cooper
A possessive doctor prepares an ostensibly romantic bath for his narcissistic boyfriend, but after an accusation of infidelity, things take a deeply disturbing turn.
Any Last Words (14:22) dir. Isaac Rathé
A crook trying to flee town is paid an untimely visit by some of his former colleagues. What would you say to save your life if you were staring down the barrel of a gun?
Papier mâché (4:30) dir. Simon Madore
A whimsical depiction of the hard and tumultuous life of a piñata.
The Living Room (9:59) dir. Joslyn Rogers
After an unexpected call from Lady Luck, Ms. Valentine must choose between her sanity and her winnings – all before the jungle consumes her.
A Divine Comedy: What the Hell (8:55) dir. Valerie Lee Barnhart Dante’s classic Hell is falling into oblivion. Charlotte,
sharp-witted Harpy, navigates the chaos and sets out despite the odds for a new life and destiny.
Mr Fuzz (2:30) dir. Christopher Walsh
A long-limbed, fuzzy-haired creature will do whatever it takes to keep you watching his show.
Out of the Hands of the Wicked (5:00)dirs. Luke Sargent, Benjamin Hackman
After a harrowing journey home from hell, old Pa boasts of his triumph over evil, and how he came to lock the devil in his heart.
The Shitty Ride (9:13) dir. Cole Doran
Hoping to impress the girl of his dreams, Cole buys a used car but gets more than he bargained for with his shitty ride.
9:30 – Inviteddir. Navin Ramaswaran Horror
When a reluctant mother attends her daughter’s Zoom elopement, she and the rest of the family in attendance quickly realize the groom is part of a Russian cult with deadly intentions.
w/ shorts: Defile dir. Brian Sepanzyk
A couple’s secluded getaway is suddenly interrupted by a strange family who exposes them to the horrors that lie beyond the tree line.
+ A Mother’s Love dir. Lisa Ovies
A young girl deals with the consequences of trusting someone online.
Friday November 22nd 7:00 pm – Creepy Bits(anthology horror series)
Creepy Bits is a short horror anthology series that explores pandemic age themes of isolation, paranoia and distrust of authority, serving them up in bite-sized chunks. Directed by Adrian Bobb, Ashlea Wessel, David J. Fernandes, Sid Zanforlin and Kelly Paoli.
9:30 – Pins and Needles (81 min) dir. James Villeneuve Horror / Thriller
Follows Max, a diabetic, biology grad student who is entrapped in a devilish new-age wellness experiment and must escape a lethal game of cat and mouse to avoid becoming the next test subject to extend the lives of the rich and privileged.
w/ short: Adjoining (11:42) dirs. Harrison Houde, Dakota Daulby
A couple’s motel stay takes a chilling turn when they discover they’re being observed, leading to unexpected consequences.
Saturday November 23rd 4pm – EmergingScreams (94 mins)
Apnea (14:58) dir. David Matheson
A single, working mother finds her career and her offbeat son’s safety in jeopardy when she discovers that her late mother is possessing her in her sleep.
Nereid (7:48) dir. Lori Zozzolotto
A mysterious woman escapes from an abusive relationship with earth shattering results.
BedLamer (15:00) dir. Alexa Jane Jerrett
On the shores of a small fishing village lives a lonely settlement of men – capturing and domesticating otherworldly creatures that were never meant to be tamed.
Blocked (6:30) dir. Aisha Alfa
A new mom is literally consumed with the futility of cleaning up after her kid.
Dance of the Faery (10:23) dir. Kaela Brianna Egert
A young woman cleans up her estranged, great aunt’s home after her death. Upon inspection, she soon realizes that her eccentric obsession with fairies was not born out of love, but of fear.
Deep End (7:36) dir. Juan Pablo Saenz
A gay couple’s heated argument during a hike spiral into a nightmare when one of them vanishes, leading the other to a mysterious cave that could reveal the chilling truth.
Ojichaag – Spirit Within (11:21) dir. Rachel Beaulieu
An emotionally devastated woman seeks comfort in her choice to end her life. As she faces death in the form of a spirit, she must decide to let herself go to fight to stay alive.
Lure (9.56) dir. Jacob Phair
A tormented father awaits the return of the man who saved his son’s life.
Let Me In (10:00) dirs. Joel Buxton, Charles Smith
A reluctant man interviews an unusual immigration candidate: himself from a doomed dimension
7:00 pm –The Silent Planet (95 mins) dir. Jeffrey St. Jules Sci-fi
An aging convict serving out a life sentence alone on a distant planet is forced to confront his past when a new prisoner shows up and pushes him to remember his life on earth
w/ short: Ascension (3:57) dir. Kenzie Yango
Deep in a remote forest, two friends, Mia and Riley, embark on a leisurely hike. As tensions run high between the two, a strange humming noise appears that seems to be coming from somewhere in the woods.
A plumber and his germophobic son are forced to get their hands dirty to save the residents of an apartment building, when a genetically engineered, blood-thirsty creature escapes into the plumbing system.
w/ short: Oh…Canada (6:20) dir. Vincenzo Nappi
Oh, Canada. Such a wonderful place to live – WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT. A musical look into the artifice surrounding Canadian identity.
Sometimes, you just have to return to the classics.
That’s especially true as Halloween approaches. While you queue up your spooky movie marathon, here are 10 iconic horror movies from the past 70 years for inspiration, and what AP writers had to say about them when they were first released.
We resurrected excerpts from these reviews, edited for clarity, from the dead — did they stand the test of time?
“Rear Window” (1954)
“Rear Window” is a wonderful trick pulled off by Alfred Hitchcock. He breaks his hero’s leg, sets him up at an apartment window where he can observe, among other things, a murder across the court. The panorama of other people’s lives is laid out before you, as seen through the eyes of a Peeping Tom.
James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Thelma Ritter and others make it good fun.
— Bob Thomas
“Halloween” (1978)
At 19, Jamie Lee Curtis is starring in a creepy little thriller film called “Halloween.”
Until now, Jamie’s main achievement has been as a regular on the “Operation Petticoat” TV series. Jamie is much prouder of “Halloween,” though it is obviously an exploitation picture aimed at the thrill market.
The idea for “Halloween” sprang from independent producer-distributor Irwin Yablans, who wanted a terror-tale involving a babysitter. John Carpenter and Debra Hill fashioned a script about a madman who kills his sister, escapes from an asylum and returns to his hometown intending to murder his sister’s friends.
— Bob Thomas
“The Silence of the Lambs” (1991)
“The Silence of the Lambs” moves from one nail-biting sequence to another. Jonathan Demme spares the audience nothing, including closeups of skinned corpses. The squeamish had best stay home and watch “The Cosby Show.”
Ted Tally adapted the Thomas Harris novel with great skill, and Demme twists the suspense almost to the breaking point. The climactic confrontation between Clarice Starling and Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine) is carried a tad too far, though it is undeniably exciting with well-edited sequences.
Such a tale as “The Silence of the Lambs” requires accomplished actors to pull it off. Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins are highly qualified. She provides steely intelligence, with enough vulnerability to sustain the suspense. He delivers a classic portrayal of pure, brilliant evil.
— Bob Thomas
“Scream” (1996)
In this smart, witty homage to the genre, students at a suburban California high school are being killed in the same gruesome fashion as the victims in the slasher films they know by heart.
If it sounds like the script of every other horror movie to come and go at the local movie theater, it’s not.
By turns terrifying and funny, “Scream” — written by newcomer David Williamson — is as taut as a thriller, intelligent without being self-congratulatory, and generous in its references to Wes Craven’s competitors in gore.
— Ned Kilkelly
“The Blair Witch Project” (1999)
Imaginative, intense and stunning are a few words that come to mind with “The Blair Witch Project.”
“Blair Witch” is the supposed footage found after three student filmmakers disappear in the woods of western Maryland while shooting a documentary about a legendary witch.
The filmmakers want us to believe the footage is real, the story is real, that three young people died and we are witnessing the final days of their lives. It isn’t. It’s all fiction.
But Eduardo Sanchez and Dan Myrick, who co-wrote and co-directed the film, take us to the edge of belief, squirming in our seats the whole way. It’s an ambitious and well-executed concept.
— Christy Lemire
“Saw” (2004)
The fright flick “Saw” is consistent, if nothing else.
This serial-killer tale is inanely plotted, badly written, poorly acted, coarsely directed, hideously photographed and clumsily edited, all these ingredients leading to a yawner of a surprise ending. To top it off, the music’s bad, too.
You could forgive all (well, not all, or even, fractionally, much) of the movie’s flaws if there were any chills or scares to this sordid little horror affair.
But “Saw” director James Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell, who developed the story together, have come up with nothing more than an exercise in unpleasantry and ugliness.
— David Germain
Germain gave “Saw” one star out of four.
“Paranormal Activity” (2009)
The no-budget ghost story “Paranormal Activity” arrives 10 years after “The Blair Witch Project,” and the two horror movies share more than a clever construct and shaky, handheld camerawork.
The entire film takes place at the couple’s cookie-cutter dwelling, its layout and furnishings indistinguishable from just about any other readymade home constructed in the past 20 years. Its ordinariness makes the eerie, nocturnal activities all the more terrifying, as does the anonymity of the actors adequately playing the leads.
The thinness of the premise is laid bare toward the end, but not enough to erase the horror of those silent, nighttime images seen through Micah’s bedroom camera. “Paranormal Activity” owns a raw, primal potency, proving again that, to the mind, suggestion has as much power as a sledgehammer to the skull.
— Glenn Whipp
Whipp gave “Paranormal Activity” three stars out of four.
“The Conjuring” (2013)
As sympathetic, methodical ghostbusters Lorraine and Ed Warren, Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson make the old-fashioned haunted-house horror film “The Conjuring” something more than your average fright fest.
“The Conjuring,” which boasts incredulously of being their most fearsome, previously unknown case, is built very in the ’70s-style mold of “Amityville” and, if one is kind, “The Exorcist.” The film opens with a majestic, foreboding title card that announces its aspirations to such a lineage.
But as effectively crafted as “The Conjuring” is, it’s lacking the raw, haunting power of the models it falls shy of. “The Exorcist” is a high standard, though; “The Conjuring” is an unusually sturdy piece of haunted-house genre filmmaking.
— Jake Coyle
Coyle gave “The Conjuring” two and half stars out of four.
Fifty years after Sidney Poitier upended the latent racial prejudices of his white date’s liberal family in “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” writer-director Jordan Peele has crafted a similar confrontation with altogether more combustible results in “Get Out.”
In Peele’s directorial debut, the former “Key and Peele” star has — as he often did on that satirical sketch series — turned inside out even supposedly progressive assumptions about race. But Peele has largely left comedy behind in a more chilling portrait of the racism that lurks beneath smiling white faces and defensive, paper-thin protestations like, “But I voted for Obama!” and “Isn’t Tiger Woods amazing?”
It’s long been a lamentable joke that in horror films — never the most inclusive of genres — the Black dude is always the first to go. In this way, “Get Out” is radical and refreshing in its perspective.
In Ari Aster’s intensely nightmarish feature-film debut “Hereditary,” when Annie (Toni Collette), an artist and mother of two teenagers, sneaks out to a grief-support group following the death of her mother, she lies to her husband Steve (Gabriel Byrne) that she’s “going to the movies.”
A night out with “Hereditary” is many things, but you won’t confuse it for an evening of healing and therapy. It’s more like the opposite.
Aster’s film, relentlessly unsettling and pitilessly gripping, has carried with it an ominous air of danger and dread: a movie so horrifying and good that you have to see it, even if you shouldn’t want to, even if you might never sleep peacefully again.
