Donald Pilon Movies

A sequel to the popular Quebecois comedy It's Your Turn, Laura, in this go-round, protagonist Laura (Ginette Reno), a rotund middle-aged woman, celebrates her birthday on an ocean cruise with her gossiping girlfriends. Once on board, the romantic intrigue begins. Laura is wooed by the ship's debonair captain, while her friend Lucille makes a valiant go for the extremely gay Oscar. Meanwhile, Laura's other friend Alice tries to shack up with almost everyone while avoiding bumptious butcher Albert. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

This Canadian French language parody was universally panned by critics. The resulting controversy concerned questions of indiscriminate government funding of such obviously terrible material. Written by Francois Camirand and Pierre Plante, who also made his directorial debut with the film. The story centers on dopey, dull-witted Fredo who has inherited his late uncle's shipping company. Con artist Angelo is his racquetball partner. Angelo has doggedly been trying to convince Fredo that he is a famous film producer so Fredo will invest in his latest film. This sets Fredo to dreaming about films and these daydreams comprise the basis of the parody sketches that attempt to make fun of such genres as martial arts films, gangsters flicks, sexy Italian romances, and one scene where the filmmakers combine The Piano with Crocodile Dundee. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this tragicomedy, Toni (Tony Niardi) is the director of a staged rendition of Othello in Montreal. It is a pet project of his, financed by his loving mafia uncle. Unbeknownst to him, the audiences are also rounded up (and paid) by the same uncle. Some of them have seen every performance of this tragic play, and are understandably bored, so when the backstage romantic shenanigans of the actors result in absurd situations onstage, the audience is delighted. There are a huge number of romantic situations going on in this film at the same time. One of them involves Gaston (Jean Lapointe), a somewhat world-weary jazz musician, and Florence (Louise Marleau), a glamorous middle-aged woman who has been pining for him for years. Another involves to members of the musician's jazz trio. Yet another involves the play's Desdemona, Soledad (Charlotte Laurier), the girlfriend of the man playing Othello, who can't keep his hands off his (female) dresser. She is also Florence's neice. This busy story pokes fun at many local foibles and was a huge success in Quebec. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

In this suspenseful thriller two strangers are suddenly thrown together in the strangest of circumstances when they witness a killing and a robbery and then find $5 million aboard a New York-bound train. Now they are forced to flee from the CIA, the Russians, and others while simultaneously trying to discover where the money came from and what to do with it. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The heroine of this action film is an airline pilot who used to be an aerial acrobat who dresses like a high-fashion model. Her two children have been killed by a drunk driver who practices voodoo on the side. The voodoo alcoholic is married to an industrial magnate, and therefore has wealth and power on her side. The acrobatic, designer pilot has a diabolical plan to avenge her children's death when all else seems to fail. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

In an attempt to sell his manuscript, a writer tries to persuade a prospective publisher that cats are ultimately evil by providing him with three different stories of kitty brutality in this anthology of horror. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide

City on Fire, a disaster thriller filmed in Canada with dialogue in both French and English, tells the story of an oil-refinery explosion in a small town. Dr. Frank Whitman (Barry Newman) and his co-workers, including Nurse Harper (Shelley Winters) and Dr. Matwick (Donald Pilon), fight bravely to save the victims even when they, themselves are endangered by the fire. The film also features cameos by Ava Gardner and Henry Fonda. The film moves at a fast pace and creates a great deal of suspense as the fire closes in on the survivors. Director Alvin Rakoff uses creativity instead of a big budget and, aided by the splendid cinematography of Rene Verzier, succeeds in creating an exciting disaster film. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide

In this melodrama a married woman cannot decide between her lover and her husband. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Against the backdrop of impending war, an enterprising pimp and his seven working girls arrive in Borntown, northern Quebec, in the Christmas season of 1938. The entrepreneurs give a lavish reception right in the mine, which is the reason for the town's existence (and their presence). Afterwards, the usual difficulties of starting a new business come to the fore, with the additional difficulty of hell-and-brimstone sermons from the local priest (Jacques Dufilho). This film is in French. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

In this French Canadian film, when the provincial government tries to move two young farmers from their land to make way for development, the two fight back, accidentally killing a policeman and becoming outlaws in the process. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Non-Quebecois may find this French language comedy somewhat inscrutable, as it contains many local references and in-jokes. The story concerns two incredibly primitive backwoods types. These men have just been released from prison for kidnapping the local police chief's daughter but still have a hankering for a woman. When they return to their campsite, they discover a woodland nymph whom they both bed and who drives them wild. Jealousy nearly destroys their relationship, but after they have come to blows over her, they discover she has left. This film is mildly pornographic, as it has nudity and depicts sexual situations. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide