In 1953, President Eisenhower declared all homosexuals as “sexual perverts” that were risks to national security. During the Cold War where paranoia was at an all-time high, his executive order discriminated against the LGBT community, terminating them from their positions as public servants. This moment in history was a major catalyst for the fight for […]
Reviews
‘Abacus: Small Enough To Jail’ is real drama, and real life
The mess that the banking and financial industry has become is all the more relevant in Steve James’ latest documentary, Abacus: Small Enough to Jail. From immigration politics to fraud, there’s a lot going on, but it’s a seamlessly presented look at such a crisis that gets you deep inside, yet never too lost, in […]
Inside Out 2017: ‘Heartstone (Hjartasteinn)’ Review
Set against the background of a beautiful, rural village in Iceland, Heartstone is an auspicious debut from director Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson. Neither Thor nor Christian have the best home life. Thor’s sisters bully him relentlessly and his single mother pretty much resents his existence. Christian’s dad is no better – he’s abusive and his homophobia is evident […]
‘Berlin Syndrome’ is a Tourist’s Worst Nightmare
While holidaying in Berlin, Australian photographer, Clare, meets Andi, a charismatic local man and there is an instant attraction between them. A night of passion ensues. But what initially appears to be the start of a romance, takes an unexpected and sinister turn when Clare wakes the following morning to discover Andi has left for […]
‘Baywatch’ can’t stay afloat with what’s on board
As Dwayne Johnson continually grasps onto more and more projects, there’s a lesson he should take away from Baywatch, and that’s that he cannot do all the heavy lifting himself. He can effortlessly lead a movie and promote it, but the behind the scenes is a mess. As nice a time the cast is having, […]
Inside Out 2017: ‘Handsome Devil’ Review
In Handsome Devil, Ned, the music loving ginger, and Conor, the rugby team’s star athlete, are forced to be roommates at their Irish boarding school. And what starts off as an uncomfortable situation turns into an unlikely friendship. Their mentor and teacher, Mr. Sherry (Andrew Scott), help the loner and the jock bond by convincing them […]
‘War Machine’ is a Misfired Satire
Writer-director David Michôd (Animal Kingdom) recreates a U.S. General’s roller-coaster rise and fall as part reality, part savage parody – raising the specter of just where the line between them lies today. His is an exploration of a born leader’s ultra-confident march right into the dark heart of folly. At the story’s core is Brad […]
Inside Out 2017: ‘Woman on Fire’ Review
Brooke Guinan is the first openly transgender firefighter in New York City. She’s proud that she followed in her father’s footsteps to become a firefighter, but her journey wasn’t easy. From a young age, Brooke struggled with her own gender identity – she originally thought she was gay before understanding that she was actually transgender. […]
‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales’ – Franchise Fatigue Takes Over
It was only a matter of time until another film from the hugely successful Pirates of Caribbean franchise landed in theaters everywhere. Well, why not? Each of those movies made a billion dollars in box office receipts and film-goers from all over the globe love Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow. Dead Men Tell No Tales, […]
Inside Out 2017: ‘Rebels on Pointe’ Review
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo is an all-male drag ballet company that mixes the technical perfection of ballet with the humour of a comedy troupe. Using their masculinity to explore femininity and the wide spectrum of sexuality, these dance rebels play up the clichés found in typical ballets that often intimidate people to attend, […]
‘Alien: Covenant’ is Too Uneven to be Fully Operational
As film making continues to advance, franchises further with it. You can see clear distinctions in how movies are being made than the past. Ridley Scott’s Alien, however, has remained timeless; the technique and story still holds up due to how perfectly it was executed. It was almost executed too well in fact. With Ridley Scott […]
‘The Space Between Us’ Blu-ray Review: Sparks in Space
The Film Here I don’t mean by “sparks” as a description in a positive light, I actually mean novelist Nicholas Sparks. The Space between us feels like a second-rate romantic tear-jerker Nicholas Sparks novel, but not even as good as most of his novels turned into films. Here we have a classic example of a […]
Inside Out 2017: ‘I Dream In Another Language’ Review
In I Dream In Another Language, Martin, a university linguist and researcher, travels deep within the Mexican jungle to learn about the lost language of Zikril. Only, the two remaining men who speak the language had a falling out and no longer want anything to do with the other man. It’s a story about broken […]
Inside Out 2017: ‘Free CeCe’ Review
In 2011, CeCe McDonald was unfairly incarcerated after fighting back against her attacker. The media misgendered her and CeCe was forced to go to a male prison when she identifies as a women. From this, a movement began in order to support CeCe and other trans women, especially those of colour. The transgender community, including acclaimed […]
Inside Out 2017: ‘Center of My World’ (‘Die Mitte der Welt’) Review
Imagine not knowing who your birth father is and feeling like you don’t know your own twin sister anymore, all while trying to understand your sexuality and discovering who you are as a person. Center of My World beautifully weaves all of these topics in a captivating coming-of-age film. With strong performances from the entire cast, […]