Don’t be fooled by the artwork and trailers for Megan Leavey. This is not just a war movie and it’s not just a movie about a Marine and her dog. It’s a story about relationships and love. Bear with me here. Whenever I hear a film is based on a true story, I’m already somewhat invested. There’s […]
Reviews
CSFF 2017: ‘Hillsborough’ Review
On April 15, 1989, one of the worst days in football (soccer) history occurred. 96 men and women went to watch a game and never returned. Growing up as a Liverpool fan my Grandpa always told me about the Hillsborough disaster and how important it was that we honour the memory of those 96 who […]
‘Band Aid’ Shows Music Heals all Wounds
Band Aid, the refreshingly raw, real, and hilarious feature debut from Zoe Lister-Jones, is the story of a couple, Anna (Zoe Lister-Jones) and Ben (Adam Pally), who can’t stop fighting. Advised by their therapist to try and work through their grief unconventionally, they are reminded of their shared love of music. In a last-ditch effort […]
‘Manifesto’ Review: 13 Reasons Why Cate Blanchett is an Icon
Premiering at Sundance this year, Julian Rosefeldt’s Manifesto saw Cate Blanchett, one of the greatest actresses of all time, delivering a career best performance in 13 distinct, must-see vignettes. Blanchett seamlessly transitions from character to character, whether she’s portraying a school teacher, a homeless man, or a puppeteer and yes, her puppet. The natural charisma from Blanchett radiates […]
‘Score: A Film Music Documentary’ is a Must See for Film Fans
The score of a film is just as important as the screenplay or the cinematography. It brings forth emotion or can completely change a film’s essence. Score: A Film Music Documentary deals with the beauty of film scores and studies some of the greatest composers and their greatest compositions. Unsurprisingly it does an amazing job. While interviews […]
‘Wonder Woman’ is a Fairly Decent Film Overhyped by Its Own Undeniable Importance
Wonder Woman’s success is an odd thing. It isn’t really a surprise, all the trailers looked solid, it had a bunch of talented people working on it, and Gal Gadot was like, literally the only good thing in Batman v Superman. But, at the same time, it comes from the gibbering clown factory that is […]
Inside Out 2017: ‘The Ring Thing’ Review
Not everyone believes in the institution of marriage, and that’s okay. But what happens when a lesbian couple are desperately in love with each other, but have different views about marriage and how marriage has affected the LGBT community? William Sullivan explores this topic in The Ring Thing, using his characters to tell this story in […]
Inside Out 2017: ‘The Lavender Scare’ Review
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 […]
‘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. […]