Hooked follows Tom and Jack, two homeless LGBT youth who run away from home in order to start a life together. To survive, Jack gets involved in sex work to make money, but the more he makes the more disillusioned he becomes with his safety, both financially and physically. Instagram star turned director Max Emerson […]
Reviews
Inside Out 2017: ‘Ginger Nation’ Review
Toronto comedian Shawn Hitchins is funny. Really funny. And it’s not because he’s a redhead making fun of himself being “a person of primary colour.” And it’s not because he’s a “gold star gay.” But these two factors make up a large part of who he is and from them come some really fantastic, and […]
‘Alone in Berlin’ lacks tension and everything you expect out of a WWII-era film
As the name suggests, Alone in Berlin takes places in Berlin during the Nazi regime in the 1940’s and is loosely based on the real life working-class couple of Elise and Otto Hampel. In the film, the characters are named Anna and Otto Quangel (played by Emma Thompson and Brendan Gleeson, respectively) and after learning about their […]
‘I Am Heath Ledger’ Holds Back, but is Personal and Tender
I Am Heath Ledger is a touching and haunting documentary about an undeniable talent. Cutting back and forth between archival footage and interviews with some of Heath Ledger’s closest family, friends, and collaborators, directors Derik Murray and Adrian Buitenhuis make us reminisce about all the great roles that Ledger took on. What we don’t get is, and […]
‘Risk’ is a Compelling look at a Controversial Character
By: Matt Prazak Laura Poitras, Academy Award winning director of Citizenfour, returns with her most personal and intimate film to date. Filmed over six years, Risk is a complex and volatile character study that collides with a high stakes election year and its controversial aftermath. Cornered in a tiny building for half a decade, Julian Assange […]
‘Bon Cop Bad Cop 2’ is entertaining, but cliché-ridden
The long awaited sequel to Bon Cop Bad Cop, the 2007 Canadian buddy comedy hit that is particularly loved by the French Canadian population, is finally here after ten long years. Ten years is a lengthy period, but at least Bon Cop Bad Cop 2 is not half bad, and it does deliver to a certain extent. […]
‘King Arthur: Legend of the Sword’ can’t even be a Guilty Pleasure
I remember in 2012 when John Carter came out and flopped hard amidst critical bashing and disappointment from most of the general movie goers. However, it did manage to develop some kind of a following throughout the years just like The 13th Warrior did from 1998. John Carter was a mess and not a very […]
Hot Docs 2017: Strad Style
Stefan Avalos. USA. 104 Minutes. More Info. Danny Houck, a Ohioan who has never left the USA, is obsessed with violins. But he’s not obsessed with playing them – he’s obsessed with making them. His friends tell him that he could probably make more than just violins, including “guitars and stuff”. To which Danny responds […]
‘The Handmaiden’ is a Unique, Spellbindingly Complex Work of Film Noir
By: Tom Magennis In 2003, Park Chan-Wook’s Oldboy exploded into theaters, shocking western audiences with its complex narrative, eye-wateringly brutal violence, and the kind of twist that snaps your brain in half like a fresh breadstick. Oldboy went down in the history books as a defining work of East-Asian Film, it’s untouchability only solidified by […]
Hot Docs 2017: ‘House of Z’ Showcases Zac Posen’s Fashion Comeback
Sandy Chronopoulos. USA, Canada. 87 Minutes. More Info. In her feature film debut, director Sandy Chronopolous, a television producer for Rogers Media, documents the rise and fall and rise again of fashion wunderkind Zac Posen. House of Z is an intimate look at the beginnings of the fashion house and the drama that occurred behind the […]
‘xXx: The Return of Xander Cage’ is where Mindless Action Takes Another Leap
Vin Diesel just doesn’t care about what you say, he is working to satisfy his fans and he has no problem with that. He is big on nostalgia for his past adventures as Riddick, Toretto, and Xander Cage. He likes to bring international stars to attract audiences from all-over the world and in his return […]
Hot Docs 2017: Island Soldier
Nathan Fitch. USA. 85 Minutes. More Info. Island Soldier opens with a sobering shot; we’re at the funeral of a fallen soldier, Sapuro Nena. In the Federated States of Micronesia, the Islanders are able to enlist in the U.S. military and receive financial assistance for their service as per the contract set out in the Compact Free […]
‘Free Fire’ is Insane for All the Right Reasons
By: Alex Perez Spanning in at a quick 90 minute runtime, director Ben Wheatley decided it would be a good idea to film a movie precariously set on a group of characters shooting guns at each other the whole time. He certainly did that with Free Fire, and when it works, it works very well. […]
‘The Circle’: TECHnically a Letdown
By: Matt Prazak The Circle is a gripping modern thriller starring Emma Watson, Tom Hanks and John Boyega. When Mae (Emma Watson) is hired to work for the world’s largest and most powerful tech & social media company, she sees it as an opportunity of a lifetime. As she rises through the ranks, she is […]
‘Their Finest’ is a Light, Charming British Drama
By: Ali Habous The British are talented filmmakers and even better actors. Even if they give us a predictable drama with some clichés, they still come through and ably deliver a decent show. That is simply because they have a lot of talent in front and behind the camera. This time the director’s chair is […]