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 […]
Reviews
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 […]
CUFF ’17: ‘Hounds of Love’ Review
By: Matt Prazak During the summer of 1987, women are disappearing from the streets of Perth at the hands of serial killer couple John and Evelyn White. Vicki Maloney, an intelligent and charismatic teenager, is spending the weekend at her mother’s house in outer suburbia. After friction between mother and daughter escalates, Vicki defiantly sneaks […]
CUFF ’17: Anne Hathaway in ‘Colossal’ Review
By: Matt Prazak After Gloria (Anne Hathaway) loses her job and is kicked out of her boyfriend’s apartment, she leaves her life in New York and moves back to her hometown. When news reports surface that a giant creature is destroying Seoul, Korea, Gloria gradually comes to the realization that she is somehow connected to […]
Disneynature’s ‘Born in China’ is a Gorgeous Documentary about the Circle of Life
By: Debbie Wang This Earth Day, we’re treated to Disneynature’s most ambitious documentary about the wildlife in China. Following three separate animal families, Born in China is not only a beautiful film to look at, but manages to showcase the highs and lows of living in the majestic, undisturbed terrains of one of the world’s […]
CUFF ’17: ‘The Little Hours’ Review
Official Synopsis: Medieval nuns Alessandra (Alison Brie), Fernanda (Aubrey Plaza), and Ginevra (Kate Micucci) lead a simple life in their convent. Their days are spent chafing at monastic routine, spying on one another, and berating the estate’s day labourer. After a particularly vicious insult session drives the peasant away, Father Tommasso (John C. Reilly) brings […]
Hot Docs 2017: ‘Pecking Order’ Tries it’s Clucking Best
Slavko Martinov. New Zealand. 88 Min. More Info. In the world of competitive chicken (or chook, as they so lovingly say in New Zealand) pageantry, there can only be one bird at the top. Members of the Christchurch Poultry, Bantam and Pigeon Club in New Zealand take their chickens very seriously. It’s an obsessive way of […]
‘The Fate of the Furious’ is Utterly Ridiculous and That’s Okay
By: Daniel Chadwick-Shubat The Fate of the Furious is the eight installment in the Fast & Furious franchise and it’s understandable that some people are starting to be less interested in the series. I was in the group that believed that the way Furious 7 ended was a perfect way to end the series. Paul Walker’s death had a huge […]
‘Going in Style’ is Innocuous Fun
By: Alex Perez On the surface of Going in Style, you have a comedy staring three top-notch actors. Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and Alan Arkin can be considered legends at this point. On the flip side though, this project really came out of nowhere. Considering I haven’t seen the original (and I doubt that many […]
‘The Zookeeper’s Wife’ is a Touching Holocaust Drama where Jessica Chastain Shines
By: Debbie Wang Are there ever enough movies about unsung heroes from Holocaust? Maybe. But perhaps we need these films, like The Zookeeper’s Wife, now more than ever. With all that’s going on in the world and the current political climate, we need stories about compassionate people to remind us that hate cannot win. In Niki […]