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Critics list

Linda Barnard

Tomatometer-approved critic
Biography:

Toronto Star movie critic.

Publications:

Reviews

Movies TV Shows
The Lost Daughter (2021) 94% EDIT “With brilliant work by Olivia Colman, Maggie Gyllenhaal's directing debut is a haunting work about choices, motherhood, and memory.” – Original Cin Dec 27, 2021 Full Review The Power of the Dog (2021) 94% EDIT “There's no point thinking you know what's coming next in Jane Campion's masterful Western drama featuring a never-better Benedict Cumberbatch as a rancher skilled at surgical bullying.” – Original Cin Nov 7, 2021 Full Review Rare Beasts (2019) 71% EDIT “Writer/director, and star Billie Piper's cheeky take on modern relationships is funny and sweet if not especially ground-breaking.” – Original Cin Aug 16, 2021 Full Review Materna (2020) 71% B EDIT “Despite some strong performances, Materna feels underdone in spots as separate stories of four New Yorker women linked through motherhood issues juggle for screen time.” – Original Cin Aug 11, 2021 Full Review Duty Free (2020) 85% EDIT “Undeniably sweet and inspirational, this Mom-and-me bucket-list adventure documentary fails to explore the root causes of seniors facing poverty and joblessness.” – Original Cin May 5, 2021 Full Review The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021) 97% A-minus EDIT “Laced with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller's signature rapid-fire pacing and colour, it's the goofy-smart and entertaining family fare we've been needing in these fun-challenged times.” – Original Cin Apr 27, 2021 Full Review Shiva Baby (2020) 96% EDIT “Emma Seligman's debut feature about an aimless twenty-something, bisexual Jewish college student facing a looming quarter-life crisis is smart and sharp.” – Original Cin Mar 25, 2021 Full Review Jump, Darling (2020) 93% A-minus EDIT “The setup feels a bit worn, but Cloris Leachman is outstanding in her final lead role as a feisty-yet-frail grandmother alongside remarkable newcomer Thomas Duplessie as her drag-queen grandson in writer/director Phil Connell's debut.” – Original Cin Mar 17, 2021 Full Review Anne at 13,000 ft (2019) 89% EDIT “Deragh Campbell gives a soaring performance as a young woman on the edge in Kazik Radwanski's low-key yet powerfully realized film.” – Original Cin Feb 18, 2021 Full Review Supernova (2020) 89% EDIT “Starry turns from Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci in Supernova, as a couple devastated by dementia.” – Original Cin Feb 15, 2021 Full Review Rams (2020) 91% EDIT “Trading the austerity of the Icelandic original for Aussie jocularity, director Jeremy Sims' Rams nevertheless preserves the original film's heart about sibling devotion put the test in a time of crisis.” – Original Cin Feb 3, 2021 Full Review Acasa, My Home (2020) 100% EDIT “This intimate documentary powerfully asks the question 'which of the places we live is destined to be remembered as home?'” – Original Cin Jan 22, 2021 Full Review Wild Mountain Thyme (2020) 25% EDIT “Despite solid source material, a strong cast, and a proven screenwriter, Wild Mountain Thyme is silly, flabby, and misguided and woefully marred by bad Irish accents.” – Original Cin Dec 21, 2020 Full Review The New Corporation: The Unfortunately Necessary Sequel (2020) 77% 3/4 EDIT “"The New Corporation" finds the corporate world's self-interest streak remains robustly unchecked.” – Toronto Star Nov 11, 2020 Full Review Memories of Murder (2003) 95% A EDIT “Powerful, unrelenting, and with excellent performances - especially from Song Kang-ho who is never less than outstanding - Memories of Murder is unforgettable and justifiably described as a masterpiece.” – Original Cin Oct 21, 2020 Full Review Fatima (2020) 57% C-plus EDIT “Italian cinematographer Marco Pontecorvo directs with the lush hand he brought to Game of Thrones. His recreation of the children's visions about war, hell and a papal assassination seem more disaster movie than religious inspirational.” – Original Cin Aug 25, 2020 Full Review They Call Me Dr. Miami (2020) 89% B EDIT “Chartier's documentary moves quickly. Good thing. The 77-minute runtime is enough to take of self-absorbed Dr. Miami and the sexist atmosphere that surrounds his work. Yet the dichotomy between the public and private man is fascinating.” – Original Cin May 12, 2020 Full Review First Stripes (Premières Armes) (2018) B EDIT “Caissy focuses the camera on the trainees' faces in the dressing-down exchanges, rather than the man barking the orders/lectures (all the superiors are males). The approach keeps attention on the recruits, a reminder that this is their story.” – Original Cin Apr 6, 2020 Full Review My Spy (2020) 49% C-minus EDIT “From Arnold Schwarzenegger's Kindergarten Cop to Vin Diesel as The Pacifier, it's all been done before. Self-assured kid actor Coleman and the always-funny Schaal give My Spy some personality, but can we please retire this worn-out idea?” – Original Cin Mar 12, 2020 Full Review Disappearance at Clifton Hill (2019) 78% B EDIT “Shin isn't shy about laying on quirky details and oddball splashes to make his third film swing from bizarrely entertaining to dark - though the mystery-solved conclusion feels rushed and is the weakest part of the film.” – Original Cin Feb 24, 2020 Full Review Ordinary Love (2019) 93% A EDIT “McCafferty's precise dialogue seems effortless, even when the scenes are tough to watch. Manville and Neeson are exceptional. A pause, an awkward look, moments of tenderness or humour, even how Joan butters a scone, conveys much about them.” – Original Cin Feb 17, 2020 Full Review Come to Daddy (2019) 87% C-plus EDIT “What starts out as a promising comic thriller deflates quickly as it becomes clear we're just here for the gore.” – Original Cin Feb 3, 2020 Full Review Quezon's Game (2018) 45% C EDIT “An inspiring story. But aside from solid turns by Raymond Bagatsing as Quezon, Rachel Alejandro as his wife, Aurora, and Billy Ray Gallion as Alex Frieder, the acting swings between wooden and melodramatic. Budget constraints are evident.” – Original Cin Jan 23, 2020 Full Review Wild Rose (2018) 92% 3/4 EDIT “Buckley [is] an incandescent onscreen presence with a set of killer pipes who imbues every song with undeniable heart.” – Toronto Star Jun 20, 2019 Full Review Gloria Bell (2018) 90% 3.5/4 EDIT “Because of Moore's open-hearted, captivating portrayal of the title character, repetition won't be a drawback for those who've seen Gloria. She makes the role her own with brio and woman-power strength.” – Toronto Star Mar 14, 2019 Full Review
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