Sarah Gopaul

Tomatometer-approved critic

Publications: Digital Journal

Location: Toronto, ON, Canada

movie Reviews Only

Movies
TV

T-Meter	Title \| Year	Review
66%	Happy Death Day 2U (2019)	When looking for a popcorn movie, it doesn't matter if it's predictable - but it has to be fun and this movie definitely checks that box. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Feb 14, 2019
59%	Alita: Battle Angel (2019)	Every inch of the aesthetic was thought-out with painstaking detail that makes it all seem real and, in turn, helps bring its characters to life. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Feb 13, 2019
85%	The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part (2019)	[The film] takes a more literal approach to its narrative that builds on its self-awareness, while still delivering an amusing caper in a fantastically imaginative world. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Feb 8, 2019
24%	Miss Bala (2019)	[D]irector Catherine Hardwicke resists the Hollywood machine enough to let Gloria survive her way. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Feb 1, 2019
72%	Chef Flynn (2018)	Eureka is the name Flynn gave his in-house restaurant and pop-ups, and it would seem the exclamation is an apt title for his still blossoming career. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Jan 27, 2019
93%	Cold War (Zimna wojna) (2018)	This unconventional love story captivates audiences with its nearly square frame and conflicted romance that is amazingly contained to less than 90 minutes without missing a beat or feeling rushed. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Jan 25, 2019
21%	Serenity (2019)	Serenity starts off as a solid neo-noir before turning into something completely different, which runs the risk of derailing the narrative and alienating audiences. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Jan 25, 2019
37%	Glass (2019)	The most exciting part of this type of trilogy is getting everyone into the same room, so Shyamalan doesn't waste a lot of time getting to at least one of the more anticipated meetings. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Jan 18, 2019
72%	Destroyer (2018)	The script creates a blend of timelines that engages viewers with equal fervour and challenges them to be evenly present in both stories. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Jan 11, 2019
94%	Lifechanger (2018)	The movie is a solid genre picture that combines sci-fi and some twisted form of romance, but it's truly made by the ending that calls into question everything that preceded it and gives the title an additional meaning. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Jan 3, 2019
32%	Welcome to Marwen (2018)	[I]n spite of the connection between the real and imaginary storylines, they feel like they are competing for the audience's attention. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Dec 31, 2018
72%	On the Basis of Sex (2019)	Ginsburg is smart as a whip, and Jones conveys her strength and intelligence with poise and humour. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Dec 24, 2018
94%	If Beale Street Could Talk (2019)	The film is unrushed, often making poetry in motion, as viewers are meant to spend time with these people to better understand where they're coming from, creating a subtle yet striking statement that resonates long after the credits. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Dec 24, 2018
65%	Aquaman (2018)	Director James Wan is not concerned with shoehorning his film into the greater DCEU, which gives him the freedom to make a film that rolls Aquaman's origin story and an exciting plot into a movie that surpasses most of the studio's other efforts. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Dec 22, 2018
78%	Mary Poppins Returns (2018)	It's not often one can recapture the hope of their youth via a charming follow-up to a family favourite, but this is unquestionably one of those rare occasions that should be lovingly embraced. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Dec 20, 2018
59%	The House That Jack Built (2018)	[A]s is typical, the filmmaker's arguments are thought-provoking, even when they are wrapped in indecency. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Dec 16, 2018
81%	The Quake (Skjelvet) (2018)	[S]omewhat expectedly, this film doesn't measure up to its predecessor, but still passes for a popcorn action blockbuster. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Dec 16, 2018
27%	Mortal Engines (2018)	If it was tighter and focused on hitting the (obvious) beats to propel the story forward, it'd be a much-improved picture. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Dec 14, 2018
62%	Mary Queen of Scots (2018)	Obviously, this is a simplified and likely exaggerated representation of history, but the difficulties these women faced should not be dismissed or underestimated. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Dec 14, 2018
53%	Once Upon a Deadpool (2018)	"Family is not an F-word," but Deadpool isn't the same without it. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Dec 12, 2018
64%	Suspiria (2018)	At 152 minutes, one's appreciation for Guadagnino's approach has a lot of time to waver and those moments of brilliance can become overshadowed by the self-indulgent, art house elements that appeal to a more niche audience. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Dec 1, 2018
80%	Green Book (2018)	The comedy woven through the entire script is surprising, but completely natural. The friendship that develops between these two dissimilar men is heartwarming and the fact that it's based on a true story ... makes it even more so. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Nov 23, 2018
89%	Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)	It's vibrant and everything moves very quickly, which is great for Vanellope but really discombobulates Ralph. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Nov 22, 2018
84%	Creed II (2018)	... its understanding of the franchise's history is evident and a significant contributor to creating a movie that long-time fans will enjoy. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Nov 22, 2018
91%	Widows (2018)	[McQueen and Flynn] create a thrilling picture that offsets its one element of predictability with a compelling narrative that keeps everyone on their toes. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Nov 17, 2018
37%	Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)	... nothing negates the fact that the crux of the film is located in a handful of key scenes and the last 30 minutes of the movie, making more than two-thirds of the picture noticeably superfluous. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Nov 16, 2018
81%	Boy Erased (2018)	This film is somewhat understated, but it fits the subject matter well ... [it] uses sincerity and realism to deliver its meaning. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Nov 11, 2018
57%	The Grinch (2018)	Unlike the live-action version, this newly animated edition shares a lot of similarities with the original, which makes it more palatable. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Nov 9, 2018
34%	The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018)	The tale is enchanting, though the lack of music is conspicuous and the ending is a little underwhelming. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Nov 3, 2018
61%	Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)	This movie is about heart and writer/director Bryan Singer opts not to shine a light on any cracks in the veneer. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Nov 2, 2018
23%	Need For Speed (2014)	In spite of that movie's popularity and its kinship with the multi-release racing video game, a big screen adaptation of Need for Speed took more than 10 years to roll up to the line. It's not a perfect run but it delivers the goods. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 31, 2018
91%	The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)	Fans of the director will not be disappointed, almost expecting the bit of meandering that occurs in the middle that is immediately forgiven in the context of the whole. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 31, 2018
14%	Antisocial (2013)	It begins to feel like the film Pulse, which similarly demonized technology. And then the conclusion takes it a step too far, circling back to the blood soaked cliché it was so close to transcending. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 31, 2018
94%	Her (2013)	This may be the first true romance for the computer age. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 31, 2018
92%	American Hustle (2013)	It doesn't matter how much of the story is true because the film is the real deal. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 31, 2018
93%	Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)	A few films have also capitalized on this tradition, but Inside Llewyn Davis may be one of the most captivating with a first-rate soundtrack and fascinating though somber narrative. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 31, 2018
79%	Saving Mr. Banks (2013)	Fans of Mary Poppins will enjoy this extended behind-the-scenes featurette that explores the film's origins and conception of its unforgettable soundtrack. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 31, 2018
51%	The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty (2013)	The story is a combination of romance, action, mystery and comedy. It never misses a beat and skilfully delivers a feel good film that doesn't appear to blatantly manipulate audiences. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 31, 2018
61%	Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013)	Though it's both long and incomplete, this is a stirring portrait of a man worth knowing. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 31, 2018
65%	August: Osage County (2013)	There's no pretty bow to tie everything up in the end as characters' worries will continue to somewhat trouble viewers even after the film is finished. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 31, 2018
88%	Gabrielle (2014)	Quebecois writer/director Louise Archambault's sophomore feature is a skillfully told celebration of the human spirit. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 31, 2018
11%	The Nut Job (2014)	The story simply plugs away without introducing anything new or exciting, and often just repeating with slight variation. It's relatively dull even for a children's caper movie. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 31, 2018
5%	I, Frankenstein (2014)	Adam's search for the meaning of his life slows the pace,... By the time the final crusade takes place, the audience's interest has diminished almost completely. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 31, 2018
37%	The Fifth Estate (2013)	Nonetheless, this is an engaging portrayal of what will likely be a historical game changer in news and transparency. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 31, 2018
78%	Big Ass Spider! (2013)	With a title like Big Ass Spider, the only way it could be truly disappointing is if it didn't feature a huge arachnid. Luckily it matches that ridiculousness with an equally over-the-top dose of humor and fun. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 31, 2018
100%	The Battery (2014)	This is one of the best zombie films to be made in quite some time, owing much to Gardner's grasp of the genre and his on-screen chemistry with Cronheim. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 31, 2018
98%	Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)	[McCarthy] fits quite comfortably in the skin of a homely cat lady with a knack for unsolicited ghostwriting, spewing sarcasm and radiating belligerence. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 26, 2018
42%	Homefront (2013)	While it doesn't add anything to the aforementioned action subgenre, Statham's physicality and Stallone's old school plot maintain the standard and audience interest. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 26, 2018
40%	Oldboy (2013)	The remainder of the picture suffers from a predictable lack of originality. But the inability to consistently entertain is an issue of its own creation. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 26, 2018
57%	Riddick (2013)	The on-going involvement of writer/director David Twohy is evident in the continuity of the story over more than a decade since Riddick's introduction in 2000. - Digital Journal EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 26, 2018