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Anne Brodie
Tomatometer-approved critic
Movies reviews only
| Rating | T-Meter | Title | Year | Review |
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Swan Song (2023) |
Karen Kain’s parting gift after 50 years as a dancer and Artistic Director, was her own version of Swan Lake focusing on the “trapped women” theme. Kain, the ageless beauty, leaves an indelible imprint in this terrific doc. - What She Said
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| Posted Nov 24, 2023
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The Long Walk (2021) |
Norwegian ecology and animal activist and model Aleksandra Orbeck-Nilssen doesn’t do anything by halves. She and 2 San bushmen friends walked 1490 km across Namibia, an amazing experience that may inspire conscious travel.
- What She Said
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| Posted Nov 24, 2023
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Fallen Leaves (2023) |
Remarkably subtle, and intensely intimate, with a spare script and human universality, but it is slow. The score and songs sung are way out there, so that’s fun.
- What She Said
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| Posted Nov 24, 2023
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The Most Remote Restaurant in the World (2023) |
Chef Ziska is an unusually reticent subject who prefers to gaze into the stunning Arctic seascape not speak; it’s frustrating, but his passion and artistry are loud and proud. Foodies, armchair travellers, and adventurers will get a kick out of this one - What She Said
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| Posted Nov 20, 2023
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You Were My First Boyfriend (2023) |
Cecilia's "unfinished business" with high school sent her back to re-enact painful scenes as herself, a grown woman in a sea young people, an “emotional exorcism”, relief from the bad feelings she still carries in middle age. Would you go back in time?
- What She Said
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| Posted Nov 10, 2023
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Another Body (2023) |
Life-altering repercussions of abuse against women via faked porn videos as two students learn they're online; they suffered illness, mental disturbance, “became smaller” and felt death was easier. No US federal laws, and Canada's working on regulations.
- What She Said
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| Posted Nov 10, 2023
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Helen's Dead (2023) |
Yet another play on the Agatha Christie trope – characters trapped in an isolated space when a murderer strikes. Its chaos thanks to plot holes and staccato pacing. It doesn’t pull together like a good bread dough but falls apart like dry meringue.
- What She Said
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| Posted Nov 03, 2023
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Nyad (2023) |
A parable on the strength of the human spirit - uplifting, dramatic and you’ll ugly cry. Bening and Foster are, as always, in tip-top shape, and special kudos to Rhys Ifans for a strong and compassionate performance.
- What She Said
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| Posted Nov 03, 2023
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Beyond Utopia (2023) |
Forget ostentatious military parades, we see a brutal, harsh, primitive, and desperately deprived reality. Gavin’s courageous work, putting one of the worst, most dangerous countries in the world under the microscope is essential viewing. - What She Said
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| Posted Nov 03, 2023
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Verona (2023) |
The story of teenagers in a remote place of nature, space, and sky. Ordinary, everyday and extraordinary moments of life in a tiny town where everyone knows everyone and there are no secrets. - What She Said
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| Posted Nov 03, 2023
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Hands That Bind (2021) |
Tough family drama on the remote farmlands of Alberta, strange goings-on comment on the characters’ chaos. Kyle Armstrong shot the film where he grew up, shows deep understanding of that rural world, and brings a Gothic doomsday vibe.
- What She Said
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| Posted Nov 03, 2023
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Goodbye, Petrushka (2022) |
Nicola Rose’ entertaining and earnest romcom Goodbye, Petrushka features gorgeous animated sequences lifting a visually arresting story as does lead Lizzie Kehoe’s delicate and moving performance. - What She Said
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| Posted Oct 27, 2023
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Days of Happiness (2023) |
Tensions between father and daughter drive the story at a crucial time as the symphony decides whether to keep her as her father bullies them. A fascinating story that works as a psychological fable and offers up a glorious programme of music. - What She Said
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| Posted Oct 20, 2023
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The Persian Version (2023) |
driven by the energy of Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, rousing and fun, if a tad scattershot in its storytelling, which takes nothing from the joys and mysteries it presents. - What She Said
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| Posted Oct 20, 2023
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The Pigeon Tunnel (2023) |
Cornwall’s exquisite use of spoken language and Morris’ signature style are cinematic and theatrical, more psychological experience than standard fact-finding, there is currently no more consistently excellent and enduring documentarian. - What She Said
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| Posted Oct 20, 2023
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Anatomy of a Fall (2023) |
Sandra Hüller’s landmark performance in Justine Triet’s psychological study of marriage is simply stunning. - What She Said
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| Posted Oct 20, 2023
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Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) |
Martin Scorsese surpasses himself with the seismic, complex, malicious beauty ...Three hours and 26 minutes fly by thanks to the electric storytelling and its broken-hearted audacity... knocked me out cold, physically and emotionally.
- What She Said
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| Posted Oct 20, 2023
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No Accident (2023) |
Kristi Jacobson’s chilling documentary brings to light more details about the secret national network that devolved into murder (at Charlottesville). There is much to unpack here; we learn the where, what why, who, and when of this awful landmark event. - What She Said
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| Posted Oct 14, 2023
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Project Home: 3D Printing the Future (2022) |
A way to radically improve lives around the world in a permanent, cheap, sustainable, and doable - to 3D print homes, laying it out with hypnotic footage. Deeply inspirational and important look at how we can live more humanely - What She Said
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| Posted Oct 14, 2023
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Periodical (2023) |
Great information, hope, and openness about the cycle that affects all women from menstruation to menopause. Must see for male and female audiences. - What She Said
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| Posted Oct 13, 2023
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The Royal Hotel (2023) |
Kitty Green and Julie Garner further explore to a devastating climax, the female on the high-alert tale as a woman must fend off chauvinists who will stop at nothing to prove power and dominance.
- What She Said
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| Posted Oct 13, 2023
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Radical Wolfe (2023) |
A wonderfully illuminating and entertaining look at the late, great iconoclast - What She Said
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| Posted Sep 22, 2023
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Widow Clicquot (2023) |
A radical feminist story set in a stunning locale, with an exciting, Barry Lyndon-esque score, and Bennett's magnetic presence, the TIFF favourite about early, dangerous feminism and the brave soul who abided is unusual and welcome. - What She Said
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| Posted Sep 16, 2023
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Donyale Luna: Supermodel (2023) |
The story of the short, brilliant career of the first Black supermodel is told, and what a story! Rich, intensely visual, sad, and beautifully executed by Nailah Jefferson.
- What She Said
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| Posted Sep 15, 2023
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Ahead of Time (2009) |
Activist/reporter/feminist Ruth Gruber's book Exodus 1947 was banned for sixty years but she lived long enough to see it published. Her achievements and sacrifice are exemplary and deeply inspiring and Robert Richman's doc does her justice. - What She Said
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| Posted Sep 15, 2023
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Love at First Sight (2023) |
Our narrator appears in many guises wherever the twosome go - as an airline host, ticket taker, cabbie, wedding guest, helpful pedestrian, bartender. It's sweet, optimistic, and a nice tramp through London. - What She Said
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| Posted Sep 15, 2023
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El Conde (2023) |
Larrain's fantasy weaves that signature spell with haunting, nuanced, and gut-punch powerful cinematography with a touch of in a black-and-white dream world. A dark comic thread runs through and the visuals are superlative. - What She Said
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| Posted Sep 15, 2023
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Frybread Face and Me (2023) |
A triumph. It's a remarkable artistic and thematic journey back in time to when we were eleven, reviving those innocent feelings. a beautiful helping of magic, gentleness, learning, humor, and the absolute importance of family. - What She Said
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| Posted Sep 15, 2023
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The Jewel Thief (2023) |
Who would have thought one of the most notorious jewel thieves in the world hails from Winnipeg? The Jewel Thief What’s most interesting is that Blanchard has intelligence and mad skills, but lacks personality. There may be no there there.
- What She Said
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| Posted Sep 01, 2023
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Zombie Town (2023) |
What a joy to find Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Henry Czerny, Bruce McCulloch, and Scott Thompson together! Positive notes for kids, and warns us to stay out of Egyptian burial chambers in small-town Canada. Stay to the very last post-credits moment. - What She Said
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| Posted Sep 01, 2023
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Beautiful Disaster (2023) |
Gritty, and tough with a character we care about and one we wish would go away.
- What She Said
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| Posted Aug 25, 2023
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You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (2023) |
Takes us back to our 13-year-old insecure, life-loving, learning, optimistic, and loyal selves. But it raises, intentionally and unintentionally, image issues that need to be addressed.
- What She Said
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| Posted Aug 25, 2023
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Bank of Dave (2023) |
A grown-up embodiment of Little Engine That Could story. Sweet encouraging stuff, and true-ish. And of all things, Def Leppard puts on a show.
- What She Said
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| Posted Aug 25, 2023
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Dreamin' Wild (2022) |
Performances are finely tuned, authentic, and intimate. We are right there in the cabin recording studio. Its sweet, simmering and sometimes withholding nature provides intimacy, strangely. - What She Said
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| Posted Aug 25, 2023
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The Eternal Memory (2023) |
It’s hard to overstate their bond, her dedication, and his painful, rapid decline. Brilliant, truthful, intimate, and thorough.
- What She Said
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| Posted Aug 18, 2023
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Jules (2023) |
This delightfully zany, heartfelt, witty, and hilarious experience is down to imaginative and persuasive writing, director by Marc Turtletaub’s deft touch, and sensational performances. Seriously uplifting. - What She Said
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| Posted Aug 18, 2023
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Heart of Stone (2023) |
Gadot gives a great physical performance but is let down by lacklustre writing and directing. Constant, distracting fight scenes annoy, and somehow old-fashioned imagery of future AI can't hold a candle to the scarier real-world implications of AI now
- What She Said
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| Posted Aug 11, 2023
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Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food (2023) |
Stewart “the Peanut King” Parnell was proven to have knowingly shipped tainted peanut products that killed people. He refused to eat his food at trial and was sentenced to 28 years in jail. Just the tip of the iceberg of this doc’s takeaways.
- What She Said
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| Posted Aug 11, 2023
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The YouTube Effect (2022) |
YouTube can’t separate negative and positive and negative videos; it just wants clicks. Vulnerable people gain ground. YouTube helps fire the culture wars and the dumbing down of discourse; the dark side of algorithm life is here. - What She Said
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| Posted Aug 11, 2023
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Red, White & Royal Blue (2023) |
Princes can’t be gay is the credo, a Henry must either live a lie and risk exposure or come out and unleash global heck. Could their affair derail the Monarchy? This is 2023; can hidebound habit flex? - What She Said
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| Posted Aug 11, 2023
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The Restless Hungarian (2022) |
Only as a man in his 60s did Tom Weidliner learn he was Jewish. His journey is the heart of the film as he confronts his trauma, and his parents’ legacies. What a tale, life is indeed stranger than fiction.
- What She Said
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| Posted Aug 11, 2023
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Passages (2023) |
Ira Sachs’ heart-rending study of the nature of love is short, sharp, and deeply, at times painfully poignant. - What She Said
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| Posted Aug 11, 2023
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Shortcomings (2023) |
Ben isn't a sympathetic lead, he's brittle, dishonest, mouthy, naive, and self-absorbed. The film's jokey, witty, au courant, and lots of good things but I followed Ben against my will. - What She Said
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| Posted Aug 04, 2023
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Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (2023) |
This hero is unstoppable, he will crack a wry joke, and make a hard-earned pronouncement even as he fights to operate his body....buoyed by that deep optimism that made him sparkle all these years. It is a phenomenal gift to us.
- What She Said
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| Posted Aug 04, 2023
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For the Animals (2023) |
The "catastrophic" stray dog crisis in Houston is treated directly without sensationalism or sentimentality and promotes the simple solution that even one person can make a difference. Alyssa Milano executive produced this worthy film.
- What She Said
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| Posted Jul 28, 2023
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North of Normal (2022) |
Given beautifully nuanced performances by Sarah Gadon and Amanda Fix, a vivid memory timeline, and visceral emotion, North of Normal feels genius, deep, and real.
- What She Said
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| Posted Jul 28, 2023
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Eldorado: Everything the Nazis Hate (2023) |
Timely as walls close in around nonbinary folks, and gay oppression as a pre-existing factor for fascism. We meet survivors, including two men who live the American Dream today in Hollywood as musicians and composers. Hitler didn't get them all. - What She Said
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| Posted Jul 21, 2023
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Unknown: Killer Robots (2023) |
Alarming AI, the kind that terrifies us, autonomous machine learning, as it applies to the military. Chilling. I'm particularly struck by the casual way the folks at Shield AI talk about their deadly achievements - What She Said
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| Posted Jul 21, 2023
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Oppenheimer (2023) |
Nolan's thoughtful, exciting, and creative direction stamp him as a great artist. It's a masterpiece, an extraordinary philosophical experience, and entertainment and easily one of the best big films in recent memory.
- What She Said
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| Posted Jul 21, 2023
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Once Upon a Time in Uganda (2021) |
A winning and emotional documentary features a group of filmmakers in a ghetto that makes a global mark despite choppy access to the internet and electricity. Strap yourselves in and dodge the fake bullets. This is FUN. - What She Said
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| Posted Jul 18, 2023
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