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B+
|
Bones of Crows
(2022)
|
Kim Hughes
|
Its subject is urgent and vital, but Bones of Crows is a tough watch, knowing that this poignant drama draws from the real-life experiences of survivors of Canada’s dreaded residential schools.
Posted Jun 01, 2023
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C+
|
The Boogeyman
(2023)
|
Thom Ernst
|
G-rated scares and a dreary vibe mar this adaptation of a Stephen King horror.
Posted Jun 01, 2023
|
|
A
|
Close to Vermeer
(2023)
|
Liz Braun
|
Insight and intrigue are on offer from leading Vermeer experts in this engaging documentary about the “Sphinx of Delft” and the work that has fascinated art lovers for almost 400 years.
Posted Jun 01, 2023
|
|
A
|
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
(2023)
|
John Kirk
|
The film isn’t just a cleverly drawn cartoon – the animation flows at the pace of a comic book. Action sequences are paused to accentuate movement or to allow for classic heroic inner monologue. It's like reading a comic the way a comic should be read.
Posted Jun 01, 2023
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|
C-plus
|
About My Father
(2023)
|
Thom Ernst
|
Director Laura Terruso overlooks several comedic opportunities in About My Father. It’s as though she’s working from a script that’s been edited by someone who got the situations but not the jokes.
Posted May 26, 2023
|
|
C
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Kandahar
(2023)
|
Thom Ernst
|
The film accomplishes what it sets out to do, but it’s standard entertainment that pushes for more than it can deliver.
Posted May 26, 2023
|
|
B-plus
|
You Hurt My Feelings
(2023)
|
Karen Gordon
|
In an economical 93 minutes, You Hurt My Feelings is a lovely little encouraging slice of life. Problems happen. Interpretations create misunderstandings. Neuroses endure. But happily, and sometimes despite ourselves, progress happens.
Posted May 25, 2023
|
|
A-minus
|
It Ain't Over
(2022)
|
Liam Lacey
|
It Ain’t Over does a fine job of conveying the appeal of the the improbable and beloved baseball star, though it belabours the case that his talent was overlooked.
Posted May 24, 2023
|
|
B
|
L'immensità
(2022)
|
Karen Gordon
|
Penelope Cruz is quietly powerful in a portrait of a family in turmoil.
Posted May 24, 2023
|
|
B
|
What's Love Got to Do with It?
(2022)
|
Karen Gordon
|
This formulaic (but enjoyable) rom com mines the vagaries of love in a culturally diverse London.
Posted May 19, 2023
|
|
B
|
The Starling Girl
(2023)
|
Thom Ernst
|
The cast but especially Eliza Scanlen soar in this coming-of-age story salted with religious intrigue.
Posted May 18, 2023
|
|
C
|
Fast X
(2023)
|
Thom Ernst
|
I’m unsure what universe Fast X exists in. I knew when the first film carried the sheen of an '80s cop film. I don’t recognize a world where ultra-secret HQs house cells with laser guns, and satellite shaped bombs. But then, I’m not really a car person.
Posted May 18, 2023
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|
B-plus
|
Crater
(2023)
|
John Kirk
|
That Stand By Me nostalgic sense of friendship is what Crater tries to capture and export to a science-fiction setting. And despite its Disney packaging (ie: no profanity, no sex or violence), it mostly succeeds.
Posted May 18, 2023
|
|
A-minus
|
Retrograde
(2022)
|
Liam Lacey
|
Adrian Murray’s minimalist film is a darkly funny character study of Molly, a young woman obsessed with overturning what she believes is an unjust traffic ticket, no matter the personal cost.
Posted May 17, 2023
|
|
B
|
The Eight Mountains
(2022)
|
Liam Lacey
|
A sensitive, if somewhat grandiose drama, The Eight Mountains is an unusual portrait of life-long brotherly love.
Posted May 17, 2023
|
|
C+
|
Master Gardener
(2022)
|
Liz Braun
|
Despite engaging performances from Sigourney Weaver and Joel Edgerton, even the most ardent Paul Schrader fan will have issues with Master Gardener, a redemption tale that morphs into an unlikely love story.
Posted May 16, 2023
|
|
B-plus
|
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
(2023)
|
Liam Lacey
|
Guggenheim’s documentary employs clever editing, using Michael Fox’s onscreen fictional characters to illustrate his biography and his transition from '80s’ hot-shot star to a still funny but thoughtful advocate for Parkinson’s disease.
Posted May 13, 2023
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|
|
BlackBerry
(2023)
|
Chris Knight
|
It’s clever and backed up by enough tech-speak to give viewers a sense of the nuts and bolts of things without wandering into the weeds.
Posted May 11, 2023
|
|
C-plus
|
Book Club: The Next Chapter
(2023)
|
Jim Slotek
|
Book Club: The Next Chapter is not a good movie on any level except for its appeal to audiences old enough to fondly remember all the cast members in their prime. I would love to see them all in something better.
Posted May 09, 2023
|
|
B-minus
|
Carmen
(2022)
|
Liam Lacey
|
Bernard Millepied’s Carmen is a mash-up of melodrama, dance and stagy spectacle that does not always coalesce, but at moments it is peculiarly exciting.
Posted May 03, 2023
|
|
B-plus
|
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
(2023)
|
John Kirk
|
Rocket Raccoon’s story is the heart of this film. There are predictable but still appreciated moments (the inevitable hero-walk, the throwback soundtrack), Easter eggs and fun cameos from lesser characters, enough to demand a second viewing.
Posted May 02, 2023
|
|
B+
|
Beautiful Boy
(2018)
|
Karen Gordon
|
Chalamet conveys all of the necessary contradictory emotions to portray an addict, paradoxically both in love with, and repulsed by, his own tendencies and actions. It's bravura work.
Posted May 02, 2023
|
|
B
|
Peter Pan & Wendy
(2023)
|
Karen Gordon
|
By softening the story, Lowery has diminished it and made something that - while pretty to look at and entertaining enough for family night around the TV - loses something deeper.
Posted Apr 28, 2023
|
|
A
|
Sisu
(2022)
|
Thom Ernst
|
I don’t imagine it’ll be long before Finnish director Jalmari Helander ranks as a Hollywood A-lister. But don’t wait for the world to take notice before seeing his films. And for all that is sacred in action movies, don’t put off seeing Sisu.
Posted Apr 27, 2023
|
|
B-plus
|
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
(2023)
|
Bonnie Laufer
|
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret is by no means perfect, but it captures the book’s essence and will not disappoint fans itching for nostalgia and innocence. And Kathy Bates’ Jewish Grandmother? I want her to make me blintzes and take me to Broadway.
Posted Apr 27, 2023
|
|
A-minus
|
Evil Dead Rise
(2023)
|
Thom Ernst
|
Amid buckets of blood, Evil Dead Rise is cognitive of, but not limited by, fan expectations. The film doesn’t change the rules so much as revives them in unexpected ways. And the family dynamic marks a significant difference from prior Evil Dead films.
Posted Apr 21, 2023
|
|
B-plus
|
Beau Is Afraid
(2023)
|
Karen Gordon
|
There’s plenty going on beneath the surface, clues that a movie that is already surrealist enough, might be even more surreal than you can catch in one viewing.
Posted Apr 20, 2023
|
|
B
|
Chevalier
(2022)
|
Kim Hughes
|
Historical restoration is a noble aim, and the percolating madness of the pending French Revolution heightens the drama. Yet in its eagerness to set the story straight, the film feels weirdly rigid, narratively predictable, and occasionally overstated.
Posted Apr 19, 2023
|
|
B-plus
|
Joyland
(2022)
|
Karen Gordon
|
Sadiq avoids tropes in terms of gender norms, and social roles. The film makes its points subtly, in reactions and interactions, in stolen or quiet moments. It makes for a movie that feels rich in terms of tone and characters, and has emotional depth.
Posted Apr 19, 2023
|
|
B
|
Until Branches Bend
(2022)
|
Liam Lacey
|
Sophie Jarvis’ feature directorial debut is beguiling, at once allegorical, experimental, and sometimes predictable but open-ended and never dull.
Posted Apr 13, 2023
|
|
B
|
Renfield
(2023)
|
Jim Slotek
|
It’s an interesting set-up, but it’s no What We Do in the Shadows. Nic plays Drac with gusto, paying tribute to past incarnations like Lugosi and Lee. The editing is quick, the quips fly, and severed limbs and gore fill the screen. A guilty pleasure.
Posted Apr 13, 2023
|
|
A-
|
Showing Up
(2022)
|
Karen Gordon
|
Michelle Williams shines in this gentle film about a quiet sculptor preparing for an art show.
Posted Apr 13, 2023
|
|
B-minus
|
Simulant
(2023)
|
Chris Knight
|
It’s an intriguing universe with a lot of potential directions to explore. The trouble is the screenplay wants to explore all of them. With so many threads and only 95 minutes, it’s too much slick surface, not enough philosophical underpinning.
Posted Apr 06, 2023
|
|
C+
|
Living with Chucky
(2022)
|
Thom Ernst
|
This doc by the daughter of the prolific special effects puppeteer behind cinema's best-known killer doll tells a story but not a fabulously compelling one.
Posted Apr 06, 2023
|
|
B
|
Gangs of Lagos
(2023)
|
Liam Lacey
|
Gangs of Lagos is at its most rewarding when it departs from the Scorsese-Coppola tradition to offer blunt critiques of the Nigerian criminal-political complex.
Posted Apr 05, 2023
|
|
D
|
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
(2023)
|
Chris Knight
|
Despite its gruel-thin plot and lack of character development or motivation, The Super Mario Bros. Movie may still appeal to fans looking to play spot-the-reference, of which there are many.
Posted Apr 04, 2023
|
|
B-plus
|
Air
(2023)
|
Jim Slotek
|
Yes, Ben Affleck’s Air is a commercial for a commercial. But it’s a damn good commercial.
Posted Apr 03, 2023
|
|
C
|
Spinning Gold
(2023)
|
Karen Gordon
|
Upbeat moxie has its limits. Given the scope of the movie, in time and relationships, there’s surprisingly little character development. After a while, Bogart, cocky, confident, even joyful starts to feel more like a caricature than a character.
Posted Mar 31, 2023
|
|
A
|
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
(2023)
|
John Kirk
|
At last! Long-time fans of D&D finally have their movie, one they can be proud of, while non-players can delight in the film’s action and effects.
Posted Mar 30, 2023
|
|
B-
|
In Viaggio: The Travels of Pope Francis
(2022)
|
Liam Lacey
|
A film in which Pope Francis does what you expect a pope to do— travels a lot, condemns war, promotes inter-faith dialogue, cheers up prisoners, memorializes, apologizes, and does an awesome amount of waving to crowds.
Posted Mar 30, 2023
|
|
B
|
Nam June Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV
(2023)
|
Jim Slotek
|
Despite Kim's best efforts, what made Paik tick remains unknown. But in chronological order, we see his epiphanies. And his influence is in plain sight
Posted Mar 29, 2023
|
|
B
|
A Thousand and One
(2023)
|
Kim Hughes
|
Strong performances abound in this 90s-era family drama which resists a tidy conclusion, for better or worse.
Posted Mar 29, 2023
|
|
A
|
Tetris
(2023)
|
John Kirk
|
This fact-based drama about the rise of one of the world’s most popular games is a fun and fascinating dive into pop culture, nostalgia, and history.
Posted Mar 27, 2023
|
|
C-plus
|
A Good Person
(2023)
|
Jim Slotek
|
If we indeed sympathise with Allison, we experience a lot of typical addict starts-and-stops with her before she "kicks" it. If it’s a frustrating experience for this fictional addict, it can be equally frustrating for the audience.
Posted Mar 24, 2023
|
|
B+
|
The Lost King
(2022)
|
Karen Gordon
|
A literal lost king is found and redeemed in this quiet, intelligent film.
Posted Mar 23, 2023
|
|
D
|
88
(2022)
|
Liam Lacey
|
An attempt at a old-fashioned conspiracy thriller about race and dark money in politics in America, 88 is numbingly artless, less a credible drama than a collection of characters lecturing each other.
Posted Mar 23, 2023
|
|
A-minus
|
You Can Live Forever
(2022)
|
Chris Knight
|
Powerful first feature examines lesbian love in a Jehovah’s Witness community, with a respectful depiction of both its characters and their beliefs.
Posted Mar 22, 2023
|
|
B
|
The Five Devils
(2022)
|
Liam Lacey
|
An artful package around a contrived narrative, The Five Devils’ multicultural bisexual mixture of fantasy and horror is rich in moments, if cluttered as a whole.
Posted Mar 22, 2023
|
|
B
|
John Wick: Chapter 4
(2023)
|
Jim Slotek
|
A really big (and very long) canvas for stunt-wizard-turned-director Chad Stahelski to work his undeniable magic. A circus of violence, it’s a noisy, non-stop combination of violent ballet and Looney Tunes-worthy manic cartoonishness.
Posted Mar 20, 2023
|
|
B-
|
Ithaka
(2021)
|
Liam Lacey
|
As an advocacy film for the release of Julian Assange, Ithaka is predictable but it gains substance as a human interest story about a family fighting to save a loved one.
Posted Mar 20, 2023
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