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The Creator
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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In the hands of writer-director and sci-fi veteran Gareth Edwards, these familiar story notes feel almost renewed when combined with the dramatic visuals, creating an engrossing film experience that manages to show a little heart before its end.
Posted Sep 30, 2023
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It Lives Inside
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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All the filmmaker’s efforts to delay the big reveal pay off since it creates far more tension than if the viewer could see the Pishacha stalking its next victim.
Posted Sep 23, 2023
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Sleep
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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The situation grows tenser the longer his sleep disorder continues, drawing audiences into a home thick with fear and anxiety. However, that doesn’t prepare anyone for the shock-filled last act.
Posted Sep 21, 2023
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Gonzo Girl
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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Employing voiceover effectively, placing the camera at the right place at the right time and getting the best performances from her actors, [Arquette] was clearly passionate about this project and executes it seamlessly.
Posted Sep 21, 2023
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Fingernails
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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As the narrative progresses, it’s clear something has been lost as people don’t trust their own feelings, requiring outside validation for something that was once a very personal choice — a dichotomy Anna is struggling to resolve.
Posted Sep 21, 2023
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The Contestant
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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It’s difficult for him to explain his motivation for staying as long as he did, particularly when it was having a damaging effect on his body and mind. But on the other side of the camera, the showrunner was deemed a genius.
Posted Sep 20, 2023
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Kill
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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This ultra-violent picture is light on story, but delivers in the action department as the motivated protagonist leaves a trail of mutilated bodies inside and outside the train.
Posted Sep 20, 2023
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When Evil Lurks
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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It generates an eerie atmosphere as the evil unleashed by the possessed seeps into everything and viewers anxiously await the next horror, which Rugna delivers with terrible verve.
Posted Sep 20, 2023
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Dear Jassi
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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Even though the last act is upsetting, the film as a whole is exceptionally well-made, effectively drawing audiences into their romance so, when the time comes, they can also experience their pain.
Posted Sep 20, 2023
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Wicked Little Letters
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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The truth about the letter scandal is not difficult to determine, but that doesn’t take anything away from how entertaining the whodunit is or the absolute joy gained from watching the incredible performances.
Posted Sep 20, 2023
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Chuck Chuck Baby
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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This film is energized by a lively soundtrack, to which the characters sing-along and choreograph their movements — not quite a musical, but teetering on the edge
Posted Sep 20, 2023
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The Boy and the Heron
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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[Miyazaki] is an expert world-builder, melding familiar places and events with make-believe creatures that enchant audiences with their whimsy.
Posted Sep 20, 2023
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Death of a Whistleblower
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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This is a well-paced thriller that captivates audiences with a mystery and high stakes. However, at a little over two hours, it loses steam in the middle when it enters into a formulaic loop of finding evidence and being threatened.
Posted Sep 14, 2023
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The Monk and the Gun
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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While the entire film is entertaining, the ending delivers the ultimate payoff that’s both gratifying and apt.
Posted Sep 12, 2023
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Hell of a Summer
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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[It's] a diluted slasher comedy that’s light on gory murders, but finds humour in the classic horror archetypes.
Posted Sep 12, 2023
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Perfect Days
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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Yakusho’s achievement in this role is stunning from beginning to end, making the fact that the whole film was shot in 15 days even more remarkable.
Posted Sep 11, 2023
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Unicorns
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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Watching Luke and Aysha grow closer is a beautiful experience as both actors achieve total authenticity – high praise for Patel who’s starring in his first-ever role.
Posted Sep 11, 2023
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Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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This is an unusual tale, but at a tight 96 minutes, it’s difficult to find a lot to complain about in this peculiar little comedy.
Posted Sep 01, 2023
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Our Father, The Devil
(2022)
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Sarah Gopaul
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The film does not unfold predictably as Marie grapples with the person she was, the person she thought she’d become and the concept of forgiveness, struggling with whom she must forgive and debating if it’s warranted.
Posted Aug 25, 2023
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Strays
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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Much of the comedy is crass yet hilarious, even though they repeatedly resort to toilet humour – literally using urine and feces as a punchline without it always being abhorrent.
Posted Aug 18, 2023
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The Last Voyage of the Demeter
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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Spanish creature actor Javier Botet does an excellent job capturing Dracula’s unnatural movements and physique... accomplishing the complete opposite of Gary Oldman’s sensual fiend.
Posted Aug 12, 2023
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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The animation style is unlike most mainstream pictures, adopting a comic sketch aesthetic that appears rougher and better matches the updated approach to the narrative.
Posted Aug 04, 2023
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Fast X
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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Momoa’s villain is deliciously over-the-top as he relishes playing the insane psychopath and delivers the picture’s best moments, singlehandedly raising the movie’s watchability rating.
Posted May 19, 2023
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Periodical
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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Whether you feel pretty in the know or that you have some holes in your knowledge, this is a must-see film that answers questions you may not have realized you needed to ask.
Posted May 12, 2023
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The Yellow Ceiling
(2022)
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Sarah Gopaul
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The women display incredible strength as they detail their experiences, reflecting on how it made them feel then and what they’ve realized in hindsight.
Posted May 12, 2023
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White Balls on Walls
(2022)
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Sarah Gopaul
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This is a surprisingly candid portrayal of an organization striving to be better and recognizing that embracing their discomfort is the only way to move forward.
Posted May 12, 2023
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The Disappearance of Shere Hite
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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The documentary traces the major events of Hite’s career, marking the importance of her conclusions... as well as the emotional toll constantly defending her work took as her challengers attacked not only the integrity of her research, but her personally.
Posted May 12, 2023
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Black Barbie: A Documentary
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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This documentary approaches a seemingly benign subject from a number of angles, putting human faces to a popular children’s toy.
Posted May 12, 2023
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Seven Winters in Tehran
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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This is a compelling true crime narrative that unfolds nearly 10,000 km away, using the facts of the case to call attention to the disparaging state of the country’s women’s rights.
Posted May 12, 2023
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Satan Wants You
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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It’s somewhat unfortunate the link between the book and Satanic Panic isn’t explored more deeply, but the efforts to shine a light on Smith and Pazder’s inadvertent role in its rise is eye-opening nonetheless.
Posted May 12, 2023
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Simulant
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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[T]he film doesn’t try to simplify the intricacies of the treatment of simulants, leaving it to audiences to decide which side, if either, is more valid.
Posted Apr 07, 2023
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Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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There’s never a dull moment as the script delivers laugh after laugh, while the personalities play through their characters’ personal journeys to become worthy — the ultimate achievement for a hero.
Posted Apr 02, 2023
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Missing
(2023)
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Sarah Gopaul
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Reid keeps the audience engaged with the story as it twists and turns in unexpected directions.
Posted Jan 21, 2023
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Violent Night
(2022)
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Sarah Gopaul
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As far as over-the-top holiday movies go, this could definitely become an annual tradition in some households.
Posted Dec 04, 2022
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Bones and All
(2022)
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Sarah Gopaul
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In many ways, their urges are treated as an addiction with the occasional hint of a classic movie monster... Yet, there is a sweetness that underlies the narrative, which will have audiences rooting for the fine young cannibals.
Posted Nov 29, 2022
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The Swearing Jar
(2022)
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Sarah Gopaul
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The mystery is what initially engages audiences as they try to determine how these events are connected. But its dual role is investing viewers in the characters, so they want to know how it turns out for Carey.
Posted Nov 05, 2022
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The Banshees of Inisherin
(2022)
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Sarah Gopaul
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Viewers won’t be able to take their eyes off the screen when the pair perform scenes together, which is a testament to their talent and the quality of the script.
Posted Oct 29, 2022
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Black Adam
(2022)
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Sarah Gopaul
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Unlike many other DC movies, this one finds a balance between violence and humour... this Justice Society [also] has some of the most attractive CGI superpowers to grace the screen.
Posted Oct 21, 2022
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Halloween Ends
(2022)
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Sarah Gopaul
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[A] lesser grasp of the narrative’s direction leads to a few misplaced clichés and consequent laughs, as well as some difficulty engaging with the characters other than Laurie.
Posted Oct 15, 2022
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Smile
(2022)
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Sarah Gopaul
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‘Smile’ is an effective horror picture that turns a harmless expression into a symbol of malevolence, while surrounding the protagonist with terrible characters.
Posted Oct 01, 2022
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A Gaza Weekend
(2022)
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Sarah Gopaul
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British-Palestinian writer-director Basil Khalil presents a cheeky satire that is very aware of the irony at the film’s centre.
Posted Sep 20, 2022
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Project Wolf Hunting
(2022)
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Sarah Gopaul
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The escape is reminiscent of 'Con Air,' but far more grisly.
Posted Sep 20, 2022
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Sisu
(2022)
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Sarah Gopaul
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The carnage is a grisly spectacle as soldiers are dispatched by guns, knives, landmines, tires and whatever else he can get his hands on.
Posted Sep 20, 2022
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See How They Run
(2022)
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Sarah Gopaul
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Rockwell is required to assume an English accent, which isn’t half bad when paired with his gumshoe detective drawl.
Posted Sep 18, 2022
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Bones of Crows
(2022)
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Sarah Gopaul
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The narrative does an exceptional job interweaving so many experiences, traumas and repercussions into a single movie.
Posted Sep 18, 2022
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Rosie
(2022)
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Sarah Gopaul
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The last act takes on a bit of a fairy tale quality, but it just elevates the heart-warming aspects of the movie.
Posted Sep 18, 2022
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Wildflower
(2022)
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Sarah Gopaul
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There is a lot happening in this coming-of-age dramedy, but life is complicated. The key is presenting it in a way that’s compelling, meaningful and entertaining — and 'Wildflower' is all of those things.
Posted Sep 18, 2022
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Chevalier
(2022)
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Sarah Gopaul
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If music is at the film’s forefront, race is immediately behind it.
Posted Sep 18, 2022
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Ashkal: The Tunisian Investigation
(2022)
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Sarah Gopaul
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The crime thriller element of the story is very strong, especially as the detectives are digging into something they’ve been ordered to leave alone.
Posted Sep 18, 2022
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The Woman King
(2022)
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Sarah Gopaul
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It’s awe-inspiring to see these women, particularly women of colour, radiating so much power and conviction that it emanates from the screen and washes over the audience.
Posted Sep 18, 2022
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