Aladdin and the King of Thieves; Excellent story for a direct to video threequel. Animation is a step lower but is made up for by the return of Robin Williams to the genie role. Hilarious riffs wrapped around a father-son tale and some hit & miss songs. Fun while it lasts; B-
To Live and Die in L.A.; Violent, gritty noir set in sunny California. Casting is phenomenal, as characters convincingly straddle the line between good and evil. Wang Chung score seems dated, yet gives the film its flavour. Action scenes are absolutely thrilling and shocking; A-
Lady Bird; Fabulous film on all accounts. Personal, yet universal. Beautiful yet economical in its editing. Actors play very well off each other, nailing the layered meanings in the dialogue and characters. A certain soon to be considered classic coming of age tale; A
The Virgin Suicides; Exhaustingly solemn and emotionally bereft, populated with characters we couldn’t care less about on account that we never truly get to know them. Says very little about a very serious topic, making it seem more of a fashion shoot than tragic reality; D
Local Hero; Charming, quirky comedy subtly explores the allure of a small sea side village to a big city oil company Texan. Laughs aplenty land quietly as the story keeps you guessing about how it will all play out. Absurd at times, hauntingly real and beautiful at others; A-
Into the Wild; A little too in love with itself, but a beautiful film regardless. Excellent cast explores living off the grid with romanticized results. Relationships shine along with the scenery and soothing soundtrack. Intriguing but answers less questions than it brings up; B+
Blood Quantum; Will satisfy horror fans with its Walking Dead worthy makeup effects, blood splatter and kill shots. Deeper societal meanings are present too but not fully explored or realized. Well done genre film that happens to break new ground for Indigenous arts; B
