One of Them Days

One of Them Days; Keke Palmer is so readily watchable, adeptly conveying comedy, romance & drama across a day’s worth of zany coincidental circumstances that occur only in a contrived comedy like this. Plausibility aside, it’s just so darn fun watching her bounce her way through the day with SZA; B

Havoc

Havoc; If a bullets and blood orgy is your thing, you’re going to like this film. But if the actors are the draw, you’ll soon find they’re there to elevate a stylistic action film by lending their names for added prestige. Unfortunately, none of the characters are worth rooting to keep alive; B-

Thunderbolts*

Thunderbolts*; Gets deeper than anticipated while offering Marvel brand destruction couched in humour we’ve come to expect. The cast plays well off each other, following the James Gunn formula for loveable misfits overcoming their pasts to connect w/their found family. Preaches the power of love; B+
 

The Children's Train

The Children’s Train; A sad film that conveys a sense that there’s a really good book as its source, while failing to fully realize the emotional heft that it no doubt holds in printed form. Instead, the well crafted film comes across cold, neglecting to imbue the story with palpable pathos; C+

A Real Pain

A Real Pain; Explores a very real nuanced dichotomy we experience in our day to day lives, which is heightened in our most life changing moments. Watching two adept actors represent the id and ego of navigating life’s challenges with varying degrees of satisfaction is fascinatingly well executed; B

Sinners

Sinners; A layered, intriguing take on a century old genre that owes much to the cinematic auteurs who inspired Coogler, while also being highly original, thoughtful and inspired. Stellar work by all involved in the filmmaking, for entertaining us foremost, yet offering deeper meaning to it all; A

The Last Detail

The Last Detail; An odd trio of navy men find themselves on the road together and make unlikely revelations about their lives and their country as a whole. With some comedic relief masking the underlying truths, the film manages to capture the disillusionment of its time via a buddy road movie; A-

Mufasa: The Lion King

Mufasa: The Lion King; Miranda has lost his golden touch, as the songs are cringe inducing. The animation is spectacular but the stylized nature of using photo realistic rendering for fantastical elements seems to clash with its own ambitions. The result is off putting both aurally and visually; C

The Conversation

The Conversation; After Hackman’s roles in early 70s action films, his buttoned down, subdued & introspective turn in this Coppola helmed examination of mental spirals of conspiracy and detachment, demonstrates how talented he was in even less flashy roles. A slow burn that is haunting to watch; A-

The French Connection

The French Connection; In addition to the highly regarded car chase, there’s foot chases, shakedowns, stakeouts and shoot outs; a constant adrenaline rush buoyed by kinetic acting and gritty filmmaking. A treasure from a special decade of cinema that hits just as hard today; A+

Anora

Anora; Grabs hold of you from the opening frames and takes you on a ride with its tragic protagonist. Kinetic energy propels the film, as its creative force, Baker, elevates each moment through dynamic cinematic touches. Mikey Madison is tantalizingly great, embodying a role like few others could; A

Funny Boy

Funny Boy; An entry into the horrors, of a national civil war, by way of a small and personal struggle. The story telling is intimate, the subject matter compelling. But the pacing can be quite a struggle for some to work through. Good performances by many who service the story; B
 

Bugsy Malone

Bugsy Malone; Either you have a predilection for this sort of thing or you find it appalling. Its kitschy use of children acting like adults wears thin quickly even when it’s executed perfectly. Bit of a hoot, from an era when oddities like this puzzlingly counted as quality family entertainment; C

Indian Horse

Indian Horse; Attempts to make horrors of residential schools palatable to audiences by wrapping it up in a hockey story. Result is a typical movie storyline that doesn’t fully convey the reality of widespread impacts. Swaps raw, emotional pain for a slick standard story arc. Yet, still impactful; B

Piece By Piece

Piece by Piece; Clever conceit to use LEGO animation to prop up biopic that doesn’t have much drama but a ton of great music to spotlight. Pharrell’s beats tell the story w/some pretty great music heavyweights weighing in, made all the better in their LEGO form. Elevates an otherwise simple story; B
 

Taking Chance

Taking Chance; A side of war not often showcased, the preparation and transportation of a dead soldier. Bacon gives a great solemn performance that grounds the mixed feelings of honour, horror, disgust and dedication to respecting the military process. Worthwhile watch, if ultimately infuriating; B

The Wild Robot

The Wild Robot; Beautifully rendered, lovingly told, the film follows the WALL-E way of endearing the audience to the robot via silent film techniques and cute, tiny interactions. By the time the conflict shows up, we’re rooting for the robot to succeed in its reflection of humanity. Sweet film; A-

Se7en

Se7en; Sordid, bleak investigation pairs two very different cops, played marvellously by Freeman & Pitt, captivates via a tight script, unraveling at just the right pace. Moody, stylistic work by Fincher makes it all unforgettable & burned into your brain by the time you’re asked what’s in the 📦; A+
 

Panic Room

Panic Room; Epitome of a contained thriller, expertly crafted to squeeze every ounce of tension from a cats and mice culmination of conundrums. Each actor is excellent in their part, and Fincher sets the stage exquisitely so that each piece fits perfectly towards the final outcome. A masterpiece; A+

My Old Ass

My Old Ass; Sweet, funny, honest & real. Wonderful work by the entire cast. Another stunning, poignant directorial piece from Park. Captures a moment of youth so beautifully. The lesson our naive younger self can teach us may be more valuable to our old asses than 20 years of “wisdom” gained; A
 

Little Big Man

Little Big Man; Combats Hollywood mythology using hilarious satire, brutally violent reenactments daring to sympathize w/the original people & actually casting Indigenous ppl, notably Chief Dan George. Hoffman displays Buster Keaton levels of physical comedy amid a brilliant dramatic performance; A