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-