Moana

Moana; Surprisingly good for a live action remake of a 10yr old film. Seeing the real life Polynesian people is quite impactful & the new Moana is exquisitely cast. Having realistic depictions heightens scenes of peril, while reimagining of fantastical elements still play really well. Enjoyable; A-

Whale Rider

Whale Rider; Fantastic tale of battling patriarchal power & evolving traditions while respecting the Māori people and ways. Castle-Hughes is phenomenal in every way, eliciting tears of joy & heartache, while also hitting comedic moments. Performances are great and beautifully honest and grounded; A+
 

The Lunchbox

The Lunchbox; Cute little romance that’s more about navigating one’s way through life’s transitions than it is about finding a perfect match. The magic of food fuels a great revelation lovingly portrayed by the two sweet leads, who barely share screen time yet have a profound impact on each other; B

Project Hail Mary

Project Hail Mary; Gosling captivates like few others can, hitting the right tones of comedy, sadness, isolation, joy & creative spark. Many contrivances occur, but that’s ok because we’re along for the ride. Inspired storytelling makes the runtime feel short, though it’s got LOTR # of endings; A

Supergirl

Supergirl; Tackles mature themes in a PG package, that would’ve been better served by a R rating to compound the grief, hardship & atrocity that is hinted at. Does more telling than showing, yet succeeds at presenting Supergirl as the foil to her famous cousin. Very good but not very rewatchable; B+

Dog Day Afternoon

Dog Day Afternoon; Immediately grabs your attention and deftly weaves through tones of comedy, drama and action guided by the superb performances of Pacino and the entire cast. The energy is electric as the robbery deteriorates and the pathos is palpable in how the story is written and directed; A+

Toy Story 5

Toy Story 5; How many Toy Storys are too many? Turns out 5. Coasting on nostalgia & introducing new characters that don’t have the likability of previous films, the formula is tired & no longer inspired. Franchise has been lifted by sum total of toys, but there’s little for most toys to do here; B-

Bicycle Thieves

Bicycle Thieves; Stark filmmaking drops right into the post war desperation of an Italian father & takes us for a ride fueled by despair, pride and hope. His frantic search for what he considers his ticket for survival is compounded by the neorealism style, making his situation palpable. Classic; A-

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu; Takes B-movie serials of yesteryears, adds some classic Hollywood inspirations like Blade Runner, French Connection and Butch Cassidy, in a Return of the Jedi flavour to appeal to both adult & child adventurers. Feels like a few episodes and not a true film; A-

Sentimental Value

Sentimental Value; A remarkable achievement in family drama storytelling, containing exemplary performances throughout the cast. Hooks you immediately w/clever juxtaposition of imagery & narration, inviting you into the complexity of this family’s past & present relationships. A masterclass; A+

Billie EIlish: Hit Me Hard and Soft - The Tour Live in 3D

Billie Eilish-Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (in 3D); Interesting behind the scenes elements and in concert intimate access make this a special capturing of the tour for fans. The 3D adds very little, apart from some arena depth of fan’s views. Music itself feels more emotional but less exciting; B+

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly; Epic use of score & cinematic touches, from extreme close ups to stunning panoramic vistas, entertain despite some bloated scenes and prolonged run time. The three leads could be interchangeable w/their title monikers, deliciously chewing scenery. Definite classic; A-

Outcome

Outcome; Sold as comedy, but truly an introspective drama, it seems made for & more in tune w/Hollywood types than an average viewer. Casting Reeves is clear choice for character’s conundrum, as his real life goodness counters the role. Great cast but story fizzles while promoting daily decency; B-

Ready or Not 2

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come; The surprise and suspense of the first is lost in this attempt to up the ante w/more families of hunters. Sister character arc eliminates the original’s haunting aspect of the bride’s solitary state. Still, the actors are having a blast and it is slightly infectious; B-

No Other Choice

No Other Choice; Another modern critique of capitalist shortcomings told in dramatic fashion descending into horror. Superbly acted and well fleshed out by realized supporting characters with their own discoveries and motivations. Devilishly fun to keep up with before it takes quite a turn; A-
 

I'm Still Here

I’m Still Here; Felt like this plodded along depicting moments that would’ve been better as a documentary or literature than a two hour plus attempt to convey the horrors of what the family/country went through. For me, dramatizations tend to minimize emotional impact, even if this well acted; C
 

The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel

The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel; The core element of what started & continues to drive the band shines through as various artists speak their absolute love for Hillel, all these years since his passing. The mix of testament and historic documents blends beautifully; A-

Predator: Badlands

Predator: Badlands; If a franchise lives long enough, the villain will eventually become the hero. Latest instalment asks us to cheer for the underdog runt of Predators, and keeps us engaged with zany humour and some pretty gruesome kills and dismemberment. Another triumph for an aging franchise; B

Prey

Prey; Nice change up to the Predator franchise mythos, supposing what the trophy hunting alien species might have run up against the equally skillful hunters from Indigenous nations. Centered around a young Native woman who’s breaking moulds amongst her people, story unfolds captivatingly well; B+

The Revenant

The Revenant; Iñárritu frames every scene masterfully so that it becomes permanently etched into our psyche. DiCaprio & Hardy display Oscar worthy devotion to enact efforts that bleed though the screen what must have been epic trials behind the scenes. Haunting, stark and realistic filmmaking; A
 

Snatch

Snatch; Like a live action Looney Tunes, the antics get sillier & crazier as characters fumble their way through messed up heists & failed fixed fights. Cast is down to clown, giving stars plenty to play around with. Soundtrack rocks and story beats along fabulously. Ritchie delivers his vision; A-

Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie

Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie; Parts Wayne’s World, Ferris Bueller, & the obvious Back to the Future, w/less humour than those three. Wears its influences openly & might wear thin for those who aren’t along for low budget hijinx, street level Canadian filmmaking. Peers will find joy in it; B-
 

Secret Mall Apartment

Secret Mall Apartment; Once an audience gets past potential scenarios its title may cook up, the reality remains fascinating. The footage seems too good to be true, save for the fact that it’s an artist’s project. The sum of its parts may not pay off, but like art, it’s the journey that counts; B
 

Her

Her; Poses interesting questions about modern relationships, dealing w/divorce & break ups, & how initial attraction morphs into something different as time together passes. All this portrayed by great acting, and a rather myopic view of artificial technology, makes for a thought provoking film; B

Hoppers

Hoppers; Story, message and entertainment blend in the same Pixar manner we’ve cherished for three decades now. The 30th film comes in just below the studio’s legacy best, but right on par with some of its greatest hits. Fun and silly while still grounded in emotional reality, it’s pure enjoyment; A
 

Black Bag

Black Bag; The economy of Soderbergh strikes gold once again. A taut thriller, stage play style experience, expertly acted by a fine cast. The spy world is given a domestic slant to great effect and high tension. Sold as having more action, it’s really the mind games bringing the excitement; A-
 

GOAT

GOAT; A zillion sports story tropes delivered w/fresh paint, tunes & animal types. The chaotic animation will make the same old story beats go down easier, w/fun in jokes, sight gags and solid voice acting. Made for the small balls, but with enough to enjoy for the adults, an easy crowd pleaser; B+

Cinema Paradiso

Cinema Paradiso; A love letter to the communal town square that’s at the heart of small town film theatres. Told through loving enduring relationships btwn generations & the journey of their lifetimes. When clips of a life tell a story of love and what forms our lives, it is heartrending joyous; A-

Marty Supreme

Marty Supreme; A wild romp filled w/erratic unsympathetic characters, spearheaded by Chalamet’s full throttle performance in the title role. Bolstered by a great supporting cast, save for Paltrow, continuing her knack of sucking in great movies. Shocking, unapologetic moments abound & entertain; A-

Materialists

Materialists; Works best as a dark comedy when it’s speaking deadpan about sociopathic behaviour in an American Psycho way. But when it comes to the rom com angle, Johnson’s woodenness doesn’t convey anything appealing to either leading man. Still, Celine Song knows how to direct dialogue; B

The Mission

The Mission; Spectacular filming of the brutal dichotomy of colonial powers valuing South American indigenous peoples and territory for their subjugation to religion and exploitation of labour. The efforts to depict the scope and scale are unfortunately not given to the writing of the script; B+
 

TRON: Ares

TRON: Ares; Maintains cool aesthetic lighting and killer soundtrack that makes the franchise appealing in the first place. New plot angles are interesting enough to fill a full two hours and Lee is a great leading actor to root for. Unfortunate casting of Leto detracts but it’s still watchable; B-
 

Play It Again, Sam

Play It Again, Sam; A tale of two reactions. One, an appreciation for the clever turn of phrase inherent in the comedic writing. The other, a disgust for overblown pathetic attempts at physical comedy by the repulsive Allen, along with some jokes that have not aged well, thankfully. Skippable; D+