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