Barbie

Barbie; Perfect casting propels the film from silly concept to full blown cultural moment. More sad and intense at times than it is hilarious, Canadian Kens (and Alan) really bring the laughs. A small indie film wrapped in a big budget toy seller succeeds on several levels; B+

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse; Another groundbreaking tour de force that builds on its predecessor while amplifying its core heart, humour & feast of animation excellence. Less satisfying since it’s an instalment starter, but a great launching point for what’s to come; A

Vengeance

Vengeance; Novak knows how to deliver a meta narrative reflecting American societal issues with an approach that’s equally composed of critical commentary, stand-up style humour. It’s self-deprecatingly aware while poking fun at the ideological divide between city and country; B+

The Lovebirds

The Lovebirds (Extended Cut); Likeable leads make many of the situations they encounter a funny, witty experience so that even more preposterous moments have their spark to take us through the scene. These two with a more clever script could really transcend formulaic comedy; B-