Birdman of (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance); Virtuoso performances in a refreshingly unconventional film. Keaton is remarkable & fascinating in every moment. Percussion score and fluid camerawork propel the story forward at a blistering pace. Nutty in all the right ways; A-

Crash

Crash; Stellar performances by many (notably Cheadle) can’t save this film from its misguided examination of racism using a soft lens. The movie means well but doesn’t dig deep enough to provide a true meaningful examination yet isn’t very subtle about its intentions either; B-

Hamilton

Hamilton; Wonderful filming of theatrical production manages to capture stage, lighting & choreography seamlessly while providing intimate, up close moments w/o missing a beat. Fabulously frames founding fathers in an equally groundbreaking energetic revolutionary performance; A+

Death Note

Death Note; Interesting premise offers enough to entice us into the story. Dafoe’s performance is fun to watch (like a Groot Green Goblin) and the mix of supernatural and morality tale is thought provoking. Film favours conventional story beats to entertain a broad audience; B 

Harold and Maude

Harold and Maude; A bizarre, dark February-December romance (?) that questions what is worth living for? Uneven, odd and off putting, in all the right ways. Cats Stevens soundtrack sunnily contrasts the black comedy it is. Great lead performance by Gordon; B+ 

Sky High

Sky High; Silly, teenage superhero film imagines high school stratified by superpowers, on top of all the other tropes. Messages are aplenty, but never too overbearing as the adult cast has fun playing around in tights. Solid family entertainment with a good soundtrack; B

Artemis Fowl

Artemis Fowl; Oddly omits best parts of book from the screenplay. Changes detract from what makes book a fun, engaging read. Offers less action and more imagery and is overall disappointing. Casting is pretty good despite the alterations. Not sure what they were going for; C-

The Insult

The Insult; Fine, simmering take on racial stigmatism from a micro to macro level. Story develops to ensure sympathy for both sides while divulging background in stages for deeper understanding and awareness. Excellent performances all around. Extremely relevant then and now; A-

Snowpiercer

Snowpiercer; Riveting, thought provoking and intriguing. Class stratification and warfare set on a train has all the obvious metaphors yet doesn’t fail to entertain while reflecting on our society. Action is raw & bloody. Bold performances help sell the story. Excellent film; A-

Aladdin and the King of Thieves

Aladdin and the King of Thieves; Excellent story for a direct to video threequel. Animation is a step lower but is made up for by the return of Robin Williams to the genie role. Hilarious riffs wrapped around a father-son tale and some hit & miss songs. Fun while it lasts; B-

To Live and Die in L.A.

To Live and Die in L.A.; Violent, gritty noir set in sunny California. Casting is phenomenal, as characters convincingly straddle the line between good and evil. Wang Chung score seems dated, yet gives the film its flavour. Action scenes are absolutely thrilling and shocking; A-

Lady Bird

Lady Bird; Fabulous film on all accounts. Personal, yet universal. Beautiful yet economical in its editing. Actors play very well off each other, nailing the layered meanings in the dialogue and characters. A certain soon to be considered classic coming of age tale; A

The Virgin Suicides

The Virgin Suicides; Exhaustingly solemn and emotionally bereft, populated with characters we couldn’t care less about on account that we never truly get to know them. Says very little about a very serious topic, making it seem more of a fashion shoot than tragic reality; D

Local Hero

Local Hero; Charming, quirky comedy subtly explores the allure of a small sea side village to a big city oil company Texan. Laughs aplenty land quietly as the story keeps you guessing about how it will all play out. Absurd at times, hauntingly real and beautiful at others; A-

Into the Wild

Into the Wild; A little too in love with itself, but a beautiful film regardless. Excellent cast explores living off the grid with romanticized results. Relationships shine along with the scenery and soothing soundtrack. Intriguing but answers less questions than it brings up; B+

Blood Quantum

Blood Quantum; Will satisfy horror fans with its Walking Dead worthy makeup effects, blood splatter and kill shots. Deeper societal meanings are present too but not fully explored or realized. Well done genre film that happens to break new ground for Indigenous arts; B

Blinded by the Light

Blinded by the Light; There’s a gritty, gripping story here with as much lyricism as a Springsteen song but it never fully materializes due to shoddy execution and subpar performances. Subject matter and story idea would work in more gifted hands. Disappointing yet serviceable; C

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales; Actors, orchestral score & visual effects work overtime to try and redeem story beats that aren’t up to par. The fun is there but far from former heights of the franchise. New actors fail to entertain as well as old returnees; C+

Good Boys

Good Boys; Definitely exhibits the merits for a filthy tween age Superbad style film. Trio of young actors sell it well and earn every laugh while convincingly conveying the dramatic aspects underlying the insanity. Gags work more often than not. Sweet, not so innocent fun; B+

Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!

Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!; Argument for veganism continues w/entertaining exposé of Big Chicken. Spurlock is entertaining to watch, elevating genre in a way Michael Moore did B4 him. The setup to the final punchline is well worth the journey. Doesn’t need the sequel tag; A-