1st Reviews

  It’s not uncommon for a filmmaker to base a movie on their own life experiences. Their success ultimately boils down to the connection between the audience and the characters. if you’re able to see some of yourself in a film, it will instantly make the experience more special. With Armageddon Time, James Gray has given us a story intimate to his own upbringing, but one that’s also deeply, heartbreakingly relatable.  Set in Queens during the early 80s, the movie centers around a Jewish-American family, doing their best to provide a good life for their children. Gray brings a lot of his childhood to the table but keeps things just broad enough so viewers can connect, allowing them to reflect on their own upbringing. No matter who you are, you will find someone in this film you can relate to, which demonstrates Gray is telling an earnest story from the heart.  Themes of privilege, class divide and racial discrimination run through the movie, but not once do they come acros...

  A masterful presentation of the First World War; All Quiet on the Western Front finds humanity amongst the chaos, painting a harrowing portrait from a perspective rarely shown in a film. This is not only one of the best films of the year, but it stands alongside the best World War I films ever made.  Based on the controversial, best-selling novel of the same name, this modern adaptation speaks on the horrors of trench warfare, following a group of young German soldiers through hell and back. It drives home it’s anti-war message with a brutal and terrifying depiction of The Great War. However, it’s the stark contrast between the high-ranking officers - safely in their quarters sipping wine, eating freshly baked pastries - and the soldiers - dying on the battlefront, pulling stale bread from their blood-soaked pockets - that resonates deepest.  The battle sequences are brought to life with such vivid and gritty detail, immersing you in the terror these soldiers experience...

  For eight years, the whole world cleared their Sunday evening schedules for Game of Thrones. It was, and still is, one of the biggest and most iconic shows of all time. House of the Dragon was tasked with not only living up to GOT’s legacy but making up for its universally panned final season. Although it has a ways to go before it rivals GOT at its best, this is an outstanding first season, that shows tremendous potential for the years to come.  The series feels instantly familiar, with plenty of the drama, politicking, violence and sex that made Games of Thrones such a hit. However, this time around the slower pacing has been replaced by much swifter storytelling, breezing through two decades of plot in just ten episodes. There were times I wanted more detail from a particular plot point before the show skipped ahead, but the time jumps work beautifully for the most part.  With such frequent and lengthy-time jumps, recasting for certain roles is a necessity. With doze...

  In ancient Kahndaq, Teth Adam (Dwayne Johnson) bestowed the almighty powers of the gods. After using these powers for vengeance, he was imprisoned, becoming Black Adam. Nearly 5,000 years have passed, and Black Adam has gone from man to myth to legend. Now free, his unique form of justice, born out of rage, is challenged by modern-day heroes who form the Justice Society: Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Dr. Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo) and Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell). The beginning of this film set the location of Kahndaq and how the people needed someone to look up to as their beacon of hope. It’s a similar narrative to Superman but presented differently. Black Adam felt a bit out of place as they were trying to integrate him into society, and it felt like he was in a different movie than the rest of the Justice Society.  Even though Teth Adam’s backstory is interesting because of the lore and heartfelt because of his relationship with his son, there wasn’t en...

  When a divorced couple, Georgia (Julia Roberts) and David (George Clooney) team up and travel to Bali to stop their daughter from making the same mistake they think they made 25 years ago, their antics push them closer together. Director Ol Parker constructed a fairly simple romantic comedy that has the divorced couple at the forefront at all times. Parker and his co-writer Daniel Pipski made sure to explore all sides of relationships; old and new. To witness the budding relationship between Lily (Kaitlyn Dever) and Gede (Maxime Bouttier) was lovely. Bouttier and Dever had such sweet natural chemistry that only first love can carry. To counter the two of them, Parker and Pipski created a harsh, sarcastic back-and-forth between the divorced couple. The audience can see where love begins, grows, and ultimately how it turns into a situation.  This movie would not have worked without Roberts and Clooney. Roberts still has that gorgeous smile and infectious laugh. Clooney was as ...

  David Gordon Green did something different, and that is something I can admire him for. He went a different route when developing Corey Cunningham as someone who wanted to be like Michael Myers. Almost like an apprentice in this movie. Cunningham “accidentally” killed the child he was babysitting on Halloween night, and the whole town turned against him. Almost like they were trying to latch onto a new killer for Haddonfield because Michael Myers wasn’t present. Gordon Green also tried to reverse the cycle of the child going after the babysitter, which would have worked if the story had gone in a different direction. The bones of the story are there. It’s the execution of it that didn’t quite work. In the beginning, this third film felt like they needed to fill time to stretch out the final standoff between Michael Myers and Laurie Strode. And when that happened in the last fifteen minutes, it didn’t even feel warranted.  Halloween Ends  is probably the most anticlimact...

  I’m no expert on the Hellraiser franchise. In fact, I’d consider myself somewhat of an indifferent viewer. I’ve seen a few of the movies, but I have no real nostalgia or recollection beyond the series’ iconic villain, Pinhead. This soft reboot is a strong addition to this long-standing horror saga, catering to both first-time watchers and dedicated longtime fans. I absolutely loved the visuals in this movie, especially the way the environments transformed when shifting dimensions. David Bruckner has some experience in delivering mind-bending visuals, and he showcases that creativity effectively here. There’s a particular scene involving a van that ranks among my favourite horror scenes of the year. The Cenobite design is another major highlight. They aren’t all that frightening, but the way each of them is uniquely mutilated makes for some fantastic-looking monsters.  The performances vary in quality, but the two I was most impressed with were Odessa A’zion, who plays the le...

  Director Todd Fields writes and directs this icy, multifaceted exploration of fame in a new generation with an old mentality. Renowned musician Lydia Tár is days away from recording the symphony that will elevate her career. When all elements seem to conspire against her, Lydia's adopted daughter Petra becomes integral emotional support for her struggling mother. The structure of this film worked in favour of Fields and Blanchett's performance as Tár. Within the first scene, there's an interview with her discussing who she is and why she became a composer in the first place. Fields also used this time to explore gender dynamics in the industry and how Tár has presented herself over the years. Blanchett effortlessly delivers paragraphs of lines educating the crowd on specific compositional terminology and the power of an orchestra.  It's an incredible film that places Blanchett in the center of every single scene as she descends into her darkness. The first half of thi...

  What worked for  Hocus   Pocus  2  was the “fish-out-of-water” act for the Sanderson sisters. That’s always a good angle to maximize the humour. Three witches return after almost three decades to Salem, which looks slightly different. There are new stores like Walgreens, new products, and, of course, technology. When Becca and Izzy meet the Sanderson sisters after accidentally bringing them back on Halloween night, they try their best to distract them. The tactics they use are quite funny and the comedic timing from Kathy Najimy will have anyone in stitches. Director Anne Fletcher guides the audience through Halloween night with the Sanderson sister regaining some control.  It was also nice to see practical effects being used to bring nostalgia to the town of Salem. When they were flying or casting spells, the special effects looked great. The story between Becca, Cassie, and Izzy was more engaging than the original story because it’s about three best fri...

  There’s a moment in this movie where a character picks up a top-secret document and mutters to himself “ Project   Wolf   Hunting   - how tacky”. That line perfectly sums up this ultra-violent bloodbath, although there’s still a bit of fun to be had with all the chaos.  The premise is a bit of a stretch but serves as a functional setup for all the brutal events to come. A group of dangerous prisoners are being transported via cargo ship from Manila to South Korea, with several police officers overseeing the operation. Little do any of them know, there’s something sinister taking place deep within the bowels of the ship. It isn’t long before all hell breaks loose and the blood starts flowing.  Sorry, did I say flowing? I meant spraying…or maybe gushing… or perhaps pouring would be a better word. The point is, there’s a lot of blood. So much blood that I’m genuinely curious about how many gallons the crew went through during filming. This is one of the gori...

Immersive, emotional, exhilarating, and powerful;  Athena  is a Greek tragedy wrapped up in politically charged, socially relevant chaos. It’s a remarkable technical achievement in filmmaking, and should not be missed.  The movie immediately grabs you by the collar and drags you through a brutal, city-wide riot over the course of a day. The 11-minute “one take” opening sequence is jaw-dropping and sets the stage for the nail-biting events that follow.  Athena  is filled with expertly orchestrated long takes that redefine the way action scenes can be shot. Honestly, some of the camera work seems almost impossible, but every shot is executed flawlessly.  While most of the film revolves around the moment-to-moment action, it lets up occasionally to focus on the more personal story at its core. This is the tale of a family ripped apart by tragedy, with two brothers forced onto opposite sides of an escalating conflict. It’s a simple, yet powerful narrative that ...