This past weekend, Kubo and the Two Strings failed to make an impressive debut despite positive reviews across the board (including from our own Trevor Jeffery). According to Box Office Mojo, the $60-million production opened with $12,610,000 along with an existing foreign gross of $900,000.
The biggest takeaway from Barbara Kopple’s electrifying doc Miss Sharon Jones! is Jones’ incredible energy and willpower. It’s marvellous to watch the soulful musician allow music to possess her, and it’s even more astonishing considering Jones’ exhaustive struggle with pancreatic cancer.
Top-notch performances from a talented cast form the back bone of director David Mackenzie’s contemporary take on the western heist genre, but Hell or High Water is more than a well-executed thriller. It is a carefully crafted film that isn’t afraid to cast a bold light on modern issues.
Standing Tall is unlikable, but I don’t think Emmanuelle Bercot made this film to be easily embraced. Unfortunately, it’s terribly unappealing.
Sausage Party is a shock comedy that’s heavy on “shock” and light on “comedy”. The film is supposed to subvert clean-cut animated films with inappropriate dialogue and black humour, but ends up becoming a crass and awkward in-joke between the comic cast.
Despite its “battle-of-the-sexes” controversy, it was surprisingly easy to stay out of discussions pertaining to Paul Feig’s reinvented Ghostbusters. I had no interest in the film’s politics. It wasn’t because I had strong opinions – I was just indifferent.
Movie theatres have been over-saturated with comic book adaptations, and audiences have been spoiled. “Spoiled” in two ways: studios want to give movie goers more bang for their buck, but by now, just about everyone is burnt out on these action/adventures. Part of the reason Marvel’s Deadpool was such a success is because it wasn’t afraid to make fun of itself and reinvent the formula – people appreciated that breath of fresh air.
I’m catching Life, Animated far into its successful theatrical run, and after it was a hit on the festival circuit (placing sixth on the audience favourites list at Hot Docs, winning an award at the Sundance Film Festival for Roger Ross Williams’ direction and also being nominated for the prestigious Grand Jury Prize). I’m thankful to have seen the documentary, and I’m elated to pay the recommendation forward to anyone who hasn’t yet watched this…
