Giant Little Ones is a very sweet movie about confronting and dealing with homophobia as a teenager. If that reads like I’m patronizing the film, I don’t mean to be. This is an important coming-of-age story with a unique voice, and filmmaker Keith Behrman should be proud of his accomplished indie. It’s a hopeful movie that will hit home with audiences.
Through Black Spruce, most of the time, is on the right track. Unfortunately, its disappointing streaks are during the final stretch of the film.
By: Trevor Chartrand In his feature film follow-up to 2013’s Spring Breakers, director Harmony Korine delivers a similarly raunchy, yet dark comedy with this year’s The Beach Bum. Much like Spring Breakers, this latest undertaking by Korine is bound to receive a mixed reaction from most moviegoers.
Jasmin Mozaffari’s first feature length film is aptly named. Firecrackers is an explosive and mesmerizing journey that follows two teenage friends, Lou (Michaela Kurimsky) and Chantelle (Karena Evans), as they attempt to break free of their small town. Their plans to run away from it all are complicated by mundane jobs, poverty, abusive boyfriends, and drug-addicted parents.
Documentarian Rama Rau (The Market, League of Exotique Dancers) takes a break from documentary filmmaking to make Honey Bee, a coming-of-age drama for mature audiences.
An Audience of Chairs isn’t just one movie. This new film from Deanne Foley (Relative Happiness) based on Joan Clark’s novel of the same name appears to be a sombre Canadian drama that you prepare for by stuffing your pockets full of tissue. While it is a tear-jerker, it’s also a character drama, a romance, and a message film. And, surprisingly enough, Foley pulls off this trifecta.
Filmmakers Cristina Gallego and Ciro Guerra follow-up their Oscar nominated feature film Embrace of the Serpent with Birds of Passage, a sprawling drama about Columbian drug cartels. The story’s primary focus is Raphayet (José Acosta), an average bachelor who becomes involved with drug trafficking, gradually becoming a notorious name in the dangerous culture.
Nowhere is difficult to discuss without skimming spoilers, especially since the film deserves to stay a secret for new audiences. What I can safely share is that this thriller is comparable to last year’s winner Searching. But, while both movies are about a parent trying to find their missing child, each movie has its own efficient approach.
