Latest

July 2019

Reviews

Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable

July 31, 2019Addison Wylie0 Comments

Most people unacquainted with pro surfer Bethany Hamilton (myself included) may only know about her dangerous run-in with a tiger shark, which resulted in her left arm being bitten off (a story adapted in 2011’s Soul Surfer, based on Hamilton’s autobiographical best-seller).  I wholeheartedly recommend Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable to those movie goers.  Not only does Aaron Lieber’s documentary fill us in on Hamilton’s career using stylistic flare, but the film does an exceptional job showcasing…

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Reviews

The Stone Speakers

July 30, 2019Addison Wylie0 Comments

One of the best things about moviegoing is watching a rising star come into their own element.  Up-and-coming actors are always praised for this, but we don’t shed enough light on indie filmmakers who finally find the right vehicle for them.

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Reviews

Astronaut

July 26, 2019Mark Barber0 Comments

Sending the unlikeliest of people into space–from Jason Voorhees to Homer Simpson–has always been a crowd-pleasing move.  So it should come as no surprise that Shelagh McLeod finds the same results in her feature directorial debut Astronaut, which sends seventy-one year old Richard Dreyfuss into the heavens, in perhaps the Oscar winner’s best performance in years.

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Reviews

The VelociPastor

July 24, 2019Addison Wylie0 Comments

Jokey films like Hobo with a Shotgun, Ghost Beaver Kick, and the WolfCop series should be graded on a scale on whether the movie was able to cash in on its ambitious set-up.  Brendan Steere’s The VelociPastor belongs in the same camp, and it measures up quite well.  Y’know if you’re expecting an outrageous revenge flick of jurassic proportions.

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Reviews

There Are No Fakes

July 23, 2019Addison Wylie0 Comments

Kevin Hearn, keyboardist for The Barenaked Ladies and an avid art collector, accidentally opened a can of worms by purchasing a painting by late indigenous artist Norval Morrisseau.  During an exhibit of Hearn’s curated pieces at the Art Gallery of Ontario, his Morrisseau was proven to be bogus.  This pivotal event (which also led to a lengthy court case) pulled a thread, unravelling conflicting opinions surrounding a remarkable mystery behind Morrisseau’s work.

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One-on-Ones

Wylie Writes’ One-On-One with Veronica Ngo

July 21, 2019Shannon Page0 Comments

Furie, the highest grossing Vietnamese movie of all time, took North America’s digital platform by storm last month.  What’s perhaps even more notable is how the vehicle has propelled Veronia Ngo to action heroine status.  Ngo (Bright, Star Wars: The Last Jedi) stars as provoked mother Hai Phuong who will do anything (and fight anyone) to save her kidnapped daughter.

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Reviews

Roads in February

July 20, 2019Shannon Page0 Comments

Directed and Written by Katherine Jerkovic, Roads in February is a beautifully shot and immersive film that explores the relationship between a young Hispanic Canadian named Sara (Arlen Aguayo-Stewart), and her grandmother (Gloria Demassi).

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Reviews

Sword of Trust

July 20, 2019Addison Wylie0 Comments

In the freewheeling indie Sword of Trust, director Lynn Shelton has given her four talented principals the go-ahead to improvise when needed.  And with their background in comedy, the audience can clearly see these actors are game.  Shelton (who wrote this movie with former SNL staff writer Mike O’Brien) is no stranger to a loose narrative, as seen in 2009’s hilarious buddy comedy Hump Day.  But, this time, her reigns are a little too loose.

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Reviews

Chasing Perfect

July 19, 2019Addison Wylie0 Comments

By: Trevor Chartrand Chasing Perfect is a car design documentary with a very narrow focus, and it will undoubtedly appeal to a fairly niche audience as a result.  The film chronicles the life and career of legendary car designer Frank Stephenson, the creative mind behind a variety of modern vehicles from flashy sports cars to practical SUVs.

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