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November 2020

Reviews

The Orange Years: The Nickelodeon Story

I’m laying my cards out on the table: I have an unconditional love for Nickelodeon.  The network defined my childhood, helped diversify my media and sense of humour, and it was an outlet for truly unique entertainment.  As much as I tried to enter Scott Barber and Adam Sweeney’s documentary The Orange Years: The Nickelodeon Story without an enamouring bias, it was impossible.

Reviews

Sound of Metal

Screenwriter Darius Marder teams up yet again with filmmaker Derek Cianfrance.  Only this time, the roles are reversed with executive producer Cianfrance taking a story credit and Marder (still penning the screenplay) stepping into the director’s chair.  The finished film, Sound of Metal, is as much of a masterpiece as their last collaboration, The Place Beyond the Pines.

Reviews

Saint Frances

We’ve all seen a movie that pairs an uncomfortable adult with a precocious child, and usually the humour stems from their awkwardness that develops into an endearing dynamic as their chemistry develops. Saint Frances is no different, and about halfway through the movie I thought I had Alex Thompson’s film figured out. Little did I know that the film was quietly providing the groundwork for inspiring feministic themes that would elevate the material above its…

Reviews

The Princess Switch: Switched Again

The original cast, director, and screenwriters from Netflix’s surprise hit The Princess Switch have reunited for The Princess Switch: Switched Again to offer fan service for at-home viewers.  But even though the production remembers what tickled audiences the first time around, they have failed to capture the same spark in this rusty sequel.

Reviews

Roobha

Lenin M. Sivam’s Roobha explores two intersecting narratives: one, a young dancer, Roobha (Amrit Sandhu), a transgender woman living on the streets;  two, an older bartender Antony (Jesuthasan Antonythasan) whose poor lifestyle choices have severally worsened his health.  The two unexpectedly fall in love, creating tension in both characters’ lives.

Reviews

The Climb

By: Trevor Chartrand Based on a short film of the same name, The Climb was written and performed by Michael Angelo Covino and Kyle Marvin.  Covino also directed the film, which chronicles the life and times of a dysfunctional friendship over the course of many years.  In the film, Kyle (Marvin) and Mike (Covino) are long-time best friends who slowly drift apart – and then back together again – after Mike admits to sleeping with…

Reviews

My Dad’s Christmas Date

Recently, I reviewed the hilariously spot-on holly-jolly spoof Cup of Cheer.  The comedy did such a good job calling out tropes, clichés, and lazy writing found in Christmas movies.  What it didn’t do, and what I realized after watching My Dad’s Christmas Date, is that Cup of Cheer didn’t poke fun at deceptive movies that bait viewers with seasonal qualities to dress up an otherwise dismal story.  If My Dad’s Christmas Date didn’t occasionally show…