March 2021

Reviews

Bad Trip

Your enjoyment of Netflix’s hidden camera comedy Bad Trip hinges on whether you find Eric André’s comedy entertaining;  such is the usual case for shock comics.  Eric André’s boundary-stepping awkwardness has the ability to push his “marks” to their extremes, and then he goes a little further.  It’s a fearless quality that Bad Trip takes full advantage of to tell a story about a passionate quest to pursue love, and the man (Chris Carey played…

Reviews

Jump, Darling

At a time when drag has made its way into mainstream media (thanks, in no small part, to the Emmy winning reality television show Ru Paul’s Drag Race), Jump, Darling stands as a much-needed antidote to the commodification of an art form that was created by and for queer and trans people.  It isn’t a bad thing that straight folks these days know what a death drop is, but at times it does feel as…

Reviews

Nobody

The promotional material for Nobody features a grizzled Bob Odenkirk, a hilarious comic who has pulled off incredible range for over a decade within his tragicomedy oeuvre in the Breaking Bad universe, beating the pulp out of thugs and gunning down crooks.  For viewers who have followed Odenkirk’s career from his sketch comedy days on Mr. Show to his time playing Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, this action-packed visual is cool…

Reviews

Doors

By: Trevor Chartrand Doors is an anthology-style sci-fi film from the producers of V/H/S, featuring four short stories all set in the same universe.  Each story or segment is helmed by its own filmmaker, giving us a variety of perspectives and approaches to one shared idea.  Without a doubt, the film is an interesting experiment and a great way to showcase the uniqueness of the creative mind.  Given the same premise, each filmmaker turns in a…

Reviews

Slaxx

A possessed pair of jeans wrecks havoc on retail workers in Slaxx, a Canadian horror-comedy from the producers of Turbo Kid that isn’t nearly as funny as that pitch but wins the audience over with outrageous and relentless kills.

Reviews

Above Suspicion

Directed by Phillip Noyce (Patriot Games, The Bone Collector, Rabbit-Proof Fence), Above Suspicion is a fast-paced thriller based on the true story of a young Kentucky woman, Susan Smith (Emilia Clark), who becomes an up-and-coming FBI agent’s star informant.

Reviews

Scooter

Scooter is one heck of a sloppy “found footage” flick.  Not only is this a weak thriller, but the film constantly steps on its own continuity by rewriting its rules on the fly.  The biggest crime: it’s completely unaware of its potential.

Reviews

Yes Day

Family films that feature kids “makin’ all the rules” isn’t exactly fresh or inventive.  So, why did I like Yes Day so darn much when I know that it follows this same template?  Did this sub-genre improve?  Have I gotten softer?  While these reflections are valid, it sounds like I have to blame either the movies that came before this one or myself to justify liking Yes Day.  Embracing Yes Day shouldn’t be driven by…

Reviews

Death of a Ladies’ Man

By: Trevor Chartrand In the delightfully surreal Death of a Ladies’ Man, director Matt Bissonette addresses some hard-hitting subjects in a mature (yet somehow silly) way.  This darkly funny film was heavily influenced and inspired by the work of Leonard Cohen, and the late artist’s presence in the film will not go unnoticed.  The film explores themes and ideas present in Cohen’s music, and features a soundtrack that includes plenty of Cohen songs.