By: Jolie Featherstone Dome Karukoski’s Tolkien is a polished, but reserved, Edwardian period piece that explores the early life of J. R. R. Tolkien, famed author of The Lord of the Rings. From a childhood fraught with loss to serving in in the First World War as a young adult, the film draws connections between Tolkien’s real-life experiences and the lore and legends he created in his works.
By: Jolie Featherstone When a film stars the likes of Diane Keaton, Pam Grier, Jackie Weaver, and Rhea Perlman as ladies who form their own cheerleading squad, the only correct response is to grab a pair of pom-poms and cheer. A heartfelt comedy with elements of Book Club and A League Of Their Own, Poms brings the fun and feels to a story about the importance of reigniting your spirit.
By: Jessica Goddard Could a beautiful, successful, Type A presidential hopeful like Charlize Theron’s Charlotte fall in love with a slovenly, jobless, political cynic like Seth Rogen’s Fred? Long Shot is wholly predictable in both its conclusion to this question, and in how it gets us there. From the standard drug-fuelled escapade we’ve come to anticipate once per Seth Rogen film, to the “maybe if one day he shows up in nicer clothes she’ll start…
By: Trevor Chartrand You’ll be hard pressed to find a more Canadian film than The Grizzlies; the inspiring true story of an impoverished Nunavut community battling mental illness by creating a sports team. Over ten years in the making, this long-time passion project of director Miranda de Pencier is a not only a well-made dramatic film, but also a small taste of the type of media representation First Nations and Inuit citizens deserve.
By: Jolie Featherstone Director Neil Marshall (The Descent) brings his signature blend of murky macabre and blood-soaked adrenaline to Hellboy, the latest cinematic incarnation of the beloved Dark Horse graphic novel series. Starring David Harbour of Stranger Things fame as the titular anti-hero and Milla Jovovich as Nimue (also known as the Blood Queen), Marshall’s Hellboy is a genre-bending departure from the earlier screen adaptations directed by Guillermo Del Toro. This installment does not call…
By: Jolie Featherstone Wylie Writes was invited to the hotly anticipated red carpet and Canadian premiere of Hellboy. Hosted at Toronto’s iconic Scotiabank Theatre on April 10th, stars David Harbour and Milla Jovovich were in attendance. The event coincided with David Harbour’s birthday. The theatre was buzzing with the excitement of loyal fans who erupted into a rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ when Harbour arrived at the red carpet.
By: Trevor Chartrand Animation studio Laika Entertainment has a reputation for dark and brooding content with releases like Corpse Bride (2005) or Coraline (2009), but this year’s Missing Link breaks their mold as a fun-for-most-ages adventure story.
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.
