Documentarian Jenny Popplewell returns to true crime with her latest film, What Jennifer Did. Finding a comfortable balance between a conventional format (talking heads, unsettling nighttime B-roll) and the resourceful surveillance storytelling she exhibited in Netflix’s American Murder: The Family Next Door, Popplewell recounts the details of a disturbing attempted double murder, while also dissecting its police procedural.
By: Jeff Ching Are we seeing the genesis of Dev Patel as Hollywood’s next big action star? Will Monkey Man become a colossal action movie franchise similar to John Wick? Monkey Man is certainly in the running for this year’s best action movie.
The scandal at the centre of Britain’s dark comedy Wicked Little Letters – mail addressed from an anonymous source that uses risqué language – seems petty in comparison to the waves of crime procedurals at-home audiences educate themselves on weekly. But as naïve as the crime may appear to be, the controversy spoke to the times and ignited much needed awareness around inequality.
I liked Good Burger 2, but it also feels like it was made for me and, maybe like, ten other people. Good Burger 2 is the sequel to its 1997 predecessor, which began as a recurring sketch on Nickelodeon’s variety show All That. Milking nostalgia is a current trend, but when does it become too much of an inside joke?
Faith-based movies don’t really bother me. They speak to a specific crowd, and drive home values that make those movie goers comfortable. If the films strike a discord in the messaging, the filmmaking is usually so hokey that the movies are easy to ignore. The odd exception exists (Unplanned, 2019’s worst movie) but, otherwise, these movies are like water off a duck’s back. Fickle faith-based movies, on the other hand….
Movie goers may instantly attribute Audrey Cummings’ Place of Bones with fellow westerns, but theatre aficionados may lean more towards low-end productions with sloppy offerings. As someone who finds themselves in the intersection of both groups, Place of Bones pulls me towards my fellow theatre nerds and that, well, sucks.
By: Trevor Chartrand Readers, please note – if you’re not familiar with the serial killer Ted Bundy, The Black Mass will likely leave you feeling confused and alienated. Then again, if you are familiar with Bundy and his capture, you’ll also feel just as confused and alienated…but probably disgusted as well. By making this film, director Devanny Pinn has wasted the time of her crew, her cast, and anyone unfortunate enough to make the mistake…
By: Jolie Featherstone [CW: Violent punishment, religious trauma, forced birth, miscarriage, newborn murder] IT girl Sydney Sweeney (Anyone But You, Madame Web) puts herself in motion to be the next Scream Queen in the blood-soaked, religious horror film Immaculate.
Late Night with the Devil is a high-wire act that has the viewer glued to the screen at all times. And, just when we thought period variety shows couldn’t be any scarier than the Mother of All Shows.
Riddle of Fire is a remarkable feature debut from writer/director Weston Razooli for a number of reasons, ranging from visual flare to its irreverent and hilarious sense of humour. However, the most memorable feat of the film is its pristine ability to portray childhood in a genuine way that transports the audience back to a time where boundless make-believe was a daily activity. What’s even more impressive is Razooli’s restraint to not call attention to…