Blade of the Immortal kicks off with an epic outmatched brawl featuring the film’s heroic samurai Manji (Takuya Kimura) facing off against a hoard of sword-wielding enemies. The fight scene, despite some shaky cinematography, is an excellent sequence of non-stop action featuring the same audacious violence director Takashi Miike has been known to provide.
By: Nick van Dinther The title Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri tells you exactly what the movie is about. If you peek behind that literal title, you’ll find one of the best films of the year.
By: Trevor Chartrand Showcasing the contrast between two farming families in Mississippi, Mudbound examines the overbearing racist climate of the southern states in the 1940s. Based on a novel of the same name and directed/co-written by Dee Rees, the film takes place both during and after the Second World War. When a white family takes ownership of a Mississippi farm, they find themselves living in the fields among the black farmhands who will work for them….
Stegman Is Dead is the latest addition to the string of Quentin Tarantno copycats. Smooth anti-heroes and bumbling crooks come together in a quirky crime story played for laughs and gags. However, this debut feature film from TV director David Hyde edges out its sub-genre competition; mostly due to the chemistry of the film’s ensemble.
Recently on Twitter, a user asked their followers to name the best documentaries of the decade. Instead, I named three notable documentarians who have produced excellent work. One of those mentioned filmmakers was Brett Morgen. Morgen has made one of the best docs about Hollywood history (The Kid Stays in the Picture), one of the best docs about music history (Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck), and with his latest project Jane, he’s made one of the best…
By: Trevor Chartrand The meandering narrative of Lady Bird, though at times unfocused and opened-ended, is both heartwarming and humorous as it examines the life of a struggling teen overwhelmed by dysfunction and her perceived notion of persecution at every turn. An offbeat coming-of-age comedy, Lady Bird wonderfully depicts the innocence of youth in search of love, purpose, and acceptance in a confusing and changing world.
By: Nick van Dinther Hollywood is often criticized for rehashing the same ideas repeatedly without bringing anything new to the table. At the very least, Infinity Baby bucks that trend and brings us something we haven’t seen before.
