By: Mark Barber Like its source material, the film adaptation of E.L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey has taken quite a bit of flak for its tantalizing portrayal of abusive relationships. The film reeks of misogyny, but that’s only half the problem. While Sam Taylor-Johnson’s film resists some of the moral haziness of the book’s gender politics, it does so half-heartedly. Given the book’s start as Twilight fan-fiction, it’s not surprising how the film’s narrative…
By: Addison Wylie In Matt Shepard Is a Friend of Mine, filmmaker Michele Josue states she’s not exactly looking for closure, but for more of an understanding of Shepard’s life and unfair demise. However, as we watch her trace through Shepard’s life and interview those who were brightened by Matt’s personality, it’s fairly clear that in order for her to comprehend the tragedy, she feels the need to provide a final word. Maybe not from…
By: Anthony King GOING IN: In this day in age, does the idea of more Vampires excite you? Or, has their rise to immense popularity and over saturation begun to turn you away? Personally I love vampires. I’ve read half an Anne Rice novel back in high school, so you can say I’m a pretty big fan of the subject. Just because there’s one series of films that are laughably bad and cheesy doesn’t mean…
By: Addison Wylie To say Wolfcop is howlingly bad would suggest that (a) the film is terrible and (b) Lowell Dean’s horror film has a sense of humour. Only one of those is correct. Wolfcop has a concept – that’s all. That concept being a police officer who transforms into a grotesque werewolf, yet still protects the streets. It’s a character that has trouble stimulating a five-minute conversation around the water cooler let alone having…
By: Addison Wylie If Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen are going to be filmmakers, they really should write their own material. Their directorial debut and sleeper hit This Is the End sustained itself because of their clever weisenheimer writing satirizing self-involved Hollywood socialites. With their highly anticipated and controversial second feature The Interview, the pair are responsible for the story along with Dan Sterling. However, this time, they’ve abandoned the screenwriting phase and let Sterling…
By: Addison Wylie Nickelodeon’s absurdist behaviour and its brand of transgressive humour have driven some parents crazy. However, it’s a unique knack that has struck hilarity with viewers who were considered Generation Y, or 90’s kids. Nick’s bizarre reality is what gave many of their television shows their edge, and most programming were not willing to push the absurdist envelope as far as Nickelodeon would. The station has cooled its jets as of recent with…
By: Addison Wylie Due to its time of release, Girlhood is unfairly titled; causing many to draw immediate comparisons to Richard Linklater’s Boyhood. Girlhood is also a movie that is unfairly robbed of its natural moments by its filmmaker as they become more out of touch with their material. This is Catherine Hardwicke’s Thirteen re-imagined by a student who is still learning how to grasp their own sense of subtlety and composure. Thirteen is a better movie…
By: Addison Wylie If I was an actor starring in Revenge of the Green Dragons and I was watching the final cut of the film, I would be feeling cheesed by the filmmakers. Well, maybe if I wasn’t Harry Shum Jr., the dancing charmer from Glee who takes his acting to a more dramatic level with this crime film. If I was him, I would be feeling proud that I had pulled off a such…
By: Addison Wylie There’s an aristocratic quality to Love Is Strange. Everyone is nicely dressed in houses and restaurants that could all be rated five-stars. Characters laugh at high-brow jokes and mild-mannerly talk about “the classics”. Love Is Strange is a film so tidy, that you kind of want to scowl at it. But, the film is far too sweet and performed with accomplishment to feel such resentment towards Ira Sachs’ film. Ben and George…
By: Addison Wylie When you pay for admission to see The Wrecking Crew, a rockin’ doc from Denny Tedesco (son of legendary guitarist Tommy Tedesco), you pay to hear a number of stories from the title band themselves. The Wrecking Crew was made up of talented musicians who lent their instrumentals to famous musicians like The Beach Boys, Herb Alpert, Cher, and Frank Sinatra. While the singers belted out their momentous lyrics and choruses, Tommy…