There’s a purposeful lack of characterization in How to Blow Up a Pipeline because the story is built off of shared passion and mutual frustration between a team of amateur environmental activists/eco-terrorists who are tired of waiting for a difference to be made. They’ve been pushed to their limits after being promised that a change is approaching. How to Blow Up a Pipeline is a very angry movie, and it’s also one of the best…
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always is almost experimental in its nostalgia. It doesn’t nudge or wink at the viewer, and it shows that it isn’t “in” on any meta jokes or gags. And, it doesn’t feature outsiders trying to copy an older property (ala The Three Stooges). Instead, this exclusive hour-long special for Netflix, made by people who are more than experienced with this long-running show, plays out like a two-parter without Saturday…
Mafia Mamma is a badly executed fish-out-of-water movie that features rushed filmmaking and a slipshod script, as well as lavish destination scenery and good-looking men and women practically straddling the leading lady. Not a good look for either director Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen, Twilight, Miss Bala) or producer/star Toni Collette, who reunite since working together on 2015’s Miss You Already.
Does outrageous entertainment made by the LGBTQ community always have to be “campy”? That’s a question that I asked myself between laughs during Summoning Sylvia, a wacky horror-comedy that serves as a directorial debut for Broadway actors Wesley Taylor and Alex Wyse.
After watching the insane adolescent behaviour featured in MSC: The Movie and Magnum Opus: The .MOVie and vying for something deeper than amateur stunts, Therapy Dogs does a decent job answering my wishes.
Simulant is a good recommendation for those looking for a solid sci-fi action/thriller and in-the-moment entertainment. The film doesn’t have much resonance after the credits roll, but I thoroughly enjoyed being in this futuristic story that’s executed well enough by director April Mullen (88, Farhope Tower, Badsville) and adequately written by screenwriter Ryan Christopher Churchill.
By: Jeff Ching ReBroken is an ambitious and unique exploration of grief that qualifies as a thriller, drama, horror and a mystery. It’s an unpredictable puzzle that the audience slowly pieces together. But despite that selling point, I can’t wholeheartedly recommend Rebroken. I will always applaud a filmmaker for taking risks over playing it safe. However, I didn’t enjoy this experience, which could’ve been fixed had the film built an essential emotional connection to the material.
The biopic sub-genre has received frequent criticisms as of late regarding its formulaic structure and frequent round edges when chronicling and adapting someone’s life to the big screen. But, I don’t think I’ve seen a biopic as full of itself as Spinning Gold.
