Becky was an outrageous home invasion thriller that made for ideal late-night entertainment. The movie didn’t necessarily warrant a sequel but, if it set out to be as fun as its predecessor, I’d welcome it. After watching Wrath of Becky, I wish I had reconsidered.
L’immensità is a mesmerizing 70s slice of life, anchored by excellent performances and deeply felt emotion both in front of and behind the camera.
By: Trevor Chartrand Cascade does some adequate genre-blending; plucking tropes in such a way that it feels like the film would be right at home if it were released in the 80s. Essentially, the indie boils down to a combination of teenage dramas like The Breakfast Club and a watered-down Rambo.
Master Gardener is the third entry in writer/director Paul Schrader’s “man in a room” series, and it’s a satisfying albeit modest finish to a contemplative trilogy the filmmaker hadn’t initially planned.
Primarily known for her Emmy award winning roles on TV’s Seinfeld and Veep, Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ recent feature work has more than suggested that she’s the go-to actor to portray inescapable awkwardness in situational comedy. While Downhill and You People may have succeeded in securing broader laughs, writer/director Nicole Holofcener’s latest dramedy You Hurt My Feelings gives Louis-Dreyfus the opportunity to be more confrontational, allowing her to dig deeper into a character’s take on personal betrayal.
What’s Love Got to Do with It? is one half My Big Fat Greek Wedding and one half…any other romantic comedy you can think of. This tame rom-com is as conventional as they come, which can sometimes be forgiven if the formula is executed with wit. Unfortunately, not only is the filmmaking watered-down but it smothers its own potential.
By: Jeff Ching Mind Leech was the closing film at the Toronto International Spring of Horror & Fantasy Film Festival.
I haven’t kept up with Gerard Butler’s action vehicles since being disappointed by 2013’s Olympus Has Fallen. A grudge hadn’t kept me away from Butler. In fact, his action flicks have looked appealing by the promotional material as I find myself distracted with other titles. After missing this year’s Plane, I didn’t want to miss the boat on his second outing of the year. I sat down for Mission Kandahar with excitement running through my…
By: Danyal Somani In the semi-autobiographical comedy About My Father, co-writer/actor Sebastian Maniscalco portrays a fictionalized version of himself trying to win over his girlfriend’s family in hopes of proposing to her during a Fourth Of July trip. However, when his traditional father Salvo (Robert De Niro) tags along, challenges arise (including class clashes, more eccentric family members, and some interesting pets) making Sebastian’s mission more difficult.
