While catching the latest movie may have been a low priority in 2020, the compromised release schedule still offered a particularly unique experience for viewers. Films relied, more than ever, on word-of-mouth which allowed smaller films to ride the same wave as at-home blockbusters; continuing the unpredictable boom of the streaming market.
I Used to Go Here works as a coming-of-age story, a college comedy, and a self-reflective character piece. While the cast and crew deserve credit for how well the film pulls off this hat trick, writer/director Kris Rey is the glue holding this project together. With her latest film, Rey continues to prove her expertise in characterization and intentionally awkward comedy, and how magic can be made when those two elements are perfectly mixed together. I recently…
Directed and co-written by veteran Samuel Gonzalez Jr., Battle Scars confronts the long-term effects of war through acts of of desperation by a disoriented young soldier learning how to piece his life back together. During the film’s festival run, it picked up awards at the San Diego International Film Festival (Best Military Film), the Orland Film Festival (Best Screenplay), and the Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival (Best Feature).
Director Kire Paputts follows up his modest feature debut The Rainbow Kid with The Last Porno Show, an envelope-pushing character drama chronicling the personal arc of an aspiring actor taking over his estranged father’s faded adults-only move theatre. It’s a really good movie that doesn’t shy away from anything and bares it all. It stuck to me like shoes to the floor of a sold-out screening room.
It’s been an unpredictable year for movies, but 2020 has offered plenty of memorable titles – which is not always a compliment.
Writer/director Geordie Sabbagh, as a storyteller, has a real grasp on the importance of conversations and, as a filmmaker, he’s figured out how to convey these discussions with flavour.
The Rendezvous With Madness Festival, a unique collective of film screenings and live performances primarily focused on mental health awareness, takes place in various Toronto locations from October 10th – 20th. Wylie Writes’ Shahbaz Khayambashi received a sneak peek of some of the selected films.
The Toronto Youth Shorts festival is a great platform for aspiring filmmakers and for storytellers with a lot on their mind. I can usually count on the selections to cover themes from cultural reflections to personal discoveries, with an occasional fluffy piece to break up the weight of these programmes.
We’re halfway through the year, which means it’s time for Wylie Writes’ recap of the best and the worst films of 2019. Don’t forget to click the coloured titles to read a more detailed write-up about the film!
A movie is made up of many moving parts, as you know, but The Tomorrow Man really makes you appreciate its supporting characters. John Lithgow and Blythe Danner (as Ed and Ronnie) are terrific actors who have no problem holding our attention and steering the story (provided by writer/director Noble Jones). But, their characters would have a hard time finding momentum if it wasn’t for Ed’s temperamental family – a group of people we’re briefly involved…