2014

Reviews

Listen Up Philip

By: Addison Wylie Alex Ross Perry’s Listen Up Philip is decently crafted by biting dialogue and watchable performances.  However, I’m unsure what audiences are supposed to “get” out of the film. Perry certainly pulls us in with an atmosphere reminiscent of films made during the 70’s.  He has the correct details lined within his style, as well as the rebellious glimmers in his filmmaking.  However, once we’re invested and get on board with the film’s…

Reviews

Best Night Ever

By: Addison Wylie The suspiciously released comedy Best Night Ever could easily be retitled Wedding Movie. Or, Hangover Movie or Bridesmaids Movie to be a bit more on the nose. The reason why the film doesn’t go by those titles is because (A.) those suggestions are terrible and (B.) the directorial duo are most likely trying to distance themselves away from schlocky spoof movies.  That duo: Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. Friedberg and Seltzer need…

Reviews

Sharknado 2: The Second One

By: Addison Wylie The Asylum and SyFy hit a cult goldmine with Sharknado, a television event with an inane premise and flat production values that point all blame towards budgetary reasonings and its small screen platform. With a solid social media campaign and successful PR, the stars aligned, and out popped a hit! A hit that was “so bad, it’s good”, but a hit nonetheless. I don’t belong in that fanbase. I caught Sharknado after the…

Reviews

God Help the Girl

By: Addison Wylie God Help the Girl matches the sweetness of its leading female Emily Browning.  It’s also a film that has allowed the actress to let her hair down, or at least style it into a bob. Browning has shown glimpses of how great of an actress she could become.  However, she attracts roles that have her looking forlorn in dreary circumstances.  As far as I know, God Help the Girl is her first…

Reviews

Happy Slapping

By: Addison Wylie Happy Slapping is a movie that slowly won me over.  It’s a film that’s difficult to get used to, but I’m glad I finally did. That said, I am torn.  Despite my surprised reaction, Christos Sourligas’ film is something I can’t outright endorse.  At least, not without a few warnings and reservations because of how it was conceived and how it ultimately looks on screen. You may have heard of Happy Slapping…

Reviews

Delivery

By: Addison Wylie Delivery isn’t funny ha-ha, which you would think would be problematic in a documentary showcasing four levelheaded guys challenging themselves to take a one-night stab at stand-up comedy.  However, the film itself is more amusing in an endearing way. Sean Menard, Shane Cunningham, Bert van Lierop, and Mark Myers (who also serves as the film’s writer/director, and may be familiarized by his former Much Music title ‘Mark the Temp’) make a pact…

Reviews

Heaven Is for Real

By: Addison Wylie Heaven Is for Real is – so far – my favourite recent faith-based flick in a year full of religion centric movies.  It’s mild-mannered and shoots for attainable goals, which makes Randall Wallace’s movie all the more amiable.  Another major plus is how there’s no preachy hidden agenda detailing the motivations of the movie.  Religion serves as a prominent theme in Heaven Is for Real, but its only to add depth to…

Reviews

Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie

By: Addison Wylie Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie is fanfare to its core.  It’s also a movie that was funded by fans through a highly successful Indiegogo campaign manned by filmmakers/screenwriters Kevin Finn and the Nerd himself James Rolfe. By avid YouTube subscribers and other online viewers having such an integral role in the making of Finn and Rolfe’s film, I’m not completely surprised to see the finished product completely pander to that crowd….

Does It Float?

Does It Float?: A Haunted House 2

By: Addison Wylie The Haunted House films have their haters.  But, these comedies also have those happy-go-lucky appreciators who laugh like hyenas with each crass joke.  The difference between those two audiences is that the haters will openly vent about how these movies stink, while the others are too embarrassed to admit they chuckled. A Haunted House was a guilty pleasure of mine.  It was a minor comedy that found success during its theatrical run,…

Reviews

Swearnet: The Movie

By: Addison Wylie Swearnet: The Movie follows three chowderheads trying to figure out where they  fit in after their long time claim to fame.  The three douchebags: Robb Wells, John Paul Tremblay, and Mike Smith.  Those fucking tools that we’ve seen bumble around on television and star in this year’s jag-off road comedy Trailer Park Boys: Don’t Legalize It. They can’t be associated with anything that has to do with that fucking landmark in Canadian…