I can’t comment on whether Modern Persuasion is an adequate adaptation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion because, as someone who is shamelessly not a reader, I’m unfamiliar with the original literature. However, just as I did earlier this year with Emma, I can give the perspective of a viewer who is going into the movie cold, looking for something sweet to curl up with. Even though it starts out strong, I’m afraid Modern Persuasion just doesn’t…
The only type of comedy worse than an unfunny one is a mean-spirited one. The War with Grandpa is so mean that I was frequently taken out of the film to feel bad for the characters.
By: Addison Wylie I don’t consider my movie reviews to be the final word on any front. If anything, I’m your phone-a-friend lifeline. I may be dead wrong but I may also have the million dollar answer. I am, however, hopeful that my write-ups will help others fine tune their own projects. For instance, playwright Israel Horovitz may read my review of his film My Old Lady and comprehend it as a negative opinion, but someone…
By: Addison Wylie Ever since The Notebook’s crowd pleasing fame, there’s been a line of Nicholas Sparks adaptations brought to the big screen. Because these films have hit home runs at the box office, it wasn’t surprising to see other romantic book-to-film conversions follow suit. The trailer for The Fault in Our Stars gave off that cover of being “just another one of those romantic movies”. Movie goers who have read and fallen in love with…
By: Addison Wylie 360 Screenings is quickly becoming one of Toronto’s hottest ticket events for film lovers. Founders Ned Loach and Robert Gontier have built immersive experiences throwing audiences into the world of a secret movie and then revealing the mystery at an undisclosed location with a vast heritage. When you pay for a ticket, you enlist your trust into Loach and Gontier to bring the goods. That said, they have always managed to bring…
By: Addison Wylie It was nice to see a young adult book series stick to its gritty tone and not feel the need to make it lighter for a mainstream audience. That’s exactly what The Hunger Games did with its first venture to the big screen. It did, however, succumb to attributes that felt reminiscent to other franchises with a widespread teen audience. One of these beats being complications with affection between two strapping young…
By: Addison Wylie As far as films with an ensemble cast go, August: Osage County is among the best. Its star studded line-up filled out by Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Chris Cooper, Juliette Lewis (just to name a few) is enough to get movie goers in seats. What pays off even more are the exceptional performances during the constant sparring between these highly dysfunctional family members. The Westons have a large family and…
By: Addison Wylie Kevin MacDonald’s adaptation of Meg Rosoff’s novel How I Live Now is a bit of a struggle for movie goers trying to figure out what type of movie this is. Mostly because How I Live Now has two sets of confusion working for and against it. MacDonald begins his film on an aggressive note to mirror the personality of our lead, Daisy (played by Saoirse Ronan). While it fulfils its goal, the rebellious…
