The Phantom of the Open
Craig Roberts’ The Phantom of the Open, while slightly flawed, is a surefire crowd-pleaser with a clever sense of humour, wholesome wit, and an excellent headliner performance by Oscar winner Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies).
Comedy
Micky’s Summer Resort
I’m not sure if a spiritual force is leading me on a path to be the go-to guy to write about “naturist filmmaking” but, nevertheless, here I am reviewing another movie about naturism co-starring real-life nudists – Micky’s Summer Resort.
Hustle
NBA talent scout Stanley Sugerman (Adam Sandler) is loyal to his beloved Philadelphia 76ers, and is reputation is respected throughout the industry. However, he’s burning the candle at both ends and he’s growing more restless towards the required travelling that keeps him away from his family. Management is rearranged, as well as Stanley’s brief raise, and the pressure is on to find the next big star.
Senior Year
Senior Year has an outrageous premise that, surprisingly, feels minor in the hands of its filmmakers.
Kicking Blood
Kicking Blood is a really goofy vampire flick, and I’m not sure how much if it is intentional. I was entertained nonetheless by Blaine Thurier’s film, even if it’s a bit of a buzzkill during the final third.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
By: Jeff Ching When I had first heard about a movie centred around Nicolas Cage playing himself and that it was going to be “the most Nicolas Cage movie ever made”, it became the film I was anticipating the most this year. He’s been my favourite actor since, maybe, grade 8. Con Air was the first R-rated movie I ever snuck into…and got caught doing so as well. We tried to pull off the whole, “I…
Family Squares
Conceived and recorded primarily through a video chat platform, Stephanie Laing’s Family Squares attempts to connect with movie goers who have lost loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic and have been restricted from a personal goodbye.
Canadian Film Fest ’22: The Last Mark
In this efficient “hitman with a heart” tale from director Reem Morsi, The Last Mark is a confined thriller starring a conflicted crook (Shawn Doyle) and a kidnapped call girl (Alexia Fast) reeling for a “job” that went sideways after the escort witnesses the murder. The characters hide out at a safe house arranged by a fixer (Ashgrove’s Jonas Chernick) to escape the hitman’s unpredictable partner-in-crime (Bryce Hodgson). The dynamic between the unlikely fugitives is deliberately…
The Bubble
The drop in quality between Judd Apatow’s comedy The Bubble and his previous effort The King of Staten Island is staggering, confusing, and disappointing. The King of Staten Island was, in my opinion, the best movie of 2020. While The Bubble is in contention to be the worst movie of 2022.
The Nudels of Nudeland
Despite The Nudels of Nudeland being one of the strangest movies I’ve ever seen, it did expose me (pun intended) to naturist filmmaking. That’s right, naturist filmmaking. That translates to a movie performed by actors who are entirely in the buff, embracing nudism and using it to tell a story as well as to enlighten viewers on this chosen lifestyle. Distracting? Sure. A bit awkward? You betcha. Heavy-handed in its persuasion that it teeters on…