Latest
MENU

Documentary

Festival Coverage
Screenshot_20250407_232530_Gmail

Canadian Film Fest 2025: ‘Gold Bars: Who the F*ck Is Uncle Ludwig?’

April 8, 2025Addison Wylie0 Comments

Surly lawyer Glenn “Joseph” Feldman is certain that a former business partner was profiting from a hidden stash of stolen Nazi gold.  In fact, Joseph’s infamous conviction becomes detrimental to his career and personal life, and has brought on a defamation lawsuit against him by his old friend.  His skeptical and inquisitive daughter, Alex, wants to help bring closure to this chapter with some tough love and some outsider expertise. Billie Mintz’s documentary looks slick…

Read More
Reviews
Screenshot_20250410_025905_Chrome

Thank You Very Much

April 3, 2025Addison Wylie0 Comments

Thank You Very Much is, most likely, the closest audiences will get to understanding comedian/performance artist Andy Kaufman. With his first documentary since 2002’s Making Marines, and having a prominent background in directing for television since then (including Netflix’s children’s show Waffles + Mochi), Alex Braverman shows competence as a returning documentarian. He also exudes confidence when trying to unpack the uncomfortable genius of Kaufman’s routines and many personalities. Though the film itself occasionally takes on…

Read More
Uncategorized
Screenshot_20250401_084412_Gallery

Lucy: The Stolen Lives of Elephants

April 1, 2025Addison Wylie0 Comments

The understanding that animals in their natural habitat lead a healthier life than caged and displayed animals is, I hope, a generalization that everyone can agree on. Even though this is safe to assume, seeing comparative footage of these two examples can act as such an eye-opener. In Lucy: The Stolen Lives of Elephants, activist/filmmaker Fern Levitt exhibits this same comparative method to educate viewers on the controversies of captured elephants. As a launchpad for…

Read More
Reviews
CurlPower_04_Brook, Sav

Curl Power

January 26, 2025Addison Wylie0 Comments

By: Addison Wylie Last Summer, audiences were treated to the Canadian coming-of-age sports drama Backspot. Despite functioning at a glossy sitcom level, the indie was still a sufficient way to address serious topics for teens such as anxieties, competition, and family conflicts. Curl Power covers similar topics only, this time, their packaged as a documentary. Curl Power is a superior movie and an inspiration for teens (notably high schoolers) enduring the same issues expressed in Josephine Anderson doc, but…

Read More
Reviews

Sorry/Not Sorry

July 20, 2024Addison Wylie0 Comments

When he was at the top of his comedic and creative form, the New York Times ran an article accusing comedian Louis CK of indecent sexual behaviour involving a number of women who were coerced into his lewd activities. The comic was seemingly paying the consequences for his actions, and his victims finally had a collective voice. However, there wasn’t much longevity for justice. Louis CK reacquainted himself with success through independent endeavours, supported by…

Read More
Reviews

Kim’s Video

May 23, 2024Addison Wylie0 Comments

The motivation behind the film-savvy doc Kim’s Video reminded me of that customer who wouldn’t rewind their videocassette after returning it to the store they rented it from – they want to pass down the fun but, somehow, they’ve still made the experience all about themselves.  David Redmon, one-half of this documentary’s directorial duo, is that customer.

Read More
Festival Coverage

Hot Docs 2024: ‘My Dad’s Tapes’

May 9, 2024Addison Wylie0 Comments

Ever since the the death of Leonard Watson in 2006, aspiring filmmaker Kurtis Watson has struggled to find closure and understand his Dad’s decision to commit suicide.  It’s been an upsetting topic for his family, who are either still grieving or are more in the dark than Kurtis about the tragedy.

Read More
Reviews

The Movie Man

April 21, 2024Addison Wylie0 Comments

The Princess Diaries The Dark Knight The Secret Life of Pets Mission: Impossible – Fallout These are the four movies I’ve seen at Highlands Cinema in Kinmount, Ontario.  Four completely different movies with a ubiquitous moviegoing experience; provided by the theatre, its staff, and owner Keith Stata.  It’s only fair to present my bias before reviewing The Movie Man, Matt Finlin’s documentary about Stata’s legacy and the history of his DIY multiplex.  Located in the…

Read More
Reviews

They Shot the Piano Player

March 18, 2024Addison Wylie0 Comments

They Shot the Piano Player is an animated docdrama that, ultimately, failed to connect with me.  But, to credit filmmakers Javier Mariscal and Fernando Trueba (co-directors of the Oscar-nominated animated film Chico & Rita), the movie’s efforts are certainly not wasted.

Read More