Late last year, Canadian indie Toronah snuck into a single theatre in the titled city. The film piqued my curiosity, and I did some more research. I ended up missing out on the film, but I began a dialogue with the film’s director Rick Smiciklas. When I mentioned that I was interested in reviewing his film, Smiciklas suggested that a reality show titled Wingmen would act as a good introduction to Toronah since key players crossover.
By: Addison Wylie Many will recognize Max Joseph from his co-hosting gig on MTV’s Catfish, a modern mystery program featuring Max and Nev Schulman helping online romantics track down their ambiguous lovers. Faithful viewers of Catfish, however, were given episodes early on in season 4 that were absent of Joseph. This was because the filmmaker was still busy working on his feature film debut, We Are Your Friends. We Are Your Friends followed a group of pals trying…
By: Addison Wylie There’s a world where rainbows cross the sky day in and day out, animals play in harmony, and shiny people joyfully smile without a care to be had. I know it exists because I’ve just seen Common People, a sweet British film that’s available right now on iTunes to rent or purchase. Stewart Alexander and Kerry Skinner’s film is one of these vehicles where movie goers are dropped off in tiny slices…
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…
By: Addison Wylie As much as I would like to believe that 2014 has proven to be a great year for movies so far, I can only instantly recall the films that have underwhelmed or flunked altogether. There’s been a steady flow of mediocrity, which isn’t exactly something to celebrate. I suppose matters could be much worse, but those flatlining flicks have left me in a state of trapped befuddlement while I watched them. These…
By: Addison Wylie My admiration for Kevin Smith comes and goes. If there’s one trait of his that I’ll always appreciate, it’s his choice to help up-and-comers in the film industry. Smith helping out Matt Johnson with his incomparable indie The Dirties is an excellent example of his compassion towards a new generation of storytellers. Jay and Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie is another one of these projects. Smith has stated that Jay and…
By: Addison Wylie In Bad Johnson, heartthrob Cam Gigandet plays Rich, a womanizing jackass who finds himself in predicaments when pleasing his manly needs. He cheats on girlfriends, checks out T&A, and forgets women he’s gone to bed with. According to the film, some of this is charming – usually when Gigandet is smirking and trying to woo. Alas, Rich’s mojo becomes too much of a burden. In frustration, he wishes away his penis. The…
By: Addison Wylie The premise for He’s Way More Famous Than You is risky for its main actress Halley Feiffer – who plays an exaggerated version of herself in the film. The comedy about a hopeful actress wanting to gain more recognition long after her “star-making” performance in 2005’s The Squid and the Whale can go two ways. It can be a sharply written satire about self-obsession and the Hollywood machine. It can be about…