After a tragedy, a countdown subtly begins as to when a filmmaker will try to document the event’s emotions and peril in a movie. The act of making a movie about Aurora, Colorado’s massacre during a screening of The Dark Knight Rises never occurred to me. Then again, I also didn’t expect Patriot’s Day, a film about the Boston Marathon bombing released four years after the attack.
By: Jessica Goddard A United Kingdom is a beautifully-made, sincere, and well-acted historical drama. Director Amma Asante (Belle) knows what she’s doing with this story, and hits all the right notes to make this an inspiring and uplifting film that still feels truthful and grounded in reality.
Dying Laughing, a documentary about the ups and downs of careers in comedy, is chock full of talent. Billy Connolly, Dave Attell, Amy Schumer, Rick Overton, Kevin Hart, Sarah Silverman, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Jerry Seinfeld, Jerry Lewis, Chris Rock, and the late Garry Shandling are just some of the famous faces interviewed.
The genius execution of 2014’s The LEGO Movie offered audiences a creative perspective on their childhood toy, and the financial success of the film practically greenlit any future spin-offs; including this month’s The LEGO Batman Movie and late-Summer’s The LEGO NINJAGO Movie. Batman’s ability to steal scenes in The LEGO Movie makes him the perfect candidate to have his own spin-off. We shall see about the latter come September.
The Babymoon is still admirable for its efforts despite its imperfections. The premise is also surprisingly layered – another element that earns our respect. When the movie slacks on convincing dialogue or it loses subtlety in the performances, writer/director Bailey Kobe isn’t afraid to send his audience into a feverous tailspin, making us wonder in amusement how our jilted characters wound up on this crazy adventure in the first place.
Terror of the stars Sweet purring from above A pat on the head Thy vengeance will scratch Death is a cat from mars
A Man Called Ove, adapted from the novel by Frederik Backman, is a charming, yet slightly familiar dramedy about a grieving widow and his budding friendship with his new neighbours in a gated community. Recently nominated for two Academy Awards (Best Foreign Language Film and Best Makeup), Hannes Holm’s adaptation is a digestible and likeable, but hardly transcendent film.
Award season is a long road. It all starts out with hubbub about a film that sparked acclaim on the festival circuit, followed by increased word-of-mouth when the movie begins an “exclusive engagement” in a modest independent theatre. The season is in full-effect when those indies start receiving showtimes in larger chains.
It’s no secret that women are all too frequently shut out of the film industry, with few of them being able to make a living or having their work seen. In recent years, there has been a renaissance of genre films made by women, but their work is still a minority in cinemas or at film festivals.
