By: Addison Wylie In the literal sense, Frank is an adult male – roughly 5′ 10 – who wears a magnificent paper mâché crown equipped with bulging blue eyes and a moony mouth. Frank’s the frontman of an avant-garde band named “Soronprfbs” – a name that’s not so much a title, but something you say as you cough up phlegm. He pushes his bandmates to their limits and makes them reach deep inside themselves to…
By: Addison Wylie The word “incompetent” is usually associated with low intelligence. In the case of Hard Drive, I think the melodrama is outrageously incompetent, but I don’t think its writer/director William D. MacGillivray is stupid. MacGillivray’s achievements were attached to the press notes, and there’s enough proof in the pudding to make me believe he ain’t no dummy. The filmmaker has been attached to projects that have earned him acclaim, Canadian credibility, and a…
By: Addison Wylie There’s a craft to making dirty words and sexual innuendos funny that Sunflower Hour never masters. Aaron Houston’s mockumentary gathers a decent amount of giggles when its playing up pathetic characters in cleverly clean ways, but the comedy would much rather have those dolts exclaim expletives, or call things “gay”. The film centres around puppeteers competing for an open slot on ‘Sunflower Hour’, a supposedly successful – albeit cheaply made – children’s…
By: Addison Wylie The Market offers a rare look at an issue through generic eyes. Filmmaker Rama Rau shouldn’t worry though. I’m still recommending her transfixing film about kidney trafficking and the butterfly effect these risky surgeries cause. Rau’s doc handles two different perspectives: life in an Indian slum, and the apprehensive idling of someone awaiting a kidney transplant in Canada. Both views are packed with a lot of emotion as well as unforgettable talks…
By: Addison Wylie How do the Muppets follow up their 2011 crowd pleasing resurgence? With a song titled We’re Doing a Sequel including a lyric admitting that the second film in a series isn’t nearly as good as the first. Not so fast, guys. Muppets Most Wanted actually ends up being more memorable and more clever than its predecessor. Picking up where The Muppets left off, the cheerful fleet of felt eye an upcoming tour as…
By: Addison Wylie Wylie Writes’ coverage of TIFF’s Jim Jarmusch retrospective began with a mixed bag of shorts, and ends with a mixed bag of concert cutouts and behind-the-scenes glimpses. It’s undoubtable Jarmusch captures a raw vision of Neil Young and Crazy Horse with his scattershot Year of the Horse. The filmmaker catalogues footage from unique perspectives; the performances are especially visceral if occasionally obscured. He switches between different film stocks (16mm, Hi-8 video, and Super 8)…
By: Addison Wylie For the past month, intrepid comedic actor Will Arnett has been promoting the bejesus out of his latest flick Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a hyperactive reboot of the original heroes in a half shell. He fearlessly sells his character (news cameraman Vernon Fenwick), the action sequences, and the New York City setting with utmost grit and spirited enthusiasm. If Tommy Boy’s Tom Callahan could sell a ketchup popsicle to a woman in…
By: Addison Wylie Audiences can witness Wes Anderson going through filmmaking periods. We’re not exactly sure what’s triggering these changes of pace, but those willing to follow the whimsical auteur don’t regret the trip. As of late, Anderson has been wearing his French influences on his sleeve – or, rather across his forehead. He made the transition with The Fantastic Mr. Fox and then went full-tilt Français with his highly acclaimed Moonrise Kingdom; nodding towards…
By: Addison Wylie In Dead Man, Johnny Depp plays William Blake, an accountant removed from society twice over. The loss of his parents has his mind aimlessly wandering and a new job in the West has Blake feeling further alienated. Then again, it would take a lot of adjusting to fit in with Machine’s homely, rugged community. After meeting a local woman and then meeting her beau, Blake is pitted and pinned to a murder…
By: Addison Wylie “If a movie does nothing wrong, does that make it a movie that does everything right?” I asked myself that during The F Word, and afterwards when I was developing my overall feelings towards Michael Dowse’s Toronto bound romantic comedy. The F Word does the trick, and goes through the hoops it needs to in order to please its general audience. We have two likeable leads (Wallace and Chantey played by Daniel…