Wildcat is an assuredly-made drama from director Ethan Hawke (Blaze) and his sensational star Maya Hawke (Do Revenge, Asteroid City). The unconventional period biopic marks the first feature-length father-and-daughter collaboration between the Hawkes, and audiences will surely hope it isn’t the last.
Versatile, academy award nominated filmmaker Richard Linklater (The Before… series, Boyhood, Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood) and rising star Glen Powell (reuniting with Linklater after 2016’s Everybody Wants Some!!) have combined their charm to make Hit Man, a strange caper loosely adapted from the double life of college professor Gary Johnson (played by Powell).
Extraneous Matter doesn’t work as a feature-length endeavour. But as four standalone short films, which was the origin of this project, the satirical sci-fi efforts of Japanese filmmaker Kenichi Ugana would be perceived in a worse light.
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.
Self-awareness can either make or break a movie. In 2008, the feature adaptation of Mamma Mia! was considered a crowd-pleaser by those who were swept up in the fun being had on screen. But, personally, I found the movie to be conceited and distracted by its joy; so much so that it felt like the movie existed in its own impenetrable bubble for those who either liked the original stage musical or the music of ABBA….
By: Trevor Chartrand Superb and charming, Wild Goat Surf is a timeless coming-of-age story from writer/director Caitlyn Sponheimer. The movie perfectly encapsulates youth and our formative years; a turbulent time full of nuance and doubt.
Mixing humour into a documentary about a serious subject can be a dicey move. American Cats: The Good, the Bad, and the Cuddly, the second runner-up for the Hot Docs Rogers Audience Award pulls off this challenge despite some close calls.
Let’s start with the title: Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World. Writer/director Radu Jude sets the stage with that seemingly pessimistic branding. However, as the film works down from that title, the audience experiences a different interpretation. While that phrase may be a downbeat premonition, it’s a reminder of how being satisfied with your wellbeing is crucial in a disappointing time that never seems to stop “going”. Basically, it’s an…
The narrative represented in Jeanne Du Barry is more of a historical timeline walkthrough. There isn’t a plot-based backbone, and the film isn’t necessarily character driven either. Instead, the audience is presented with important people from a specific era, their individual impacts, and the decadence that surrounded them. That may not sound like much of a movie, but this biopic’s secret weapon is the filmmaker’s love for the subject matter. If I want someone to…
