I Used to Be Funny
With a fairly fragmented yet accessible narrative, I Used to Be Funny uses the past and present to supply audiences a work of comparison – what life is like before and after trauma.
Wylie Writes
Kung Fu Panda 4
Kung Fu Panda 4 feels like a fitting chapter in the animated action-adventure franchise, even to those who may not be up to date with the sequels that followed the 2008 family hit.
Handling the Undead
The iconic “crossing the streams” scenario, originally pitched by Ghostbusters, has served to be an effective comparison when describing debacles. Such is the case for another supernatural film, Handling the Undead. Norwegian filmmaker Thea Hvistendahl essentially”crosses the streams” by running a metaphorical subtext with more literal examples. Hvistendahl aims for nuance, but misses and creates heavy-handed deliveries and drawn out results.
Ezra
Ezra feels like a modernized Rain Man that functions with the same fruitful filmmaking that made The Peanut Butter Falcon such an inclusive trailblazer. It’s also a great vehicle for character actor Bobby Cannavale (Blonde, Old Dads), who truly shows his worth as a grounded performer.
Wildcat
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.
Hit Man
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
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.
Kim’s Video
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.
Mother of the Bride
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….
Wild Goat Surf
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.