So Much Tenderness reunites me with Colombian-Canadian filmmaker Lina Rodriguez eight years after reviewing her feature-length debut Señoritas. While I can see a bit of growth between then and now, Rodriguez is still stuck in her naturalistic, fly-on-the-wall approach to personal character studies.
By: Jeff Ching Wes Anderson is one of very few current directors where viewers can watch 10 seconds of a trailer promoting his film, and immediately identify it as “a Wes Anderson movie”. I don’t know whether that’s a good or bad thing, but credit to him for such a distinctive style. He may be the most “auteuristic” auteur ever, if that makes any sense. Does it? I don’t know. Moving on…
By: Jolie Featherstone Becky Hutner’s urgent Fashion Reimagined is an important report, rendered through masterful storytelling. Formally hired to edit docs (Revolution, Being Canadian), it’s near impossible to believe that Fashion Reimagined is Hutner’s feature-length documentary directorial debut.
Dalíland isn’t your typical biopic where the viewer walks away with specific details about the subject’s life and career – in this case, artist Salvador Dalí (played splendidly by Sir Ben Kingsley). Although there are biographical scenes in Mary Harron’s movie, it boils down to a story about ego and how other people react to it. In that respect, it kind of works on a similar frequency as Harron’s American Psycho, except far less bloody…
Persian Lessons simply peaks too early, but you can’t fault director Vadim Perelman (The House of Sand and Fog, The Life Before Her Eyes) for not trying to maintain the audience’s interest.
A biopic about the conception of the Flamin’ Hot Cheeto may seem like a watershed moment for pessimists who claim Hollywood is running out of ideas. But, I implore those movie goers to change their attitude and give Flamin’ Hot a shot, especially if they’re looking for a winning Father’s Day flick. The film’s messaging about integrity, determination, and self-encouragement is enough to crack the toughest nut.
The exposure of Canada’s reprehensible history with its former residential school system and the overall injustice towards this country’s Indigenous population keeps garnering attention. Written and directed by Marie Clements (The Road Forward), Bones of Crows is the latest movie to continue presenting the contemporary prejudice that mirrors the past.
By: Danyal Somani Squaring The Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis) is a documentary about the creation of Hipgnosis, a UK company that has created iconic album covers, such as Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon, AC/DC’s Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, and Led Zeppelin’s Houses Of The Holy.
Becky was an outrageous home invasion thriller that made for ideal late-night entertainment. The movie didn’t necessarily warrant a sequel but, if it set out to be as fun as its predecessor, I’d welcome it. After watching Wrath of Becky, I wish I had reconsidered.
