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….
We Grown Now tells a singular story that could very well speak for many families who grew up in Chicago’s now-demolished Cabrini-Green housing development. And with impoverished minorities still feeling the struggle of finding a regular routine, writer/director Minhal Baig (One Night) has made a 90s period film that certainly holds a mirror up to contemporary society.
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.
Ever since the the death of Leonard Watson in 2006, aspiring filmmaker Kurtis Watson has struggled to find closure and understand his Dad’s decision to commit suicide. It’s been an upsetting topic for his family, who are either still grieving or are more in the dark than Kurtis about the tragedy.
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…