Best Sellers
Films are rewarded when they think outside the box and resist their genre’s conventions. But sometimes, a movie can remind us of how narrative prerequisites can be misinterpreted as cliché by indifferent filmmakers.
Articles by Addison Wylie
The Card Counter
Much like an expert poker player, writer/director Paul Schrader underplays The Card Counter. Instead of a flashier approach that boasts with style, Schrader captures the subdued focus and routine of a gambling sub-culture and its players. One of those players being William Tell (Oscar Isaac), a former serviceman who invests in high-rolling card games to keep himself distracted. It’s an efficient, time-consuming past-time that prevents William from possibly falling back into bad habits.
9/11: Inside the President’s War Room
9/11: Inside the President’s War Room is a candid documentary meant to commemorate the events of September 11th, 2001 and serve as essential viewing for its 20th anniversary. While the film delivers on its candid nature, featuring exclusive photographs and interviews with past White House officials including former president George W. Bush, Adam Wishart’s doc is not as considerate as it could be.
The Comeback Trail
For as morbid as it is, I had a really good time watching The Comeback Trail, a dark comedy about a scheming film producer banking on the “accidental” death of his leading star. Think Bowfinger or The Producers with more slapstick and cynicism.
He’s All That
“What’s the point to remaking She’s All That?” is a question that frequented my thoughts when I first heard of He’s All That. It was another random project that seemed as if it was putting all of its eggs in one basket, hoping to simply capture the attention of movie goers with the idea of swapping the gender roles of its predecessor. Other than looking to be entertained, I was hoping most of all that…
Candyman
As the urban legend goes, if you repeat the word “Candyman” in the mirror five times, an ominous presence will unapologetically seal your fate. If repeating “Candyman” is a representation of evil, perhaps a representation of good will would be repeating Nia DaCosta’s name in a mirror five times. Maybe if we all did, we could encourage her to keep making great movies like Candyman.
PAW Patrol: The Movie
After some minor big screen stints and continuing with its long-running success on television, PAW Patrol makes a flawless leap to feature-length with PAW Patrol: The Movie – essentially cobbling together four missions into an entertaining movie for families.
The Protégé
An impressive cast, an experienced screenwriter, a respectable director, and an amazing fight choreographer have collaborated to make the staggeringly dull revenge thriller The Protégé, a film that is reminiscent of so many indulgent knockoffs of Quentin Tarantino’s work.
12 Mighty Orphans
12 Mighty Orphans may be a formulaic sports movie telling a familiar underdog story, but the movie follows the template well and elevates the narrative with good performances and on-screen chemistry.
The Final Ride
Mikey McMurran’s long-awaited sophomore effort The Final Ride reunites the filmmaker with headliners from his former horror flick Secret Santa. Watching this reunion made me nostalgic for Secret Santa; the humble “lil’ slasher that could” catching on through word-of-mouth and becoming a hot commodity at 2015’s Blood in the Snow Canadian Film Festival – midnight screenings were either sold-out or close to selling out. The Final Ride has that same Midnight Madness appeal, but it’s a…