13 Minutes
13 Minutes jostles my pet peeve with disaster movies; almost as if the movie is trying to push me over the edge.
Action
Toronto After Dark 2021: ‘Nightshooters’
Combining martial arts with survival horror and thrills, Nightshooters may have a few rough patches – but it’s a hell of a good time.
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.
Roller Squad
By: Trevor Chartrand Despite the promise of a wacky premise, Roller Squad disappoints. Its ambition and potential is overshadowed by a weak execution overall. In fairness, Berty Cadilhac’s movie may appeal to pre-teens looking up to some “rad skaters” and, I suppose, makes a good jumping-off point for young imaginations to build a world around. But as for the film itself, this series of goofy events featuring bumbling characters is ultimately a dud.
The Forever Purge
I find it strange that Blumhouse Productions would continue with The Purge series. Financial returns and core fanbase aside, The Purge had just about explored all of its themes, politics, and ideologies – and all of it was practically satirized in jet black manner with Blumhouse’s The Hunt. It’s almost expected that a new Purge movie would just be going through the motions, which is exactly what The Forever Purge does.
The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard
In the same spirit as the Austin Powers sequels, The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard is almost an exact replica of its crowd-pleasing predecessor that repeats similar jokes and plays on a heightened version of the dynamic that made the first film so memorable. And while a sequel can usually be grilled on repeating itself, this second round is strictly here for entertainment value; knowing exactly what it wants to set out to do and still delivering…
Wrath of Man
Wrath of Man is a good example of a movie exceeding expectations. Even if it’s just a slight change in elevation, it still counts in the long run.
Nobody
The promotional material for Nobody features a grizzled Bob Odenkirk, a hilarious comic who has pulled off incredible range for over a decade within his tragicomedy oeuvre in the Breaking Bad universe, beating the pulp out of thugs and gunning down crooks. For viewers who have followed Odenkirk’s career from his sketch comedy days on Mr. Show to his time playing Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, this action-packed visual is cool…
Jiu Jitsu
By: Trevor Chartrand I am sad to share the unfortunate fact that Jiu Jitsu is, quite frankly, an awful movie…conclusively, undeniably disappointing all around. Even with low expectations for an absurd martial arts B-Movie, this film is still going to be a big let-down for viewers.