By: Addison Wylie I’ve seen good Christmas movies and I’ve seen bad Christmas movies. But, outside of those schmaltzy TV movies that play in syndication around the holidays, I don’t think I’ve seen a Christmas movie as strange as A Merry Friggin’ Christmas. I would say this means Tristram Shapeero’s film is in a league of its own, but that’d be giving the movie too much credit. A Merry Friggin’ Christmas has been labeled as…
By: Addison Wylie Copenhagen is bound to be compared to Lost in Translation or Cairo Time. A young man (William played by Game of Thrones’ Gethin Anthony) embarks on foreign travels and runs into a young woman (Effy played by Frederikke Dahl Hansen) who becomes very interested in the man’s personal journey. They drink in the scenery, taste the culture, and slowly develop something that’s more than a friendship. However, complications arise – as they…
By: Addison Wylie Sometimes, films directed at children – very, very young children – can be recommended based on how bright the visuals are. If the entertainment isn’t stimulating through its story, the film will at least stimulate the senses through its colour palette. That’s sort of the case with The Hero of Color City, a mediocre kids film with not a whole lot to offer. Frank Gladstone’s kiddie film is possibly the most literal…
Uncommon Enemies (DIR. Alex Hatz) By: Addison Wylie A late-night rendezvous between a Nazi (played by James Gangl) and a seductive mademoiselle (played by Melanie Scrofano) is interrupted by a couple of American soldiers. When discovered, the Sergeant (played by Flashpoint’s Michael Cram) and the Nazi hold each other at gunpoint, while the French miss tends to the wounded Private (played by AJ Vaage). Uncommon Enemies is a comedic period piece that tries too hard…
Queen of Blood (DIR. Chris Alexander) By: Addison Wylie Two years ago, Fangoria’s editor-in-chief Chris Alexander rocked the Blood in the Snow Film Festival with his filmmaking debut Blood For Irina. He called it an “experience” and said the best way to view the film is by locking yourself in with it. He was absolutely right. His atmospheric silent film was a masterpiece and a sensory whirlwind; utilizing ominous music and smouldering cinematography to pull the movie goer…
By: Addison Wylie Heartbeat is a nice party guest that’s too shy to say anything. After a while, you’re a little annoyed that they haven’t involved themselves more. And when they finally speak up, they fish for compliments in a coy manner but also try and convince you that they have low self esteem. By the end of the night, cleaning up crushed red cups and mopping up spilled brew is more fun than trying…
By: Addison Wylie Emptying the Skies finds itself in a scenario where the message is greater than the film its wrapped up in. Douglas and Roger Kass have strewn together interviews and clips from conspicuous raids and tense confrontations to make an eye-opening film chronicling the ever-growing problem of bird poaching in southern Europe. The kindheartedness and tenacity of CABS (which stands for: Committee Against Bird Slaughter) is seen throughout, and their hearts remain open…
By: Addison Wylie I began watching Propganda not knowing of its satirical backbone, and my head nearly exploded. I’m glad I stopped the film to get caught up on Slavko Martinov’s faux-doc for it may have rendered me utterly speechless. My regret after reading the press release was turning the film back on to finish it. It takes a lunatic to make a “movie” as blunt, sarcastic, and grim as this one. That madman is Martinov,…
By: Addison Wylie David Fincher is a masterful filmmaker, but he’s even better at spinning a web of mystery and suspense. Numerous films in his catalogue deal with puzzling content, and not once have I seen him drop the ball. He’s also a fantastic handler of, shall we say, hidden motivations. Gone Girl is an extremely difficult film to delve into without giving away too much – bear with me. There are people in Fincher’s…
By: Addison Wylie Last September, TIFF featured a Canadian indie named Wet Bum. It sold itself to audiences as an innocent coming-of-age tale about a meek high schooler who finds guidance in her relationships with the elderly. A lot of movie goers ate it up, and found Wet Bum to be endearing. While it’s momentarily touching, I found Lindsay MacKay’s indie had too many precious quirks. Those developed the film into something far less original…