Wylie Writes’ 2019 Mid-Year Report
We’re halfway through the year, which means it’s time for Wylie Writes’ recap of the best and the worst films of 2019. Don’t forget to click the coloured titles to read a more detailed write-up about the film!
Trevor Chartrand
Triple Threat
By: Trevor Chartrand Directed by long-time stunt-coordinator Jesse V. Johnson, Triple Threat is an action-packed martial arts thriller that’s bound to scratch the itch for B-movie enthusiasts. It certainly meets the quota for punches thrown, shots fired, and bombs detonated.
Funny Story
By: Trevor Chartrand Contrary to its title, Funny Story isn’t so much a funny story as it is a cringe-inducing series of awkward, and uncomfortable escalating situations.
40 Seasons Later: 10 Years of ‘After Last Season’
By: Trevor Chartrand On their anniversary, successful films often get a special edition re-release that includes new bonus features, interviews, and a high-def restoration that celebrates the film’s impact and longevity. With a film like 2009’s After Last Season, however, the tenth anniversary brings us nothing but bootlegs and a handful of rare DVDs that sell for $300 online.
Sorry for Your Loss
By: Trevor Chartrand In Sorry for Your Loss, a humble everyman with a dead-end job (Justin Bartha), learns of his estranged father’s death shortly after the birth of his own son. In order to claim a sizable inheritance, he’s tasked with spreading his father’s ashes on the playing field of his dad’s favorite football team. The closer Ken (Bartha) gets to the stadium though, the more he learns about his dad and the pathetic legacy…
I’m Going to Break Your Heart
By: Trevor Chartrand I’m Going to Break Your Heart is an observational documentary that explores the relationship between Canadian indie-rock legend Raine Maida and his Juno-Award winning wife Chantal Kreviazuk as they collaborate on their first album together. The couple struggles as all couples do, with the added challenges and frustrations of working together to create art as a team.
The Grizzlies
By: Trevor Chartrand You’ll be hard pressed to find a more Canadian film than The Grizzlies; the inspiring true story of an impoverished Nunavut community battling mental illness by creating a sports team. Over ten years in the making, this long-time passion project of director Miranda de Pencier is a not only a well-made dramatic film, but also a small taste of the type of media representation First Nations and Inuit citizens deserve.
Missing Link
By: Trevor Chartrand Animation studio Laika Entertainment has a reputation for dark and brooding content with releases like Corpse Bride (2005) or Coraline (2009), but this year’s Missing Link breaks their mold as a fun-for-most-ages adventure story.
The Beach Bum
By: Trevor Chartrand In his feature film follow-up to 2013’s Spring Breakers, director Harmony Korine delivers a similarly raunchy, yet dark comedy with this year’s The Beach Bum. Much like Spring Breakers, this latest undertaking by Korine is bound to receive a mixed reaction from most moviegoers.
To Dust
By: Trevor Chartrand A surprising and VERY unique take on the buddy-comedy, To Dust is a thoughtful and inspired look at grief – with plenty of well-timed comedic wit. It’s a premise we’ve all heard before, with two unlikely companions teaming up to reach a common goal, however the approach and style this film takes is a brand entirely its own.