Rise of the Footsoldier: Vengeance
By: Trevor Chartrand For full disclosure, Rise of the Footsoldier: Vengeance, is the sixth film in an action/crime/thriller series that I am, admittedly, unfamiliar with.
Vortex Media
Raging Grace
Joy (Max Eigenmann) is a Filipina immigrant living in the UK with her young daughter, Grace (Jaeden Paige Boadilla). Because of her undocumented status, Joy struggles to make ends meet and provide a safe, stable home for Grace — often living secretly in the homes she cleans while the wealthy families who live there are away on vacation. But when the aloof and uptight Katherine (Leanne Best) hires Joy as a live-in care-worker for her…
Dangerous Waters
Dangerous Waters may be an over-the-top thriller, but it’s also unpredictable with every twist and turn. That ought to right some of its wrongs…right?
Butterfly Tale
Finding a nice balance between fun and learning, Butterfly Tale chronicles the animated adventure of a flutter of monarch butterflies as they migrate to Mexico.
Golden Delicious
Golden Delicious is melodramatic molasses. Each emotional beat, as sincere as they may be, can be seen coming from a mile away as they slowly roll their way towards the screen. Personal epiphanies from the characters feel like déjà vu to movie goers who may be more than familiar with coming-of-age stories involving closeted teens becoming more in touch with who they are.
The Retirement Plan
Everyone’s favourite Nicolas Cage (The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent) is back playing another enigmatic oddball. However, the role doesn’t play towards the actors usual blend of ticks and outbursts but rather, and unintentionally so, reflects the movie he’s starring in.
The Channel
By: Trevor Chartrand The Channel, directed and co-written by William Kaufman, is a sub-par action-thriller that lacks charisma and crowd-pleasing charm. A typical B-Movie in almost every way, the film feels completely unoriginal and uninspired, borrowing many tropes and concepts from much more successful films.
Retrograde
The intentions of Retrograde are tough to pin down and, if the viewer likes the movie, the Canadian indie is even more difficult to recommend because of how persistently obnoxious it is. I should know because I belong in this camp, and I’m going to do my damndest to explain why I think Adrian Murray’s movie is a brilliant comedy.
Wrath of Becky
Becky was an outrageous home invasion thriller that made for ideal late-night entertainment. The movie didn’t necessarily warrant a sequel but, if it set out to be as fun as its predecessor, I’d welcome it. After watching Wrath of Becky, I wish I had reconsidered.
Bystanders
By: Trevor Chartrand Directed and co-written by Canadian actor/filmmaker Koumbie, Bystanders is an exploration of a high-concept ‘what-if?’ scenario; a film which specifically ponders the question of our own accountability and societal responsibility with regards to the actions of others.