Daniel Barnz

Cake Review

There's a good reason why Jennifer Aniston didn't get an Oscar nomination this year. It's because Cake is almost unwatchably terrible.

TIFF 2014: Cake Review

Cake Special Presentations A great, but not exactly against type turn from Jennifer Aniston can’t salvage this slovenly, misshapen dramedy about an angrily depressed pill popping woman with chronic pain and a wealth of repressed feelings. Claire (Aniston) has separated from her husband and lost her child following a tragic accident. She goes through her […]

This Week in DVD: 1/15/13

Looking to shake the early winter doldrums? Before you head out or order in a movie out on DVD this week, take a look at our eclectic line-up of reviews including the action of Taken 2 and Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning, the martial arts mayhem of Swords of Dragons Gate, the drama of Won't Back Down, the visual splendour of Samsara, and the return of Woody Allen in To Rome with Love.

Won’t Back Down Review

Taking place in a magical and conservative world where teacher's unions are the most evil threats to our children and ukelele improv sessions are equal to Oscar bait, leading actresses Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis work overtime to make the school based drama/polemic Won't Back Down not seem nearly as dreadful as it could have very easily been. That still doesn't make it good.