film

A Hijacking Review

A Hijacking resonates like a visceral true story lifted from the front page of a newspaper and a hostage drama unfolding in real time (despite being a month long stand-off).

This Week at The Bloor: 8/16/13

This week at The Bloor: the powerful and distressing Call Me Kuchu looks at LGBT human rights abuses in Uganda (now more timely than ever given the current landscape in Russia that's eerily similar), and Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp takes a look at how a "street poisoned" criminal found catharsis in confessional writing to become one of the most vital African American literary voices in history.

Kick Ass 2 Review

Misguidedly choosing incredibly lame jokes instead of maintaining Mark Millar's (sometimes) misguided edginess, Kick Ass 2 is a dreadful mess of hedged bets that somehow becomes more offensive to watch than if the film had been actively going for the shock value Millar's work often courts in the first place.

Everyday Is Like Sunday Review

Despite a rough start and some rougher edges, the Toronto set mumblecore dramedy Everyday Is Like Sunday still has plenty of emotionally rewarding and amusing sequences to make it worthwhile.

La Pirogue Review

While most likely faithful to the hardship face by African immigrants attempting to escape to Europe on dangerous fishing boats, La Pirogue suffers from a lack of character that it can't quite overcome.

The Scene: An Exploration of Music in Toronto Review

There’s nothing particularly wrong with the music documentary The Scene: An Exploration of Music in Toronto, but it’s doubtful that anyone outside of the bands being profiled and their friends and followers will get too excited by the prospect of rushing out to see it.

A Band Called Death Review

A Band Called Death tells a heck of a story (that towards the end gets a bit long winded) about one of punk rock's most unrecognized early bands. Possibly even the first one ever.

Interview: Katherine Fairfax Wright & Malika Zouhali-Worrall

Dork Shelf talks to filmmakers Katherine Fairfax Wright & Malika Zouhali-Worrall about their work on the documentary Call Me Kuchu where they look at efforts in Uganda tried to make homosexuality punishable by imprisonment and death and those who stood in opposition to the government. It's an incredibly story with a lot of parallels to what's currently happening in Russia.

The Spectacular Now Review

James Ponsoldt's The Spectacular Now is the most authentic depiction of what it means to be a teenager since Cameron Crowe's landmark Say Anything. It's so adept at conveying youthful awkwardness, petulance, and regret, and how every moment in a teenagers life could signify the end of their comfortable world that it could practically incite post traumatic stress memories in those who watch it. The aching and longing at the heart of this bracing work is the kind that informs the rest of a young person's life for better or worse, and it's all done entirely free of cliche or artifice.

In a World Review

Hilarious, spunky, and incredibly human, In a World is the rare kind of rewarding comedy that audiences rarely get. A triumph for first time feature writer, director, and star Lake Bell.