Closed Curtain Masters Director: Jafar Panahi If This Is Not a Film lived up to its title by logically examining how the language of filmmaking changes when one, by law, cannot make films anymore, Closed Curtain responds to the director’s harsh sentencing to house arrest emotionally. The camera’s first shot looks out over a series […]
Manakamana Wavelengths Directors: Stephanie Spray and Pacho Velez The latest from the Sensory Ethnography Laboratory at Harvard is less sensory and less ethnographic than its recent Leviathan. Rather, this collection of static long takes that ride cable to and from the Nepalese, mountaintop Hindu temple that gives the film its name plays out as a […]
A Field in England Wavelengths Director: Ben Wheatley The field in question of Ben Wheatley’s new film is quintessentially English: all chilled vegetation and smoky mist. In other words, it’s plenty bleak and disquieting without the aid of digital monochrome and arrhythmic editing. But it certainly helps, and A Field in England plays its spare […]
Gabrielle Special Presentation Director: Louise Archambault Quebecois director Louise Archambault tackles the delicate subject matter of a young woman with developmental disabilities trying to secure her independence. Newcomer Gabrielle Marion-Rivard plays the lead who deals with Williams Syndrome in real life. She’s a likable, warm-hearted individual falling in love with Martin, a fellow member of […]
The Invisible Woman Special Presentation Director: Ralph Fiennes Based on Claire Tomalin’s novel, and bursting with beautiful costumes shot in natural light, The Invisible Woman examines the quiet, but newsworthy affair between author Charles Dickens and Ellen “Nelly” Ternan. Assuming a dual role as leading man and director, Ralph Fiennes keeps things very Victorian and […]
Made by people not generally associated with making intense psychological thrillers, Black Rock stands out as a true hidden gem this weekend. A progressive and bone chilling survival drama with a trio of strong female leads, actress and director Katie Aselton teams with frequent collaborator and screenwriter Mark Duplass (Cyrus, Jeff, Who Lives at Home) for a lean and mean revenge flick that stays true to the mumblecore duo’s roots while delivering the genre goods.
This week at the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema, the summer closes out with a pair of docs about controversial artisans - Far Out Isn't Far Enough: The Tomi Ungerer Story and How to Make a Book With Steidl - and a first person account of one of the most infamous presidencies of all time, Our Nixon.
There’s nothing particularly wrong with the action thriller Getaway except that it might be a bit too sanitized and video game-y for its own good. It’s an effective, no frills chase movie with some inventive set pieces, but there’s a distinct lack of grit or immediacy to the proceedings.
As one might guess One Direction: This Is Us (from already noted sell-out documentarian Morgan Spurlock) is more of a commercial for the band's success aimed squarely at fans who will never once admit their dreamboats are manufactured. That's fine. As is the manufacture music. Those 3D musical numbers, though, still aren't any interesting thanks to a clear and distinct lack of stage presence.
In only two short years, late night right wing talk show host Morton Downey Jr. changed the face of politically charged, trashy television forever. As chronicled in the fascinating and fast paced documentary Evocateur: The Morton Downey Jr. Movie, the chain smoking, foul mouthed, sexist, confrontational, habitual liar had a meteoric rise and depressingly low key fall between 1987 and 1989, but his status as a pop culture icon gave rise to the Glen Becks, Jerry Springers, Bill O’Reillys, and even the Steven Colberts of the world.
Short on enthusiasm and originality, the legal thriller Closed Circuit wastes a talented cast, writer, and director on something that's been done to death. The film isn't merely ill conceived. It feels like it was cloned in a lab.
Dork Shelf talks to No One Lives actor and WWE Superstar (not to mention the only living Funkasaurus in captivity) Brodus Clay about the differences between horror crowds and wrestling crowds, how he almost spontaneously agreed to be in the film following a rough night at the office, what it’s like to get killed on camera, the butterflies he felt when the film debuted at TIFF last year, the importance of a well rounded education, and what it’s like being in the WWE locker room after doing a movie.
We talk to ReFocus Film series founder Jeff Wright - who screens the coal black comedy See You Next Tuesday at 9pm on Thursday, August 29th for free with a director and star Q&A at Toronto's Revue Cinema - to talk about he formation of the series, his booking process, his amazement at how series alums have seen their careers take off in recent years, why the series is free, the film that got away from him, and, of course, his most recent selection.
Our Film and Performing Arts Editor is tired of everyone asking him his thoughts on Ben Affleck getting cast as Batman in the forthcoming Batman Vs. Superman film and here are 9 reasons why.
Much like Scream did almost 20 years ago now, You’re Next resurrects the oft derided slasher genre with demented, witty, and terrifying glee.
