Woody Harrelson

True Detective Episode 1.2 Recap

By the close of the second episode of HBO’s True Detective, it seems like the stinger to each installment will be to remind the audience that there’s an actual overarching case that needs to be solved and not just an almost painfully intimate portrait of two men that are slowly breaking down. Then again, “Seeing Things” tends to suggest that the very case and how it ultimately turns out will ultimately come down to the personalities of the people trying to solve it rather than the particulars.

True Detective Episode 1.1 Recap

Our Film Editor jumps over to the TV side for several weeks to start our weekly recaps of the new (and very much worth watching) HBO series True Detective, starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. What went down this week and what do we think of the first episode and where it's headed? Check it out! (Warning: Spoilers)

Out of the Furnace Review

Out of the Furnace aims for a character driven drama, but despite having an excellent cast of actors giving all they can to the project, there’s not much that can be done to give the movie any kind of pulse or momentum. It’s dull and plodding when the material suggests something with much higher emotional stakes. It’s the perfect example of a film that’s too subdued for its own good.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Review

With a director more accustomed to shooting good looking and well handled action sequences, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is just a slight notch better than its predecessor, but nearly every other positive and negative from the first film remains exactly the same.

Free Birds Review

Not funny, ugly to look at, filled with awful product placement, boring voice work, and mildly insulting historical parallels, Free Birds is a failure through and through.

Contest: Win Run-of-Engagement Passes to Catch NOW YOU SEE ME!

Enter for a chance to win one of five pairs of run-of-engagement passes to see Now You See Me, in theatres today, courtesy of Dork Shelf and eOne Films, and get a look at our exclusive red carpet interview with actor Jesse Eisenberg. One grand prize winner will also receive a poster signed by Jesse!

Now You See Me Review

Now You See Me is a deliriously fun, albeit silly movie, but if you were thinking of seeing a movie about and all star cast of magicians pulling off heists from the director of The Transporter what did you think you were buying a ticket for?

Contest: See NOW YOU SEE ME Across Canada!

Enter for a chance to win passes to an advance screening of Now You See Me in Toronto (on Wednesday, May 29th at a special red carpet event) or in Halifax, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver (on Thursday, May 30th) courtesy of eOne Films and Dork Shelf. But pay close attention, as that's not all we're giving away and we have the first four minutes of the film right here!

Contest: See NOW YOU SEE ME in 4 Cities!

Enter for a chance to win one of five pairs of passes to an advance screening of Now You See Me in Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, or Vancouver on Wednesday, May 22nd, courtesy of Dork Shelf and eOne Films.

Seven Psychopaths Review

While In Bruges was tightly wound and focused, Martin McDonagh’s sophomore effort, Seven Psychopaths is more of a spiralling series of darkly comic episodes that only gets thoughtful in the climax and even then it's never really meant to be taken seriously. It’s his crack at creating a violent cult comedy and thankfully he’s got the skills (and the cast) to pull off that trick.

TIFF 2012 Reviews: Part 5

Since we don't get days off on weeks like this, here's part five of our TIFF 2012 coverage with looks at The Place Beyond the Pines, Seven Psychopaths, Hotel Transylvania, A Royal Affair, Thermae Romae, Smashed, Rebelle, and Laurence Anyways.

The Hunger Games Review

Transcending its young adult novel source, The Hunger Games rises above its modest trappings to become a truly great film. Well, that’s not entirely true, but much like some of the film’s characters would say, it’s close enough to spin it into something.

Rampart Review

Despite being the mind behind the brilliant L.A. Confidential, writer James Ellroy's work rarely transitions well to the big screen. Much like graphic novelist Frank Miller, Ellroy needs a director who can temper his sometimes unnecessarily over the top and formulaic material into a watchable package. With Ellroy’s latest outing Rampart, director Oren Moverman show’s that he’s simply not up to the challenge leading to film that feels wholly indistinguishable from the author’s past big screen outings about dirty Los Angeles cops.