To make a fairytale work, the biggest element required is believability. Readers have to believe that the world they’re reading about is possible and the characters within it create a sense of connection, and in Rob Marshall’s directed Disney’s first live-action film adaptation of The Little Mermaid, believing in singer-turned-actress
Movie Reviews
‘Renfield’ Serves up a Wacky Yet Effective Monster Story About Codependency
‘How to Blow Up a Pipeline’ Is an Explosive Exploration of the Climate Crisis
In an incendiary display of environmental activism, a group of young people band together to fight the corporate greed and malpractice of oil companies that are not only destroying land and lives but threatening our future. Protest and legal battles are getting nowhere, so the characters in Daniel Goldhaber’s How
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Stays True to Game Simplicity and That’s Okay
You can’t expect a lot out of a Mario movie, especially right out of the gate. Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie stays true to the games in the narrative. Meaning, there really isn’t one. Simple amusement is what gamers go to Mario for and that’s exactly what the film is. But
‘Scream VI’ Is the Biggest, Stabbiest ‘Scream’ Yet
Review: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Offers Nothing New to the MCU
To paraphrase Michelle Pfiffer’s Janet Van Dyne, ‘He seems like a lost soul, but he’s also terrifying.’ This is a description that appropriately defines the personality, mentality, and reality of Kang the Conqueror, Ant-Man, and the Wasp’s new nemesis who sees time as an ephemeral thing that can’t be fully
Review: “Tár” Is a Gratifying Depiction of A Fallen Maestro
In one scene of Todd Field’s newest drama, Lydia Tár (the effervescent Cate Blanchett) is teaching a class in which a BIPOC non-binary student opposes the glorification of the most respected classical musicians, many of whom have been known for their racist, homophobic or sexist views. Tár humiliates him on
Sundance Review: ‘Eileen’ Is an Intoxicating Revamp of the Noir
Imagine Carol but make it film noir. You'd get William Oldroyd’s Eileen. Based on Ottessa Moshfegh’s novel of the same name, it feels like a Patricia Highsmith novel directed by Douglas Sirk and Alfred Hitchcock. It has both that stunning Sirk cinematography, layered over Hitchcock suspense. One of the most
Sundance Review: ‘My Animal’ Is for Queer Horror Lovers
Jacqueline Castel’s debut feature, My Animal, is for queer horror lovers. Inspired by classic monster movies and '80s horror, it’s another intricately woven tale of otherness and the battle towards self-acceptance. By exploring relevant adolescent struggles and complex family dynamics, as well as themes of inheritance, it navigates the most
Sundance Review: ‘Sometimes I Think About Dying’ Is for the Depressed Introverts
Sundance Review: ‘Infinity Pool’ Cracks the Rich Wide Open in a Sick Satire
In Infinity Pool’s opening frames, the camera flips upside down to prepare its audience for a disorienting experience. Brandon Cronenberg delivers just that. His latest is The White Lotus dialed up to eleven on the violence scale. A kaleidoscopic, suspenseful, and sick satire that blends the thriller, horror, and sci-fi
Review: “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is Magically Beautiful Tale About Fragility of Life, Friendship and Kindness
I recall the first time I experienced an anxiety attack. It feels like your throat is contracting as you try to take a breath and stop your heart from racing. In Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, an important scene deals with the matter of anxiety. Furthermore, the film continues to create great storylines
‘Babylon’ Is a Boisterous, Raw Take on Roaring ’20s Hollywood
‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio’ Will Get You Crying Over a Piece of Wood More Than Disney Ever Could
From Pinocchio’s very first frame, you’re hit by its stunning, intricate craftsmanship with almost tangible quality. The blend of practical and visual effects is so seamless that it’s hard to know what was handcrafted and what wasn’t. The first frame also carries symbolism. Guillermo del Toro and co-director Mark Gustafson chose
Strange World is Disney’s Most Inclusive and Diverse Animated Film Yet
‘The Fabelmans’ Is a Magical Walk Down the Yellow Brick Road of Spielberg’s Life
Rian Johnson Is Coming for the Whodunnit Crown With ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’
‘The Menu’ Is a Savory Ode to the Culinary World and a Spicy Takedown of the Rich
Review: ‘Decision to Leave’ Explores the Disorientating Nature of the Affairs of the Heart
Decision to Leave is a film for those who love ill-fated lovers. Where sensuality and intense chemistry are evoked to perfection onscreen as knowing glances shared between lovers. The film follows the youngest detective on the Busan police force, Hae-joon (Park Hae-il), as he’s spun in a web of deception
Review: Laurie Strode Deserved Better Than ‘Halloween Ends’
“He took our dreams and turned them into nightmares,” Jamie Lee Curtis's Laurie Strode narrates. It’s been four years since Michael Myers ravaged the fictional town of Haddonfield, Illinois, for the second time and four years since he killed Laurie’s daughter, Karen (Judy Greer). David Gordon Green’s Halloween Ends, much
TIFF 2022 Hidden Gems You May Have Missed
TIFF Review: ‘Triangle of Sadness’ Is an “Eat the Rich” Satire That Cuts Deep
Ruben Östlund’s Triangle of Sadness is a brilliant, wickedly funny dissection of ego, materialism, social hierarchy, and conventions. It’s a near-perfect satirical work with a fantastic ensemble cast that turns the tables on society’s upper class. In Östlund’s latest, greed is at the forefront. It leads to the downfall of
TIFF Review: Hirokazu Kore-Eda Hits You in the Heart Once Again With ‘Broker’
Hirokazu Kore-eda knows how to touch us to our core, and he does once again with Broker. The Japanese director makes a seamless transition to South Korea with an empathetic and touching crowdpleaser about unconventional bonds that form under strange circumstances. It’s Kore-eda doing what he does best, with children
