Tag: Film

By Peter Hemminger

L’Enfant (The Child) was highly praised at the Toronto International Film Festival, which is usually a solid barometer, and it didn’t disappoint. Essentially, it’s the story of a petty thief, his girlfriend, their newborn son and a series of bad decisions. The thief is one of the more despicable characters ever committed to film, completely… Continue reading Film Fest: L’Enfant (The Child)

By Garth Paulson

Fittingly ending the festival, Happy Endings is an intricate and delightful comedy about a Los Angeles group who can’t help but mess everything up. The film follows several interconnecting stories of ruined relationships before they all reach their inevitable, but carefully done happy endings. The movie isn’t very surprising but it’s pulled off with the… Continue reading Film Fest: Happy Endings

By Garth Paulson

Thumbsucker was one of the most eagerly anticipated entries at this year’s Film Fest, evidenced by the massive lines and throngs of people turned away at both of its screenings. Thanks to the buzz it will also go down as one the most disappointing. The film isn’t bad, it’s just entirely average. Boosted by clever… Continue reading Film Fest: Thumbsucker

By Sherri Shergill

Ground breaking, rebellious and defiant aren’t usually Canadian descriptors. Despite this, the documentary Escape to Canada displays Canada as a revolutionary country in conflict with the USA. It’s as if the documentary is committed to exposing Canada’s secret scheme to be different and consequently superior to America.This highly biased documentary pokes fun at the irrationality… Continue reading Film Fest: Escape to Canada

By Peter Hemminger

Fox TV’s treatment of Firefly never made much sense to the few fans it found during its run. The series, created by Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel mastermind Joss Whedon, was the type of show a network would have to go out of their way to screw up. Sadly, Fox did. Episodes were regularly… Continue reading Film Review: Serenity now! Serenity now!

By Garth Paulson

Few things are cooler than the ocean. Explorers, horror-fans and visual junkies alike need look no further than our tumultuous seas for their respective fixes. Deep Blue attempts to capture every reason the ocean fascinates us and manages to succeed at nearly every turn. Narrated by Pierce Brosnan, the film brings Hollywood blockbuster-style cinema- tography… Continue reading Film Fest: Deep Blue

By Kenzie Love

What’s your name, boy?” a stern faced work-house supervisor inquires of a charge near the beginning of Roman Polanski’s Oliver Twist. Because he is slow in responding the boy is thought a fool, though he can be forgiven for his confusion. Past versions of the classic tale have shortened his name to Oliver! in the… Continue reading Film Review: Twist needs a twist

By Peter Hemminger

Undead is an over-the-top, ridiculously silly, very Australian horror-sci-fi-comedy hybrid well aware of its audience and how to cater to it. Written, produced, edited and directed with oodles of style and confidence by brothers Michael and Peter Spierig, it’s a kindred spirit of Peter Jackson’s Dead Alive, all extraneous gore and nonsensically badass characters. Characters… Continue reading Film Fest: Undead

By Nathan Atnikov

“If not now, when?” This is the central question of director Zarqa Nawaz’s documentary, Me and the Mosque. The film explores the Islamic attitude towards women, specifically in regards to partitions, an alarming new trend in Canadian mosques. These usually opaque barriers separate women from men during prayer. One of many interviewees in the film… Continue reading Film Fest: Me and the Mosque

By Peter Hemminger

Rhinoceros Eyes, starring Michael Pitt of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and directed by David Cronenberg’s nephew, is a quirky picture hitting pretty much every cult-film touchstone but managing to elevate itself with pure charm. Pitt plays Chet, a reclusive and probably mentally handicapped kid who works in a movie prop shop. When a woman… Continue reading Film Fest: Rhinoceros Eyes