Category archives: Movies
Dredd aims low, gets the job done
Dredd is a well-executed, if unexceptional, standard action movie. There are obvious similarities to The Raid, but Die Hard is an equally valid touchpoint. Dredd and his psychic partner alternate running, hiding, and shooting in a series of solid but uninspiring action sequences. continue reading
Coming Soon: The Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is kind of like Christmas if you love watching movies, standing in line, and not sleeping. Here are a few of the things I’m particularly looking forward to. continue reading
Midnight in Paris and the terrible power of nostalgia
Midnight in Paris marks a return to form for Woody Allen, but only partially. It has many of the hallmarks of a great Woody Allen film, but also the flaws of a filmmaker who didn’t bother to fully develop his ideas. Why is it receiving so much praise in spite of its significant flaws? continue reading
The Fake Oscars of 2012
It shouldn’t be a surprise at this point that my tastes rarely line up with the Oscars. I wasn’t offended last year when The King’s Speech won everything, but I was still disappointed that Black Swan was shut out aside from Natalie Portman’s inevitable win.
So before disappointment can set in, here are my picks for the best films & performances of 2011. continue reading
Carnage: The joys of watching people being horrible
If you’re the sort of person who insists on likeable characters in entertainment, Carnage might be the most unpleasant film you’ve ever seen. The characters are dishonest, hypocritical, condescending, arrogant, snide, antagonistic, and insulting. They begin the film with a mask of pleasantries covering their inner ugliness, but by the time the credits roll everyone has been exposed as a tremendous asshole. continue reading
Meek’s Cutoff’s: The wild, stoic, wandering west
It’s hard to say exactly when Meek’s Cutoff grips you, but before you know it a group of 19th-century settlers carefully easing their wagons down a steep hill is one of the most riveting scenes you can imagine. Everyone in the film feels real, and the stakes are impossibly high: If things go any more wrong, or don’t start to go right, people are going to die. continue reading
The Debt: Heroes, lies, guilt, and Nazis
The Debt begins by revealing one of its climactic scenes: A Nazi war criminal escapes from his Israeli captors, brutally assaulting one of them in the process. She recovers just in time to shoot him dead before he escapes into hiding forever. The event makes everyone a hero, as long as none of them talk about what really happened. continue reading
Reasons to be excited for TIFF
Is it possible to die from watching too many movies?
I’ve been pondering that question since I made decision to go to see 50 movies during the Toronto International Film Festival. I originally intended to go to 30, but then the 30 ticket package sold out – because I put it off too long – and I had to make a decision: Can I physically see 50 movies in 11 days? continue reading
Is Harry Potter the Most Useless Protagonist Ever?
Every good hero needs a little help from his friends sometimes. But there’s a fine line between “working well with others” and a pitiable amount of co-dependence, and Harry Potter often slides into the latter. He’s clearly meant to be… continue reading »
Bridesmaids: Hell Is Other People
Watching people suffer is funny. Mel Brooks, who knew a thing or two about making funny movies, said “Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.” Bridesmaids is about people… continue reading »
Thor: Saving Us From The Usual Superheroics
The Mighty Thor does not require a puny mortal origin story. Superhero movies remain hot stuff in Hollywood, and we’re all going to have to accept it. Some of them are good, and some of them are bad, but one… continue reading »
The Adjustment Bureau: Fate, Love, and Clumsy Angels
Towards the end of The Adjustment Bureau, Matt Damon turns into a crazed, psychotic stalker and accosts a woman while she’s composing herself in the washroom. He tells her about all the things keeping them apart, and then punches a… continue reading »
Sucker Punch: Freedom Through Sexiness
There’s something gloriously unhinged about Sucker Punch. Zack Snyder’s tale of mental asylums, nightclubs, fantasies, and general sexiness is utterly divorced from reality. Like Alice in Wonderland or Moulin Rouge, Sucker Punch has its own set of rules, and Snyder… continue reading »
Because You Demanded It: I Spoil Some Movies
I try to avoid spoilers when writing reviews. But lately, a lot of people have been coming to my blog searching for spoilers, so I thought ‘d oblige them with some answers. So beware: There are spoilers below for Barney’s… continue reading »
2011 Oscar Picks
Somehow, I managed to see seven of the ten nominees for Best Picture this year, which makes me unusually qualified to offer some opinions on the 2011 Academy Awards. Equally unusually, there’s a decent chance my tastes will line up… continue reading »