‘BALLERINA’ Floats like a Butterfly, Stings like a Flamethrower
Ana de Armas is a welcome new face (successor?) in the John Wick universe as a freshly minted female assassin on her own vengeance trail. The highs and lows should…
REVIEW
REVIEW
‘THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME’ Another Charming, Frothy Anderson Diorama
Wes Anderson is back to his whimsical quirks with The Phoenician Scheme, a welcome-enough addition to his illustrious second act as a manicured, highbrow comedy filmmaker. The cast is A-list,…
FESTIVAL
SIFF ‘25 Capsule Review: ‘COLOR BOOK’ Opens a Window into the Specificity of a Widower’s Grief
Rich in both place and emotion, shot in evocative black and white, and scored with delicate precision, Color Book is a heartbreaking tale of grief and perseverance. William Catlett gives a tremendous, pathos-drenched performance as Lucky, a father navigating sudden tragedy, alongside his son Mason (Jeremiah Alexander Daniels), who has Down syndrome, after the loss...
FESTIVAL
SIFF ’25 Capsule Review: Irish ‘FOUR MOTHERS’ Juggles Pride, Parents, and Predictability
A perfectly pleasant — if ultimately forgettable — Irish dramedy about gay author Edvard (James McArdle), who juggles the stress of an impending U.S. book tour while caring for his stroke-recovering mother (Fionnula Flanagan) and looking after the elderly mothers his friends abandoned to attend an overseas Pride Fest. Writer-director Darren Thornton delivers a quietly...
REVIEW
‘MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING’ Sees One Last Sunrise
A fitting sendoff, 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' represents everything the mega-franchise has come to represent in its nearly thirty-year run. The over-the-top plotting and loose editorial prowess keeps…
REVIEW
‘BRING HER BACK’ Is As Bleak As A24 “Prestige Horror” Comes
Unrelentingly bleak in its exploration of grief’s demolishing power, 'Bring Her Back' unflinchingly depicts both emotional and physical violence toward children, along with some truly grotesque body horror. It goes…
REVIEW
‘FRIENDSHIP’ is 100 Minutes of Pure Tim Robinson Cringe
Devotees of Tim Robinson should consider 'Friendship' a must-watch; its sidesplitting comedy is basically all extracted directly from Robinson's demented misfit persona. Those who don't vibe with his wavelength will…
REVIEW
‘THUNDERBOLTS*’ Asterisks The Future of this Flailing Franchise
'Thunderbolts*' has all the right ingredients for success, including an interesting assemblage of talent in front of and behind the camera, but it's squandered on yet another MCU entry that…
REVIEW
‘THE LEGEND OF OCHI’ a Technically Impressive but Familiar A24 Fable
‘The Legend of Ochi’ is a welcome throwback kids movie that isn’t afraid to be a little weird and dark and moody but despite its towering technical craft, delivers a…
REVIEW
Gothic Vampire Epic ‘SINNERS’ is the Movie of the Year
Ryan Coogler delivers a bloody, soulful masterstroke of music-driven genre filmmaking with 'Sinners', a movie that erupts with passionate craft just as much as it surprises with its thematic depth.…