2010s

CINEMA NOVO: Not For Novices
CINEMA NOVO: Not For Novices

Cinema Novo is an impressionistic documentary about the classic Brazilian movie genre. It’s beautiful, but is too hard to grasp for newcomers.

THE FORCE: Taking Down The Blue Wall Of Silence
THE FORCE: Taking Down The Blue Wall Of Silence

The Force is an important film that hopefully one day we’ll be able to look back upon as history far removed from the current moment.

WETLANDS: A Soggy, Derivative Mess
WETLANDS: A Soggy, Derivative Mess

Wetlands chronicles one man’s inauspicious return home in an attempt to make amends with his family and restart his cop career.

INSYRIATED: The Horrors Of War, At Home
INSYRIATED: The Horrors Of War, At Home

Whilst much of the conversation in the Western world is about the resettlement of Syrian refugees in Europe, Insyriated reminds us of those who can’t even leave their own homes.

THE WILDE WEDDING: Too Many Characters Spoil The Plot
THE WILDE WEDDING: Too Many Characters Spoil The Plot

The Wilde Wedding is host to such a large ensemble that no plot or joke lands, and sadly suffocates the talent of all involved.

THE APOLOGY: An Emotional, Gut-Wrenching Glimpse Into The Atrocities of War
THE APOLOGY: An Emotional, Gut-Wrenching Glimpse Into The Atrocities of War

The documentary The Apology tells the story of three Asian women whose lives have been turned upside down by the trauma of sexual slavery.

IT: Stephen King's Terrifying Epic Is Given Fresh Life
IT: Stephen King’s Terrifying Epic Is Given Fresh Life

It is a wonderfully acted and gruesome adaptation of King’s novel, even if the scares sometimes detract from its overall effectiveness.

RAT FILM: A Singular, Illuminating Look At Baltimore's Social History
RAT FILM: A Singular, Illuminating Look At Baltimore’s Social History

Rat Film delves into the history of Baltimore’s city planning and the bigotry that has perpetrated on the African-American population.

WHAT WILL PEOPLE SAY: Caught In A Cultural Crossfire
WHAT WILL PEOPLE SAY: Caught In A Cultural Crossfire (#TIFF)

What Will People Say is a brutal yet powerful study of the effects of subjugation on a young woman in a highly patriarchal society.

PATTI CAKE$: Blue Collar Fever Dream
PATTI CAKE$: Blue Collar Fever Dream

Patti Cake$ is the true sleeper hit of the 2017 summer movie season, and here’s to hoping that it continues to build momentum as it makes its way to home video.

SIDEMEN: LONG ROAD TO GLORY: A History of the American Blues
SIDEMEN: LONG ROAD TO GLORY: A History Of The American Blues

Sidemen is a lovingly crafted documentary telling the history of 3 underappreciated musicians, and helps keep the spirit of the blues alive.

SHOT CALLER: A Terrifyingly Accurate Castigation Of White Supremacy
SHOT CALLER: A Terrifyingly Accurate Castigation Of White Supremacy

What Shot Caller lacks for, narratively, it makes up for in its complex character study guised as a prison drama, expertly exposing human nature’s animalism.

CARDINALS: Sin & Sorrow In Small-Town Canada
CARDINALS: Sin & Sorrow In Small-Town Canada (#TIFF)

Cardinals is a tense and subtly effective thriller set in small-town Canada, bolstered by strong performances and complex themes.

YEAR BY THE SEA: An Exploration Of Friendships Wasted By An Unwanted Ending
YEAR BY THE SEA: An Exploration Of Friendships Wasted By An Unwanted Ending

It’s abundantly clear that Year By The Sea is composer Alexander Janko’s directorial debut, as its characters are underdeveloped and predictable plot-lines are lost amidst the beautiful scenery of Cape Cod.

IS THIS NOW: Bafflingly Bad
IS THIS NOW: Bafflingly Bad

Is This Now is a perplexingly bad movie, rife with awkward tonal shifts, poor camerawork, unbelievable acting, and a very unfitting ending.