(courtesy IMP Awards) SNAPSHOT“You’re the only friend I ever had…” The final chapter of the untold story of the witches of Oz begins with Elphaba and Glinda estranged and living with the consequences of their choices. Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), now demonized [sic] as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives Continue Reading
Movies
Movie review: The Mountain (Fjallið)
(courtesy IMDb) What happens when you assemble all the tropes and cliches of a particular genre and a decent film forgets to turn up? You get Fjallið (The Mountain). An Icelandic film written and directed by Ásthildur Kjartansdóttir, Fjallið (The Mountain) looks for all the world like the sort of Continue Reading
Mixed bag of movie trailers: Dogs on the Sendero, Sketch + The Occupant
(via Shutterstock) Eclectism is the stuff of a rich and full life. Well, for this reviewer anyway; while I do have my favourite genres, I also loving mixing it up whenever I can with my movie consumption leaping from rom-coms to animation to serious drama to sci-fi, sometimes in the Continue Reading
Movie review: Long Good Thursday (Mielensäpahoittajan rakkaustarina)
(courtesy IMDb) The translation of this Finnish language’s original title, Mielensäpahoittajan rakkaustarina, literally translates, so say the good folks at Wikipedia, as The Grump’s Love Story. It’s a delightful grouping of words because it points to the central joy of this gorgeously delivered and emotionally nuanced film which is that Continue Reading
Big movie blockbuster double: Zootopia 2 and Avatar: Fire and Ash
(via Shutterstock) I love big epic movies! I also love small, highly emotional and deeply thoughtful indie films too because, well, they’re good for the soul, but there’s something about experiencing a big popular movie that everyone is watching at the same time that gives you a greater sense of Continue Reading
Christmas 2025 movie preview: The Baltimorons
(courtesy First Showing) SNAPSHOTOn Christmas Eve, Cliff (starring Michael Strassner who also co-wrote the script), a newly sober improv comedian, cracks a tooth and lands in the emergency care of Didi (Liz Larsen), an older no-nonsense dentist. What begins as a routine check-up sparks an unpredictable evening of misadventures. Together, Continue Reading
“You think you’re in control of this… You’re not.” The electric second full trailer for Tron: Ares
(courtesy IMP Awards) SNAPSHOTTron: Ares follows a highly sophisticated program, Ares (starring Jared Leto), who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings. The highly anticipated sequel to the sci-fi classics Tron (1982) and Tron: Legacy (2010). Continue Reading
#ChristmasInJuly retro movie review: Christmas in July
A lot can happen in just one day! Just ask Jimmy MacDonald (Dick Powell), the protagonist of the 1940 Preston Sturges film, Christmas in July, who’s a grunt office worker from a working class neighbourhood of New York City who heads off to his menial day job in an office Continue Reading
Movie review: The Fantastic Four: First Steps
(courtesy IMP Awards) Most superhero movies, if you look beyond the bangs and the booms and the epic struggles for curdely painted yet titanic struggles between god and evil, are about connection. Friendship, camaraderies, even family figure strongly, even with figures like Batman or Iron Man who might otehrwise be Continue Reading
Movie review: A Nice Indian Boy
(courtesy IMP Awards) If you’ve been paying attention, you will have noticed a decidedly welcome tilt towards queer themes in romantic comedies that aren’t simply of the tokenistically inclusive kind. While good old-fashioned heteronormative rom-coms are a joy and delight and good for this gay reviewer’s heart, there’s something soul Continue Reading