Category: Mini Review
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Mini Review: Sugarcane
#Sugarcane is undoubtedly an important doc, and handles its subject with an immense amount of tact, allowing the people & their stories speak for themselves. But while the doc is sleek, its slow pace & lack of depth leave me feeling a bit disconnected from the emotion on screen.
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Mini Review: Paddington in Peru
As a follow-up to the near-perfect Paddington 2, #PaddingtonInPeru is as fun as ever, completing a trifecta of truly charming & wholesome films. Olivia Colman is a welcomed addition, and is clearly having a blast. I can’t recommend these films enough! In π¨π¦ theatres Feb 14th.
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Mini Review: I’m Still Here
It’s a lot more reserved than I expected, particularly given the real life atrocities the film depicts. But that only serves to enhance the naturalistic approach & the internalized and nuanced performances in #ImStillHere. Fernanda Torres is perfection. A quiet yet powerful film.
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Mini Review: Black Box Diaries
Shiori ItΕ is both subject & documentarian in #BlackBoxDiaries, allowing us to be a fly-on-the-wall during her tense & infuriating journey to justice in an incredibly unjust society. What results is something so raw, vulnerable & effective – you just can’t & shouldn’t look away.
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Mini Review: The Count of Monte Cristo
I was a bit skeptical from the exuberant RT scores, but after finally watching #TheCountofMonteCristo I’ll admit it, I was pretty blown away. Don’t let the 3 hour runtime scare you away. This one is thoroughly captivating with none of its runtime wasted. An incredible production!
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Mini Review: Goodrich
Keaton & Kunis are excellent in #Goodrich, and pull out every ounce of emotion out of their complex characters and interesting dynamic in what would otherwise be a straightforward fish-out-of-water family drama. It’s not quite a classic but will certainly resonate with some.
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Mini Review: Hard Truths
Mike Leigh’s #HardTruths is a down-to-earth drama about a woman battling a bitter depression, played brilliantly by Marianne Jean-Baptiste who makes you feel her frustration & pain at your core. I wish a bit more was explained & not left inferred. But the acting makes it worth it
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Mini Review: Fresh Off Markham
Seeing where you grew up on screen is so surreal – but ultimately I just wish #FreshOffMarkham hit better. The themes are strong, & feel authentic to the Canadian Chinese experience. But I can’t help but feel that the tonally jarring anthology approach do them a disservice.
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Mini Review: The Apprentice
Sebastian Stan & Jeremy Strong are both excellent in #TheApprentice, giving these larger than life characters a nuanced ounce of humanity in this stylishly sleezy film. Did I take away any new insights? No. But its eerie watching Stan inch closer to the man we know today.
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Mini Review: Back in Action
Netflix’s #BackInAction is a welcome reminder of how darn charismatic both Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx are, and a nostalgic love letter to those early 2000s action comedies, but beyond that nothing about the film feels modern, fresh or new. I guess it’s fun at least.
Year in Cinema 