Category: Mini Review
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Mini Review: ISS
The latest sci-fi thriller #ISS squanders its potential a bit with a plot that is mostly what you expect based on its premise. It treats its socio-political undertones rather reductively. But at least it’s filled with tension & decent performances at its tight 90-min runtime.
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Mini Review: Four Daughters
Kaouther Ben Hania’s Oscar-nom’ed #FourDaughters is an incredible piece of cinema & like nothing I’ve seen before, blending staged scenes & intimate interviews as Olfa & her kids relive the uncomfortable events that broke their family apart. Powerful stuff. Watch @TIFF_NET now.
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Mini Review: The Beekeeper
David Ayer’s latest #TheBeekeeper is a solid addition to the Jason Statham-is-a-superhero genre, this time featuring bees & elder abuse. The supporting cast are talented but I wish hammed it up even more. The dramatic score cue on the big reveal is chef’s kiss perfect though.
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Mini Review: Memory
Michel Franco’s #Memory is a fine exploration of people who find peace in their mutual dysfunction, that works because of the performances of its two leads Chastain & Sarsgaard. That said, many ethical quandaries are left never fully addressed, which left me a bit unsettled.
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Mini Review: The Teachers’ Lounge
Germany’s #TheTeachersLounge from director Ilker Çatak feels akin to Kore-Eda’s Monster in its stellar depiction of school politics, perspective & consequence, but it chooses to focus on the intense tension. It’s a riveting & effectively frustrating tale. Now playing @TIFF_NET. https://twitter.com/yearincinema/status/1749089345691074596
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Mini Review: Origin
Ava DuVernay’s #OriginMovie is out and is as stunningly constructed & thought-provoking as expected. It’s a remarkable adaptation of a nonfiction book that channels its emotion through its author portrayed deftly by Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor. Just sad we had to wait so long to watch!
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Mini Review: American Symphony
The juxtaposition of success & tragedy of its subjects Jon Batiste and Suleika Jaouad in #AmericanSymphony is tragic and beautiful indeed. But for me I don’t know if it quite transcended its documentary medium. Available now on Netflix.
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Mini Review: The Eight Mountains
Finally able to watch #TheEightMountains in theatres thanks to @markhamATM! The movie tackles its themes of friendship, healing & self discovery well, but is left a bit overstuffed as a result. But the expansive visuals, cinematography & stellar acting make it well worth a watch.
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Mini Review: Passages
Continuing our end of year catch-up with #Passages, a film about a problematic man & the two romantic partners destroyed in his orbit. While the cast deliver on incredibly introspective performances, the coldness of the movie is ultimately a turn off for me. Stream on @mubi now.
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Mini Review: Gran Turismo
We continue the 2023 catch-up with a surprise – the #GranTurismoMovie is actually not bad! While it doesn’t stray far from the classic underdog story structure, it still manages to hit all the right beats. And the racing action is perfectly slick & stylized. I kinda enjoyed it!
Year in Cinema 