Category: Mini Review
-
Mini Review: The Penguin Lessons
#ThePenguinLessons attempts to strike a balance between its politically fraught backdrop & its adorable penguin to middling effect, the former getting the shorter end of the stick. But it ultimately does find its way to an emotionally satisfying ending. A pleasant watch overall.
-
Mini Review: Superman
The emotional beats really worked for me, as did Gunn’s clear heartfelt vision of #Superman. But I’m torn. It’s both refreshing & jarring to be dropped into a universe already in motion. But it makes you wonder if it would have hit harder if we had some more time with this cast.
-
Mini Review: Heads of State
Forgettable and formulaic, yes. But as a vehicle for Cena, Elba, Chopra, and especially Jack Quaid to kick ass, #HeadsOfState isn’t so bad. And Cena & Elba look like they are genuinely having fun as a buddy cop duo. So I really can’t complain.
-
Mini Review: Sorry, Baby
Sundance screenplay winner #sorrybaby is truly a triumph of a directorial debut, handling it’s heavy subject matter with deft & heart-wrenching poignancy, but never losing its authenticity & intermittent bursts of wry humour. Director Eva Victor is a magnetic lead. A great watch.
-
Mini Review: Daniela Forever
#DanielaForever is incredibly inventive & specific in its visuals, direction & edit. Led by a good performance from Golding who manages to balance the emotional & playful moments quite well. But it never fully coalesces into an impactful ending. Seen #TIFF24, in theatres now.
-
Mini Review: Jurassic World Rebirth
It’s incredibly formulaic, but can we acknowledge that #JurassicWorldRebirth could’ve been worse? The visuals & action are all spot on. The story is coherent, although the characters remain paper thin. So overall, it’s a pretty good modern Jurassic World movie. In theatres now!
-
Mini Review: F1
The script has its issues – the two male leads bond over barely saying anything to each other. That said, knowing nothing about F1, #F1TheMovie feels like a celebration, filled with the uplifting spirit you’d expect from Joseph Kosinski & aided by Brad Pitt’s undeniable charm.
-
Mini Review: Meet the Barbarians
It’s an effective satire of the “common” French folk, as the Syrian refugee family in #MeetTheBarbarians subverts expectations at every step. But mixed in is real heart, humour & levity, resulting in a lighthearted story that highlights the humanity on both sides of the equation.
-
Mini Review: Elio
Pixar’s latest #ElioMovie is undoubtedly emotionally poignant & beautifully animated. And it’s great to see an original idea be brought to life on screen. While it’s not the most ingenious Pixar story ever, I’m sure it will resonate with many … if it can find its audience.
-
Mini Review: 28 Years Later
#28YearsLater is interesting. It works incredibly well as a coming of age family drama, centred around the eerie backdrop of the rage virus apocalypse. But it’s the more stylized action & camera shots that feel way out of place, especially that last scene. Still worth a watch.
Year in Cinema 