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FIN FEST REVIEW: Compulsus a shocking, sublime #MeToo exploration
Filmmaker Tara Thorne is an artist with such a distinct voice it’s almost impossible not to sit up and listen. A lover of all things film, theatre, and culture, she’s been an authority for all things entertainment in Nova Scotia for years. Now, with her debut film, we have the chance to champion her right…
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FIN FEST REVIEW: Korean road film a contemplative view on familial bonds
The first thing I’ll say about Hirokazu Koreeda’s new film is it’s almost impossible to define. What he’s managed to do here is make a beautiful, cohesive piece of art that transcends the boundaries of genre. In doing so, he left the emotions of the audience all over the place. From uproarious laughter to muffled…
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FIN FEST REVIEW: Triangle Of Sadness eats the rich in a razor-sharp satire
From the very first frame of Triangle Of Sadness, I knew exactly what kind of absurd, devious film I was dealing with. It’s not subtle in the least, and director Ruben Östlund makes clear his admonishment and distaste for our culture of rewarding the rich and punching down on the poor. In his tearing down…
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FIN REVIEW: Haunting ‘Brother’ an exploration of masculinity and vulnerability
There’s something to be said when a film conveys meaning and a sense of empathy with characters without spelling it out. We’ve become so used to loud, booming narrators and talky, simplified dialogue that audiences are rarely left to sit in their own complex ideals about what’s unraveling on-screen. So it was an absolute pleasure…
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STREAMING REVIEW: Tangled mess Pinocchio pales in comparison to original
When Tom Hanks and director Robert Zemeckis combine, moviegoers are normally in for a magnificent treat. From Oscar-winning Forrest Gump to Cast Away and The Polar Express, news of their collaborations always bring joy. So much so that much was made of their announcement to reunite following this Pinocchio remake. However, one really does wish…
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STREAMING REVIEW: Orphan prequel a bloody, B-movie delight
The original Orphan had a twist that’s been hailed as one of the best in modern horror history. Then along came prequel First Kill, a movie no one knew they wanted. What I expected to be a procedural cash-grab from Paramount+ ended up as a razor-sharp horror entry boasting a twist that may well surpass…
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THEATRICAL REVIEW: Idris Elba battles a ferocious lion in enthralling Beast
August is typically seen as a dumping ground for new releases. Films put near the start of school semester are almost guaranteed to fail, and Beast is no exception. Making only $11-million in its opening weekend, Beast is far from ferocious, and yet it may well end up one of the most underrated movies of…
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STREAMING REVIEW: No Exit a competent single-locale thriller
Every once in a while, you really just need a movie that will succeed at just one thing: Entertaining you. No Exit may not be one critics will rave about for years to come, but the Disney+/Hulu thriller also delivers the goods. Nothing more, nothing less. When a young woman seeks refuge in a highway…
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STREAMING REVIEW: Charli XCX doc highlights pandemic loneliness
All of us have been feeling the pressures and anxieties of being stuck inside lately, and if nothing else, musician Charli XCX’s documentary explores this well. Not being a fan of her music, I may not be the target demographic for this. But Charli XCX: Alone Together does an adequate job of capturing the difficulties…
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VOD REVIEW: Wharf Rats a raucous, hilarious send-up of Maritime stereotypes
This review originally premiered during FIN in 2020, and has been repurposed and republished for the film’s VOD release There’s something so intensely charming about director Jason Arsenault’s debut, Wharf Rats, that part of the hilarity is the fact foul-mouthed content like this will make you smile so wide. With Wharf Rats, we all see…