The troubles of small, predominantly African-Nova Scotian community North Preston are put on full display in this new documentary. This Is North Preston, directed and written by Jaren Hayman, follows hip hop artist Just Chase, who returns from Toronto to his home to visit old friends and talk about the place as a whole. If…

In a world where money and material possessions seem to be the end goal, this interesting documentary dares to ask an important question. Is life about giving or getting? Director-writer Robin McKenna shares the stories from different cultures and background to find out what’s important to people all around the world. Her film Gift is…

Let’s face it: Avengers: Endgame is the most emotional, straining film of the year. Whether you’re a comic book film junkie or casual fan, it isn’t until you sit through all three hours that you realize just how ingrained in the greater film lexicon these characters are. After the “snap”, an act by villain Thanos…

Tim Burton’s Dumbo as an eccentric, wondrous film, with all the quirks and idiosyncrasies of its beloved director on display. It’s at once a family film and a showcase of Burton at his finest, taking the Disney material and updating it in exciting ways. However, just because a film is excited doesn’t mean it’s without…

This incredible Canadian film about the disappearance of a young girl, told in three different segments, is a truly entrancing watch. Directed by three canucks, Kris Booth, Jordan Canning & Renuka Jeyapalan, they coalesce into one atmospheric film written with great care by Ramona Barckert. Seen through the eyes of the parents of the missing…

The Grizzlies was a special presentation at last year’s 2018 FIN Festival here in Halifax, and played to great fanfare. I missed that screening, but watching The Grizzlies eight months later, it still has a breathtaking impact. It’s an incredible tale of a real-life small Arctic town and the native inhabitants struggling with the many…

Mia & the White Lion is a serviceable, enjoyable little family film. But to give it any more credit than that would be disingenuous. It’s a mediocre film elevated by beautiful animals and locales. The plot — seemingly ripped from the pages of a National Geographic reject article — doesn’t have an ounce of originality.…

Nearly a third through 2019, it’s safe to say Teen Spirit will land among the most stunning of the year. This Cinderella-esque take on a young girl who joins a singing competition against her mother’s wishes is a gem of a film. Elle Fanning has long been more interesting and dynamic than not only her…

Body transformation comedies are tried-and-true money makers, and Hollywood defaults for comedic gold. And yet, there’s nothing worse than a film that not only borrows its premise from hundreds of films before it, but squanders the inherent opportunities of the sub-genre. Little has it all: a capable writer-director who already had a hit this year…

Somehow, this horror film universe just keeps conjuring up the scares. From Annabelle to Insidious, it’s consistently entertaining, and La Llorona, a loosely connected new chapter, is scare-a-minute. It may not be as inventive as The Conjuring or as terrifying at the other films, but The Curse of La Llorona stands on its own as…