Oscar nominations were announced this morning, and as always, they went their own way. It’s not surprising that the Best Picture nominees are, once again, out of step with the top box-office performers. The general public doesn’t know anything about Drive My Car, Belfast, Licorice Pizza or CODA, and King Richard bombed, despite fantastic reviews. There were no Best Picture nominations for critically-lauded box-office smashes … Continue reading 2022 Oscar Nominations: Snubs and Surprises

I’m not going to sit here and tell you Book Of Love is some romantic masterpiece. It’s shallow, a little bit silly, and you’re going to have to suspend disbelief. That said, with Valentine’s Day right around the corner, everyone will be looking for some entertainment to put a smile on their face. This one may just do the trick. Writer Henry Copper is dealing … Continue reading STREAMING REVIEW: Book Of Love skips some chapters, but it overflows with cuteness

The New York Police Department was thrown for an absolute loop upon the revelation in 2014 that a retired cop was a criminal before the academy. Corey Pegues – who rose through the ranks to become a Deputy Inspector in the NYPD – had no prior convictions when he decided to turn his life around. The academy never realized or recognized his past, and he … Continue reading VOD REVIEW: Corey Pegues documentary an explosive exploration of cops, gangs and the road to redemption

From the beginning, it becomes clear that The Long Night aspires to be more than just jump scares and shallow tricks. Rich Ragsdale – an accomplished music video director and writer – takes the helm here, and creates an intriguing horror film. It’s well-wrought and shocking, even if it doesn’t always hit the mark. Writers Robert Sheppe and Mark Young weave the tale of a … Continue reading VOD REVIEW: The Long Night provides brisk frights, but falls flat of high ambitions

For as long as I can remember, I’ve looked up to Kevin Smith. Not because he’s some Oscar-winning scribe or hugely successful director, but because, in the immortal words of Sinatra, he did it his way. His scrappy, $27,000 film about convenience store workers made while he was a convenience store worker became an indie darling, and nabbed Smith the best reviews of his entire … Continue reading VOD REVIEW: Clerk explores the unique, peculiar career of fanboy favourite director Kevin Smith

A thriller with a verve and incredible storytelling, Escape From Mogadishu is truly satisfying endeavour. Half political-thriller, half good-old-fashion running-from-danger actioner, it’s a movie North American production companies do 10 times a year, to mostly mediocre results. But with Mogadishu, filmmaker Seung-wan Ryu – aided by a smart script co-written by Ki-cheol Lee – this Korean flick is absolutely thrilling from start to finish. In … Continue reading BLURAY REVIEW: Thrilling Escape From Mogadishu intense entertainment

King Richard plays at the Al Whittle Theatre in Wolfville, N.S. on Sunday, January 30, 2022. Support local, and go see it on the big screen. It’s hard to believe, but Will Smith has never been better than he is in King Richard. As the hard-knocks, intense father of real-life tennis superstars Venus & Serena Williams, Smith disappears into the role. For the first time … Continue reading WHITTLE THEATRE SHOWCASE: Will Smith stands atop the competition as King Richard shines

It’s been 20 years since the original Ice Age hit theatres and delighted parents and kids alike. Throughout the decades, it’s remained part of the pop culture zeitgeist, and has no spawned a sixth franchise film. While there were undoubtedly things to enjoy in this continuation of the exploits of all our furry friends in the frozen tundra, it’s become clear Ice Age is getting … Continue reading STREAMING REVIEW: Ice Age sequel still fun, but franchise freshness thawing out

Every once in a while, you need cinematic comfort food. A movie that neither expects you to follow an intricate plot or boil over with emotions can do the trick. It’s in moments like these that that low-budget actioners like One Shot thrive. It follows Navy SEALs who go on a mission to transport a prisoner off a CIA island prison. But they’re put in … Continue reading VOD REVIEW: One Shot a passable violent B-movie tilt

This pseudo-horror film plays more like a psychological study than it does a genre picture. Marionette isn’t a bad film, but it squanders interesting acting and a wonderful premise by falling under the weight of its lofty ambitions. Co-writer and director Elbert van Strien and co-writer Ben Hopkins attempt to weave an interesting tale with a huge pay-off. Unfortunately, best laid plans don’t always work … Continue reading VOD REVIEW: Marionette an intense study of grief that definitively goes off the rails