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Previous Next September 29, 2023 WRITTEN BY: NICK This year, I had the honour of covering my second consecutive Toronto International Film Festival. As a Toronto local, TIFF has always been a favourite event of mine, thanks to its quality and variety of films, as well as its focus on the fan experience. I haven’t covered many film festivals in person, but this one sets a very high bar to beat. With the SAG-AFTRA strike taking place (keep up the good fight!), the celebrity involvement this year was limited, which made for some quieter Q&A sessions and muted red carpets. It may have even had an effect on the final slate of films. That said, there was still a lot of quality on hand, even if some genres were lacking (I'm looking at you, horror). So, what did I think of the 38 films I had the chance to check out this year? Well, let me tell you... Also, in case you missed it, check out how Adriano ranked the 49 movies he saw at the festival HERE . 38. THEY SHOT THE PIANO PLAYER The idea of an animated documentary is an interesting one, but the execution of They Shot the Piano Player left me wanting. What begins as a mystery about the disappearance of Francisco Tenório Júnior, soon devolves into a repetitive cavalcade of interviews with everyone saying a lot of the same thing. The interviews in question are conducted in both Portuguese and Spanish, but it’s the dulcet tones of Jeff Goldblum's English narration that nearly lulled me to sleep. The novelty of the animation also wears away quickly due to its appearance. Perhaps a motion comic without speech animation would’ve better served the subject matter. 37. WILDCAT To make a good biopic, you need to leave the audience caring about the focal point of the film. Sadly, Wildcat did nothing to make me care about Flannery O’Connor (Maya Hawke). Although this is a subject both Hawkes (Ethan and Maya) are passionate about, that passion never translates to the screen. Instead, we have a film bogged down by religious undertones (and overtones) that ramble on in aggressive southern accents without saying anything particularly concise. The Hawkes are both clearly committed in their roles, but aside from a surprise cameo, they fail to turn that into an entertaining watch. 36. POOLMAN I don’t entirely know what director Chris Pine was going for with Poolman , but he misses the mark. Perhaps this throwback love letter to Los Angeles is too niche, but I think it’s just too quirky for its own good. It features lackluster writing, failed attempts at humour, and a notable supporting cast who don’t add anything worthwhile. On screen, Pine is committed to the lead role, but even his charm wears thin quickly. Although this will likely flop, Pine will still get another shot behind the camera, except now it’ll come with the lowest of expectations. 35. SORRY/NOT SORRY There’s a clip in Sorry/Not Sorry of Jon Stewart on The Howard Stern Show contemplating what he would have done had he known about Louie C.K.’s actions. This clip highlights the two biggest flaws of this documentary. First, the archival footage used is far more interesting and insightful than anything new. Second, it spotlights the most interesting angle from which to tackle this story, which the film fails to use. Instead, it uses clips from notable right-wing personalities to almost force-feed an opinion down your throat. If you want to see this subject matter handled properly, I suggest you watch We Need to Talk About Cosby . 34. MOTHER COUCH I’m not entirely sure what to say about Mother Couch . The story begins with a quirky…family problem… that three siblings are tasked with handling. Ewan McGregor (who continues to play befuddled really well) is the focus of the story, but both Ellen Burstyn and Taylor Russell are the highlights. The story is almost dream-like in its execution, and it certainly isn’t afraid to take risks, even if most don’t pay off. The problem is that once the intentions finally become clear as it reaches its more fantastical finale, it had already lost my interest. 33. FINESTKIND What did I just watch? Finestkind begins as a fairly straightforward story about brotherhood and fishing boats that seems to be building into an indie-feeling family drama, anchored by strong performances from Ben Foster and Toby Wallace. Then, about halfway through, it evolves into… some attempt at a crime thriller, with the tone making a complete 180. Perhaps the second half would have worked if it started that way, and I think there is a chance the first half would have worked had it stayed on track; however, put it together, and all you have is a mess. 32. ORIGIN The story of Origin is one of importance, but it’s hidden inside a very tedious film. Director Ava DuVernay brings us something that feels more like a college lecture than a concise and interesting narrative. This has nothing to do with the performances, but in the way the subject matter is approached in such a dry manner. It truly felt like I was watching The History Channel at times, and although I sympathize with the trauma Isabel Wilkinson (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) faced, everything surrounding her is lethargic. Wilkinson writes “a world without caste would set everyone free;” a lasting message that deserved a better film. 31. PAIN HUSTLERS I find difficulty in enjoying movies where all the characters are despicable people doing despicable things, which is exactly what Pain Hustlers is. There is just no one to root for, so I was left watching things unfold, quietly waiting for everyone to get their comeuppance. It doesn’t take the opioid crisis very seriously, which would be fine had it leaned further into the comedy, but it approaches things too straight-faced (same issue as Dumb Money ). This made it all feel… cruel. That said, there likely will be an audience for this B-movie version of The Wolf of Wall Street , but I’m not it. 30. KNOX GOES AWAY Although Michael Keaton gives a good performance in Knox Goes Away , he tends to get in his own way as the director. It’s not so much the writing of the film that’s the issue, but the odd stylistic choices Keaton makes. The portrayal of dementia feels more like John Knox (Keaton) is on a hallucinogen, while the dark and shadowy colour palette clashes with the tone. Also, for a film about a man running out of time, there is a surprising lack of urgency. Things do pick up in the final act, but it's sadly too late to salvage the film. 29. LEE There’s no doubt that Kate Winslet gives a spectacular and awards-worthy performance as Lee Miller; however, the film that features her, Lee , has its share of challenges. The approach taken in recounting her story feels like a cheap way to bypass plot points and make up for the lack of a cohesive narrative. Had the moments it focused on been more riveting, perhaps that could be overlooked, but the pacing is actually fairly slow. It is evident Lee Miller was an accomplished and nuanced photographer, so it’s very frustrating to see that a film about her work lacks artistic creativity. 28. DUMB MONEY If you're going to tackle a true story as recent as the events of Dumb Money , you better bring something new or innovative to the table. Not only does director Craig Gillespie not do that, but he focuses on the most surface level aspects of the events that unfolded. However, the biggest sin is in how seriously the subject matter is handled. The movement that brought us "stonks," "gay bears," and "tendies" shies away from its absurdity (save for some memes and TikToks flashed on screen), while Pete Davidson provides the only real comic relief. This one could’ve been fun, but instead it’s kind of forgettable. 27. FINGERNAILS Not every story about love needs to be a love story, and that’s something Fingernails director Christos Nikou looks to explore. The notion of sacrificing one’s fingernail just to learn if one’s love is true is a great commentary on our need for reassurance and reliance on “the one.” Unfortunately, Nikou focuses on this with everyone except Anna (Jessie Buckley) and Ryan (Jeremy Allen White), the film’s lead relationship. The focus on these two is lacklustre, and you’re never really given a chance to invest in them, which dampens the introduction of Amir (Riz Ahmed), and in turn, his entire storyline. 26. NEXT GOAL WINS As someone who loves Jojo Rabbit (also directed by Taika Waititi) and also played soccer for 20+ years, it felt like Next Goal Wins was made for me to love it. Turns out, this wasn’t the case. The childlike humour mostly misses the mark, and Waititi’s treatment of the transgendered Jaiyah Saelua (Kaimana) is mishandled. On top of that, this is a sports film that failed the main objective of the genre: get me invested in the team. I just couldn’t get myself to care. Admittedly, the bar is higher coming from Waititi - it’s not a complete lost cause - but this can only be seen as a disappointment. 25. HATE TO LOVE: NICKELBACK Hate to Love: Nickelback is promoted as a study on how the group became the most hated band in the world and the effect that has had on its members. In actuality, that’s really only a segment of this documentary. It’s more the story of the band overall: their origins, the moment they hit it big, the lows (both personally and professionally), and where they are now. That said, it is very well shot, and as far as music documentaries go, it does its job. I just wish they dissected the fan reaction with more depth. 24. THE DEAD DON’T HURT With his sophomore directorial effort, Viggo Mortensen shows a lot of growth in the way he crafts a film, particularly in how he takes full advantage of the landscapes the film inhabits to create a beautiful western. Where the issues start is in telling the story through a non-linear timeline, a decision that makes things unnecessarily confusing without benefiting the film. It’s also a little sleepy, as it’s not very event filled. At times, it feels like you’re in between missions while playing Red Dead Redemption . The Dead Don’t Hurt is certainly an improvement for Mortensen in the director’s chair, but there’s still some ways to go. 23. SEAGRASS Seagrass is a grounded story. One of marital strife, racial differences growing up, and knowing who you are both personally and culturally. It’s told against the backdrop of the Pacific Coast, which enhances the film’s beauty (though director Meredith Hama-Brown’s reliance on extended scenic shots can feel a little laborious), and it features deliberate performances from its leads, Alli Maki and Luke Roberts. Although it may not always be the most interesting thing, Hama-Brown opts for honest performances over big emotional outbursts, which makes the cast’s heightened emotions feel more powerful, including a hell of a closing shot. 22. MEMORY I don’t want to take anything away from Memory. It’s a well-crafted film that features some heartfelt performances from Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard. It just doesn’t feel… special. There are times when director Michel Franco presents a devastating idea, but then be seemingly gun-shy of tackling it. There’s a few of these missed opportunities in the film, so what we’re left with is a well-acted story that doesn’t feel wholly unique. The great performances of Chastain and Sarsgaard do almost all the heavy lifting, which is necessary because this story would certainly be lacking without them. 21. STRANGE WAY OF LIFE At only 31 minutes, Strange Way of Life feels like the prologue to a longer story. Both Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal provide instantly interesting characters, but they’re never given the chance at deep exploration. Their passion is often relegated to longing looks and helpless pleas that feel like they’re bubbling towards the climax of a full-length feature film that never comes. Although the story may fall short, Pedro Almodóvar’s direction suits the Western genre wonderfully, and he handles this queer love story with care. Considering the cast and scope, I understand why this was made as a short film, but it’s an incomplete tale. 20. REPTILE Reptile is at its strongest when focused on Benicio Del Toro’s Tom Nichols. Whether he’s being a hard-nosed cop or embracing his inner shopaholic, he commands the screen. Where the film falters, however, is in some of the more unnecessary directorial choices (extreme close-ups, jarringly loud effects) and its slow build. This could have worked if the story was supplying something new, but that’s not the case. You’ll find the same clichés that you find in every other cop drama throughout its relatively generic script. Luckily, Del Toro is able to elevate the words on the page to push things to above average. 19. THE END WE START FROM The End We Start From has a lot to say about climate change, survival, and motherhood, and it gives a view into the world our children may be inheriting if we don’t smarten up. However, it moves quite slowly. Jodie Comer gives a solid performance as a young mother with a newborn trying to navigate this borderline apocalyptic world, and it’s nice to see Joel Fry in a non-comedic role; I just wish more happened. First time director Mahalia Belo does, however, show some promise behind the camera thanks to some deliberate directorial decision-making. 18. THE ROYAL HOTEL The Royal Hotel succeeds mainly due to its commentary on toxic masculinity and predatory culture. This is enhanced by the way director Kitty Green contrasts the present and assumed fears women deal with in male-dominated environments with the consequences (or lack thereof) many men face for their actions. Green particularly excels in showing the varying “levels of evil” of the men Julia Garner's Hanna and Jessica Henwick's Liv cross paths with on their journey. The Royal Hotel may not be the most exhilarating film, but it has a lot to say which deserves to be heard. 17. FAIR PLAY At the start, Fair Play is an erotic thriller that is neither erotic nor thrilling. As it goes through the motions in its early going, I settled in for what I assumed would be a standard workplace-relationship power struggle, akin to a spur-of-the-moment Blockbuster rental. Then, everything changes. The story evolves into something with more teeth, and the highly praised Alden Ehrenreich performance I’d heard about kicks into gear. I wish it had gotten there sooner, but Fair Play pays off with heaps of tension and great lead showings, particularly from the underrated Ehrenreich. 16. SLY Much like Netflix’s Arnold earlier this year, Sly plays it too safe. Its strength is in discussing everything that went into the Rocky franchise from the mouth of Sylvester Stallone himself, and it’s evident how much thought and care has been put into the iconic character. Beyond that, it’s a little unremarkable. It zooms past his non-franchise film career, and it never dives into his hardships with any depth. I understand that Stallone tries to maintain a level of optimism and was likely very hands-on with this project, but I don’t feel like I know the man any more than I did going in. 15. WICKED LITTLE LETTERS Wicked Little Letters is one cheeky little fucker of a film. The surprisingly funny and crass affair is headlined by the devilishly good Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley at their most raunchy. Colman, in particular, shines, with even just her facial expressions bringing on the laughter. The mystery may show its cards a little early in the film, but that can be forgiven as the “who” never feels like the point. Instead, just go for the ride of this sure-to-be crowd-pleaser. I’m not saying you need to see Wicked Little Letters , but some may think you’re a bloody wanker if you don’t. 14. HEY, VIKTOR! Instead of working as a full The Office -style mockumentary (which is a little played out), Hey, Viktor! thankfully sprinkles in the testimonial interviews. This both helps the film overall and enhances the mockumentary moments. Also, it’s really funny. The concept is dumb: a bit player from the 1998 cult classic Smoke Signals attempts to make a modern-day sequel revolving around his character, but it has charm and many quality jokes. It’s also a deserved spotlight on both indigenous film and indigenous actors, especially Cody Lightning, who shows solid comedic ability. Hopefully, this leads to future roles for him. 13. GONZO GIRL Patricia Arquette’s directorial debut feels like Almost Famous by way of Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood . This drug-fueled barrage examines a Hunter S. Thompson-type (played masterfully by Willem Dafoe) in his later life through the eyes of his assistant (Camila Morrone, who more than holds her own). It’s a two-pronged character study that’s one part comedy, one part drama, and one part tragedy, succeeding at all three. Gonzo Girl is a great example of how quality filmmaking can still be done on a small budget, and it’s a very promising first foray behind the lens for Arquette. 12. HUMANIST VAMPIRE SEEKING CONSENTING SUICIDAL PERSON Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person is a new take on a vampire subgenre that is difficult to tackle. This independent feature out of Québec has the gothic whimsy of The Addams Family , plus a ton of heart behind its premise. Sara Montpetit as Sasha gives an engaging performance, particularly excelling in her expression work, maintaining engagement without dialogue. Together, her and Félix-Antoine Bénard (Paul) make for an entertainingly quirky duo. This may not be on a lot of people’s radars, but hopefully, once some good word-of-mouth comes out from the festival circuit, it will rightly be seen by more. 11. DREAM SCENARIO Whatever you want to call this phase of Nicolas Cage’s career, it is by far the most interesting. With films like Mandy , Pig , The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent , and Renfield , he's been running the genre gamut. His latest, Dream Scenario , is a surreal comedy where everyone constantly dreams about Cage's Paul Matthews. As the phenomenon goes on, Cage is able to carry both the humour and horror elements, but the gag can become a little repetitive. As much as I enjoyed the film, there’s been a nagging “what if?” for alternate directions to take things, a thought that haunts me whenever I close my eyes. 10. RUSTIN Honestly, there’s nothing overly unique about Rustin , save for the performance of Colman Domingo. But Domingo is excellent as he brings a sense of optimism and humanity to Bayard Rustin, a man I admittedly didn’t know much about. Unlike prior civil rights films, this one doesn’t focus on the turmoil. Rustin was a pacifist, so it was only fitting to give him a film with such a positive gaze on the events. There are a couple cliché moments, and some of the casting is a little suspect (Chris Rock feels out of place), but Rustin succeeds in bringing eyes to the story of this influential man. 9. WOMAN OF THE HOUR There’s a lot that works great about Woman of the Hour . Much like Patricia Arquette’s directorial debut, Gonzo Girl , Anna Kendrick shows great sensibilities behind the camera as she covers renown murderer Rodney Alcala’s appearance on The Dating Game , but with the focus placed on his victims. The only hiccup is the performance of Daniel Zovatto as Alcala. Not only is he lacking the necessary charm, but he fails to feel truly menacing in the tense moments. Don’t get me wrong, this is still a very solid feature, but I would have liked to see where someone else would have taken things with the role. 8. THE BURIAL I’ve always been a sucker for a courtroom dramedy, so The Burial certainly had my interest. Plus, after Jamie Foxx’s resurgent turn in They Cloned Tyrone , I was curious to see if he was back -back. Oh, he’s BACK. Foxx is electrifying every second he’s on screen, which is only enhanced by the quiet demeanor of Tommy Lee Jones. Together, the pair had me fully invested in their case as it went through ups and downs. Yes, it’s a little formulaic, but that’s forgivable when bolstered by good performances and solid storytelling, which is exactly what The Burial supplies. 7. RIDDLE OF FIRE Shot on gorgeous 35mm film, Riddle of Fire has a vintage look to it that really enhances the picture. A modern day fairy-tale, this is an exploration of a child’s imagination and that time in our lives where anything could become an adventure. The humour is on point – Skyler Peters (Jodie), in particular, embraces his Kids Say the Darndest Things vibe – and it’s easy to get swept into the children’s mischievous ways. Riddle of Fire is bound to fly under the radar, but it makes for a fun watch and harkens back to 80s films like The NeverEnding Story . It’s just a good time. 6. FLORA AND SON Headlined by the underrated Eve Hewson, Flora and Son mixes a dysfunctional family drama with a modern-day love story. Hewson's Flora works well with all characters, but none as strongly as Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Jeff. This is thanks to director John Carney coming up with creative ways to make sure we aren’t just staring at a laptop screen for half the runtime, as well as the perfect casting of Gordon-Levitt. It’s just such a pleasant surprise, and as unlikely as it may be, I’d genuinely be interested in seeing the continuation of this story. 5. SEVEN VEILS As a last-minute addition to my TIFF schedule this year, I was not expecting Seven Veils to floor me like it did. The way director Atom Egoyan explores trauma by using parallels between life and the remounting of Salome is sensational, and it’s all held together by a fantastic performance from Amanda Seyfried. Egoyan takes you through the inner workings of the opera, with a focus on everything from the cast to the props designer, and manages to make it all gripping in what must be viewed as his career highlight. A true triumph across the board. 4. HIT MAN Who knew director Richard Linklater could be so sexy? What he’s crafted with Hit Man is an edgy rom-com that features dynamite chemistry between stars Glen Powell and Adria Arjona, both of whom made every one of their scenes together bubble with an underlying eroticism. The performance of Powell, in particular, impresses as the role requires some serious range. If there was any question after Top Gun: Maverick and Devotion as to whether Powell could be a star, that’s silenced here instantly. This is Linklater at the top of his game, presenting something that will not only appeal to his fanbase, but reach beyond that. 3. SING SING Colman Domingo's transition from television to the big screen is happening at a rapid pace, and it feels like he’s only going to get bigger thanks to his dynamic lead performance in Sing Sing (as well as Rustin ). This is a heartwarming story that truly surprised me. I’m notably stingy on non-actors getting feature roles, but that doesn’t apply here because these real-life graduates from the RTA program ARE actors, as their real-world performances show. Though it’s set in a prison, Sing Sing doesn’t need to rely on violence to work. Instead, it’s a beautiful story of brotherhood and camaraderie amongst common men. 2. MR. DRESSUP: THE MAGIC OF MAKE-BELIEVE As with many Canadians, I grew up watching Mr. Dressup . He was our Mister Rogers, which is fitting as he began as Fred Rogers’ protégé. That is one of many things I learned about Ernie Coombs in this documentary. Told through numerous interviews with a Canadian Who’s Who, this walk down memory lane features the highs and lows of Coombs’s life, as well as exploring a little children’s show that became a juggernaut by amassing 4000 episodes. This terrific documentary makes for the perfect companion piece to Won’t You Be My Neighbor? , a spotlight put on another man who helped shape many generations. Have tissues nearby. 1. AMERICAN FICTION Talk about making your debut with an exclamation point! American Fiction is a brilliantly written satire about the way the Black experience is viewed and desired in mainstream (read: white) media. Writer/director Cord Jefferson has crafted a smart and hilarious film around Jeffrey Wright, who instantly makes you question why he doesn’t lead more projects. Jefferson said one of his goals with this film was to amplify underused actors, and he takes full advantage of the likes of Sterling K. Brown, Erika Alexander, and the rest of this talented supporting cast. I can’t wait for others to get to see this one. Photo Credits: Toronto International Film Festival

Previous June 10, 2025 Next A BITESIZE CHAT WITH SEAN LEGACY Sean Legacy is quickly rising up the ranks of professional wrestling, be it the WWE ID program, WWE Evolve , or most recently, WWE NXT . Quentin is here to chat with him about his journey and what comes next for this soon-to-be WWE Superstar. Make sure to check out Sean on WWE Evolve and WWE NXT . Interview conducted on June 5th, 2025 by Quentin Lester.

GODFATHER OF HARLEM: SEASON FOUR Starring: Forest Whitaker, Ilfenesh Hadera, Lucy Fry, Antoinette Crowe-Legacy, Erik LaRay Harvey, Elvis Nolasco, Michael Raymond-James, Rome Flynn, Michael Benjamin Washington, and Devin Kessler Creators: Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein QUENTIN In its fourth season, something about Godfather of Harlem feels like the passion is gone. At this point, we’re getting repetitive storylines about Bumpy (Forest Whitaker) trying to rebuild Harlem for the black community, his battle with the Italians, the drug game, racial tensions, and Stella (Lucy Fry) trying to assert herself with the Five Families. Also, Whitaker seems to be over playing this character, emanating a palpable lack of interest with his performance. The additions of historical figures like Frank Lucas (Rome Flynn), James Baldwin (Michael Benjamin Washington), and Afeni Shakur (Devin Kessler) add some new blood, but it might be too little too late. Check out our reviews for Season Three HERE .

SUPACELL: SEASON ONE Starring: Tosin Cole, Adelayo Adedayo, Nadine Mills, Eric Kofi Abrefa, Calvin Demba, Josh Tedeku, Rayxia Ojo, Ghetts, and Eddie Marsan Creator: Rapman QUENTIN Nowadays, it’s really hard to do something truly fresh and exciting with the superhero genre, especially with completely new characters not based on known IP. However, even if Supacell never feels completely original, being reminiscent of Heroes , Attack the Block , The Umbrella Academy , and (British) Boyz n the Hood , it adds enough interesting wrinkles to the overplayed genre to stand on its own. I do wish the pacing had been a bit better because it’s a tad slow to get going, but now that the strong character work and world-building are out of the way, I’m fairly stoked to see where Season Two goes.

Previous Next August 11, 2023 WRITTEN BY: QUENTIN While I would love to attend Fantasia International Film Festival in person one day, the fact of the matter is that it just isn’t logistically easy or cheap to get to Montreal from Germany. So, for the fourth year in a row, I was forced to experience this great festival remotely. On one hand, it’s much easier to watch these movies from the comfort of my couch, usually sans pants, maybe with a beer in hand. On the other hand, not all festival offerings are available as a remote screener, which means I was unable to view a few titles I was really excited for, including Talk to Me and Late Night with the Devil . Plus, nothing beats the theatrical experience, especially at a film festival. That said, I still got to watch 19 movies, ranging from documentary to horror to absurdist comedy, so I don’t have much to complain about. As you know, we only post reviews when two or more writers have had their say, but with festivals, there is often a lack of overlap amongst the writers. We call those single review outliers “Solo Shots.” Below, you’ll read about several great movies that only I saw at this year’s festival; however, the movies that were seen by some combination of Quentin, Nick, and/or Paige can be found in the Film Reviews section of our site. As always, covering Fantasia was an absolute delight, and I look forward to the opportunity to do it again next year and beyond. Until then, enjoy Quentin’s Solo Shots from the 2023 Fantasia International Film Festival! DEVILS Starring: Dae-hwan Oh, Dong-Yoon Jang, and Jae-ho Jang Director: Kim Jae-Hoon For my money, when I start looking at what non-English-speaking countries are doing in terms of content, no one comes close to South Korea in terms of consistency. Devils is the latest film to validate that opinion. This dark and twisty serial killer movie has several obvious comparatives, including Face/Off and Freaky , but despite the somewhat familiar body-swap plot, I was roped in from the start. Even through the subtitles, Dae-hwan Oh and Dong-Yoon Jang give terrific performances, and the level of suspense and tension created is palpable. I know subtitled movies aren’t for everyone, including me oftentimes, but this is one to check out. HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS Starring: Olivia Graves, Doug Mancheski, Luis Rico, Wes Tank, and Ryland Brickson Cole Tews Director: Mike Cheslick Hundreds of Beavers succeeds at everything it sets out to do in creating a live-action cartoon. The gags come a mile-a-minute, and the silent movie slapstick approach will certainly elicit some giggles. It genuinely feels like Charlie Chaplin meets Wile E. Coyote. The thing is… there is a reason that most of Chaplin’s “The Tramp” movies and classic Looney Tunes cartoons were rarely longer than maybe 10 minutes. There is little story, and once you’ve acclimated to the dialogue-free vibe, it’s diminishing returns. Beavers ‘ runtime is 108 long minutes. It gets tiresome quickly. However, if broken down into multiple shorts, there is little to complain about. THE PRIMEVALS Starring: Richard Joseph Paul, Juliet Mills, Leon Russom, Walker Brandt, Tai Thai, Robert Cornthwaite, and Kevin Mangold Director: David Allen The behind-the-scenes story of The Primevals is kind of incredible. Pre-production started in the 1960s, and a series of financial issues and, eventually, the death of its writer/director in 1999(!) made for a slow, winding journey. With that in mind, it makes perfect sense that it feels like a stop-motion tribute to King Kong (1933) and Land of the Lost (1974). All things considered, it works! Sure, it’s cheesy and it approaches so-bad-it’s-good territory, but for what it is and what it took to get here, I can’t be too hard on this future cult classic. Plus, Rondo Montana (Leon Russom) is an all-timer character name. TOUCH KINK Director: Todd Max Carey As a documentary, I suppose tOuch Kink does what it sets out to do by informing viewers about the world of BDSM and those who live the lifestyle while also dispelling some commonly held misconceptions. However, for a topic that has some inherent (sexy) fun baked in, this is a fairly tame affair. Sadly, none of the people interviewed are all that interesting, nor do they come off in a way that says they feel comfortable in front of a camera. Also, the piano-driven score is super cheesy. All in all, tOuch Kink carries the vibe of a workplace training video rather than feature documentary. MAD FATE Starring: Ka Tung Lam, Lok Man Yeung, Charm Man Chan, Ting Yip Ng, and Wing-Sze Ng Director: Soi Cheang Mad Fate boasts excellent cinematography and a layered story that I wanted to be engaged in, functioning as part murder mystery and part examination of fate. However, and I admit that it could have been the subtitles, but this film struggled to hold my interest. This could 100% be a Q problem, but it’s a lot of mystic horoscope-driven dialogue, so because I had to read so much, it really took me out of the film’s vibe. That said, all the parts are there for something potentially great. I’d certainly be interested in an English-language remake, and this has David Fincher written all over it. FEMME Starring: Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and George MacKay Directors: Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping Although it doesn’t play out quite like I expected, particularly with its abrupt and somewhat unsatisfying ending, Femme is a taut little thriller that boasts tremendous performances from Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, who won Fantasia’s Outstanding Performance Award this year, and George MacKay. The direction and screenplay aren’t bad either (Sam H. Freeman & Ng Choon Ping won Best Director too), showing two characters as they walk the tightrope between violence and lust in a story that explores queer power dynamics and code-switching with unflinching nuance. I just wish the ending had a little more oomph to it because it really drags my rating down. SHIN KAMEN RIDER Starring: Tasuku Emoto, Minami Hamabe, and Sôsuke Ikematsu Director: Hideaki Anno While I’ve been notionally aware of Japanese tokusatsu, I’ve never experienced it in feature length movie form. And although Shin Kamen Rider certainly captures the vibe of the genre, it doesn’t work for me because I don’t have nostalgia for it. Rider is purposely campy, coming off as a mix between 1990s Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and live-action Marvel shows from the 70s. But imagine showing someone Power Rangers now, in 2023, for the first time. It won’t hold up. That’s the problem with Rider ; without a baked-in familiarity and love for the source material, it’s tough to get on board with this level of cheese. #MANHOLE Starring: Yûto Nakajima, Nao, and Kento Nagayama Director: Kazuyoshi Kumakiri If you’re a fan of movies like Buried , which is to say single-location thrillers, #Manhole is for you. The tension built by the mystery of where exactly Shunsuke (Yûto Nakajima) is and how he may have ended up there is only trumped by the escalating madness that unfolds as the story moves along. I will say, given that the film hinges on Shunsuke reading texts and social media (hence the hashtag in the title), which were subtitled to English for me, it’s hard to know if I missed any additional nuance, but for the dark story given to me, I couldn’t have asked for much more. Photo Credits: Fantasia International Film Festival

Previous Next February 26, 2025

Previous January 13, 2025 Next A BITESIZE CHAT WITH BRADY CORBET There is a genuine argument to be made that there wasn't a single premiere more buzzed about this festival season than Brady Corbet's The Brutalist . The three-and-a-half-hour epic chronicles the life of an immigrant architect named László Tóth, played by a never-better Adrien Brody. Corbet used VistaVision technology to bring his vision to life, and the results are extraordinary, with the film recently winning Best Motion Picture – Drama and Corbet winning Best Director at the Golden Globes (not to mention Brody winning Best Actor – Drama). The film is currently projected to perform similarly at the Oscars this year. BB: Thanks for taking the time to speak with us today. It is extraordinary how many different themes, metaphors, thoughts, and ideas are present in this film. Deciding you're going to do four hours is tough enough as a filmmaker right now, but to put such depth and complexity into a story is, I imagine, a massive challenge. Was there an organizing principle…for you as you were writing it to create the story so that you could layer that in, [and] how did that happen for you? BC:  I think that the film is primarily about post-traumatic stress and the way that post-war architecture and post-war psychology are intrinsically linked. I always start a project with themes as opposed to starting with characters. And for me, each character is emblematic of something, of an idea, and is a mouthpiece for that idea. I think that my wife and I write intuitively, we usually have spoken about a project for at least a year, if not two years, before sitting down to execute a draft, so we know it very well. Before we put pen to paper, I'm constantly thinking about the defining events of an epoch. BC: All of my films are virtual histories. They're concerned primarily with American culpability. My first film, The Childhood of a Leader , is about how Woodrow Wilson and his team inadvertently paved the way for fascist uprising with their participation in the Paris Peace Conference and the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. Of course, Vox Lux is a film that is about 9/11 and Columbine being the sort of jumping-off point for the new millennium. The last 25 years have really been defined by those two events. And then this is a film about the post-war generation, which is a period of time that conservatives in the U.S. really romanticize. This 1950s Americana when, of course, everyone was processing the events of the 1940s that almost everyone in the world was affected by one way or another. I think that I struggle a lot with biographies, I certainly struggle with most biopics, because they often represent history as being something linear. It's a series of dates and figures. It's cause and effect. Whereas I think I'm more interested in a sort of ambient tyranny -- what is in the air, what's in the water, what's in the atmosphere -- that is all contributing to these defining historical events and happenings. BB: Knowing that the film has been in development for so many years, since 2020, has anything actually changed, or is the final product that we ended up seeing the actual film that you envisioned so many years ago? BC:  Yeah, it's exactly the same. There's not a single scene that didn't end up in the film. There's not even a shot that didn't end up in the film. We were working on such a tight schedule that we had to use everything that we had because we really didn't have enough. So we had to find ways of… even in montages and stuff, I'm flipping shots, I'm flopping them, I'm reusing them, I'm reframing them… just because we didn't have that much raw material. BC: I think that there are about three sentences from the monologue at the Christmas party that were omitted. It was just for a pacing reason, something felt off about keeping them. And other than that, the film is really the screenplay just executed. I mean, the screenplay’s now available online and you can see that there's a way that they're formatted, where it says ultra-wide on this, long lens on that. When you read them, you have a sense of where the camera is in relation to the subject. And I think that's very helpful. It was very helpful for my production designer because what we had to do is, we could never really afford to design sets that we could shoot 360°, so we would sort of have to choose between “we're going to do the floor” or “we're going to do the ceiling,” but we couldn't afford to do both. BC: The screenplay sort of allowed for us to operate that way because everyone had a sense of the sort of frame that they were working within. And then we also prepped on the ground together for about 11 weeks. Which, for me, was actually quite a long pre-production. I'm accustomed to having more like five or six weeks before starting a film. So that was actually the one thing that our extraordinary producer on the ground in Hungary, Viktória Petrányi… she was, like, “You know, we can do the movie in 30-something days.” We ended up with 33, but it was sort of in flux for a while. But she was like, “we need the prep, we can't rush the prep.” So she really protected that and found sort of clever ways of making that work with our very kind of modest means. BC: I think that in a way, those limitations forge a very unique cinematic form. It gives it something as well. Maybe that's like looking at the glass half full, but I do think that something comes from not being able to do just anything. Because when you can do anything, somehow it frequently just turns into nothing. If we look at a movie like Metropolis or something, for example, it’s there, just so many clever solutions. And I felt like, you know, if we could do it a hundred years ago, we sure as hell should be able to do it now. Because it's mostly practical effects. We built massive models and the building was achieved through a few different methods but now we have visual effects that can digitally extend something if you combine it with something real. BC: The problem is that too many people nowadays use visual effects in a way where they create something from nothing. And that tends to look quite bad. So what we did is, we built a massive facade of the building and it was real concrete, real scale. And then it was just digitally extended. So when you have the real scale, you have real light, real shadow, real minerality from the concrete, then it just becomes about duplicating the pattern. And that's something that obviously people couldn't do back when F.W. Murnau was making movies. So for me, it feels like we should be able to do almost anything at this point. BB: In the film's first act, when László is asked why he chose architecture as his trade, he replies, “is there a better description of a cube than its own construction?” Do you feel that same statement encapsulates your approach to The Brutalist ? How do you feel the film's construction, using the outdated 70-millimetre format with the classical presentation and the overture intermission, informed the film's meditation on the American myth-making of the American dream? BC:  Absolutely. I think that the sentiment that there's no better description of a cube than that of its own construction… I, of course, feel the same way about the film because if you could tell a film, then why make a film? It's hard to even qualify what drives me . When I think about why I do what I do, I really don't know. I really don't know. It comes from a place of obsession. It comes from a place of real stubbornness. You know, I never start something that I don't finish. That's of course a blessing and a curse. BC: It can be extremely productive, but it's not a very easy way to be. I'm probably not a very easy person to live with. My wife and daughter are very patient. And I think that in the Venn diagram, I think that there's a lot of overlap between architecture, building a building, and making a movie. It is something I can relate to, and that my wife that wrote the film with me, Mona [Fastvold], she absolutely relates to as well. BB:  What drew you to tackling the idea of this broken promise of the American dream and the immigrant experience specifically through the eyes of an architect or an artist? BC:  Well, I think the characters were mostly written to their circumstance. It was predominantly Central and Eastern European Jews that were at the Bauhaus. So for me, the characters were always from that part of the world because it's a film that chronicles the life of a Bauhaus architect. For me, the artistic experience and the immigrant experience have a lot in common because an immigrant is fighting for their right to exist, and an artist is fighting for the right for their project to exist. BC: We were looking a lot at the life of Marcel Broyer, Paul Rudolph, Mies van der Rohe, Vláclav Moholy Neuge, you name it. And the character is sort of an amalgamation of all of these real-life characters. They all had something in common. With maybe the exception of Paul Rudolph, they were all coming from Europe. And it was such a big deal. The radical style of architecture in the era that gave us I Love Lucy , you know, and so I sort of just had this vision of that 1950s aesthetic being interrupted by these designs that they must have looked like a spaceship at the time when Breuer was doing St. John's Abbey or something like that. It was written long enough ago at this point that it's hard for me to pinpoint what drove each of our decisions and choices, but we always start with real life. And then once you start writing, it becomes fiction. BB:  There's a lot of sexual content in the film, especially compared to other mainstream American films that are generally sexless right now. Was it important for you to include that? And has there been any pushback to remove it or condense it since the festival run? BC:  Yeah. I mean, the film was finally rated R, but I think it was kind of on the bubble for an NC-17. I just think it's preposterous. This puritanism, I don't know where it comes from. It's 2024, for Christ's sake. I find it odd to condemn the human body. You walk around a museum and everyone's fucking in every single painting. I just think there are a few things that are very important for this film in particular, which is that this movie is about a character that is trying to reclaim his body of work and about him reclaiming his body. We understand in the first 10 minutes that [László’s] impotent following the war, and that even when he and his wife reconnect, it takes them a long time to physically reconnect. Which after 10 years, of course, it's like touching a stranger. You don't know how to interface anymore. BC: It was very important to me to portray a survivor, two survivors, that are trying to reclaim their bodies for themselves again. Because they've been used and abused for over a decade at that point in the story. So yeah, I don't know. My wife is Norwegian and my in-laws are, like, always skinny dipping and stuff at the holidays. I don't think anything of it. It didn't even occur to me that this film might get an NC-17. And I'm very glad that finally it didn't because I never would have changed anything anyway. I don't give a fuck. BB:  Nor should you. During this press tour, you've made many references to how challenging it was to bring The Brutalist , and many films in general, to the big screen. How do you feel about that complicated relationship that an artist has with themselves, their vision, and maybe the commercial nature of the business? And how do you think that relationship informs your storytelling? BC:  I think this film happens to be about exactly that. I remember when we finished the screenplay with this line from Zsófia as an adult (Ariane Labed) saying, “in fact, it is the destination, not the journey.” It dawned on us back in 2017 or whenever it was when we first started this project that it would probably be a long road. It was longer than we expected, mostly because of COVID and the shutdowns, because we were originally meant to shoot the film in Poland. The very day that my crew was supposed to arrive in Poland to start pre-production, Poland shut their borders. And then the tax credit for a period of time became unstable a year later because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. And so we had to pivot and shoot the film in Hungary. Part of the reason that I decided on Hungary was that I had shot my first film there, and I had scouted the country, and I kind of knew what was available, so I was able to scout virtually in Hungary because it was still a tricky time for travelling in 2021 because of COVID. I knew it was the only place that I felt I knew well enough to plan remotely, which is what we did. And then finally, we arrived at the top of 2022 and shot the film in March. Then I was in post-production for two years, primarily because of the length of the picture. BC: Also, for financial reasons, we were continuing to raise money throughout the entire process because we actually started the film with a budget of closer to $8 million. And it really didn't fit inside of that box. $10 million was really the minimum and the maximum that the market would allow it to be made for. The good thing is that there's a budgetary restriction. That mostly just affected our quality of life while we were making the film, so I believe it would have been the same film if we had an additional $1.5 or $2 million. I really do. But we wouldn't have had to work seven days a week. We wouldn't have had to work 20-hour days. There was literally one day in the mix that was like 23 hours long. It's because we could only afford the studio for X amount of days. And when we got to the last day, we just weren't finished yet. We were moving very quickly, but we just weren't finished. BC: What's very tricky is that filmmakers are frequently exploited because filmmakers are treated, not as if they're someone doing a job, but that it's a privilege to be able to make your film. So frequently, the powers that be sort of lean on the filmmaker who are so desperate to get their project off the ground that they're willing to do it for free, which becomes increasingly difficult as you get older. I've got a 10-year-old daughter and we live pretty modestly. But as we get older, of course, life is becoming more and more expensive, not less. Every single filmmaker I know is grappling with this. You'd be surprised how many people are currently campaigning their movie for Best Picture right now that can't pay their rent. BC: It's ultimately not acceptable. I mean, I've done three movies this way. And when I make the next one, I just need to be able to pay my rent while I'm working on the project because a lot of distributors and exhibitors and producers and studios benefit because of the filmmaker's work. Not always, but frequently. So, I think that the magic number for this movie would’ve been $12 million, but I wouldn't have wanted more because with more money would have come more voices. More checks. More people, you know, more cooks in the kitchen. And for me, when I pick up a novel, I don't want to read a book that was written by 24 people. I certainly don't want to read a book that was written by 24 executives at a streaming [service]. I think that a singular vision, a singular point of view, matters. And it's something that we should encourage and foster, culturally. Audiences actually do speak up. It seems to happen a lot in the world of these superhero films where people hear about a director's cut and start beating on a drum about it. But in fact, everyone should be beating on a drum for the director's cut of absolutely every film because even if a film is imperfect, there's a consistency and continuity of vision. It will always make for a better film. Otherwise, it ends up looking something like an exquisite corpse. BB:  And when you talk about the time constraints, the budget constraints, the scheduling, all of this stuff. It's no secret that The Brutalist took many, many years to come to fruition. Now, it’s being regarded as a massive American epic masterpiece and something that we just haven't seen the likes of in a very, very long time. When you sit with this movie, being made, getting released, and hitting IMAX in a few weeks nationwide. Is there a particular scene that you look back on in fondness and think, you know, “Wow, that's really cool that that made it from my mind, to the paper, to the screen”? BC:  Oh, yeah. Honestly, I'm just so grateful to my team on the movie. Even as recently as last summer, I had just started to run out of gas because I'd been working so relentlessly for so many years in a row and really without a break. We'd run out of money, and I was like, “You know what? it's fine. We'll do a 35-millimetre print and maybe eventually down the line, let's just save and enter negative so that we can make a 70-millimetre print, which is the only way to appreciate the full resolution of VistaVision,” My producing partner, Andrew Morrison, said, “um, absolutely not. We're going to do it. We're going to figure it out.” And he went out and he raised more money. BC: You know, when Ingmar Bergman was directing Fanny and Alexander - the iconic funeral sequence in the film, the beautiful winter sequence - Ingmar Bergman got sick. And his crew had been working with him for such a long time that they continued on shooting without him. And it's funny because it's very much a Bergmanian sequence. But they'd worked together for so many years that when he was struggling, his team got him through to the finish line. And so, my composer [Daniel Blumberg] who we made this film with… I mean, it's 110 minutes of original music, and he made it truly on a shoestring budget. Or my production designer, Judy Becker, who really managed to do so much with next to nothing. I’m just so grateful. I'm very proud. I'm very proud of all our films that we've done together. Every movie is a miracle. Even a bad movie is kind of a miracle that it gets made. But with this, we certainly fought the good fight for many years, so I'm just really touched that they are all being recognized because that doesn't always happen that every member of the team sort of gets their due. For the most part, on this one, everyone's been acknowledged. BB: Well thank you for taking the time and I wish you and your team all the best of luck in the award season, I hope to see you guys up on the stage in March. BC:  Appreciate it. Thank you. Well, we've already made it this far and just being a part of the conversation, in all seriousness, that's actually what matters. More than anything, because just being in the conversation has a real impact on the film's box office. And if the film performs okay, then it means that more movies like this get made. Make sure to check out The Brutalist now in theatres. Interview conducted on December 17th, 2024 by Adriano Caporusso.

THE BEAR: SEASON TWO Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Lionel Boyce, Liza Colón-Zayas, Abby Elliott, Matty Matheson, Edwin Lee Gibson, Corey Hendrix, and Oliver Platt Creator: Christopher Storer QUENTIN In culinary terms, if Season One of The Bear was an unexpected amuse-bouche, Season Two is the signature entrée on which a restaurant makes its name. From the terrific performances to the rich storytelling to the kinetic direction, this season elevates everything that made last season so engrossing by expanding outside of The Original Beef of Chicagoland to show the characters learning to be better chefs, and more importantly, better people. Each character gets an episode to shine, none more than Cousin Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and the string of A-list guest stars give award-worthy supporting turns with zero ego. It’s the best show on television. AMARÚ The Bear’ s first season was beautifully chaotic. The second season saw that, took a deep breath, held it a bit, and evolved into something chaotically beautiful. Slowing down the anxiety-ridden mayhem by half a second this season allows for greater depth of character and more beautifully written episodes. Plus, the longer season gives the actors time to live in their roles more authentically, while the direction and score feel specifically crafted to hone in on the show’s intensity. This season is a step up in every category, giving extra care to every detail to make it as meticulously crafted as the plates the chefs create. JACOB As The Bear expands beyond the kitchen, it runs the risk of exposing weaknesses in the writing beyond the restaurant stress, yet it never loses a step. In fact, it gains a few. With a gangbuster lineup of guest stars and cameos, plus fantastic character work on the part of Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Ayo Edebiri, Season Two is an exceptionally calibrated mayhem of flavorful story melodies. Each episode is somehow more emotionally poignant and chaotic than the last (the Christmas episode in particular is an all-timer), and this is still the best pure Chicago story being told right now. Hats off! PAIGE Season Two of The Bear isn’t afraid to get messy in the kitchen, and that’s what makes it stand out from the pack. This fast-paced restaurant dramedy continues to grant its actors the opportunity to deliver top notch performances through its writing, especially Ebon Moss-Bachrach, the true stand out this season. But the way all these characters continue to develop and grow is exceptional. There is no sophomore slump here because Season Two serves us such a mesmerizing series of goods and chaos. I need another serving ASAP because I’m already hungry for Season Three!

Previous Next March 12, 2025 WRITTEN BY: KATIE Last year, when watching The Substance for the first time, I got to thinking about the plethora of influences that impact filmmakers nowadays because Coralie Fargeat’s incredible film is littered with references and stylistic homages. To name just a few, these include the interiors of the Overlook Hotel in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining , shots that mirror David Lynch’s Lost Highway and David Cronenberg’s body horror classic Videodrome , scenes that draw upon Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo , and the bloody climax that reminded me of Brian De Palma’s Carrie . A French director, Fargeat’s love of American films is also evident in her debut feature, Revenge (one of my favourite films ever), and she has commented that she was directly influenced by iconic action films like Kill Bill , Mad Max: Fury Road , and First Blood when making it. Fargeat’s referential work reminds me of Ana Lily Amirpour, an Iranian American filmmaker whose debut feature, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night , a black and white Iranian film about a chador-clad, skateboarding vampire, is similarly steeped in influences from all over the world. It opens like a classic spaghetti western, utilising the genre’s themes and character archetypes, but with an atmospheric setting inspired by Lynch’s Eraserhead , and featuring iconography from 1950s juvenile delinquent movies like Rebel Without a Cause . Now, filmmakers have obviously always been influenced by the movies and aesthetics they’ve been exposed to, but not like today. Modern technology has enabled easy access to films from any era, place, or genre, and this impact is evident on the increasingly eclectic films we currently see. A particularly good example is Everything Everywhere All at Once , which has countless cinematic references and homages that accumulate to express the information overload we experience as a result of the omnipresence of the internet, specifically social media, and how that impacts us as individuals and a society. I think there is a unifying aspect in these films alongside the eclectic styles of their directors, and that is that they’re channelling expressionism and neo-expressionism to portray the uniquely overwhelming world we live in. Realism cannot capture the, frankly, insane and sometimes scary socio-political landscape we exist in today, so it would make sense that filmmakers are utilising different tools to express that experience, and their toolkits are now more varied than ever. Some examples include The Tragedy of Macbeth , Poor Things , Denis Villeneuve’s Dune films, Challengers , Emilia Pérez , The Substance , Nosferatu (obviously), and I’d even argue Greta Gerwig’s Barbie (but more on that in a bit). To start, let’s get into what German expressionism and neo-expression actually are. WHERE IT ALL BEGAN – GERMAN EXPRESSIONISM AND NEO-EXPRESSIONISM German expressionism is a stylistic movement that has its roots in the early 1920s. A combination of political instability, the threat of economic issues, post-war anxiety, and the banning of foreign films during the Weimar period are attributed to the rise of films that sought to convey their characters’ emotional struggles and mental states. They used unsettling and surreal set design, chiaroscuro lighting, exaggerated makeup and acting, creative camera angles, and unsettling atmospherics to express the subjective experience of their characters. Some of the most notable examples of that era include The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari , Metropolis , and the original Nosferatu . German expressionism was exported to the United States when the filmmakers who fled Europe introduced their unique way of storytelling to Hollywood. They quickly made an impact outside of Germany, having a demonstrable effect on American horror films of the 1930s, heavily influencing film noir in the 1940s and 1950s and inspiring the careers of filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock. Neo-expressionism in film arose from the art movement of the 1970s and 1980s. Like German expressionism, neo-expressionism uses artificial lighting and sets, involves challenging themes, surreal aesthetics, and emphasises the psychological experience of their subjects over realism. Unlike their German expressionist predecessors, however, neo-expressionist art and film are characterised by their bold colours and, much like the modern directors I’ve discussed, are heavily influenced by historical referentiality. With its distinctive visual style, bold themes, creative techniques, and ability to communicate anxiety and psychological interiority, German expressionism and subsequently neo-expressionism clearly had a significant impact in film, and I believe they are having a resurgence today. I’m not saying that our current political and social reality is the same as the conditions that birthed German expressionism, but the themes and visual language lends itself to portraying anxiety, uncertainty, and turmoil, which are definitely common features of the world today. With all of this in mind, I want to go through some recent examples of films that I believe incorporate elements of the expressionist and/or neo-expressionist style to convey disillusionment with our current social and political reality while challenging the status-quo. POOR THINGS Yorgos Lanthimos’ Oscar-winning Poor Things demonstrates the style of German expressionism through its incredible production design, costuming, and portrayal of the protagonist Bella, played by Emma Stone, who won Best Actress for her performance. All the sets for Poor Things were handmade and hand-painted, and lots of the visual effects are practical and the result of very creative thinking. The rooms feel unnervingly large and slightly distorted when Bella is less developed at the beginning of the film, giving the impression of a child learning to walk, stumbling through the rooms of the home. As Bella learns and grows, sets are used to convey a sense of claustrophobia as others around her attempt to control her, conveying her growing discomfort and awareness. The furniture inside the Baxter house is mismatched, with some chairs being too small and some being comically large, adding to the otherworldliness of the film and relating it to Bella’s experience of her new reality. Lanthimos used practical lighting on set to immerse the viewer in the unique world, then added high-contrast lighting to enhance the emotional drama and strangeness of particular scenes. As for Stone, her performance reminds me of the stylised and exaggerated style of German expressionist films. Bella’s character externalises everything she thinks and feels, expressing emotion in a child-like way, especially before she has learned to use language. As the film progresses, her growth is reflected in Stone’s performance, as Bella becomes more physically composed and well-spoken. Initially, Bella is clad in pastel colours and childish styles: puffy sleeves, ruffles, and playful textures, often missing bits and pieces of her clothing. Her personal choices of outfits are dramatic and eccentric, highlighting her newly discovered sexuality and cheerful exploration of the world around her. As the movie progresses, her outfits become more reserved and stylish in an understated way, with darker, more sensible tones and less audacious fabrics and frills. This change is representative of both her development over the course of the film and the way her experiences have shaped her. All of this seeks to challenge male control of female sexuality and desire, and comments on self-actualisation when uninhibited by shame and the patriarchy. THE SUBSTANCE The pressure to perform and conform is inescapable in The Substance . The repetitive grid pattern pops up constantly over the course of the film, most notably in spaces with mirrors, and it’s through such set design that the film shows the rigidity of expectations that are thrust upon and internalised by women, highlighting the ways in which they follow the protagonist, Elisabeth Sparkles (Demi Moore), everywhere. It also adds to the surreal uncanny valley effect, where the world is recognisable but also too artificial and sterile, too bright and intense, which emphasises the ways in which the world feels to the characters rather than how it actually is. This is reflected in the dialogue and logic of the film, too, where everything feels imitative and slightly hostile. The television network’s headquarters is full of long hallways and fixed, geometric patterns. Elisabeth’s apartment is uncomfortably expansive, almost overwhelmingly so, which is juxtaposed against the dark, lengthy hallway that leads to her painfully white, plain, and fluorescent bathroom, where there is nothing to concentrate on but her own refection. Her own image stares at her both from a billboard outside her window and a giant portrait in her living room, showing that she cannot escape the pressures and insecurities that plague her or the toxic standards to which she holds herself. BARBIE So, to be fair, this whole article has been anecdotal and a bit of fun since I love just talking about film and discussing my own observations, so stick with me here… Barbie also owes a debt to German expressionism and neo-expressionism, particularly in its portrayal of Barbieland. Take Weird Barbie’s (Kate McKinnon) house, for example. The skewed staircase, the angular architecture, jagged shapes, oddly shaped doorways – do you see it?! What’s more, the residents of Barbieland don’t quite fit in their dollhouse homes or cars. They’re all slightly too large, and random items like hairbrushes are too big for the characters, creating an odd effect that enhances the feeling of “authentic artificiality,”, which is how Greta Gerwig described the style of the film. Even more so, though, it creates the feeling that something is somehow out of place in the world. A very expressionistic endeavour, indeed.

Previous Next February 12, 2025 WRITTEN BY: PAIGE Although every friend dynamic is unique, I believe that some of the most genuine on-screen representations of women come from stories about their platonic bonds. It is crucial to have stories about women who rely on each other, encourage one another, and simply enjoy each other's company because they serve as a reminder of our own beautiful yet complex friendships. With that in mind, move over Valentine’s Day! We’re here to honor Galentine's Day, which is observed on February 13th to celebrate mutual female empowerment. For my part, I want to note the power of the female bond by shining a light on my favorite female friendships that have graced the big screen over the years. So, grab your gal pals for a Galentine’s Day Movie Night! THELMA & LOUISE (1991) When I think of the term “ride or die,” the first movie that comes to mind is Thelma & Louise , starring the great Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon. There is an unbreakable bond between two best friends embarking on a road trip gone wrong. The women's tight knit friendship is evident despite the plot's occasionally heavy and hard-hitting moments, which provide a poignant depiction of two lifelong buddies who will do practically anything for one another. The film uses friendship as a source of strength, showing the ways in which this kind of bond can help one face and overcome any obstacle. Plus, I just adore how this movie explores the freedom achieved between the two platonic best friends — a freedom typically reserved for women only to find with romantic lovers. Ridley Scott’s film truly shows that once two girlfriends join forces, it’s over for everyone else. It also has one of cinema’s most iconic final scenes, taking the idea of “friends ‘til the end” quite literally. ROMY AND MICHELE’S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION (1997) Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion is a 90s classic packed with nostalgia. Although Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino play bombastic characters, this hilarious gem is full of charm. The film does a fantastic job of demonstrating how friendships can provide support throughout and beyond high school because the titular characters love each other for who they are, through thick and thin. While not having much to show in terms of their personal and professional lives, they make the best of the situation by sticking to a lie they made up together to appear successful. In the end, despite them having a big blow up, the pair realize that their shared friendship is enough to feel successful in life. The moral of the story is that high school reunions can be rough, but if you have your bestie by your side, you’ll get through it. Romy (Sorvino) and Michele (Kudrow) demonstrate that, even after years of being friends, the shenanigans never really end. SUGAR & SPICE (2001) Sugar and Spice is one of those early 2000s flicks that I’m genuinely surprised never turned into a cult classic. Yes, the premise may seem ridiculous, but it’s a high school comedy you can enjoy with your girlfriends while turning your brain off. Many say your friends are your chosen family, and in this case, it’s totally true. When Diane (Marley Shelton) informs her family that she is pregnant, they disown her. Thankfully, she has her cheer squad to stick by her side, no matter what. They live up to their cheerleading oath of “all for one,” committing to performing the perfect stunt together: robbing a bank! They use cheer lifts and teamwork to pull off this heist for the soon-to-be mom as she is desperate for money. Let’s be honest, true friends are the ones willing to commit a crime for or with you, and Lincoln High's A-squad are true homies. Get ready to cheer for the bad girls in this underrated quirky comedy! GIRLS TRIP (2017) In addition to being one of the funniest buddy films of the last decade, Girls Trip gave us major friendship goals. “The Flossy Posse“ (Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Tiffany Haddish, and Regina Hall) may have become distant over time, but once they get the gang back together, they rediscover their bond while enjoying a weekend of debauchery at the Essence Festival in New Orleans. Each character must work through their own personal struggles — whether that’s a cheating husband, getting fired, or losing touch with themselves — as they attempt to reconnect amid the chaos and drama that ensues throughout the trip. This ultimately deepens their collective bonds and gets them through their challenges, as their steadfast love and support for one another will always win. This is one of the most perfect movies to watch while discussing exactly how a Galentine’s should be spent. BOOKSMART (2019) Some may refer to the friendship displayed in Olivia Wilde's directorial debut as the “female version of Superbad ,” and while those comparisons are somewhat accurate, Booksmart represents so much more. This movie goes beyond the notion that high school students are just misunderstood adults. It explores the idea that they have already started to realize who they are, and that it is a treasure to have someone by your side as you grow into the person you want to be. The bond between Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) exemplifies the cycle of friendship's loyalty through the highs, lows, and in-betweens of major life changes (in this case, going off to college). These girls not only stuck with each other through four years of high school while hitting the books, they also support one another during a wild, chaotic night that they will always remember. If you and your gal pals are looking for a great teen comedy, I highly recommend throwing Booksmart on. SOMEONE GREAT (2019) Someone Great is a Netflix original movie that all the girlies should check out with their friends. Getting dumped can be rough, but your crew will be there to help ease the pain, which is precisely what these friends do when Jenny (Gina Rodriguez) gets dumped on the same day she gets her dream job. To help mend her broken heart, they rally behind her by calling in sick to their jobs and distracting her with a wild night out on the town. While the film is hilarious, there are a lot of tender moments, too, especially as it demonstrates how friendships can be a crucial support system. Besties like these will always be there to provide emotional support and strength during challenging times, and the bond between Jenny and her two best friends, Erin (DeWanda Wise) and Blair (Brittany Snow), is something special to watch on screen. Let’s face it, we’ve all been there, so this is the perfect flick to watch if you’ve recently gone through a break-up.

PARISH: SEASON ONE Starring: Giancarlo Esposito, Zackary Momoh, Paula Malcomson, Skeet Ulrich, Ivan Mbakop, Bonnie Mbuli, Arica Himmel, Dax Rey, and Bradley Whitford Creators: Danny Brocklehurst, Sunu Gonera, and Theo Travers QUENTIN While Parish is certainly watchable, especially as a background show while doing mindless tasks on the couch, there is no real reason to watch outside of some better-than-the-series-deserves performances from Giancarlo Esposito (in a lead role, finally) and Bradley Whitford (in a recurring role). Otherwise, it’s a generically standard crime show. Parish (Esposito) escaped a life of crime only to be pulled back in by his old partner. There is a menacingly calm crime boss from Africa who has a hot-headed brother. Loyalties are tested. There are gunfights and car chases. It’s all very fine and very unremarkable. Extra points for only being six episodes, though.

Previous December 31, 2024 Next A BITESIZE CHAT WITH SEAN GUNN Actor Sean Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy, Gilmore Girls) joins Nick to talk about the final installment in the Guardians trilogy, the mo-cap process for Rocket, and what's next for Kraglin. Make sure to check out Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 now in theatres. Interview conducted on May 2nd, 2023 by Nick van Dinther. Photo Credits: Banner - Frederic J. Brown/Getty Images; Photos - Marvel Studio