Film
Shyamalan’s latest film is a welcome return to form
September 8, 2015Being an M. Night Shyamalan supporter is a lot like cheering for a professional Vancouver hockey team. A very long time ago we were on top of the world but, a few close attempts later, all that remains are the distant memories and the frustrating present. Like the Vancouver Millionaires’ Stanley Cup win in 1915, Shyamalan’s masterful The Sixth Sense amazed the world when he was only 29 years old. Although there were close attempts to recreate that magic in Unbreakable, Signs, and The Village, the filmmaker never received the same acclaim or box-office success. Recent years have been tough. Ticket sales are down. Support…
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Five fall films to look forward to
September 8, 2015This summer has presented its share of outstanding blockbuster films such as Jurassic World and Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. The upcoming fall film season is sure to provide lots of action, giving moviegoers something to enjoy during the cold nights…
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Cinephilia: What we were watching in 1965
September 8, 2015Feet are risqué. Ankles are sexy. Legs are too sinful. Can you imagine a conservative audience’s reaction to a Michael Bay movie in the ‘60s? “No Jessabelle, that’s not your boyfriend’s hand in his pocket; he’s just never seen a…
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Cinephilia: If I could hand out Oscars
August 4, 2015The summer movie season is nearing an end and the Academy Awards will never recognize any of my picks, so I’ve decided to assemble an Oscar ballot for the first two thirds of the year, before the awards season hopefuls…
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Southpaw doesn’t grab your attention
August 4, 2015The best Hollywood movies sweep us out of our seats into another time, another place, another lifestyle, and, perhaps most importantly, another psyche. There should almost be an undeniable feeling that the characters are making up the story as they…
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Speechless in Ukraine in The Tribe
July 27, 2015Over the course of 130 minutes, not a word is spoken, and none of the sign language is translated. In The Tribe, we are left to interpret every interaction, every gesture, and every expression without the help of narration. The…
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The Wonders is an idyllic coming-of-age story
July 27, 2015As someone who spends most of his day in front of computer, TV, and cell phone screens, I felt a magical connection to the slow lifestyle in Alice Rohrwacher’s beautifully simple The Wonders. No matter how hard we try to…
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Out On Screen presents diverse cinema at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival
July 20, 2015With the mandate of “illuminating queer lives through film,” Out on Screen’s Vancouver Queer Film Festival plans to celebrate its 27th year of building inclusive space in the city. From August 13 to 23, thousands will gather in Vancouver to…
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Cinephilia: The Look of Silence speaks volumes
July 20, 2015In Indonesia from 1965 to 1966, union members, many farmers, and numerous intellectuals were branded as communists and executed. In that short span, close to one million people were killed, and the perpetrators have ruled the country ever since. Oppenheimer’s…
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Five films to see this summer
July 13, 2015Sun’s out, guns out — that’s the summer movie motto. While Jurassic World, Terminator: Genisys, and Magic Mike XXL have flaunted their junk to wide audiences, these five upcoming films, which don’t feature time travel, strippers, or dinosaurs, unclothe all…
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