“It’s not Hamnet you mourn; it’s yourself.” Kenneth Branagh has always had an affinity for Shakespeare’s works. He has appeared in, written, and/or directed several screen adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays. Now, in All Is True, he portrays William Shakespeare in his years of retirement. To be sure, there is a great amount of conjecture in… [Read More]
Serenity: Murder and Justice in the Open Water
Living on an isolated tropical island, Baker Dill (Matthew McConaughey) is a fishing boat captain who lives a peaceful life on Plymouth Island, an isolated island in the Carribbean. However, his world is soon shattered when his ex-wife Karen (Anne Hathaway) tracks him down and, desperate for help, begs Baker to rescue her and their… [Read More]
Ocean’s 8: Win or Washout for Women?
In my review of Ocean’s Thirteen, I opined, “The role of women in the Ocean’s movies is, at best, problematic.” I wondered if Ocean’s 8 would “redeem the legacy from its sexist past.” After watching, I’m not sure I know the answer to that. Unlike the recent remake of Ghostbusters, the all-female-star-cast movie which 8… [Read More]
Going Colossal: An Interview with Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis
Colossal co-stars Anne Hathaway, Jason Sudeikis and director Nacho Vigalondo In her latest film, Colossal, Hathaway manages to channel all of her experience into her portrayal of Gloria, an alcoholic with a deep desire for belonging. During the film’s world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September of last year, we had the… [Read More]
The Accountant – When the Weak Become Strong
Ben Affleck had a quiet 2015 by his standards. But in 2016, his depiction as the fifth modern interpretation of Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad drew plenty of attention. And yet, the film no one had on their radar, The Accountant, may have been his best film in years. As a “math savant” (autistic… [Read More]
Colossal Undertaking – An Interview with director Nacho Vigalondo
When it finally receives its wide release, Colossal will surprise everyone. Given that it will most likely be marketed based on its supernatural elements, the film may seem like a simple monster mash-up. But don’t tell that to the film’s writer and director, Nacho Vigalondo. “It’s a mix,” he explains. “50% comes from my love… [Read More]
tiff16: Anne Hathaway + Jason Sudekis (COLOSSAL)
Gloria (Anne Hathaway) lives her life the only way she knows how… for herself. Ruined by alcohol and partying, she finds herself out on the street after her boyfriend (Dan Stevens) tires of her behaviour and asks her to move out of his apartment. With nowhere else to go, she returns to her childhood home… [Read More]
Alice Through the Looking Glass – not quite Lewis Carroll
The opening credits point out that the film is “based on characters from Lewis Carroll” rather than on his books. And the story that unfolds in this film is not from his writings—although at times it may reflect a bit of his way of playing with logic.
The Intern: What Does Your Career Cost?
Ben Whittaker (Robert De Niro) takes on an internship at Jules Ostin’s (Anne Hathaway) startup company as a seventy-year-old. His life has fallen into the routine (read: boring) since his wife died, and his career as an executive for a telephone directory company is well in his past. Still, Ostin isn’t interested in the program that… [Read More]
