Film

Ti West’s X: A Critical Review

Warning: this review contains spoilers


There are seldom things more ‘70’s than a group of young friends, clad in cowboy boots and flares, embarking on a road trip seemingly in the middle of nowhere in rural Texas to film an adult movie. Directed, written, and produced by Ti West, X is set in 1979, paying homage to the slasher films of the 1970’s; the decade’s nostalgic charm being admittedly, exactly what prompted me to buy my pass for the movie within minutes of reading about it last week, as well as the fact that slasher movies have become increasingly unpopular and I was eager to see what a modern day interpretation of the classic slasher films would look like. 


Metal My Movie: Annette

Viewer discretion is advised before watching this film. Find out more information here.
 

Metal My Movie: The Velvet Underground

Let me start off with my first experience while listening to The Velvet Underground’s debut album The Velvet Underground & Nico, (a collaboration between The Velvet Underground and German singer Nico) which I discovered during my college days after listening to Lou Reed’s Transformer. The album has the rockabilly aspect for sure and it’s nothing too jarring at first. Skip forward to the song “Heroin” - starts off fine but closes with the most chaotic jarring sounds of Lou Reed’s electric guitar and John Cale’s electric viola.

​Making Films and Making Family: Rhayne Vermette on Ste. Anne

Content Warning: Mentions Indigenous children’s unmarked graves and residential schools

In the opening sequence of Ste. Anne, a lone figure slowly makes her way across a prairie field at dusk. A train whistles in the distance. It’s fall, and foreboding storm clouds have gathered just above the horizon. 

We learn that this is Renée (played by filmmaker Rhayne Vermette herself), a Métis woman whose family hasn’t seen or heard from her in four years, including her young daughter Athene (Isabelle d’Eschambault). 

Now, without a word of warning or explanation, she has decided to come home.


Metal My Movie: Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban

When the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special aired this January, I thought it was a great time to revisit the series as a whole. The first and second film (directed by Chris Columbus, who also directed the first two Home Alone films) saw the series as a fantasy adventure film for the family while staying true to the source material. However, the third instalment of the series shifted to a much darker tone with some of the new characters and the world aesthetics. Director Alfonso Cuarón took the reins from Chris Columbus. In my opinion, his vision created the best gothic lore the film series has to offer and one of the best instalments in the film series overall.

Metal My Movie: Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage

Viewer Discretion is advised before viewing. This documentary deals with assault and violence. Find out more information here.

It is Metal March on CJLO 1690AM. Once again Metal My Movie is back, where we take a look at a movie and give it the metal treatment it deserves.


At The Movies Interview with Quebecois Filmmaker Philippe Grégoire

The Director's Influence presents a conversation with Quebecois filmmaker Philippe Grégoire about his new film Le bruit des moteurs (The Noise of Engines). Among other things, Remi and Grégoire discuss the personal nature of the project and the integral role that sound design plays in the film. Le bruit des moteurs is playing in select cities across Quebec and at Cinema Beaubien as of Feb. 25. Bon cinéma!


At the Movies Interview With Katharine Setzer About the 34th Image + Nation Film Festival

The Image + Nation film festival, Canada’s first LGBT2SQ+ film festival and pioneering platform of queer stories, goes hybrid across Quebec for its 34th edition from Nov. 18 to 28 with a roster of in-cinema and virtual screenings to offer loyal and new audiences a taste of the best and brightest queer cinema of the year. More information can be found here.


At the Movies Takes a Look at Mogul Mowgli

After the exceptional Sound of Metal from director Darius Marder, Mogul Mowgli seems as if it can follow the same path to be one of the best films of the year - with another great performance from Riz Ahmed.


Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman Review

Content Warning: Discussions of True Crime. Reader Discretion is advised.


From Left To Right: Chad Michael Murray as Ted Bundy in Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman, the real life Ted Bundy in a police mugshot, Zac Efron as Ted Bundy in the Netflix film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.

There has always been a fascination with the true crime story genre. We have already seen Zac Efron as Ted Bundy in the Netflix Original film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, where Efron was praised for his acting taking on a serious role stepping away from his High School Musical days. 


Fantasia Week Two: A Weekly Recap of The Genre Film Festival

*Please note that one of the films deals with subjects of substance abuse and suicide. Reader discretion is strongly advised. 


Fantasia Week One: A Weekly Recap of The Genre Film Festival

Once again, this year I am taking part in the virtual portion of the Fantasia Film Festival due to the circumstances. However, I am happy to see the theatrical component of the festival come back this year because there is nothing like a Fantasia audience for a film premiere. Quite honestly it is the only way to truly appreciate the festival in a room of other genre film lovers while keeping everyone safe under the current guidelines. In my theatrical experience the film that I got to see seemed lost amongst the audience I saw it with, and I ponder how it played out among the Fantasia audience. 
 

Fantasia 2021: The Premier Film Festival Heads Back to Theatres, Even Though It Never Left

Nothing stood in the way of the Fantasia International Film Festival - not even a pandemic. Last year the festival was a success through a virtual rendition. This year the milestone 25th edition will find the fine balance of the in person experience, while following the government guidelines still in place (a virtual edition will also be available this year). Running from Aug. 5 - Aug.


Preview: Shiva Baby from Director Emma Seligman, a Pitting Comedy

Shiva Baby from director Emma Seligman can be best described as a dark comedy in the similar vein to the cult comedy Death at a Funeral. After meeting her soon-to-be sugar daddy Max (Danny Deferrari), college graduate Danielle (Rachel Sennott) rushes to meet her neurotic parents for a family shiva.


Preview: New Film Like a House on Fire from Montreal director Jesse Noah Klein

Like a House on Fire is a new film from Montreal director Jesse Noah Klein, starring Sarah Sutherland (Veep) and Quebec singer Hubert Lenoir. Dara (Sarah Sutherland) returns home after a two year absence to connect with her husband and her daughter. However, things are not what they seem. There is a new woman in the household who is seven months pregnant with Dara’s husband’s baby and her daughter does not seem to recognize her anymore. The film then becomes a story of a woman’s struggle to regain control of her old life. 


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