Freaky: Body-Swapping Slasher Flick High on Concept, Meh on Execution
Review, PreviewJim SlotekFreaky, Freaky Friday, Friday the 13th, slasher flick, Kathryn Newton, Vince Vaughn, Christopher Landon, Happy Death Day 2U, Happy Death Day, Teen girl revenge movie, Misha Osherovich, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Horror, Comedy, Michael Kennedy
Ammonite: Atmosphere and a made-up romance amount to a modest nod to the life of an under-appreciated female scientist
By Karen Gordon
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ReviewJim SlotekUnheralded female scientists, Mary Anning, Ammonite, Francis Lee, Lyme Regis Dorset, Kate Winslet, Gemma Jones, Saoirse Ronan, James McArdle, Stéphane Fontaine, Paleontology, Same sex romances, Fiona Shaw
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey - At last, a yuletide movie that's not pure humbug!
ReviewJim SlotekNetflix Christmas movies, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, Forest Whitaker, Keegan-Michael Key, David E. Talbert, Choreographer Ashley Wallen, The Greatest Showman, John Legend, Philip Lawrence, Phylicia Rashad, Justin Cornwell, Miles Barrow, Ricky Martin, Madalen Mills, Lisa Davina Phillip
Come Away: A grim, grownup fairy tale that mashes up Neverland and Wonderland, but falls short on magic
ReviewJim SlotekCome Away, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Brenda Chapman, Brave, Mashups of children's tales, David Oyelowo, Angelina Jolie, Jordan A. Nash, Keira Chansa, Reece Yates, Anna Chancellor, Francis Drake’s ship Golden Hind, Michael Caine, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Marissa Kate Goodhill
The Climb: Comedic Story of Mad, Enduring Friendship Buoyed by Reality
Review, PreviewJim SlotekThe Climb, Buddy comedy, Michael Angelo Covino, Kyle Marvin, Gayle Rankin, George Wendt, Comedy, Dramedy, TIFF 2019, Toxic Masculinity
Major Arcana: Minimalist Gem Tells Very Human Story with Care and Honesty
Rebellion: CBC's The Nature of Things turns 60 with an overreaching roundup of global youth movements
ReviewJim SlotekCBC’s The Nature of Things, Rebellion, Youth oriented social movements, Mark Starowicz, Caitlin Starowicz, David Suzuki, Severn Cullis-Suzuki, U.N. Conference on Environment and Development, Greta Thunberg, Sir David Attenborough, Gail Bradbrook, Extinction Rebellion, Black Lives Matter, George Floyd, Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jerome Foster
The Kid Detective: Ace Mystery/Comedy Way More Complex Than its Title Suggests
Let Him Go: Kevin Costner and Diane Lane are believable vigilante grandparents in beautifully shot, gripping rescue/revenge tale
ReviewJim SlotekKevin Costner, Let Him Go, Diane Lane, Novel by Larry Watson, Thomas Bezucha, Ryan Bruce, Kayli Carter, Will Brittain, Elmore Leonard, Justified., Lesley Manville, Booboo Stewart
Watson: Doc of Sea Shepherd Founder and Eco-Warrior Drowning in Deference
Review, PreviewJim SlotekPaul Watson, Lesley Chilcott, Watson, Docuementary, Environmental issues, Activism, Oceans, Climate change, Canadian, Greenpeace, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
The Cuban: Interview/review of a Canadian film that overcame pandemic paralysis by barn-storming the drive-ins
Interview, ReviewJim SlotekSergio Navarretta, The Cuban, Drive-in theatre events, Cuban-Canadian pianist Hilario Duran, Louis Gossett Jr., Ana Golja, Degrassi: Next Class, Pan African Film Festival in L.A, Lavazza Drive-In Film Festival, Glen Campbell, Spirit of the West’s John Mann, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Giacomo Gianniotti, Alzheimer's
Darkness in Tenement 45: Good Premise and Performances Sunk by Weak Execution
Review, PreviewJim SlotekDarkness in Tenement 45, Nicole Groton, Nicole Tompkins, Casey Kramer, Thriller, Lockdown, Cockroaches, Drama, Teen Angst
Picture My Face: The Story of Teenage Head - Canada's best "almost famous" band gets its closeup in the worst timeslot of the year
ReviewJim SlotekPicture My Face: The Story of Teenage Head, TVOntario, Teenage Head, Frankie Venom, “Heat Wave” concert, “Last Pogo” at Toronto’s Horseshoe, Elvis Costello, Talking Heads, The B-52's, Bands that almost made it, Douglas Arrowsmith, Ron Sexsmith doc Love Shines, David Bendeth, The Tragically Hip’s Rob Baker, Gord Lewis, Steve Mahon
Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President: Music-Themed Doc on 39th President a Star-Gazer’s Delight
Review, PreviewJim SlotekJimmy Carter Rock & Roll President, Mary Wharton, Documentary, U.S. politics, Gregg Allman, The Allman Brothers, Bob Dylan, Bono, Cher, Warren Beatty, Dizzy Gillespie, Willie Nelson, Nile Rodgers, Paul Simon
Love Child: Eva Mulvad doc is an intimate and powerful, six-year Scenes From A Refugee Marriage
His House: South Sudanese refugees find the supernatural awaits them in their U.K. home, in directorial horror debut
By Karen Gordon
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Ravers: Low-Budget Sort-Of Zombie Film Too Awesomely Weird to Miss
Review, PreviewJim SlotekRavers, Horror movies, Bernard Pucher, Georgia Hirst, Zombies, Halloween, Drugs, Mutants, Parties, Lucio Fulci, Tough women, Natasha Henstridge
Come Play: In solid horror debut, a demon in a smartphone gives new meaning to the term 'malware'
ReviewJim SlotekExtradimensional demons, Come Play, The Babadook, The Ring, Jacob Chase, Marriage Story, Azhy Robertson, SpongeBob SquarePants., Gillian Jacobs, Community, John Gallagher Jr., Amblin Partners, Winslow Fegley
Bruce Springsteen's Letter to You: Turns out The Boss is better, or at least cheaper, seen than heard
ReviewJim SlotekBruce Springsteen, ruce Springsteen’s Letter to You, Springsteen's 20th album, documentaries about album recordings, Thom Zimny, The E Street Band, George Theis, Springsteen’s late sixties’ band, The Castiles, Danny Federici, Clarence Clemons, Max Weinberg, Roy Bittan, Nils Lofgren, Steven Van Zandt, Jake Clemons, Patti Scialfa, Apple TV +
Rebuilding Paradise: Ron Howard revisits a California town incinerated by wildfires
ReviewJim SlotekRebuilding Paradise, Ron Howard, Backdraft, 2018 California forest fires, Incineration of towns, Hans Zimmer, Matt Gates, School superintendent Michelle John, Erin Brockovich, Pacific Gas and Energy culpability
