Articles — Original Cin

Since 2017: Career film critics continuing the conversation

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Candyman: Jordan Peele's 'Real' Sequel Trades Traditional Scares for Grim Mood and Racial Relevancy

Candyman: Jordan Peele's 'Real' Sequel Trades Traditional Scares for Grim Mood and Racial Relevancy

By Thom Ernst

ReviewJim SlotekAugust 26, 2021Candyman, Classic horror reboots, Jordan Peele, Nia DaCosta, Clive Barker, Horror movies with racial themesComment

They Who Surround Us: Feel-Bad Canadian Cinema, with Authentic Ukrainian Roots

They Who Surround Us: Feel-Bad Canadian Cinema, with Authentic Ukrainian Roots

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekAugust 26, 2021Movies about Ukrainian Canadians, They Who Surround Us, Troy Ruptash, Vegreville, Alberta, Daniel Mazepa, Ali Liebert Comments

American Sausage Standoff: A Forced Meat Farce with Greasy Satirical Filler

American Sausage Standoff: A Forced Meat Farce with Greasy Satirical Filler

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekAugust 25, 2021American Sausage Standoff, Quirky Western satire, Ulrich Thomsen, Anthony Dod Mantle, Chance Kelly, W. Earl Brown, Ewen Bremner Comment

Flag Day: Con In The Family Features Sean Penn and His Daughter In Cathartic Drama

Flag Day: Con In The Family Features Sean Penn and His Daughter In Cathartic Drama

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekAugust 24, 2021Flag Day, Sean Penn, Dylan Penn, Regina King, Robin Wright, Josh Brolin, Cannes, Drama, fact-based dramaComment

The Lost Leonardo: A Fascinating Doc That Parks at the Intersection of Art, Power and Money

The Lost Leonardo: A Fascinating Doc That Parks at the Intersection of Art, Power and Money

By Karen Gordon

ReviewJim SlotekAugust 24, 2021Leonardo da Vinci, Salvator Mundi, $450 million painting, Andreas Koefoed, The Lost Leonardo, Mohammed bin Salman, Classical art verificationComment

Reminiscence: Hugh Jackman-Led Detective Yarn Sinks In Memory Hole

Reminiscence: Hugh Jackman-Led Detective Yarn Sinks In Memory Hole

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekAugust 21, 2021Reminiscence, Lisa Joy, Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson, Thandiwe Newton, Dystopian fiction, Daniel Wu, Jonathan NolanComment

The Protégé: Lethally Fun Actioner Exalts its Female Lead, Which Here is Plenty

The Protégé: Lethally Fun Actioner Exalts its Female Lead, Which Here is Plenty

By Kim Hughes

ReviewJim SlotekAugust 20, 2021The Protégé, Action movies, Maggie Q, Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson, Martin Campbell, Adventure, DramaComment

The Night House: Creepy Psychological Drama Explores Grief as the Horror Show It Is

The Night House: Creepy Psychological Drama Explores Grief as the Horror Show It Is

By Kim Hughes

ReviewJim SlotekAugust 18, 2021The Night House, Rebecca Hall, Sarah Goldberg, David Bruckner, Horror, Psychological thriller Comment

Cryptozoo: A Trippy, Hippie Tribute to Fantastic Creatures

Cryptozoo: A Trippy, Hippie Tribute to Fantastic Creatures

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekAugust 18, 2021Cryptozoo, Animation, Michael Cera, Lake Bell, Dash Shaw, Louisa Krause, Peter Stormare, Thomas Jay Ryan, Grace Zabriskie, adult themes, 1967Comment

I Carry You With Me: Gentle Mexican Immigrant Love Story Floats Between Fact And Drama

I Carry You With Me: Gentle Mexican Immigrant Love Story Floats Between Fact And Drama

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekAugust 18, 2021I Carry You With Me, Mexican film, Spanish language, Semi-autobiographical, Heidi Ewing, Iván García, Gerardo Zabaleta, Armando Espitia, Christian VázquezComment

Original-Cin Interview: Actor Rebecca Hall on the Thrill of Making Thriller The Night House

Original-Cin Interview: Actor Rebecca Hall on the Thrill of Making Thriller The Night House

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekAugust 17, 2021The Night House, Rebecca Hall, Sarah Goldberg, Horror, Psychological thriller, David BrucknerComment

Rare Beasts: Billie Piper’s Anti-Romcom Shows the Beastly Side of Modern Relationships

Rare Beasts: Billie Piper’s Anti-Romcom Shows the Beastly Side of Modern Relationships

By Linda Barnard

ReviewJim SlotekAugust 16, 2021Rare Beasts, Romcom, British comedy, Billie Piper, David Thewlis, love storyComment

10/31 Part 2: An Unfortunate - and Unseasonal - Bottom-Budget Halloween Anthology

10/31 Part 2: An Unfortunate - and Unseasonal - Bottom-Budget Halloween Anthology

By Thom Ernst

ReviewJim SlotekAugust 13, 2021Horror anthology, Halloween-themed movies, 10/31 Part 2, Elvira-like horror host, Jennifer Nangle, Babysitters in jeopardy, Tory van BuskirkComment

Howling Village: Overly Busy Wannabe Horror Aims High, Lands in the Outfield

Howling Village: Overly Busy Wannabe Horror Aims High, Lands in the Outfield

By Thom Ernst

ReviewJim SlotekAugust 12, 2021Howling Village, Horror, Japanese horror, Takashi Shimizu, Masanobu Takashima, Ayaka Miyoshi, Ryôta BandôComment

Respect: Aretha Explained... Just a Little Bit

Respect: Aretha Explained... Just a Little Bit

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekAugust 12, 2021Music legend biopics, Respect, Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson, Amazing Grace, Sidney Pollack, Liesl Tommy, Tracey Scott Wilson, Forest WhitakerComment

Free Guy: Ryan Reynolds Comedy Glib Fun But No Game-Changer

Free Guy: Ryan Reynolds Comedy Glib Fun But No Game-Changer

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekAugust 11, 2021Free Guy, Ryan Reynolds, Taika Waititi, Video game movies, Shawn Levy, Comedy, Action, Sci-fiComment

Materna: Four Stories Told Through a Motherhood Lens Feels Compelling but Underdone

Materna: Four Stories Told Through a Motherhood Lens Feels Compelling but Underdone

By Linda Barnard

ReviewJim SlotekAugust 11, 2021Materna, David Gutnik, Sturgill Simpson, Motherhood, Drama, Assol Abdullina, Jade Eshete, Lindsay Burdge, Rory Culkin, Kate Lyn Sheil, Cassandra Freeman, New York anthology films, Tribeca Film FestivalComment

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit: A Touching Child's-Eye Memoir, One Step Ahead of the War

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit: A Touching Child's-Eye Memoir, One Step Ahead of the War

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekAugust 9, 2021When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, Jews fleeing German ahead of the War, Judith Kerr, Caroline Link, Riva Krymalowski, Oliver Masucci, Child's-eye views of war Comments

Dream Horse: A Rousing, Galloping Britcom, with Toni Collette in the Lead

Dream Horse: A Rousing, Galloping Britcom, with Toni Collette in the Lead

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekAugust 6, 2021Uplifting working class British movies, The Full Monty, Dream Horse, Euros Lyn, Toni Collette, Cefn Fforest, Famous Welsh race horseComment

Rising Wolf: Silly Elevator Death-Trap Thriller (Yes, Really) Definitely Plummets Downward

Rising Wolf: Silly Elevator Death-Trap Thriller (Yes, Really) Definitely Plummets Downward

By Thom Ernst

ReviewJim SlotekAugust 5, 2021Rising Wolf, Antaine Furlong, Thriller, Charlotte Best, Alex Menglet, Jonny Pasvolsky, elevator, Boris Badenov, Imperilled woman Comment