Articles — Original Cin

Since 2017: Career film critics continuing the conversation

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The Furious: Everybody Was Kung-Fu Fighting

The Furious: Everybody Was Kung-Fu Fighting

By Liz Braun

ReviewJim SlotekJune 10, 2026The Furious, TIFF '25, Martial arts, Asian cinema, Kenji Tanigaki, Miao Xie, Brian Le, Joe TaslimComment

The Toronto Japanese Film Fest and the World Cup's Team Japan Play Nice Together

The Toronto Japanese Film Fest and the World Cup's Team Japan Play Nice Together

By Jim Slotek and Thom Ernst

Review, PreviewJim SlotekJune 9, 2026Events competing with the World Cup, 15th Toronto Japanese Film Festival, Samurai Vengeance, Nagasaki: In the Shadow of the Flash, Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre, Tokyo Taxi, Best actress Chieko Baisho, Two Seasons Two Strangers, Blue Boy Trial, SAI - Disaster, Night Flower, How Dare YouComment

Office Romance: Lopez and Goldstein Charm in Conspicuously Quirky Rom-Com

Office Romance: Lopez and Goldstein Charm in Conspicuously Quirky Rom-Com

By Karen Gordon

ReviewJim SlotekJune 9, 2026Office Romance, rom-com, Ol Parker, Brett Goldstein, Jennifer Lopez, Edward James Olmos, Bradley Whitford, Betty GilpinComment

Michael Jackson: The Verdict - Jackson Trial Doc on Netflix Hits Us From Both Sides

Michael Jackson: The Verdict - Jackson Trial Doc on Netflix Hits Us From Both Sides

By Karen Gordon

ReviewJim SlotekJune 7, 2026Michael Jackson, 2003 child molestation charges, Trial acquittal, Michael Jackson: The Verdict, Director Nick Green, "Both sides" hindsight testimony, Mark Geragos, Tom Mesereau Comments

Trainspotting 4K: Scotland's '80s Dark Age is Heather-Free and Grimily Brilliant

Trainspotting 4K: Scotland's '80s Dark Age is Heather-Free and Grimily Brilliant

By John Kirk

ReviewJim SlotekJune 6, 20264K re-releases, Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting, Scottish youth in a dark place, Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller, Robert Carlyle, Kelly Macdonald, Edinburgh drug culture, The baby on the ceilingComment

Carolina Caroline: Outlaw Lovers on the Lam (Again) Apparently Never Gets Old

Carolina Caroline: Outlaw Lovers on the Lam (Again) Apparently Never Gets Old

By Kim Hughes

ReviewJim SlotekJune 5, 2026Carolina Caroline, TIFF '25, Adam Carter Rehmeier, Kyra Sedgwick, Kyle Gallner, Samara Weaving, Lovers on the lam, Southern U.S., crime dramaComment

Power Ballad: Paul Rudd/Nick Jonas Song-Stealing Comedy is All Heart (and a Little Vinegar)

Power Ballad: Paul Rudd/Nick Jonas Song-Stealing Comedy is All Heart (and a Little Vinegar)

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekJune 4, 2026Song-stealing music comedy, Power Ballad, Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Irish director John Carney, Marcella Plunkett, Beth Fallon, music industry spoof, Warm hearted talesComment

Dust Bowls and Jewish Souls: Woody Guthrie Bio is a Toronto Jewish Film Fest Stand-Out

Dust Bowls and Jewish Souls: Woody Guthrie Bio is a Toronto Jewish Film Fest Stand-Out

By Liam Lacey

Review, PreviewJim SlotekJune 3, 2026Toronto Jewish Film Festival 2026, Opening night film, Dust Bowls and Jewish Souls: Another Side of Woody Guthrie, This Land is Your Land, This Machine Kills Fascists, Folkways Records, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Pete Seeger, The Boys and Other Snapshots of Jew-ish Toronto, The Safe House, HolofictionComment

Masters of the Universe: Hey He-Man! Flash Gordon Would Like His Movie Back

Masters of the Universe: Hey He-Man! Flash Gordon Would Like His Movie Back

By John Kirk

ReviewJim SlotekJune 2, 2026'80s kid heroes based on toys, He-Man, Masters of the Universe, Queen guitarist Brian May, Nicholas Galitzine, Jared Leto as Skeletor, Idris Elba, Alison Brie, Kristen Wiig, Camila Mendes Comment

Affection: Feelings, Nothing More Than Feelings

Affection: Feelings, Nothing More Than Feelings

By Thom Ernst

ReviewJim SlotekJune 2, 2026Affection, Horror, Body horror, Psychological drama, Thriller, Drama, B.T. Meza, Jessica Rothe, Joseph Cross, Julianna LayneComment

Pressure: That Time During WWII When Weathermen Were the Heroes

Pressure: That Time During WWII When Weathermen Were the Heroes

By Kim Hughes

ReviewJim SlotekMay 27, 2026Pressure, WWII, Drama, Anthony Maras, David Haig, Andrew Scott, Brendan Fraser, Damian Lewis, Chris Messina, Kerry Condon, D-Day, War film, Historical dramaComment

Tuner: Love Hurts, But Sound Hurts Even More in this Powerful, Personal Thriller

Tuner: Love Hurts, But Sound Hurts Even More in this Powerful, Personal Thriller

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekMay 27, 2026Tuner, Piano tuner turns safe cracker, Director Daniel Roher, Leo Woodall, Dustin Hoffman, Havana Rose Liu, Hyperacusis, Lior Raz, Crime thriller/romanceComment

Muscle Beach: An Indie Film Set in the Faded Bodybuilding Mecca

Muscle Beach: An Indie Film Set in the Faded Bodybuilding Mecca

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekMay 27, 2026Muscle Beach, Indie, Drama, Jacob Hurwitz-Goodman, Ike Catcher, bodybuilding, California, Farley Jackson, Kirk Baltz, Lindsey NormingtonComment

Twenty-Four Films Later, My First Cannes Festival Ends on an Emotional High

Twenty-Four Films Later, My First Cannes Festival Ends on an Emotional High

By Carol J. Bream

Review, PreviewJim SlotekMay 25, 2026Cannes, Cannes 2026, Cannes International Film Festival, La Bola Negra (The Black Ball), Notre Salut (A Man of His Time), Lucy Lost, La Bataille De Gaulle: L’âge de fer (Tilting Iron), Amarga Navidad (Bitter Christmas) Comment

Spider-Noir: Nic Cage Revels in the Role of Your Friendly Neighbourhood Sam Spade Spidey

Spider-Noir: Nic Cage Revels in the Role of Your Friendly Neighbourhood Sam Spade Spidey

By John Kirk

ReviewJim SlotekMay 25, 2026Marvel, Prime Video, Tales taken from the Spider-Verse, Spider-Noir, Nicolas Cage, Li Jun Li, Jack Huston, Abraham Popoola, Writer/show-runner Oren Uziel, Stories from the '30s, Colour and black-and-white streaming optionsComment

The Boroughs: Fun Netflix Miniseries Pits Retirees Against a Mysterious Monster

The Boroughs: Fun Netflix Miniseries Pits Retirees Against a Mysterious Monster

By Karen Gordon

ReviewJim SlotekMay 22, 2026Horror/comedy/thriller series, The Boroughs, Stories set in seniors communities, The Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things, Mysterious monster, Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Denis O'Hare, Clarke Peters, Alfre Woodard, Ed Begley Jr., Bill Pullman Comment

Passenger: Like Nomadland with Slasher Deaths and a Surplus of Jump-Scares

Passenger: Like Nomadland with Slasher Deaths and a Surplus of Jump-Scares

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekMay 21, 2026RV life horror story, Passenger, "Hobo" road signage, Norwegian director André Øvredal, Jacob Scipio, Lou Llobell, Melissa Leo, Nomadland culture, St. Christopher medalComment

Original-Cin at Cannes: Eight Films That Confirm Audiences Win Some, Lose Some

Original-Cin at Cannes: Eight Films That Confirm Audiences Win Some, Lose Some

By Carol J. Bream

The Last Anniversary: A Demon-possessed, Apocalyptic Big Chill on a Budget

The Last Anniversary: A Demon-possessed, Apocalyptic Big Chill on a Budget

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekMay 20, 2026Canadian films, Horror, Apocalypse films, The Last Anniversary, Young adult reunion themes, Jesse McQueen, Kenneth Northfield, Jenna Vittoria, Directed by Brett and Jason Butler, Demonic ghosts, RevengeComment

The Mandalorian and Grogu: May the Schmaltz Be With You, and in IMAX No Less

The Mandalorian and Grogu: May the Schmaltz Be With You, and in IMAX No Less

By John Kirk

ReviewJim SlotekMay 20, 2026Star Wars TV series turned theatrical, Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, Directed by Jon Favreau, Writer Dave Filoni, Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, Martin Scorsese, Jeremy Allen White, Steve Blum Comment