Articles — Original Cin

Since 2017: Career film critics continuing the conversation

Phantom Thread: Day-Lewis' terrific swan-song disrobes the artistic process

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekJanuary 5, 2018Award season movies, Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Thomas Anderson, Dress designing, Psychological drama, Lesley Manville, Vicky Krieps

The Post: Spielberg's political flashback is Trump-comfort for Nixon survivors

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekJanuary 4, 2018Awards season movies, journalism, Vietnam War, Pentagon Papers, Donald Trump, Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg

Original-Cin's bests and worsts of '17: The good, the bad & the fugly

By Jim Slotek, Kim Hughes, Liam Lacey, Karen Gordon and Bonnie Laufer

ReviewJim SlotekDecember 26, 2017Year end 2017, Best and worst movies 2017, Guillermo del Toro, Tom Cruise, The Emoji Movie, Matt Damon, Frances McDormand, Get OUt

Alexander Payne's Downsizing: Big ideas, little payoff

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekDecember 23, 2017Alexander Payne, Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig, Hong Chau, Science fiction, Global warming

I, Tonya: A trailer-park Rashomon with stellar performances and bitter laughs

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekDecember 22, 2017Tonya Harding, Nancy Kerrigan, Awards season movies, Figure skating, Dark comedies

Molly's Game: High-stakes poker drowns in Sorkin's verbiage, but Chastain shines

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekDecember 22, 2017Aaron Sorkin, High stakes poker, Molly Bloom, Jessica Chastain, Michael Cera, Organized crime, Gambling

Pitch Perfect 3: Franchise Finale Hits Sour Note but Avoids Delete Bin

By Kim Hughes

ReviewDecember 21, 2017Musical, comedy, Anna Kendrick, Franchise, Rebel Wilson, DJ Khaled, John Lithgow

All The Money In The World: Christopher Plummer as Montgomery Burns?

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekDecember 21, 2017Sexual misconduct, Kevin Spacey, Christopher Plummer, Ridley Scott, Michelle Williams, J. Paul Getty, Kidnapping, drama

Jumanji 2: Jack Black and The Rock ham it up as video avatars in pointless sequel

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekDecember 20, 2017Kidflicks, Jumanji, Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, sequels, video game movies

Greatest Showman: A little song, a little dance, a lot of elephant poop

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekDecember 20, 2017musicals, Hugh Jackman, P.T. Barnum, Biopics, Zac Ephron, Michelle Williams

Q&A: How Ridley Scott and Christopher Plummer performed a Spacey-ectomy

By Bonnie Laufer

InterviewJim SlotekDecember 18, 2017Ridley Scott, Christopher Plummer, Kevin Spacey, J. Paul Getty, drama, awards season movies

Ferdinand fills out the classic story with extra bull (and hedgehogs, horses and goats)

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekDecember 14, 2017Animated film, bull-fighting, John Cena, Kate McKinnon, Ice Age, Children's films

Q&A/review Call Me By Your Name: How Armie Hammer got used to being naked

By Jim Slotek

InterviewJim SlotekDecember 13, 2017Same sex romance, Northern Italy, James Merchant, Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet, Awards season movies

Last Jedi: Bigger, better, but - thank the Force! - same as it ever was

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekDecember 12, 2017Star Wars, Carrie Fisher, Last Jedi, Mark Hamill, Darth Vader, Rian Johnson

Toronto film critics give best picture thumbs up to The Florida Project

By Jim Slotek

ViewsJim SlotekDecember 10, 2017Awards season movies, Toronto Film Critics Association, Toronto International Film Festival, The Florida Project, Lady Bird, Get Out

Dim the Fluorescents: And You Thought Your Office Had Heavy Drama…

By Liam Lacey

ReviewDecember 10, 2017Canadian films, Dramedy, Claire Armstrong, Naomi Skwarna, Slamdance Festival, Indie films

Hope Springs in Finnish Director’s Crafty Refugee Dramedy

By Liam Lacey

ReviewDecember 7, 2017TIFF, Aki Kaurismäki, drama, comedy, refugees

Chavela: Documentary Distills Acclaimed Singer’s Tumultuous Life

By Liam Lacey

ReviewDecember 7, 2017Documentary, Biography, Chavela Vargas, Hot Docs

The Shape of Water: Guillermo Del Toro’s Epic (and Wet) Love Story Freestyles to Brilliance

By Bonnie Laufer

InterviewDecember 6, 2017Guillermo del Toro, Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer, drama, fantasy, Toronto films, TIFF

The Disaster Artist: Life on 'Planet Tommy' (Wiseau)

By Jim Slotek

InterviewJim SlotekNovember 30, 2017The Room, Mockumentary, Comedy, TIFF, James Franco, Dave Franco, Tommy Wiseau, Seth Rogen