Articles — Original Cin

Since 2017: Career film critics continuing the conversation

Isle of Dogs: Wes Anderson's crazily imaginative slobbery belly-rub of a movie

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekMarch 20, 2018Wes Anderson, Dogs, Japanese movies, stop motion animation, Akira Kurosawa, Taiko drumming, Alexandre Desplat, Bill Murray, Bryan Cranston, Greta Gerwig

Tension-free 7 Days In Entebbe: We know what happens, but not, 'Why now?'

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekMarch 16, 2018Historical action thriller, Entebbe raid, Israel, Shimon Peres, Yitzak Rabin, Baader-Meinhof Gang, terrorism, Uganda, Batsheva Dance Company, Eddie Marsan, Daniel Bruhl, Rosamund Pike

Foxtrot: A brilliant dance of death by Israeli filmmaker Samuel Moaz

By Liam Lacey

Jim SlotekMarch 15, 2018Foreign language films, Israeli films, Palestinian occupation, Venice Film Festival, Oscars, Samuel Maoz, Israeli minister Miri Regev, Absurdity of war

Love, Cecil: A doc about the style-setter who tarted up My Fair Lady

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekMarch 15, 2018Documentaries, Cecil Beaton, My Fair Lady, Gigi, Fashion photography, Mick Jagger, David Hockney, Daphne DuMaurier

Tomb Raider: Bring back Angelina!

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekMarch 15, 2018Tomb Raider, Lara Croft, Alicia Vikander, Angelina Jolie, Video game movies, Dominic West, Ex Machina, Nick Frost, Action-adventure

The Death of Stalin: From Russia with (very dark) laughs

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekMarch 13, 2018Armando Iannucci, Russian history, satire, Josef Stalin, Steve Buscemi, Jeffrey Tambor, Nikita Khrushchev, The Thick of It, In The Loop, Veep

The Dude on further review: This is just my opinion, man

By Liam Lacey

ViewsJim SlotekMarch 10, 2018The Big Lebowski, Coen Brothers, Revisionist criticism, Umberto Eco, Casablanca, The Big Sleep, Noir, Jeff Dowd, Students For A Democratic Society, Michael Lerner, Tikkun

A Wrinkle In Time: Love and Oprah's angels empower all in this magical mystery tour

By Karen Gordon

ReviewJim SlotekMarch 9, 2018Young adult novels, Fantasy, Oprah Winfey, Mindy Khaling, Diversity, Ava Duvernay, Madeleine L'Engle, Disney

Thoroughbreds: Tense Teen Murder-Plot Drama Soars on Strong Performances

By Liam Lacey

ReviewMarch 9, 2018Anya Taylor-Joy, Olivia Cooke, Anton Yelchin, murder, drama

Gringo: Star-Studded Caper Dramedy Is A Mess… But a Fun One

By Jim Slotek

ReviewMarch 8, 2018Dramedy, Joel Edgerton, Charlize Theron, David Oyelowo, Amanda Seyfried, Mexico, drugs

The Strangers Prey at Night: Lamely Pedalling Old-School Scares in the 21st Century

By Jim Slotek

ReviewMarch 8, 2018horror, Christina Hendricks, home invasion, sequel, The Strangers, Bailee Madison

My Enemy, My Brother: Two entwined ex-Iran/Iraq soldiers retrace extraordinary lives

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekMarch 7, 2018Documentary, Iran-Iraq War, Child soldiers, Basra Aboud, Ahed Haftlang, Zahed Haftlang, Saddam Hussein, Battle of Khorramshahr

Juggernaut: Cain/Abel crime thriller more of a slow burn than a wrecking ball

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekMarch 7, 2018Canadian films, Crime thriller, Small town crime, Cain and Able, Stephen McHattie, Jack Kesy, David Cubitt

Meditation Park: Heartfelt Gem Spotlights Hidden Woes of Immigrant Women

By Kim Hughes

ReviewMarch 6, 2018Mina Shum, Sandra Oh, Don McKellar, Cheng Pei Pei, TIFF 2017, Canadian

Original-Cin Q&A: Vet Director Rob Cohen on Battling Racism and Hurricanes

By Jim Slotek

InterviewMarch 5, 2018Rob Cohen, Director, Fast and the Furious, Producer, Action, Maggie Grace

Toronto Irish Film Festival bauldly takes on the Oscars

By Liam Lacey

ViewsJim SlotekMarch 2, 2018Irish films, Film Festivals, George Best, Seana Kerslake, The Breadwinner, Zoo, Belfast, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Toronto film festivals

Death Wish: A man's (still) gotta kill who a man's gotta kill

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekMarch 1, 2018Vigilante violence, Bruce Willis, Death Wish, Eli Roth, Annapurna Productions, Elisabeth Shue, Movie remakes

Red Sparrow: We know why this caged bird stinks

By Karen Gordon

ReviewJim SlotekMarch 1, 2018Spy thrillers, Jennifer Lawrence, Charlotte Rampling, Violence, Seduction, CIA

Nostalgia: a daisy-chain narrative about the power of objects

By Karen Gordon

ReviewJim SlotekMarch 1, 2018Drama, Jon Hamm, Bruce Dern, Catherine Keener, Mortality and loss, The power of objects, Mark Pellington, Alex Ross Perry

Boost: A Canadian youth crime story with fast cars and an achingly believable friendship

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekFebruary 28, 2018Canadian movies, Canadian screen awards, Montreal, African-Canadians, crime, car theft, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Darren Curtis