Articles — Original Cin

Since 2017: Career film critics continuing the conversation

The Card Counter: Oscar Isaac simmers as a card shark with a past in this festival film that bypassed TIFF

The Card Counter: Oscar Isaac simmers as a card shark with a past in this festival film that bypassed TIFF

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekSeptember 6, 2021Paul Schrader, The Card Counter, Films about professional card playing, Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Willem Dafoe, Abu GhraibComment

Original-Cin Q&A: Shang-Chi's Simu Liu on Living the Dream, Proud Parents Seeing Him on Chinese Posters and 'That Tweet'

Original-Cin Q&A: Shang-Chi's Simu Liu on Living the Dream, Proud Parents Seeing Him on Chinese Posters and 'That Tweet'

By Bonnie Laufer

InterviewJim SlotekSeptember 3, 2021Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, First Asian Marvel film hero, Simu Liu, Michelle Yeoh, Tony LeungComment

Yakuza Princess: Ersatz Japanese-Via-Brazil Actioner is Anastasia Put Through a Meat Grinder

Yakuza Princess: Ersatz Japanese-Via-Brazil Actioner is Anastasia Put Through a Meat Grinder

By Thom Ernst

ReviewJim SlotekSeptember 2, 2021Yakuza Princess, Vicente Amorim, Danilo Beyruth, Japanese stories told by non-Japanese, Samurai Shiro, MASUMI, Jonathan Rhys MeyersComment

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: T.O. Star Makes Good in a Marvel Debut That Often Plays like a Harry Potter hybrid

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: T.O. Star Makes Good in a Marvel Debut That Often Plays like a Harry Potter hybrid

By Karen Gordon

ReviewJim SlotekSeptember 1, 2021Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Simu Liu, Diverse superheroes, Toronto actors, Awkwafina, Meng'er Zhang, Destin Daniel Cretton, Tony LeungComment

Mogul Mowgli: Riz Ahmed Goes Deep Tackling the Push-Pull of Children of Immigrants

Mogul Mowgli: Riz Ahmed Goes Deep Tackling the Push-Pull of Children of Immigrants

By Karen Gordon

ReviewJim SlotekAugust 31, 2021Mogul Mowgli, Riz Ahmed, Children of immigrants, Bassam Tariq, Nabhaan Rizwan, Alyy Khan, Westernization of young MuslimsComment

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

Original-Cin Q&A: Canada's Katheryn Winnick Talks Sean Penn, Flag Day, Big Sky and Vikings

Original-Cin Q&A: Canada's Katheryn Winnick Talks Sean Penn, Flag Day, Big Sky and Vikings

By Bonnie Laufer

InterviewJim SlotekAugust 25, 2021Canadian actresses, Katheryn Winnick, Flag Day, Sean Penn, Jennifer Vogel, Dylan Penn, Big Sky.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

Original-Cin Q&A: Paw Patrol Director Cal Brunker Discusses Pups, Pipsqueaks, and Celebs

Original-Cin Q&A: Paw Patrol Director Cal Brunker Discusses Pups, Pipsqueaks, and Celebs

By Bonnie Laufer

InterviewJim SlotekAugust 16, 2021Paw Patrol: The Movie, Children's movies, Cal Brunker, Kim Kardashian, Jimmy Kimmel, Animation Comment

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