Articles — Original Cin

Since 2017: Career film critics continuing the conversation

Portrait of a National Canadian Film Day Icon: Mary Walsh talks Gordon Pinsent

Portrait of a National Canadian Film Day Icon: Mary Walsh talks Gordon Pinsent

By Jim Slotek

InterviewJim SlotekApril 18, 2023National Canadian Film Day, Gordon Pinsent, The Forest Rangers, Quentin Durgens, M.P., John and the Missus, Newfoundland heroes, Mary Walsh, This Hour Has 22 MinutesComment

Original-Cin Q&A: Catherine Hardwicke on directing Toni Collette in Mafia Mamma

Original-Cin Q&A: Catherine Hardwicke on directing Toni Collette in Mafia Mamma

By Bonnie Laufer

InterviewJim SlotekApril 16, 2023Catherine Hardwicke, Twilight, Mafia Mamma, Crime comedies, Toni Collette, Monica Bellucci, Hollywood movies shot in Italy, Eat Pray Love, Under the Tuscan SunComment

Until Branches Bend: Preachy and Peachy All at Once

Until Branches Bend: Preachy and Peachy All at Once

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekApril 13, 2023Until Branches Bend, TIFF 2022, Sophie Jarvis, Grace Glowicki, Alexandra Roberts, Quelemia Sparrow, Lochlyn Munro, Antoine DesRochers, Canadian, Drama, Directorial debutComment

Renfield: Dracula's Delivery Boy Stands Up For Himself, Much Gore and Some Laughs Ensue

Renfield: Dracula's Delivery Boy Stands Up For Himself, Much Gore and Some Laughs Ensue

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekApril 13, 2023Renfield, Dracula, Demonic familiars, Nicolas Cage, Nicholas Hoult, Vampire’s Kiss, Chris McKay, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Ben Schwartz, Awkwafina, Vampire comediesComment

Showing Up: Funny, Contemplative Indie Has Heart to Spare, Plus Michelle Williams

Showing Up: Funny, Contemplative Indie Has Heart to Spare, Plus Michelle Williams

By Karen Gordon

ReviewJim SlotekApril 12, 2023Showing Up, Kelly Reichardt, Jonathon Raymond, Michelle Williams, Hong Chau, Maryann Plunkett, John Magaro, Judd Hirsch, IndieComment

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 5: A Glimpse into Midge’s Future

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 5: A Glimpse into Midge’s Future

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekApril 12, 2023The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Season 5, Amy Sherman-Palladino, Rachel Brosnahan, Alex Borstein, Michael Zegen, Marin Hinkle, Prime Video, Caroline Aaron, Kevin Pollak, Tony Shalhoub, 1960s, Wanda SykesComment

Simulant: Like Blade Runner Only Differ... Nah, It's Like Blade Runner

Simulant: Like Blade Runner Only Differ... Nah, It's Like Blade Runner

By Chris Knight

ReviewJim SlotekApril 6, 2023Movies derivative of Blade Runner, AI gone wrong, Simulant, April Mullen, Ryan Christopher Churchill, Jordana Brewster, Robbie Amell, Sam Worthington, Simu Liu, Alicia SanzComment

Living With Chucky: The Killer Doll's Human 'Sister' Directs an Overheated Love Letter

Living With Chucky: The Killer Doll's Human 'Sister' Directs an Overheated Love Letter

By Thom Ernst

ReviewJim SlotekApril 5, 2023Living with Chucky, Kyra Elsie Gardner, Brad Dourif, Fiona Dourif, Tony Gardner, Alex Vincent, Don Mancini, Jennifer Tilley, David Kirschner, Lin Shaye, Marlon Wayans, Abigail Breslin, DocumentariesComment

Gangs of Lagos: A Street Opera From the Mean Streets of Nigeria

Gangs of Lagos: A Street Opera From the Mean Streets of Nigeria

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekApril 5, 2023Nollywood, Nigerian films, Gangs of Lagos, Jadesola Osiberu, Tayo Faniran, Tobi Bakre, Chike-Ezekpeazu Osebuka, Bimbo AdemoyeComment

Beef: New Netflix Series Unearths Dark Comedy from People Acting Very Badly

Beef: New Netflix Series Unearths Dark Comedy from People Acting Very Badly

By Karen Gordon

ReviewJim SlotekApril 5, 2023Beef, Lee Sung Jin, Steven Yeun, Ali Wong, Netflix, Series, Dark human nature, Drama, Maria BelloComment

The Super Mario Bros. Movie: Let's-A-Go (Somewhere Else)!

The Super Mario Bros. Movie: Let's-A-Go (Somewhere Else)!

By Chris Knight

ReviewJim SlotekApril 4, 2023The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Matthew Fogel, Mario and Luigi, Chris Pratt and Charlie Day, Donkey Kong, Jumpman, Koopas, Goombas, Seth Rogen Comment

Original-Cin Q&A: Simulant Stars, Director Weigh AI Versus Humans

Original-Cin Q&A: Simulant Stars, Director Weigh AI Versus Humans

By Bonnie Laufer

InterviewJim SlotekApril 3, 2023Simulant, Sci fi, April Mullen, Jordana Brewster, Simu Liu, Robbie Amell, Films shot in Toronto, AIComment

Air: An Inspirational Commercial for a Commercial? Shut Up and Take My Money!

Air: An Inspirational Commercial for a Commercial? Shut Up and Take My Money!

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekApril 3, 2023Nike Air Jordans, Air, Ben Affleck, Billion dollar sports merchandising, Michael Jordan, Matt Damon, Viola Davis, Phil Knight, Chris Tucker, Jason BatemanComment

Stranger Things: The Experience - The Ups and Downs of the Interactive Upside Down

Stranger Things: The Experience - The Ups and Downs of the Interactive Upside Down

By John Kirk

ReviewJim SlotekMarch 31, 2023Immersive theme events, Stranger Things: The Experience, Hawkins Lab Sleep Study, Eddie’s metal performance in the Upside-Down, Demogorgan, Cinespace Marine Studios, Mind-Flayer, Theme family outingsComment

Spinning Gold: A Complicated Music Figure, Through a Filmmaker Son's Upbeat Prism

Spinning Gold: A Complicated Music Figure, Through a Filmmaker Son's Upbeat Prism

By Karen Gordon

ReviewJim SlotekMarch 31, 2023Casablanca Records, Movies about the music industry, Neil Bogart, Spinning Gold, Timothy Scott Bogart, Kiss, Donna SummerComment

Original-Cin Q&A: Unstable's Rob Lowe on Simpatico with his Co-Star Son and His All-Ages Fanbase

Original-Cin Q&A: Unstable's Rob Lowe on Simpatico with his Co-Star Son and His All-Ages Fanbase

By Bonnie Laufer

ReviewJim SlotekMarch 30, 2023Father and son acting tandems, Rob Lowe, John Owen Lowe, Unstable, 9-1-1: Lone Star, The West Wing, Parks and Recreation, The Grinder, Netflix series, The OutsidersComment

Dungeons & Dragons: A Player’s Delight and a Gateway Drug for Non-Players

Dungeons & Dragons: A Player’s Delight and a Gateway Drug for Non-Players

By John Kirk

ReviewJim SlotekMarch 30, 2023Dungeons & Dragons, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Fantasy, Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley, Role-play, Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Hugh Grant, Daisy Head, Chloe Coleman, Sophia Lillis, Adaptation, CGIComment

In Viaggio: The Travels of Pope Francis, Lots of Countries, Always Waving

In Viaggio: The Travels of Pope Francis, Lots of Countries, Always Waving

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekMarch 30, 2023In Viaggio: The Travels of Pope Francis, Gianfranco Rosi, Docuementary, Catholic church, Hot DocsComment

Nam June Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV - Father of Video Art, Impactful and Enigmatic

Nam June Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV - Father of Video Art, Impactful and Enigmatic

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekMarch 29, 2023Influential avant garde artists, Nam June Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV, John Cage, Steven Yuen, Father of video art, Charlotte Moorman, Fluxus, Good Morning Mr. Orwell, Amanda KimComment

A Thousand and One: Intense Sundance-Approved Family Drama Not Exactly as Shown

A Thousand and One: Intense Sundance-Approved Family Drama Not Exactly as Shown

By Kim Hughes

ReviewJim SlotekMarch 29, 2023A Thousand and One, Family drama, Sundance Grand Jury Prize, A.V. Rockwell, Teyana Taylor, Will Catlett, Josiah Cross, Aven Courtney, Aaron Kingsley Adetola, New YorkComment