Articles — Original Cin

Since 2017: Career film critics continuing the conversation

Oppenheimer: The "Father of the A-Bomb" is Ready for His Extremely Long Close-Up

Oppenheimer: The "Father of the A-Bomb" is Ready for His Extremely Long Close-Up

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekJuly 20, 2023The development of the A bomb, Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan, Cillian Murphy, Los Alamos Manhattan Project scientists, Kenneth Branagh, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr.Comment

The Bear: Back For Seconds, Funnier, Richer and Only a Notch Less Anxiety-Filled

The Bear: Back For Seconds, Funnier, Richer and Only a Notch Less Anxiety-Filled

By Karen Gordon

ReviewJim SlotekJuly 19, 2023The Bear, Restaurant-based comedy/drama, Jeremy Allen White, Abby Elliott, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Oliver Platt, Ayo Edebiri, Will PoulterComment

Original-Cin Q&A: Toronto actor Laysla De Oliveira on Yellowstone creator's Special Ops: Lioness

Original-Cin Q&A: Toronto actor Laysla De Oliveira on Yellowstone creator's Special Ops: Lioness

By Bonnie Laufer

InterviewJim SlotekJuly 18, 2023Special Ops: Lioness, Series created by Taylor Sheridan, Yellowstone, Laysla De Oliveira, Nicole Kidman, Michael Kelly, Morgan Freeman, CIA covert anti-terrorist operatives, Zoe SaldanaComment

Original-Cin Q&A: Christian Petzold on His Summery New Film: “All the Best Movies Have Neighbours”

Original-Cin Q&A: Christian Petzold on His Summery New Film: “All the Best Movies Have Neighbours”

By Liam Lacey

InterviewJim SlotekJuly 15, 2023Afire, Berlinale, Silver Bear, Christian Petzold, Thomas Schubert, Langston Uibel, Paula Beer, German directors, German cinema, Q&A, InterviewComment

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Christina Chong on 'That Toronto Episode' and Ice Cream Dreams

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Christina Chong on 'That Toronto Episode' and Ice Cream Dreams

By John Kirk

InterviewJim SlotekJuly 14, 2023Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, That Toronto episode, Christina Chong, Lieutenant La’an Noonien Singh, Star Trek: Discovery, Paul Wesley, Captain James T. Kirk, Series both shot in and set in Toronto, The Vampire DiariesComment

Umberto Eco, A Library of the World: Behold the Eco Chamber

By Chris Knight

ReviewJim SlotekJuly 14, 2023Documentary, Umberto Eco: A Library of the World, Umberto Eco., Davide Ferrario, Hot Docs, Towering contemporary figures, Profile, italian moviesComment

The Miracle Club: Charming Irish-Set Period Dramedy Brings the Star Power

The Miracle Club: Charming Irish-Set Period Dramedy Brings the Star Power

By Kim Hughes

ReviewJim SlotekJuly 14, 2023Agnes O'Casey, The Miracle Club, Thaddeus O'Sullivan, Laura Linney, Maggie Smith, Kathy Bates, Period piece, Drama, Irish movies, 1960sComment

Afire: Christian Petzold’s smouldering wet, hot German summer

Afire: Christian Petzold’s smouldering wet, hot German summer

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekJuly 12, 2023Afire:, Christian Petzold, Undine, Summer coming-of-age movies, German directors, Éric Rohmer, Wildfires, Thomas Schubert, Paula Beer, Insufferable lead charactersComment

The One Day Doc Contest: Watch a French Orchard Saved From Freezing in Real Time

The One Day Doc Contest: Watch a French Orchard Saved From Freezing in Real Time

By Jim Slotek

PreviewJim SlotekJuly 11, 2023One Day Doc contest, Art of Documentary Film Festival, Innis Town Hall Theatre, Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, Late Frost, Flavien Kressman, Jack the Bass, Jack Johnston, Jaco Pastorius, Resilience, Nicolas VarillonComment

Original-Cin Q&A: Henry Czerny on his first Mission: Impossible Mission Since '96

Original-Cin Q&A: Henry Czerny on his first Mission: Impossible Mission Since '96

By Bonnie Laufer

InterviewJim SlotekJuly 11, 2023Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning, Part One, Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, Henry Czerny's long absence from M:I, Eugene KittridgeComment

Mission Impossible 7: Rise of the Anti-Deus Ex Machina

Mission Impossible 7: Rise of the Anti-Deus Ex Machina

By John Kirk

ReviewJim SlotekJuly 9, 2023Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning – Part One, Christopher McQuarrie, Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Esai Morales, Henry Czerny, Cary Elwes, Vanessa Kirby, Action-adventure, SequelComment

Insidious: The Red Door - Star/Director Patrick Wilson Shifts the Horror Franchise into Neutral

Insidious: The Red Door - Star/Director Patrick Wilson Shifts the Horror Franchise into Neutral

By Thom Ernst

ReviewJim SlotekJuly 8, 2023The Insidious horror franchise, Insidious: The Red Door, Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, James Wan, Leigh Whannell, Demonic phenomena, Actors turned directorComment

Biosphere: Wonky Sci-Fi Wobbles on Weak Screenplay but Pleasantly Surprises Anyway

Biosphere: Wonky Sci-Fi Wobbles on Weak Screenplay but Pleasantly Surprises Anyway

By Chris Knight

ReviewJim SlotekJuly 7, 2023Biosphere, Mel Eslyn, Mark Duplass, Sterling K. Brown, TIFF 2022, Science fiction, Comedy, Buddy comedyComment

Wham!: Netflix Pop doc Focuses on the Friendship that Made the Duo Go-Go

Wham!: Netflix Pop doc Focuses on the Friendship that Made the Duo Go-Go

By Karen Gordon

ReviewJim SlotekJuly 6, 2023Wham!, Pop music documentaries, School friends who start bands, Andrew Ridgeley, George Michael, Careless Whisper, Wake Me Up Before You Go-GoComment

The Lesson: Noir Tutor Tale is a Stately Exercise in Class-Based Mystery

The Lesson: Noir Tutor Tale is a Stately Exercise in Class-Based Mystery

By Liz Braun

ReviewJim SlotekJuly 5, 2023The Lesson, Alex MacKeith, Alice Troughton, Richard E. Grant, Daryl McCormack, Julie Delpy, Drama, BritishComment

Something You Said Last Night: A Heartfelt, Gender Fluid, Italian Family Road Trip

Something You Said Last Night: A Heartfelt, Gender Fluid, Italian Family Road Trip

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekJuly 4, 2023Something You Said Last Night, Trans-themes, Luis De Filippis, Carmen Madonia, Ramona Milano, Joe Parro, Paige Evans, Summer partying, Toronto International Film Festival featuresComment

Who Killed Maggie Moore(s)?: Noirish Whodunit Starry but Flat

Who Killed Maggie Moore(s)?: Noirish Whodunit Starry but Flat

By Kim Hughes

ReviewJim SlotekJuly 4, 2023Who Killed Maggie Moore(s)?, Maggie Moore(s), John Slattery, Jon Hamm, Nick Mohammed, Tina Fey, crime drama, Noir, Black comedyComment

Original-Cin Q&A: Biosphere's Mark Duplass and Sterling K. Brown talk about being the last men on Earth

Original-Cin Q&A: Biosphere's Mark Duplass and Sterling K. Brown talk about being the last men on Earth

By Bonnie Laufer

InterviewJim SlotekJuly 3, 2023Post apocalypse, Biosphere, Mark Duplass, Mel Eslyn, Last two men on Earth, Sterling K. Brown, This is UsComment

So Much Tenderness: Powerful Immigrant Story Showcases Director’s Cinematic Gift

So Much Tenderness: Powerful Immigrant Story Showcases Director’s Cinematic Gift

By Karen Gordon

ReviewJim SlotekJune 29, 2023So Much Tenderness, Lina Rodriquez, TIFF 2022, Noëlle Shöenwald, Natalia Aranguren, Francisco Zaldua, Canadian, Immigrant experience, Movies set in Toronto, Drama Comment

The Last Rider: The All-American Comeback Tale of 'Clean' Cyclist Greg LeMond

The Last Rider: The All-American Comeback Tale of 'Clean' Cyclist Greg LeMond

By Liz Braun

ReviewJim SlotekJune 29, 2023Professional cycling, 1989 Tour de France, Greg LeMond, Kathy LeMond, Cyrille Guimard, Perico Delgado, The "doping" era of cycling, Lance ArmstrongComment