Articles — Original Cin

Since 2017: Career film critics continuing the conversation

October: A Month of Festivals to Improve the World - Planet in Focus, ImagineNATIVE, Rendezvous With Madness

October: A Month of Festivals to Improve the World - Planet in Focus, ImagineNATIVE, Rendezvous With Madness

By Liam Lacey

PreviewJim SlotekOctober 10, 2023Social issue themed film festivals, Planet in Focus, imagineNative, Rendezvous with Madness, Atilla, s-yéwyáw/Awaken, How to Blow Up a PipelineComment

Original-Cin Q&A: Strange Planet's Nathan W. Pyle on 'Jitter Liquid,' 'Star Damage' and Whether ETs Wear Socks

Original-Cin Q&A: Strange Planet's Nathan W. Pyle on 'Jitter Liquid,' 'Star Damage' and Whether ETs Wear Socks

By Bonnie Laufer

InterviewJim SlotekOctober 6, 2023Webcomics, Strange Planet, The, The world through alien eyes, Nathan W. Pyle, Apple+, Tunde Adebimpe, Demi Adejuyigbe, Danny PudiComment

She Came To Me: An Ostentatiously Odd Sort-Of Comedy

She Came To Me: An Ostentatiously Odd Sort-Of Comedy

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekOctober 6, 2023Quirky relationship comedies, She Came to Me, Rebecca Miller, Personal Velocity, Peter Dinklage, Anne Hathaway, Marisa Tomei, Artistic characters with creative blockComment

Strange Way of Life/The Human Voice: The Short and the Short of Almodovar's Mojo

Strange Way of Life/The Human Voice: The Short and the Short of Almodovar's Mojo

By Karen Gordon

ReviewJim SlotekOctober 5, 2023Pedro Almodovar, Director's first short films in English, Strange Way of Life, The Human Voice, Gay-themed Western, Ethan Hawke, Pedro Pascal, Tilda SwintonComment

Joan Baez: I Am A Noise: Her Private, Public and Secret Life Dovetail in New Doc

Joan Baez: I Am A Noise: Her Private, Public and Secret Life Dovetail in New Doc

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekOctober 5, 2023Joan Baez, Music documentaries, Politically active musicians, Joan Baez: I Am A Noise, Karen O'Connor, Miri Navasky and Maeve O'Boyle, Mimi Fariña, Bob Dylan, David Harris, Repressed memories of abuse Comments

The Exorcist Believer: Hell Hath No Fury Like an Exorcist Scorned

The Exorcist Believer: Hell Hath No Fury Like an Exorcist Scorned

By Thom Ernst

ReviewJim SlotekOctober 5, 2023The Exorcist: Believer, Horror, Reboots of classic films, Reboot, David Gordon Green, Lidya Jewett, Leslie Odom Jr., Olivia O’Neill, Ellen BurstynComment

Relax, I’m from the Future: Time Is a Blob, not a Line!

Relax, I’m from the Future: Time Is a Blob, not a Line!

By John Kirk

ReviewJim SlotekOctober 4, 2023Relax, I’m from the Future, Luke Higginson, Rhys Darby, Gabrielle Graham, Janine Theriault, Julian Richings, Time travel films, Canadian comedy, sci-fiComment

Original-Cin Q&A: The Royal Hotel's Kitty Green on The Outback and Women Living Dangerously

Original-Cin Q&A: The Royal Hotel's Kitty Green on The Outback and Women Living Dangerously

By Bonnie Laufer

InterviewJim SlotekOctober 3, 2023Julia Garner, The Assistant, The Royal Hotel, Australian Outback, Women in dangerously remote situations, Jessica Henwick, Kitty Green, Hugo WeavingComment

The Royal Hotel: Outback Setting Adds Dread to Gender Dynamics Thriller

The Royal Hotel: Outback Setting Adds Dread to Gender Dynamics Thriller

By Liz Braun

ReviewJim SlotekOctober 3, 2023The Royal Hotel, TIFF 23, Kitty Green, Julia Garner, Jessica Henwick, Hugo Weaving, Ursula Yovich, Australian, Toxic MasculinityComment

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: A Screen-By-Screen Rundown

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: A Screen-By-Screen Rundown

By Jim Slotek

PreviewJim SlotekSeptember 29, 2023National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Parliament Hill event, First Nations, Inuit and Métis artists, Residential Schools, imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, Indigenous themed short films, Shorts Not Pants Film Festival, Telling Our Story, Kaniehtiio Horn, History Channel's True StoryComment

On Fire: Cheesy Action Film Capitalizing on Tragedy is Hard to Warm Up To

On Fire: Cheesy Action Film Capitalizing on Tragedy is Hard to Warm Up To

By Chris Knight

ReviewJim SlotekSeptember 29, 2023On Fire, Nick Lyon, Peter Facinelli, Fiona Dourif, Asher Angel, Lance Henriksen, Thriller, Inspired by true events, Pandemic, ActionerComment

Fair Play: When the New Boss is Your Secret Workplace Lover, Things Get Sticky Fast

Fair Play: When the New Boss is Your Secret Workplace Lover, Things Get Sticky Fast

By Karen Gordon

ReviewJim SlotekSeptember 28, 2023Fair Play, TIFF 23, Chloe Domont, Phoebe Dynevor, Alden Ehrenreich, Eddie Marsan, Rich Sommer, NetflixComment

Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe: Heart, a Tickle Trunk and Tears

Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe: Heart, a Tickle Trunk and Tears

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekSeptember 27, 2023Mr. Dressup, Ernie Coombs, Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe, People’s Choice Best Documentary, Casey & Finnegan, Judith Lawrence, Canadian childrens' TV icons, Fred Penner, Mr. Rogers Comment

The Creator: Gareth Edwards Flips the Script on the 'Evil AI' Meme

The Creator: Gareth Edwards Flips the Script on the 'Evil AI' Meme

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekSeptember 26, 2023Artificial intelligence, Alien invasions, Gareth Edwards, The Creator, Human-like robots, John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Madeleine Yuna Voyles Comments

Original-Cin Q&A: Flora and Son's John Carney on Bono's Daughter Eve Hewson's Reluctant Singing

Original-Cin Q&A: Flora and Son's John Carney on Bono's Daughter Eve Hewson's Reluctant Singing

By Bonnie Laufer

InterviewJim SlotekSeptember 25, 2023Musical dramas, John Carney, Flora and Son, Offspring of famous rockers, Eve Hewson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Orén Kinlan, Music-as-therapy storiesComment

Original-Cin: The Shirt Hits the Fans

Original-Cin: The Shirt Hits the Fans

PromotionJim SlotekSeptember 25, 2023Promotional merchandise, t-shirts, Original-Cin, Movie blogs Comments

Solo: Montreal-Set Drag Drama Explores the Perils of Misplaced Trust

Solo: Montreal-Set Drag Drama Explores the Perils of Misplaced Trust

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekSeptember 25, 2023Solo, TIFF 23, Sophie Dupuis, Théodore Pellerin, Félix Maritaud, Alice Moreault, Anne-Marie Cadieux, Best Canadian Feature, Drag Queens, French language, MontrealComment

No One Will Save You: More Like No One Will Talk to You

No One Will Save You: More Like No One Will Talk to You

By John Kirk

ReviewJim SlotekSeptember 22, 2023Kaitlyn Dever, No One Will Save You, Thriller, Disney+, AliensComment

Expend4bles: One Last (?) Round of Pyro, Casual Killing and Wrestling-Style Kayfabe

Expend4bles: One Last (?) Round of Pyro, Casual Killing and Wrestling-Style Kayfabe

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekSeptember 21, 2023The Expendables franchise, Expend4bles, Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Tony Jaa, Mercenary movie heroes, Megan Fox, 50 Cent, Randy Couture, Scott WaughComment

Stellar: A Love Story and a Love Letter to the Land

Stellar: A Love Story and a Love Letter to the Land

By Liz Braun

ReviewJim SlotekSeptember 21, 2023Anishinaabe filmmaker Darlene Naponse, Indigenous romance, Stellar, Surrealist Indigenous filmmaking, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Braeden Clarke, Rossif Sutherland, R.H. Thomson, Canadian films at TIFFComment