Articles — Original Cin

Since 2017: Career film critics continuing the conversation

The Heirloom: When Adopting a Dog Leads to Messes of Many Kinds

The Heirloom: When Adopting a Dog Leads to Messes of Many Kinds

By Kim Hughes

ReviewJim SlotekNovember 28, 2024The Heirloom, Ben Petrie, Grace Glowicki, Cheers, Toronto filmmaker, Toronto story, Canadian film, Drama, Comedy, Films with dogs, Relationship dramasComment

All The Lost Ones: Yet Another Canadian Post-Apocalyptic Drama? Excellent!

All The Lost Ones: Yet Another Canadian Post-Apocalyptic Drama? Excellent!

By Chris Knight

ReviewJim SlotekNovember 28, 2024All the Lost Ones, Mackenzie Donaldson, Jasmine Mathews, Vinessa Antoine, Douglas Smith, Canadian, post-apocalypse, Environmental issues, Environmental horror, War, Drama, Sci fiComment

Nutcrackers: A Surprisingly Conventional Christmas Comedy, Given Who Made It

Nutcrackers: A Surprisingly Conventional Christmas Comedy, Given Who Made It

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekNovember 27, 2024Comedies with sitcom-y plots, Bachelors who inherit instant familes, Nutcrackers, Ben Stiller, Director David Gordon Green, Uncle Buck, Writer Leland Douglas, Linda Cardellini, Streamed Christmas comediesComment

Maria: Lavish Biopic on Opera Star Boosts Angelina Jolie… ‘La Callas’ Not So Much

Maria: Lavish Biopic on Opera Star Boosts Angelina Jolie… ‘La Callas’ Not So Much

By Kim Hughes

ReviewJim SlotekNovember 26, 2024Maria, Biopic, Pablo Larraín, Angelina Jolie, Valeria Golino, Alba Rohrwacher, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Haluk Bilginer, Pierfrancesco Favino, Caspar Phillipson, Mubi, Opera, Maria Callas, Aristotle OnassisComment

Blood in the Snow Film Fest: DIY Dread From Canada's Creepshow Up-and-Comers

Blood in the Snow Film Fest: DIY Dread From Canada's Creepshow Up-and-Comers

By Thom Ernst

Review, PreviewJim SlotekNovember 21, 2024Canadian horror filmmakers, DIY filmmaking, Blood in the Snow Film Festival, Kelly Michael Stewart, Larry Kent’s, She Who Must Burn, James Villeneuve, Pins and Needles, Vivieno Caldinelli’s Scared Shitless, Steven Ogg, Isabel Bader TheatreComment

Wicked: One Brick (and a One Half) Short of a Road, But Still a Road Paved in Gold

Wicked: One Brick (and a One Half) Short of a Road, But Still a Road Paved in Gold

By Thom Ernst

ReviewJim SlotekNovember 21, 2024Movies based on Broadway musicals, Movies released in two parts, Wicked: Part One, Gregory Maguire’s novel, Director Jon M. Chu, Elphaba and Glinda, Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle YeohComment

Gladiator II: Exciting, But Rome’s Far from The Truth (Gettit?)

Gladiator II: Exciting, But Rome’s Far from The Truth (Gettit?)

By Chris Knight

ReviewJim SlotekNovember 20, 2024Gladiator II, Ridley Scott, Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Sequel, Swords and sandals, Ancient Rome, Action Comments

Original-Cin Chat: Doc-Maker Lucy Lawless on CNN War-Zone Warrior Margaret Moth

Original-Cin Chat: Doc-Maker Lucy Lawless on CNN War-Zone Warrior Margaret Moth

By John Kirk

InterviewJim SlotekNovember 18, 2024Actors turned documentary filmmakers, Lucy Lawless, Danger-junkie war correspondents, New Zealand’s Margaret Moth, Never Look Away, CNN war coverage, Journalist war casualties, Xena: Warrior Princess, Hurricane KatrinaComment

Original-Cin Q&A: Memoir of a Snail Director Adam Elliot on Garden Gastropods' Appeal

By Bonnie Laufer

InterviewJim SlotekNovember 14, 2024Claymation, Australian Adam Elliot, Memoir of a Snail, Sarah Snook, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Lifetime tale of a foster child, matching voice actors to characters, Snail behavior, Award season animated filmsComment

Bad Sisters S2: More Trouble for the Guilty Siblings, and a Blast of Fun from Fiona Shaw

Bad Sisters S2: More Trouble for the Guilty Siblings, and a Blast of Fun from Fiona Shaw

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekNovember 13, 2024Bad Sisters, Bad Sisters Season 2, Disney+, Sharon Horgan, Dave Finkel, Brett Baer, Anne-Marie Duff, Sarah Greene, Eva Birthistle, Eve Hewson, Fiona Shaw, Owen McDonnell, Michael SmileyComment

Red One: When the Jolly Old Elf has a Private Army and State-of-the-Art Military Tech

Red One: When the Jolly Old Elf has a Private Army and State-of-the-Art Military Tech

By Jim Slotek

ReviewJim SlotekNovember 13, 2024Militarizing Santa, Christmas action movie, Red One, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Scripter Chris Morgan, Fast & Furious, J.K. Simmons as Santa, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, Chris EvansComment

Memoir of a Snail: Australian Saga Leaves a Slime Trail of Sweetness and Irreverence

Memoir of a Snail: Australian Saga Leaves a Slime Trail of Sweetness and Irreverence

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekNovember 13, 2024Claymation, Australian Adam Elliot, Mary and Max, Memoir of a Snail, Sarah Snook, Jacki Weaver, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Lifetime tale of a foster child, Tony Armstrong, Eric Bana, Nick CaveComment

Say Nothing: A True Crime Mystery Set Against the Nightmare of The Troubles

Say Nothing: A True Crime Mystery Set Against the Nightmare of The Troubles

By Liam Lacey

ReviewJim SlotekNovember 11, 2024Say Nothing, Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland, Patrick Radden Keefe, The Troubles, Northern Ireland, adaptation, Joshua Zetumer, Lola Petticrew, Maxine Peake, Disney+, Hazel Doupe, Anthony Boyle, Josh Finan, Michael ColganComment

Original-Cin Q&A: Eddie Redmayne on Bringing 'The Day of the Jackal' to TV

Original-Cin Q&A: Eddie Redmayne on Bringing 'The Day of the Jackal' to TV

By Bonnie Laufer

InterviewJim SlotekNovember 11, 2024Classic movie thrillers turned TV series, The Day of the Jackal, Frederick Forsyth, Eddie Redmayne, Lashana Lynch, Showcase and Stack TV, Masters of disguise, Writer Ronan Bennett, Movement coach Alexandra Reynolds, Military advisor Paul BidissComment

Starring Jerry as Himself: Docudrama Spotlights Elder Abuse of a Grimly Common Sort

Starring Jerry as Himself: Docudrama Spotlights Elder Abuse of a Grimly Common Sort

By Kim Hughes

ReviewJim SlotekNovember 8, 2024Starring Jerry as Himself, Drama, Documentary, Docudrama, Law Chen, Jerry Hsu, Kathy Hsu, Joshua Hsu, Jesse Hsu, Jonathan Hsu, Elder abuse, Scams, FraudComment

Heretic: A Film Where Hugh Grant Does Everything He Does Best

Heretic: A Film Where Hugh Grant Does Everything He Does Best

By Chris Knight

ReviewJim SlotekNovember 7, 2024Heretic, TIFF 24, Thriller, Hugh Grant, Scott Beck, Bryan Woods, Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher.Comment

Small Things Like These: Drama About Morality, Responsibility Soars On Cillian Murphy

Small Things Like These: Drama About Morality, Responsibility Soars On Cillian Murphy

By Karen Gordon

ReviewJim SlotekNovember 7, 2024Small Things Like These, Tim Mielants, Enda Walsh, Adaptation, Irish films, Cillian Murphy, Emily Watson, Zara Devlin, Eileen Walsh, Drama, Catholic churchComment

Original-Cin Q&A: Hugh Grant’s Heretic Directors Talk About… Hugh Grant

Original-Cin Q&A: Hugh Grant’s Heretic Directors Talk About… Hugh Grant

By Chris Knight

InterviewJim SlotekNovember 7, 2024Heretic, TIFF 24, Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher, Drama, ThrillerComment

Meanwhile on Earth: Dramatizing a Low-key Mystery Alien Invasion

Meanwhile on Earth: Dramatizing a Low-key Mystery Alien Invasion

By Chris Knight

ReviewJim SlotekNovember 7, 2024Meanwhile on Earth, Sci fi, Aliens, Jeremy Clapin, Megan Northam, Dimitri Doré, DramaComment

The Piano Lesson: Denzel's Entire Family Also Rises

The Piano Lesson: Denzel's Entire Family Also Rises

By Liz Braun

ReviewJim SlotekNovember 7, 2024Next generation film families, Denzel Washington’s children, The Piano Lesson, Director Malcolm Washington, John David Washington, Plays by August Wilson, Pauletta Pearson Washington, Post-slavery Black stories, Ray Fisher, Danielle Deadwyler, Samuel L. Jackson, Erykah BaduComment