I'm from Victoria BC and love watching films from all corners of the world. I'm fascinated by interpreting films and connecting with other film lovers. I love sharp, clever dialogue (QT), beautifully shot films (The Thin Red Line) and a filmmaker who trusts the audience to put it all together and leave room for discussion (PTA).
In 2015, Jason Blum (Blumhouse Productions) and M. Night Shyamalan teamed up to create a creepy, effective thriller called The Visit. The film was low budget, forcing Shyamalan and his team to buckle down on the basics of filmmaking. The end result is a fine return to form for M. Night Shyamalan, whom many film lovers dismissed years ago. We’re proud to report that Split is a terrific film, placing M. Night Shyamalan back on track to making terrific films once again…
If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much is a motion picture like Nestor? The entire film is produced by Daniel Robinson, a remarkable achievement considering the look, feel and sound of this film. He shot the film, mixed the sound, and acted in it, in addition to taking on writing and directing…
The Sabbatical is about a middle-aged photography professor on sabbatical. He’s under an immense amount of pressure from the university to deliver a second great book of photos. He spends his time in the local park trying to capture photos and be inspired. His artistic edge is is all but gone until he meets a…
Editor’s Notes: The following capsule reviews are part of our coverage of the Whistler Film Festival. For…
Film discoveries are a pure joy at film festivals. Be sure to check out Liza the Fox-Fairy if you see it in your film festival program, local listings or on demand. Liza (Monika Balsai) is a 30 year-old woman who takes care of an older woman. She’s basically Cinderella without the wicked stepmother and stepsisters. After the old woman dies, Liza has much more freedom to explore the world in search of love. Liza romanticizes fairy tales, especially one involving a woman who…
There are a few constants in Guillermo del Toro films: beautiful set and costume designs, stunning cinematography and colorful characters. There is no denying that the set and costume design in Crimson Peak is breath-taking but unfortunately those are the high points that come from this film. Good news for those that love a good costume drama, bad…
We all have our cult movies we share with friends and family. Some of these films are under-appreciated classics, others are the kind of films that are a mess from a critical standpoint, but they’re endlessly watchable. Drafthouse Films has a knack for unearthing these films that are so much fun to watch with an audience: Miami Connection, Roar and now…
Bone Tomahawk is one of those films that looks like a homerun at first glance. It’s a western starring Kurt Russell, a man built for this genre, along with a well-rounded ensemble cast that includes Richard Jenkins, Patrick Wilson and Matthew Fox. The end result doesn’t satisfy nearly as much as it should. The film is excessively long with so-so performances and…
Film festival attendees are explorers in an undiscovered mountain of cinema. Sometimes we come up short, but every now and again we journey into a mysterious cave and discover a treasure that should be on display for the world to enjoy. Too Late is one of those rare, beautiful gems that simply must be seen the way Dennis Hauck (Writer/Director) intended…
Weird, heart-felt and grounded in reality - The Lobster is one hell of an experience on the big screen. In this world, single people must attend a hotel to find a partner. They’re given 45 days to find love, otherwise they turn into the animal of their choice. David (Colin Farrell) chooses a lobster for his animal. The hotel manager (Olivia Colman) tells a funny joke about