Listening to Kenny G – Toronto 2021

Penny Lane is back with her newest documentary, Listening to Kenny G, which goes into why he’s such a polarizing jazz musician. Lane interviews a number of jazz artists and critics in hopes of getting to the bottom of finding out why Kenny G is so polarizing. She makes sure we here from a wide variety of people. You either like him or don’t. And for some, he’s not representative of what real jazz is–sound…

"Listening to Kenny G – Toronto 2021"

Paramount: Brian Robbins Signals A New Direction

Nickelodeon’s Brian Robbins will take over Paramount Pictures as Chairman and CEO following the departure of Jim Gianopulos. Jim Gianopulos had a good run as the studio chief but he’s more or less ending on a sour note. Snake Eyes didn’t bring in solid numbers upon release. Moreover, the pandemic led the studio to unload a number of films onto streaming services. As such, Amazon Prime Video played home to Coming 2 America, Without Remorse,…

"Paramount: Brian Robbins Signals A New Direction"

Montana Story – Toronto 2021

Filmmakers Scott McGehee and David Siegel take advantage of the isolation that Montana has to offer with their new drama, Montana Story. With their father in a coma following a stroke, two estranged siblings, Erin (Haley Lu Richardson) and Cal Thorne (Owen Teague), return home to the family ranch. It’s no longer the same place where they grew up. They find Ace (Gilbert Owuor) looking after their dying father. Sure, some people are the same…

"Montana Story – Toronto 2021"

Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over – Toronto 2021

Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over might not break new ground but the film is a revealing documentary about the singer/songwriter. “What the World Needs Now,” “Say A Little Prayer,” and “Don’t Make Me Over” are among a number of songs in Warwick’s discography. You might know the songs but do you know who Dionne Warwick is as a person. Do you know how she has used her voice in the name of humanitarian causes?…

"Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over – Toronto 2021"

Becoming Cousteau – Toronto 2021

Becoming Cousteau is Liz Garbus’s new archive-heavy documentary about filmmaker and underwater explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau. When one thinks of 20th century explorers or adventurers, a few names come to mind: Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Robert Ballard, and yes, even James Cameron. The French adventurer stands out above them all. In fact, it felt like he was a household name when I was growing up. it’s truly hard to believe that next year will mark 25 years since he…

"Becoming Cousteau – Toronto 2021"

The Girl and the Spider – Toronto 2021

The Girl and the Spider (Das Mädchen und die Spinne) is a subtle drama that explores the emotions that come when a roommate moves out. Lisa (Liliane Amuat) is finally moving out of the apartment and leaving roommate Mara (Henriette Confurius) behind. There’s a whirlwind of emotions that come with Lisa packing up her stuff. It’s a new start for Lisa, who lived there for years with Mara and Markus (Ivan Georgiev). As this era…

"The Girl and the Spider – Toronto 2021"

Violet – Toronto 2021

Olivia Munn delivers a a career-best performance in Justine Bateman’s directorial debut, Violet, making its Canadian premiere during TIFF. Let me tell you right off the bat that you need to be in the right mindset for the film. If you don’t have the right headspace, this film could prove to be problematic. Take it from me: I had major depression hit just before SXSW this year. Because of this, I didn’t review Violet during…

"Violet – Toronto 2021"

Jonah Feingold talks Dating & New York

Writer-director Jonah Feingold spoke with Solzy at the Movies last week about his new film, Dating & New York, releasing in theaters and VOD. The film stars Jaboukie Young-White, Francesca Reale, Catherine Cohen, and Brian Muller. Following the romantic comedy’s premiere this past summer during the 2021 Tribeca Festival, IFC Films will release the film in theaters and on VOD. After premiering Dating & New York during Tribeca this summer, how exciting is it to finally…

"Jonah Feingold talks Dating & New York"

Dating & New York: A Fairy Tale Approach

Dating & New York, the Jonah Feingold film that premiered during Tribeca in June, takes a fairy tale approach to the romantic comedy genre. Not many people can say they hit a home run with their debut feature but this is the case with Jonah Feingold. Feingold knew he wanted to be a filmmaker when he first saw Hook. If you notice, the film’s score pays homage to the Peter Pan film during one of…

"Dating & New York: A Fairy Tale Approach"

Warrior Is Still An Underappreciated Masterpiece

Warrior marks the tenth anniversary of its theatrical release and in a perfect world, this film should have garnered many Oscar nominations. U.S. Marine Tommy Riordan Conlon (Tom Hardy) starts training for a mixed martial arts tournament shortly after reuniting with his father, Paddy (Nick Nolte). Paddy wasn’t the best father when Tommy was growing up. He was both a drunk and abusive. While he’s training Tommy, his other son, Brendan (Joel Edgerton), has turned…

"Warrior Is Still An Underappreciated Masterpiece"