Silent Night Arrives on Blu-ray

Silent Night, which premiered last year during the Toronto International Film Festival, is now available on Blu-ray and DVD. With a title like Silent Night, you know that this film is not about a Jewish family gathering because such gatherings are anything BUT. Camille Griffin’s film sees a poisonous cloud making its way towards the United Kingdom. This is where a group of friends are partying to celebrate their last night on earth. I’m not…

"Silent Night Arrives on Blu-ray"

Silent Night Is Not A Jewish Movie

With a title like Silent Night, you know that this film is not about a Jewish family gathering because such gatherings are anything BUT. Camille Griffin’s film sees a poisonous cloud making its way towards the United Kingdom. This is where a group of friends are partying to celebrate their last night on earth. I’m not sure partying is the best idea but oh well. Two of which are party hosts Nell (Keira Knightley) and…

"Silent Night Is Not A Jewish Movie"

Charlotte – Toronto 2021

Charlotte may be a beautifully animated film but given the setting before and during the Holocaust, this film is emotionally intense. Please stay through the end of the credits. Charlotte Salomon (Keira Knightley in English, Marion Cotillard in French) is a German-Jewish artist with the unfortunate luck of growing up during World War II. Referred to as Lotte by her father and step-mother, she grew up in Berlin with dreams of being an artist. Against…

"Charlotte – Toronto 2021"

Begin Again Should Have Been An Oscar Contender

Begin Again shows the brilliance of John Carney at work but this film should have been an Oscar contender upon the 2014 theatrical release. John Carney isn’t the first person you’d think of when it comes to making a love letter to New York. And yet, this is exactly what he’s done by way of a musical comedy. How many people would have the genius idea of recording an album all over New York City?…

"Begin Again Should Have Been An Oscar Contender"

Misbehaviour: The Fight For Women’s Rights

Misbehaviour revisits the 1970 Miss World competition which pronounced the arrival of the Women’s Liberation Movement. The film arrives in the United States at an interesting time.  For the last few weeks, there has been much debate about Cuties.  While I’ve yet to see that film, Misbehaviour serves as a reminder that the treatment of women in society is nothing new.  All you have to do is look at these pageantry competitions–not just the ones…

"Misbehaviour: The Fight For Women’s Rights"

Official Secrets: Katharine Gun is a Hero

Official Secrets tells the incredible true story behind the bravery of Katharine Gun and why she leaked a memo in hopes of averting an illegal war. The film may is certainly a thriller even though it plays like a drama during some points.  Paul Hepker and Mark Kilian give their score some suspenseful moments every now and then.  It always helps to heighten the emotional stakes.  No moment is more suspenseful than the time when…

"Official Secrets: Katharine Gun is a Hero"

The Nutcracker and The Four Realms

The obligatory Thanos snap joke about five realms being wiped out aside, The Nutcracker and The Four Realms is the weakest film to come from the Disney umbrella this year. Fourteen-year-old science nerd Clara Stahlbaum (Mackenzie Foy) gets a gift from her late mother as the holidays approach.  It’s not just any gift as this gift is supposed to contain everything inside that she needs.  There’s just one problem.  This is a gift that requires a…

"The Nutcracker and The Four Realms"

Colette

Telling the story of French literary icon Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, Colette is a film that is appropriate for this new era following the start of the Times Up movement. The film starts as Henri Gauthier-Villars, best known as Willy (Dominic West), gets engaged to Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (Keira Knightley).  Their marriage is a real depiction of the sexism, much less the feminism, of their time.  Willy is an author, but when money troubles become too real, he revisits an old…

"Colette"

Collateral Beauty: It’s a Yawner

The last few years have not been kind to Will Smith and Collateral Beauty proves to be no exception. To be honest, this movie kept putting me to sleep repeatedly while I viewed it last night. If you want to see a movie that deals with loss and grief, please go watch Manchester by the Sea instead. David Frankel directs from a screenplay by Allan Loeb. The star-studded cast includes Smith, Edward Norton, Keira Knightley,…

"Collateral Beauty: It’s a Yawner"