Toronto 2019: The Barefoot Emperor

The Barefoot Emperor is a satirical film about forming a new Europe and is very fitting given the current political climate. Nicolas III (Peter Van den Begin) is so close to being able to get back home to Belgium.  The only thing standing between him and members of the Belgian military retrieving him is a re-enactment of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s 1914 assassination.  Anything that can go wrong will go wrong!  Of course, he gets…

"Toronto 2019: The Barefoot Emperor"

The Mountain may challenge its viewers

The Mountain is a slowly paced drama set in the world of lobotomies with leading performances from Tye Sheridan and Jeff Goldblum. Welcome to the 1950s where Andy (Tye Sheridan) now lives in his father’s shadow.  His mom has already been confined to an institution by the time we meet him.  Enter Dr. Wallace Fiennes (Jeff Goldblum) into the picture.  He takes Andy under his wing as a photographer while touring an asylum.  You see,…

"The Mountain may challenge its viewers"

American Animals: A Crazy True-Crime Story

American Animals uses a narrative/documentary hybrid approach in telling the absurd but true story of the Transylvania University library heist. Flashback to the fall of 2003 if you will.  Spencer Reinhard (Barry Keoghan) is touring the Special Collections archive at the Transylvania University library.  The freshman finds himself intrigued and fascinated by the artwork of John James Audubon.  Admiring the artwork, Spencer starts to get these absurd idea to steal the rare collection.  He manages to…

"American Animals: A Crazy True-Crime Story"

CCFF 2018: American Animals

American Animals takes an interesting approach to storytelling with a narrative/documentary hybrid in telling the absurd but true story of the Transylvania University library heist. Flashback to the fall of 2003 when Spencer Reinhard (Barry Keoghan) is touring the Special Collections archive at the Transylvania University library.  Fascinated by the artwork of John James Audubon, Spencer starts to get these absurd idea to steal the rare collection.  He does so with the help of his…

"CCFF 2018: American Animals"