TIFF 25: Orwell – 2+2=5 dir. Raoul Peck

Damian Lewis narrates text by George Orwell, as director Raoul Peck profoundly demonstrates that we as a society, and a planet, are living smack dab in the middle of Orwell’s 1984. Intercutting with the various adaptations of 1984 and Animal Farm, Peck includes documentary and news footage charting the new rise of fascism, authoritarianism, and…

The Director (2025) – Daniel Kehlmann

Simon and Schuster Canada delivers a must-read for artists, film fans, and lovers of historical fiction. The Director, written by Daniel Kehlmann with a translation by Ross Benjamin, is a captivating tale of art and complicity. At the story’s center is famed filmmaker, G.W. Pabst, a renowned director. The book, through shifting narratives, paints a…

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 (2012) – Jay Oliva

The Dark Knight Returns is an iconic graphic novel, a story that redefined Batman in the 80s, and was, perhaps, the one adaptation that I was looking forward to most. I liked that the creative team knew to tell the story properly, they had to take their time with it, setting everything up, which meant…

Cabaret (1972) – Bob Fosse

The next title on the What Else to Watch list in DK Canada’s The Movie Book, following their recommendation of Blue Angel (previously reviewed) is Bob Fosse’s 1972 Oscar winning classic. Starring Liza Minnelli as Sally Bowles, the film is set in Berlin. Sally, an entertainer in a local club, is the film’s centre but…

The Twilight Zone (1963) – Valley of the Shadow, and He’s Alive

It’s time to venture further into The Twilight Zone, as I delve deeper into season 4 of The Complete Series on blu-ray now available from Paramount Pictures. First up this week is Valley of the Shadow. Written by Charles Beaumont, this story sees reporter, Philip Redfield (Ed Nelson) finding himself stuck in a strange small…