Saoirse Ronan shines as Maria, an elementary school teacher pushed too far in Jonatan Etzler’s darkly funny thriller, Bad Apples. If you’ve read the tagline for the film, do yourself a favour and don’t read anything else about it. Go in with the knowledge that Maria is working to keep her class engaged. She has…
Tag: morals
Stargate: Atlantis (2005) – Condemned, and Trinity
Sheppard (Joe Flanigan), Teyla (Rachel Luttrell), McKay (David Hewlett), and Ronon (Jason Momoa) arrive on a planet via puddlejumper and a stargate that they have never been to before. Moments after arrival, they fall under attack. They are rescued, and learn from their rescuers that the stargate is located on a prison island. Condemned was…
2 Guns (2013) – Baltasar Kormakur
Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg star in 2 Guns, based on the comic series of the same name, a fun little actioner where everyone seems intent on betraying every one else over forty-three million dollars. Posing as buyers, Bobby (Washington) is actually a DEA agent, Stig (Wahlberg) is in the Office of Naval Intelligence, and…
Star Trek: Picard (2023) – Dominion, and Surrender
Things are getting intense as we race towards the series finale. Dominion ups the stakes again. Written by Jane Maggs, it debuted on 30 March, 2023. Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Crusher (Gates McFadden) learn some shocking truths about these new Changelings (augmented and developed by Starfleet under Project Proteus), especially Vadic (Amanda Plummer) as they…
TIFF ’23: Concrete Utopia
Concrete Utopia from South Korea has its North American premiere here at TIFF, and this one is definitely a must-see. While arguably a little heavy-handed in its messaging, the film is a captivating two-hour exploration of the human condition, our faults, and our hopes. An apocalyptic event has struck Seoul, and it seems the only…
The Punisher (1989) – Mark Goldblatt
The same year that Micheal Keaton donned the cowl and became the iconic Batman for a generation, Dolph Lundgren brought Marvel’s dark antihero, Frank Castle, to life in the low-budget adaptation of The Punisher. If I say ugh will that be enough? Lundgren has never been known for his thespian abilities, and in a role…
Broadcast News (1987) – James L. Brooks
Holly Hunter is a treasure and she sparked in Broadcast News. She shines so wholly that she almost eclipses her co-stars Albert Brooks and William Hurt. James L. Brooks wrote and directed this Oscar-nominated film (seven of them, including best picture, actress, actor, supporting actor and didn’t take home one) that lets a love triangle…
“Crocodile” Dundee Trilogy Blu-Ray Review
I remember when “Crocodile” Dundee first hit theatres, I remember seeing it at the American base in Bermuda while we were living there in the 80s. But things really took off for me and Mick Dundee (Paul Hogan) when it hit video. It was the first VHS cassette I ever bought (on a family trip…
Black Widow (2021) – Cate Shortland
The MCU roars back to the big screen with an emotional and action-packed thrill ride that gives Scarlett Johansson a long over due Black Widow solo film, set between the events of Civil War and Infinity War/Endgame, director Cate Shortland brings us resoundingly back into the big screen spectacle that is the MCU and defines…
Star Trek: Enterprise (2003) – The Breach, and Cogenitor
Captain’s log: date unknown Chris Black and John Shiban pen the teleplay for this episode from a story by Daniel McCarthy. It’s a Phlox (John Billingsley) episode that first aired on 23 April, 2003, and was directed by Voyager’s Robert Duncan McNeill. Phlox finds himself in an ethical dilemma when the Enterprise is summoned to…
The Mind Reels 