Ben Stiller directed the ultimate Hollywood satire with Tropic Thunder. He developed the story with Justin Theroux, and the pair wrote a script with Ethan Cohen. It’s sharp, pointed, and under its endlessly quotable dialogue and performances is a skewering look at Tinsel Town. Everything seems to be a lie, from promotions to images to…
Tag: stereotypes
TIFF ’22: Project Wolf Hunting
Project Wolf Hunting, a South Korean entry for TIFF’s ever-popular Midnight Madness series, is sure to be a crowd pleaser for that late-night crowd. Director Kim Hongsun delivers a silly, gory actioner that feels like the messy and violent love child of Con Air and Friday the 13th. After a disastrous convict transport that ended…
The Mary Shelley Club (2021) – Goldy Moldavsky
So I have been reading a lot of science fiction of late, and wanted to shake it up a bit, and find something a little bit more from the horror/thriller genre, and a top horror novels of 2021 list returned the Young Adult (I hate that term) novel, The Mary Shelley Club. Well I put…
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) – Shane Black
Excluding The Predator (what the hell was that?) Shane Black has been one of my favorite Hollywood writers, and I was super-excited when it was announced he was getting into the director’s chair for Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Set, like most of Black’s tales, at Christmas, this one is a slice of modern noir. Robert…
Sixteen Candles (1984) – John Hughes
There are lots of things that still work with John Hughes teen comedy, Sixteen Candles, but there are so many problematic things that have really begun to overshadow the story’s heart. There’s some racism, there’s some things that walk the line up to and over harassment and assault, and that really takes the shine off…
The X-Files (1999) – Agua Mala, and Monday
There’s something in the water! Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) head to Florida in the middle of a hurricane at the behest of the man who discovered the x-files, Arthur Dales (Darren McGavin) because he’s had reports of a monster in the water that is attacking people. Written by David Amann, the episode…
The X-Files (1996) – Jose Chung’s From Outer Space, and Avatar
Darin Morgan delivers what is definitely my favourite episode of the series. This one always ends up on ‘best of’ lists. First airing on 12 April, 1996, Jose Chung’s From Outer Space takes on the alien abduction phenomena, as well as playing with the tropes and stereotypes that spring up around them, as well as…
Planet Terror (2007) – Robert Rodriguez
The final film for my viewing in the zombie chapter of the very enjoyable Monsters in the Movies from DK Canada. Paired with Death Proof, the film was made and released as an homage to the low budget grindhouse films of the 70s where it was all about selling tickets, and if the films could…
TAD 2018: You Might Be the Killer (2018) – Brett Simmons
The final night of Toronto After Dark gets underway this evening, and while I didn’t get to see all the films I wanted to see (life gets in the way), I enjoyed the ones I did, and loved sharing my thoughts on them with you. The final screening tonight (which does so twice, once at…
TAD 2018: Prospect (2018) – Christopher Caldwell and Zeek Earl
It’s Sci-Fi Night for Toronto After Dark, and Scotiabank Theatre is ready to blast off, starting at 7pm! Up first tonight is Prospect (the first film being released by Dust the sci-fi arm of the Gunpowder & Sky production house), starring Sophie Thatcher, Pedro Pascal and Jay Duplass. There’s a lot going on production and…
The Mind Reels 