Film review: Rise of the Guardians

By Matthew Parkinson

It’s strange to think that the various folkloric figures present in our culture have never been retooled into action heroes. Rise of the Guardians does exactly this, as an all-star cast of well-known characters team up to save the earth. The film’s characters are far from obscure — Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth… Continue reading Film review: Rise of the Guardians

Film Review: Skyfall

By Ben Rowe

We have been watching James Bond on the big screen for 50 years. Bond’s adventures began in print, authored by Ian Fleming, nine years earlier. Rooted in the Cold War and modernist ideals of the ’50s and ’60s, the Bond films defined the culture of those decades but have unfortunately struggled with relevancy for years.… Continue reading Film Review: Skyfall

Movie Review: Cloud Atlas

By Matthew Parkinson

Cloud Atlas is the type of audacious art-house film that almost never gets a blockbuster budget or recognizable actors. Yet, over $100 million has been put into this adaptation of David Mitchell’s award-winning novel of the same name. The film stars A-list actors like Tom Hanks, Halle Berry and Hugo Weaving. Cloud Atlas has three… Continue reading Movie Review: Cloud Atlas

Film review: Argo

By Matthew Parkinson

Argo, the third film by director Ben Affleck, is a thriller designed to win awards. It deserves any accolades it will inevitably win, with its tight pacing, sharp script and genuine thrills. Affleck is now three for three in his directorial career, and it really seems to be the direction he should move in. His… Continue reading Film review: Argo

Film review: Antiviral

By Ben Rowe

Antiviral is the feature film debut of Brandon Cronenberg, son of famed Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg. Set in the near-future, this parable about celebrity worship depicts a society willing to pay to be injected with celebrities’ diseases just to feel closer to them. Syd March (Caleb Landry Jones) works for the Lucas Clinic, which buys… Continue reading Film review: Antiviral

Film review: The Dark Knight Rises, but not too high

By Matthew Parkinson

The Dark Knight Rises serves as the grandiose finale for Christopher Nolan’s extremely popular Batman trilogy. It is one of the most anticipated movies of the year, and while it doesn’t quite live up to the hype — although there was no way it realistically could — it is still an enjoyable movie for the… Continue reading Film review: The Dark Knight Rises, but not too high

Osama, the Taliban and gender switches

By Chris Beauchamp

No, not that Osama. Set in Afghanistan during the Taliban’s rise to power, Osama follows the unhappy circumstances surrounding a young girl’s attempt to disguise herself as a boy in a society built on male supremacy. Because of strict laws against women working or even venturing into the streets alone, there is little hope for… Continue reading Osama, the Taliban and gender switches

Seduction in small town Quebec

By Rob Scherf

I’m going to tell you straight up that I’m torn over this review. Part of me wants to rip Seducing Dr. Lewis to shreds because it’s godawfully boring, derivative and just plain unfunny. The other part of me, the angel on my shoulder if you will, is telling me to optimistically support independent Canadian cinema.… Continue reading Seduction in small town Quebec