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Reel Asian Festival: We Will Be Brave | That Shelf
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It also follows them as they create art installations and experiences for their community, portrayed with noble intent. Unfortunately, the impact of these events is never investigated excepting how it affects the The Good Guise themselves. Herein lies the biggest problem with We Will Be Brave: its scope feels too limited. These five men are…
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A Haunting in Venice & Quiz Lady | Awesome Friday Podcast
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Greetings programs! This week, we’re taking on two films new to Disney+: Kenneth Branagh’s latest Poirot mystery, A Haunting in Venice, and the new Awkwafina & Sandra Oh starring comedy Quiz Lady. Link: https://awesomefriday.ca/2023/11/podcast-a-haunting-in-venice-quiz-lady/
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The Criterion Shelf: Grindhouse Gothic – Roger Corman Directs Edgar Allan Poe | That Shelf
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Criterion Shelf is an ongoing collaborative retrospective of classic films, helmed by Bil Antoniou, tackling curated collections on the Criterion Channel. For October 2023, I contributed a write-up of the classic film Masque of the Red Death from the Roger Corman-directed Edgar Allan Poe cycle of films starring Vincent Price. If you grew up…
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Bottoms, Fair Play, & Pain Hustlers | Awesome Friday Podcast
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Greetings programs! We’re back after an impromptu hiatus! To make up for it we’re talking about three films on the show: Emma Seligman’s Bottoms, Chloe Domont’s Fair Play, and David Yates’s Pain Hustlers. Join us! Link: https://awesomefriday.ca/2023/10/podcast-bottoms-fair-play-pain-hustlers/
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The Killer Hits the Mark | ForReel
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Fassbender is excellent throughout, both on screen and in voiceover. His character speaks confidently in voiceover about the need for detachment and calm, cool, dispassionate professionalism. On-screen, the character appears to be that, except for all the moments the tumult of emotions beneath the surface peek through (which is a lot). Playing that contradiction…
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Die Hard 2: Die Harder Minute 122 – Business Dealing of Politics | MovieRob Minute
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Rob is back with Matthew Simpson of Awesome Friday as they get to the rolling cast credits and find a typo. Link: https://movierobminute.com/2023/10/27/movierob-minute-season-5-die-hard-2-die-harder-minute-122-business-dealing-of-politics/
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Die Hard 2: Die Harder Minute 121 – Hoo-Rah | MovieRob Minute
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Matthew Simpson of Awesome Friday returns with Rob to continue to peruse the credits of all the people who contributed to this film credited and uncredited. Link: https://movierobminute.com/2023/10/26/movierob-minute-season-5-die-hard-2-die-harder-minute-121-hoo-rah/
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Die Hard 2: Die Harder Minute 120 – Most Canadian Security | MovieRob Minute
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Another episode discussing another minute of the film Die Hard 2: Die Harder with MovieRob! Link: https://movierobminute.com/2023/10/25/movierob-minute-season-5-die-hard-2-die-harder-minute-120-most-canadian-security/
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Die Hard 2: Die Harder Minute 119 – Writer’s Guild Shenanigans | MovieRob Minute
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Matthew Simpson of Awesome Friday joins Rob as they continue to go thru the above the line credits. Link: https://movierobminute.com/2023/10/24/movierob-minute-season-5-die-hard-2-die-harder-minute-119-writers-guild-shenanigans/
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VIFF 2023: I Used to Be Funny: Rachel Sennott Continues Her Hot Streak in Ally Pankiw’s New Film | That Shelf
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The movie is ultimately Sennott’s show and she carries it with the confidence of a seasoned performer. The story sees her tackle more than a few complicated subjects. Through it all, she makes Sam believable, sympathetic, and, when the script calls for it, hilarious. It is an excellent performance that anchors I Used to Be…
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VIFF 2023: “Anatomy of a Fall” and the Anatomy of an Exceptional Courtroom Drama | ForReel
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The cast is universally excellent, […] Samuel Theis and Sandra Hüller, in one of the film’s best scenes, have a violent argument (which is recorded and the audio played for the court) in which they discuss the balance of their lives and responsibilities. This scene feels like it could be taken from almost any…
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“The Creator”; A Visually Beautiful Yet Narratively Deficient Sci-Fi Film | ForReel
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If there has been an inescapable topic of 2023, it has been Artificial Intelligence (AI). We’ve seen large language models grow by leaps and bounds in the last year, and Hollywood writers and performers striking – at least in part – over the idea of using AI in creating film and television. AI has…
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VIFF 2023: I’m Just Here for the Riot, Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe, & The Royal Hotel | Awesome Friday Podcast
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The 2023 Vancouver International Film Festival has drawn to a close, and this week, we’re talking about three films we saw as part of the fest: I’m Just Here for the Riot is a documentary about the 2011 Stanley Cup Riot in Vancouver, our hometown. Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe is a documentary…
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VIFF 2023: “The Royal Hotel”; A Feminist Tale Of Harrowing Proportions | ForReel
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So Liv and Hanna are left to fend for themselves among these horrible men. Three stand out: Matty (Toby Wallace, Finestkind), the fun one who wants to be friends but also wants to get Hanna into bed. Teeth (James Frecheville), the slow one who thinks he’s being chivalrous by sitting at the bar and…
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Loki Season 2 Review: More Fun Shenanigans in the MCU’s Sacred Timeline | That Shelf
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For his part, Hiddleston slips back into Loki like a glove he’s been wearing all his life, this time with more concern for both Sylvie and the universe at large. Di Martino as Sylvie gets to play with relief and frustration as she’s dragged back into the fray. Their relationship after last season’s betrayal…