On Screen

Smart reviews for the visually obsessed. On Screen features film reviews and festival coverage, spotlighting cinematic craft, storytelling and standout performances.

  • Review: ‘The Aftermath’ discovers a fine line between love and hate (Includes first-hand account)

    There are many things that can put a strain on a relationship. While it may be able to endure one stressor, more than that can cause irreparable damage and forcibly sever even the strongest bond. Examples of these burdens include death, war, distance, betrayal and blame — any one of which can create a rift that is widened with each additional problem. Perhaps most unfortunately, people can begin to drift without even realizing it’s happening until it’s too late and there’s nothing left but unsalvageable remains. The Aftermath takes place following several devastating events, the most significant being World War II.

  • Review: ‘Gloria Bell’ is the person she desires to be, no exceptions (Includes first-hand account)

    Historically, society has cultivated a stigma around being single – especially for women after a certain age. Conversely, there’s been a cultural shift that asserts being unattached is not the detriment it was once thought to be. Women are no longer required to rely on marriage for their livelihood and staying in an unhappy relationship “until the bitter end” is no longer a necessity for anyone. As a result, the perception of singledom is changing… and as Gloria Bell demonstrates, so is the landscape.

  • Review: ‘Captain Marvel’ is a galactic force to be reckoned with (Includes first-hand account)

    While the Marvel Cinematic Universe consistently delivers entertaining films, they are less committed to sticking to a linear timeline. Consequently, the movies must be rearranged like puzzle pieces to get the full picture. The latest movie is about to bring things full circle by going all the way back to the beginning (or actually, just before the beginning) before swinging back to the present debacle caused by Thanos. In spite of featuring some very strong female characters in their films, it unfortunately took Marvel 20 outings to make a movie with a female lead. Nonetheless, the moment has finally arrived with Captain Marvel.

  • Review: ‘Greta’ isn’t averse to going off the rails (Includes first-hand account)

    Loneliness can be a dangerous affliction for those experiencing it and those they may encounter. Whether self-imposed or enforced by an external factor, its effects can be highly detrimental on someone’s mind and spirit. While both are unfavourable for the stricken, deterioration of one’s mental state can have a ripple effect that at best inconveniences and at worse harms others. All reason goes out the window and all that matters is not being alone again. In Greta, a young woman befriends a forlorn widow only to discover she’s been caught in a precarious web of lies.

  • Review: ‘Never Look Away’ finds inspiration in all of life’s experiences (Includes first-hand account)

    Since the conclusion of World War II, storytellers have approached the conflict and its fallout from numerous perspectives. Some are less direct than others, opting to follow the path of someone not immediately involved, but affected nonetheless. The repercussions of that particular war were long-lasting as the hunt for high-ranking officials that played key roles in Hitler’s design continued for decades. Consequently, it was often the children who felt the burden of their parents’ sins in post-war Germany. In Never Look Away, life behind the communist wall becomes too difficult to bear.

  • Review: ‘How to Train Your Dragon 3’ knows what it has to do (Includes first-hand account)

    Tales of adventure and magic are some of the best escapism. Who needs realism when you can be whisked away on a magic carpet or carried off by a fantastical beast or ushered to a legendary city not seen for hundreds of years? Yet these same amazing stories find ways for audiences to connect with their protagonists, bringing narratives to life in ways that stimulate their hearts and imaginations. But all good things must come to an end. That is where fans have arrived with the final chapter, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World.

  • Review: ‘Happy Death Day 2U’ is a great gift for the fun-loving moviegoer (Includes first-hand account)

    The Groundhog Day theme has been repurposed more than once since it was released in 1993 with varying results. Its comedic properties are obvious, but that hasn’t stopped creators from using it in other genres like sci-fi and horror that, in some cases, have more dire consequences. One of the most surprising applications came in the unexpected slasher comedy, Happy Death Day, which employed the single-day-effect to create a fresh, entertaining narrative. But no one ever figured out what generated the loop… until now. In the immediate sequel, Happy Death Day 2U, it starts happening again — only this time we know why.

  • Review: ‘Alita: Battle Angel’ comes into her own via the awesome FX (Includes first-hand account)

    As bio-mechanics and artificial intelligence improve, questions have been raised about what qualifies someone to be human. What if their body is 90% machine, but their brain is still intact? What about cyborgs or AI that demonstrate more love and compassion than many of their flesh-and-blood counterparts? It’s possible the definition of human will evolve over the next century. In the meantime, audiences have tales of fiction in which to explore the debate. In Alita: Battle Angel, a female cyborg is reawakened with no memories of her former life, but an innate attraction to conflict.

  • Review: ‘The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part’ gets literal for the win (Includes first-hand account)

    Playing is fun and that never changes. But when you’re a kid enjoying your toys, at some point you become aware that you’re doing all the work… which leads to the question, what if they were alive? This idea resulted in countless movies and TV shows featuring children’s toys in their native lands or even their playroom at night when it’s safe to be themselves. The more cynical point of view deems these extensions as little more than a marketing ploy, which isn’t entirely wrong, but they’re also generally pretty entertaining. In The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, actions in the real world threaten the existence of Bricksburg.

  • Review: ‘Miss Bala’ is an uncommon display of a woman’s fortitude (Includes first-hand account)

    A strong female lead doesn’t have to be a well-trained, lethal weapon ready to strike at any moment. She doesn’t need to be muscular or look a certain way. And she doesn’t have to be fighting her enemy every minute to demonstrate her resilience – or overcoming a sexual assault for that matter. As fear can easily overwhelm patience, sometimes biding one’s time requires more courage than jumping at the first opportunity for escape or retaliation. There’s more than one way to become a survivor or prevail under seemingly impossible circumstances. In Miss Bala, a young woman is swept up into a Mexican gang war and does what she must to stay alive.

  • Review: ‘Chef Flynn’ is a delectable look at a child prodigy (Includes first-hand account)

    When people think of prodigies, it’s often related to arts such as music or academics such as math. Regardless of the specialty, it’s a label applied to young people who have a natural gift for something that takes other people years of practice to do or comprehend. Their particular genius allows them to know inherently how something is done and excel with seemingly little effort. Consequently, they’re so consumed by this one thing, most other areas of their life, such as unrelated studies and relationships, suffer. Chef Flynn is about a young man who was a pre-teen phenomenon in the kitchen and is realizing his professional dreams before many kids his age have even decided on a career.

  • Review: ‘Cold War’ doesn’t need colour to convey its passion (Includes first-hand account)

    They say love is blind, which is why so many people can find themselves in complicated or even impossible relationships. At some point your head attempts to reason with your heart and occasionally it succeeds. On the other hand, sometimes logic and practicality overrule love entirely, and choices are made based on the most pragmatic option instead of the happiest. Outside influences and circumstances often play a significant role in such decisions. In Cold War, a couple constantly finds themselves drawn together and then pulled apart again over more than a decade.