On Screen

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

  • Review: ‘Mortal Engines’ steamrolls audiences with its banality (Includes first-hand account)

    Steampunk is a fascinating subculture that centres on the convergence of early mechanics and science fiction. Existing in worlds that either are based in or have devolved to the past, these societies are simultaneously progressive and backwards. The machines they control are often awe-inspiring, but civilization has taken several steps back towards the dark ages and pre-connectivity. Still, deep, rich colours occupy the frame and devotion or knowledge of the “old ways” absorbs the characters’ time as they hope to better understand their unsophisticated ancestors. Mortal Engines is based in this world, but someone is combing the past for a more dangerous purpose.

  • Review: ‘Mary Queen of Scots’ deserves royal assent (Includes first-hand account)

    Women have strived for power for centuries, but those who’ve achieved it have found it incredibly difficult to maintain. People, particularly men, have historically had problems being subordinate to female leaders — especially when they believe they should be at the head of the table or, more commonly, that they can do a better job. In spite of being born to their positions and spending their lives training for their role, monarchs are constantly under threat by someone waiting in the wings hoping to gain from a marriage proposal or their deposal. Mary Queen of Scots chronicles the life of a woman who kept a steely grip on her throne until they found the one weakness she could not deny.

  • Review: ‘Once Upon a Deadpool’ is a fun but fleeting experiment (Includes first-hand account)

    Those who grew up watching certain movies on cable — with commercials — before finally watching an uncut, recorded version on VHS/DVD/laser disc/Blu-ray, know what it’s like to discover scenes, coarse dialogue and graphic images they’ve never seen before. It sometimes changed the whole dynamic of a film and made it impossible to ever go back to the shorter, sanitized version to which you’d been accustomed. Of course, the television cut wasn’t really any less good, but it was unquestionably different. This feeling is gaining relic status with the adoption of streaming and video-on-demand, but Fox has decided to recapture the experience with its PG-rated rendering of Once Upon a Deadpool.

  • Review: ‘Suspiria’ is defiant, but its efforts may be misplaced (Includes first-hand account)

    Dario Argento is one of the best-known Giallo directors in cinema and Suspiria is one of his most celebrated works. Of course there are other directors working in this space, and he’s made other films that expertly marry the violence, sexuality and style that define the genre, but when one of thinks of Giallo they think of Argento and/or Suspiria. Therefore, reimagining one of the genre’s most notable pictures is a heady task to be taken on by only the bold… or foolish. Based on Luca Guadagnino‘s “homage,” he might be a bit of both.

  • Review: ‘Green Book’ is swelling with kindness and humour (Includes first-hand account)

    Though it may not seem like a big deal now, there was a time when certain things simply weren’t done… and many of those things stemmed from the colour of our skin. While some areas were quicker to progress past segregation and the like, others were staunch in their backwards beliefs and tightly held on to them until the choice was no longer theirs. But there were brave men and women who accepted the responsibility of forcing change, as well as the consequences when their efforts were poorly received. In Green Book, an accomplished black musician embarks on a tour of the South.

  • Review: ‘Ralph Breaks the Internet’ has fun with our virtual vices (Includes first-hand account)

    Whether animated or live-action, great movies are made by great characters that audiences want to watch. The same is doubly true for pictures that get sequels because if you didn’t like it the first time around, you’re probably not going to give round two a shot. The one studio(s) that’s never seemed to have a problem in this department is Disney*Pixar, who knock it out of the park every time by creating endearing personalities that live on well beyond their theatrical life expectancy. Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 is only Disney’s third animated sequel in its history, but they’ve certainly made the right call with this one.

  • Review: ‘Creed II’ takes what worked and rejigs it for a dual sequel (Includes first-hand account)

    It took time and couple of not great movies for studio execs to realize audiences no longer desired narratives centred on Rocky Balboa. Watching a now much older Sylvester Stallone be pummelled in the ring by a young upstart is more sad than thrilling. Just because the actor is still physically fit enough to do the scenes doesn’t mean he should. Then they decided to reboot the franchise and give Rocky a more fitting role as the coach of a young a boxer with a connection to his past. Now, in Creed II, the past comes knocking and Donny feels an overwhelming need to answer.

  • Review: ‘Widows’ is an electrifying narrative grounded in the real world (Includes first-hand account)

    Heist movies have been known to come in all shapes and sizes. The amount of the plunder, the number of participants, the complexity of the plan and, more recently, the gender of the thieves are all variables with which storytellers have the freedom to play. There have been a number of similar plots rehashed in different ways over the years, but it’s always notable when something new is brought to a longstanding genre. Widows is that film, finding a unique narrative to share with audiences eager for something new.

  • Review: ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’ rambles onward (Includes first-hand account)

    There are certain worlds in which fans don’t mind spending all of their time. The opportunity to see elements for the first time, learn things one didn’t already know or realize, and simply hang out with beloved characters is appealing in itself. However, it’s not necessarily enough to maintain their attentions over long periods of time. Thus, sophisticated stories are required to fill the gaps and tie everything together so it’s not just a conveyor belt of things to look at. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is filled with amusements, but it needs a solid narrative accompaniment.

  • Review: ‘Boy Erased’ only has to tell its story to be affecting (Includes first-hand account)

    In spite of certain actions, behaviours and programs proving harmful, it’s been exceptionally difficult to eradicate them. Therefore, it’s become the work of the survivors to educate others about the negative effects and warn them away from these damaging elements. Of course, those who choose not to believe will never be convinced, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t try — saving one is better than none at all. Gay conversion therapy is a prime example of a destructive system that is meant more for the people around the person enrolled than the person themselves, yet they continue to operate across the United States. Boy Erased is one man’s experience at such a camp.

  • Review: ‘The Grinch’ appreciates and builds up from its roots (Includes first-hand account)

    It seems like one of the simplest ways to capitalize on the holidays is recycle/reimagine a classic tale for a contemporary audience. Granted, many of the most beloved Christmas cartoons are more than half-a-century old — but their age doesn’t make them any less endearing or enjoyable. Nonetheless, there is an unexplainable and explicit need to remake these specials using modern techniques and padded storylines. The latest to get this treatment (for the second time) is Dr. Seuss’ own green grouch, who despises merry occasions and happy people. The Grinch is now a feature-length animation with some extra plot.

  • Review: ‘The Nutcracker and the Four Realms’ is a candy-coated venture (Includes first-hand account)

    There are Christmas traditions that are passed down through generations and even though they may not be unique to one family, they are observed annually because over the years they’ve come to have personal meaning. A film, a book, a recipe or a ritual, simple or complex, individually or as a group, there is no wrong way to celebrate. For some, the tale of the Nutcracker has taken on significance. Whether it’s watching a favourite version or reading the story, attending an annual performance or displaying the wooden figure, this creative fantasy is a holiday custom in many homes. Now, some may choose to add The Nutcracker and the Four Realms to the mix.