On Screen

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

  • Review: ‘Spectre’ isn’t the retirement party this Bond deserved (Includes first-hand account)

    One of the things many people liked about Daniel Craig was that he was ushering the classic spy into a modern day world. While James Bond was always ahead of the game in terms of technology, he’d been peddling the same archaic form of masculinity for decades. The era of Craig was meant to prove that 007 is actually just a man who’s exceptionally skilled at killing people. His first three films worked towards this goal and Spectre would be the last featuring the actor; unfortunately the new age of Bond ended with Skyfall.

  • Review: ‘The Assassin’ presents a strong, silent female hero (Includes first-hand account)

    While female heroes are still an uncommon occurrence in cinema, they are more prevalent in some genres than others. Martial arts pictures boast a number of women protagonists who prove capable in a variety of circumstances, including physical altercations. Whether on a mission of revenge or attempting to complete a quest, these women match the proficiency of their male counterparts and fulfill their requirements as hero to a tee. The Assassin features one of these female action stars.

  • Review: ‘Room’ begins where most stories about captivity end (Includes first-hand account)

    A large proportion of Lifetime TV movies focus on the survivors of horrific crimes, creating melodramatic depictions of the offense and its consequences. As terrible as these incidents are, the formula used to portray their stories is predictable and calculating to affect viewers’ emotions in certain ways at specific parts of the narrative. But that doesn’t mean these tales are immune to ingenuity; it just hasn’t been applied as often. Room approaches a story that has become far too common in the news from a fresh perspective that truly captures the intense effects of being held against one’s will.

  • Review: ‘Deathgasm’ hooks audiences right up until the big finish (Includes first-hand account)

    The relationship between heavy metal and horror movies is a longstanding one that’s reciprocal, even if it’s not always balanced. Bands like Gwar have their own monster mascots on stage and others dress in disturbing costumes, while film soundtracks have incorporated the musical genre countless times over the years as its forceful tone lends itself to the sometimes visceral imagery. This correlation has generally been assumed rather than explicitly stated, but Deathgasm puts the connection front-and-centre in its plot.

  • Review: ‘The Hallow’ finds its monster in Irish folklore (Includes first-hand account)

    Urban legends and myths are often curated from generations of oral histories, enduring over the years as silly folktales or widely held superstitions. Most countries generally have their own lore specific to the region with some relating to vampires, werewolves and faeries – stories that were appropriated for books and movies over the years. In Ireland and nearby lands, the natural habitats of mystical creatures are guarded and often avoided to preclude any possible retaliation. Even so, an outsider to the area may not know or believe in the rules, which proves hazardous to everyone in The Hallow.

  • Review: Offbeat comedy ‘Rock the Kasbah’ gets a little off-key (Includes first-hand account)

    Existing is generally also a matter of adapting. Trying to subsist without adjusting to the uncontrollable evolution of life and circumstance is nearly impossible. Change comes in many forms and tones, not all of which will come easy or be agreeable; but that won’t stop it from happening. War is a major cause of transformation as it affects all manner of living and has the power to touch everything in its path. Though even through the ravages of violence can emerge new hope. Rock the Kasbah attempts to pave the way for positive reform in its unique way.

  • Review: ‘The Last Witch Hunter’ is a compilation of oversights (Includes first-hand account)

    It’s impossible to know what really lurks in the shadows, concealed in the darkness. It’s difficult to know the true nature of anything without being permitted behind the curtain, where there are no masks or secrets. Countless stories are built around what goes bump in the night; that which chooses to remain unseen to the untrained eye. Clandestine meeting places, councils and laws rule their existence, ensuring the general public’s continued ignorance. The Last Witch Hunter is an eternal enforcer who makes sure no harm comes to the unenlightened.

  • Review: Time travel movie ‘Synchronicity’ keeps it all straight (Includes first-hand account)

    Time travel is a tricky business. Toss in parallel worlds and free will, and you don’t know where you might end up or what you could alter. The rules and consequences change from film to film, but there are generally some similarities which allow the viewer to become more easily acquainted with the protagonist’s situation; divining which systems are in play is part of the fun. Synchronicity takes an interesting approach to the science fiction narrative, encouraging viewers to piece together the puzzle for themselves.

  • Review: ‘A Christmas Horror Story’ is a gift-wrapped Halloween treat (Includes first-hand account)

    Since retail stores insist on displaying Halloween and Christmas decorations at the same time, why shouldn’t that crossover apply to other things like movies? Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is the chief (and least horrific) example in which the holidays intertwine; but other films include the Silent Night, Deadly Night series, Black Christmas and a killer Santa Clause short in the Tales from the Crypt movie. The latest picture to frighten the cheer from yuletide celebrations is A Christmas Horror Story.

  • Review: ‘Experimenter’ is the human perspective of a scientific coup (Includes first-hand account)

    Research conducted in the name of science cannot always justify one’s work; rather harm to the subject is a better indicator of whether a test is defensible. Adding a preposition to the title of this film may have given it a negative connotation, implying the protagonist was the villain in a tale of horror — though there are some in his field who would have you believe just that. Experimenter is the story of Stanley Milgram, whose obedience studies would shake-up the academic community.

  • Review: ‘Crimson Peak’ is the epitome of a gothic horror romance (Includes first-hand account)

    There’s a problem in the horror industry that’s existed for decades and shows no evidence of being solved in the near future: the movies are frequently marketed incorrectly. There’s an assumption that unless a film is revealed to be frightening in the trailers, people won’t go to the theatre to watch it. However misrepresenting pictures or disclosing all the greatest scares during its promotion causes audiences to feel cheated and can affect profits once word gets around that it’s not what was promised. As much as one hopes this will not be the case, this may be the fate of Crimson Peak, which is unlikely to fulfill the false hopes of a scary film-going experience.

  • Review: ‘Bridge of Spies’ is a stirring but welcome crossing (Includes first-hand account)

    Regardless of one’s opinions of Steven Spielberg or Tom Hanks, when the two come together to make a film there’s generally little doubt that it will be good. The topics of their collaborations have varied over the years from the war to immigration to a clever criminal. In Bridge of Spies, they add espionage to the list, though the actor thankfully is not the one sneaking around stealing government secrets.