1st Reviews

  It’s hard to imagine who was asking for a film about a Neil Diamond tribute band, but this true story works due to its immense charm. Hugh Jackman shines as Mike Sardina, a misfit who dreams of bringing success to his Neil Diamond show. His charisma and excellent passion for music shine in the role. Kate Hudson gives one of her strongest performances as the band’s other half — together they’re “Lightning and Thunder”. Claire faces great tribulations but her resilience and desire to not be made small by those around her define her character’s journey. Craig Brewer directs the music performance scenes with a power that anchors the film, and though it doesn’t set out to reinvent the biopic, it works well thanks to its underdog energy and emotion. This drama about the convergence between music, love, and the strength to carry forward, has touches of strong humor but will also tug on your heartstrings, and may also make you curious to learn even more about the true story behind the du...

  All hail James Cameron - King of the Box Office! Fire and Ash will likely be the highest grossing movie of the year, and could be Cameron’s fourth to crack 2 billion. This isn’t just a blockbuster - it’s a cinematic event. This sequel isn’t short on flaws, but Cameron has delivered another truly epic theatrical experience that overshadows the film’s shortcomings.  Here’s where my inner critic and fun-loving moviegoer clash. I can’t ignore how frequently the film recycles elements from the previous instalments. It’s another iteration of “Evil human military wants to mine a foreign planet for resources, while native species must fight back”. The final battle is damn near identical to Way of Water’s climax. The dialogue is also really cringy at times (I lost count of how many times I heard the word bro). On the other hand, I can’t deny what a blast I had on a purely visceral level. I saw this in D-Box 3D, giddy as a kid on Christmas, being whipped around in my seat for 3 hours....

  There’s something pure in seeing the healing nature of art and how it helps people through tough times — but watching a character embrace stand-up comedy means both the audience within the movie and the audience of the film, as in us, gets to laugh, if the movie’s well-written enough.   Is This Thing On?  hits all the right notes thanks to its funny and vulnerable script and pitch-perfect casting of its two leads. Will Arnett gives far and away the most wonderful performance of his career, never letting his signature goofiness get in the way of something raw and delicate. The way he finds joy through a new hobby, and many who find that comedy puts just a little beneath his wings, feels so cinematic. Laura Dern is terrific and gives so much to the character’s complexity, and at times the story is very much her own. Cooper’s direction knows when to be showy and when to close in very intimately, while the script does a great job portraying the complexities of love, even as...

  After a year and a half, Fallout is back and heading to New Vegas!   Season 2 episode 1 serves as a strong re-entry into the Wasteland, picking up the story’s momentum with all of its man characters while expanding its scope in a new direction fans have already been teased about. The episode focuses on the consequences of past choices, with a new fresh direction in its backstory before the nukes went off. When we last saw Lucy and The Ghoul, they were on a journey together which continues in this first episode. Their balance of dark and light humour continue to be central to the stories writing.  The premiere prioritizes atmosphere and setup but fans will be eager to see something new. If you were jumping into this episode, expecting to see New Vegas right away, you will have to wait as this episode does play a bit of catchup and many familiar elements we saw in season 1.  Though it does not offer much outside of the familiar just yet,, it is great to see Lucy, The...

  While it certainly doesn’t reinvent the Christmas romance genre, Champagne Problems coasts merrily on the backs of its loveable cast and the magical chemistry between its two leads. Despite my usual disposition towards movies like this, I was charmed, and dare I say… I actually enjoyed watching it. That’s reason enough to pop a bottle and celebrate.  It still plays into the worn out handbook of tricks the genre has become synonymous with, but the writing is sharper and the characters are more thoughtfully constructed than you’d expect. I spent less time rolling my eyes and more time laughing, smiling and being appropriately swooned by the central whirlwind romance. The narrative beats are very predictable, but I was having a good time just watching this group of characters, so it didn’t bother me like it should’ve. Who knows, maybe my heart has grown three times, and I’ve developed a soft spot for romantic holiday mush. Minka Kelly and Tom Wozniczka will sweep you off your ...

  One More Shot (2025) is an Australian fantasy-comedy set on New Year’s Eve 1999. The film stars Emily Browning as Minnie Vernon, a young woman dissatisfied with the direction of her life as the new millennium approaches. After Minnie discovers a mysterious bottle of tequila that resets the night each time she takes a shot, she gets trapped in a time loop that forces her to repeat the night over and over, well technically she could stop at any moment but where is the fun in that? With each reset, she attempts to undo past regrets, repair strained relationships, and rekindle a lost romance, believing that a perfect sequence of choices might finally bring her happiness. Who hasn’t done something so dumb that they drink tequila to forget everything that happened?  Following a fairly standard approach to the time loop film, One More Shot introduces us to a group of friends and slowly allows us to get to know them through the format of the story. Minnie is also out of th...