Barbie | Review by: Benjamin Garrett

Hi Barbie! The day is finally here. Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is one big summer party, packed full of fun, laughs, heart and every shade of pink imaginable. It’s silly and lighthearted, but also a joyous celebration of feminism that cleverly challenges the patriarchy.

She is Barbie. He is Ken. I cannot think of two better actors than Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling for these roles, as both of them capture the essence of the iconic toys flawlessly. The whole ensemble is spectacular for the most part, with standout supporting performances from America Ferrara, Simu Liu, and Kate McKinnon. Will Ferrell’s Mattel CEO is amusing, but comes across as a bit of an afterthought the movie doesn’t really need to convey its important themes.

This movie has a lot to say, and it sure says it loud. It isn’t the least bit subtle in getting its point across, but it rarely feels heavy handed. The biggest flaw is that it’s perhaps got too much to say, touching on themes of feminism, consumerism, self worth, impossible beauty standards, and much more. Some are briefly mentioned, but never explored beyond a quick line or two. This makes for a movie that’s a bit thematically crowded, which slightly detracts from its overall impactfulness.

The extraordinary production design is a current front runner come Oscar season. Barbieland is an absolute dream, filled with all the fabulous cars, costumes and accessories you remember from your childhood. The soundtrack, including some awesome original songs, pairs perfectly with the eye catching visuals. I know I’ll be listening to “I’m Just Ken” on repeat for the foreseeable future.

Barbie is everything you’d want and more from a movie based on the iconic doll. If you haven’t experienced it in theatres yet, you should change into something pink, get out of your mojo dojo casa house, and go watch it on the big screen now.

4/5

Review by: Benjamin Garrett

Boss Level Film Review

Boss Level is a new addition to the time loop genre, with a twist. Ex-special forces officer, Roy Pulver, played by Frank Grillo, relives the same day until he dies. Every day he is hunted by assassins and when killed, he wakes up back in his bed where he started, only to have to try and survive all over again. Roy has no idea why he is stuck in this infinite time loop but he must do what he can to survive, and the longer he survives, the more he uncovers about his particular situation. Unlike most action films that take time to build up, this film gets right into it and offers tons of non-stop combat sequences that would satisfy any lover of action films. Its erratic flow makes for some fun action scenes which come out of nowhere since Roy can expect the assassins to attack at any moment. If you play video games often and have ever been stuck on a level for hours or even days, you know the feeling of having to repeat the same thing over and over again u...

Better Man | Review by: Benjamin Garrett

What at first feels like a CGI gimmick allows Better Man to climb and swing it’s way beyond standard biopic conventions. This larger than life musical is worth a watch even if, like me, you needed to ask “Who the hell is Robbie Williams?”. A pop icon in the UK who didn’t quite make a household name for himself in North America, Robbie Williams bares his life (the good the bad and the drug fueled ugly) in this dazzling account of his rise to fame. Musician biopics often focus too heavily on the creation of the artist’s work, and not enough on the actual artist. Better Man gives audiences a sobering portrait of the man behind the monkey, with his songs placed in pivotal life and career moments to move the narrative forward. This works especially well if you aren’t entirely familiar with Williams’ work, because you won’t find yourself waiting to hear specific needle drops. Instead they flow organically into the story, with gorgeously choreographed musical numbers. And bo...

Beautiful Evening, Beautiful Day | Review by: Stefano Bove

Four close friends and renowned filmmakers in 1959’s Yugoslavia are out to make a feature film of the war. They have a unique perspective and are able to discuss the war as decorated war veterans. Lovro, Nenad, Stevan and Ivan use film to express themselves and criticize society but that doesn’t sit well with the Yugoslavian Communist Party. As The Party steps in to control the film for propagandistic reasons, the four filmmakers fear it may be to gain insight on their sexual orientation. Emir Hadžihafizbegović is entrusted by the head of the Communist Party to oversee the films production but is also told by the party to sabotage the film by any means necessary. Emir as well as our four filmmakers are all exceptional in this film. The dynamic between these five actors is a wave of emotions as Emir hides his true intentions and the filmmakers hide their sexual orientation from the world. The film is in a gorgeous black and white and boasts absolutely stunning cinematography from ...

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