Nimona I Review by: Stefano Bove

Nimona was not even on my radar until I noticed it was coming out on Netflix in just a few short weeks. This sleeper hit will surprise many as one of the best animated films of the year.

The film boasts a really flashy setting of a walled kingdom of knights and queens but if that kingdom takes place with modern computers and technology. This setting makes for a really cool story that adds many elements to the deep rooted backstory of the kingdom and how they have evolved over time. The allegories of the story are always relevant as societies evolve and adapt to the times but many feel threatened by the changes. One of those changes comes from a knight named Baliister Boldheart who is the first knight being knighted outside of nobility. Not knowing he is being targeted by many, Ballister must clear his name of murder and in turn, discover many hidden secrets of the Kingdoms past.

Nimona is a shapeshifter who comes to Ballisters aid, their relationship is complicated and layered as they work together but also open up about each other's vulnerabilities. In learning to trust one another, both of these characters tell a story of acceptance from society in different ways. We are in a beautiful era of representation in the media and Ninoma is an amazing example of how to tell a story for people of all ages about acceptance and gender identity.

As a fan of animated films, specifically Japanese anime; I am so happy that we are finally seeing so many amazing stories being told in animated forms in north america, Nimona is not only a wonderful story but it's animation style and sell-shading stands out from other studio's, specifically Disney and Pixar.

Sometimes the Netflix model of releases allow for wonderful pieces of media to go unnoticed. This film took over eight years to complete and survived the bankruptcy of an animation studio and thankfully was still completed and released, I just hope that we can spread the word enough to support this amazing film. The voice acting, the story and characters deserve a wide audience praise.

4.5/5

Review by: Stefano Bove

#review #toronto #animated #netflix #movie

Rating all V/H/S/Halloween Segments

Like sorting through your candy after a night of trick-or-treating, V/H/S/ Halloween is a mixed bag. The eighth instalment in this cult-favourite horror anthology series comes up short of previous entries, but there are still a couple of treats in here that should satisfy your twisted cravings. A chilling still from V/H/S/ Halloween . Diet Phantasma This wraparound segment follows an R&D team testing a new low-calorie soda made with “real ghosts.” It’s silly fun, but gets a bit repetitive with each new test subject. The commercial playing during the end credits was a nice touch. Rating: ★★½☆ Coochie Coochie Coo This short feels like walking through a haunted house — but not in a good way. The plot is like something torn from a creepypasta thread. Everything is constantly being spelled out in a painfully obvious way. The practical effects and makeup are decent, and this is probably the only segment that comes close to being scary...

The Mandalorian Season 3 Review

Listen, I love Star Wars. I will always love Star Wars. The original and prequel trilogies were a big part of my childhood, and helped shape my love of cinema. While The Mandalorian isn’t among my favourites in the franchise, I thought it had a promising first season and a significantly stronger season two. Season three had so much potential, but a frustrating lack of focus held it back from greatness. This show’s always had a bit of an identity crisis, but it’s never been as clear as it is here. Does it want to be a procedural-style adventure of the week, or tell an epic, multi-season spanning arc? Season one leaned toward the former, while Season two found a satisfying balance of both. Season three tries to find that balance, but the overarching story it wants to tell is bigger than the few episodes allotted to do so. There are only 8 chapters, some barely over 30 min. That’s a fair...

The Rip Review

The Rip is all the evidence you need that a great cast can elevate an otherwise run-of-the-mill movie. Without its impressive A-list roster, this would’ve likely been lost among a crowd of forgettable January dumping ground releases. Throw Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and a handful of other extremely talented actors into the mix, though, and now you’ve got something worth watching. While there are exceptions that prove the rule, a lot of these police/cartel thrillers are interchangeable when it comes to their cookie-cutter story beats. The Rip breaks exactly zero molds, but it also doesn’t feel as uninspired as it could’ve. There are enough surprises to keep things engaging, and the tension - which the movie often hinges on - is appropriately high strung. The action is punchy and loud, which is no surprise coming from Director Joe Carnahan. While I do have minor issues with some of the sequences feeling a bit choppy in how they were shot and edited, the action is solid and packs...

1st Reviews

Search This Blog