Canada

DREAM LIFE: A Quebecois Classic Ripe For Rediscovery
DREAM LIFE: A Quebecois Classic Ripe For Rediscovery

For the last few decades, Dansereau has been toting Dream Life around to women’s studies classes in order for it to be seen.

THE WOMEN KING: A Throwback To The Heroic Epic With A Feminine Twist
THE WOMEN KING: A Throwback To The Heroic Epic With A Feminine Twist

The Woman King is a powerful tale of sisterhood and freedom; freedom from patriarchal influences, freedom from slavery.

Toronto International Film Festival 2022: Interview With Darlene NAPONSE Of STELLAR
Toronto International Film Festival 2022: Interview With Darlene Naponse Of STELLAR

Film Inquiry spoke with Darlene Naponse director of the TIFF22 film Stellar!

A melancholic immigrant story As someone who was born and raised in Scarborough, I can say that Brother isn’t meant to be a complete representation of one’s experience living in the suburb. It is, however, a ballad of the immigrant experience and the confined opportunities that often come with that experience. Despite being in a country with relative freedoms, the film’s characters are forced to make decisions that are circumstantial at best. The idea that they have to choose between one thing or another – whether it’s family over true happiness, power over safety – is such a powerful statement and really underscores the entire narrative. Even if the story itself isn’t what every immigrant might experience, the collective struggles of making imperfect decisions helps establish a commonality for viewers. And having elements of a typical narrative documenting a world of racially charged violence, Virgo finds a way to elevate the film’s narration by creating an overly somber tone that constantly evolves with the story's alternating timelines. From the very beginning, there’s something ominous with the way Virgo establishes the film. Whether it’s Guy Godfree’s muted cinematography or Todor Kobakov’s melancholic score, Brother feels almost like a modernized Greek tragedy on a smaller scale. There’s a sense of grandeur seeping through its narrative core, creating a sense of purpose in what the film is trying to say. This becomes particularly apparent with the film’s emphatic detailing of police brutality, which always feels weighted, but never exploitative. Virgo knows how to deliver a strong message, and does so without signs of sensationalism.
Toronto International Film Festival 2022: BROTHER

Flexing his filmmaking prowess here, Clement Virgo’s Brother is a striking example of narrative storytelling that reaches a high emotional altitude.

Horrific Inquiry: URBAN LEGEND (1998)
Horrific Inquiry: URBAN LEGEND (1998)

Urban Legend may have become a legend of its own in the years since its release, yet it still retains its place within the slasher films of the 1990s.

Horrific Inquiry: PROM NIGHT (2008)
Horrific Inquiry: PROM NIGHT (2008)

On this Horrific Inquiry, we review the 2008 remake of Prom Night!

Horrific Inquiry: THE STEPFATHER (1987)
Horrific Inquiry: THE STEPFATHER (1987)

The Stepfather is not the knock-out it wants to be, yet there is a horror within its framework and excellent lead performance.

SXSW FILM FESTIVAL 2022 Report 4: STAY THE NIGHT & BITCH ASS
SXSW FILM FESTIVAL 2022 Report 4: STAY THE NIGHT & BITCH ASS

In my fourth report from SXSW Film Festival 2022 I discuss the romance Stay the Night and horror Bitch Ass.

Horrific Inquiry: VALENTINE (2001)
Horrific Inquiry: VALENTINE (2001)

Valentine was never meant to be a deep well of thought within a slasher, but it does, even when it leaves much to be desired.

Redefining The Road Movie: QUEEN & SLIM
Redefining The Road Movie: QUEEN & SLIM

Following in the footsteps of a long line of road movies, Queen & Slim takes the genre in a new direction, adding its own original flavour.

A.RTIFICIAL I.MMORTALITY: A Postmodern Prometheus
A.RTIFICIAL I.MMORTALITY: A Postmodern Prometheus

With a deep dive into the varied world of AI, A.rtificial I.mmortality isn’t a bad film, but it’s one that suffers from a lack of focus and depth.

Licorice Pizza: Paul Thomas Anderson's Joyous 70s Teen Romp
Licorice Pizza: Paul Thomas Anderson’s Joyous 70s Teen Romp

While the movie itself is not without its bumps , there is always a new adventure, a new gag, a new moment of blissful sweetness just around the corner.

HOUSE OF GUCCI Forza Gaga
HOUSE OF GUCCI: Forza Gaga

Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci is a biographical crime-drama about the woman who put a hit out on her ex-husband, Maurizio Gucci.

NYFF 2021: THE POWER OF THE DOG
NYFF 2021: THE POWER OF THE DOG

With strong performances, The Power of the Dog delivers on its promise, offering a solid narrative tale of strength, masculinity and grief.

TIFF 2021: Scarborough
TIFF 2021: Scarborough

Scarborough follows the lives of three families and expands on their struggles and triumphs as they navigate through adversity.