Greed (dir. Michael Winterbottom)

“Michael Winterbottom’s new film is being marketed as a comedy about a rich fool throwing himself a massive party on a Greek island – and that’s an entirely fair description of the story” — Norm Wilner, NOW Magazine

“Indulges in expensive looking production sets and exotics locations — and in doing so, appears to be going against everything the film is supposed to be satirizing” — Gilbert Seah, Afro Toronto

“But if you like a little moral outrage with your chuckles, Greed should satisfy. And if you’re a fan of the purely funny Winterbottom, stay tuned” — Chris Knight, The National Post

In The Globe and Mail, Nathalie Atkinson reviews Greed and talks to director Michael Winterbottom about his trip to Greece with Steve Coogan to satirize wealth inequality

Lie Exposed (dir. Jerry Ciccoritti) 🇨🇦

“Aiming for the detached, transgressive vibe of such eighties’ arthouse films as A Winter Tan or sex, lies and videotape, Lie Exposed celebrates passion at a lukewarm simmer” — Liam Lacey, Original-Cin

“There’s a great film somewhere in Lie Exposed, but even its few truthful moments evoke better films” — Pat Mullen, That Shelf

“Every so often there comes along a Canadian film to remind us of the stereotypical CanCon of old. You know, the kind of loosely plotted stories where couples stand in dark rooms and talk darkly and obliquely, and drink darkly, and glance obliquely at one another” — Chris Knight, The National Post

“A flat film that tries to be clever” — Gilbert Seah, Afro Toronto

“A bit too quasi-sophisticated and indulgent for my taste” — Anne Brodie, What She Said!

Onward (dir. Dan Scanlon)

“This time around, the journey pales next to the destination” — Norm Wilner, NOW Magazine

“It’s not bad, but it feels like the sequel to a better movie you haven’t seen” — Chris Knight, The National Post

“Doesn’t quite stick the landing on its emotions, with sentimental epiphanies popping up out of nowhere in the last act… But if we’re being honest here, that stuff has always been for the grown-ups anyway” — Jim Slotek, Original-Cin

Run This Town (dir. Ricky Tollman)

“Tollman seems critical about white male privilege. But his movie also upholds it by choosing not to acknowledge Doolittle’s work investigating Ford” — Radheyan Simonpillai, NOW Magazine

“Seems to pussyfoot around the issues, failing to capture the sheer lunacy of those four long years” — Chris Knight, The National Post

“It’s said awkwardly, without much regard to reality. The cast are all engaging and terrifically talented. But the story they’re given is a narrative straitjacket that even the best actors couldn’t save” — Jim Slotek, Original-Cin

“The late Rob Ford is portrayed as a ravenous monster of a man, I’m not sure how accurate it is, but it’s pure soap, even as gritty as it gets” — Anne Brodie, What She Said!

“Unlikable characters in unpleasant situations with few feel good moments. It is therefore difficult to like a film which stresses unpleasantness and negativity instead of the opposite” — Gilbert Seah, Afro Toronto

Sorry We Missed You (dir. Ken Loach)

“A great film with a powerful message and more sympathy for its characters than any three socially conscious movies you’d care to mention” — Chris Knight, The National Post

“I can’t fault Loach’s commitment to telling stories about the exploitation of hand-to-mouth families – after half a century of filmmaking, his outrage is still palpable. But while Loach and Laverty clearly want us to empathize with Ricky and Abbie, there’s no sense of who these people are to one another, or even to themselves” — Norm Wilner, NOW Magazine

“The latest underclass testament from blue-collar British auteur Ken Loach unfolds like a Dickens tale for the digital era” — Peter Howell, Night Vision / Toronto Star

“Loach’s socially conscious films that focus on the British working class feel like they’re unfolding in front of us, as action and dialogue are often improvised. He is one of the great British directors working today, who balances masterful filmmaking with powerful political and social commentary. Gig economy be damned” — Anne Brodie, What She Said!

“Loach goes deep into emotions and makes his audience feel the agony faced by both Ricky and Abby. The results are astounding. The audience at the TIFF screening where I first saw the film wept and cheered” — Gilbert Seah, Afro Toronto

True Fiction (dir. Braden Croft) 🇨🇦

There’s a decent thriller waiting to be spun from the thread of this premise, but True Fiction is more concerned with being a straight-up horror, and it’s a goal it fulfills nicely” — Chris Knight, The National Post

The Way Back (dir. Gavin O’Connor)

“[It’s] different, which doesn’t always mean better. It can be appreciated for what it attempts to tackle. But fans of the genre should know what to expect before buying a ticket” — Jim Slotek, Original-Cin

“You might think you know this movie. Heck, you might think you’ve seen this movie… The Way Back isn’t that movie. It isn’t that simple, and it’s a damn sight better” — Chris Knight, The National Post

“Occasionally entertaining, but still a muddled mess” — Gilbert Seah, Afro Toronto