April 6, 2018

Welcome to TFCA Friday, a weekly round-up of film reviews and articles by TFCA critics.

Opening this Week

Allure (dirs. Carlos Sanchez and Jason Sanchez)

“An undercooked psychodrama that makes bad narrative choices and wastes two fine performances” — Norm Wilner, NOW Magazine

A Quiet Place (dir. John Krasinski)

“Takes a simple, terrifying concept to illogical extremes, and yet the film works in spite of itself. It makes you want to believe in it, and that’s no small achievement. It will also make you and your fellow moviegoers shut right up, which is even more impressive” — Peter Howell, The Toronto Star, including an interview with John Krasinksi

“An utterly unique cinema experience in many ways. For starters, you will never have heard so clearly the sound of a guy munching popcorn five rows behind you” — Jim Slotek, Original-Cin.ca

“[Watching a mother giving birth] in silence for fear of monsters attracted to noise is nothing short of brilliant” — Gilbert Seah, Festival Reviews

Blockers (dir. Kay Cannon)

“That rare teen sex comedy that successfully crosses the generational divide between younger and older adults. A sequel set in college seems likely and might actually be worth looking forward to” — Peter Howell, The Toronto Star

“Feels like a B version of producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s Neighbors movies, finding a new generational conflict and spinning it into a feature-length comedy” — Norm Wilner, NOW Magazine

“A reliable laugh machine that features enough jabs at contemporary mores, alongside a discreet social conscience and some successfully female-centric comedy, that it rises above the inevitable chug-and-vomit jokes” — Kate Taylor, The Globe and Mail

“Aims at being politically current by having mixed couples… but the comedy disappoints” — Gilbert Seah, Festival Reviews

Chappaquiddick (dir. John Curran)

“The workmanlike script by Andrew Logan and Taylor Allen sticks to mostly verifiable facts, although it is damning in what it shows without comment” — Peter Howell, The Toronto Star

“Seriously, a movie that tries to make us feel sorry for Ted Kennedy? That’s exactly what this account of the late senator’s bad behaviour after his fatal car accident tries to do” — Susan G. Cole, NOW Magazine

“A meticulously crafted period piece” — Gilbert Seah, Festival Reviews

“Really hits its stride when the Kennedy damage machine goes into full swing, with the terrific character actor Clancy Brown taking over as former Secretary of Defense and family fixer Robert McNamara” — Jim Slotek, Original-Cin.ca, including an interview with supporting cast member Jim Gaffigan

Final Portrait (dir. Stanley Tucci)

“At a time when there’s been an increasing demand for women’s stories, it’s hard to care about an aging male creator who treats everyone around him as if he’s the only person on the planet” — Susan G. Cole, NOW Magazine

“While the contrast between the unconventional Giacometti and Lord, as his buttoned-down Boswell, is mildly amusing, Hammer’s characterization is excessively stiff” — Liam Lacey, Original-Cin.ca

“It is … the rare biopic of a visual artist that considers the dilemma of the art more seriously than it considers the drama of the life” — Kate Taylor, The Globe and Mail

“Will inevitably be compared to Le Belle Noiseuse, [but] is nowhere near that film, so one can understand director Tucci going the easier, more comedic route” — Gilbert Seah, Festival Reviews

Itzhak (dir. Alison Chernick)

“A documentary about master violinist Itzhak Perlman, it offers up lots of interview footage – both present-day and archival – of the Israeli-American musician, conductor, teacher, husband, father and grandfather. But the film never finds its focus or lets you understand the man behind the violin” — Glenn Sumi, NOW Magazine

The Miracle Season (dir. Sean McNamara)

“Sticks to the basics with every moment tweaked for maximum sentiment and uplift. It’s also peppered with gentle bits of spiritual musings for the faith-based audience it’s clearly designed for” — Radheyan Simonpillai, NOW Magazine