Best of 2017

Review – Bad Genius (2017) Fantasia International Film Festival!

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by Vincent Leblanc

On Day 4 of the Fantasia Festival, I had one screening in the afternoon. This film tempted me very much after reading about it and watching the trailer. And it seems I was not the only one to be interested because it was the first of two sold out screenings (ed.: they’ve now added a third screening). A guy even offered me $40 for my ticket that I paid $9 for while I was waiting in the line to enter the theater! This was the Canadian Premiere of the Thai film Bad Genius (Chalard Games Goeng or Chalat Kem Kong, the latter of which is, apparently, the transliteration of it’s original title ฉลาดเกมส์โกง in Thai script).

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Killing Ground (2017) – Interview with Harriet Dyer

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Anatomy of Salvation: A Conversation with Harriet Dyer

by Christopher M. Rzigalinski

Attending Catholic school for half my life taught me that salvation meant being saved from damnation by Jesus Christ. The contours of that salvation were difficult to define, though. The very thought that I, an ordinary person, was empowered enough to save myself, let alone others, was overwhelming. Since becoming an adult, however, I’ve been thrust into the role of protector several times. No discrediting Christian doctrine, but it’s equally as important to validate the agency of individual human beings.

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This Summer Go Ape Sh!t For ‘War for the Planet of the Apes’!

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by Nile Fortner

A few years ago, 20th Century Fox decided to do what a majority of movie production companies were doing and already invested in, dusting off old, famous properties, names, and recognition by doing prequels for the big-screen. I’ve always been a fan of ‘The Planet of the Apes’ films. Back in 2011, I was very surprised how much I enjoyed the prequel ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’. Even more unexpectedly, the sequel to the prequel, ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’, I absolutely loved, and consider it to be the best ‘Planet of the Apes’ film since the 1968 original classic. Now we have the third entry to the prequels, ‘War for the Planet of the Apes’, and is officially a trilogy. The best trilogy we have gotten in years!

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Review – The Big Sick (2017)

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by Kevin Muller

There is a saying that goes, “write what you know.” This advice is given to writers who try too hard to change the world with a unique idea. While a unique idea is great, sometimes it fails hard when it is overly complicated or not expanded upon to really give it a proper representation. The Big Sick takes this advice and creates something incredibly heartfelt and funny. Romantic comedies are a dime a dozen and this one is definitely one that sticks out among the pack.

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Review – War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)

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by Old King Clancy

There should have never been a Planet Of The Apes reboot, a prequel series chronicling the events that led to the destruction of humanity and the rise of the apes. It was a ridiculous concept that should’ve never made it passed the conception, but it did make it. Through this whole trilogy, from Rise to Dawn to War, this franchise has proven itself one of the greatest sci-fi trilogies of the modern age. With War For The Planet Of The Apes, they end this series in the perfect way to create one of the most personal and morally complex blockbusters out there today.

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Review – Man in the Camo Jacket (2017)

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Declaring Yourself: A Review of Man in the Camo Jacket

By Christopher M. Rzigalinski

“Declare yourself an unsafe building.” I can’t get that line from The Alarm’s 1981 debut single, “Unsafe Building,” out of my head. The lyric and its sentiment of acknowledging weakness in order to rebuild are the strongest threads through Man in the Camo Jacket, director Russ Kendall’s documentary about Alarm frontman-turned-solo artist Mike Peters. The film could have easily focused on Peters’ rich musical career. But it transcends the predictable Behind the Music-style drama of many music documentaries to become a portrait of hope. We are privileged to tag along on Mike’s several journeys of reinvention, from resurrecting his career after leaving the Alarm to his battles with cancer. The first step toward any reinvention, we learn from Mike, is having the strength to let yourself fall apart.

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Review – Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

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by Old King Clancy

Marvel introducing Spider-Man in Civil War was a big step and allowed them to introduce their version of one of the most popular characters in this Universe. Now with his own movie in the MCU, thankfully it isn’t an origin story again. In Homecoming, Spidey proves why his inclusion to the MCU was the best move for the character, and Tom Holland sets himself up as arguably the best incarnations of the web-slinger.

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Review – Pilgrimage (2017) Edinburgh Film Festival

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by Old King Clancy

The nature of films, and indeed all media, means that comparisons are almost inevitable and it’s important to remember that just because a film isn’t as good as a similar films, that doesn’t mean it itself is a bad film. Case in point, Pilgrimage comes across as a mix between Valhalla Rising and Silence,  without the visual trip of the former or the heaviness of the latter, but still within it’s own rights is an enjoyable and interesting examination of faith.

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Review – Killing Ground (2017) Edinburgh Film Festival

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by Old King Clancy

I’m gonna take some cues from Walter White and tread lightly on this review, part of what makes Killing Ground so great is how it utilizes a unique narrative technique in order to tell its story. In doing so, allow itself to hit some really disturbing and sickening moments that other horror films wouldn’t go near. This is gonna be a must for genre fans, but go in blind to get the full effect of what the film wants to put you through.

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