Stories We Tell 75 Stories We Tell got on everyone’s radar when, back in 2015, it made the list of the all-time top ten list of Canadian films.That speaks to both the caliber of this movie and its relevance to North America. It’s in fact a first-person account about (and made by) actress Sarah Polley (Mr. Nobody, Exotica, Away from Her, Take This Waltz).In the film, she investigates the rumor that she was the product of an affair, and that her father might not be her biological father. Her family and suspected fathers are all storytellers, and many of them Academy Award winners.Ultimately, the movie becomes about her family’s remembrance of her now-deceased mother (the famous actress Diane Polley). It’s an examination of how the same story can be told so differently by different people and across time. Lies get added and truths are hidden, and all of that enriches Polley’s pursuit. More On Prime Documentary Sunday2012Added 3 weeks ago
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind 79 This movie’s energy is completely intoxicating.It’s the directorial debut of renown British/Nigerian actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, but it feels like the work of a veteran.In a true story told in English and Chichewa (a language from Malawi), a young boy is expelled from school because his parents couldn’t afford tuition. At the same time, his village is struck by a variety of natural circumstances that bring them the threat of drought and famine.The young boy sneaks into the library in the hopes of making a windmill and saving his village, and you can guess what follows from the title.The triumph of engineering and a boy with a dream; mix in an incredibly interesting culture, full of unique family dynamics and a thought-provoking intersection between religion, tradition, and technology. The result is a delicate but uplifting movie, not to be missed. More On Netflix Drama True-story-based2019
Wildlife 81 A powerful but quiet movie directed by Paul Dano and based on a novel of the same name by Richard Ford. It stars Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal as a couple who move to a new town with their only child during the 1960s. Their relationship transforms after Gyllenhaal's character loses his job as a butler and chooses to leave for a more dangerous profession, firefighting. This movie is about his wife's response to this event and the implications of both parents' behavior on their kid. There are no twists or turns, exciting action or plot; but Wildlife doesn't need any of that. This moving story about a decaying family unit is portrayed in the sadness that comes with such events. The only joy comes from watching the outstanding (but expected) performances of the cast. More On Amazon Drama Well-acted2018
The Sisters Brothers 79 This is a star-packed movie about two brother assassins played by John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix, and starring Jake Gyllenhaal. You might have read the book of the same name, and it is always hard to make a great film out of a great book but the brilliant director of A Prophet Jacques Audiard has done it (again). He is aided by a superb darkly comic script and fantastic acting from the entire cast. Audiard is French, but his take on the American Western is filled with epic violence but also witty dialogue, brotherly love, and male camaraderie. More On Amazon Comedy / Drama A-list actors1 2018
Paddleton 82 There are three big reasons to watch Paddleton. The first two are Ray Romano and Mark Duplass, who play the two neighbors at the center of the story. And the third is Alexandre Lehmann, the director, who also is responsible for Blue Jay (on Netflix as well).These two misfit neighbors find themselves together when one of them is diagnosed with cancer. They embark on a trip to the nearest pharmacy (a six-hour drive) which turns into an adventure.This premise gives Paddleton a lot to play on: it’s a comedy, but it’s also a drama about a fatal disease. It’s a bromance, but it’s about a fragile friendship. All these contradictions make Paddleton a great slice-of-life movie. And again, both actors are amazing. Watching it just for them is worth it. More On Netflix Drama Grown-up Comedy1 2019
Hereditary 74 A chilling and dark movie to be especially appreciated by true suspense lovers.At the funeral of the family’s matriarch, no one is grieving except the granddaughter. The kid doesn’t exactly elicit empathy - her looks and behavior are creepy, and will only be more so as the movie progresses. When not grieving is unusual, and grieving is very unsettling, you can tell what kind of family (and movie) this will be.But, to say Hereditary is a horror film wouldn’t be doing it justice. It's a thriller that borrows from the genre of horror but doesn't quite obey its laws. It has very few sound effects or music for example. The suspense and thrill come directly from the story.This movie twists and turns, and even misleads you at times. One thing is for sure, if you like Hereditary, you will want to immediately replay it. More On Prime Horror Thrilling2018
Beautiful Thing 76 A sweet and wholesome tale of two boys falling in love against the backdrop of 90s homophobia and social issues. Jamie is a heavily bullied high schooler whose only sanctuary is his family's low-income apartment. His mom Sandra decides to also make that apartment a sanctuary for Ste, another highschooler suffering from an abusive father and older brother. They share Jamie's bed and their prospect of friendship quickly turns into something else.Beautiful Thing is beautifully scripted and never too emotional. In fact, whenever the story moves towards the emotional, a funny scene is introduced to ease the tension. Many of these scenes feature Sandra's boyfriend, a well-spoken hippie by the name of Tony. Features heavy British accents, subtitles may be necessary! More On Amazon Romance 2 1996
Fyre 78 This movie tells the story of the 2017 Fyre Music Festival scandal. An event where party-goers, who paid thousands of dollars for luxury hotel accommodation on a Bahamian island, found themselves sleeping in hazard tents left over from the last hurricane disaster, with wonderbread and processed cheese sandwiches. “We were promised arugula!” The documentary focuses heavily on the person behind the operation, Billy McFarland. A rival movie, titled Fyre Fraud, was also released on Hulu around the same time. They’re both excellent, but if, like me, you didn’t know about the scandal before hearing about the movie, I wouldn’t suggest bothering with watching both. More On Netflix Documentary 1 2019
Upgrade 87 This film really satisfied my craving for an original thriller, despite the fact that I spent most of it thinking about how Logan Marshall-Green looks like a budget Tom Hardy.He plays a guy whose wife is killed during a violent mugging that also leaves him paralyzed in the aftermath. When a billionaire approaches him with an Artificial Intelligence solution that would "upgrade" his body, he has a chance to take vengeance.This is Robocop meets Ex Machina meets Blade Runner. It's original, low-budget without feeling low-budget, and honestly just so thrilling. It gives the genre of sci-fi a much needed upgrade. More On Amazon Drama 1 2018
