Author: glenonfilm

Born into a harsh environment that few can properly envision without first hand knowledge, Glen had to swiftly become resourceful at a young age to evade the roving gangs of cannibalistic mutants that roamed the blasted wastelands of Hamilton, ON. Subsisting on naught but Gino’s pizza and an equally steady diet of VHS movies with eye-catching covers, he eventually evolved into the repository of useless and banal film knowledge that exists today. This knowledge was previously used to win bar arguments in a pre-smartphone era, but is now deposited here in a vain attempt to make public his most secret inner thoughts. Enjoy!

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 Review

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014)

Dir: Francis Lawrence

Mockingjay Part 1 continues to introduce subversive themes and ideas in the strangest and most politically-charged modern blockbuster series outside of The Planet of The Apes. The dystopic setting of Panem is opened up to reveal the ramifications of the last two Hunger Games and its effects on the participants, as the seeds of rebellion take root and an uprising is fomented. (more…)

Wild (TIFF 2014 Review)

Wild (2014)

Dir: Jean-Marc Vallée

Much of the talk surrounding Wild will likely be about Reese Witherspoon and her immersive central performance. She’s in almost every frame of the movie and does career best work, bringing a real person to the screen in a rounded and believable way. But is the movie surrounding her any good? (more…)

Frank Review

Frank (2014)

Dir: Lenny Abrahamson

The concept for Frank sounds like an unbearably quirky indie movie: an experimental rock group retreats to the wilds of Ireland to record their magnum opus with a new keyboardist in tow – hijinks ensue and lessons are learned. Oh yeah, and the band is fronted by an enigmatic genius who never (he has a certificate!) removes his giant paper-mâché head. (more…)

A Most Wanted Man Review

A Most Wanted Man (2014)

Dir: Anton Corbijn

The 9/11 attacks were partially planned in the port city of Hamburg, Germany. Since then the city’s been on high alert, with government agents assigned to monitor and stop any potential terrorism. This is the setup for A Most Wanted Man, adapted from a John le Carré novel by Anton Corbijn. (more…)

Foxcatcher (TIFF 2014 Review)

Foxcatcher (2014)

Steve Carell steps out of the office and into the dark mind of John du Pont in Bennett Miller’s gripping drama Foxcatcher. Bolstered by a trio of awards-worthy performances and heavy on the verisimilitude, it’s an exceedingly dark tale of classism, corruption, and how the strong prey on the weak. Returning to the true crime genre that he so successfully mined in his debut feature Capote, Miller’s Foxcatcher takes its time in its portrayal of a distinctly American tragedy and says a lot about the country that spawned it, much of it unflinching and bleak. (more…)