Mike Goes To Movies

Color Out of Space (2020) Richard Stanley's, Color Out Of Space is like a psychedelic greatest-hits of the horror genre. Although it is an adaptation - based on HP Lovecraft's 1927 short story of the same name - many of these old short stories/novellas are often concise and lacking in overt detail and dialogue. And so an adaptation such as this one will often take liberties in fleshing out the story and the world it takes place in. As well, unless its a period-piece, additional changes are often required to contemporize such old stories for modern audiences. All of these factors are present in Color Out of Space and, in that, Stanley has put together a fun and overly-trippy nightmarish romp. While it doesn't succeed in every way, it is nevertheless a fun ride for any B-horror movie fans out there. The film follows the Gardner family who, after leaving the big city, have recently moved into an old farm of the family's out in a secluded part of the countryside. Ther...

Under the Silver Lake (2019) Part of A24's great success has been its ability to market its wide-ranging genre of films to very specific markets - illustrating why each of this indie gems may be the perfect film for you. With Under the Silver Lake however, upon its mediocre reception at Cannes, A24 became a bit stumped, unsure of how exactly to market this enigmatic film, leading to a semi-bout between the production company/distributor and the film's writer/director, David Robert Mitchell, over a possible re-cut for the film. In the end, the director won out and the film remained intact leading to its concurrent theatrical and VOD release. It is a testament to Mitchell's integrity as an artist that he used his new industry clout following the massive success of It Follows to make such a heady and ambitious film for his follow-up. Under the Silver Lake is a large film; it is a subversive noir that both pays homage to the classic genre while also consistently poking ...

Bullet in the Head (1990) As someone who (clearly) loves film, I feel pretty lucky to live in a city where special screenings of films happen often. This past Saturday was such an opportunity. At the TIFF Lightbox I attended a viewing of John Woo's classic film, Bullet in the Head. As host, Colin Geddes, said in his introduction, this 35mm cut of the film was of the utmost rare; on top of it essentially being an unauthorized screening (consent was attempted, however, the owner of this cut is no longer an operating company...) it was also one of a number of cuts of the film with alternate endings - Colin himself did not know what version we were about to see. This is the exact type of film-going experience that cinephiles go wild for - and I have to thank a friend of mine (you know who you are) for informing me of this screening and pushing me to check it out. Out of Woo's vast filmography, Bullet in the Head is his most personal. Unlike many of his other films that are ...

1917 (2020) My first theatre-film of 2020 and it couldn't have started off stronger. Sam Mendes' 1917 very much does for the First World War what Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan did for the Second World War. It is a hauntingly beautiful depiction of a bygone era of warfare - one that sucked into its depths a tragically-young generation of men and threw them into what is likely one of the closest things we have seen to 'hell-on-earth'. What came from this are stories of bravery, the fight for survival and comradeship - all of which is depicted in a majesty here that only a cinematographer such as Roger Deakins could conjure onscreen. Though it is only the very beginning of the new year, I anticipate 1917 will remain one of the best films of the year, not to mention, being one of the best films about war ever made. 1917 follows the story of Lance Corporals Blake and Schofield (Dean-Charles Chapman and George MacKay, respectively) who are given the task of cros...

Little Women (2019) Going in to see Little Women was an open slate for me. I have not read the classic novel and so I did not have the preconceived feelings and pretensions that many hold for this beloved story prior to seeing this new adaptation. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this film. Despite the novel being written more than one hundred and fifty years ago its story of family, hardships and triumphs and loves lost and gained is one that is still as relatable today as ever. And much of that is thanks to the story's inspired retelling by its formidably talented writer/director, Greta Gerwig. Over the past decade Gerwig has proven herself to be a vanguard of Hollywood's new triple-threat elite. Adapting a story as old as Little Women is no easy task. In order to successfully reimagine the story for today's ilk, one must tackle an older style of plot structure, language and human dynamics as found in the novel in order for us to fully connect w...

Ad Astra (2019) Ad Astra is a profound film, one that, over time, pulls you further and further into its vast black-hole of philosophical and existential ideas and quandaries. It is that rare, elite-level of science-fiction that viscerally reflects the public consciousness of today. It is as beautiful in its presentation and visuals as it is in its thematic explorations. Though the plot works perfectly well on a surface level it is in its deeper discussion that one will reflect on the film and ponder many questions of life for long after the credits end. Minor Spoilers Below: Much credit must be given to director and co-writer, James Gray, for taking on this large-scale and, at the same time, very personal tale. The film takes place in a time when the planet is being hit with interstellar surges that threaten all life on earth. Astronaut Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) is tasked with traveling to the outer reaches of space to confront the source of these surges, which is a now-dorman...