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TIFF: Orlando Bloom Pushes Himself to the Edge in ‘The Cut’

Sporting competitions exist for the enjoyment of others but have been linked to many troubling health risks. That hasn’t stopped many events and institutions from continuing to be popular and to attract those who are willing to do whatever it takes to compete and win. Intense physical transformations are often necessary, and there may be…

TIFF: A Confusing Picture of a Man in ‘Oh, Canada’

It’s hard to know how to distinguish fact from fiction, especially when someone else is telling the story. Details tend to play into the believability of a particular tale, and while specifics can make something seem realer, they can also reveal rehearsed inventions that have no basis in truth. Paul Schrader’s latest film Oh, Canada…

Toronto International Film Festival : ‘Can I Get a Witness?’ Envisions a Bold and Fascinating Future

One of the reasons that people fear death is that they don’t know when it’s coming. Not knowing what happens afterward is also important, but the uncertainty of how a final day or moment might be spent without tying up loose ends or properly saying goodbye can be truly terrifying. Can I Get a Witness?…

Toronto International Film Festival : A Mesmerizing Relationship in ‘Matt and Mara’

Old friends seeing each other again for the first time in years can feel like picking back up without any time lost. While that nostalgic sentiment may be genuine and powerful, the likelihood that circumstances for both of them haven’t changed in their time apart is not high. Depending on their situations, the reunion may…

“Reagan” : Recommended for the Foreign Policy Lessons and the Central Romance

©Courtesy of Rawhide Pictures  As the fortieth president, he so completely defined the 1980s, they are often generically referred to as “The Reagan Years.” He also greatly altered the course of history, turning the tide of the Cold War, in favor of the Western free world. Yet, despite his popularity and success, Ronald Reagan’s legacy…

“Terminator Zero” Ought to Spur Renewed Enthusiasm for the Franchise

Photo by Courtesy of Netflix – © © 2024 Netflix, Inc. Considering the growing anxiety regarding artificial intelligence (AI), this ought to be the Terminator franchise’s moment in the (nuclear winter-shrouded) sun. After all, Skynet’s deadly revolt and its merciless killing machines have become a part of the cultural vernacular, fueling our collective unease with AI….

‘Tokyo Cowboy’ Finds a Home in Montana’s Cattle Country

©Courtesy of Salaryman Films  Directed by Marc Marriott, Tokyo Cowboy is a charming little dramedy that follows the adventures and misadventures of Hideki, a no-nonsense Tokyo-based efficiency expert transported to Big Sky country in Montana, where he bumblingly tries to rescue a troubled cattle ranch. Played convincingly by Arata Iura, who is making his American…

Fantasia : The True Shape of a Daisy : Video Review by Serena Davanzo

  Check out more of our video interviews on our YouTube channel. Serena Davanzo : Serena Davanzo, a Pennsylvania native, graduated from The Pennsylvania State University with a BA in Journalism and a BA in Theatre in December 2022. She currently works full time as a weekend anchor/producer and MMJ’s weekdays. She aspires to be…

25 Years Ago I Got My Eyes Wide Shut…

@Courtesy of Warner Bros. On September 1st, 1999, I attended the press screening of the Venice Film Festival opening movie. The Artistic Director Alberto Barbera had selected one of the most anticipated movies of the year, Eyes Wide Shut by Stanley Kubrick, starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.  I became a movie lover when I was…

The Crow Rises Again

©Courtesy of Lionsgate  It is not fair that the shadow of Brandon Lee still looms over this new movie version of The Crow, because Vincent Perez, Eric Mabius, Edward Furlong, and Mark Dacascos all played the risen avenger in the sequels and one-season TV series that followed the tragic 1994 film. However, life is not…

‘The Instigators’ is a Gritty Action-Comedy Worth Because of Damon and Affleck

@Courtesy of Apple Original Films Doug Liman must be a filmmaker with an iron will. Even though over the years he has clashed in one way or another with half of Hollywood Studios, reaping in some cases thunderous failures with audiences and critics, he continues undaunted to put forward his ironic, almost irreverent idea of…