movie review Archives - Queen's Journal

‘Don’t Look Up’ is all message, no movie

Written on January 21, 2022. Posted in Lifestyle.

Deservedly or not, Don’t Look Up has earned a significant place in contemporary pop culture. With a stacked, high-profile cast and comedic tone, the Netflix original depicts a reality where a devastation-level comet is headed toward the Earth. The film is written and directed by Adam McKay, who is...

'West Side Story' rights some wrongs, but not nearly enough

Written on January 18, 2022. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

This article discusses sexual assault and may be triggering for some readers. The Kingston Sexual Assault Centre’s 24-hour crisis and support phone line can be reached at 613-544-6424 / 1-800-544-6424. Back in 2017, I ran down the stairs excited to tell my parents a West Side Story remake had been...

'Eternals' breaks the Marvel mold

Written on November 12, 2021. Posted in Lifestyle.

In 2008, Iron Man was released to rave reviews. The movie was a surprise hit, subverting expectations of who a superhero was. Iron Man did what nobody thought was possible—it was the first superhero movie that was grounded in reality. The film sparked a superhero renaissance, and superheroes went...

‘To All the Boys: Always and Forever’ is the perfect romance for pandemic-era dating disappointment

Written on March 2, 2021. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

It doesn’t top the original, but the third instalment of the To All the Boys franchise delivers the same comforting, romantic idealism as its predecessors. To All the Boys: Always and Forever does an unexpectedly good job of showing its young audience how couples should communicate to maintain a healthy...

The Half of It proves breaking down barriers doesn’t happen perfectly

Written on June 1, 2020. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

Flawless storytelling and perfect writing isn’t where Netflix’s new film The Half of It draws its success. Its story carves a place for itself as a thoughtfully portrayed LGTBQ+ experience in the messy, dramatic, and sometimes clichéd world of coming-of-age movies. The film follows Ellie Chu, a quiet,...

Unbelievable shows what empathetic sexual violence response looks like

Written on September 24, 2019. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

This article discusses sexual assault and may be triggering for some readers. The Journal uses “survivor” to refer to those who have experienced sexual assault. We acknowledge this term is not universal. While Netflix offers a vast selection of crime dramas to binge watch, Unbelievable is unlike any...

Why Netflix's Tall Girl didn't need to be made

Written on September 20, 2019. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

Netflix’s latest teen rom-com Tall Girl attempts to chronicle the process of overcoming an insecurity—but doesn’t quite make it work. Its protagonist, Jodi, is a female high school student over six feet tall, who’s treated like an outcast because of her height. While the film might be relatable for...

Hidden Gems: Movies that are so bad, they're good

Written on September 16, 2019. Posted in Columns.

There’s a growing online trend of purposefully watching bad movies. Whether they offer a cathartic release or they’re just plain funny, some movies are just so bad they’re good. Terrible cult films like Tommy Wiseau’s The Room are often full of cheesy dialogue, clumsy plots, and overacting. They make...

Screenwriter Zack Stentz on Netflix’s Rim of the World

Written on June 3, 2019. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

Netflix’s newest original film puts a fresh spin on a classic genre. Rim of the World, written by Zack Stentz, hit computer screens on May 24, delivering all the right nostalgic 80s sci-fi feels. Stentz, known for his work on The Flash, X-Men, Thor, and even Agent Cody Banks, made his Netflix...

The Last Summer fails to accurately portray the teenage experience

Written on June 3, 2019. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

Early in May, Netflix gave us The Last Summer, the platform’s newest star-studded teen rom-com. In the wake of last year’s successful Netflix originals, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and The Kissing Booth, this film had the chance to be the next iconic film for hopeless romantics. Instead, it...

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile falls short of the truth

Written on June 3, 2019. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

This article broadly discusses themes of sexual assault and violence. Netflix’s newest thriller, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, will keep you on the edge of your seat. The film explores the crimes of Ted Bundy, the notorious serial killer and necrophile. Although the film captures...

The Old Man and the Gun: a perfect farewell to Robert Redford

Written on November 23, 2018. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

A 70-year-old man robbing banks and escaping prison is an unusual swan song. Not for Robert Redford. In a fitting send-off, the film icon and Academy-Award winning director starred in recently released The Old Man and the Gun to wrap up his acting career. The biopic follows real-life American criminal...

Beautiful Boy’s repetitive plot buoyed by heart-wrenching performances

Written on November 16, 2018. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

I entered The Screening Room this weekend ready to be blown away. After obsessively watching and re-watching Timothée Chalamet’s breakout film, Call Me By Your Name, and following his rise to fame, I had high hopes for the actor’s newest role as a crystal meth addict in Beautiful Boy. However, despite...

A Star is Born romanticizes toxic relationships

Written on November 9, 2018. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

via GIPHY, by Josh Granovsky Although Bradley Cooper’s A Star is Born achieved widespread praise for its heart-wrenching story and talented cast, its reaction risks glossing over the conspicuous presence of toxic relationships. The film follows two characters—Ally, a talented singer and musician,...

Reviewing childhood Halloween movies as an adult

Written on October 24, 2018. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

Thanks to terrifying costumes and an increased presence of spirits, Halloween is known as the scariest time of the year. However, there’s nothing spookier than realizing you’ve outgrown your favourite holiday. At one point in my life, October was the crowning glory of my entire year. Nothing could...

Venom is not your typical Marvel movie

Written on October 19, 2018. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

Critics and movie-goers alike have slammed the new Marvel antihero movie Venom since it came out last weekend. Reviews fault the film for its sloppy script, underdeveloped characters, and question why a minor Marvel character is receiving his own movie. But the reasons critics found Venom to be disappointing...

A Star is Born is a musical masterpiece

Written on October 16, 2018. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

With the massive successes of Hamilton and La La Land, the past few years have ushered in a new era of widely-beloved musicals. A Star is Born, starring Lady Gaga and first-time director Bradley Cooper, triumphantly added to this trend last week. The third remake of the 1937 original, Cooper’s adaptation...

The Kissing Booth normalizes potentially abusive behaviour

Written on September 14, 2018. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

The Kissing Booth, a popular Netflix original movie released in May, disguises itself as a run-of-the-mill, teen romcom—while carelessly normalizing early warning signs of an abusive relationship. The film follows Elle Evans, who creates a list of friendship rules with her best friend, Lee, when they’re...

As a former high school loser, Sierra Burgess is a Loser gives me hope

Written on September 11, 2018. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

In a pivotal scene from Netflix’s newest teen romcom, Sierra Burgess is a Loser, the titular character stands in front of her parents, sobbing. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to be a teenage girl and to look like this?” she asks them. Somewhere deep inside me, my high school self asks the same...

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before excels through unique characters

Written on September 7, 2018. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

An otherwise standard Netflix rom-com has made waves on social media in recent weeks, and it’s largely a credit to its actors’ character development and relatability. Okay…. so I’ve watched “to all the boys I’ve loved before” twice & it melts my heart sm, I needa relationship, I’m so lonely,...

What’s so special about Netflix’s Set It Up?

Written on July 30, 2018. Posted in Lifestyle.

Within the past decade, it seemed audiences and moviemakers alike had agreed on a simple fact: the romantic-comedy genre is dead. According to Business Insider, major studio releases of romantic comedy films have dropped nearly 100 per cent in the last eight years. Yet Netflix has still found a hit...

Indian Horse provides new narrative for Canada Day

Written on June 25, 2018. Posted in Lifestyle.

The current political and social climate in Canada has been dominated by increasing efforts to reconcile with the tragic history suffered by Indigenous peoples—a history which was portrayed with effectiveness and intensity in Canadian director Stephen Campanelli’s newest film, Indian Horse. Based...

I can't believe you haven't seen that: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Written on February 14, 2017. Posted in Lifestyle.

What do you consider a classic film? Is it in black and white? Has it won multiple prestigious awards? Does it often feel like a chore to select it when browsing through Netflix? When I decided to watch Ang Lee’s 2000 kung fu epic Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, I was unaware of just how many accolades...

Reviewing the nominees: Arrival, Manchester by the Sea and Lion

Written on February 10, 2017. Posted in Lifestyle.

For week two of my Oscar nomination tour, I watched three very different films: Arrival, Manchester by the Sea, and Lion. Let’s dive in. Arrival 2/5 Stars Although I really enjoyed watching this film, it didn’t exceed my high hopes for an out-of-character Oscar nomination. I wanted more from Arrival...

The Room: the worst movie of all time

Written on January 26, 2016. Posted in Lifestyle.

When you attend a live screening of The Room, you embark on a communal journey through the wholly unapologetic and self-indulgent brainchild of Tommy Wiseau. This is a participatory experience. There will be inside jokes that you will learn and accept — with some of them literally and dangerously...

Gone Girl: From page to screen

Written on October 17, 2014. Posted in Lifestyle.

Full disclosure: I loved Gillian Flynn’s novel Gone Girl, a psychological thriller about a marriage gone wrong. After reading it, I commented that it was one of the best books I had read in a while. Naturally, I had high hopes for its film adaption. Having seen director David Fincher’s The Girl with...

The world abides, man: Analysis of a cult classic

Written on September 25, 2014. Posted in Lifestyle.

It’s been 30 years since the Coen brothers made their film debut with Blood Simple. As two of the most iconic filmmakers in the world, there’s plenty to celebrate, from their first big success with Fargo to their recent folk-inspired tale Inside Llewynn Davis. There’s one Coen brothers film however,...

Maleficent movie review

Written on June 28, 2014. Posted in Lifestyle.

Claiming positions on this summer’s absolute must-watch lists, Maleficent hit the big screen with a bang on May 28, grossing $170 million within the first week alone. Recreating a beloved Disney tale, this film is perfect for kids in which an age-old villain adopts a heart of gold. But disregarding...

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire review

Written on November 27, 2013. Posted in Lifestyle.

The girl on fire, Katniss Everdeen, is back again – and the stakes are higher than ever. Catching Fire, directed by Francis Lawrence, captures all of the elements of the book: intensity, action, emotion and absolute desperation. Jennifer Lawrence, stunning as ever, plays the lead character of Katniss...

Fashion movies to revisit: Coco Before Chanel

Written on October 9, 2013. Posted in Lifestyle.

Many may mythologize the powerhouse figure behind the Chanel brand, yet, the 2009 film Coco Before Chanel brings an iconic designer, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel into the public arena, as a real person bounding with human vulnerabilities and high aspirations. Directed and co-written by Anne Fontaine,...

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