Tag Archives: Brendan Gleeson

Joker: Folie à Deux review — The sequel as a corrective

October 7, 2024 flawintheiris

Directed by Todd Phillips | Written by Phillips and Scott Silver | 138 min | ▲▲▲△△ I'll admit, I girded myself to go see this sequel to Joker. I was no fan of the 2019 blockbuster from filmmaker Todd Phillips — it's a nihilistic, sour pill of a movie that serves up its lead as… Read More

The Banshees of Inisherin review — Irish idyll is a gem

November 5, 2022 flawintheiris

Written and Directed by Martin McDonagh | 109 min | ▲▲▲▲△ | Disney + and Crave A version of this review appeared on FITI in September during the Toronto International Film Festival. This film was shot in Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland. The story is set on… Read More

The Banshees of Inisherin, The Wonder reviews, #TIFF22

September 15, 2022 flawintheiris

A couple of Ireland-shot period movies today, both of which feature old houses burning down. Otherwise, they're quite different. The Banshees of Inisherin | Written and Directed by Martin McDonagh | 109 min I learned today that Inisherin, the island where this yarn is set, is fictional. It was shot in Inishmore, the largest of… Read More

The Tragedy of Macbeth review — Bold and resolute, though not too bloody

January 13, 2022 flawintheiris

Directed by Joel Coen | Written by Coen, adapting the play by William Shakespeare | 105 min | ▲▲▲△△ Feels like a lot of people were left scratching their heads over this one. I mean, anything the Coens do is naturally of interest — the brothers are the best, most consistent American filmmakers of their… Read More

Reviews from the Vault Vol. 8 — Comedies

August 28, 2019 flawintheiris

From 2005 to 2009 I was a programmer on CKDU 88.1 FM in Halifax, every Sunday morning hosting The Love & Hate Movie Show. I talked about what I was seeing and revisited some of my favourite films of old, pretty much what I do now here on FITI. I still have a lot of… Read More

A Brief History of Spy Movies: Part Three

June 29, 2019 flawintheiris

THE LE CARRÉ ADAPTATIONS In the past two posts I review Harry Palmer movies and a dozen spy pictures from 1966 to 2006. This post is devoted to the film adaptations of the godfather of spy novels. Roger Ebert described John Le Carré’s novels as “chess problems in which one solution is elegant and all… Read More

Now on Canadian Netflix: December 2018

December 19, 2018 flawintheiris

Roma One could make an argument last year's Mudbound was the feature that signalled Netlfix's prestige drama interest, readying their horses for the annual Oscar race. Roma is really the tipping point, a film with the critical momentum to suggest it could actually take the Best Picture statuette. I'd be surprised, simply because it's much… Read More

VOD Reviews — Chappaquiddick, Hampstead, Borg vs McEnroe

July 17, 2018 flawintheiris

Chappaquiddick Directed by John Curran | Written by Taylor Allen and Andrew Logan | 106 min This must be the final piece of the Kennedy legend to find its way to the big screen. If they've finally arrived at the Ted Kennedy story, the scandal of his having driven drunk leading to the death of… Read More

Paddington 2 review — The sweet return of the marmalade-loving bear

January 20, 2018 flawintheiris

Directed by Paul King | Written by King and Simon Farnaby, from the Michael Bond character | 104 min The return of the warm and literally fuzzy, marmalade-loving bear, and a welcome return it is. The first film showed up in North American cinemas in January 2015, which seems incredible to me. I was half… Read More

Alone in Berlin review — Sincere but clunky wartime melodrama

December 12, 2017 flawintheiris

Directed by Vincent Perez | Written by Perez, Achim von Borries and Bettine von Borries, adapting a novel by Hans Fallada | 103 min | on iTunes A sentimental concoction where the serious talent of the pair in front of the camera can't quite overcome the deep cliches of those who have made decisions behind… Read More