Tag Archives: Meryl Streep

Suffragette review — Muddy drama mutes powerful story

November 19, 2015 flawintheiris

Directed by Sarah Gavron | Written by Abi Morgan | 106 min Suffragette is a powerful story weakly told. A look back at the women's rights movement in pre-Great War London has all the makings of compelling historical drama—a talented cast and well-chosen locations being two of its assets—but is scuppered by technical issues, a too-predictable… Read More

Ricki and the Flash review — Streep’s simply the best

August 8, 2015 flawintheiris

Directed by Jonathan Demme, written by Diablo Cody Meryl as a rocker. What's not to like? Well, a few things, but overall Ricki And The Flash a good time at the movies. A little more narrative heft wouldn't go astray. It's not often I complain a movie is too short, but I wanted more of… Read More

Reviews: The Homesman, Men Women & Children, Song One, Gemma Bovery, A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, Black Sea

May 4, 2015 flawintheiris

A few thoughts on movies now available on VOD, DVD and Blu-Ray The Homesman A powerfully sui generis western, the kind of a story that steps over so many of the generic Hollywood screenwriting conventions you'll never see where it's going. Director and star Tommy Lee Jones adapts a Glendon Swarthout novel about a woman… Read More

In Cinemas. August 15, 2014

August 16, 2014 flawintheiris

I have a real soft spot for Men On A Mission-style movies, and on paper I really like the idea of action legends Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Statham, Jet Li and their buddies getting together to shoot a lot of huge guns. Then why was The Expendables (2010) so dull? I suppose because you can't… Read More

CTV Morning Live, March 3, 2014: Oscars Postmortem

March 3, 2014 flawintheiris

After sticking it out until the wee hours last night, I managed to get myself into the CTV Morning Live studio in Halifax early today to say some stuff about the Academy Awards. You can go here to see what few coherent thoughts I managed to muster about the big sheeeew. If you want the… Read More

August: Osage County review

January 17, 2014 flawintheiris

Directed by John WellsStageplay and screenplay adaptation by Tracy LettsSince Julia Roberts had kids, she's been much more choosy with the films she does, working much less frequently. This is the opportunity afforded a former Queen of Hollywood, and more power to her. I've noticed that when she does work, the quality of her performances… Read More

The Oscars 2013 postmortem

February 25, 2013 flawintheiris

Question One: Why do the Golden Globes work while the Academy Awards so frequently don't?I really enjoyed the Golden Globes this year. You know why? Because the Hollywood Foreign Press Association really knows how to do it. They don't try and reinvent the wheel. They put on a party where celebrities drink and eat and… Read More

Tom Waits on screen

April 9, 2012 flawintheiris

"And there's a difference between 'I do some acting' and 'I'm an actor.'" is what Tom Waits told Pitchfork back in 2006. "People don't really trust people to do two things well." Waits doesn't think of himself an actor, which is fine. Most of the roles he's been cast in he plays some variation of… Read More

2012 Oscar reaction

February 28, 2012 flawintheiris

Well, what can you say about The Oscars? When they go with a new idea for hosting like Franco and Hathaway last year, they get shit on. When they go with the safe choice of Crystal, they get shit on. John Doyle in the Globe & Mail said this was the worst Oscars ever. I… Read More

The Muppets review

November 28, 2011 flawintheiris

Directed by James BobinWritten by Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller, based on characters by Jim HensonThe appeal of The Muppet Show is hard to quantify. I'm not talking about the Muppets themselves. It's easy to see why people like them, the cute puppets adored by all ages. But the TV show specifically, the one that… Read More