Three And Above

I Am Not Your Negro (2017) Directed by : Raoul Peck Written by : Raoul Peck, based on  James Baldwin's writings Starring : James Baldwin, narrated  by Samuel L. Jackson Rating : 14A Release Date : February 24th, 2017 A protester exercises his free speech as a police officer looks on in a still from I Am Not Your Negro Image Source      "The story of the negro in America is the story of... America," says James Baldwin, in an archived interview. When I Am Not Your Negro  was released slowly throughout 2016 and to general audiences in 2017, James Baldwin had been dead for thirty years; he died of stomach cancer in 1987. Yet, the cancerous roots of racial hatred, slavery and institutional bias have only dug deeper and deeper into the heart of American society. A quick search on whatever search engine you use, reveals seemingly endless factsheets , articles ,  and staggering injustices like the fact "the vast majority of [U.S.] counties...

Killing Gunther (2017) Directed by : Taran Killam Written by : Taran Killam Starring : Taran Killam, Bobby Moynihan,  Cobie Smulders & Arnold Schwarzenegger Rating : 14A Release Date : October 20, 2017 Schwarzenegger & Killam debate gun control in Killing Gunthe r Image Source      It's an odd time to be a filmmaker. With superheroes clogging up the screens at the theatres, it's rare to find something that's not related to some otherworldly heroes that effortlessly save the world time and time again, without a scratch. Of course, there's always exceptions to the rule; It was a welcome change, featuring a broad arcing story and R-rated dialogue, and Wonder Woman  was a pro-feminist stab in the heart to the idiotic Marvel and DC films of late. Still, gone are the days where a goofy, avant-garde comedy, an experimental film, or a post-modern dissection of a certain cinematic subject could be seen on a big screen. But there's still hope;...

TEN MORE TERRIFYING FILMS or;  how I learned to stop worrying and love scary movies by - Grant Kanigan -      It's once again that time of year: Halloween! Last year, I posted my Top Ten Horror Films of All Time , and received quite a response from readers. This year, I've decided to simply highlight ten horror films, some of which are excellent genre pieces - others so bad they're absolutely hilarious. Without further ado, (and in no particular order), here's ten more frightening flicks to get you in this months mindset:  10. The Babysitter , (2017): When the director of your horror film is named "McG," how can you go wrong? Known for such critical darlings as Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, Terminator: Salvation and 3 Days to Kill, and a ridiculous name that sounds like a hidden item on McDonalds' dollar menu, McG has been hollywood's go to guy for making competent films that are more about making a quick dime off sta...

The Little Hours (2017) Directed by : Jeff Baena Written by : Jeff Baena Starring : Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Aubrey Plaza, Kate Micucci, & John C. Reilly Rating : 14A Release Date : June 30, 2017 Kate Micucci, Alison Brie & Aubrey Plaza are up to no good in The Little Hours Image Source       Classic literature has often served as a jumping board for creative ideas, especially when it comes to the cinema. The Lion King  was a beautifully imagined retelling of Shakespeare's 1600's text  Hamlet , the wonderfully original a Knight's Tale was based on one of the tales within Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales , ( published in the 1300's), Beowulf , the acid-trip adult themed digital splatterfest, was originally written around a millennium ago. Some might even say  the Matrix could be an interesting interpretation of Plato's Allegory of the Cave . It's no surprise, then, that writer/director Jeff Baena's vision of Giovanni Boccac...

Wonder Woman (2017) Directed by : Patty Jenkins Written by : Allen Heinberg, based on a story by Jason Fuchs, Allan Heinberg & Zack Snyder, based upon  William Moulton Marston's comic Starring : Gal Gadot, Chris Pine,  Robin Wright, Connie Nielsen Rating : PG Release Date : June 2, 2017 Gal Gadot finds a target in Wonder Woman Image Source      In a whirlwind year where fascism has seemed to once again rear it's ugly head, there's been a lot to be angry, frightened or simply stunned about. However, as with all things, there's always a silver lining. With the rise of xenophobia, sexism, racism and calls to violence in the United States, there's been a much larger resistance to it, with lawyers fleeing to help refugees, free of charge, at airports, protests in solidarity with black lives matter movements, and even pro-sports companies, (notoriously anti -political), standing out against hate. What a welcome surprise, then, that in a ye...

Atomic Blonde (2017) Directed by : David Leitch Written by : Kurt Johnstad, based on the  graphic novel "The Coldest City" by  Antony Jonston & Sam Hart Starring : Charlize Theron, Sofia Boutella,  James McAvoy, John Goodman, Toby Jones Rating : 14A Release Date : July 25, 2017 Charlize Theron explodes with rage in Atomic Blonde  Image Source      Charlize Theron has always been a stone cold outsider within the plastic Hollywood system of filmmaking. Breaking onto the scene in her third film as the bubbly Tina in Tom Hanks' underrated That Thing You Do!  to playing a seemingly schizophrenic wife in the bombastic  The Devil's Advocate or a animal rights advocate in Mighty Joe Young  she has always starred in different, challenging roles. While not all of her films have been that great, (one would be hard pressed to call  15 Minutes, Reindeer Games, or  Trapped  'good'), even her performances in th...

Dunkirk (2017) Directed by : Christopher Nolan Written by : Christopher Nolan Starring :  Kenneth Branagh, T om Glynn Carney,  Tom Hardy,  Cillian Murphy,  Mark Rylance,  Harry Styles,  Fionn Whitehead Rating : PG* Release Date : July 21, 2017 A soldier watches the sky from within a sea of soldiers. Image Source Warning: If you plan on seeing Dunkirk, I would do so with fresh eyes. This review contains a multitude of 'spoilers.'       Within cinema, especially the English speaking world, the war genre has always been popular, and has always been a sure-fire way to make a few bucks at the box office. That's not to say war films don't have their merit - both World Wars were definitive moments in the history of man. The first world war was an exercise in sadism and misery, and the second pushed the limits of human indecency to the breaking point. Like one of the characters in David Ayer's underrated Fury says: "it's a hell of ...