Carol movie review

BEST NEW FEATURE
dir. by Todd Haynes
There is no way I could possibly do this justice. I'm going to try anyway.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens movie review

BEST NEW FEATURE

dir. by J.J. Abrams

It's every bit as good as everyone had hoped. 

Brooklyn movie review

BEST NEW FEATURE
dir. by John Crowley
Emotionally rich and deceptively deep, Brooklyn is a wonderfully charming take on the 50s immigrant experience.

Creed movie review

BEST NEW FEATURE
dir. by Ryan Coogler
The latest Rocky sequel finally lives up to the series' legacy while retaining its own unique identity.

Spotlight movie review

BEST NEW FEATURE
dir. by Thomas McCarthy
Director Tom McCarthy returns to form with an absolutely incredible journalistic drama that is easily one of the year's very best films.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode review: "Many Heads, One Tale"

Season 3 episode 8
Oh my god.

Room movie review

BEST NEW FEATURE

dir. by Lenny Abrahamson
Deserving of all the critical acclaim it's gotten, Room contains so many fascinating and important topics within its intense two hours that it's undoubtedly one of the best films of the year.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. recap/review: "Chaos Theory"

Season 3 episode 7
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. continues its upwards trend with another of the best episodes this season.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode review: "Among Us Hide..."

Season 3 episode 6
Now THAT is more like it.

Bridge of Spies movie review

dir. by Steven Spielberg
BEST NEW FEATURE
Formulaic though it may be, Steven Spielberg's Bridge of Spies remains a superbly crafted thriller with just enough beneath the surface to stand out among the pack.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode review: "4,722 Hours"

Season 3 episode 5
A very different episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. provides a nice respite from the usual action but lacks much excitement or tension on its own.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode review: "Devils You Know"

Season 3 episode 4
Now THIS is more like it.

Fargo episode review: "Before the Law"

Season 2 episode 2
A calmer episode of Fargo serves as a calm before the storm by setting up tension still to come.

Steven Universe episode review: "Too Far"

Season 2 episode 21
Finally, Steven Universe returns to the emotional complexity that makes it so great in the first place.

Fargo episode review: "Waiting for Dutch"

Season 2 episode 1
Fargo returns to television to reclaim its position as one of the best shows airing right now. Aw jeez.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode review: "A Wanted (Inhu)man"

Season 3 episode 3
A less exciting episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. nonetheless ends with exciting developments.

Steven Universe episode review: "Back to the Barn"

Season 2 episode 20

This week's Steven Universe provides considerable world building and a decent amount of depth, but is ultimately tangential to the main plot and weak in the humour department. 

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode review: "Purpose in the Machine"

Season 3, episode 2

This week's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't quite as exciting as the premiere, but it has more than enough exciting plot developments to keep the story going.

Massive spoilers for Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. follow. 

Sicario movie review

dir. by Denis Villeneuve
BEST NEW FEATURE
Lionsgate's best bet for awards in a few months comes in the form of Sicario, a brutal, intense thriller that offers an often horrifying glimpse at the harsh world of the drug war.

The Martian movie review

dir. by Ridley Scott

BEST NEW FEATURE
Ridley Scott's return to form isn't quite the intense thrill ride that was expected, but as a crowd-pleaser on an epic scale, it's nothing short of wonderful.

Steven Universe episode review: "When It Rains"

Continuing the plot threads of the previous episode, the latest episode of Steven Universe builds up new plot threads while making some awkward attempts at character moments.

Steven Universe episode review: "Catch and Release"

Steven Universe prepares for a major shift in its plot with a transitional episode that contains major plot developments.

Black Mass movie review

dir. by Scott Cooper
With September already more than midway through, gangster drama Black Mass begins the Oscar bait season in typically dull fashion.

Steven Universe episode review: "Sadie's Song"

In its second season, Steven Universe has been on a winning streak, with the only bum notes being a non-canon crossover episode (which I didn't watch) and a pair of filler episodes that Cartoon Network detached from the season at large. Unfortunatly, its latest episode, "Sadie's Song", breaks the streak by indulging some of the show's worst habits, although it does manage to still have some pathos despite that, resulting in an episode that is still above the worst that other shows have to offer, but is disappointing nontheless.

The End of the Tour movie review

dir. by James Ponsoldt
BEST NEW FEATURE
This independent film based off David Lipsky's obituary of David Foster Wallace is a fantastic road trip movie filled with rich dialogue.

Steven Universe episode review: "Nightmare Hospital"

With its second season resuming, Steven Universe once again proves why it's among the best shows on television right now, with an episode that encapsulates all that's great about the show.

Spoilers for Steven Universe follow.

Straight Outta Compton movie review

dir. by F. Gary Gray

New music biopic about the influential rap group aims broadly in its scope, and proves a thoroughly entertaining watch despite its issues.

Shaun the Sheep movie review

dir. by Mark Burton and Richard Starzak

BEST NEW FEATURE
Aardman's newest animated film, based on their hit television show, is every bit as charming and clever as is expected from them.

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation movie review

BEST NEW FEATURE
dir. by Christopher McQuarrie
The fifth instalment in the long-running spy action franchise is a wonderful reminder of why we like these movies in the first place.

Trainwreck movie review

dir. by Judd Apatow
full cast/crew at IMDB
BEST NEW FEATURE
Amy Schumer's new romantic comedy is offbeat and funny, but also contains unexpected depth by working as a character study.

Ant-Man movie review

dir. by Peyton Reed
distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
full cast at IMDB
The newest superhero origin story from Marvel Studios may not be the studio's best effort, but it's a thoroughly enjoyable watch all the same.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl movie review

dir. by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon

BEST NEW FEATURE
The Sundance-acclaimed adaptation of Jesse Andrews' novel of the same name has finally reached indie cinemas, and while it's not the best film to win Sundance's Grand Jury Prize, it's a touching, funny, and smart teen film.

Spy movie review

BEST NEW FEATURE

dir. by Paul Feig
The third movie from the potent duo of Melissa McCarthy and writer-director Paul Feig is a hilarious success that contains as many thrills as it does laughs.

Inside Out movie review

dir. by Pete Docter, Ronaldo Del Carmen

BEST NEW FEATURE
After a few rocky years, Pixar re-emerges in top form with Inside Out, a film as smart, funny, and emotional as the studio's very best.

Jurassic World movie review

Jurassic Park is widely regarded a classic, but its sequels are... less so. Jurassic World seeks to reboot the series, with an all-new cast and all-new technology. So does it reach the heights of the original? Not even close.

Tomorrowland movie review

Brad Bird's Tomorrowland seemed promising from all the previews, and it's clear that he has a vision, but in just about every area, this vision is compromised by its own muddled screenplay.

Mad Max: Fury Road movie revew

BEST NEW FEATURE
George Miller's return to his iconic Mad Max franchise is not only the series' strongest entry, but quite possibly one of the best action movies ever made.

Ex Machina movie review

BEST NEW FEATURE
Writer Alex Garland's directorial debut Ex Machina has finally arrived here after weeks of waiting, and thankfully it's a triumph of intelligent sci-fi in spite of its faults.

The Avengers: Age of Ultron movie review

The sequel to 2012's smash hit The Avengers was bound to be the biggest film of the year, and nothing seems poised to top it at the box office. Marvel Studios films are reliably high-quality action fare, and Age of Ultron is not the studio's first failure... but it also doesn't hold a candle to its predecessor and isn't one of the studio's strongest efforts.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 movie review

After six years, this is the best they could do?!

Timbuktu review

BEST NEW PICTURE
This French-Mauritanian film is an early contender for the best film of 2015, and is an absolute must-watch... though you may have to wait for the video release.

Furious 7 review

BEST NEW PICTURE

Furious 7 is the newest instalment in the long-running The Fast and the Furious franchise. It's also the first one I've watched. Thankfully, this is a great piece of testosterone-fuelled fun, with just enough substance to serve as high-quality entertainment.

It Follows review

BEST NEW FEATURE
It Follows has been getting a lot of buzz recently as one of the greatest horror movies in recent years. It might drag a bit, but the film is more than terrifying enough to earn that distinction.

'71 review

BEST NEW FEATURE
Having finally come to North America after receiving much acclaim overseas in Britain, the historical thriller '71 proves that it deserves every bit of praise it's gotten.

Cinderella review

Kenneth Branagh's Cinderella adaptation isn't his most ambitious work, but it possesses enough flair and humour to be a fun time.

Jupiter Ascending review

This is what happens when nobody tells you "no".

Fifty Shades of Grey review

You asked for it.

Oscars 2015

I watched the Oscars. I made notes on the Oscars. I'm going to talk about the Oscars.

Kingsman: The Secret Service review

It's a bloodier Bond and a classier Austin Powers. Sounds fun, doesn't it? Well, you'd be surprised. 

Catching Up: The Theory of Everything

Generally, I don't review films outside the year of their theatrical run. However, as The Theory of Everything has been nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, I've decided to break my usual rule and give my thoughts on it. In summary: Often poignant, even more often funny, but its loose structure often makes the film feel interminable.

Paddington review

BEST NEW PICTURE

After a lot of buzz overseas, British family movie Paddington has finally made a splash in North America. Thankfully, the film lives up to its acclaim, delivering cute fun for the whole family.

American Sniper review - Shot Through the Heart

So Clint Eastwood's new film, American Sniper, has been hitting it big at the box office and at the awards shows. In case you're wondering if the film deserves all the hype, the answer is no. Not even a little bit. 

Selma review

BEST NEW FEATURE
This new biopic about Martin Luther King, Jr. is an powerful, important film that reflects on the current situation, and would certainly be on my Top 10 List had I been able to see it on the date of its premier. It demands to be seen.

My Top 10 Best Films of 2014

2014 ended on Thursday. This weekend, I will not be watching a film. Instead, I will be looking back on everything that I watched last year and selecting my ten (okay, fourteen, with honourable mentions) favourite movies from 2014.