Articles By James Brotheridge
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Reviews
CUFF Review: 'Los Reyes' Tells a True-Life Shaggy Dog Tale That'll Warm Hearts Directed by Bettina Perut and Iván Osnovikoff Published Dec 04, 2019In looking at Los Reyes, a story of a couple of strays, it's tough not to think about the lived conditions of capitalism. People keep moving...
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CUFF Review: 'Our Time Machine' Explores Art and Remembrance via Chinese Theatre Directed by S. Leo Chiang and Yang Sun Published Dec 04, 2019What makes a work worth remembering? Worth not only being experienced by audiences in its own time and place, but to be talked about after?...
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Reviews
'Varda by Agnès' Is a Fascinating Final Statement From a Film Legend Directed by Agnès Varda Published Nov 19, 2019A crowd filters into a room, captured in time lapse, while a director's chair with the name "Agnès" on the back sits empty onstage. Agnès Va...
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CUFF Review: 'Where in the Hell Is the Lavender House: The Longmont Potion Castle Story' Gets in the Way of its Prank Call Chronicle Directed by David Hall and Thomas Rotenberg Published Nov 11, 2019In one of many fan interviews peppered throughout Where in the Hell Is the Lavender House: The Longmont Potion Castle Story, it's observed t...
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CUFF Review: 'Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street' Is an Overdue Look at Homophobia in Horror Directed by Tyler Jensen and Roman Chimienti Published Nov 11, 2019A New Nightmare was director Wes Craven's big swing at revitalizing the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. In the seventh film of the series...
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TIFF Review: 'Knuckle City' Explores Masculinity From the Boxing Ring Directed by Jahmil X.T. Qubeka Published Sep 05, 2019With a rich cinematic history of boxing films to draw from, writer and director Jahmil X.T. Qubeka pulls one of the most on-point references...
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'Always Be My Maybe' Is a Rom-Com From a Slightly Different Perspective Directed by Nahnatchka Khan Published May 30, 2019The heat coming off of the trailer for Always Be My Maybe was palpable, even if what the preview promised was comfort food. Pairing hit stan...
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'All Is True' Gives Branagh a Chance to Play the Bard Himself Directed by Kenneth Branagh Published May 21, 2019Without being immersed in certain theatrical scenes, I can't say where a man like Kenneth Branagh ranks among the interpreters of William Sh...
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'Arctic' Won't Soothe Winter Anxiety, but We Can Keep Mads Mikkelsen Company Directed by Joe Penna Published Feb 20, 2019A February Canadian release for a movie like Arctic has potential for risks and rewards. As audiences here are struggling with temperatures...
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'Serenity' Offers Noir on the Water but Lacks Clarity Directed by Steven Knight Published Jan 24, 2019Screenwriter-by-trade Steven Knight's last film as director, Locke, is almost all talk, literally. Tom Hardy spends the entire film in his c...
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CUFF Docs Review: 'People's Republic of Desire' Exposes the Dark Side of Chinese Social Media Directed by Hao Wu Published Nov 28, 2018Obsolescence is the threat looming over every streaming host in People's Republic of Desire, the same that hangs over many content producers...
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CUFF Docs Review: 'Rodents of Unusual Size' Offers the Pro and Anti Giant Rat Perspective Directed by Quinn Costello, Chris Metzler and Jeff Springer Published Nov 28, 2018Nutria are immediately memorable if you get a look at their faces. The rodent's size is noteworthy — about the size of a beaver. The thing,...
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Reviews
'Science Fair' Sees the Future Through Young Minds Directed by Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster Published Oct 29, 2018Science Fair, the new documentary produced by National Geographic, doesn't start with a hypothesis, but with an assertion. The filmmakers se...
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'Transformer' Chronicles Power Lifter's Complex Gender Transition Directed by Michael Del Monte Published Oct 19, 2018From its opening shot, Transformer says it's a documentary about transitioning. Janae Marie Kroczaleski is undressing, getting ready for sur...
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Reviews
TIFF Review: 'Saf' Offers a Brave, Universal Look at Gentrification Directed by Ali Vatansever Published Sep 10, 2018Saf takes one couple's story and uses it to explore the dynamics of modern-day Turkey, where gentrification is changing the urban landscape,...
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TIFF Review: 'Before the Frost' Sees Winter Coming for 19th Century Danish Farmers Directed by Michael Noer Published Sep 08, 2018Before the Frost, the TIFF-selected film from the filmmaker behind the recent Papillon remake, finds a place and time when where you're seat...
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'Breath' Review: Exploring Macho Aussie Surf Culture Directed by Simon Baker Published Aug 20, 2018Author Tim Winton is an officially named National Living Treasure of Australia; starting in the 1990s, Winton's books gained renown, earning...
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Three Identical Strangers Directed by Tim Wardle Published Jul 10, 2018A quote from one of the subjects comes early on, and the sentiment recurs throughout: "When I tell people the story, they don't believe it."...
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Leave No Trace Directed by Debra Granik Published Jul 03, 2018Leave No Trace isn't alone in finding stark contrast between the peacefulness of nature and the noisy throb of the city. Opening in a forest...
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On Chesil Beach Directed by Dominic Cooke Published May 25, 2018Certain films with layered timelines can suggest that you're always at risk of getting lost in your memories during small tasks. You could b...