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3.5/5
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A Monster Calls
(2016)
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Joe Lipsett
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Occasionally janky FX aside, Bayona's film pulls on the heartstrings in the same way Ness' source material does.
Posted Jul 16, 2024
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To Kill a Mockingbird
(1962)
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Joe Lipsett
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Peck delivers an Oscar-worthy performance in an adaptation that basically eliminates its black characters while delivering a simplistic fable on overcoming racism
Posted Jul 02, 2024
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2/5
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The 5th Wave
(2016)
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Joe Lipsett
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Despite featuring likeable actors like Grace-Moretz and Robinson, the film adaptation of Rick Yancey's novel has no time for anything. There's a propulsive need to barrel forward, but nothing lands (characters, plot, not even action).
Posted Jun 18, 2024
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3.5/5
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Fitting In
(2023)
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Joe Lipsett
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Fitting In has a great cast and explores a compelling story of non-normative female bodies. There's a few issues with the film's messaging, but overall it's pretty enjoyable and Maddie Ziegler makes a strong impression in the lead role.
Posted May 28, 2024
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3.5/5
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Aquamarine
(2006)
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Joe Lipsett
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The adaptation of Hoffman's slight, breezy novel overcomplicates a lot of elements, including the introduction of a mean girl villain, but its fantasy escapism, mixed with teen feminism and dumb himbo love interest who doesn't save the day, is welcome
Posted May 21, 2024
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4/5
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Turtles All the Way Down
(2024)
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Joe Lipsett
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The film does a great job of visually capturing the intrusive thought spirals that make John Green's book so visceral and upsetting. Special kudos to Isabela Merced and Cree for embodying flawed, albeit empathetic characters
Posted May 07, 2024
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2.5/5
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Girls State
(2024)
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Joe Lipsett
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Girls State feels slight and surprisingly unaware; even its own subjects seem determined to break free of the narrative that the camp and the directors are trying to box them in to. Compared to Boys State, this is a surprising misfire.
Posted Apr 30, 2024
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4/5
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Boys State
(2020)
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Joe Lipsett
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A terrifying and nihilistic portrait of the lengths that boys will go to assume power and the dangers it portends for American politics.
Posted Apr 30, 2024
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3.5/5
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The Spiderwick Chronicles
(2008)
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Joe Lipsett
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Highmore does well playing twins (though one admittedly doesn't do much) but it's the improvements on Mallory's character from the books, Bolger's realistic fencing technique, and the surprisingly fun (albeit not realistic) CGI that work best
Posted Apr 23, 2024
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4/5
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Never Been Kissed
(1999)
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Joe Lipsett
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While the student/teacher romance never played sat well, Barrymore and Vartan have great chemistry (and it is *slightly* excusable as an adaptation of As You Like It). Otherwise this fish out of water film is totally rufus: sweet and charming.
Posted Apr 09, 2024
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3.5/5
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The Kissing Booth 2
(2020)
|
Joe Lipsett
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While there's an over-reliance on montage and the film still can't make us invest in Elle & Noah as a couple, it's leaps and bounds better than the book, thanks to Joey King's committed performance and the addition of Taylor Zakhar Perez.
Posted Apr 02, 2024
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4/5
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Hunt for the Wilderpeople
(2016)
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Joe Lipsett
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Waititi's long-in-development adaptation of the Crump's classic has a style and wit all of its own. Neill is delightfully grumpy, but it is Dennison who steals the show. The over the top buffoonery of the final chase is a bit much, though
Posted Mar 26, 2024
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Whale Rider
(2002)
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Joe Lipsett
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A fairly standard coming of age tale that features a solid performance from Castle-Hughes. Despite being a nearly 1-to-1 adaptation, however, the film is missing the spirit (and spiritualism) of the source material.
Posted Mar 12, 2024
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3/5
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Orion and the Dark
(2024)
|
Joe Lipsett
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Kaufman's desire to expand the world of the picture book is admirable, though the resulting adaptation loses the central premise and likely its target family audience as well. An admirable swing, but not wholly successful
Posted Feb 13, 2024
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3.5/5
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Wonka
(2023)
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Joe Lipsett
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Though the film doesn't quite hang together and features some odd choices (fat suits?!), this secret musical is still a crowd-pleaser.
Posted Feb 06, 2024
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2/5
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The Twilight Saga: New Moon
(2009)
|
Joe Lipsett
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New Moon is a deeply boring book turned into a deeply boring film, though at least Michael Sheen seems to understand what a campy disaster he's co-starring in.
Posted Jan 30, 2024
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4/5
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The Edge of Seventeen
(2016)
|
Joe Lipsett
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A challenging and confronting view of teendom, anchored by an astounding performance by Hailee Steinfeld. The trick is to view the film from Nadine's dark, cynical, depressed perspective.
Posted Jan 23, 2024
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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
(2022)
|
Joe Lipsett
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While the film lacks the character depth and the parents' backstories from the book, the two lead performances are great and the love story, which is front and center, is very satisfying.
Posted Jan 16, 2024
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3/5
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17 Again
(2009)
|
Joe Lipsett
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A surprisingly enjoyable body swap comedy. Efron is winsome in his first non-HSM vehicle and while the incest storyline is cringey, he and Mann have great chemistry. Far too much Lennon, however.
Posted Jan 09, 2024
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2/5
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Love in Taipei
(2023)
|
Joe Lipsett
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A paper thin adaptation of Abigail Hing Wen's Loveboat, Taipei. Liao is charming, but her dance skills are poor and she has no chemistry with either lead. This is cookie cutter rom-com is beyond familiar and bland.
Posted Jan 09, 2024
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4/5
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Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
(1971)
|
Joe Lipsett
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A timeless classic with an all-time performance from Gene Wilder. This film is a marvel: weird, occasionally terrifying and visually wonderful.
That chocolate lake looks disgusting, though.
Posted Dec 12, 2023
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3.5/5
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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
(2005)
|
Joe Lipsett
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Credit Burton for going the practical route; it visually grounds the otherwise fantastical film. Surprisingly Depp's unhinged and frequently bizarre performance works more often than not.
Posted Dec 12, 2023
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3/5
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You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah
(2023)
|
Joe Lipsett
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It's a little too Mean Girls and leaves out the book's best character (justice for Arthur), but the Sandler clan have great chemistry and Cohen knows how to direct a breezy, fun YA comedy.
Posted Dec 05, 2023
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3.5/5
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The Shamer's Daughter
(2015)
|
Joe Lipsett
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The film is less memorable than the book: it is a little too grey and happy to forego politics for explosions, but at least it keeps the book's dark ending.
Posted Dec 05, 2023
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3/5
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The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
(2023)
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Joe Lipsett
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Praise Davis, Schafer and Schwartzman, who understand the film they're in and embrace it. Blyth is afraid to let Snow be a villain so the romance between him and Zegler only works during the games. Overall, this is fine, but too long, especially Part 3
Posted Nov 21, 2023
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2.5/5
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The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2
(2015)
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Joe Lipsett
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Lawrence's extremely ugly film loses itself in the back half when it stops focusing on how community supports Katniss and simply becomes another arena film. The adaptation couldn't escape Collins' bad source material, but why did it have to be ~2.5 hrs?
Posted Nov 14, 2023
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3/5
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Goosebumps
(2015)
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Joe Lipsett
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An amusing, if overstuffed adaptation of classic R.L. Stine tales. As the children's author, Black is solid and so is the FX, though the shrieking best friend performance by Ryan Lee quickly becomes grating and Hannah's resolution is wonky at best.
Posted Oct 24, 2023
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2.5/5
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Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
(2019)
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Joe Lipsett
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Attempts to replicate Gammell's iconic visuals mostly work, but the Vietnam backstory is undercooked, villain Tommy is dispatched too early and most of the set pieces are too brief. What worked in Schwartz's campfire tales doesn't translate to screen
Posted Oct 17, 2023
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4.5/5
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Love and Monsters
(2020)
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Joe Lipsett
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Love and Monsters features plenty of comedy and heart, courtesy of O'Brien's voice over and a script from Robinson and Duffield. I'm a big fan of Dog, the way the film handles Joel's relationship with Aimee, and the Oscar-nominated realism of the CGI.
Posted Oct 10, 2023
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3.5/5
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The House With a Clock in Its Walls
(2018)
|
Joe Lipsett
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While the film is more focused on men than women (like the book), Jack Black and Cate Blanchett make a surprisingly compelling comedic team. While some of the jokes are pretty juvenile, the flights of fancy make this a spooky good time.
Posted Oct 03, 2023
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4.5/5
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Mean Girls
(2004)
|
Joe Lipsett
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While the whiteness of the text is glaring 20 years later, Tina Fey's razor sharp comedy (and significantly improved adaptation) remains a delight. The cast is firing on all cylinders and the jokes still land. Fetch did indeed happen.
Posted Sep 26, 2023
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2/5
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First Daughter
(2004)
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Joe Lipsett
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Sam isn't a character, which doesn't leave Katie Holmes much to do. The romance with Blucas' secret service agent isn't interesting and the narrative seems stuck on repeat. Plus: there's some weird sexual chemistry between the President and First Daughter
Posted Sep 19, 2023
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4/5
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Falcon Lake
(2022)
|
Joe Lipsett
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Gorgeous and haunting, LeBon's adaptation of Bastien Vivès' 2017 comic Une Soeur/A Sister makes a few subtle changes with massive ramifications for the text.
Posted Sep 12, 2023
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1/5
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The Divergent Series: Allegiant
(2016)
|
Joe Lipsett
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This is abysmal. The adaptation fundamentally misunderstands the source material, has terrible FX and an even worse Miles Teller performance. Worst of all, the film doesn't know how or when to use Woodley, who has always been the series' greatest asset
Posted Sep 05, 2023
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2.5/5
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Red, White & Royal Blue
(2023)
|
Joe Lipsett
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Despite stars Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine's best efforts, there's no romantic electricity here. Throw in cheap production values and a undercooked queer-revenge villain and the film is sadly undercooked
Posted Aug 22, 2023
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2.5/5
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Tomorrow, When the War Began
(2010)
|
Joe Lipsett
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This big budget action spectacle (by Aussie standards) is a reasonable adaptation of Marsden's source material, though it misunderstands the point by amping up the action at the expense of the teen relationships.
Posted Jul 25, 2023
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3.5/5
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Nimona
(2023)
|
Joe Lipsett
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The obviousness of the trans elements and the changed ending are perfect for the current political moment, but the messy, interesting character flaws and unpredictable format of ND Stevenson's original comic are missing.
Posted Jul 11, 2023
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2/5
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Through My Window
(2022)
|
Joe Lipsett
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The film is better than the book, but outside of a weirdly incestuous sex scene and a hilariously melodramatic climax, it's surprisingly snoozy and the leads have no chemistry.
Posted Jun 20, 2023
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4.5/5
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Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
(2023)
|
Joe Lipsett
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Craig's adaptation captures the enduring essence of Judy Blume's source material, with gentle updates to ensure the film clicks with contemporary audiences. Abby Ryder Fortson is a perfect Margaret; McAdams and Bates both deliver solid supporting perfs
Posted May 16, 2023
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All Together Now
(2020)
|
Joe Lipsett
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Cravalho shines (as always) but the colour blind/diverse casting of her friends means nothing when they're shallow, 1-dimensional characters. The film's emotionally manipulative narrative disguises an uncomfortable message about the "deserving poor"
Posted May 09, 2023
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3.5/5
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Center of My World
(2016)
|
Joe Lipsett
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A gorgeously sun-kissed ode to first love, the film sometimes sacrifices deeper characterization for titillating sex scenes between the model ready boys. It feels geared towards the LGBT film festival circuit.
Posted Apr 25, 2023
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4/5
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Sami Blood
(2016)
|
Joe Lipsett
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A gorgeous, albeit hard to watch film about internalized self-hatred within Sweden's indigenous population. Features a fantastic child performance by Sparrok, though the framing device featuring old Ella-Marja doesn't work.
Posted Apr 19, 2023
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Say Anything...
(1989)
|
Joe Lipsett
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A surprisingly mature teen film about negotiating the transition from teen to adulthood, anchored by a seminal John Cusack performance whose Lloyd Dobler has rightfully become an icon of the genre.
Posted Apr 11, 2023
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Emil and the Detectives
(1964)
|
Joe Lipsett
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While the shot-on-location adaptation of Erich Kästner's classic makes Emil and the Detectives feel like a Berlin vacation, the film loses sight of its plucky protagonist in favour of Gustav and raises the stakes far too dramatically (child murder?!)
Posted Mar 21, 2023
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2/5
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Monkey Beach
(2020)
|
Joe Lipsett
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The film fundamentally misunderstands the book its adapting. Adam Beach and Joel Ouelette are great in small roles, but several actors are badly miscast and the FX is poorly executed.
Posted Mar 07, 2023
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3.5/5
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Jasper Jones
(2017)
|
Joe Lipsett
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The film is unable to delve into the characters like Silvey's source material, but the performances, particularly Miller, are charming. One wishes Collette's Ruth had retained the novel's complexity, however, since here she doesn't make much sense
Posted Feb 21, 2023
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4.5/5
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Adventures in Babysitting
(1987)
|
Joe Lipsett
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A romp of a family film that hasn't aged particularly well in its treatment of POC, but features a fun, sexy lead performance by Elizabeth Shue and an escalating number of ridiculous "the city is scary" developments that make for a very entertaining time.
Posted Jan 25, 2023
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2.5/5
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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
(2005)
|
Joe Lipsett
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The film captures the essence of the novel, which succumbing to the 2000s tendency to lean into fight scenes and CGI (puppets look good, though!). The kids are well cast, but this adaptation feels bloated and padded at nearly 2.5 hrs.
Posted Dec 30, 2022
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2/5
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Spice World
(1997)
|
Joe Lipsett
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The film would do well to trust the girls, who have great fun playing caricatures, rather than padding the film with a series of unconnected cameos. The result is a madcap, but often overwhelming comedy.
Posted Dec 22, 2022
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3.5/5
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On the Come Up
(2022)
|
Joe Lipsett
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As an adaptation, the film sands off the book's complicated and nuanced consideration of class and poverty. As a straightforward film about an artist, however, it succeeds, particularly the solid performances. That freeze frame ending, though...oof
Posted Dec 07, 2022
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