Month: January 2018

Every day should feature “Bell Let’s Talk” awareness

Everyone can help fight this beast.

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Mental diseases are bastards, because they are camouflage to everybody not named “you”.

They can’t be cured, or properly treated. There is also no way to detect how severe they can get. You don’t see this particular train coming. It isn’t like an alcohol addiction, where you can follow steps, get help, and try to recover. Depression, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder are things you are born with; tiny assholes in your brain that never leave you alone.

Jan. 31 is Bell Let’s Talk day. The national day to tweet about helping millions out with these terrible conditions. Frankly, every day should be Bell Let’s Talk day. 24/7/365. Every day, someone is hurting, dealing with, or fighting depression. People are trying to not feel strangled by anxiety in public or tough situations. It’s not limited to one day.

What is Bell Let’s Talk? Back in 2010, a group of people in Canada starting something called “Bell Let’s Talk” as a way to discuss mental illnesses more often. Before long, millions of Canadians were extending the conversation and bringing in more people. Conversations were starting and the stigma was getting thrown around the ring by regular people. Through government help and corporations, Bell Let’s Talk have generated $86 million for research and care of people dealing with mental illnesses.  Continue reading “Every day should feature “Bell Let’s Talk” awareness”

‘Phantom Thread’ sends Daniel Day Lewis out in style

When I think of true artists, a hill comes to mind. The artist stands on top of the hill, blasting his greatness across the world, forbidding connection and sadly, love. Everyone else is busy climbing the hill in an attempt to get close to him, including his family and friends. Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Day Lewis dive headfirst into the world of an artist in Anderson’s latest feature, Phantom Thread.

This is a fascinating film, and that’s not because it told me a lot about the fashion scene in 1950’s London, which the film is set in. Instead, this movie explored the cost and toll that weighed on a brilliant mind like Day Lewis’ Reynolds Woodcock, a world renowned dress maker, and what happens when a feisty and strong-willed woman named Alma (the amazing Vicky Krieps), enters his life. Continue reading “‘Phantom Thread’ sends Daniel Day Lewis out in style”

‘The Grey’: Joe Carnahan’s masterpiece resonates six years later

How a man recaptured his soul in the wilderness.

Sometimes, movies are memorable for what they don’t show you, instead masking their intentions in their deception. Six years ago, Joe Carnahan produced a masterpiece with The Grey by resisting the urge to show his full hand at the end of the film.

DISCLAIMER: If you haven’t watched the film, I implore you to stop reading and check it out, because this column will include spoilers and give away pretty much the entire movie. Since it’s been out for roughly 1,900 days, I figure it’s time this film got the deep dive it deserved.

The movie chronicled a group of oil workers traveling on a plane over Alaska who are forced into desperation when their aircraft crashes in the middle of nowhere-and near a territory that a pack of wolves have marked for their own.

A group of guys against a pack of wolves was what the studio wanted you to believe the movie was about, but the juice of this film was the fact that it was never about that particular struggle.

The workers were a true band of lost boys, including Liam Neeson’s Ottway, a born leader who was clearly hiding a dark shade of himself behind a thin cover of fearlessness; Henrick (Dallas Roberts) and Talget (Dermot Mulroney), two family men trying to make an honest living; Diaz (Frank Grillo), an ex-con trying to walk the straight and avoid the criminal urge; and Flannery (Joe Anderson) and Burke (Nonso Anozie), two men unfit for the conditions). An island of misfit toys lost on a strip of Earth where few make it out alive. Continue reading “‘The Grey’: Joe Carnahan’s masterpiece resonates six years later”

’12 Strong’ is a ferocious tribute to the Horse Soldiers

When terrorists struck a blow deep in the heart of The United States on Sept. 11, 2001, there were two questions that lingered: how could this happen, and would it happen again? 12 Strong tackles the latter with pure ferocity. Get ready to be moved and electrified by the story of the Horse Soldiers!

If 12 Strong is any indication,  Daniel director Nicolai Fuglsig is going to make a dent in Hollywood. His first feature film is a stunning tribute to the dozen soldiers who threw the first punch back at the Taliban after 9/11. Equal parts enthralling and powerful, 12 Strong is movie that aims for the heart and wins. Continue reading “’12 Strong’ is a ferocious tribute to the Horse Soldiers”

‘The Post’ reminds you of the greatness and power of newspapers

Hanks, Streep, and Spielberg knock it out of the park

Newspapers used to mean something. They held politicians accountable, informed the public, and kept a lookout over the world. In short, they were a big deal in this nation’s foundation of hope, trust, and doing things the right way, but somewhere along the way, they lost their sex appeal.

Steven Spielberg’s The Post will remind you of that greatness, when freedom of the press was championed and not negotiable. When protecting the people’s right to know was more important than protecting the bottom line of a company. It’s an expertly crafted film that will make you feel good at the end, and you’ll buy a newspaper after you leave the theater because of it. Continue reading “‘The Post’ reminds you of the greatness and power of newspapers”

‘Molly’s Game’ grabs your attention and never lets go

Bravo, Aaron Sorkin!

Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain) made a living off the addictions of the world’s most powerful men, and that was after she was an Olympic level skier. Coming from a family of genius minds and DNA gold, Bloom ran the most exclusive poker game for years before it all came crashing down, leading her to adopt the services of Charlie Jaffey (Idris Elba), “the cleanest attorney in town”. She did us a favor in writing a book that became Aaron Sorkin’s directorial debut, Molly’s Game.

Bloom’s story is a riveting one and a perfect match for Sorkin’s Jedi-styled writing style. This is a rise and fall story juiced up on adderall and steroids, highlighting the luxurious yet dangerous life that one woman led without much brakes or hesitation. Instead of adding fuel to the fiery life of a powerful woman, Sorkin just lets her story do the heavy lifting.

Bloom was an Olympic level athlete before one unfortunate accident ended it all, defeating the high hopes set by a demanding father (Kevin Costner, better than ever), yet setting up a different career that didn’t include boring law school. She broke off a taste for the gambling life with Jeremy Strong’s sleazy Dean Keith before going all in on her own, with the likes of Player X (Michael Cera, rumored to be blending together Tobey Maguire and Ben Affleck here) and several of Hollywood’s elite. Continue reading “‘Molly’s Game’ grabs your attention and never lets go”

‘Wonder Wheel’ is Woody Allen at his worst

Try not to fall asleep during this flick.

Ginny (Kate Winslet) dreams of the movie star life, a bittersweet medicine that temporarily relieves the pain of her life that seems to be passing her by. Married to a theme park worker, Humpty (Jim Belushi, chewing scenery but effective), Ginny is trapped in a never-ending cycle of robotic family life. She cooks, cleans, deals with her troublesome son, and briefly departs into the fantasy land of the movies. Living next to the Boardwalk in Atlantic City doesn’t seem to help.

When two people, Mickey (Justin Timberlake) and Carolina (Juno Temple), enter Ginny’s life, the seemingly boring life that Ginny dreaded suddenly becomes full of drama.

Woody Allen’s latest, Wonder Wheel,  left me dreaming about what I could have gotten done with the two hours I spent watching this tiresome melodrama. A film where all the characters have faults and thorns sticking out of their sides, which means nothing will end well, and the movie will end coming to a sudden halt before the credits roll. Continue reading “‘Wonder Wheel’ is Woody Allen at his worst”