"I can only show you the door, you're the one
who has to walk through" -Morpheus
Welcome to THE-Cine-City-Canuck-Dispatch-BETA (formerly TheReelReviewer.weebly.com, well I couldn't change the link without paying Weebly Xtra-bux, but you know what I mean with my new title, it's BETA, a pipe dream!)
The Movie Site for the wary Cinephile (weeklong runs only, no one-offs, sorry) - bookmark this site & REFRESH often!!!
(High-caliber Arthouse/Indie films go to Sundance, Cannes and/or Toronto FIRST!!)
RECENT "SELECT" theatrical releases PLUS Streaming & VOD RELEASES & select DVD info -keep SCROLLING DOWN (Also links provided for 2021-22 Oscar, Spirit, & *Gotham nominees/*WINNERS // Final note: We list what we've SEEN #OTBS so if U don't C your film listed keep checking back till it is: 'So many Movies, 2little Time')
(Oscar-SHORT-list: Orig-SONG-'So May We Start') A Leos Carax film: "ANNETTE**" [**SPARKS-Musical/Cannes'21/**For 'Sparks'-fans ONLY?/(2021)France-Mexico-US-Switzerland-Belgium-Japan-Germany/AmazonStudios/Rated R/2hr_19min] - - (Streaming on Amazon-'PRIME' -NO extra charge for members)
(Oscar-SHORT-lists: '6' Guild noms incl. Best Picture + SAG-Ensemble) **Kenneth Branagh's "BELFAST" [IRISH-Biopic**/Tell+Toronto'21/**Director's early life as a 'tween' in N. Ireland during 'The Troubles'/(2021)UK/Focus(UNI.)/Rated_PG-13] - - EXPANDS to 390 theaters incl. 3 cinemas in NYC (Also 'On _Demand' / **Some Irish accents but NOT too-thick to understand / Intense community violence may be triggering)
(Oscar-SHORT-list: Int'l-film) Paul Verhoeven's "BENEDETTA" [Plague-HISTORY: LGBTQ-Nuns?/Cannes+/In French w/ English-subtitles/(2021)France-Belgium-Netherlands/IFCfilms/2hr_11min] - - NOW PLAYING in 5+ theaters including the IFC center in NYC (ADULTS-ONLY, may 'trigger' die-hard Catholics / GLBT-Cinephile-ALERT!)
(Oscar-SHORT-list: Docu-feature) Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry [IMAX: POP-MUSIC/(2021)Rock-umentary-USA /Dist:Apple TV+(NEON+IMAX)/Rated R/2hr_20min] - - (Streaming on Apple-TV Plus)
(Oscar-SHORT-lists: '2' Guild noms incl. SAG-Stunt ensemble) Marvel's "Black_Widow*" [MCU: 3D-Pre-quel**/In IMAX, 3D, Dolby +4D/**Film's main action occurs before 'Avengers: Infinity War'(2018)/24th installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)/(2021)USA/Marvel(Disney-BV)/Rated_PG-13] - - ('Streaming' on DisneyPlus FREE-for-ALL subscribers / Also 'On-Demand' / *DVD available from Sept. 14, 2021)
(Oscar-SHORT-lists: '2' Guild noms incl. Supporting-VFX?) Nia DaCosta's "CANDYMAN" [HORROR-REmake: Based loosely on the 1992 orig./(2021)USA/Universal/Rated_R] - - ('On Demand' only / Note: Theatrical release last August BUT still not on DVD?)
(Oscar-SHORT-lists: '4' Guild noms incl. 'Period'-ADG-&-CDG) Craig Gillespie's "CRUELLA*" [Disney-Villain-Backstory: '101_Dalmatians'/(2021)US-UK/WaltDisney-pix/Rated PG-13/2hr_14min/FB] - - (Streaming on DisneyPlus FREE-for-ALL subscribers / *4K-DVD available from Sept_21, 2021)
(Oscar-SHORT-lists: '7' Guild noms incl. Best Picture + SAG-Ensemble) Adam McKay's "DON’T LOOK UP" [Sci-Fi: Global-Comedy/Note: NOT a Tru-story, the 'Comet' is a 'metaphor' for 'Climate_Change'/(2021)USA/Netflix/Rated_R/2hr_18min /Trailer] - - (Streaming on 'Netflix')
(Oscar-SHORT-list: '12' Guild noms incl. VFX + Best Picture) Denis Villeneuve's "DUNE*" [#Sci-Fi: 2-part-remake & THIS IS Part-'1' ONLY/Venice+Toronto'21/**Note: I am only giving this film a "thumbs-UP" based on a PERFECTO-w/ '3D'-projection @Empire-25-NYC-Screen-9/#BasedonFrankHerbertnovel/(2021)US -Hungary-Canada/LegendaryPix(WB)/Rated_PG] - - RE-EXPANDS to 248-(2nd-run-&-IMAX) theaters incl. 34th-st-IMAX in NYC (Now on VOD / *DVD available from Jan_11, 2022 / Note- DUNE: PART TWO will be released theatrically on 10/20/23)
(#17-BO-wknd/Oscar-SHORT-list: Orig-Score-&-SONG/'9'-ANNIE-NOMS,incl. Best-Pic-Studio) Disney's "ENCANTO" [MAGICAL-FAMILY-genre? **3D-CGI-Anime(Best viewed in '3D')/(2021)USA /WaltDisney-pix/Rated_PG] - - RE-EXPANDS to 470-(2nd-run) theaters (Streaming on Disneyplus FREE-for-ALL subscribers / Also 'On_Demand'))
(Comicbook-MOVIE-Franchise: 2nd film of MCUs Phase-4(post-Thanos, Following the events of 'Avengers: Endgame'-2019) Marvel's "ETERNALS" [Dir. by 'arty' Chloe Zhao//(2021)USA /Disney/Rated_PG-13/2hr_37min/1st-TRAILER] - - (Now on VOD & Streaming on DisneyPlus FREE-for-ALL subscribers)
(Sci-Fi-Vidgame: From-'NPC'-to-Hero**) Shawn Levy's "Free Guy" [**'Ryan_Reynolds' is a 'NPC' is a 'non-player character' (so they can't be controlled by 'gamers')/(2021)US-Canada-Japan /20th-Century-Studios(Disney)/Rated_PG-13] - - (Streaming FREE for subscribers Worldwide on DisneyPlus / 'On-Demand' / *DVD available from October_12, 2021)
(Oscar-SHORT-lists: '3' Guild noms incl.: WGA-Orig.) Wes Anderson's "the French Dispatch*" [SHORTS-Anthology** /Cannes'21/**5-short-films/...of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun/**SHORTS are a mixed batch, but WA plays the Best '2nd' instead of last. So AFTER Benucio Del Toro starrer 'Concrete-Masterpiece' U should LEAVE(ADULTS-ONLY, Full-frontal-Nudity)/(2021)Germany-US/Searchlight-pix(Disney)/Rated_R] - - (On VOD now / *DVD-Blu-ray release from December_28, 2021)
(Oscar-SHORT-lists: '2' Guild noms incl. MPSE-Music) Ghostbusters: Afterlife [Sci-Fi: 'Tweens-Know-ALL'-RE-boot /(2021)USA/Columbia-pix(SONY)/Rated_PG-13] - - NOW PLAYING in 954 theaters incl. the Empire-25 42nd st in NYC (*DVD available from December_28, 2021 / NOW on Digital-VOD)
(Oscar-SHORT-lists: '2' Guild noms incl. Fantasy ADG-&-CDG) the Green Knight* [Medieval-Quest-genre: ARTHOUSE/Auteur David Lowery's re-telling of the medieval Arthurian legend of Sir Gawain & the Green Knight/(2021)Ireland-Canada-US-UK /Dist:A24/Rated_R/2hrs_5min] - - (Now 'On-Demand' / *DVD available from OCT_12, 2021 / Several 'decapitations' may be triggering, esp. the 'talking heads'-NOT the band?)
(Oscar-SHORT-lists: '3' Guild noms incl. MPSE-Contemp-Music) In the Heights [LatinX-MUSICAL**/Tribeca'21/**Film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Bway Musical/(2021)USA/HBO-MAX(WB) /Rated PG-13/2hr_23min] - - (Streaming on 'HBO' or HBO-MAX / *DVD available from August 31, 2021)
(Oscar-SHORT-lists: '5' Guild noms incl. VFX + SAG-Stunt ensemble) Lana Wachowski'a "the Matrix Resurrections" [Sci-Fi: **22-yrs AFTER-Origin-SEQ/'Keanu_Reeves'-&-'Carrie-Anne _Moss'/**Matrix_#4 following two back-2-back sequels & 1999-original/(2021)US-UK-Australia/HBO-MAX(WB)/Rated_R /2hr_28min] - - NOW PLAYING in 879 theaters including 3+ venues in NYC (On VOD only, but Orig. trilogy still Streaming on 'HBO-MAX' / **Sci-Fi-phile-ALERT!)
('8'-ANNIE-NOMS,incl. Best-Pic-Studio/OSCARwatch: Animated-feature) Netflix's "the Mitchells vs the Machines*" [FAMILY-Sci-Fi-EOTW: Apocalyptic-2D-animated-adventure/(2021)US-Canada-HK/Sony-pix-Anime(Netflix)/Rated_PG] - - (Streaming on 'Netflix' / *DVD available from December_14, 2021)
(Oscar-SHORT-lists: '8' Guild noms incl. VFX + SAG-Stunt ensemble) Cary Joji Fukunaga's "No Time to Die*" [**007-Franchise-SEQ: 'Daniel_Craig'**/'007: #25', Daniel Craig's LAST-Bond/Inspired by Ian Fleming's character: 'James_Bond'/(2021)UK-US/MGM(UNI.)/Rated PG-13/2hr_43min] - - (*DVD available from December_21, 2021 / Streaming on Amazon-PRIME)
(Oscar-SHORT-lists: '7' Guild noms incl. Best Picture + SAG-Actor) Jane Campion's "the Power of the Dog" [Venice +NYFF'21/Based on Thomas Savage's novel/(2021)UK-Canada-Australia-New_Zealand/Netflix/Rated_R/2hr_6min] - - HELD OVER in 2 NYC venues: IFC ct. & Paris theater (Streaming on 'Netflix')
('10'-ANNIE-NOMS,incl. Best-Pic-Studio/2D-Anime) Raya and the Last Dragon [Inspired by Southeast Asian regions & featuring Disney's 1st SE-Asian princess/(2021)USA/DisneyAnime(BV) /Rated_PG] - - (Streaming on Disneyplus FREE-for-ALL subscribers)
(Oscar-SHORT-lists: '4' Guild noms incl. VFX + SAG-Stunt ensemble) Marvel's "SHANG_CHI and the Legend of the Ten Rings*" [MCU: Kung-Fu-Master/(2021)US-Australia/MCU-Phase-IV(Disney-pix)/Rated PG-13/2hr_12min] - - (Streaming on Disneyplus FREE-for-subscribers / *DVD available from Nov._30, 2021)
(Oscar-SHORT-lists: '4' Guild noms incl. VFX + Sound-mixing/#1-BO-wknd/Oscar-watch: Sound) **Sony's "Spider-Man: No Way Home" [Sci-Fi-SuperHero-SEQ: 'Tom_Holland' w/ 'Zendaya' /**SMCU: Spidey-#9 incl. Spiderverse-anime/(2021)US-India/Columbia-pix(**Sony-Marvel)/Rated_PG-13] - - NOW PLAYING in 3,600 theaters including 10+ venues in NYC
(Oscar-SHORT-list: Docu-feature/SPIRIT-NOM for 'Documentary') Questlove's "Summer of Soul (Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised" [#BLM-Music-Docu: Found-Archive-footage** /**Pain & Defiance reached a nexus point '52' yrs ago @ The Harlem Cultural Festival which comprised '6' wknd concerts from June 29-Aug. 24, 1969 in NYC (concurrently with 'WOODSTOCK', it was 'recorded' but the footage was NEVER released (till NOW)/(2021)Documentary-USA/SearchlightPix (Disney-HULU)/Rated_PG-13/FB] - - (Streaming on HULU Free-4-subscribers)
(Oscar-SHORT-lists: '5' Guild noms incl. SAG-Actor + Best Picture) Lin-Manuel Miranda's "tick, tick...Boom!" [Pop-Rock-MUSICAL: Book & Music by the late Jonathan Larson (created b4 he turned age '30', then RENT came, then death at 'age 35' from a Brain aneurysm/(2021)USA/Netflix/Rated_PG-13] - - RETURNS to NYC @ the Cinema Village-12th_st (Streaming on Netflix)
(Oscar-SHORT-lists: '5' Guild noms incl. WGA-adapted + SAG-Actor) Joel Coen's "the Tragedy of MACBETH" [SHAKESPEARE: 'Denzel_Washington'/B&W/(2021)USA/ApplePlus/] - - NOW PLAYING in 40+ theaters incl. 4+ venues in NYC (Streaming on ApplePlus Free-4-subscribers)
(Oscar-SHORT-lists: '9' Guild noms incl. WGA-adapted + Best Picture/#10-BO-wknd) Steven Spielberg's "West Side Story" [MUSICAL-Adaptation of Broadway classic by Leonard Bernstein(music), Stephen Sondheim(lyrics), & Arthur Laurents(staging)'/(2021)USA/20thC.Studios(Disney)/Rated_PG-13] - - NOW PLAYING in 800 theaters incl. 2+ venues in NYC (NYC landscape recreated in Patterson,NJ -IMAX-worthy -MUSICAL-Theater-Geek ALERT!)
Broadway shows in NYC are resuming ticket sales NOW! for Winter_2022 performances. Learn more.
RECENT-SELECT "DVD" RELEASES (and/or Streaming<--FOREVER? (Also links provided for 2021 Oscar, Spirit, Gotham & Globe Award Streaming-WINNERS)
(NOT-a-travelogue: **IB-fan-MUST-C/Cannes'21) Bergman Island [**Film takes Bergman-fans to the island where 'IB'(Ingmar Bergman) shot many of his films (subplot involving 'emancipation' makes this a MUST-C for feminists too)/(2021)France/Rated_R] - - (Streaming on Amazon-'PRIME')
Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles [SHORT-feature: CONCERT recounting Singer Billie Eilish's LA-homecoming at the Hollywood Bowl (following her World tour/2D-Animation too)/(2021)Music-Documentary/USA/Disney/TV-14/!hr_5min] - - (Streaming FREE for subscribers on DisneyPlus)
(SHORT-Docu-feature: Bway-CLASSIC**) D. A. Pennebaker's "Original Cast Album: 'Company'" [BLU-RAY: 1-Disc/**Up-close docu reveals the larger-than-life (frayed-nerves) creative intensity that goes into the 'magic' of LIVE performance/(1970)Documentary-USA/CriterionColl. /50_min] - IMDb rating: 8.1 - (*DVD available from August 17, 2021)
(Danish-cine: 'Mads_Mikkelsen') Anders Thomas Jensen's "Riders of Justice" [Danish revenge drama(English_subtitles) /Retfærdighedens_ryttere/Trivia: 'Fifth' feature collab btwn dir. 'ATJ' & actor 'MM'/(2020)Denmark-Sweden-Finland/2021-USA-release/MAGNET(MagnoliaPix)] - - (*DVD available from August 17, 2021)
(TRAVEL-FOODIE-BIOpic**/Tribeca'21) Morgan Neville's "ROADRUNNER: A Film About Anthony Bourdain" [**Note: Some narration in film AB was achieved using "deepfake" technology/(2021)Documentary-USA/Focus(UNI.)/Rated R] - - (Now 'On-Demand' & Streaming on PRIME-AppleTV-Xfinity-YouTube-VUDU / *DVD available from OCT_12, 2021)
(Alt-Rock-MUSIC**/Sundance'21) Edgar Wright's "the Sparks Brothers" [**Tribute to 'Sparks' the band/(2021)Documentary/UK-US/2hr_15min] - - (Streaming on Amazon-'PRIME', AppleTV, xfinity, VUDU, & YouTube)
(DC-comics: Franchise-seq-reboot?) James Gunn's "THE Suicide Squad" [(2021)USA/HBO-MAX(DC-films+WB-pix)/Rated_R/2hrs_12min] - - (Now 'On-Demand' / *DVD available from OCT_26, 2021)
(French-cine: BODY-HORROR**/Cannes'21) Julia Ducournau's "TITANE" [**Provocation-Cine: this pushes ALL the buttons so don't feel bad if U walk out early/(2021)France/Dist:NEON/**Hard-R: ADULTS-ONLY, Strong NUDITY & PERVERSION (I'm not kidding either)] - - (Streaming digitally on Amazon-PRIME, Xfinity, etc.)
Legend(Distrib & MISC. abbrev's,
etc.) Abbrev. = Abbreviation (**Guilds vote for Oscar nominations in their individual categories) **ACE = American Cinema Editors guild (BOTH digital & film-editing/Drama & Comedy categories) **ADG = Art Directors guild (Also includes Fantasy, Contemporary & Period styles) AIV = Amazon Instant Video (Amazon.com "On Demand" online service) **ASC = American Society of Cinematographers (Digital & 35/16mm Photography plus Lighting in Cinema) Anime = Short for "Animation" (Usually used for non-USA product) BO = Short for "Boxoffice" (followed by weekly ranking, from #1-10) BOLLY = Short for "Bollywood" (South Asian studio system) **CAS = Cinema Audio Society (Digital & Analog sound 'mixing' categories) **CDG = Costume Designers guild (Includes individual designers & their teams) D-F-D = Realistic genre depicting Dysfunctional Family themes as Drama's or Dra-medies **DGA Directors Guild of America = (Includes directors, asst. dir's, 2nd-2nd's etc.) Distrib. = Abbrev. for Distributor or Distribution Doc or Docu = Documentary (Non-fiction feature film) Dra-medy = Stories with a mixture of comedic & dramatic (sometimes tragic) elements Ent. = Entertainment FC = Film Center (synonym for Cinema or Arthouse) FRF = First Run Features (Indie distrib. - mainly documentaries) FSLC = Film Society of Lincoln Center (programs Walter Reade & Elinor Bunim venues in NYC) GG or Globes = Golden Globe Awards (Presented by the HFPA annually in Jan.) Gkids = Distributes mainly Foreign animated films HFPA = Hollywood Foreign Press Association (Administers 'GG' Awards) HK = Hong Kong -Major source of Martial Arts, Crime, & Neo-Noir film production (also Animation) Indie = Independent Film, Filmmakers, & Production (Usually budgeted under $20 mill) JCVD = Martial Arts specialist & actor Jean Claude Van Damme LHCtR = Abbrev. for Indie production company: Little Horse Crossing the River LC = Lincoln Center (Major arts area on the Upper West Side of NYC) LSF = Long Shot Factory (Indie distrib.) mill. = Million(s) in USA dollars Mo-cap = Motion-capture animation (actors filmed LIVE, then animated) **MPSE = Motion Picture Sound Editors (Evaluates use of Music in films) **MUAHS = Make-up & Hairstyling (Includes Contemporary & period styles w/ special character-work & prosthetics) Nollywood = Nigerian Film industry (produces approx. 2,000 movies per year) ORF = Open Road Films (Joint venture between AMC & Regal Theater groups) Par. or Para. = Paramount Pictures (Parent company for Par-Vantage) PDF = Parade Deck Films (Low-budget Indie distributor) **PGA Producers Guild of America = (Guild repares a list of "10" films for Best picture -but can be shortened, normally around 5-9 movies) Pix = Abbreviation for Pictures **SAG = Screen Actors Guild (Nominates lead, supporting, ensemble w/ stuntperson-teams) Sony or SonyPix = Sony Pictures SPC = Sony Pictures Classics (Arthouse release arm of Sony) SVOD = Subscription-Video-On-Demand (flat rate per month plus extra content from Sky, Netflix, Hulu, etc.) TR: = Theatrical Release duration (in wknds) TWC = The Weinstein Company (Founded by brothers Bob & Harvey Weinstein) UTMW = Under The Milky Way (Arthouse distrib)
**VES = Visual Effects Society (Digital, CGI & practical FX creators recognized) **WGA = Writers Guild of America (Noms both adapted & original stories) Tweets by @Variety
Festivals (linked to
outside reviews, mainly from Variety & Hollywood Reporter staffers) Berlin = German Film Festival (held every February) BIFF = Brooklyn International Film Festival (BK,NY) Cannes = Cannes Film Festival in France (held every Spring) NYAFF = New York ASIAN Film Festival (USA/held every Summer) NYFF = New York Film Festival (USA/held every Fall) Sundance = Park City,Utah Film Festival
(USA/held every Winter, 1st major fest of each year & considered the most influential film
fest for "Indie" filmmakers) NYICFF = New York International Children's Film Festival (USA/Annual) RV-NYC = Rendez-Vous with French Cinema (Annual/NYC premieres of Recent French films) Telluride or Tell. = Colorado festival (USA/held every Fall) Toronto or Tor. = Toronto Film Festival in Canada (held every Fall) Tribeca or Trib. = Tribeca Film Festival (NYC/held every Spring) Venice = Venice Film Festival (Italy)