Category Archives: film

RKS 2023 Film: “back home” at Vancouver International Film Festival

Canadian Nisha Platzer has crafted a moving documentary about the suicide of her brother Josh that occurring in Vancouver when Josh was 15 and Nisha 11. Josh was suffering from clinical depression at the time of his suicide. Nisha has dim memories of the death of Josh and convenes both family and friends to giveContinue reading “RKS 2023 Film: “back home” at Vancouver International Film Festival”

RKS 2023 Film: “Out of the Loop: Chicago Comedy Is No Joke”

I have no problems with Chicago and who cares if it is the Murder Capital of the United States! City of Vultures some say! A properly developed waterfront unlike my butchered Toronto. Great food. Skyscrapers.  All assuming you aren’t in the wrong neighbourhood at the wrong time and end up with a bullet in yourContinue reading “RKS 2023 Film: “Out of the Loop: Chicago Comedy Is No Joke””

RKS 2023 Hot Docs Films: “It’s Coming”: Reality Television?

Ashley lives in an old Brooklyn New York apartment with her children. Ashley claims to have been haunted since the age of 11 in the same apartament. Javier her young son has progressed (or regressed) to the point he is playing with a spirit he calls Kitty. He was terrified initially with Kitty who isContinue reading “RKS 2023 Hot Docs Films: “It’s Coming”: Reality Television?”

RKS 2023 Hot Docs Films: “Aitamaako’tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun”: I Can’t Believe I Am Saying This!

As a reviewer of films prior to taking up this all-consuming habit I often laughed years ago with a review or two of a film that trumpeted, “You’ll Stand Up and Cheer!”. I laugh no more as with this documentary I found myself standing up and cheering not physically but mentally. Why? Firstly, as aContinue reading “RKS 2023 Hot Docs Films: “Aitamaako’tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun”: I Can’t Believe I Am Saying This!”

RKS 2023 Films: “Living with Chucky”

I have lived all my years without Chucky. I am uncertain what thrill there is in these slasher films. Ooops sorry wrong horror genre! Slash and hacker doll genre? Sounding like a preacher and a geezer but how depraved to watch the murder of human beings and get a thrill out of it. Sorry IContinue reading “RKS 2023 Films: “Living with Chucky””

RKS 2023 Film: “Scrap”: The Anatomy of a FU

“Scrap” can be interpreted as the anatomy of a FU. But its awfully hard to pinpoint where the bad luck started that sparked the FU or are there innate personal characteristics that create a FU irrespective of a trigger? Poor Beth (Vivian Kerr) is in a downward spiral perhaps commencing with the loss of herContinue reading “RKS 2023 Film: “Scrap”: The Anatomy of a FU”

RKS 2023 Film: “Colorblind”: Can a Racist be Reformed?

Racism has been with us for time immemorial. Can a racist ever be reformed? Can “Colorblind” convince you one way or the other. Canadian director Mostafa Keshvari has impressed me with his “Corona” (2020) and “Unmasked” (2018) both of which are seared with intense and emotionally charged dialogue and themes. “Colorblind” represents a sudden tackContinue reading “RKS 2023 Film: “Colorblind”: Can a Racist be Reformed?”

RKS 2023 Films: “The Worst Ones” (Les Pires) A French “Bad News Bears” ?

We’ve seen this genre previously. A band of perceived “misfits” somehow transforms into a power to be reckoned with whether it be “Bad News Bears” or even “The Dirty Dozen”. In this case it is a group of poor youth from the “Picasso Neighbourhood” in Northern France’s Boulogne Sur Mer who are recruited to participateContinue reading “RKS 2023 Films: “The Worst Ones” (Les Pires) A French “Bad News Bears” ?”

RKS 2023 Film: “All the World is Sleeping”

Haven’t we all watched the plot before? Drug addiction and the destruction it causes whether it be on film, countless documentaries or even television series was it called “Intervention”. Like the DEA in the United States the genre is somewhat over exposed if not tiresome. Perhaps faced with massive drug addiction problems in North AmericaContinue reading “RKS 2023 Film: “All the World is Sleeping””

RKS 2023 Film: “Kubrick by Kubrick”: Kubrick Speaks

The documentary “Kubrick by Kubrick” through interview narrative lets American director Stanley Kubrick (1928-1999) discuss his films and reflect on life. Perhaps the most important observation made by Kubrick is that if you present life other than what you make of it then that is entertainment and that sums up many of the 13 filmsContinue reading “RKS 2023 Film: “Kubrick by Kubrick”: Kubrick Speaks”