Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

Miles Morales becomes the Spider-Man of his reality and crosses paths with his counterparts from other dimensions to stop a threat to all reality. (IMDb)

Despite its meta, self-aware take on the hero origin story it still feels a little too familiar by the classic big-explosion end (a different use of the shoulder-tap with the tragic villain would’ve helped). That said, it nails its humour and pace (though the Uncle Aaron twist is under-explained), and Miles is a refreshing lead for the old coming-of-age arc. More significant than anything though, is the fantastic animation (the action sequences are amazing) and unique comic book-esque flair.

8/10 (Great)

 

Isle of Dogs (2018)

Set in Japan, Isle of Dogs follows a boy’s odyssey in search of his lost dog. (IMDb)

Awe-inspiring animation, as expected, with an amazing attention to detail (petals on noses, fur blowing in the wind), breathtaking landscapes (see the journey montages), a variety of unique shots (see the shadowy discussion in the bottle cave), creative storytelling devices (see the split-screens), and fun flourishes (see the sushi-making). A welcome surprise is the engaging hard-boiled political drama added to Anderson’s typically quirky comedy (the gossiping goofy alpha dog pack is great).

8.5/10 (Amazing)

 

Everything Is Illuminated (2005)

A young Jewish American man endeavors to find the woman who saved his grandfather during World War II in a Ukrainian village, that was ultimately razed by the Nazis, with the help of an eccentric local. (IMDb)

Delicate and unhurried direction (lots of long takes and pretty silence) works well with the initial road trip fare (Wood’s pensive “collector” employs with apprehension the guiding services of misguidedly enthusiastic Alex and his grumpy grandfather) as lots of culture-clash comedy (see the hotel dinner) and lost-in-translation laughs (“seeing eye bitch”) keep things lively, but as the humour fades in favour of sober historical probing it starts to feel a little dry (though no less beautiful).

7.5/10 (Really Good)

Spotlight (2015)

The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core. (IMDb)

The dense dialogue doesn’t dumb anything down, to the film’s initial detriment (it’s tough to latch on), but ultimately giving it a welcome mature feel as the Spotlight team continues to determinedly dig their way to the disturbing truth. A no-frills story, solidly acted (Ruffalo’s passionate Mike and Schreiber’s calm and calculated Marty are two standouts) maintains this tone, dispensing with unnecessary character explorations and pushy pathos on the way to its subtly sentimental final scene.

8/10 (Great)