Nicholas Olsen's Picks

  • The Disaster Artist Review (Toronto International Film Festival)

    Tommy Wiseau’s mystery has captivated the underbelly of pop culture for more than a decade, ever since he unleashed The Room on audiences in 2003. A twisted, undecipherable romantic drama, hailed as the “best worst movie” of all time, it has…

    Tommy Wiseau’s mystery has captivated the underbelly of pop culture for more than a decade, ever since he unleashed The Room on audiences in 2003. A twisted, undecipherable romantic drama, hailed as the “best worst movie” of all time, it has left a unique footprint in cinema, one that brings folks together, gets them laughing and begging for answers to questions like: Who is Tommy Wiseau, and how did his cult classic find the light of day?

    Wiseau’s friend and The Room co-star, Greg…
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  • The Shape of Water Review (Toronto International Film Festival)

    Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water is a true labor of love for the filmmaker. We’ve seen him tackle mainstream blockbuster material with Pacific Rim and Hellboy, but this new, surreal love story has more in common with his adored 2006 film,…

    Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water is a true labor of love for the filmmaker. We’ve seen him tackle mainstream blockbuster material with Pacific Rim and Hellboy, but this new, surreal love story has more in common with his adored 2006 film, Pan’s Labyrinth.

    It holds the same gentle dark fantasy backbone, using dense colours to tell its story, which follows a mute woman, Eliza (Sally Hawkins), who works as a janitor in a mysterious government laboratory. She keeps in the background,…
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  • The Killing of a Sacred Deer Review (Toronto International Film Festival)

    There is a torturous, biting audio that surrounds Yorgos Lanthimos latest surreal picture, The Killing of a Sacred Deer. It drones on from scene to scene, sometimes leaving completely, but lurking alongside the visual, ready to add that piercing…

    There is a torturous, biting audio that surrounds Yorgos Lanthimos latest surreal picture, The Killing of a Sacred Deer. It drones on from scene to scene, sometimes leaving completely, but lurking alongside the visual, ready to add that piercing sonic climax.

    We follow cardiologist Steven Murphy (Colin Farrell in full black comedy form, wearing a survivalist beard) as he navigates life or death karma in the form of deranged teenager, Martin (Barry Keoghan). He’s polite and friendly…
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  • Who are we supposed to side with on Game of Thrones?

    Game of Thrones‘ seventh season has been nothing short of extraordinary. The intricacies, tangled subplots and huge cast of characters that once seemed so overwhelming have simmered into a full-scale war.

    For years we’ve been following…

    Game of Thrones‘ seventh season has been nothing short of extraordinary. The intricacies, tangled subplots and huge cast of characters that once seemed so overwhelming have simmered into a full-scale war.

    For years we’ve been following Daenerys Targaryen as she rose up from literal ashes, with feeble dragon eggs in hand, to witnessing her shock and awe assault on Westeros. We’ve waited for all the political backstabbing and deceit to transform and ignite a hot war. The battles thus…
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Latest Movie News

  • Dumbledore confirmed to appear in Fantastic Beasts 2

    Director David Yates has confirmed that Albus Dumbledore — the fan-favourite Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry — will make an appearance in Yates’ 2018 sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

    Yates told Screen…

    Director David Yates has confirmed that Albus Dumbledore — the fan-favourite Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry — will make an appearance in Yates’ 2018 sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

    Yates told Screen Rant that the Harry Potter character will appear younger. The role has yet to be cast.

    J.K. Rowling has said the Fantastic Beasts series will extend to a whopping five films. It’s clear the first film, which releases Nov. 18, will be the…
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  • Disney's CEO discusses the future of Indiana Jones

    With Indiana Jones V incoming and Harrison Ford back with the whip in hand, Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger has been talking about the future of the franchise.

    “Right now, we’re focused on a reboot, or a continuum and then a reboot of some…

    With Indiana Jones V incoming and Harrison Ford back with the whip in hand, Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger has been talking about the future of the franchise.

    “Right now, we’re focused on a reboot, or a continuum and then a reboot of some sort,” said Iger.

    Iger told THR that Ford’s inclusion in future installments after Indiana Jones V are uncertain, but definitely a possibility.

    “Well, we’ll bring him back [for Indiana Jones V], then we have to figure out what comes next. That’s…
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  • A sympathetic Emperor would have appeared in the cancelled Star Wars TV show

    Some unexpected news in the way of Star Wars.

    God of War director, Cory Barlog, has revealed details about the cancelled live-action Star Wars TV show.

    While talking to VentureBeat about the new God of War videogame, Barlog talked about…

    Some unexpected news in the way of Star Wars.

    God of War director, Cory Barlog, has revealed details about the cancelled live-action Star Wars TV show.

    While talking to VentureBeat about the new God of War videogame, Barlog talked about experience working on Star Wars: 1313, a game set in the same time-frame as the forgotten TV series, titled Star Wars: Underworld.

    When working on the game, Barlog was allowed to “go up to the ranch and read the scripts for the [canceled live-action…
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  • Kick-Ass getting a new comic series with a female protagonist

    Kick-Ass is returning with a completely new series that is set to star a female protagonist.

    According to THR, Mark Millar’s (writer of the Kick-Ass comic) new series will follow an African-American protagonist, along with new supporting…

    Kick-Ass is returning with a completely new series that is set to star a female protagonist.

    According to THR, Mark Millar’s (writer of the Kick-Ass comic) new series will follow an African-American protagonist, along with new supporting characters and a different setting — sorry to fans who enjoyed the New York locales.

    When asked why the series is changing, Millar said he wants Kick-Ass to be a “legacy” comic with a focus on the overarching story, rather than one solitary hero.

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Latest Movie Reviews

  • In The Fade Review (Toronto International Film Festival)

    Fatih Akin’s In The Fade is a montage of a mother’s pain and grief, an odyssey through chapter-like pieces — the beginning, middle and end of one woman’s personal destruction and how she comes to deal with it. Akin (The Cut) also looks at the…

    Fatih Akin’s In The Fade is a montage of a mother’s pain and grief, an odyssey through chapter-like pieces — the beginning, middle and end of one woman’s personal destruction and how she comes to deal with it. Akin (The Cut) also looks at the rise of far-right extremism in Germany and the repercussions that come with a violence answered with violence mindset. Diane Kruger (Inglorious Basterds) shines as Katja Sekerci, a bookkeeper for her Kurdish husband, Nuri’s (Numan Acar) business….

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  • Woman Walks Ahead Review (Toronto International Film Festival)

    A modest yet challenging look at a legendary warrior and the woman who resurrected his formidable spirit in time of great injustice — Woman Walks Ahead is a snippet of history crafted with unforgiving purity by director Susanna White (Our Kind of…

    A modest yet challenging look at a legendary warrior and the woman who resurrected his formidable spirit in time of great injustice — Woman Walks Ahead is a snippet of history crafted with unforgiving purity by director Susanna White (Our Kind of Traitor). From the nightmarish conditions experienced by the Sioux people to the violent resistance painter Catherine Weldon (Jessica Chastain) faced as she ventured into the depths of battlefields turned perilous Great Plains in late 19th century…
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  • Hostiles Review (Toronto International Film Festival)

    Scott Cooper (Black Mass) returns to dark, brooding territory with Christian Bale vehicle, Hostiles. A Western so harrowing and bleak that it will leave you stone faced exhausted, struggling to get through the very first act, where things begin…

    Scott Cooper (Black Mass) returns to dark, brooding territory with Christian Bale vehicle, Hostiles. A Western so harrowing and bleak that it will leave you stone faced exhausted, struggling to get through the very first act, where things begin with a sprinkling of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly then quickly turn sinister.

    Bale seems to have shed his skin and placed his spirit in the 1890s violent West as infamous Army captain, Joseph J. Blocker. He wears the atrocities committed by every…
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  • The Disaster Artist Review (Toronto International Film Festival)

    Tommy Wiseau’s mystery has captivated the underbelly of pop culture for more than a decade, ever since he unleashed The Room on audiences in 2003. A twisted, undecipherable romantic drama, hailed as the “best worst movie” of all time, it has…

    Tommy Wiseau’s mystery has captivated the underbelly of pop culture for more than a decade, ever since he unleashed The Room on audiences in 2003. A twisted, undecipherable romantic drama, hailed as the “best worst movie” of all time, it has left a unique footprint in cinema, one that brings folks together, gets them laughing and begging for answers to questions like: Who is Tommy Wiseau, and how did his cult classic find the light of day?

    Wiseau’s friend and The Room co-star, Greg…
    Read More »

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Latest Movie Previews

  • The Finest Hours - Featurette

    A heroic action-thriller, The Finest Hours is the remarkable true story of the greatest small boat rescue in Coast Guard history.

    A heroic action-thriller, The Finest Hours is the remarkable true story of the greatest small boat rescue in Coast Guard history.
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  • A look back at 2015 and ahead to the future...

    2015 was a record-shattering year for cinema. What will 2016 and beyond bring?

    2015 was a record-shattering year for cinema. What will 2016 and beyond bring?
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  • Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Behind the Frame

    This “Behind the Frame” video features director J.J. Abrams and the cast members of Star Wars: The Force Awakens telling fans what to expect from scenes filmed with IMAX cameras. Are you ready to become immersed in the Star Wars universe like…

    This “Behind the Frame” video features director J.J. Abrams and the cast members of Star Wars: The Force Awakens telling fans what to expect from scenes filmed with IMAX cameras. Are you ready to become immersed in the Star Wars universe like never before?
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Latest Movie Features

  • Who are we supposed to side with on Game of Thrones?

    Game of Thrones‘ seventh season has been nothing short of extraordinary. The intricacies, tangled subplots and huge cast of characters that once seemed so overwhelming have simmered into a full-scale war.

    For years we’ve been following…

    Game of Thrones‘ seventh season has been nothing short of extraordinary. The intricacies, tangled subplots and huge cast of characters that once seemed so overwhelming have simmered into a full-scale war.

    For years we’ve been following Daenerys Targaryen as she rose up from literal ashes, with feeble dragon eggs in hand, to witnessing her shock and awe assault on Westeros. We’ve waited for all the political backstabbing and deceit to transform and ignite a hot war. The battles thus…
    Read More »

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  • Saying Goodbye to "The Leftovers"

    The Leftovers has been a journey unlike anything else we’ve seen on television. It’s not just a stellar HBO drama steeped in otherworldly, pitch black fantasy, but also a meditation on life, death and loss.

    Last Sunday’s penultimate episode…

    The Leftovers has been a journey unlike anything else we’ve seen on television. It’s not just a stellar HBO drama steeped in otherworldly, pitch black fantasy, but also a meditation on life, death and loss.

    Last Sunday’s penultimate episode “The Most Powerful Man in the World (and His Identical Twin Brother)” saw Kevin’s (Justin Theroux) seemingly final trip to the afterlife, or is it a sort of crazed purgatory that he encapsulates himself in? The death counter

    on Kevin has reached its…
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  • Why Logan is the most important superhero movie of our time

    **Do not read on if you haven’t watched Logan. Massive spoilers ahead!**

    There are moments in Logan that rip and tear through the audience’s ears like a rabid animal, embodying its titular character in true form. With a runtime that exceeds…

    **Do not read on if you haven’t watched Logan. Massive spoilers ahead!**

    There are moments in Logan that rip and tear through the audience’s ears like a rabid animal, embodying its titular character in true form. With a runtime that exceeds two hours and a story so hardboiled and mature it feels as if the characters you have been holding close for decades are literally vanishing before your eyes. The X-Men films very much planted the seed that flowered into an obsession with the super and…
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  • Jeanne Dielman Among The Recently Restored Films in New TIFF Programme

    The lush colors and crystal-clear sound in the Royal Belgian Film Archive’s restoration of Chantal Akerman’s Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles are a sublime look at what it means to bring a piece of cinematic history back to…

    The lush colors and crystal-clear sound in the Royal Belgian Film Archive’s restoration of Chantal Akerman’s Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles are a sublime look at what it means to bring a piece of cinematic history back to life. Akerman’s groundbreaking film, which follows a middle-aged widow burdened with a life of tedium, ultimately gravitates towards an unhinged afternoon of murder. Jeanne Dielman is just one of the restored masterpieces included in TIFF’s deluxe…
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Latest Movie Trailers

  • Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - Ultimate Edition Trailer

    Here is the new trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition.

    Here is the new trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition.
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  • The Wave - Official Trailer

    Even though awaited, no-one is really ready when the mountain pass of Åkneset above the scenic narrow Norwegian fjord Geiranger falls out and creates a 85 meter high violent tsunami.

    Even though awaited, no-one is really ready when the mountain pass of Åkneset above the scenic narrow Norwegian fjord Geiranger falls out and creates a 85 meter high violent tsunami.
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  • Barbershop: The Next Cut - Official Trailer 2

    It’s been more than 10 years since our last appointment at Calvin’s Barbershop. Calvin and his longtime crew are still there, but the shop has undergone some major changes. Most noticeably, our once male-dominated sanctuary is now co-ed. The…

    It’s been more than 10 years since our last appointment at Calvin’s Barbershop. Calvin and his longtime crew are still there, but the shop has undergone some major changes. Most noticeably, our once male-dominated sanctuary is now co-ed. The ladies bring their own flavor, drama and gossip to the shop challenging the fellas at every turn. Despite the good times and camaraderie within the shop, the surrounding community has taken a turn for the worse, forcing Calvin and our crew to come…
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  • Bad Neighbours 2 – International trailer

    Bad Neighbors 2 is an upcoming American comedy film. It is the sequel to the 2014 film Neighbors. The film will be directed by Nicholas Stoller and written by Stoller, Andrew J. Cohen, Brendan O’Brien, Seth Rogen, and Evan Goldberg.

    Bad Neighbors 2 is an upcoming American comedy film. It is the sequel to the 2014 film Neighbors. The film will be directed by Nicholas Stoller and written by Stoller, Andrew J. Cohen, Brendan O’Brien, Seth Rogen, and Evan Goldberg.
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Latest Movie Interviews

  • Lenny Abrahamson Had a 'crisis of confidence' in His Early Years

    Becoming a filmmaker is a dream job for many and is indeed one of the most difficult careers to break into, this even rings true for talented, Academy Award-nominated director Lenny Abrahamson. In an interview with RTÉ for their upcoming…

    Becoming a filmmaker is a dream job for many and is indeed one of the most difficult careers to break into, this even rings true for talented, Academy Award-nominated director Lenny Abrahamson. In an interview with RTÉ for their upcoming documentary, Abrahamson admitted that he questioned his abilities when he began making films, suffering a “crisis of confidence” and saying the chances of becoming successful are “vanishingly small.”

    Perhaps this anxiety of not making it in the field…
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