Wed | May 31, 2023

Stories by Damian Levy/Gleaner Writer

Published:Friday | February 25, 2022 | 12:06 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

For the last 10 years, it’s seemed like Uncharted was a doomed film. The adaptation of the titular video game seemed a no-brainer, given how cinematic the source material is. The film ought to have been an easier translation than other video game...

Published:Friday | February 18, 2022 | 12:09 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

There’s nothing like a good old-fashioned murder mystery. As the cast of characters is slowly introduced, the audience gets a chance to play detective along with the film’s hero. Checking out whose story matches up with whose and uncovering sordid...

Published:Monday | February 14, 2022 | 12:06 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

The early to mid-2000s was a heyday for romantic comedies. Hapless fools believed in love against all odds, and fought against the overwhelming cynicism of modern-day dating. As online dating rose, the meet-cute slowly went extinct. Suddenly, the...

Published:Friday | February 11, 2022 | 12:07 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

When I was younger, my aunt would restrict my viewing habits. According to her, you shouldn’t waste time watching something unless you can learn from it. She was well-intentioned, but when you’re six, a bit of mindless action is all you’re looking...

Published:Friday | February 4, 2022 | 12:07 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

The work of Guillermo Del Toro has garnered international acclaim. The Shape of Water was the Best Picture winner of its year, and he’s no stranger to the blockbuster epic with Pacific Rim. Many of his films feature iconic creature designs that can...

Published:Saturday | January 29, 2022 | 12:07 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

There’s always a certain pressure with movies. The giant screen and thundering speakers create an epic atmosphere. The cinema strikes a challenge for any film that dares to be worthy of its prestige. When a story makes that leap from the small...

Published:Saturday | January 22, 2022 | 12:08 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

Of all the killers in the world of horror, Ghostface is particularly unique. With a simple black cloak and a perpetual scream, the killer of the Scream franchise is defined by the ‘rules’ set forth by the killers of other horror films. At least,...

Published:Friday | January 14, 2022 | 12:08 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

Many threequels act as legacy films. Look no further than Spider-Man: No Way Home, which stands as the ultimate look back at over a decade of films. While not the case for Now Way Home, referencing a franchise’s history can often bog down a film...

Published:Friday | January 7, 2022 | 12:06 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

The year 2021 saw the largest return to cinemas since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. With so many films delayed in 2020, there was an explosion of releases both in cinemas and on streaming platforms. Here’s the list of my favourite films of...

Published:Friday | December 31, 2021 | 12:10 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

The first Sing was something of a no-brainer. Bright and colourful designs of talking animals who dance and sing to some of the most popular radio hits. The surprise of the original wasn’t so much its success, but with how good it turned out to be...

Published:Friday | December 24, 2021 | 12:10 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

The Matrix Resurrections recalls several moments from the original trilogy, very often with the original footage spliced in abruptly. One scene, in particular, didn’t make the cut, but it came to mind while watching this film. Monica Bellucci’s...

Published:Friday | December 10, 2021 | 12:09 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

As we enter into the season where faithful friends who are dear to us travel near to us once more, many people may not be so keen on seeing some familiar familial faces. For the amazing Madrigals, the family at the centre of Encanto, those faces...

Published:Friday | November 26, 2021 | 8:27 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

For the second time in five years, there’s a new Ghostbusters movie in cinemas. Yet another attempt to recapture the lightning in a bottle that was the 1984 classic. A quality modern-day Ghostbusters seems to be as elusive as the spectres they...

Published:Friday | November 12, 2021 | 12:07 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

What more is there to do with the superhero genre? This year alone, Marvel Studios has released a film about a super spy on the run, a mystical martial artist, and a film featuring two and a half generations of Spider-Men is set for later this year...

Published:Friday | November 5, 2021 | 12:07 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

Seeing a movie without prior knowledge of it is rare for a film critic, but The Last Duel is one such instance. I was aware it was directed by Ridley Scott and starred Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Three Hollywood giants whose recent films have been...

Published:Friday | October 29, 2021 | 12:07 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

Despite the existing 1984 film adaptation, Dune is a project that has long been deemed unfilmable. While the audience for the classic sci-fi story is vocal, it’s not exactly sizable. Several attempts have been made but the fact is, a mature,...

Published:Friday | October 22, 2021 | 12:07 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

As a horror icon, Michael Myers is one with little definition. ‘The Shape’, as he’s known, gives very little in his menacing but barely audible breathing, a nondescript jumpsuit and mask with no discernible features. The scarce details haven’t...

Published:Friday | October 15, 2021 | 12:07 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

Of the cinematic roles that have spanned multiple decades, James Bond carries a level of prestige others lack and is at the mercy of a very possessive audience. Generations can point to the James Bond they loved, which isn’t always the one they had...

Published:Friday | October 8, 2021 | 12:08 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

At just over 90 minutes, Venom: Let There Be Carnage is minuscule compared to your usual comic book blockbuster. The film is content with keeping things brief, something that mostly works to the movie’s advantage. The action is charged, and all...

Published:Friday | September 24, 2021 | 12:07 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

Turn on your television in the last decade, and you’d likely come across a familiar premise – a mild-mannered suburbanite turns to a life of crime to help make ends meet. Consumed by greed and the thrill of a life of crime, they push their luck,...

Published:Friday | September 17, 2021 | 12:05 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

After crafting a universe-spanning 24 films and multiple television series, the 25th film in the interconnected Marvel franchise attempts to go back to basics. They are introducing a new face to the ever-growing pantheon of characters, with Shang-...

Published:Friday | September 10, 2021 | 12:07 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

Having skipped the original Escape Room, I was worried I’d have missed some crucial information going into this sequel. This seems to be an anticipated anxiety, as the first five minutes of the film are devoted to getting you up to speed....

Published:Friday | September 3, 2021 | 12:05 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

There are many roles that feel like the result of divine intervention — actors who come along at the right time for the performance they were born to play. For Jennifer Hudson, that destiny is manifested in Respect, as she pays tribute to the Queen...

Published:Friday | August 27, 2021 | 12:07 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

There’s a moment in Jungle Cruise in which cruise captain Frank single-handedly wrestles a hungry cheetah and wins. The movie has an explanation for why this impossible thing occurs, and for the most part, it’s acceptable, but it was not lost on me...

Published:Friday | August 13, 2021 | 12:07 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

For the uninitiated, comic books can be incomprehensible. They’re chock-full of strange elements. Yet beneath the trippy visuals and concepts lie undeniable humanity in its characters and their stories. The Suicide Squad is a film that embraces...

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