On Netflix – The Accountant
One of the best acting performances from Ben Affleck in recent memory comes in this steadfast, intelligent action-thriller.
Affleck plays math savant Christian, who moonlights as an accountant for a dangerous client. When the Treasury Department gets wind, Christian’s skills with weapons are suddenly also revealed.
Anyone who questions Affleck’s ability to fully carry a film need only watch this harrowing turn. Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, John Lithgow, Jean Smart, Jon Bernthal and Jeffrey Tambor all make a stunning cast.
Director Gavin O’Connor hit gold with his boxing film Warrior, and this is once again a triumph for the director.
It’s a stylish, visually-compelling film with action sequences that I still remember nearly a decade later. It’s a stunner for sure.
On Amazon Prime Video – Past Lives
When I say this one hurt me, I’m serious. One of the best romantic films in a decade, Past Lives will cut you to your core.
An A24 film, it focuses on deep childhood bonds, and the rumination on lives we could have had if we made just one different choice.
It follows friends since childhood – Nora and Hae Sung – who are separated after Nora’s family leaves South Korea when she’s younger.
Two decades pass, and Hae Sung goes to visit her for a week in New York. Nora is now with her American partner Arthur, and the two are living happily and peacefully. But Hae Sung still hasn’t let go of his love for Nora.
What ensues is an awkward, heart-wrenching reconciliation as Nora and Hae Sung re-discover each other, and Arthur tries to support his partner’s need for closure.
The trio of Greta Lee, Teo Yoo and John Magaro all interplay so well, and their chemistry and the way they work off each other is admirable.
This is a movie that will change you, and the Oscar-nominated picture is an incredible debut from writer-director Celine Song. If this is her first effort, I can’t wait to see what’s next.
On Crave – How To Blow Up A Pipeline
There’s something so visceral about this raw drama that I couldn’t get it out of my head for a long time after seeing it.
It isn’t flashy or Oscar-worthy, but there’s a scrappy nature to it that I just wish I saw more in indie features. It has a very clear message and characters worth rooting for.
It follows activists who fight against oil pipelines in Canada, and they come together to blow one up and disrupt the flow of oil across the country.
Actors Ariela Barer, Kristine Froseth, current “IT” boy Lukas Gage, Forrest Goodluck, Sasha Lane, Jayme Lawson, Marcus Scribner and Jake Weary make up a truly eclectic, diverse and wonderful cast of recognizable but not A-list talent.
Director Daniel Goldhaber infuses this one with a ton of energy, and it was a thrill-ride that didn’t rely on CGI or explosions to keep me interested. It was a great little effort.
On Disney+ – X-Men ‘97
This animated series is a cartoon with something to say, and any comic book fan will be sucked in immediately.
It follows a band of mutants who use powers they’ve had since birth to protect humans at any cost, despite the fact these people fear and hunt them at every turn.
But when they’re given a glimpse into the future through a series of strange events, they must fight to change the fate for the better.
I loved Stan Lee’s X-Men, and this is a fantastic continuation. The voice cast is well-suited (including Lenore Zann of Halifax, N.S. as Rogue) and all your favourite characters get moments to shine.
It’s colourful, creative and has a wonderful story. Only four episodes are out, but I can’t wait to see where it goes next.
On Paramount+ – The Untouchables
This is one of those movies I’d seen bits and pieces of over the years, but I never got to sit down and watch this 1987 gangster classic until last week.
The story of Treasury agent Eliot Ness and his fight against gangster Al Capone is legendary. Capone smuggled liquor during the U.S. Prohibition, and used every violent tendency he had at his disposal to impose his will.
Ness and his small team who couldn’t be blackmailed or bribed into corruption fought against Ness. This is a classic tale and holds up really well.
Director Brian De Palma might be best known for his other gangster film Scarface, but The Untouchables is certainly more refined.
Kevin Costner is fantastic as Ness, Robert De Niro chews scenery as Capone, and Sean Connery won his only Oscar playing aged cop Malone. Andy Garcia, Charles Martin Smith, Brad Sullivan and Patricia Clarkson are also along for the ride.
It’s a tense shoot-‘em-up with a moral compass, and I really adore this movie. If you want classic entertainment, you’ve found it with this one.
