SYNOPSIS: In “The Toxic Avenger,” a remake of the 1984 Troma Films gross-out classic, Peter Dinklage plays a down-on-his-luck janitor transformed by radioactive gunk into the mutated superhero, The Toxic Avenger.
CAST: Peter Dinklage, Jacob Tremblay, Taylour Paige, Julia Davis, Jonny Coyne, Elijah Wood, and Kevin Bacon. Directed by Macon Blair.
REVIEW: A modern-day adaptation of the goofy and gory 1984 film of the same name, “The Toxic Avenger” updates the story, but maintains the original’s glorious bad taste.
At the heart of both films is an underdog janitor who uses his newfound powers to fight corruption and abuse of power, but the circumstances are different.
Originally, the main character Melvin (Mark Torgl) was a bullied outcast who, once transformed by a dip in a vat of toxic waste, meted out vigilante justice to get revenge on the baddies who terrorized him and his hometown of Tromaville.
In the new movie Peter Dinklage is Winston Gooze, janitor for corporate behemoth BTH by night, single father to a teenage son Wade (Jacob Tremblay) by day. Diagnosed with a terminal illness, he’s terrified of leaving his son without a father. In desperation he approaches BTH head honcho Bob Garbinger (Kevin Bacon) to beg for help. In short order he finds himself left for dead in a pool of BTH toxic goo which transforms him into The Toxic Avenger. With his trusty mop, Winston fights to create a future for Wade.
There may be a deeper emotional core to the contemporary Toxie tale, but along with the family drama comes wonderfully over-the-top juvenile humor, exploding heads and bloody mop wounds that need to be seen to be believed.
Director Macon Blair is reverential in his handling of the material. He embraces the shocking schlock of the original, with a cavalcade of practical effects and ridiculous jokes that ensure the spirit of Troma Films lives on. It’s a gory good time with a better-than-expected cast (Dinklage, Bacon and Elijah Wood are having fun here) that doesn’t cater to a mainstream audience.
Fans of midnight movies will be in on the joke, all others, approach with caution.
Making its Canadian debut, Toy Story in Concert presents the animated classic on the big screen in its entirety, accompanied by a live orchestra performing composer Randy Newman’s vibrant score note for note on Friday, November 21 – 7:30 pm and Saturday, November 22 – 2 pm at Meridian Hall.
Thirty years since making movie history as the first-ever computer animated feature, the adventures of Woody, Buzz, and friends continue to delight audiences worldwide.
Acclaimed by audiences and critics for its characters, storytelling, and unforgettable music—including songs “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” “Strange Things” and “I Will Go Sailing No More”—Toy Story is a feast for the ears.
The perfect way to experience the original ahead of next year’s Toy Story 5!
Featuring the FILMharmonique Orchestra, Canada’s premier orchestra dedicated to film concerts.
On the Saturday August 30, 2025 edition of The Richard Crouse Show we meet Lauren Holly. You know her from television shows like “Picket Fences,” “NCIS” and “Motive,” among many others. On the big screen you’ve seen her as Mary Swanson, the wealthy but troubled heiress, in the comedy “Dumb and Dumber,” as trophy wife Cindy Rooney opposite Dennis Quaid in “Any Given Sunday,” and many others in a career that spans forty years, and includes comedies like “The Adventures of Ford Fairlane” and “What Women Want,” action movies like “Crank: High Voltage” and dramas like “Chicago Hope.”
She joins me today to talk about “Loathe Thy Neighbor,” a new project very near and dear to her heart. The film, which begins in theatres on August 29, follows Will Larkfield, played by Brennan Clost, a young man forced to relocate to his late father’s farm as part of an unexpected inheritance. What begins as a simple missing package soon spirals into a battle of wills with Lauren Holly’s character, the neighbor from hell, Wanda Bellerose, reminding us that sometimes the smallest problems cause the biggest messes.
Then, guest James Webb tells his an incredible story. Hailing from Australia, he’s a competitive eater, ranked fourth in the world. He has shattered records, by devouring 59.5 donuts in one sitting and taking on the biggest names in the sport.
After overcoming a near-paralyzing illness, James has risen to become the “Champion of the Southern Hemisphere,” with his sights set on dethroning the legendary Joey Chestnut at the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. Today we’re talking about competitive eating as a sport, how he prepares and the documentary “James Can Eat,” his story of resilience, obsession, and jaw-dropping feats will leave you hungry for more!
Listen to the whole thing HERE!
Here’s some info on The Richard Crouse Show!
Each week on the nationally syndicated Richard Crouse Show, Canada’s most recognized movie critic brings together some of the most interesting and opinionated people from the movies, television and music to put a fresh spin on news from the world of lifestyle and pop-culture. Tune into this show to hear in-depth interviews with actors and directors, to find out what’s going on behind the scenes of your favourite shows and movies and get a new take on current trends. Recent guests include Chris Pratt, Elvis Costello, Baz Luhrmann, Martin Freeman, David Cronenberg, Mayim Bialik, The Kids in the Hall and many more!
All iHeartRadio Canada stations are available across Canada via live stream on iHeartRadio.caand the iHeartRadio Canada app. iHeartRadio Canada stations are also connected through Alexa, Siri, and Google Home smart speakers.
I appear on “CTV News at 11:30” with anchor Andria Case to talk about the best shows and movies to watch this weekend, including Disney+’s Simpson’s Back to School stream, the docu-series “America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys” on Netflix and the Apple TV+ sci-fi show “Invasion.”
On the Saturday August 23 edition of The Richard Crouse Show we meet New York Times bestselling author Joy Fielding. With a career spanning over four decades, she has eraned readers with her ability to weave intricate plots, complex characters, and emotional depth. Known for bestsellers like “See Jane Run,” “Don’t Cry Now,” and “Someone Is Watching,” Fielding explores themes of relationships, betrayal, and human resilience.
Today we’ll talk about her latest novel, the psychological thriller “Jenny Cooper Has a Secret.” The book follows a 76-year-old widow named Linda who visits Legacy Place, a memory care facility where she meets 92-year-old Jenny Cooper, a dementia patient who shocks Linda with a confession: “I kill people.” Initially dismissing it as delusion, Linda grows intrigued as Jenny lucidly recounts tales of her victims—mostly men who wronged her. When a resident dies under seemingly natural circumstances, Linda begins to question whether Jenny’s claims might hold truth.
Then, we’ll hang out with singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith. Often called a “songwriter’s songwriter,” his fans include Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, Leonard Cohen and many, many others. He’s release 17 albums to date, and collaborated with producers like Daniel Lanois, Mitchell Froom and Bob Rock. His songwriting appears on albums from Rod Stewart, Michael Bublé, k.d. lang, Emmylou Harris and Feist. Today we talk about his latest album, “Hangover Terrace,”
The album was sparked during Ron’s extended stay in the UK in late 2024, following his Sexsmith at Sixty tour. Inspired by time spent recording at London’s Eastcote Studios, Ron says the album was inspired by “the hangover I feel from the last few years of pandemic and life knocking us around.”
Each week on the nationally syndicated Richard Crouse Show, Canada’s most recognized movie critic brings together some of the most interesting and opinionated people from the movies, television and music to put a fresh spin on news from the world of lifestyle and pop-culture. Tune into this show to hear in-depth interviews with actors and directors, to find out what’s going on behind the scenes of your favourite shows and movies and get a new take on current trends. Recent guests include Chris Pratt, Elvis Costello, Baz Luhrmann, Martin Freeman, David Cronenberg, Mayim Bialik, The Kids in the Hall and many more!
All iHeartRadio Canada stations are available across Canada via live stream on iHeartRadio.caand the iHeartRadio Canada app. iHeartRadio Canada stations are also connected through Alexa, Siri, and Google Home smart speakers.
I join “CTV News Toronto at Five” with guest anchor Zuraidah Alman to talk about new movies in theatres including he thriller “Relay,” the neo-noir “Honey Don’t” and the rock doc “DEVO” on Netflix.
Deb Hutton is off, so I sit in with host Jim Richards on NewsTalk 1010 to go over some of the week’s biggest entertainment stories and let you know what’s happening in theatres. We talk about Kewrmit the Frog making his Broadway debut, why Willem DaFoe doesn’t talk politics and I review the Netflix rock doc “DEVO.”
I joined CTV NewsChannel anchor Roger Peterson to have a look at new movies coming to theatres, including the thriller “Relay,” the neo-noir “Honey Don’t” and the rock doc “DEVO” on Netflix.
SYNOPSIS: In “The Toxic Avenger,” a remake of the 1984 Troma Films gross-out classic, Peter Dinklage plays a down-on-his-luck janitor transformed by radioactive gunk into the mutated superhero, The Toxic Avenger.
