I join CTV Atlantic’s Todd Battis to talk about the Lucy Liu heartbreaker “Rosemead,” the historical drama “The Choral” and the family dynamics of “Father Mother Sister Brother.”
Watch the whole thing HERE!
I sit with Deb Hiutton on NewsTalk 1010 to go over some of the week’s biggest entertainment stories and movies playing in theatres. We talk about how influencers and Onlyfans models dominate elite US artist visas, Spencer Pratt’s run for mayor of Los Angeles, how “Once Battle After Another” broke an awards season record and I review Ralph Fiennes in “The Choral.”
Listen to the whole thing HERE!
I join the CTV NewsChanel to talk about the Lucy Liu heartbreaker “Rosemead,” the historical drama “The Choral” and the family dynamics of “Father Mother Sister Brother” and the feelgood divorce movie “Is This Thing On?”
Watch the whole thing HERE!
I sit in on the CFRA Ottawa morning show with host Bill Carroll to talk about the new movies coming to theatres including the Lucy Liu heartbreaker “Rosemead,” the historical drama “The Choral,” the family dynamics of “Father Mother Sister Brother” and the feelgood divorce drama “Is This Thing On?”
Listen to the whole thing HERE!
I join the Bell Media Radio Network national night time show “Shane Hewitt and the Night Shift” to talk about Mickey Rourke’s GoFundMe drama, Vinnie Vincent plan to sell $220-$300 for autographed singles, a new Grammys category and, on Booze & Reviews, I look at Will Arnett’s dramedy “Is This Thing On?” and suggest some mocktaiul to enjoy with the movie.
Listen to the whole thing HERE!
The first “Entertainment Is Broken” episode of 2026 is now available wherever you get fine podcasts! Tune into to hear me and Sarah Hanlon explore the potential for Canadian television to create hit shows, particularly focusing on the success of ‘Heated Rivalry.’ They discuss personal experiences, the unique aspects of Canadian culture, and the importance of risk-taking in storytelling. The dialogue also touches on the impact of location and authenticity in Canadian productions, as well as the evolving landscape of media and representation in the industry.
Fast reviews for busy people! Watch as I review three movies in less time than it takes to make the bed! Have a look as I race against the clock to tell you about the Lucy Liu heartbreaker “Rosemead,” the historical drama “The Choral” and the family dynamics of “Father Mother Sister Brother.”
Watch the whole thing HERE!
SYNOPSIS: In “The Choral,” a new historical drama starring Ralph Fiennes, and now playing in theatres, a controversial choirmaster takes the reigns of a Yorkshire choir, whose ranks have been devastated by World War I conscription.
CAST: Ralph Fiennes, Roger Allam, Mark Addy, Alun Armstrong, Robert Emms, and Simon Russell Beale. Directed by Nicholas Hytner.
REVIEW: “The Choral” is an old-fashioned, often witty diversion about music’s ability to bridge societal gaps, buoyed by a terrific lead performance by Ralph Fiennes.
Set in 1916 Yorkshire, the story is set against the backdrop of World War I, and the bloody battles of the Western Front. Their ranks depleted by conscription, the Choral Society in (the fictional town of) Ramsden is determined to continue, but first they’ll need new members and a new choirmaster.
As the locals and patients from a nearby military hospital audition for a spot in the choral, the Ramsden elders make a controversial choice by recruiting Dr. Henry Guthrie (Fiennes) as choirmaster. A gay atheist, his worst trait is that he’s also a Teutonophile; a fan of German culture.
When he chooses a piece by Bach for the choir he’s greeted with a brick is thrown through the rehearsal room window with a note calling him a “Hun muck.”
Shifting gears, Guthrie suggests staging Elgar’s oratorio “The Dream of Gerontius” instead. Although usually performed with 200 singers and a full orchestra, Guthrie persists, casting a Salvation Army worker (Amara Okereke) with a beautiful voice and Clyde (Jacob Dudman), a war veteran and talented tenor.
As the war rages, and choir members are called to battle, the choral society overcomes difficulties to provide Ramsden with a much-needed sense of harmony, both musical and societal.
There is much to enjoy in “The Choral.” As an ode to the redemptive power of art to create community and bring people together, it hits the right notes. “A man should hear a little music,” Guthrie says,” read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful that God has implanted in the human soul.”
It’s a lovely message, one at the heart of the film’s story, but when Alan Bennett’s screenplay expands to include repressed emotion, sexual awakenings and class divisions it becomes bloated with underdeveloped ideas.
Luckily, Fiennes, in a restrained but powerful performance, is the glue that holds everything together. His presence at the center of the story acts as a sounding board for the film’s various themes. Through him “The Choral’s” thoughts on community, human connection and repression come into focus, grounding the story with his humanity.
“The Choral” may try and play too many notes thematically, but when it sticks to the power of music, it strikes a chord.
SYNOPSIS: “Father Mother Sister Brother,” a new anthology film directed by Jim Jarmusch starring Adam Driver and Cate Blanchett, and now playing in theatres, is a tryptic of stories about awkward family relationships in the United States, Ireland and France.
CAST: Tom Waits, Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik, Charlotte Rampling, Cate Blanchett, Vicky Krieps, Sarah Greene, Indya Moore and Luka Sabbat. Written and directed by Jim Jarmusch.
REVIEW: Three stories united by the theme of family dynamics, “Father Mother Sister Brother” is a quiet, well-observed portmanteau centered around the mysterious nature of the connection between parent and child and family secrets.
In the film’s opening segment, “Father,” siblings Jeff (Adam Driver) and Emily (Mayim Bialik) travel to the rural Northeast U.S. to visit their estranged father (Tom Waits). Concerned about his finances since the death of their mother, Jeff brings along an expensive box of groceries, but unanswered questions arise when Emily notices her father is wearing an expensive Rolex watch. “You’ve always been my favorite son,” father says to Jeff. “Well, I’m you’re only son.”
In “Mother,” the film’s second story, sisters Lilith (Vicky Krieps) and Timothea (Cate Blanchett) make their annual pilgrimage to spend an afternoon with their secretive novelist mother (Charlotte Rampling). An undercurrent of tension silently hangs over their visit as the sisters compete for their mother’s attention as many secrets are left unsaid. “I’m very happy to see you on one hand,” says mother, “ but I have to keep you from stirring things up.”
The movie wraps with the Paris-set “Sister Brother.” Adult twins Skye (Indya Moore) and Billy (Luka Sabbat) confront the fragility of life when they return to their parent’s apartment in the aftermath of a family tragedy. “Each moment is each moment,” says Billy.
Quiet, melancholy and tinged with a bittersweet quality, “Father Mother Sister Brother” is a film where the things left unsaid are as important as the things the characters say.
It isn’t conventional drama. Conflicts exist but are put on simmer as writer and director Jim Jarmusch leaves space around the characters and situations, so the stories breathe. It allows the audience to be present, to catch the nuances of the terrific performances from Driver, Waits, Blanchett, and Rampling. The subtle slights, the gentle comedy and embrace of the mundane are seemingly unassuming but sharpened to a fine point in the hands of these actors who understand the exceptional ordinariness of the film’s situations.
What “Father Mother Sister Brother” lacks in fireworks, it makes up for in introspection. It may be too slow for viewers expecting family drama writ large, but the various awkward interactions on display will certainly ring bells for many theatre goers.
