SYNOPSIS: In the animated family comedy adventure “In Your Dreams,” now streaming on Netflix, siblings Stevie and Elliot must navigate their dreams—and a snarky stuffed giraffe, zombie pamcakes and the queen of nightmares—in hopes that The Sandman will grant them their ultimate dream, saving their parent’s marriage.
CAST: Craig Robinson, Simu Liu, Cristin Milioti, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Elias Janssen, Gia Carides, Omid Djalili, and SungWon Cho. Co-directed by Alex Woo, and Erik Benson.
REVIEW: A story of a fractured family wrapped up as a surreal adventure delivers some kid friendly thrills, but at its heart is a grounded story of acceptance and the understanding that not every family has to be perfect.
When perfectionist Stevie (Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) learns that her mother (Cristin Miloti) is considering taking a job in another city, she assumes it means her parents are getting a divorce. In hopes of keeping them together she drags her rambunctious younger brother Elliot (Elias Janssen) into her dreams in the hopes of being granted a marriage saving wish from The Sandman (Omid Djalili).
In the dream they are thrust into a surreal world where they meet a disco-ball moon with trust issues, a glibly sarcastic stuffed giraffes and zombie pancakes who guard The Sandman’s filing system. If they are to get to the all-important Wish Desk they must learn to work together to solve their problems.
In its heart “In Your Dreams” is a kindhearted movie about reality, not dreamland. The dream sequences, from co-directors Alex Woo, and Erik Benson, are beautiful, populated with imaginative characters kids should enjoy, but Stevie and Elliot‘s journey is a personal one, not strictly an otherworld one.
The messages of accepting imperfection, teamwork and resilience are mixed with eye popping visuals and fun needle drops. It may be a little too intense in its representation of the nightmare scenes and the frankness of its depiction of divorce for the under 7 set, but it contains the kind of heart and soul usually associated with Pixar, which is enough to earn a recommend.
I join the Bell Media Radio Network national night time show “Shane Hewitt and the Night Shift” for “Booze & Reviews!” This week I talk about the deep sea survival movie “Last Breath” and I suggest cocktails that will put you in the mind of the ocean.
Listen to me on the life and legacy of Gene Hackman HERE!
Listen to the oceanic pleasures of Booze & Reviews HERE!
Fast reviews for busy people! Watch as I review three movies in less time than it takes to do a high five! Have a look as I race against the clock to tell you about the dark comedy “My Friend Zoe,” the survival drama “Last Breath” and the feel good “Superboys of Malegaon.”
SYNOPSIS: “Last Breath,” a new thriller starring Woody Harrelson and Simu Liu, and now playing in theatres, is the true story of deep-sea saturation divers as they attempt to rescue a crew member trapped hundreds of feet beneath the ocean’s surface.
CAST: Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, Finn Cole, Cliff Curtis, Djimon Hounsou, Mark Bonnar. Directed by Alex Parkinson.
REVIEW: A ticking clock survival drama, “Last Breath” juxtaposes tight spaces with the vast openness of the ocean depth to create tension.
The claustrophobia of the submersible is a nightmare for anyone (like me) with a fear of enclosed spaces, but the lonely, seemingly endless enormity of the ocean in the underwater scenes emphasizes the helplessness of feeling being stranded and deepens the movie’s impact.
The film’s atmosphere of danger is its most important asset and is used very effectively by director Alex Parkinson, who co-directed an acclaimed documentary of this same story in 2019.
Given that this is a well-documented story and the ending (NO SPOILERS HERE) is not exactly a surprise, Parkinson wisely mines the extremes in settings for all they are worth. Whether the actors are packed tight or left stranded in the underwater wilderness, Parkinson takes a very specific situation and makes it universal by playing on the audience’s primal fears.
The stars, Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu and Finn Cole, take up much of the on-screen time.
Harrelson is the big-hearted jokester who leads with emotion and instinct. Liu is the stoic technician, who displays grace under pressure while Cole is the newbie, willing to take risks to prove himself. They are disparate characters, bonded by a sense of duty and compassion and the camaraderie between the men, who risk everything for a paycheque, is the film’s second big selling point.
“Last Breath” is a simple story of an extraordinary effort that succeeds because it’s not just about survival or the unusual situation, but because of the heroic, human effort that went into the rescue.
I’ll be hosting virtual Q&As at Cineplex theatres in Halifax, Toronto and Winnipeg with “Last Breath” director Alex Parkinson on Wednesday February 26, 2025. Check your local listings for a theatre near you! We’ll talk about how the story hits differently because it is a true story rather than a fictional feature, how he cast the film and much more!
Some info on the film:
SYNOPSIS: Set against the unforgiving backdrop of the North Sea, “Last Breath: recounts the true story of diver Chris Lemons. While conducting maintenance on an underwater oil rig, Lemons becomes untethered and trapped at a depth of 100 meters, with only minutes of oxygen remaining. What follows is a desperate, nail-biting rescue mission that tests the limits of teamwork, resilience, and human endurance.
ALEX PARKINSON (Co-Writer, Director) is an Emmy-nominated director who is making his narrative feature directorial debut with Last Breath. Parkinson’s other work includes HBO Max and Channel 4’s documentary, Lucy The Human Chimp, which he both wrote and directed. It follows psychologist Janis Carter taking on the seemingly impossible task of giving a chimpanzee raised as a human a new life in the wild. Directing documentaries for more than 20 years, Parkinson has also made films for a number of global broadcasters including the BBC, ITV, National Geographic, Animal Planet, History and Travel.
This week on the Richard Crouse Show our first guest today comes from a musical family. Martha Wainwright is daughter of folk singer and actor Loudon Wainwright III and singer-songwriter Kate McGarrigle. Her older brother is Rufus Wainwright… but she has made her own mark with a series of critically acclaimed albums. Her latest is “Love Will Be Reborn,” a record that appears to cover the period of time where Wainwright divorced her husband after about a decade of marriage. “Love Will Be Reborn” was recorded in Wainwright’s hometown of Montreal, in the basement of her cafe, Ursa which also served as a studio. Martha joins us via Zoom from Ursa in Mile End in Montreal.
Then we meet Nicole Dorsey, the director and screenwriter of “Black Conflux,” a film now on VOD after a very successful theatrical run. “The Globe and Mail” praised the story of the lives of a disillusioned teen and an alienated man that converge in 1980s Newfoundland for its “atmosphere of dread and depiction of rural life as a hotbed of sexual fantasies and violence.” Stick around, there’s lots to talk about on that one.
Finally, Marvel’s latest superhero stops by. He’s Canadian, you already know him from starring on “Kim’s Convenience,” but very soon he’ll be best known for playing the title character in “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.” He’s Marvel’s first Asian superhero, his name is Simu Liu and here joins us today.
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 Ethan Hawke, director Brad Bird, comedian Gilbert Gottfried, Eric Roberts, Brian Henson, Jonathan Goldsmith a.k.a. “The most interesting man in the world,” and best selling author Linwood Barclay.
Listen to the show live here:
C-FAX 1070 in Victoria
SAT 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
SUN 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
CJAD in Montreal
SAT 8 PM to 9:00 PM
CFRA in Ottawa
SAT 8 PM to 9:00 PM
NEWSTALK 610 CKTB in St. Catharines
Sat 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM
NEWSTALK 1010 in Toronto
SAT 8 PM to 9:00 PM
NEWSTALK 1290 CJBK
SAT 8 PM to 9:00 PM
AM 1150 in Kelowna
SAT 11 PM to Midnight
BNN BLOOMBERG RADIO 1410
SAT 8 PM to 9:00 PM
Click HERE to catch up on shows you might have missed!
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” the latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and now playing in theatres, is a rarity. It’s a superhero origin movie that doesn’t suck. They haven’t all been terrible, but I still feel the burn of “Fantastic Four,” “Green Hornet” and “Catwoman” whenever I hear the dreaded ‘origin story’ descriptor.
But “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” doesn’t suck. It is a stand-alone origin movie with some of the best action sequences seen in the MCU jurisdiction, a couple of Hong Kong screen legends in the form of Tony Leung and Michelle Yeoh and a winning performance from Simu Liu as the first Asian lead in Marvel’s superhero stable.
The story begins 1000 years ago with warlord Wenwu (Leung) taking possession of the mystical Ten Rings, each containing untold power. Now immortal and unbeatable, for the next millennium he amasses wealth and influence as his army secretly has a hand in controlling world events.
His evil ways come to a (temporary) halt when he meets Jiang Li (Fala Chen), a guardian of the mystic realm of Ta Lo. After a flirty battle, they fall in love. Wenwu puts the Ten Rings away as they welcome two kids, Shang-Chi and Xialing (Meng’er Zhang), to their happy family. But the salad days don’t last for long. When Jiang Li is murdered by a rival gang from Wenwu’s past, the immortal’s megalomaniac ways return. He trains Shang-Chi to be his number one assassin, and, at just fourteen-years-old, sends him off on his first mission.
Cut to present day. Shang-Chi is now an adult, living in San Francisco under the name Shaun. He and his best friend Katy (Awkwafina) work as hotel valets during the day, and most nights stay out too late singing karaoke. Katy has no idea of Shaun’s mysterious past until one morning on the bus a gang of daddy dearest’s assassins attempt to retrieve a jade pendant his mother gave him. Old instincts kick in and Shaun defends himself in what is probably the most fun fight sequence in any Marvel movie.
The action now shifts to Macau, as Shang-Chi, with Katy in tow, travel to China to warn Xialing that Wenwu’s assassins are likely coming for her pendant next. But questions loom: Why does Wenwu want the pendants, and what secrets do they contain? “I don’t know what he wants with them,” says Shang-Chi. “But it can’t be good.”
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” succeeds because of its action, its cast and story but most of all it works because of its sincerity. It is as epic as any other Marvel movie but it’s the small moments that really add up. The story’s emphasis on personal cultural details, relationships and family provides an earthbound grounding that helps balance out the mystical themes of the final forty-five minutes.
The charming relationship between Shang-Chi and Katy brings considerable comedic relief, but also helps differentiate Shang-Chi from his other Marvel colleagues. He’s not an alien, or a wealthy industrialist with a penchant for world saving, or genetically mutated. He’s a car valet with an extraordinary set of skills learned through years of practice. Liu’s performance is believable both as everyman Shaun and the heroic Shang-Chi, because the relationships that have formed him, with his mother, father, sister and Katy, are well detailed, showing us how and why he became the person he did. That backstory—the dreaded origin story—works, despite a reliance on flashbacks, and is distinct enough so as not to feel like Shang-Chi is being wrestled into the MCU.
The MCU influence becomes evident in the film’s busy climax. What was once a character drama, with great action sequences, that touched on issues of generational trauma via heartfelt performances—Leung elevates every scene he’s in with his majestic presence—switches gears to full blown, muddy CGI. The climatic world saving battle fills the screen with action, but compared to what came before—more up-close-and-personal fight scenes—it feels overblown and uninteresting.
Until that sequence, however, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” has the heroics, heart, humor and homages to Asian culture to make it the best, and most fun, standalone Marvel movie since “Black Panther.”
The Pop Life panel, “Black Mirror” and “12 Monkeys” actress Lisa Michelle Cornelius,artistic director of the Toronto International Film Festival Cameron Bailey,and “Taken” and “Kim’s Convenience” star Simu Liu,speak about the changes they’re seeing in the entertainment industry when it comes to diversity.
Tune in Saturday nights, 8:30 pm (ET) on the CTV NewsChannel and again at midnight on CTV or watch the whole thing HERE!
Film critic and pop culture historian Richard Crouse shares a toast with celebrity guests and entertainment pundits every week on CTV News Channel’s talk show POP LIFE.
Featuring in-depth discussion and debate on pop culture and modern life, POP LIFE features sit-down interviews with celebrities from across the entertainment world, including rock legends Sting and Meat Loaf, musicians Josh Groban and Sarah Brightman, comedian Ken Jeong, writer Fran Lebowitz, superstar jazz musician Diana Krall, stand-up comedian and CNN host W. Kamau Bell, actors Danny DeVito and Jay Baruchel, celebrity chefs Bobby Flay and Nigella Lawson, and many more.
On this episode of “Pop Life” actor Danai Gurira speaks about the significance of Black Panther, her work as an African playwright and the need for powerful storytelling. Then the “Pop Life” panel, “Black Mirror” and “12 Monkeys” actress Lisa Michelle Cornelius,artistic director of the Toronto International Film Festival Cameron Bailey,and “Taken” and “Kim’s Convenience” star Simu Liu,speak about the changes they’re seeing in the entertainment industry when it comes to diversity.
Crouse moderates the show’s lively panel discussions – set in the POP LIFEbar – featuring actors, journalists, and entertainment personalities debating hot topics in pop culture and the arts.
“My first radio boss told me something I’ve never forgotten,” said Crouse. “People want to hear about people. It’s simple and true and that’s what we’ve brought to POP LIFE, the chance for some of the most interesting people from pop culture – actors, musicians, newsmakers and authors – to share their personal stories and opinions. We keep it conversational and you never know what people will say. I can’t wait to share this season with our viewers.”
Crouse is the resident film critic for CTV News Channel and CP24. His syndicated Saturday afternoon radio show, THE RICHARD CROUSE SHOW, originates on NEWSTALK 1010 in Toronto. He is also the author of nine books on pop culture history including Who Wrote the Book of Love, the best-selling The 100 Best Movies You’ve Never Seen, its sequel The Son of the 100 Best Movies You’ve Never Seen, the best-selling Raising Hell: Ken Russell and the Unmaking of The Devils and Elvis is King: Costello’s My Aim is True. He also writes a weekly column for Metro newspaper.
In addition to airing Saturdays at 8:30 p.m. ET on CTV News Channel, POP LIFE also airs Saturday nights at 12 midnight ET on CTV and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. ET on CTV News Channel. Encore presentations of the show air Saturdays on Gusto (see local listings).
POP LIFE can also be seen on demand at the show’s official website, through Bell Fibe’s TV On Demand, and on the CTV NEWS GO mobile app (visit CTV.ca for local television listings).
SYNOPSIS: In the animated family comedy adventure “In Your Dreams,” now streaming on Netflix, siblings Stevie and Elliot must navigate their dreams—and a snarky stuffed giraffe, zombie pamcakes and the queen of nightmares—in hopes that The Sandman will grant them their ultimate dream, saving their parent’s marriage.
