This image released by Marvel Studios shows, from left, Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez, Benedict Wong as Wong, and Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strang in a scene from "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." (Marvel Studios via AP)
The “Doctor Strange” movies are the trippiest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The mystical superhero’s introduction -- 2016’s “Doctor Strange” -- was a kaleidoscopic mix of images and ideas. The new film, “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” starring Benedict Cumberbatch and now playing in theatres, kicks it up a notch. With a visual style that suggests M.C. Escher on an acid trip, it is a hallucinogenic ride that will make your eyeballs spin.
The action begins in Dr. Stephen Strange’s (Cumberbatch) universe with the introduction of America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), a teenager with the ability to navigate the multiverse and access portals into alternate realities. In the search for her parents, she has explored 73 universes, each with their own unique sets of rules, all the while pursued by a demon who wants to steal her powers.
This is not sorcery, Strange says. As old Blue Eyes once sang, it’s witchcraft, so who better to consult than Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen), a former Avenger and powerful practitioner of witchcraft?
He’s looking for advice that will help him save America, but instead is sent off on a wild and dangerous trip into a series of alternate realities to fight a power that threatens to subjugate the entire multiverse.
“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” begins with a bang. A loud and proud action scene kicks things off with an exaggerated H.P. Lovecraft creature terrorizing Chavez. It sets the wild and wacky tone that applies to most of the picture. A mix of action, horror and comic book comedy, it recalls the sweet spot that made director Sam Raimi’s “Evil Dead” movies such a blast. Raimi brings a kind of anarchy that is missing from the other, carefully controlled Marvel films and when it is fun, it’s really fun. There’s even a battle of the bands in a musical showdown that is equal parts ridiculous and rad.
But there is much more to the story than interdimensional shenanigans.
At its heart, “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” isn’t a story about magic, it’s a tale about the things we do for love. Whether it is Wanda’s search for family, ably brought to life by Olsen’s poignant performance, or Strange’s attraction to Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams), this story has a strong, beating heart.
Unfortunately, it also has a bumpy, uneven script. As it careens toward the Marvel friendly climax, it loses steam as the action becomes muddied and the script begins to sew up any loose ends left dangling across the universes.
“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” doesn’t have the weight of “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” another recent examination of the multiverse, but despite its unevenness, it’s a good and sometimes gory time at the movies.
The cast of 'Peace by Chocolate.' (Courtesy Peace by Chocolate)
It should not come as a surprise that a movie called “Peace by Chocolate” is cloyingly sweet. The based-on-a-true-story of Syrian Civil War refugees settling in small town Nova Scotia is played out in broad strokes but, despite its wintry Antigonish setting, is a warm-hearted film.
When we first meet Syrian born Tareq Hadhad (Ayham Abou Ammar) his dreams of becoming a doctor are sidelined by the war in his home country. His family’s chocolate factory has been destroyed, and the family is forced to flee. Tareq relocates to Nova Scotia to start anew, while a visa is prepared to bring his parents, father Issam (Hatem Ali) and mother (Yara Sabri) in from Lebanon.
Welcomed by the locals, Tareq settles in, but aspires to move to Toronto to study medicine. However, when the family chocolate business takes off in Antigonish, Tareq is torn between his dreams and family duty. “I didn’t have superheroes growing up in Syria,” he says. “I had doctors. They save lives. They command respect. They don’t make sweets.”
“Peace by Chocolate” tackles some big topics. There is displacement of refugees, racism and aspirations, but despite some tension in the storytelling, it has a tendency to lean into the feel-good aspects of the story. The reliance on the saccharine aspects sucks away some of the gravitas inherent to the tale.
Having said that, “Peace by Chocolate,” despite its very specific characters and setting, is a universal, underdog story about following your dreams and overcoming adversity. On that level, it works because of the likable performances that draw the audience into the situation. It’s an unabashed, feel-good movie, one that focusses on the family’s triumphs as much as their tribulations.
“Peace by Chocolate” may not be as complex as the delicious chocolate Issam whips up, but it does have its pleasures.
This image released by Netflix shows Matthew Macfadyen as Charles Cholmondeley, Colin Firth as Ewen Montagu and Johnny Flynn as Ian Fleming from the film "Operation Mincemeat." (Giles Keyte/Netflix via AP)
Based on a British Second World War deception operation to camouflage the 1943 Allied invasion of Sicily, “Operation Mincemeat,” now playing in theatres and moving to Netflix on May 11, is an entertaining retelling of a little-known plan to break Hitler’s grasp on Europe.
Based on historical records, the movie details a plan so outlandish it sounds as though it sprung from the fanciful mind of a screenwriter. That the plan was, in part, hatched by a young Ian Fleming (Johnny Flynn), who would later go on to create the outlandish James Bond series of spy novels, would seem to be another flight of the imagination, but even that flourish is based on fact.
The plan, nicknamed Operation Mincemeat, involved tricking Hitler into believing the Allies planned to invade Greece, not Sicily. But how to pull it off?
QC-turned- Lt.-Cmdr. Ewen Montagu (Colin Firth) and MI5 agent Charles Cholmondeley (Matthew Macfadyen) marshal an audacious disinformation plan to drop a dead man off the coast of Spain, where the Nazi spy chain begins. In the pockets of the corpse’s uniform are “wallet litter” -- faked love letters, military ID, etc. -- and in this case, “classified” military correspondence indicating the Allies were about to invade Greece. If that information falls into German hands and distracts them, it will allow a full-scale Allied invasion of Sicily.
“Operation Mincemeat” is a spirited recreation of the meticulous planning that went into the scheme to fool the Fuhrer. Director John Madden finds the suspense, the espionage and even the romance in the situation. The first two elements work well, creating a forward momentum that builds excitement as the running time ticks by. The romance between Montagu and Jean Leslie, played by Kelly Macdonald, is less convincing and feels wedged in.
Better are the comedic aspects. While some of the dealings with the dead man evoke memories of “Weekend at Bernie’s,” most of the laughs come from the absurdity of the situation, and feel organic to the story.
A welcome addition to the stranger-than-fiction genre, “Operation Mincemeat” is a well-appointed, well-crafted period piece that avoids the stoicism of other war time, espionage thrillers.
This image released by Open Road Films/Briarcliff Entertainment shows Scot Williams, left, and Liam Neeson in a scene from "Memory." (Rico Torres/Road Films -Briarcliff Entertainment via AP)
The release of “Memory,” a new Liam Neeson action movie, now playing in theatres, marks the star’s 14th anniversary as an action star. 2008’s “Taken” kicked off the “special set of skills” phase of his career, usually playing tough guys who shoot their way through one last job.
“Memory” continues the actor’s unbroken string of shoot ‘em ups, but with a twist. He still has a special set of skills, which he deploys to deadly effect, but this time, there is a ticking clock.
Neeson is Alex Lewis, an assassin for hire who prides himself in the precision of his work. He is brutally efficient, but lately there have been slip ups. Nothing major, but his memory isn’t what it once was, and the quality of his work is suffering.
As his memory fades, Lewis finds himself in the crosshairs of FBI agent Vincent Serra (Guy Pearce, who starred in “Memento,” one of the best thrillers involving memory ever made) and Mexican intelligence. Worse, when he turns down a job from ruthless crime human trafficking boss Davana Sealman (Monica Bellucci) to kill a child, she vows to kill him. “I’ve done crazy things,” he says. “But you don’t hurt children, ever.”
To stay alive and help bring Sealman to justice, he must piece the shattered pieces of his memory back together. “We all have to die,” he says. “What’s important is what you do before you go.”
Directed by veteran James Bond filmmaker Martin Campbell, “Memory” is a well-constructed thriller, but has a generic, workman-like feel. The characters feel as though they’ve been cut-and-pasted from other, better movies, leaving the viewer with a feeling of déjà vu. We’ve been there, done that and despite the level of performances from a cast of old pros, the film is sunk by a laboured script.
The story of a man trying to undo the bad he has done in his life as his memory fades is a compelling one, but unfortunately, in the end, “Memory” is a forgettable action flick.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
A motion to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh within Queen’s Park failed to receive unanimous consent Thursday just moments after Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated his view that prohibiting the garment in the House is divisive.
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
The Canada Border Services Agency is scrambling to find space to hold high-risk detainees that are set to be transferred from provincial jails in June.
Guitar legend Dickey Betts, who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, 'Ramblin' Man,' has died. He was 80.
A Google Drive link allegedly containing 17 tracks that are purportedly from Swift's eagerly awaited "The Tortured Poets Department" album has been making the rounds on the internet in the past day and people are equal parts mad, sad and happy about it.
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Calgary police say Winston Campbell, 45, has been charged in the death of a two-year-old girl in 2022.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) President Samantha Becotte says two days of "difficult" negotiations has led to a "final offer" with slight improvements to salary and the inclusion of a line in the collective agreement – promising to address classroom complexity issues.
The Canada Border Services Agency is scrambling to find space to hold high-risk detainees that are set to be transferred from provincial jails in June.
A motion to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh within Queen’s Park failed to receive unanimous consent Thursday just moments after Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated his view that prohibiting the garment in the House is divisive.
Nova Scotia's opposition parties are calling for the justice minister to resign after he said domestic violence is not an "epidemic."
Kenya's military chief, Francis Ogolla, died in a helicopter crash in the western part of the country on Thursday, President William Ruto announced in a televised address.
Nigerian soldiers rescued a woman who was abducted by extremists a decade ago while she was a schoolgirl in the village of Chibok, the army said Thursday. Her three children were also rescued.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
A moderately strong earthquake struck central Turkey on Thursday, the country’s disaster management agency said, causing damage to some buildings. There were no immediate reports of any deaths or serious injuries.
Reuters photographer Mohammed Salem captured this year's prestigious World Press Photo of the Year award Thursday with a depiction of loss and sorrow in Gaza, a heartrending photo of a Palestinian woman cradling the body of her young niece.
The state Department of Corrections and the University of Alabama at Birmingham face disturbing allegations from the families of five inmates whose organs were removed and reportedly kept without consent, according to a series of lawsuits.
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is a 'fraud' for portraying himself as a friend of the working class, the head of the country's largest labour organization said Thursday, urging unions to do everything they can to expose him before the next federal election.
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
The Ottawa Hospital is hoping artificial intelligence will help reduce physician burnout and increase access to care for patients.
A Winnipeg man is raising a red flag after his landlord said no to health-care equipment that could change his life – a problem he believes is a human rights issue.
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
An ancient giant snake in India might have been longer than a school bus and weighed a tonne, researchers reported Thursday.
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Guitar legend Dickey Betts, who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, 'Ramblin' Man,' has died. He was 80.
For the most part, Taylor Swift has kept a lot of details about the album close to the chest, but as cryptic as she’s been while rolling out her 11th studio album, there are still some things we can glean about 'The Tortured Poets Department' from Swift herself.
A Manitoba teacher is selling off his colossal board game collection that he’s amassed through more than a decade of scouring thrift stores, pawn shops and garage sales.
Solving a longstanding construction worker shortage will be key to boosting housing supply, experts say, as Canada's national housing agency continues to forecast housing start levels that fall short of growing demand.
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.
Google has fired 28 employees involved in protests over the tech company's cloud computing contract with the Israeli government, according to statements from the company and campaigners.
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.
Ten beagles rescued from animal testing in the United States arrived in Alberta on Wednesday, thanks to a Canadian charity.
Molly Knight, a grade four student in Nova Scotia, noticed her school library did not have many books on female athletes, so she started her own book drive in hopes of changing that.
The NFL draft will be offensive. We’re not talking about hurt feelings. This draft has the potential to set a record for most offensive players selected in the first round.
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
Calls for action against Israel in international soccer because of the conflict with Hamas will be stepped up by Palestinian officials at the annual FIFA congress next month.
Tesla will ask shareholders to reinstate a US$55 billion compensation package for CEO Elon Musk that was rejected by a judge in Delaware this year and to move the electric car maker's corporate home from Delaware to Texas.
Tesla has hit a series of roadblocks, including increased competition and declining sales. The company announced Monday it is slashing 10 per cent of its global workforce.
A driver from London will have to find alternative transportation after an OPP officer clocked them travelling nearly 200 km/h on Highway 401 over the weekend.
Molly Knight, a grade four student in Nova Scotia, noticed her school library did not have many books on female athletes, so she started her own book drive in hopes of changing that.
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When Les Robertson was walking home from the gym in North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale neighbourhood three weeks ago, he did a double take. Standing near a burrow it had dug in a vacant lot near East 1st Street and St. Georges Avenue was a yellow-bellied marmot.
A moulting seal who was relocated after drawing daily crowds of onlookers in Greater Victoria has made a surprise return, after what officials described as an 'astonishing' six-day journey.
Just steps from Parliament Hill is a barber shop that for the last 100 years has catered to everyone from prime ministers to tourists.
A high score on a Foo Fighters pinball machine has Edmonton player Dave Formenti on a high.
A compound used to treat sour gas that's been linked to fertility issues in cattle has been found throughout groundwater in the Prairies, according to a new study.
While many people choose to keep their medical appointments private, four longtime friends decided to undergo vasectomies as a group in B.C.'s Lower Mainland.
A popular highway in Alberta's Banff National Park now has a 'no stopping zone' to help protect two bears.
Short-term rental platforms that violate B.C.'s pending regulations can face administrative penalties of up to $10,000 per day, officials announced Thursday.
As predicted, a new proposal to charge for parking at Vancouver's Spanish Banks Beach has been met with swift backlash from the community.
Police are warning the public against replica firearms in open spaces after officers were called about two men who allegedly had a gun near a North Vancouver construction site earlier this week.
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Gas prices jumped an average of 14 cents per litre overnight in the GTA, climbing to levels not seen in nearly two years as the switch from winter fuel to a more expensive summer blend pushes up the price at the pumps.
Bets on World Boxing Association events are now prohibited in Ontario after an investigation turned up evidence of ‘suspicious’ wager activity on a match held late last year.
Calgary police say Winston Campbell, 45, has been charged in the death of a two-year-old girl in 2022.
A Medicine Hat family physician has been sanctioned by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta after being found guilty of sexual touching of a vulnerable patient.
A Calgary woman who won $1 million on a Lotto 6-49 Gold Ball draw says she hasn't been able to sleep in days.
The driver killed in a head-on crash on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa's east end was driving eastbound in the westbound lanes when the vehicle collided with a second vehicle, according to Ontario Provincial Police.
The suspect accused of murdering six people at a home in Barrhaven made another brief court appearance Thursday afternoon.
The head of the National Capital Commission remains optimistic that the Ottawa Senators will eventually build an arena at LeBreton Flats, but he says there is a Plan B if the hockey club decides to go elsewhere.
The English Montreal School Board (EMSB) is celebrating what it calls a 'significant win' in court after a judge stayed parts of Quebec's language laws that apply to English school boards across the province.
Motorists are facing higher prices in many parts of Quebec as gas stations switch from winter to summer gasoline.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Alberta is introducing new legislation aimed at preventing spikes in electricity prices.
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
Cool air has settled in over the province and it'll be here for a few more days.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston says an agreement in principle has been reached on a new contract for public school teachers.
The case of the teen charged in the death of Tyson MacDonald in southeastern Prince Edward Island has once again been adjourned.
Nova Scotia's opposition parties are calling for the justice minister to resign after he said domestic violence is not an "epidemic."
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
The Winnipeg Police Service is investigating a homicide in the city’s North End on Thursday morning.
The Mobile Overdose Prevention Site operated by Sunshine House has been in operation since late 2022, and now a report is being released sharing the results of its first year.
Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) President Samantha Becotte says two days of "difficult" negotiations has led to a "final offer" with slight improvements to salary and the inclusion of a line in the collective agreement – promising to address classroom complexity issues.
A letter signed by 49 emergency room nurses in Saskatoon is calling on the provincial government to reduce money spent on out of province travel nurses and further support homegrown health-care staff.
Attendees are concerned the provincial government is not properly consulting First Nations on a number of issues such as hunting and trapping laws, crown land sales, as well as forestry and environmental affairs.
Don’t be alarmed if you see some strange new creatures in Waterloo Park.
Gas prices across Ontario have spiked to levels not seen in nearly two years as the switch from winter fuel to a more expensive summer blend pushes the price at the pumps.
People living in the community of Ayr say they are dealing with a safety concern due to transport trucks travelling through their downtown.
Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) President Samantha Becotte says two days of "difficult" negotiations has led to a "final offer" with slight improvements to salary and the inclusion of a line in the collective agreement – promising to address classroom complexity issues.
A Saskatchewan village and a contractor it hired are facing significant fines after conservation officers discovered they dumped demolition waste at an illegal landfill.
The RCMP says the spring storm that dumped piles of snow and whipped up high winds in many parts of Saskatchewan has led to a series of car crashes.
WARNING: Please be aware that some details of this story are upsetting. An animal cruelty investigation is underway in northern Ontario after a box of dead puppies was found at a landfill site, police say.
The body of a missing man has been found after his vehicle was pulled into a northern creek on Saturday morning, Ontario Provincial Police say.
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Members of London Acorn chanted slogans and called for urgent action from all levels of government to prevent the loss of affordable housing units.
A 42-year-old South Bruce man is facing charges after a weapons call in Kincardine last month.
Speaking in Muncey on Thursday, Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones said $6.4-million will help people in London, Lambton and Chathamk-Kent.
Emergency crews freed one person trapped in their vehicle after a collision involving a transport truck on Highway 12 in Orillia Thursday afternoon.
A Barrie police officer charged with discreditable conduct following an OPP investigation made a court appearance via teleconference on Thursday morning.
Police advise vehicle owners to be cautious about selling privately after a recent incident where the seller did everything right when faced with a scammer.
Two parents and a personal support worker in Windsor have been charged in connection to the death of a 29-year-old woman. On April 19, 2022, police were called to a home in the 2600 block of Meadowbrook Lane near Lauzon Parkway for an 'unresponsive female.'
One person has been taken to hospital after Windsor fire crews responded to a house on Alexis Road. The call came in shortly after 12 p.m. and multiple units responded.
Damage is estimated at $300,000 after a house fire in the Fontainebleau area.
A Nanaimo, B.C., woman says she is serenading a killer whale calf with her violin, hoping to entice the orca to leave the remote lagoon where she has been trapped alone for almost four weeks.
Mounties near Victoria say they arrested an intoxicated man who was threatening people with a knife Tuesday on the Galloping Goose Trail.
Short-term rental platforms that violate B.C.'s pending regulations can face administrative penalties of up to $10,000 per day, officials announced Thursday.
A banana ball python that was stolen from a Kelowna pet store on Saturday has been returned unharmed, Mounties said.
Nurses held a rally Wednesday at a hospital in the B.C. Interior that closed its emergency department more than a dozen times last year due to insufficient staff.
British Columbia is planning to add 240 new units to its complex-care housing program, providing homes for people with mental-health and addictions challenges that overlap with other serious conditions.
Three men who helped lead and co-ordinate the 2022 border blockade at Coutts, Alta., have been found guilty of public mischief.
Lethbridge police have arrested a Vermilion, Alta., man in connection with a 'grandparent scam' that took aim at a local senior.
An Alberta woman was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on a highway north of Coaldale, Alta., on Wednesday morning.
A 65-year-old northern Ontario woman says her winning lottery scratch ticket is the best present she has ever received.
A northern Ont. city councillor says she fears many women will go without the proper health care after town loses access to mobile cancer screening.
For the next several months, the City of Sault Ste. Marie will be cracking down on people who improperly use accessible parking spaces.
A Celebrity Apex cruise to the Caribbean this month turned into a rocking Newfoundland kitchen party when hundreds of people from Canada's easternmost province happened to be booked on the same ship.
A pricing agreement has been reached between crab fishers and seafood processors that will allow for Newfoundland and Labrador's annual crab fishery to get started.
Longliners across Newfoundland and Labrador are tied up once again, as a new protest by the province's fish harvesters threatens to derail the crab fishery for a second straight year.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
