Movie reviews: Every frame of 'The Boy and the Heron' exudes warmth, wonder, poignancy and poetry
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THE BOY AND THE HERON: 4 STARS
Imaginative and visually beautiful, "The Boy and the Heron," a new film from Japanese animator, filmmaker and manga artist Hayao Miyazaki, now playing in theatres, is a unique look at life, death and friendship.
The twelfth film by Miyazaki and the 23rd film from Studio Ghibli centres on Mahito Maki (Soma Santoki), a 12-year-old boy whose mother is killed in a 1943 Tokyo hospital bombing. A year later, Mahito's father Shoichi (Takuya Kimura), owner of an air munitions factory, marries his late wife's sister Natsuko (Yoshino Kimura) and moves to her country home. Still racked with grief over his mother's death, Mahito has a tough time in his new home and does not get along with his step-mother/aunt.
Then there is the Grey Heron (Masaki Suda) who bedevils him daily.
Mahito feels lost, cut adrift from everything he once knew until he discovers a mysterious tower, built on the property by his granduncle, a famous architect who went missing.
The chatty Heron tells Mahito that his mother is inside, and if he wants to find her, all he has to do is go have a look. Inside is a mystical, alternate universe inhabited by the living and the dead. With the heron at his side, Mahito enters a world of wonder, with strange creatures, like man-eating parakeets, souls waiting to be born, secrets and just possibly, a path to happiness.
"The Boy and the Heron" is a work of great texture. Miyazaki infuses every frame with warmth and wonder, poignancy and poetry. The story can be convoluted and introspective, but at its heart, it is a simple tale, with an "Alice in Wonderland" vibe, of coming to grips with heartbreak.
The hand drawn animation is beautiful. Miyazaki uses symbolism, metaphor and fantasy to draw out his themes of grief, loneliness and fear. It's a complex movie, with equal measures of whimsy and pathos, that shows that octogenarian Miyazaki is still working at the top of his game.
LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND: 3 ½ STARS
"Leave the World Behind," a new end of the world drama starring Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, Mahershala Ali and Myha'la, now streaming on Netflix, is a strange tale of how people become friends in trying times and the power of the sitcom "Friends."
Based on the 2020 novel by Rumaan Alam, the movie sees Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke as A-type Amanda and go-with-the-flow Clay, New Yorkers and parents to teenagers Rose (Farrah Mackenzie) and Archie (Charlie Evans). On a whim Amanda rents a luxury weekend retreat in Long Island, to get away from the stresses of the city.
"I figured if I made the reservation and packed our bags," Amanda says, "it would eliminate most of the reasons to say no."
They arrive to find a beautiful modernist home waiting for them, complete with interesting art, a lavish gift basket and an inviting pool in the backyard. It's a paradise, although Rose, who has been binging "Friends" online, is annoyed that the spotty Wi-Fi is preventing her from watching the last episode of the series. But tha'’s nothing that some fresh air and a dip in the pool can't fix.
"Oh, this is nice," Clay says. "The kids look so happy."
Later that night, after dinner with lots of wine and well after nightfall, the doorbell rings.
"Get a bat," says the edgy Amanda. At the door are strangers G.H. Scott (Ali) and his daughter Ruth (Myha'la), who apologize for stopping by so late. "We were driving back to the city," G.H. says, "then something happened."
G.H. owns the home, and wants to spend the night in safety with his daughter. Turns out there is a blackout, or something happening in the city. With no internet, radio or television service, there is no way to know for sure what is going on. Amanda is immediately suspicious.
"Something is happening," she says. "I don’t trust them."
But, as strange things begin to happen, trust becomes essential if they are to survive.
Despite its luxurious trappings, "Leave the World Behind" is as bleak as any movie we are likely to see this year. It's a "Twilight Zone"-esque story that comments not only on societal collapse, but our reaction to it, and, as usual, the human aspect is the monstrous part. The idea of a cyberattack is scary enough, but the aftermath, the ripple effect of how humanity deals with implosion, is truly terrifying. While there are some scenes that approach action—planes dropping from the sky, an oil tanker that runs aground, and aspects of nature gone wild—this is a psychological drama with very high stakes.
After a slow start, director Sam Esmail heaps on the tension, ensuring the audience and the characters are on an equal plane. We don't know anything more than they do, so we speculate along with them. It’s a clever ploy to draw the viewer into the story, to personalize the situation, and make us wonder what we would do in a similar situation.
An edgy score by composer Mac Quayle adds to the feeling of unease, but it is the performances that drive it home. It's a character study in how these audience proxies respond, whether it is with racism, violence, greed or down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories.
Roberts plays against type, edgy and racist, a coiled spring ready to unwind at any moment. Amanda wears her biases on her sleeve, seemingly unaware of the power of her words. She's oblivious to her micro and macro aggressions, a misanthrope who excuses her behaviour with a simple mantra: "I hate people." Plus, the look on her face when G.H. calls the couple's Brooklyn N.Y. neighborhood "affordable" is a highlight.
The script offers more subtlety to Hawke. Ruth says he looks like the kind of guy things come easily to. But when he is faced with real crisis, he is forced to make an extraordinary confession: "I am a useless man." In finely tuned work, Hawke calibrates the performance, allowing desperation to sink in bit by bit until there is nothing left but fear and helplessness.
The movie really finds its feet, however, when G.H. Scott and Ruth emerge. Their appearance sets the action in motion, and introduces the film's two most interesting characters.
G.H. is a bit of a man of mystery. Suave and obviously very wealthy, he has a gravitas that makes him an oasis of calm, but as the story progresses, it's clear he knows more than he is letting on. He's the only character who seems to understand the big picture, and is the conduit by which the movie fully explores the issues of technology's stranglehold on the world, trust, race, class and international intrigue. Ali pulls off a neat trick, giving G.H. warmth and empathy, while building tension with the character's fundamental unknowability.
The two daughters, Ruth and Rose are polar opposites. As Ruth, Myha'la is spirited, unwilling to put up with Amanda's passive aggressive prejudice, while Mackenzie is a wide-eyed innocent, more concerned with what happens to Rachel and Ross on her favorite show, than the collapse of society.
The film tackles many big subjects, but is most compelling when it zeroes in on the interpersonal interactions between the two families, set against the backdrop of a divided America.
"Leave the World Behind" is an elegant post-apocalyptic film that asks far more questions than it answers. It is thought provoking, but the ending (which I loved) may leave some viewers wishing for more.
EILEEN: 3 STARS
In "Eileen," a 1960s-set, Hitchcockian psychological thriller starring Thomasin McKenzie and Anne Hathaway, a lonely woman's life takes a sinister turn when she meets a glamorous new co-worker.
McKenzie is the title character, a lonely and unhappy 20-something secretary at a small-town Massachusetts juvenile detention centre. She lives with her ex-cop father (Shea Whigham), a widower with a nasty drinking problem and a personality to match.
"Get a life, Eileen," he says to her. "Get a clue."
To pass the days she daydreams of having relations with her co-workers and, at night, is a voyeur, spying on couples making out in their cars at Look Out Point.
She is invisible at home and at work; a blank slate.
"Some people, they’re the real people," Eileen's dad says. "Like in a movie. They’re the ones you watch, they're the ones making moves. And other people, they're just there, filling the space. That's you, Eileen. You're one of them."
A ray of light in the form of Dr. Rebecca St. John (Anne Hathaway) illuminates the dark corners of Eileen's life. Stylish and vivacious, the detention centre's new counsellor is everything Eileen isn't. A glamorous vision, squeezed into a red dress, topped with a burst of blonde hair, Rebecca drinks and smokes— "It's a nasty habit," she says, sparking up a fresh Pall Mall, "that's why I like it." —and her arrival inspires Eileen to examine her own wants and desires.
As Rebecca takes an interest in Sam Polk (Lee Nivola), a young inmate convicted of a gruesome crime, revealing a dark secret, Eileen shows there is more to her than meets the eye.
Based on the 2015 novel by Ottessa Moshfegh, "Eileen" begins as a character study, a slice-of-life look at a floundering woman, and becomes a multi-pronged psychological thriller in its final third. The film takes an audacious turn, one that changes the film's power dynamic, and closes things off with a bang (and a tremendous performance from Marin Ireland as Rita Polk, but no spoilers here).
Until then, it is a slow burn, a film that luxuriates in its characters. McKenzie balances the character's bored exterior with her bombastic inner life, creating Eileen, a ticking time bomb of emotion, careening toward a life defining moment (no spoilers here). It's finely tuned work that cuts through the film's dark ennui.
Hathaway has the showier role as Hitchcockian icy blonde Rebecca. Intelligent, enticing and ultimately empathic, she stands in stark contrast to the movie's deliberately dull backdrop. Rebecca is a polar opposite to Eileen, the catalyst that gives the movie its spark.
"Eileen" is more about what's left unsaid, than it is about the obvious story points (keeping it vague and spoiler free here). The suggestion of a budding relationship as a hand brushes against a knee, a shared slow dance in a bar and stolen looks, is ultimately more suspenseful than the pulpy twist at the film's end. The end, while impactful, is more conventional than we might have expected from this moody period piece.
CHICKEN RUN: DAWN OF THE NUGGET: 3 ½ STARS
"Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget," a new stop motion animated film from Aardman Animations and playing in theatres this week before moving to Netflix next week, comes with great eggs-pectations. The original film, 2000s "Chicken Run," is a beloved classic of British humour, heartwarming and heavy on the charm.
But can a sequel, twenty-three years in the making, be all it's cracked up to be or will it lay an egg?
The new film picks up years after revolutionary chicken Ginger (Thandiwe Newton) and American circus rooster Rocky (Zachary Levi) escape the prisoner-of-war style Tweedy's Industrial Farm. The happy couple now celebrate their freedom, living on an island bird sanctuary, far from the dangers of humanity, with friends Babs (Jane Horrocks), elderly rooster Fowler (David Bradley), Bunty (Imelda Staunton) their rat BFFs Nick and Fetcher (Romesh Ranganathan and Daniel Mays) and daughter Molly (Bella Ramsey).
"Life doesn't get better than this," Ginger says. "We've put the past behind us. We have Molly to think about now."
It's a wonderful life, but Molly, who has her mother's rebellious spirit, feels fenced in. "You can't make me stay here," she tells Ginger.
Molly flies the coop, eager to check out Fun-Land Farms, a new operation on the mainland. With her feather-brained friend Frizzle (Josie Sedgwick-Davies) they soon discover the new farm is a processing plant for, you guessed it, chicken nuggets.
"Behold the dawn of the nugget," says evil plant owner Mrs. Tweedy (Miranda Richardson).
It's up to Ginger, Rocky and Company to come to the rescue. "Last time we broke out of a chicken farm," says Ginger. "This time we're breaking in."
Like so many sequels, the story has bloated from the simplicity story of the 2000 film. But despite the food-for-thought subtext involving fast food and heavier plotting, "Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget" is still nimble and action packed.
The original "Chicken Run" was a riff on World War II "The Great Escape"-style films. "Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget" pays homage to the first movie, but leans into the James Bond and "Mission Impossible" franchises as inspirations for the wild poultry action.
Most of all, there is something welcoming about the Aardman stop motion animation. The house style is bold and beautiful, vivid and uncluttered, but it is the eccentric characters that really appeal. With their large eyes and exaggerated mouths and eyebrows, the Plasticine characters brim with personality and unmistakably come from the same creators that gave us the cheese-loving inventor Wallace and his mute and long-suffering canine side-kick Gromit. Shot one frame-at-a-time, the animation feels handcrafted and organic, and has a warmth most CGI kids flicks don’t have.
"Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget" is an entertaining family-friendly mix of charm and craft.
Homicide investigators in B.C. say murder charges have been laid against a fourth Indian national in connection to the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Surrey gurdwara last year.
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
A man who tried to access Drake’s Bridle Path mansion earlier this week returned to the property Saturday and was apprehended again for allegedly trespassing, Toronto police say.
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday called Donald Trump “clearly unhinged” and claimed that “something snapped” in the former president after he lost the 2020 election.
The wildfire that prompted the evacuation of more than 3,000 people near Fort Nelson, B.C., was caused by a tree falling on wires, according to the municipality's mayor.
Swiss singer Nemo won the 68th Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night with 'The Code,' an operatic ode to the singer’s journey toward embracing their nongender identity.
Multiple people at the protest camp torn down at the University of Alberta campus Saturday say police's actions against protesters were "violent" and "disproportionate."
A man who tried to access Drake’s Bridle Path mansion earlier this week returned to the property Saturday and was apprehended again for allegedly trespassing, Toronto police say.
The wildfire that prompted the evacuation of more than 3,000 people near Fort Nelson, B.C., was caused by a tree falling on wires, according to the municipality's mayor.
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday called Donald Trump “clearly unhinged” and claimed that “something snapped” in the former president after he lost the 2020 election.
Israel ordered new evacuations in Gaza's southern city of Rafah on Saturday, forcing tens of thousands more people to leave as it prepared to expand its military operation deeper into what is considered Gaza’s last refuge.
Flash floods from unusually heavy seasonal rains in Afghanistan have killed more than 300 people and destroyed over 1,000 houses, the UN food agency said Saturday.
Biden wants the 2024 election to be a referendum on Trump's record and plans, but he also wants voters to look favourably on his own policies and actions
A growing number of civilians and police officers are demanding the dismissal and arrest of Haiti's police chief as heavily armed gangs launched a new attack in the capital of Port-au-Prince, seizing control of yet another police station early Saturday.
Donald Trump is known for leveling constant and often personal attacks on top rivals such as Joe Biden. Lately, he's increasingly taking that same approach against independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
A man who was accused of sexually and physically assaulting a woman had his charges dropped in April, just weeks before he was set to stand trial in Toronto, due to a lack of judges in the region.
Canada is putting $76 million towards a German-led effort to help Ukraine defend itself from Russian missiles and aircraft, Defence Minister Bill Blair announced Friday.
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
When you're picking something up from the floor or bending over to tie your shoe laces, you're performing "the hinge move," according to movement trainers.
A provincial coroner will be investigating the death of 68-year-old David Lippert, who suffered a cardiac arrest while waiting in a crowded emergency room in Kitchener, Ont.
A man who tried to access Drake’s Bridle Path mansion earlier this week returned to the property Saturday and was apprehended again for allegedly trespassing, Toronto police say.
Swiss singer Nemo won the 68th Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night with 'The Code,' an operatic ode to the singer’s journey toward embracing their nongender identity.
The union representing WestJet Encore pilots says its members rejected the tentative deal reached last month, with just over half voting the agreement down.
The Ontario government says it will be supporting Ontario Power Generation's plan to refurbish the R. H. Saunders Generating Station on the St. Lawrence River.
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
When it comes to gardening, a lot of questions come up, including the best way to keep pets away from plants, maintaining your lawn and keeping the dandelions at bay.
Pregnancy is often an exciting and anxious time for parents-to-be. And while painting the nursery and choosing a stroller are typically on the agenda, experts say preparing financially for a maternity leave can help reduce stress later on as well.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 4 for 5 with three RBIs, a run, and a stolen base as the Toronto Blue Jays rallied past the Minnesota Twins 10-8 on Saturday.
Canada’s top university football athletes gathered on the gridiron Saturday to show off their skills in the East-West Bowl at the University of Waterloo.
Tesla will spend more than US$500 million to expand its fast-charging network, CEO Elon Musk said on Friday, days after abruptly laying off employees who were running the business.
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.
A small Ajax dessert shop that recently received a glowing review from celebrity food critic Keith Lee is being forced to move after a zoning complaint was made following the social media influencer’s visit last month.
The Canada Science and Technology Museum is inviting visitors to explore their poop. A new exhibition opens at the Ottawa museum on Friday called, 'Oh Crap! Rethinking human waste.'
The Regina Police Service says it is the first in Saskatchewan and possibly Canada to implement new technology in its detention facility that will offer real-time monitoring of detainees’ vital health metrics.
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.
A grieving mother is hosting a helmet drive in the hopes of protecting children on Manitoba First Nations from a similar tragedy that killed her daughter.
Homicide investigators in B.C. say murder charges have been laid against a fourth Indian national in connection to the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Surrey gurdwara last year.
The wildfire that prompted the evacuation of more than 3,000 people near Fort Nelson, B.C., was caused by a tree falling on wires, according to the municipality's mayor.
Police in New Westminster say they have seized “numerous” weapons and kilograms of drugs as part of an investigation into drug trafficking in the city that began in 2022.
A man who tried to access Drake’s Bridle Path mansion earlier this week returned to the property Saturday and was apprehended again for allegedly trespassing, Toronto police say.
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
Quebecers across the province turned their gazes upwards on Friday night as a spectacular show in the sky was on display thanks to a solar storm hit the earth's atmosphere.
Dozens gathered on Lavoisier Boulevard in Ferland Park in Montreal on Saturday as a pair of white shoes were installed in memory of a mother and grandmother, who was struck and killed by an SUV almost four years ago in the St. Leonard borough.
Multiple people at the protest camp torn down at the University of Alberta campus Saturday say police's actions against protesters were "violent" and "disproportionate."
Out-of-control wildfires in northern Alberta prompted a local state of emergency in the County of Grande Prairie early Saturday morning, as well as evacuation orders in the county and the Municipal District of Greenview.
Several community groups who work with the city’s vulnerable populations gathered downtown on Saturday for an event to celebrate the impact of their work on Winnipeg.
Some homes and cottages north of Flin Flon, Man. are under an evacuation order because of a growing wildfire caused by drought conditions and high winds.
The 8th annual Nagar Kirtan Parade packed the streets of Regina on Saturday, bringing the Regina Sikh community and people from surrounding areas together.
Canada’s top university football athletes gathered on the gridiron Saturday to show off their skills in the East-West Bowl at the University of Waterloo.
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
A weather advisory issued Saturday afternoon warning of favourable conditions for the development of funnel clouds was dropped Saturday night by Environment Canada.
Hundreds of people braved the early morning rain to get up close with London, Ont.’s emergency service personnel. Children were excited to climb aboard emergency vehicles and participate in emergency-related activities.
What do you look for in a good bottle of hot sauce? Sweet or smokey flavours? Or, perhaps, you're a 'glutton for punishment' — the words of one person in attendance at Windsor's 2nd annual Heatseeker Hot Sauce Festival.
Homicide investigators in B.C. say murder charges have been laid against a fourth Indian national in connection to the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Surrey gurdwara last year.
The wildfire that prompted the evacuation of more than 3,000 people near Fort Nelson, B.C., was caused by a tree falling on wires, according to the municipality's mayor.
After four targeted shootings in four days, Mounties in Kamloops are taking the unusual step of warning the public about two men they believe are likely to be targeted in future violent incidents.
The city of Elliot Lake’s arena woes are turning out to be a costly problem. The latest report that will be going before council on Monday puts the quote for repairs at $4.3 million.
The Office of the Ontario Fire Marshall has concluded its report into a fire that caused millions in damages to a property along Charles Walk in Elliot Lake back last year.
City officials in Elliot Lake, Ont., confirm that repairs to the water line on Hillside Drive North have been completed and water has been restored to all homes – however, a boil water advisory remains in effect for the entire city.
Ontario Provincial Police are facing tough questions about their search for a missing Newfoundland trucker whose rig was found two weeks ago in Ontario, then sent back to Newfoundland, where his body was found Monday in the trailer.