'Say it to my face': Singh confronts heckling protester on Parliament Hill
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh confronted a protester for calling him a 'corrupted bastard' on Parliament Hill on Tuesday.
You could be forgiven if you thought "Inside Out 2," "Deadpool & Wolverine" and "Dune: Part Two" were the only movies released in theatres this year.
They dominated popular culture and soaked up most of the attention at the box office, but they weren't the year's only great films.
Every week, movies that don't have the benefits of a bloated marketing budget or the collective charm outreach of the recent Ryan Reynolds/Hugh Jackman 'round-the-world publicity onslaught still provide a big bang for your entertainment buck.
Here are five of 2024's must-see movies you may have missed:
Very loosely based on a true story, "Hit Man" is the tale of a mild-mannered college professor (Glen Powell), who wears disguises to moonlight with the police as a fake hit man to entrap would-be people looking to bump off their enemies. When he finds himself attracted to a woman (Adria Arjona) who wants her husband dead, his morals and police ethics are challenged. Light and frothy, "Hit Man" is a rom com with thrilling twists.
Anchored by a whip smart script, the movie makes the most of Powell's performance, showcasing his full-on leading man turn as a guy who embodies an ideal by creating a role-playing fantasy of what a hit man would be. As the disguises get nuttier and nuttier, and the plot more pretzel-shaped, director Richard Linklater finds a balance between Powell's showcase work, the script's big laughs and the story's inherent tension. It could have gone south very easily, but Linklater pulls off a bit of a magic trick and keeps it hilariously humming along on all cylinders.
A hybrid of TV talk show, teen exorcism movie and found footage film, "Late Night with the Devil" features "Oppenheimer's" David Dastmalchian as Jack Delroy, host of a failing late-night television chat show called "Night Owls." In an effort to boost ratings, he books paranormal researcher Dr. June (Laura Gordon) and patient Lily (Ingrid Torelli), subject of the best-selling book "Conversations with the Devil." Goaded into proving that a demon lives inside Lily, Dr. June appears to summon something from deep inside her patient. Is it actually a demon and, most importantly, will it save "Night Owl" from cancellation?
At its heart, "Late Night with the Devil" is a Faustian showbiz satire about the price some are willing to pay for success. Delroy is the smiling face of ambition – the man who is willing to unleash evil in exchange for a point or two in the ratings. Dastmalchian nails the hosting duties, but it is his darker side – the suppressed fear, anxiety and greed – that impresses. "We've got to get you back as soon as possible," he gushes to Dr. June seconds after she's beckoned a demon for the camera. "It could become a regular spot." The film's production value and attention to detail makes it seem like we're watching a suppressed tape of an actual broadcast, like "War of the Worlds," only real. The skillful filmmaking builds up the tension to an exciting and eye-popping payoff.
Romance and 'roid rage collide in "Love Lies Bleeding," a pulpy romp about gym manager Lou, played by Kristen Stewart, who falls for a weight-lifting drifter (Katy O'Brian), who blows into town on her way to a Vegas bodybuilding competition. Question is, will a violent chain of events get in the way of their love and bodybuilding glory? "Love Lies Bleeding" is a squirmy, no-holds-barred hybrid of crime thriller, family drama, psychological study and 2SLGBTQ+ romance. Director Rose Glass entertainingly juggles the various elements, and isn't afraid to shock and amuse the audience with audacious breaks from reality. No spoilers here, but the visualization of the protective power of love is eye-popping, funny and, if you are willing to take an artistic leap, really effective.
A bloody and brutal twist on the neo noir that harkens back to films like "Wild at Heart" and early Coen bros, it comes equipped with a scruffy looking Ed Harris, some shocking violence, but also an attitude. It is a wild and thrilling ride that plays into old crime story tropes with fresh and fun execution.
"Perfect Days," from director Wim Wenders, is a beautiful movie, but it's not the kind of film that benefits from a detailed synopsis. Veteran Japanese actor Koji Yakusho is Hirayama, an everyman who leads a quiet life made up of routine and simple pleasures. He wakes up at the same time each day, finds joy in reading poetry and his American punk rock cassette collection, and takes pride in his work as a public toilet cleaner. Like I suggested, it's not exactly story driven. Instead, it's a joyful celebration of a quiet life, of finding pride in your work, of taking advantage of simple pleasures.
At the heart of the film is Yakusho. His unpretentious performance brims with empathy, compassion and the understanding of the minutia that makes up a successful, happy life. It's a deceptively simple performance, but rich in its execution. Yakusho takes an unassuming character and brings him to vivid life by emphasizing the stillness and grace that exemplifies Hirayama, a man of few wants and great appreciations. "Perfect Days" is a film in love with life – a meditative slice of life that will leave you feeling better as the end credits roll than you did when before the film began.
"Thelma" is something you don't see very often – a thriller starring a 93-year-old action hero. June Squibb plays a grandmother who sets out on a motorized scooter to get revenge on the scammers who took $10,000 from her. "What about my money?" she says. "Am I supposed to just let them have it?" From a low-speed scooter chase and a showdown with the bad guys, to the acquisition of a weapon and a high-octane heist musical score, the movie has all the elements of an edge-of-your-seat suspense film. But its biggest asset is Squib, who brings steely determination, vulnerability and humour to the title character. She may not exactly be Ethan Hunt, but she's more endearing and delightful than Jack Ryan and Jason Bourne combined. She's easy to root for, even if her high-stakes mission seems impossible.
There are also subplots involving Thelma's grandson Daniel (Fred Hechinger), daughter Gail (Parker Posey) and son-in-law Alan (Clark Gregg). But at the film's core is an exploration of old age and how, as Thelma's friend Ben says, "People these days don't care about old things." "Thelma" confronts that idea, dismissing it with panache, humour and some genuine excitement.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh confronted a protester for calling him a 'corrupted bastard' on Parliament Hill on Tuesday.
Sixty-five-year-old Hong Xu, who drove her SUV into a crowd of people celebrating a wedding at her next-door neighbour's house in West Vancouver on Aug. 20, 2022, has been sentenced under the Motor Vehicle Act for driving without due care and attention.
Vacancies have steadily fallen since the glut of nearly one million open posts in 2022. At the time, one in three businesses had trouble hiring staff due to a labour shortage. Since then, vacancies have dropped.
Pagers used by hundreds of members of the militant group Hezbollah exploded near simultaneously in Lebanon and Syria on Tuesday, killing at least nine people.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs headed to jail Tuesday to await trial in a federal sex trafficking case that accuses him of presiding over a sordid empire of sexual crimes protected by blackmail and shocking acts of violence.
Vancouver Canucks forward Dakota Joshua revealed Tuesday he underwent cancer treatment over the summer, and will not be ready to play when the team's training camp begins later this week.
Halifax Regional Police believe Devon Sinclair Marsman, who disappeared in 2022, was the victim of a homicide and two people have now been charged in his death.
Sex trafficking, cheating scandals and mob activity may appear very different. But all fall under the broad umbrella of racketeering.
Whitehorse RCMP say a man from Phoenix, Ariz., is missing after the truck he was travelling in went off a bridge and plunged into the Yukon River.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.
It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.
A Good Samaritan in New Brunswick has replaced a man's stolen bottle cart so he can continue to collect cans and bottles in his Moncton neighbourhood.
David Krumholtz, known for roles like Bernard the Elf in The Santa Clause and physicist Isidor Rabi in Oppenheimer, has spent the latter part of his summer filming horror flick Altar in Winnipeg. He says Winnipeg is the most movie-savvy town he's ever been in.
Edmontonians can count themselves lucky to ever see one tiger salamander, let alone the thousands one local woman says recently descended on her childhood home.
A daytrip to the backcountry turned into a frightening experience for a Vancouver couple this weekend.
If you take a look to the right of Hilda Duddridge’s 100th birthday cake, you’ll see a sculpture of a smiling girl extending her arms forward.
Two sisters have finally been reunited with a plane their father built 90 years ago, that is also considered an important part of Canadian aviation history.
A Facebook post has sparked a debate in Gimli about whether to make a cosmetic change to its iconic statue.