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Stories by Damian Levy/Gleaner Writer

Published:Monday | September 2, 2019 | 12:09 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

These days, there are few directors who evoke a huge reaction like Quentin Tarantino. Say what you will about his films, you’ll always have something to say. His movies are so distinctly stylised, with each one feeling unabashedly his own, all the...

Published:Monday | August 26, 2019 | 12:16 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

To be perfectly honest, the life of a film critic is not as glamorous as it seems. Some weeks, you’re writing about the amazing experience of watching a movie that comes along once in a lifetime. Others, you have to be a grown adult walking into...

Published:Monday | August 19, 2019 | 12:09 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

If there is anything that’s a complete plunge into fantasy for me, it is a survival horror film set in, or above, a large body of water. I say that, not because I have any frivolous aspirations to explore the ocean depths, but rather, because I...

Published:Monday | August 12, 2019 | 12:19 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

Since the days of Alfred Hitchcock, film-makers have made great use of communal travel for the purpose of intriguing narrative. Taking two or more people from different walks of life and sticking them in a confined space is a tried-and-true formula...

Published:Monday | July 29, 2019 | 12:09 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

In the past year alone, there have been two live-action Disney remakes, both of which took different approaches to the idea of remaking a beloved animated classic. The first, Dumbo, took elements of the original story and reconfigured them to suit...

Published:Monday | July 22, 2019 | 12:30 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

Last year, I gave Bohemian Rhapsody a hearty amount of praise. In fact, to summarise my thoughts, I said that despite its repetitive nature and overall narrative flaws, the film was saved by its electrifying music sequences and its near-perfect...

Published:Monday | July 8, 2019 | 12:11 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

For many reviewers, talking about independent films is a bit of a struggle. Oftentimes, they aren’t as polished as your typical cinema fare. That’s the result of either a next-to-nothing budget, or the startling inexperience of the film-makers. Yet...

Published:Monday | July 1, 2019 | 12:32 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

There was a time when Pixar was synonymous with perfection. Their films were the envy of not just animation studios, but live action too. Despite that pedigree, it seemed there was one feat too great for the mighty Pixar. Sequels. They were able to...

Published:Monday | June 24, 2019 | 12:24 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

If there’s one thing Hollywood does well, it’s milking a franchise for all of its worth, before eventually moving on to the next big thing, as soon as the audience is ready to put it out to pasture. At least, that’s how it used to be. Nowadays, a...

Published:Monday | June 17, 2019 | 12:19 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

Imagine a superhero film that has all of the characters you’ve known and loved for over a decade coming together for an ensemble film unlike anything you’ve seen before for one stunning conclusion. If you thought of Avengers: Endgame, you could...

Published:Monday | June 10, 2019 | 12:00 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

The Gareth Edwards-directed 2014’s Godzilla is by no means a bad film. That may not come as a ringing endorsement, but it makes sense given the impact that film had on the cinema goers of the world. While praised for its sombre tone and...

Published:Monday | June 3, 2019 | 12:21 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

Pokémon is a beloved property the world over. It takes a simple concept, the combination of a young adventurer and his super powered companion, who set off on an adventure full of danger, thrills, and the occasional touching moment. Thus far,...

Published:Monday | May 27, 2019 | 12:27 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

Once again, Disney has seen fit to release another live action remake of one of its classic animated films. This time, it’s the story of Aladdin, the love story of a street rat, a princess, and a big blue genie to help them along the way. While the...

Published:Monday | May 20, 2019 | 12:00 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

As the decade comes to a close, a lot of film fans will debate ad nauseum about the movies that truly defined the decade. Whatever performance indicators you measure that definition by, it can’t be denied that the character of John Wick is the most...

Published:Monday | May 13, 2019 | 12:00 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

No one liked being a kid when they were one. Everyone couldn’t wait until they were big. Being big means staying up late, and eating what you want, and for Marsai Martin’s Jordan Sanders, it means a life without bullying. Fast-forward years later,...

Published:Monday | April 29, 2019 | 12:23 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

There are many films that try to be epic. Some do it through mind-blowing special effects, and others do it through chilling drama, designed to leave you in awe and possibly without words for what you’ve seen. There are a few films that have...

Published:Monday | March 25, 2019 | 12:00 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

Horror has had its fair share of creatures – creatures from black lagoons, wolfmen, and men in masks. Each one is iconic in its own right, but the best ones give us some insight into how we view the world and, in some cases, ourselves. The latter...

Published:Monday | March 18, 2019 | 12:00 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

For a moment, the wool was pulled over my eyes. The characters on screen reveal their connection to one another in subtle ways, and wonderfully sow the seeds for what will be future familial conflict. It seems Tyler Perry has rediscovered the...

Published:Sunday | March 10, 2019 | 12:00 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

Blasting her way into cinemas on International Women’s Day no less, Captain Marvel is the first female led superhero film to come out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It may have taken 11 years to get here, but the intergalactic hero has been...

Published:Monday | March 4, 2019 | 12:00 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

Throughout the history of cinema, there have been several monumental friendships: Sam and Frodo, Thelma and Louise, Bill and Ted. Now, the world has to say goodbye to one more, as H ow To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World concludes the age-old...

Published:Monday | February 18, 2019 | 12:00 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

From the visionary minds of James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez comes a film that is very much of two minds. It’s the story of a young cyborg girl trying to find her place in the world, and the tale of her coming of age. It is also the story...

Published:Monday | February 4, 2019 | 12:00 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

In 1989, a movie was released entitled Driving Miss Daisy. It starred Morgan Freeman as the driver of an elderly Jewish widow (played by Jessica Tandy) whose finest personality trait was that she was never afraid to speak her mind, no matter how...

Published:Monday | January 28, 2019 | 12:00 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

If you were a certain age, ­specifically eight, growing up at a certain time, specifically the late ’90s to the early 2000s, there was one show you were unable to escape: Dragon Ball Z. The show chronicled the adventures of Goku, a...

Published:Sunday | January 13, 2019 | 12:00 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

One of my favourite films of all time, is Scent of a Woman, about retired Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, whose blindness leaves him dissatisfied with his life. With the help of a young aide, he embarks on a tour of life's pleasures before deciding...

Published:Sunday | January 6, 2019 | 12:00 AMDamian Levy/Gleaner Writer

There are certain films that are beloved the world over. The kind of movies that should you sully them with any sort of negative or less than enthusiastic (or supercali-fragilisticexpialidociou) feeling, you will be met with public outcry. One of...

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