Joshua Giuliano’s debut film, River, is a wonderfully brutal and emotionally draining experience, showcasing how sound and visuals can be used as distinct elements to create something both fantastic and bleak. Estranged siblings Lucy (Jane Levy), Carla (Jessica Rothe) and their younger brother Drew (Max Mettern) are on their deceased
Tag: movie
Whatcha Want ★★★ TIFF 26
Mina Shum’s Whatcha Want is a straightforward drama that tackles cultural expectations of women. Yet underneath that is an overwhelming sweetness that just manages to keep itself on the right side of cheesy. When a young trophy wife, Yin (Isabella Wei), a recent immigrant from Hong Kong, uncovers her wealthy
Smudge the Blade ★★★ TIFF 26
Cody Lightning’s wonderfully balanced dramedy Smudge the Blade shows the racism Indigenous players face in hockey. Full of heart and unafraid to get angry, there’s a lot to love about this one. Treaty 6 Blades, an under-28 hockey team from an Alberta reservation, face their last season together while navigating
Patronymic (short) ★★★★ TIFF 26
Mariia Ponomarova’s short documentary Patronymic is an interesting, almost experimental film that feels heartfelt and shows the power and value of keeping your full name during a time of conflict. Inventive and thoughtful, this film will keep you in full discussion mode. Mariia Ponomarova is on her way back home
Fight Kid (short) ★★★★★ TIFF 26
Shot like an observational documentary, Michael Del Monte’s terrific short film Fight Kid shows the struggles parents face when they let go of their own dreams and push too much on their talented children. Fight Kid is fantastic and engaging. Eddie (Eddie Triana) places the burden of his MMA and
Benny’s Second Birthday ★★★★ Hollyshorts 2026
R.J. Glass gives his audience a parental nightmare with his short film Benny’s Second Birthday. Full of rightful paranoia, this is a psychological horror that ticks the right boxes. Little Benny is turning two years old, but when his pregnant mother Claire (Allegra Edwards) starts encountering strangers who seem to
Fawn ★★★★★ HollyShorts 2026
Molly Mayhew has made an utterly heartbreaking look at childhood trauma with her short stop-motion animation, Fawn. A terrifically sad story backs up gorgeous designs. Exceptional. Following the sudden passing of her parents, Fawn is forced to return to a house she hasn’t called home in a very long time.
Hide ★★★★★ Hollyshorts 2026
Brenden Hubbard’s short horror film Hide exceptionally uses suspense and world-building to leave audiences terrified for the fates of a father and daughter. Perfectly utilising the themes of grief and routine, this is a must-watch. Still reeling from a tragic loss, a father (Alejandro Rose-Garcia and daughter (Ionie Olivia Nieves)
The Inheritance ★★★ 1/2 Hollyshorts 2026
The Inheritance is a strong, unsettling short that explores the challenges mixed-race couples face as they delve into their ancestors’ past. Destinee Stewart keeps her audience uncomfortable throughout the fifteen-minute runtime. When Venus (Arie Thompson) joins her wife Harley (Hetty Abbott) on a remote family estate, unsettling visions collapse past
Aurora ★★★ 1/2 HollyShorts Film Festival 2026
Writer/director Angad Aulakh swings for the fences with his fantastic sci-fi short film Aurora. For the most part, he succeeds, especially visually. It’s a short film that deserves your time. Stranded in the farthest reaches of space. When on a mission, the sole survivor, Freddie (Guy Kent), of a catastrophic
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