Justin Crann

A ★★★★★ review of The Life of Chuck (2024) I have long said that my favourite films are the ones that can elicit great emotional responses, and The Life of Chuck did exactly that — three times over — when I caught it in the cinema this afterno...

Stephen King, from whose work the film is adapted, describes The Life of Chuck as a "joy machine" — but that sells short the full emotional impact of one of the best films of the year so far.

My spoiler-free Letterboxd review: boxd.it/a2k8Zf

Some excellent reporting here from CNO's very talented @natashabulowski.bsky.social and @rochellebaker1.bsky.social.

YouTube video by Amazon MGM Studios Spaceballs 2 | Announcement

The original Spaceballs is one of my favourite spoof comedies ever made. I'm ready.

A ★★★★ review of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (2025) At my local cinema, after the "Feature Presentation" graphic screened, a shot of Tom Cruise — out of character, as himself — appeared. The actor thanked his audience for turning out at a theatre to se...

An opening message from Tom Cruise, the actor, precedes The Final Reckoning. Somehow, it raises the stakes far better than the previous entry in this franchise — and even though the first hour is heavy with exposition and flashbacks, the eighth Mission: Impossible still makes for great viewing.

A ★★★★ review of Thunderbolts* (2025) I have long said that I am a big fan of an old story told well, and at its heart, that is all that Thunderbolts really is: a return to form(ula) for Marvel after several consecutive swing-and-miss att...

This one isn't going to top any lists for most memorable villain or even greatest Marvel movie, but Thunderbolts is a respectable return to form(ula) for the studio, bolstered by some memorable setpieces and excellent performances from its key players.

I'll be offering the most modest of back-end support to this stellar effort from two brilliant independent media organizations tonight. Join us!

David Bamber is also perfect as Mr. Collins.

A ★★★★★ review of Sinners (2025) There are movies that are great and there are movies that I love. Sinners is one of the films that lands squarely on both lists — it's a movie I thoroughly enjoyed, and probably the best one I've seen...

Ryan Coogler is at his stylistic best and newcomer Miles Caton stands out amid a remarkable cast in Sinners — perhaps the best movie I've seen in years.

Full review on Letterbox'd: boxd.it/9uCnmH

A ★★½ review of Novocaine (2025) There's nothing horribly wrong with this action film. In fact, there are a handful of great sequences and exciting moments, and Jack Quaid is solid in his leading role. Amber Midthunder and Jacob Bata...

Jack Quaid is solid as the lead in Novocaine, and the film's fine enough. It's just 20 or 30 minutes too long.

Full review on Letterbox'd:

A ★★★★½ review of Black Bag (2025) Sleek, stylish and undeniably sexy, Black Bag doesn't reinvent the spy thriller genre in any way, but it does deliver one of the best showings that genre has seen in years and — arguably — is Steven S...

Sleek, stylish and sexy, Black Bag doesn't seek to reinvent the spy thriller, but it does nail its assignment. A stellar ensemble cast and Soderberg's best work in at least a decade made it the most fun I've had in the cinema year-to-date.

Full review on Letterbox'd:

A ★★★ review of Seven Veils (2023) If you're a fan of Amanda Seyfried, this meditation on childhood and family trauma, as well as artistic obsession, is worth the price of admission. She acts her ass off in this and is easily the highl...

Amanda Seyfried acts her ass off in Seven Veils, and is easily the brightest spot of this slightly muddled meditation on childhood trauma and abuse.

The full review —

A ★★★ review of Mickey 17 (2025) There is a lot to like about this science-fiction satire, penned by Bong Joon-Ho (fresh off the success of Parasite) and adapted from Edward Ashton's Mickey7. The film stars Robert Pattinson in a dual...

You'll have a pretty good idea of what you're in for after Mickey 17's first 15 minutes, for better or worse.

My full review of this sci-fi satire —

A ★★½ review of Canadian Bacon (1995) Three decades ago, Michael Moore wrote, produced and directed this satirical film. A lot has changed in 30 years, not least the Toronto skyline. But the truly remarkable thing about watching this movi...

At the time of Canadian Bacon's release, the notion of any sort of conflict between the U.S. and Canada seemed so farfetched that its central premise could only be played as a punchline. Now look where we're at.

Full review on Letterboxd -

YouTube video by JoBlo Movie Network BRING HER BACK | Official Teaser Trailer (2025)

Talk To Me is one of my favourite horror films of the past five years, so to say I'm excited is an understatement.

The answer to Ontario’s surging energy demands is blowing in the wind Ontario could be doing much more to get back into the game by embracing offshore wind in the Great Lakes — especially since several U.S. states are already doing so on their side of the border

A new column by me for @nationalobserver.com, on the topic of clean energy in Ontario — specifically offshore wind.

The research is there to support expansion into this critical clean energy sector, gridlocked for a decade due to bad politics. It's time to end that gridlock. #onpoli #cdnpoli

A ★★★★ review of Dream Scenario (2023) There is something deeply affecting about Dream Scenario — on its face, a satire of cancel culture, but in reality a satire of the people who make pariahs of themselves when caught unaware and in the ...

Dream Scenario is a darkly comedic flick. Only Nicolas Cage could hit all of the necessary notes to bring this satire in for a landing. Full review here:

A ★★★★½ review of The Witch (2015) Robert Eggers' first film remains a powerful demonstration of his talent as a filmmaker, even a decade after its release. There are no weak links in his cast, here. Anya Taylor-Joy has never been more...

Robert Eggers' first film, now a decade old, already showed shades of the cinematic tricks he'd employ to devastating effect in this past year's Nosferatu.

With no weak link in the cast, he delivers a genuinely unsettling psychological horror.

Full review - boxd.it/8OeKNb

A ★★½ review of Presence (2024) Leave it to Steven Soderbergh to tell an old story from a new perspective. In this one, the director/cinematographer tells a ghost story from the eyes of the ghost. It's an interesting spin on an old ...

Saw Presence today at the Cineplex. It wasn't awful, but there were an awful lot of unanswered questions by the end. Think it's a victim of its conceit (and also poor marketing).

Full review over at Letterboxd. boxd.it/8JCLN5