katstolle

Brampton's Own was a classic tale of returning home and reconnecting with old flames, that I really enjoyed. Director Michael Doneger does a fantastic job creating this story of finding one's self of belonging in a place that has changed from what it once was. It follows Dustin, a 30-year-old aspiring professional baseball player, who goes home and tries to win back his high school sweetheart who is engaged to another man. I really enjoyed seeing the relationship be reborn and felt that the actors did well to portray the mixed feelings of seeing each other after so many years. There was a lot of history between Dustin and his ex-girlfriend and the story deals with that in a realistic way, really making him work to get her love back. This is a great film for a quiet movie night with friends!

Five Fingers for Marseilles is Michael Matthew's modern take on the classic western genre. He pays homage to those films that came before his, especially to classic spaghetti westerns such as The Dollars Trilogy, known for their standoff scenes. The movie uses the stand-off to parallel itself, beginning with harmless slingshots and ending with guns. Sean Drummond, the writer, created characters I really enjoyed. This vibrant cast was made up of actors I had never seen before, and I was quickly pulled into the story. The director clearly understood the characters and what they needed for me to get lost in their portrayals of these hometown heroes turned villains. Vuyo Dabula, who plays the main character, did a great job portraying the anti-hero and I found myself both routing for and intimidated of him by the end of the film. Each character had their own past to deal with and I was captivated by how they all chose to deal with their mistakes. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and would recommend it.

As a lover of animated films, such as How to Train Your Dragon and Shrek, A Wizard's Tale did not disappoint! Written by Ice Age 2's, Jim Hecht, this comedy was good for the whole family. It's a fun film with bright colors and lively characters. Lily Collins and Toby Kebbell, starring as Princess Dawn and Terry Dexter, bring this story to life with their voice acting skills. We follow them through the ups and downs of saving both a magical kingdom and an amusement park. As a fan of these actors I can definitely say that this movie is a must see. Not only were there jokes for the adults, but there were important messages for the kids. A princess who learned that she didn't need a prince and a boy reminded not to lose his belief in magic. I was easily swept into this fantastical story and would recommend to anyone who likes animation or is simply looking for something new on movie night.