Marcel The Shell With Shoes On
(Dean Fleischer-Camp)
Marcel The Shell With Shoes On begins as a cute lark – with comedian Jenny Slate giving voice to a mollusc – but sneakily works its way to warm, fuzzy and life-affirming feels. Slate and her ex-husband Fleischer-Camp turned their 2010 three-minute short about a shell with footwear, a face and an adorably awkward sense of humour into a movie about grappling with separation and loss. In Marcel the feature-length movie, a recently divorced filmmaker documents the titular shell and his aging grandmother, who is voiced beautifully by Isabella Rossellini. It captures Marcel’s protectiveness of his Nona, who is slipping into dementia. They both yearn for their long-lost family while making do with the chips life has dealt them. Their adventures, between a living room and a garden, seem slight because thin material is stretched to feature length. But it’s the quiet and contemplative moments – where not much really happens but the possibilities seem endless – that stick with you. 89 minutes. Now playing at TIFF Bell Lightbox. NNNN
Minions: The Rise Of Gru
(Kyle Balda)
I’ve never been the biggest fans of either the Despicable Me or Minions movies. They always felt a bit formulaic, reaching for low-hanging fruit as far as the slapstick comedy is concerned. The Rise Of Gru isn’t reaching higher but the antic and silly energy balanced with a thin but engaging-enough plot about a young Gru trying to realize his supervillain dreams works this time around. Perhaps, the fifth movie in this franchise has the advantage of batted down expectations, but the minions high-pitched gibberish in scenarios where they pilot commercial planes or learn kung fu was a welcome escape with the family. 87 minutes. Now playing in theatres everywhere. NNN
Mr. Malcolm’s List
(Emma Holly Jones)
This Jane Austen-lite rom-com is the latest onscreen offering to diversify the Regency-era in England post-Bridgerton. There’s a lot of class warfare, social engineering and romances blooming out of haughty relationships. This one stars Freida Pinto as Selina in a role we would typically associate with Keira Knightley, playing the humble woman who wins the heart of some ornery rich dude (Sope Dirisu as the ornery Mr. Malcolm). But neither Pinto nor Dirisu have much presence. They’re a bit ornamental. Thankfully, Zawe Ashton as Selina’s scorned best friend give this stately and lightweight affair its spark and the guilt-free rom-com vibes the movie rides on. 121 minutes. Now playing at the Cineplex Varsity. NNNN
Also opening theatrically this week
The Forgiven
Jessica Chastain, Ralph Fiennes, and Matt Smith; Directed by John Michael McDonagh.
Beba
Directed by Rebeca Huntt.
Streaming guides
Everything on streaming platforms this month:
