NOW PLAYING AT QUARK'S HOLOSUITES

a log of art experienced.

probably mostly movies.

CACTUS PEARS (or SABAR BONDA) // 2026
I LOVE BOOSTERS // 2026
LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND // 2023
READY OR NOT: HERE I COME // 2026
ABIGAIL // 2024
BUT I'M A CHEERLEADER // 1999
and
HAIRSPRAY (1988)

...were logged on main for reasons explained therein.

2026.05.29

2010 // 1984

i was never sure if this was a direct sequel or more of a spiritual sequel to 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY. it's a very direct sequel. 2010 isn't aiming for the metaphorical and metaphysical grandeur of kubrick, it's just trying to be a good science fiction film. it succeeds. INTERSTELLAR was definitely as influenced by this as it was 2001. speaking of white nonsense tho, there's a character named dr. chandra who i assumed was meant to be south asian, given arthur c. clarke's connection to sri lanka. i looked up the character's name in the novel just to be sure -- dr. sivasubramanian chandrasegarampillai. he was played by... bob balaban, sigh. nonetheless, the cast was great. i especially enjoyed helen mirren as a russian astronaut, and the positive portrayal of russians in general. of all the '80s movies birthed out of cold war tension, 2010 presents what has to be one of the more mind-boggling solutions.

***.2 / 4

2026.04.29

BLACKBERRY // 2023

definitely the canadian SOCIAL NETWORK -- which is to say, SOCIAL NETWORK but hilarious. loved the performances. loved the style. loved the choice to avoid being a typical tech biopic, but rather just a depiction of various forms of insanity. and a slint needle drop! nobody ever needle drops slint!

***.4 / 4

2026.04.11

PINK FLAMINGOS // 1972

i've been wanting to dig into the john waters oeuvre, and what better way to start than by seeing a midnight screening of PINK FLAMINGOS the same way people saw it all through the '70s and '80s? of course, montreal's metro doesn't run very late, so when cinema du parc does a "minuit au parc" screening, they very kindly do it at 21:30 so we can all get home once it ends. still shocking, still vile, still hilarious, and still somehow sweet and touching... what is there to say, really? it must be seen to be believed. i don't think there's any way to grade this film other than perfect or abysmal, so i choose...

**** / 4

2026.04.05

ARRIVAL // 2016

okay, so it's unintentionally hilarious to see america depicted as the only powerful nation acting peacefully in the face of first contact with an alien species, all things considered. but of course denis made a captivating, moving work -- and i appreciate the most emotional moment of the film being given to tzi ma. shout out to deep space nine's EMISSARY and the next generation's DARMOK for playing no small part in the inspiration for this story.

***.0 / 4

2026.03.29

ERASERHEAD // 1977

this was always a tough one for me to pay attention to at home being ~90% no dialogue, but holy shit, seeing it in a theater was awe inducing. i tend to be mixed on lynch movies as compared to TWIN PEAKS, but this might actually be his best. surreal, funny, terrifying, and sound designed like you wouldn't believe... with makeup effects that look as good or better than anything current... and strangely, themes, sounds, and visuals that mirror TWIN PEAKS THE RETURN, making perfect bookends for his film career. wow.

**** / 4

2026.03.22

THE BRIDE! // 2026

for a huge chunk of this film, all that was going through my mind was letterman post-future islands -- "i'll take all of that you got!" tragically, by the final half hour things did drag... and i could've gone for a different ending. nevertheless this was full of surprises, delights, and dancing... and fever ray!! scratch out HAMNET on jessie buckley's oscar and inscribe THE BRIDE!

***.2 / 4

2026.03.10

NIRVANNA THE BAND THE SHOW THE MOVIE // 2026

i shouldn't even say a word because you need to just let this movie wash over you. the most fun. the most canadian. a must see. i'm very curious how they accomplished certain things, and yet i also don't want to know... because movies are magic. this was magic.

**** / 4

2026.03.02

MICKEY 17 // 2025

joy! pattinson's mickey 17 accent was tough at first, it felt like he was joking, not acting. but it grew on me. contrarily, pattinson's mickey 18 acting was immediately great. naomie ackie was outright brilliant, which was a reminder of how tragic it is that BLINK TWICE still hasn't found its audience. some of mark ruffalo's scenes were tough, i wish no one ever convinced him that he's funny. toni collete's single-gag sauce obsession didn't work for me either. but oh man, the last act with the natives of niflheim was thrilling, fun science fiction. a good time.

***.3 / 4

2026.03.01

THE RUNNING MAN // 2025

this movie would have been better without generic glen and his fake angry forehead vein, to state the obvious. but what becomes more obvious halfway through is that he's far from the worst problem. this feels like the weakest script edgar has ever worked from, at no point is there any emotion or heart, characters that should be funny or exciting aren't, and it's the most hollow version of an "eat the rich" movie i've seen. just watch THE LONG WALK and forget this one exists.

*.9 / 4

2026.02.28

DEMI ADEJUYIGBE IS GOING TO DO ONE (1) BACKFLIP // 2025

an absolute laugh riot.

***.8 / 4

2026.02.25

HEDDA // 2025

i can't really review this, it couldn't keep my interest and i was on my phone a lot. looked pretty, but just not to my taste. it felt like a throwback to classic cinema where they'd tell stories about queer women but had to keep the queerness subtext and just have them be manipulative, unhinged, and vaguely murderous. which isn't a criticism, it's a fun idea to throwback to, especially now that the queerness doesn't have to be subtext. but this version didn't hit.

???? / 4

2026.02.23

THE SHROUDS // 2025

i was a little afraid to see this again, because i was worried it might be... thin. it isn't. it's full of ideas, visuals, and dialogue that i adore. peak cronenberg, just like CRIMES OF THE FUTURE. looking forward to CONSUMED.

***.8 / 4

2026.02.23

TWIN PEAKS: THE RETURN (PART V OF V) // 2025

i will never forget the experience of sharing TWIN PEAKS THE RETURN with an audience. i can't help but now feel this is the greatest and most uncompromised piece of art ever created. the entire planet misses you, david lynch.

**** / 4

2026.01.31

THE CHRONOLOGY OF WATER // 2026

parental abuse, pain, freedom, mistakes, healing, more mistakes, more healing... a beautifully shot, sound designed, and edited piece of work from kristen. it's told very abstractly, but somehow that makes the lead character feel more real and vivid than she would in a traditionally told story -- she feels like a person you're standing right next to, and her memories are your memories. imogen poots somehow depicts this life from like age 16 through i imagine late 30s? with no makeup, no tricks, just solely through her fucking performance and body language. this film was vivid and felt, and i'm very glad to have caught it in theaters. can't wait to see what kristen does next.

**** / 4

2026.01.29

BEFORE SUNSET // 2004

a film that somehow captures everything magical and perfect and indescribable about this fucked up world we were all thrown into without our consent.

**** / 4

2026.01.25

SET IT OFF // 1996

cinéma du parc continues its epic month with the queer cinema club presenting SET IF OFF. jada is eternal. queen latifah kills it, even though this was made before queers were allowed to survive in a movie like this. one of the best and most underrated crime movies of the '90s.

***.5 / 4

2026.01.22

HEATED RIVALRY SEASON ONE // 2025

the sex and hard bodies were fun and exciting, but the beauty of watching shane and ilya learn to communicate by the end of the season will remain in my heart forever. thank u, canada.

***.6 / 4

2026.01.18

TWIN PEAKS: THE RETURN (PART III OF V) // 2017

what the fuck???????

**** / 4

2026.01.17

28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE // 2026

the year has prematurely orgasmed, because i'm calling it -- this is the best film of 2026. brutally violent and yet somehow both funnier and even more moving than 28 YEARS LATER. i uncontrollably burst into applause after one scene. the theater, laughing, joined me. give nia and ralph all the awards.

**** / 4

2026.01.16

TWIN PEAKS: THE RETURN (PART II OF V) // 2017

the thing to remember, see, is that david lynch didn't just co-write and direct all 18 hours of TWIN PEAKS THE RETURN... he sound designed all 18 hours of TWIN PEAKS THE RETURN. this couldn't be more evident while experiencing these brilliant hours of filmmaking on the big screen. once again the audience was rapt, caught in this shared moment like floating coop trapped in a glass box. this week we got the purple sea, the little assassin, dougie and his "mr. jackpots" escapade, janey-e scaring off the bookies, david lynch's iconic line (i wanted to burst out into applause but i didn't want to distract anyone), and... michael cera as wally brando. what a treasure this is.

***.9 / 4

2026.01.10

TWIN PEAKS: THE RETURN (PART I OF V) // 2017

this 5-week cinematic experience began with a bang bang. thank you, montréal. a dark room, a big screen, a rapt audience, and LOUD sound -- just the way lynch would have wanted. the program started with two key episodes from season two, and i'm in shock that such horrifying imagery aired on ABC in the early '90s -- what a time to be alive. after a brief intermission we dove into the two-hour premiere of THE RETURN, which was a perfect tease for all the incredible things yet to come. i'm so excited to continue this shared journey.

***.9 / 4

2026.01.03

AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH // 2025

let's get the obvious out of the way -- the experience was exhilarating. the 3D was mindbendingly immersive. i wish we could visit this world more often, but the time that these movies take is obviously the reason they're good.

that said. it felt like the movie wanted to focus on neyteri and varang, but cameron still wanted mahjake and military grandpa round three. other than that... no complaints. i genuinely love lo'ak and kiri. a couple of beats from previous movies are definitely repeated... but better? THE WAY OF WATER was a near perfect film. FIRE AND ASH is less perfect, but weirder, funnier, and an insane ride from start to finish. cameron can do no wrong, etc etc.

p.s. the title AVATAR makes no sense, no main characters have used avatars since the first movie.

***.5 / 4

2025.12.29

BATMAN RETURNS // 1992

my favourite xmas movie, and undeniably the best batman movie ever made. and horny! remember when batman movies were horny?

**** / 4

2025.12.25

DR. SUESS'S HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS // 2000

i attempted to watch this once and couldn't handle it, but this write-up made me want to give it another chance -- and it was impossible not to appreciate jim carrey's performance and the work that went into physically creating all of this in the real world. i couldn't figure out what threw me off last time, but i was watching the tv from an angle... my roommate who was watching head-on said the cuts and slanted angles made him dizzy. so i'm not crazy! not about this, at least.

**.8 / 4

2025.12.25

HEARTBREAKERS // 2001

i fell sick for xmas. and decided to finally watch HEARTBREAKERS. gene hackman is a literal simpsons character, and loving it? sigourney is great but doesn't get enough gags. ray liotta is having fun, just like gene. jennifer love hewitt is fine, but it should've been sarah michelle gellar -- i suspect jennifer probably had an edge because boobs. sarah silverman, jason lee, and zach galifianakis would've dominated this movie a few years down the road, but they're stuck playing stock '90s movie characters in this one. considering director david mirkin showran the best years of THE SIMPSONS i hoped the joke per minute average would be higher, but i still laughed.

**.6 / 4

2025.12.25

DUST BUNNY // 2025

a lush, thrilling fairy tale. (maybe delicious is the word.) sophie sloan is utterly captivating in yet another brilliant performance from a young actor this year. mads and sigourney remind us why we adore them, and i am thrilled to have finally met sheila atim before her debut as akasha in THE VAMPIRE LESTAT. this is one of those movies i wish existed when i was a kid, and it's a crime against the arts for it to have been R-rated when it's designed to be adored by children. the weirdos DUST BUNNY was meant for will find it, i believe that.

***.8 / 4

2025.12.23

REINDEER GAMES // 2000

how could this cast be so fucking unwatchable? charlize tries her best to save it. buff sinise is unsettling.

0.3 / 4

2025.12.22

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: EXTENDED EDITIONS // 2001, 2002, 2003

i hadn't seen these in a very long time, and the 4K restorations are stunning. FELLOWSHIP and TOWERS still feel iconic and i couldn't help but remember old conversations with lovers and dead friends. RETURN is unmemorable and pretty mid in comparison. they definitely improved the color timing across the entire trilogy -- these are not the warm and soft images i remember. the level of detail onscreen is breathtaking, and it's from the era when 90% of what was onscreen was still real.

p.s. howard shore is a genius.

p.p.s. still waiting on peter jackson to put out an unextended cut of THE HOBBIT so i can finally watch that shit.

***.6 / 4

2025.12.15

EL BAILE DE LOS 41 // 2020

stunningly shot and costumed, moving and painful... but also a movie where the main character makes so many bad decisions that lead not only to pain for himself but pain for many others. maybe inevitable, since it's based on real events. but that didn't stop me from wanting to reach through the screen and shake him.

**.9 / 4

2025.11.30

SINNERS // 2025

[insert ABSOLUTE CINEMA gif]

**** / 4

2025.11.27

UN SIMPLE ACCIDENT // 2025

i saw this persian-language film with french subtitles at my very limited french reading level, so i can't quite comment on the dialogue, but this was tense, funny, well acted, and shot very still and deliberately. the way the film built its cast of characters felt very original. the ending sticks with you.

***.1 / 4

2025.11.25

PREY // 2022

i had to see this again after PREDATOR BADLANDS. it was even better than i remembered. stunningly shot, beautifully acted by amber midthunder and her castmates, and all time great science fiction.

***.6 / 4

2025.11.27

GROUNDHOG DAY // 1993

a younger me might've called this movie timeless. older me, after the first 3 seconds: "WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS MUSIC?!?" the white jazz continued and continued, culminating with a performance from an old white dude jazz band. why.

**.6 / 4

2025.11.19

THE DEAD ZONE // 1983

a rare cronenberg film without any of his sly humor. dark, haunting, and anchored by a brilliant and captivating performance from christopher walken. it does sometimes feel like a low budget version of the book, but still captures enough of the tone and mood.

***.1 / 4

2025.11.16

PREDATOR BADLANDS // 2025

thank you to dan trachtenberg for rescuing the PREDATOR franchise from being "ALIEN for bros" and actually turning them into cool fucking science fiction movies. PREY and BADLANDS are easily series bests, and i'm looking forward to whatever comes next.

***.2 / 4

2025.11.16

LESBIAN SPACE PRINCESS // 2025

funny, sweet, totally dirty, and in spite (or because!) of that dirtiness, perfect for all ages. i hope every young person that this movie would help manages to find it.

***.0 / 4

2025.11.16

THE EXORCIST III // 1990

looking forward to seeing the shout factory assembly cut of this someday. a creepy, moody, witty supernatural detective film-noir that the studio forced an exorcism into. originally titled LEGION, a way better title. george c. scott and brad dourif kill it.

***.0 / 4

2025.11.06

THE CROW // 1994

the new 4k transfer looks cool. very desaturated, almost like the original black and white comic. if the last few gun battles were cut, this would would be in my top five films of all time. rip in peace brandon, tony, jon.

***.9 / 4

2025.11.06

BUGONIA // 2025

a funny, thrilling, fucked up ride.

***.2 / 4

2025.11.06

FRANKENSTEIN // 2025

a living, breathing, beautifully painted graphic novel, and two equally awe-inspiring performances. deeply moving, unhinged fun, and what the character always deserved. one of my favourite movies of the year in a pretty fucking fantastic year.

***.9 / 4

2025.10.28

AVATAR (EXTENDED CUT), AVATAR THE WAY OF WATER // 2009, 2022

the extended cut of AVATAR should be the definitive version, as it adds necessary backstory and character detail. nonetheless, the big third act battle is by far the weakest part -- shocking for a james cameron picture.

***.0 / 4

contrarily, THE WAY OF WATER has a weak first act and yet is still somehow one of the greatest film experiences of all time. as STAR TREK fans know, you can't go wrong with a "save the whales" movie.

***.8 / 4

2025.10.21

GOOD FORTUNE // 2025

a sweet, fun, unremarkable time at the movies.

***.0 / 4

2025.10.17

BONE LAKE // 2025

an erotic horror/thriller directed by a woman playing in theaters?? worth seeing just for the novelty, but luckily it was also incredibly fun, well acted and written, and grabs you within the first minute. a very realistic main relationship that sort of put TOGETHER to shame.

***.4 / 4

2025.10.17

TRON: ARES // 2025

pretty cool that greta lee got her own disney princess movie. never particularly good or bad, always safe and generic. i paid for THE LONG WALK and snuck into IMAX for this and it was inhumanly loud. the NIN score sounded better in the movie than on the album, but not by much.

*.5 / 4

2025.10.17

AMERICAN PSYCHO // 2000

aged beautifully. funnier and more relevant than ever. guin turner's satirical writing is top notch, and this is still christian bale's funniest performance. it was wonderful to experience it with the kind of audience it deserved the first time around.

***.9 / 4

2025.10.08

GHOSTS OF MARS // 2001

if THE THING was carpenter's ALIEN, this is his ALIENS. but production design and sets aside, it didn't really work. the cast should've had more fun, and it was probably one of carpenter's most generic scores. it remains hilarious that this is in luca guadagnino's top 10.

**.0 / 4

2025.10.08

THE THING // 1982

one of john carpenter's best, alongside THEY LIVE and ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13. what an incredible cast, and what truly incredible practical effects. was thrilled to catch this in theaters for for the first time this spooky szn.

**** / 4

2025.10.08

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER // 2025

great characters and story, but not my tempo -- literally, the pacing and very shit score threw the whole thing off for me. and no fun needledrops? PTA enjoyed his villains too much, i wanted more screentime with the rebels. cheers to the SET IT OFF reference!

**.8 / 4

2025.10.08

THE LONG WALK // 2025

i learned early in life that the bachman books are bleak af and i like my stephen king stories with a little more hope. but this movie, though unquestionably bleak, brought such humanity and beauty. excellent performances from the young cast, especially david jonsson.

***.3 / 4

2025.09.18

HARD BOILED // 1992

my first time at the newly renovated cinema du parc in montreal. it was loud and i had to use earplugs for the first time. but the movie was so much fun, and it was great to finally see what american action movies have been ripping off for years. looking forward to more!

***.0 / 4

2025.09.18

DEMON KNIGHT // 1995

adulthood is realizing jada pinkett's '90s movies were way cooler than will smith's. SET IT OFF, amirite? and this, which has a way better story than you'd expect and a killer frakking cast. cut out the tacky cryptkeeper bookends and this would've been more appreciated.

***.2 / 5

2025.09.13

AMOUR APOCALYPSE // 2025

a french-canadian, less optimistic, more climate anxious PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE. i think i understood the vibe of the french parts, tho i mistakenly thought one character was a sex worker until her final scene. good performances, and some honest moments.

**.8 / 4

2025.09.13

THE SHADOW'S EDGE // 2025

began very fast & furious, over the top and unafraid of cliches. but in a quieter second act, some surprisingly genuine/moving scenes come along. tony leung ka-fai steals the show as the old man villain. the macguffin is stolen crypto, no explanation why anyone cares.

***.0 / 4

2025.09.08