I love television—I always have. I love being swept up in a story and having the opportunity to get to know captivating characters, to get to return to their lives week after week. As I’ve gotten older and started to explore film-making myself, my appreciation for shows that take risks has really grown. I admire […]
Author Archives | Janna Jeffrey
The Lego Movie: Everything Really Is Awesome
A film entirely made out of CGI Legos, full of pop culture references and celebrity voice talents. One that’s promised to be “fun for the whole family” and yet also geared towards the nostalgia of those in their teens, twenties, and thirties. What could possibly save this film from being anything but a lazy Hollywood […]
That Awkward Moment: Awkwardly Funny, or Just Awkward?
Most romantic comedies are set up the same way: the quirky but cute female protagonist, who “isn’t like the other girls”, goes through a series of mishaps, misunderstandings, and misfortunes until she winds up in the arms of her One True Love. It’s a formula as old as time – or at least as old […]
Are You Ready for a Relationship? Maybe Not.
Now that I’m in my mid-twenties, I’ve noticed a common trend among many others my age: the desire to be in a relationship. People who, up until now, enjoyed being single and playing the field are now interested in finding someone special and committing to them. Whether it’s from watching others their age do the […]
How to Enjoy Christmas on a Budget
The holidays are supposed to be a joyous time of year—one for spending with family, friends and loved ones, for giving and bringing smiles to peoples’ faces. Many people go all out and indulge in the parties, the celebration, and the gifts. And that’s great! But once January rolls around, their bank accounts are empty. […]
Janna Does TIFF: You Are Here
Owen Wilson, Zach Galifianakis, and Amy Poehler are some of the most recognizable names in comedy today – and, certainly, some of the most bankable. Being a fan of one of those three comedic actors is likely a guarantee that a viewer will go out and watch any project they’re attached to, and will have […]
Janna Does TIFF: Can A Song Save Your Life?
Earnestly sweet, musical-based films set in New York City tend to be one of two things: overbearingly saccharine and sentimental, or touching and beautiful. I wasn’t expecting much from Can A Song Save Your Life?, but to my delight, it turned out to be the latter.
Janna Does TIFF: Night Moves
In a film about a large-scale act of terrorism, you expect to see grand plans, lots of build-up, and a climax at the main event. But as Kelly Reichardt proves with her film Night Moves, sometimes the real story takes place after the main event goes boom.
Janna Does TIFF: Kill Your Darlings
At the base of the movie poster, the tagline reads, “A true story of obsession and murder.” And while murder is the climactic basis for this story of the Beat generation, it’s the different natures of obsession coupled with strong performances that give Kill Your Darlings its legs and a reason to watch.
Janna Does TIFF: Parkland
Practically every American citizen alive in 1963 can instantly give you an answer to the question, “Where were you when JFK was shot?” It’s a moment that spawned endless media coverage, reformed government security measures, and set eyes around the world firmly on the First Family. But in Parkland, audiences are asked to look elsewhere […]
Janna Does TIFF: Life of Crime
A clueless housewife, two incompetent kidnappers, a gun-toting roommate, a wimpy hopeful lover, and an indifferent husband with a brash mistress – sounds like the beginning of a great joke, right? Or at least the makings of a fun and mad-cap comedy. Unfortunately, despite the talented actors and empowering ending, Life of Crime never really […]
Janna Does TIFF: Prisoners
When a film debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival only two weeks prior to being released in theatres, people asked me, “Why bother paying extra to see something now, when you can just see it for the price of a regular ticket later this month?” I told them that, for some films, I just […]
Janna Does TIFF: The Double
Over the next three months, The Hudsucker will be bringing you reviews from some of the most talked-about films from the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival. Stay tuned every Saturday for advice on which films you should watch out for in the coming year – and which ones you’re better off skipping. In real life, […]
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Can You Have a Happy Marriage Without Sex?
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He Said, She Said: Husband Wants Kids, But Wife Doesn’t
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Veronica Mars Prize Pack Giveaway
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Hitting Highs with David Cook’s “Laying Me Low”
The Hudsucker 