8-Bit Christmas (2021)

A Christmas Story for kids who grew up in the '80s. All Jake Doyle wants for Christmas is a Nintendo Entertainment System, and he must beg and claw his way to success. This movie hits home if you intimately know that gnawing feeling of envy when your neighbor shows off the latest electronic toys and all you can do is admire from afar. Probably not so much if you were the actual spoiled rich kid in question. With tons of heart, humor and nostalgia in full force (as well as the pain and tears), this is a new holiday classic in the making.

3½ Power Gloves out of 5

THE F WORD [2013]

aka What If 

Mostly known for vulgar Canadian comedies, director Michael Dowse takes a more tender turn into romance with The F Word (re-titled What If in the U.S.).
A pip-pip in Toronto,  wearied from failed romances, meets a young Canadian woman, already in a serious relationship, who he quickly becomes friends with but yearns for more.  Rom-coms are the sort of film that are so formulaic you know exactly how it's going to play out so it needs to depend on the characters and dialogue to hold the viewer's attention.  Fortunately every actor involved has a lovable sort of presence and parts written well enough so that they don't come off as overly privileged whiny snots, which is all to frequent in these types of films.   

3 alternate names for Cool Whip out of 5

GOON [2012]

Michael Dowse, writer/director of the hilariously disturbing Fubar films, hits the ice with the Jay Baruchel & Evan Goldberg scripted Goon.

It's pure Canadian hockey humour that will probably fly over most folks' heads and possibly shock some along the way.  It's brutally violent and filled with some overly filthy Canadian language but somehow manages to ground itself with a lot of heart.  It's a little unfocused, flat on character development and rushed at times but packs in just enough laughs to be forgiveable.  

3 Trailer Park Boys out of 5