Contra Zoom Pod

Follow along on my #TIFF50 journey with my ranked TIFF watched list! boxd.it/Oz3sS

New review! In Whalefall a young man goes on a dive in memory of his recently dead father when he gets swallowed by a whale and much survive inside. Click to read Jeff Bulmer's ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-whal...

New review! The Only Living Pickpocket in New York has an aging petty thief who accidentally steals from the wrong person and puts his entire well being in jeopardy. Click to read Pedro Lima's ⭐️⭐️⭐️ review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-the-...

📣 Next screenings of FIRST COMES LOVE: NAKABINGWIT • Oct 25 | Reelworld Toronto • Nov 14 | Vancouver Asian Film Festival (VAFF) • Nov 15 | Mighty Niagara Film Festival, St. Catharines, Ontario New review below ⬇️!

New review! First Comes Love: Nakabingwit is a documentary that looks at mixed relationships featuring Filipino and white couples, the struggles they face and how they are treated. Click to read Paulo Bautista's ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-firs...

New review! When an urban explorer finds a box of vintage denim he plans to travel to Japan to sell them to a collector, except the collector has no intention of handing over money and before long the Yakuza is involved. Click to read Jeff Bulmer's ⭐️⭐️⭐️ review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-vint...

New review! In A Safe Distance, after Alex gets stranded in the woods, she is rescued by Kianna and Matt who we quickly learn are bank robbers. Alex quickly falls under their spell and decides to stick with them. Click to read Dakota Arsenault's ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-a-sa...

VIFF review for STILL NIGHT, BURNING HOUSE, directed by Carol Nguyen.

New review! Still Night, Burning House is a documentary exploring the death of director Carol Nguyen's uncle who suffered from schizophrenia and the relationship between mental health and Vietnamese culture. Click to read Dakota Arsenault's ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-stil...

New review! In Trial of Hein a young man returns to his remote fishing village in Germany after being away for 14 years. The locals don't recognize this man so they decide to hold a trial to verify his identity. Click to read Dakota Arsenault's ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-tria...

New review! In Club Kid, a 30-something gay man realizes that he has a 10 year old son and must abruptly get his own life back on track in order to take care of someone else's. Click to read Dakota Arsenault's ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-club...

New review! In Edie Arnold is a Loser, a group of young girls who go to all-girl Catholic school form a punk band called the Nundead as a form of protest of the schools rigid rules. Click to read Matt Sheardown's ⭐️⭐️⭐️ review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-edie...

New review! Filipiñana Is a dark satire about a young girl who works at an exclusive golf club and realizes the hypocrisy and gluttony of the rich elites who're members. The film's also the Philippines submission for the Oscars. Read Matt Sheardown's ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-fili...

New episode! We wrap up the Vancouver International Film Festival by talking about 6 films we enjoyed including La Bola Negra, Wild Horse Nine, The Debut and more! Click link in bio to listen. contrazoompod.com/346-2026-vif...

New review! Minotaur is a Russian drama about a couple who's relationship is falling apart as the file is having an affair. Things are made worse for their lives with Russia's ongoing invasion into Ukraine. Click to read Matt Sheardown's ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-mino...

New review! Late Fame looks at Ed Saxberger, a man who published a book of poetry when he was young but gets rediscovered now that he is much older but a group of young poetry enthusiasts. Click to read @plexsty.bsky.social's ⭐️⭐️⭐️ review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-late...

New blog! The Toronto After Dark Film festival runs from October 14-18th and specializes in horror and genre films. Jeff Bulmer previews three movies he's excited to see including Whalefall, 5 More Minutes and DRAG. contrazoompod.com/blog-toronto...

The 51st edition of TIFF ran from September 10-20th, and @contrazoompod.bsky.social looks at the award winners and discusses some of our favourite films that played. thatshelf.com/contra-zoom-...

New review! Yellow Letters tells the story about a theatre group that gets shut down and censored by the Turkish government after they put on a critical production of the administration. Click to read Dakota Arsenault's ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-yell...

The 51st edition of TIFF ran from September 10-20th, and @contrazoompod.bsky.social looks at the award winners and discusses some of our favourite films that played. thatshelf.com/contra-zoom-...

New review! Black Zombie is a documentary, which traces the original Voudou mythology with how zombies are now portrayed in media compared to the original roots they had. Click to read @elysiacb.bsky.social's ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-blac...

New review! Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother stars Mahershala Ali as a devout Muslim hitman with a code of honour who must find a way to keep his baby alive after his wife dies, but his work keeps getting in the way. Click to read Matt Sheardown's ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-your...

New review! The Debut is from Jesse Eisenberg and is about a timid housewife who gets a part in a community theatre production where the aggressive director pushes her so far out of her comfort zone to make her work. Click to read Matt Sheardown's ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-the-...

New review! We kick off our Calgary International Film Festival coverage with the Jay Baruchel who plays Ken Carter an iconic Dare Devil who attempted to jump across the St Lawrence in a rocket propelled car. Click to read Matt Sheardown's ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-the-...

New review! Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. is based on the seminal Judy Blume novel about a preteen girl who spends a year trying to discover her faith as puberty is coming at her head on. Click to read Dakota Arsenault's ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 physical media review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-are-...

New episode! We wrap up the 51st Toronto International Film Festival by talking about the big winners and films such as Everybody Wants To F*ck Me, Angh, The Surgeon and more! Click to listen. open.spotify.com/episode/31gT...

New review! Toy Gun Bandit sees teen Felix get in over his head quickly as he falls in with the wrong crowd and starts robbing banks. Click to read Dakota Arsenault’s ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-toy-...

New review! The Julia Set is a drama about a woman at university who joins a math competition only to find her up against her own peers. Clink to read Jeff Bulmer’s ⭐️⭐️⭐️ review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-the-...

New review! Heart of the Beast is a new David Ayer film starring Brad Pitt about a retired military pilot who goes on a solo trip to Alaska with his dog and must survive the wilderness after their plane goes down. Click to read Jeff Bulmer’s ⭐️⭐️ review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-hear...

New review! Primetime looks back at the infamous Chris Hansen hosted show To Catch A Predator. This film takes a dark look at how catching pedophile’s in the act was turned into entertainment. Click to read Jeff Bulmer’s ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 review! contrazoompod.com/reviews-prim...

New review! Ha-Chan Shake Your Booty tells the story of a widowed ballroom dancer who gets back into the scene who finds herself and new love in the process. Click to read @brodiecotnam.bsky.social’s ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-ha-c...

New review! Auntie Mame is a 1958 film about a rich heiress who suddenly finds herself taking care of her orphaned nephew as she learns to not be as selfish and care for people other than herself. Click to read Matt Sheardown’s ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 review of the 4K release. contrazoompod.com/reviews-aunt...

New review! Misty Green is the latest film from director Chris Rock, about an aging former star who struggles to regain her once successful career amidst personal and professional problems. Click to read Jeff Bulmer’s ⭐️⭐️ review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-mist...

New review! The Man I Love is a tragic love triangle from Ira Sachs about a charismatic actor who is dying from pneumonia. When Vincent moves into the same building as Jimmy things get complicated for the performer. Click to read Jeff Bulmer’s ⭐️⭐️⭐️ review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-the-...

New review! Angh is about a remote village in India that experiences Christian colonization where missionaries arrive and the devastating effects it has on everyone. Angh won the Platform Prize at TIFF. Click to read Jeff Bulmer’s ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-angh...

New review! Salvation is a blistering take on the self help/manosphere cycle that men get sucked into. Danny really does want to help people but is pushed into a pyramid scheme for therapy. Click to read Jeff Bulmer’s ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-salv...

New review! Love is the Monster takes place in a post apocalyptic world where you either live as a nuclear family or as a servant with dangerous people who live outside these castes. Click link in bio to read Jeff Bulmer’s ⭐️.5 review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-love...

New review! The World Before is an unrequited love story. When a young woman returns home for a funeral her former childhood best friend realizes he is in love with her despite not feeling the same way. Click to read Jeff Bulmer’s ⭐️⭐️⭐️ review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-the-...

📍 Catch LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BRIAN MULRONEY at the fall festivals, including TIFF Toronto, AIFF Halifax and VIFF Vancouver!

New review! The Last Photograph is the latest film from Zach Snyder as he attempts to make a serious message movie but instead falls flat on his face with a disaster of a film that is aimless and pointless. Click to read our ⭐️/5 review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-the-...

New episode! Matthew Rankin, the director of Universal Language, is back with a new documentary, Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney which had its world premiere at TIFF. Jeff Bulmer’s had the chance to chat with him about his new film. Click to listen. open.spotify.com/episode/6zbJ...

New review! Head to Head is a satire on Iranian censorship where a filmmaker is remaking a classic film but instead of an all female cast, it will now be performed only by men. Click to read Jeff Bulmer’s ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-head...

New review! Smudge the Blades is the latest film from Indigenous filmmaker Cody Lightning. He plays a washed up, alcoholic former pro hockey player who gets hired to coach a ragtag youth hockey team from his reserve. Click to read Jeff Bulmer's ⭐️⭐️.5 review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-smud...

New review! We kick off our 2026 TIFF coverage with Children Untold about a young Japanese girl who has to adjust to life as one of many new orphans following the WW2 as she attempts to build back her life. Click to read Jeff Bulmer's ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-chil...

New review! Crime Wave is a 1954 noir film from André De Toth that is now on Blu-ray. A reformed criminal gets sucked back into the underground where former associates committ a robbery and hide out at the man's home. Read Matt Sheardown's ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-crim...

New episode! The 51st edition of the Toronto International Film Festival kicks off this week and we preview 8 films were excited about including Alpha Gang, The Stunt Man, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother and more. Click link to listen. open.spotify.com/episode/64tq...

Who had the best Canadian film draft? Was it Dakota, Matthew, Bil or Matt? Have your say!

New review! The 7th Voyage of Sinbad is an adventure film from 1958 that tells an adventure of Sinbad the Sailor as he must go to a magicians island in order to save a princess. He must fight a cyclops, a dragon, a skeleton and more. Read Dakota’s ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-the-...

New review! Colony is a new zombie film from the director of Train To Busan about a group of people who get trapped in a mall when an outbreak happens. Click to read Jeff Bulmer’s ⭐️⭐️⭐️ review. contrazoompod.com/reviews-colo...

New episode! We love celebrating Canadian cinema, joining Dakota in drafting the best Canadian movies are Matthew Simpson, Bil Antoniou and Matt Sheardown. Click to listen! open.spotify.com/episode/0loQ...

New review! After being shelved by Warner Brothers, Coyote vs. Acme is finally coming out! This outrageous court room comedy about Wile E. Coyote suing the Acme Corporation gets ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from Jeff Bulmer. Click link to read. contrazoompod.com/reviews-coyo...