Niall's Picks

Niall's Picks

Like many, my formative, childhood cinema-going adventures were filled with escapist fare like fantasy and sci-fi - I still recall the mind-blowing sensation of watching Star Wars at aged five! My interest and appreciation for cinema grew as I grew, and in later years the discovery of the work of directors like Pedro Almodovar, Spike Lee, Jane Campion, Terrence Davies and Wong Kar Wai as well as countless others from previous and subsequent generations, provided further escapism, though instead of galaxies far, far away, I was transported into the lives of characters in far flung corners of the world. Now, the films I enjoy cover all genres, from lavish, golden-era musicals and film noir to minimalist kitchen sink dramas, documentaries, and everything in between. I think my picks illustrate my eclectic taste - I hope you enjoy them!

Niall's Picks
  • About Niall's Picks

  • Unarmed Verses

    "There's a quiet, discreet magic at work with Charles Officer's latest documentary, Unarmed Verses." The Globe and Mail

    Winner Hot Docs Film Festival
    Seattle International Film Festival
    Winner Vancouver Film Festival

    A thoughtful and vivid portrait of a community facing imposed relocation. At ...

  • Nîpawistamâsowin We Will Stand Up

    The story of the killing of Colten Boushie and his family's pursuit of justice.

  • Spoon

    Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
    Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival

    There are many aspects that have defined our turn towards modernity and our plunge into the post-modern era. There are the ways in which we communicate, there are the ways in which we travel, the ways in which we work an...

  • The Smart Studios Story

    SXSW

    Wendy Schneider’s illuminating documentary pays tribute to the history of Madison, Wisconsin-based recording studio, Smart Studios and its connection to the global rise of Alternative Rock in the 1990s. Featuring fantastic archive material and contributions from its founders and many of the...

  • The General (1926)

    Cannes Film Festival
    Berlin International Film Festival
    International Film Festival Rotterdam

    When the American Civil War breaks out, confederate railroad engineer Johnny Gray has his beloved locomotive carrying his fiancée stolen by Union spies. He boards another massive train, and sets out to ...

  • Brainiac: Transmissions After Zero

    “Compelling… ‘Transmissions After Zero’ chronicles Brainiac’s unlikely rise and subsequent fall with intelligence and humor.” -Variety

    SXSW Film Festival
    Cleveland Film Festival
    Cork Film Festival

    In the mid 90’s the Dayton, OH music scene became a hot spot generating worldwide buzz for the inf...