1966 - Alan Partridge

I can’t say I was super up to date on the legacy of Alan Partridge outside of knowing that he’s a Steve Coogan character that’s lasted for several decades.  I love that idea of having a persona that can last for that long and something to build upon.  So with that I can safely say that this film works whether you’re a Partridge fan or not - so long as you appreciate British humour, you’re good to go.  It’s the kind of comedy where there’s literally several laughs a minute and a bunch you miss just because you’re still recovering from the last one.

And let’s call it what it is - this is just a fun film - it’s not the kind of thing that’s going to change your life or leave you having a long conversation about the human condition - it’s just meant to be a lot of fun, and that’s exactly what it is.  So if that’s what you’re in the market for check it out while it’s in theatres in Canada.  Highly recommend it to cure the everlasting winter blues.

1945 - Gabrielle

This is the kind of film that sounds like such a cliche for awards fodder, and maybe that's true to some degree, but that doesn't outweigh the fact that it's so goddamn good.  It centres around the uncomfortable topic of the sexuality of handicapped people - it's about so much more, of course, but that's the hot button controversial issue and it's such an interesting conversation to have.  Having done some significant work a long time ago with handicapped people it's something that I absolutely thought about and am glad to see a film tackling it.  Using an actor who has a disability as the lead character was an inspired choice, and she's magic on screen.  This is a beautifully told story that doesn't lead you in any one direction or condemn you for your opinions.  It's our entry this year in Canada for best foreign Oscar, and I'm damn proud of that.

1902 - The Wonders

This film didn't do a whole lot for me, sadly.  It was full of double crosses and "who's screwing who" and it flipped flopped till I couldn't quite keep it straight.  Charming in pieces, and I liked the performers.

1800 - Caesar Must Die

Another film I caught at the Santa Barbara Film Festival was this unique adaptation of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.  The backdrop is this - a high-security is putting on a production of Julius Caesar with it's inmates acting as the actors.  Through the course of the film we watch them rehearse, all leading up to the performance, and through all of that we get the actual play alongside the commentary of the prisoners as they find ways to relate to the material. 
It's a pretty unique idea, right?  Sadly it was too much in the middle for me.  I would have preferred if it was just Julius Caesar set in a men's prison, or if it was more about the prisoners putting on the play, but with some more personal b-story.  It met the ideas in the middle and I think, suffered for it.  I believe this film has actually been around for a few years at this point, and not sure how else one could see it.  If you're a big Shakespear nerd then you'll probably want to check this out just because.  Not sure I can highly recommend it to anyone outside of that circle.

1784 - Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging

Watched this on a whim from netflix.  I'm studying teen comedies at the moment and thought I'd check out this one.  It's a pretty basic story of a teen girl trying to navigate the awkwardness of being a teenager, find a boyfriend as well as social and self acceptance.
Is it a predictablity-fest?  Sure, to some extent - although to be fair that's exactly the kind of film that this is...  Despite being a bit on the cheesy side from time to time it's surprisingly frank and I think really cuts to the core of people in that age range currently.  This could be a fun film to throw at a teenage daughter who's coming into their own.  Also, very fun soundtrack.  Cinephiles aren't going to dig this, but it's not for them.  Those who would like it, I can only assume would like it a lot.

1719 - The Job

A review I read of this film said that it was like The Apprentice on steroids.  I assumed that meant in a stylistic and energy way.  That it was not.  In terms of how cruel they are to the participants, that might be the case.
The documentary follows a group of candidates for a job over the course of two days as they are tested and ripped apart by a recruitment group.  Apparently this is not an uncommon thing these days.  Thank the sweet lord that I work in the arts.
I liked some bits in this film as there was some wonderful harsh comments, and I'm always a fan of that.  But the biggest problem is that the film never gives you a reason to root or care for any of these people.  You're not even sure what the job is or if it's worth it for these people to go through hell to get.  Visually it's about as boring as a film can be and it takes place, almost entirely, inside a conference room. 
The fact that this film is a feature is pretty bold.  I think it could have made a pretty effective 20 minute short.  It has a few more screenings at the festival, but I have a hard time recommending it.  Like I said, I find some of it quite interesting, but on the whole it was a bit of a chore to sit through.

1695 - Romantics Anonymous

We're sans-older-child tonight and since my wife doesn't watch as many films these days she was given full choice for our movie night and she discovered this on netflix.
It's a french film about two misfits, a chocolatier who is too shy to admit that she's one of the most talented in the world, and a man who owns a dying chocolate factory.  So it's the kind of film going in knowing that we're really just biding time until the happy ending where our misfits connect.  Films like this are all about the journey and this one is pretty damn enjoyable.  Their individual issues border on the quirky-for-the-sake-of-being quirky, but it works all the same and you find yourself rooting for and getting behind them.  It's not a perfect film and it's a tad bit sappy in parts, but it's lovely all the same.  Makes your sweet tooth tingle, it does! 
I would put this one into the really-lovely-rainy-afternoon film category. 

1624 - Coupling: series one

I'm extremely late to this, but luckily the BBC does short seasons so it won't take much to get through the entire catalog.  Those that know me know that I'm a big fan of anything to do with relationships - and this series is a dozy in that way.  Kind of a riskier British version of Friends, really.  It's frank about the relationship between men and women, attacking both sexes with equal ferocity, creating much laughter and much "I know exactly what you mean..."
The cast is quite enjoyable, and despite the very broad tone I found it working for it as opposed to against it.  It's a simple service that allows itself to function well and run a slew of different topics for relationships and couples and explore them from six unique perspectives.  This series (UK version of seasons) covered a wonderful width of topic that was quite delightful.  It's got a tame feel to it, but underneath it's pretty open minded even if being a tad bit dirty.  It doesn't pull any punches when it comes to sex and relationships and it's all the better for it.
If you've got netflix and you like shows about people and the battle of the sexes, you could do a lot worse than this.  I highly recommend it.

1548 - Jamie's Return to School Dinners

We were excited to watch this after enjoying the original series so much.  It picks up a year or so later to find that, although the program is still running along, it's only the first stage in what really needs to happen.  Jamie takes the fight to the core, calling parents out for their lack of attention to what's happening with their children and their meals.  He calls the gov't into question - taking it all the way up to Tony Blair after the "minister of the week" is unable to give him a proper answer about how long they can commit to the cause.  As a person who feels strongly about food and our relationship to it I really enjoy this and I think that Oliver is a pretty damn good spokesperon for our generation.  He's got a bunch of other series that I really hope netflix picks up. 
You could see this without seeing the series first, but I'm not sure why you'd want to.  Watch it and do it with your kids or your parents or whomever. 

1533 - Departures

My wife wanted to watch this in honor of Japan.  With my brother-in-law living there with his beautiful wife we've got a personal connection to the place, and so it really means nothing to anyone, but we thought this was a good a time as any to pop it into the player.  Ridiculous as it is, I've got a stack of Japanese cinema I've been meaning to watch and I might just use this as the inspiration to finally dive into it. 
My wife bought this film for her parents on a whim.  It's about a man who gets into the business of... well it's hard to explain - he's not an undertaker - I believe the correct term is 'coffiner'.  He performs a ceremony for families for the deceased.  Anyway.  It's a pretty enjoyable film.  Its got a unique tone to it where just when you think it's going to dip into melodrama it has these wonderfully light and often humorous moments.  If I have to complain about it at all I'd say that it probably could have been a little tighter, and I'm not sure I needed the voice-over.  A tad "on the nose" for my liking.  That being said it really is a lovely film and worth checking out if you're into foreign cinema at all.
Departures

1527 - Starter For 10

For some reason in the last week or so this film came to me in several different ways.  I've never really cared for James McAvoy one way or another, but he is quite enjoyable here.  He's endearing, really.  Alice Eve is gorgeous and well represents the kind of girl that most men would kill to be with, and in a nice twist of fate she's not a bitch, or an idiot, she's a genuinely nice person.  But the problem is that she's not really the perfect girl - Rebbecca Hall is, and is she ever.  There is this amazing sweetness and earnestness that comes in the scenes between Hall and McAvoy that is sadly rare in this type of film.  You feel these two people connecting and you want, ever so badly, for them to find a way to be together.  There's a scene between them on New Years Eve that should be a text-book scene to study for anyone wanting to show soulmates awkwardly gearing up for their first intimate moment.  It's lovely. 
Look at me babbling on without saying what the film is about.  More or less it's about a guy who wants to prove himself by being on University Quiz show and also his dealings with his personal relationships.  I realize that I'm not selling it really well here - but it really is a wonderful film.  It starts off a bit slow, but picks up nicely quickly.  It's the kind of film that sneaks up on you, but in such a great way.
Starter for 10  Starter for 10 [Blu-ray] 

1450 - Doghouse

A horror comedy about a bunch of men looking to get away from their nagging female counter-parts for a weekend, only to end up in a town that's inhabited by female zombies. There's something fun in that idea alone. The film has a bunch of interesting ideas and gags, even if I do think that they missed a few opportunities. The film desperately wants to be Shaun of the Dead, but it's not funny enough, nor are the actors charming enough to really pull it off.
That being said, for those who are fans of the horror-comedy genre, I promise that there will be stuff for you to enjoy. In the very least it's a hell of a fun ride for the most part - just not as scary and funny as it should be.

1434 - A Somewhat Gentle Man

This is Stellan Skarsgard as you've never seen him - although maybe it's just that I haven't seen enough of his films. This is one of those "guy gets out of prison and has to re-evaluate his life" kind of films. It's got a wonderfully dark sense of humor. I found that it got a little bit repetitive and dragged on just a bit. Could have been a tad tighter for my liking with a little bit more going on. Fantastic characters, some groan-inducing (in a good way) comical stuff. I liked it enough to recommend.

1433 - At World's End

One of the programmer's at CIFF told me that this was probably her favorite film in the world cinema category this year and I can see why. It's a fantastic action adventure but with a wonderful sense of humor. The entire cast is just a great group of misfits that are a lot of fun to spend time with. The premise is a bit zany, and they poke enough fun at it, and it's the kind of film where you just can't predict where the hell it's going to go so you sit back and enjoy the ride. It's a wonderful film and I hope they release a north america bluray at some point.

1429 - Heartbeats

I haven't seen Dolan's first feature, but I have to be absolutely honest when I say that I have no idea how this film has gotten the praise that it does. Reviewers use the words "bold vision", etc... to describe something that is, for my taste, unremarkable. The film is gorgeous to look at. There is absolutely no denying that. It's a technically well made film. Even that actors are all strong, but they aren't given a whole lot to do. In fact, it's an exercise in watching unlikable people. A boy and girl are best friends and both fall in love with this guy who is, for lack of a better term, a douche. The film uses these spralling sections shot in slo-motion that doesn't do anything besides show off the pretty photography. I like to think that my taste is pretty flexible and I can tolerate things with a mild level of pretension if the film is able to say something about the human condition. I don't know what Dolan's intention was here. It's unclear to me. If someone has seen this movie and absolutely loves it, please please please tell me why. I need to understand...

1420 - Made in Dagenham

This if the kind of film where, if you don't find yourself cheering the characters on, then you probably don't have much of an intact heart. Revolving around women in the UK trying to get equal pay to men the film keeps a pretty good balance and rarely dips into melodrama for effect - just one side story does. This film is just packed with some great lines, and some wonderful performances including Bob Hoskins who I adore here. The real star of this film, however, is Sally Hawkins. Some of you know of her already, but the rest of you will soon. She should be nominated for this film. She deserves it. This is the kind of film that I think is going to reach a lot of people. I think that the audience for this film is large and it deserves to find it. Easily recommended.

1409 - Griff the Invisible

Here's an example of a film there I nearly walked out of, but because I stayed I found myself quite liking a lot of aspects of it. I hate to say that, while the script to this is full of wonderful stuff, I think it should have been directed by someone else. The tone and pace doesn't work, and sometimes the performances don't either - and I'm not quite sure that it's the actors fault. This is the kind of film that has a great premise and needs someone else to remake it to fully realize the ideas that are going on within it, 'cause at it's core, it's a really fantastic and sweet story - it just didn't quite get it out in the way that it needed to.
So the film is a bit of a train wreck for a large part of it, but there is enough here to make me say that you might want to check it out. The performance by Maeve Dermody is worth the price of admission alone.

1406 - Three

If I'm honest I find Tykwer to be a bit of a hit and miss. Like everyone else I loved the hell out of Run Lola Run. This film took a while to get going for me, but once it did I was pretty engaged in the characters. It's arty almost for the sake of it rather than because the film requires it. I think it would have been just as effective played straight. Personally I think that the film could have been a good half hour shorter and still had more going on. Good performances, interesting story, but this isn't for everyone, that's for sure. If you like slow-moving-European-dramas, you'll eat it up.

1405 - I Saw the Devil

Anyone who likes Asian horror-thrillers will eat this up. It starts with quite an intense bang. The one thing that I find is better overseas in horror is the emotion behind it, and it's there in spades at the beginning of this film. Here's the gist of what it's about:
A man's wife is killed by a sadistic serial killer, so he hunts him down and when he catches him, instead of killing him, he decides to play with him the way a cat does a mouse - hurting him, releasing him, hurting some more, until the mouse figures out how to get away from the cat.
Sound interesting? It is. And despite it's two and a half hour length, it moves along at a pretty good clip. If gore bothers you, you may well wish to avoid this one. It's the kind of film that people will either love or hate, and I bet dollars to doughnuts that we're going to see a North American remake in the near future.

1387 - Amelie

It's hard to believe that this film is almost a decade old now. It makes me feel old. When this film came out I was in film school, and it was kind of in the middle of nowhere, so if we wanted to see films that weren't the usual fare, we'd have to either drive to Toronto, or one of the art house cinemas in Waterloo or Hamilton. Those were great roadtrips, and we'd often do double, sometimes triple bills. At the time, I saw this film nine times. That's how much I loved it. This was just as DVD was starting to explode, and films stayed in the theatres a little longer, and there was more of a lag before they came out for home purchase. I took everyone I could to go see this film. Audrey Tautou is flawless in this film. I love her to pieces, and she breaks my heart with her performance. This film is full of lovely ideas, comic gems, and general genuine heart. This is Jeunet as his absolute finest, and it's the kind of film that inspires you endlessly. If you've never seen this film you absolutely have to. It's must-see-cinema.