2049 - The F Word (aka What If)

If you're in the USA or UK then you might know this by the unfortunate title "What If" but here in Canada it's got the awesome title of "The F Word".  I love this movie so hard.  I'm a romantic-comedy nerd, so I give a lot of them a pass just because I like the genre, but when I find one that's done so amazingly well it makes me want to scream from the rooftops - and this one does.  It's a wicked funny script, a charming as hell cast, and a really mature direction that's also playful.  I think this was my favourite film at TIFF last year, and it's up there with my favourite of the year in general.  It's being added to the ranks of When Harry Met Sally and it deserves to be.  Elan Mastai and Michael Dowse have crafted a beautiful, funny, sweet, and heartfelt romance that isn't shy at all about being set mostly in Toronto.
This film came out wide in Canada this weekend and I think it's still in the USA - please please please go check it out - it deserves a huge audience.  If you see this film and don't laugh a fair bit it's likely because you're dead inside.  I love it and can't wait to own it!

2035 - The Grand Seduction

I tried to see this while it was on the festival circuit last year but it was always up against something I couldn’t miss - but it worked out nicely since I was able to go see it with my wife.  This is the kind of film where if you hated it, I might just accuse you of being dead inside.  It’s pretty damn charming.  It’s simple and sweet and entertaining.  Often films that take a gentler approach to innocent comedy pander a lot to their audience where this one felt pretty smart in it’s comedy.  I found myself laughing out loud regularly.  And Gordon Pinsent gives one of his most entertaining performances (in a career full of them) - also lovely to see Peter Keleghan as well.  Brendan Gleason was simply perfect as the small town man that steps up to rally the troops together and save the town.  If you’re from a small town, or just like good hearted films, please do yourself a favour and check this out - especially if you’re looking for something to do on Canada Day!

2033 - Orphan Black: season two

It's impossible to talk about Orphan Black without talking about Tatiana's performance.  Without exception she is not only the star of the show - she is the show.  She slips so effortlessly into the various characters that despite your efforts you often forget that it's all the same person.  Tat obviously has an amazing career ahead of her, but it's hard to think she'll ever have a playground to play in like she does on this series - exhausting as it must be.
This season continued the greatness of the first season and helped to build deeper into the mythos of this world and it's rules.  It was nice for me to see some actor friends show up in supporting roles, and even greater to see characters like Helena really get a chance to shine here.  I love the additional layers that the show started to uncover this season and it went a long way towards convincing me just how much more story there is to tell with this series.  If it's not the best series in Canada at the moment, it's easily the most interesting - and definitely putting ourselves on the map in terms of original content creation.

Bigfoot

I really enjoyed this little coming of age story about a young man growing up right in the midst of the most humiliating experience of his life.  I really like Pascal's drawing style, and it's been interesting reading his books almost in reverse and seeing how he's progressed.  It's about a young teen in Quebec who just became a YouTube in sensation (not in a good way) and how he deals with that and a crush and life in general.  It's sweet and honest and well worth your time if you like coming of age stories in this medium.

This One Summer

This is a really sweet coming of age story about a girl away for the summer stuck between a best friend whose younger and immature, and a teenage crush with an older bad-boy, and also stuck between her parents' own personal drama.  The artwork is gorgeous and once you've blasted through the story it demands another look through just so you can soak it all up.  If you're a lover of indie comics that are heartfelt and honest, this one is a must read.

2010 - I Declare War

I’ve wanted an excuse to check out this film for a while, and it’s in the wheelhouse of something I’m noodling with so I gave it a look see.  Let me start by getting the worst out of the way - the entire cast is made up of children and so there’s a range of performances here from really quite good to pretty one-note.  That said, given the type of film it is there’s a lot of forgiveness.  What starts off as a friendly game of capture the flag turns into something much more grown up in this really clever blend of coming-of-age story mashed up with a war film.  Right down to the sticks transforming into guns in the children’s minds there’s a lot of cleverness going on here.  It’s a surreal look at childhood imagination, and it goes the route of treating children as children and not making anything overly cute, but being honest about what kids are really like warts and all.  For me the only real flaws are a few iffy performances from the kids, the material might get a bit heavy handed at times - but it’s fitting for the kind of film it is, and while I’m sure it’ll bother others I was fine with it.  This film is available on iTunes and hopefully Netflix soon - it deserves some more eyeballs!

1998 - Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil

This was my selection for Canadian Film Day!  I wanted to watch something I hadn't seen before and I'm really glad I went with this one.  It would have been so easy for this premise to be terrible.  It's the story of two friends who get assumed to be redneck killers, and in the same confusion believe that the teens that think are being victimized are going after them (make sense?).
It's a really great (and bloody) comedy of errors and Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine are pure magic together.  Seriously - turn this into a Harold & Kumar-esque franchise and I am in for revisiting this world in a heart beat.  It's a bit over the top, but that's the point - this isn't the kind of film that's taking itself too seriously.  This is a really solid entry into the horror-comedy genre mix - and it's on netflix, so get on that!

1970 - The Privledged

Full disclosure - a producer I’m working with on various projects is one of the masterminds behind this bad boy.  It’s a thriller that tells the story of a young lawyer who chose to make an ethical choice in court and now it might cost him his job.  While visiting his boss at his up north cottage they are all attacked by a local family - and our hero is offered a chance to join the privileged 1% in return for siding with, arguably, the bad guy.  It’s a topical piece, and probably comes off a bit as a light thriller, but I dig it enough.  It’s not perfect, but if you like character thrillers where people dance with the darkness, and you’re a fan of True Blood’s Sam Trammel, then this might just be the ticket for you.

1969 - The Birder

I saw this film play at the Canadian Film Fest, and I was mostly interested in it because my dear friend Tommie Amber Pirie is in it, and also I dig Tom Cavanagh.  The Birder is a light comedy about a man who discovers that his life long dream has slipped out of his grasp.  There is an audience or this film, but sadly it’s not me.  It’s a very sweet film, and I think that the people that would respond to this film would like it a lot - for me it’s a bit too sugary sweet and tame.  Absolutely nothing wrong with that, just didn’t jive with my personal sensibilities.  I believe it’s getting a wider release shortly - so if you dig light comedies, this might just be up your alley.

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.

1944 - The Animal Project

This has been on my list to see since TIFF, but the screening schedule didn't work out - and it turned out that seeing it at Whistler was the perfect place.  I was fortunate to hang out with Ingrid through-out the week as well as cast members Aaron Poole, and Jessica Grecco - so you'll note I have a bias of some kind for this film.  Ingrid does not make conventional films - however I don't find them to be the pretentious lot that we get out of this country in droves some times.  Ingrid's films are always interesting and ask important questions - and this one asks some of her biggest and best yet, and it's no wonder that it's my favorite of her four films.  Centered around an acting class where the teacher is running out of ways to motivate his class, he comes upon a social and acting experiment.  I won't say much more because this is a film that's all about the journey.
It's being released in Canada in March (I believe) - not some where else through-out the world.  But if you're a lover of supporting Canadian filmmakers you really need to make this a priority.  Oh, and if this isn't enough to sell you on Ingrid and her films - do yourself a favor and google "Ingrid Veninger and Melissa Leo" and see what else this force of a woman got up to during Whistler - it was pretty amazing :)

1943 - Don't Get Killed in Alaska

It is a relief for me to say that I honestly loved this film.  Full disclosure - I'm very good friends with the lead, Tommie-Amber Pirie, so I should be biased.  If I'd seen this film without having known her, I know I'd have become obsessed and wanted to track her down.  She carries this film in an effortless way.  It's her film to own as she is the centre piece, but she is commanding.  I went through every emotion that she did.  It's a beautiful performance, but an amazingly talented actor, and I'm so excited to work with her on anything upcoming.  It's a seriously amazing performance.
It's the story of a young girl trying to figure her shit out, which she believes will be helped by spending the winter on a fishing boat in Alaska, so she goes around visiting her family one-by-one looking for a hand-out to help get to Alaska.  It's beautifully shot and doesn't at all feel it's budget.  I don't think there's any current plans outside of the film festival circuit, and while this film isn't for everyone - it's for a pace that's slower than most people enjoy - but any of the film's shortcomings, of which are very very minor, are fixed by the talented performances from the entire cast.  Such a beautiful drama with amazing moments of honest comedy.  Please check it out as soon as you can!

1938 - Starbuck

I wanted to watch this for sometime, but jumped on it as it's somewhat similar ground to my current project BASTARDS.  And for those up on the current trailers the Vince Vaughn "Delivery Man"is an update on this story - or as it looks a direct beat for beat remake, with the same director and everything.
It follows the story of a lovable loser who on the verge of getting his longtime girlfriend pregnant discovers that he's the father of 533 children by way of sperm donation, and a hundred or so of them are trying to figure out who he is.
It's a pretty sweet coming of age story about an almost middle aged guy, and it's no surprise that it caught the attention of Hollywood.  I'm torn about seeing the remake since I don't imagine it'll be much different - but if you're a comedy lover and especially if you're a Canadian than you owe it to yourself to watch this version first - it's available on iTunes.  It's a feel good flick.

1924 - Solo

I got to check this film out to a packed audience at Toronto After Dark Film Festival earlier this week.  Full disclosure - one of the producers of this film is someone I'm working with on some upcoming projects, however I would never write an ass-kissy review just because of it.
The premise of this film is that a young woman goes to camp to be a new counsellor - and part of her initiation is spending 2 nights on a nearby island.  And nerve wracking shit ensues.
What I liked about this as a thriller is it felt largely credible.  There's one moment where I has to suspend disbelief a bit, but even that I might just be being nit-picky.  Annie Clark is delightful as the lead - she's doesn't play it stupid or naive - she plays it like a smart young woman caught up in a really shitty situation.
It's the kind of film that keeps you guessing, keeps you on edge, and entertains at the same time.  That and it's just so goddamn pretty to look at - they really took great care in the visual.  It's being released in Canada in the near future - so pretty please check it out - especially if you like film that keep you on your toes!

1908 - The Husband

The Husband tells a story of the saddest guy ever.  His wife, a teacher, has slept with one of her teenage students, and while off to jail has left him alone with their newborn child (when exactly did this affair take place, given how young the baby is?... was it before?...).  On top of that he's being further emasculated at work by younger employee.  It's just a shitty situation for this guy.  So we're programmed to have nothing but empathy for him... except I didn't... and that's what I bumped up against in this film.  I'm not against the choice of having the main character seem pissed off the whole time 'cause of the shitty situation he's been dealt - I get that - but the film has made the choice to make him... well, unlikeable.  I should have had nothing but empathy for this guy - but I didn't and I'm trying to figure out why.  Mostly it's probably because the choices the guy made - he just kind of ... acted, without and kind of a plan - and when we seem him trying to break out on his own career-wise, well, he just doesn't seem all that good at his job.
I really wanted to like this film, and there's some good elements going on with it, but I really had a hard time finding an in with the main character.  From the reviews I read, I think there's an audience for this type of film, and likely it just wasn't the right fit for me at the time I viewed it.  Please, though, if it seems interesting to you at all, please give it a shot and judge for yourself!

1901 - The F Word

Now.  THIS is an example of making an accessible, commercial film inside of Canada.  But Michael Dowse is no stranger to that with Good.  Dowse is easily one of my favorite working directors in Canada.  I've been tracking this film for a while because two of my friends have small parts in it, but I'd be tracking it anyway because of Dowse alone.
It's easy to label this film as an update on When Harry Met Sally, but it's more than just that.  It throws you right into a head-on witty banter and doesn't let you go from that.  Of course you're in for a will they/won't they type film, but the situations they're put into aren't just for laughs or annoying suspense.  You feel their angst and confusion.  There's a pitch-perfect scene that takes place inside of a change room which anyone writing an effective rom-com should study.  It's a fantastic moment and the film is full of them.  Radcliffe is quite charming once you get used to the idea of him as a romantic interest (which does take a moment to adjust to) and Zoe Kazan is downright adorable - Adam Driver rounds out the cast nicely.
This film made a big splash at TIFF, and rightly so, so I think it won't be long before you can see it yourself.  Make sure you do.

1897 - TIFF - Short Cuts Canada - Programme 2

So full disclosure - this is the programme that I screened in in TIFF this year - and since this is my blog, I'm including a still from my own film about to represent the group.  Sue me :)
Over-all I really enjoyed the flow of the programme, which must be an art in and of itself to do for those in charge.  The program is at one time beautiful, challenging, heartfelt, and hilarious.  I look forward to staying in touch with these filmmakers and see how they grow.  Below, a snapshot on my thoughts on the films in this program:

A Grand Canal - Directed by Johnny Ma
The visual style was quite striking and made it feel like it took place in the 70's.  It's the story of a young man recounting his father's final days.  Based on how the narrative ends you're lead to believe that the filmmaker is telling the story of his own father - but this is just a dramatic device, and sadly I felt like it was a little bit of a cheat when I found that out.  It shouldn't make the film's ending any less satisfying, but for me - somehow it did...

Beasts in the Real World - Directed by Sol Friedman
A delightfully experimental film.  It starts off by putting a camera on the conveyer belt of a sushi restaurant and I was worried that was all the film was going to be - but Sol is good hands to be in as he pushes you around and makes you delight in glee at some morbid stuff, all done with a lovely wink.

Seasick - Directed by Eva Cvijanovic
My joke through-out the festival was that any of the animated filmmakers were infinitely talented than any of the live-action ones - and while that's not true necessarily, I've always been a bit jealous of the skill set.  The animation here is beautiful - the story is all the way secondary, and not really the point.  But lovely all around.

Daybreak - Directed by Ian Lagarde
This film was disturbing in a deliberate and challenging way.  The story of a bunch of asshole kids on the cusp of being adults and figuring out what that means, where you stand, and who your real friends are.  A dark, sad, yet beautiful film.

Noah - Directed by Walter Woodmen & Patrik Cederberg
This might be my favorite of our program.  First off, the idea of having it take place entirely online is timely and satisfying.  I dare say the filmmakers should consider a feature version of this.  I found myself engaged, laughing out loud, rooting for this young stupid kid.  You'll likely be able to see this one on-line - do it!!!

Out - Directed by Jeremy LaLonde
This one is mine.  It's a comedy and people laughed.  Mission accomplished!

Young Galaxy - Directed by James Wilkes
What's it like to live inside of the mild of a child.  The answer is this.  Imagination abounds here, although I have to say that I didn't get a sense of a lesson learned.  It's one thing to put us inside the mind of a child so effortlessly, but the film doesn't answer - why his imagination - why this day, why, why why?  Too many questions and not enough answers, sadly.  Why are we inside of his head on THIS day.  

1896 - Stay

I am officially in love with Taylor Schilling.  And I also found myself adoring Aidan Quinn, who I can normally not really get all that excited about - as far as I know it's the first time he's really played his age in recent years.
The film is about a young woman who is dating a man old enough to be her father, living in Ireland.  They have a nice simple life until she discovers she's pregnant, and knowing that he doesn't want children, the two take some alone time to figure out their shit, which includes her leaving their place in Ireland for her to return him to Canada to figure some stuff out (her father, played by Michael Ironside, was a delightful surprise).
The film starts off as a simple story of a couple, but then it ends up being an ensemble by the end, and the shift is confusing at first.  It muddles the central story a bit and left me wondering what the over-all themes of the piece there were.  Solid performances make the film an easy recommend, though, and make up for any of the film's minor flaws.

1895 - The Right Kind of Wrong

I often complain that Canada doesn't bother making commercial films very often, which is part of the problem with our film system.  So first off, I want to give kudos to this filmmaking team for even making the attempt.  That being said, this isn't exactly the kind of film I hope for when I make such comments.  It's got some charm to it, absolutely, but the premise is... I don't know... A man, who has become the subject of his ex-wife's book "Why You Suck" falls in love with a woman on her wedding day based solely on the fact that she kicks the hell out of a football whilst in a wedding dress.  Granted, the film mocks him for this, it doesn't change the fact that this is a rom-com because Ryan Kwanten is cast in the lead.  Put Paul Giamati in this role and the women aren't exactly getting behind his goal of making this woman fall for him.
I could actually forgive the film all of that if it didn't commit the biggest sin - being a rom-com with no 'com'.  It's just not funny, really.  The film has a solid message behind it, but the characters aren't grounded in any kind of reality to help support that message, instead relying on cliches like cute kids who are way too smart for their own good and instead of stealing scenes mostly just elicit eyeball rolls.
The highlights of this film is how beautiful Canada looks in it and just how great Sara Canning is.  She's easily the highlight of the film, and if there's a reason to check it out - it's her.

1894 - Empire of Dirt

Got to see the World Premiere of this at TIFF, and since then I've heard such varying things about it.  It's the story of three generations of women trying to sort their lives out and figure out how to deal with one another.  I've heard people say that it's absolutely brilliant and others calling it an unfocused mess.  I'm somewhere in the middle.  I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either.  I found the visuals to be distracting in that it felt like an artistic choice that was more interesting for the filmmakers than suiting of the story and world.  In the Q&A Stebbings mentioned that the film was an experiment in him not using a storyboard or shot-list, and it feels like that.  Also they mentioned not knowing where an expositional speech that everyone loved should go.  Right now, they've placed it at the very end of the film, and it almost feels like it's explaining, on-the-nose, all the subtleties we've been going through for the last two hours.  This was one of the larger complaints about the film I'd heard as well.
So I don't really recommend this film one way or the other.  If you're a fan of heavy dramas this could be right up your alley.