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!

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.

1890 - Harry Potter & the Philosopher's Stone

I've been looking for a reason to revisit these, and having children is a pretty good one.  We watched this because I wanted to take a crack at reading the first book to my four year old, and while he's pretty good about books with a lot of pictures, because there's a lot of fantasy elements to this he had a hard time visualizing what was there, so I decided to give him a look-see at the film world.
They're sooooo little here.  It's kind of adorable - and what a different tone this film is by the time to we get to the end-game.  One day I would love to do a marathon of all eight films - I think that's something that will have to happen when the kids are teenagers for sure.
This film still stands up, and its fantastic how much foreshadowing is going on, even here, despite how little the filmmakers knew about where the story was going.  There's even subtle moments between Ron and Hermoine.  Charming to say the least.
If you've never dived into these, and you like fantasy even a little, give it a go.  If nothing else than for the pop cultural value.

1883 - Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows: Part II

I don't know why I felt compelled to watch this - mostly 'cause I wanted something fun on in the background while I got some work done.  It's a tough film, this one, really just being the second half of something else.  Voldemort is kind of a weak villain here.  You don't really get a sense of his "plan" - what's he going to do if he wins?  What does that mean?  Is he going to take over the world?  You don't really get a strong sense of it.  Is he just going to be pure evil and try to make everyone else likewise?  That's my bigger issue with this series, mostly the films, is that we don't get a strong sense of the stakes outside of the typical good Vs. evil and life Vs. death.  

That being said the film is a lot of fun, the performances are solid, and it's a grand send-off for the series.  I'm really looking forward to exploring this world with my kids when they're old enough.