Telephone

Time to weigh in folks. I got an iPhone this weekend, and while I'm trying not to get completely obsessed with this lovely toy, it's clear that I have merged on to the express lanes of the information superhighway. This leaves me to seek feedback on two ideas...

iPhone Users: What are the 'Must-Have' aps for a movie geek?
Content aps for blogs, critics, or media outlets. Feature aps that can give me movie related games, or tell me if I need to sit all the way through the credits for an easter egg. What sorts of aps do y'all use to further your cinematic geekery?

Should I Tweet?
This last week especially, I have come under immense peer pressure from some locals who shall remain nameless to protect their innocence. I have a sliver of an interest in Twitter, but haven't the foggiest clue what I could do with it that is worthwhile that I can't accomplish with the blog or Facebook.

C'mon people...help a Hatter out!

Midnight Radio: The Matineecast Episode 34

The fun thing about being a few lengths into this podcast's second year is the way I'm starting to establish a tradition or two. Take this episode for instance where I celebrate my birthday by turning my attention to my friends. And who better to do it with than a friend like Kai?

I haven't mentioned this to Kai, but I noticed something as I was editing this episode. Kai first appeared on my show last July, and if it wasn't his very first time behind a mic, it was one of his earliest spots. One year later, with Kai having hosted his own show these last twelve months, I can really hear a difference in his podcasting chops. So I guess to paraphrase an old cigarette ad - You've come a long way, Kai baby!

Here's the Roy Halladay episode...



(Go here or to iTunes if the embedded player doesn't start)

Here's what's in store in episode thirty-four...

Runtime
74 minutes, 22 seconds

Up for Discussion

1. Introduction
2. KNOW YOUR ENEMY - Q& A with this week's guest Kai Parker from Man I Love Films (2:40)
3. Lammy nomination reaction. (9:39)
4. COME TALK TO ME - Listener messages about birthday films (14:05)
5. THE NEW SLANG - Review and reaction of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES (20:21)
6. THE BEST OF YOU - We discuss some kick ass movie blogs (36:50)

Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening.

Enjoy!

After The Storm (THE DESCENDANTS Trailer)

A slight change to the order of things today if you please. While I don't usually post trailers on the weekend, today I'm bucking the trend. This is thanks to the fact that I don't have a new release to review this weekend, can't come up with anything else to write about, and find that there are a glut of interesting trailers making the rounds these days.

This one, which likely sailed under the Dragon Tattoo/Jo-Go radar this weekend is one that really piques my interest...especially as a big fan of SIDEWAYS. I'd been wondering where Alexander Payne had disappeared to over the last decade, but there's a lot in this spot that makes me believe that wherever he went, he came back rejuvenated.

Days of The Week (Films Watched 5/21 - 5/27)

I passed the threshold of 100 new movies watched this year. Only took me 148 days. Not sure whether to be proud or depressed.

That said, it was another week with less viewing than I have become accustomed to. Part of me wants to think that the social butterfly that is Sasha James is the culprit here, but I'm also starting to think that this will just be the way of things for the next six weeks at least.

But what I lacked in quantity this week, I more than made up for in quality. So tally-ho!

Here's what was on tap...

Screenings
ATTACK THE BLOCK - Not sure when it's going to drop in North America, but check it out when it does.
HIGH ON HOPE - NXNE Film: Kinda made me regret never going to a rave.
COLOR ME OBSESSED - NXNE Film: Pardon me, I'm off to buy a big 'ol handful of Replacements.


Blu-Rays/DVD's I've Watched Before
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY - I think that 70mm screening earlier this year spoiled me.
INCEPTION - Almost a year later, it still slays.
OUT OF SIGHT - "You wanted to tussle..."


Boxscore for The Year
102 First-Timers, 72 Re-Watched
174 Movies in Total

How's about you - seen anything good?

Talking Loud and Saying Nothing

Today, I Feel like This...

Everybody's Talkin' 5 - 27 (Chatter from Other Bloggers)

I'm going through the door, and stepping forward into my cave.
I've found my power animal.
It's telling me to "slide".

For your listening and reading fulfillment, I give you...

Pretty good conversation about Brad Pitt on Reel Insight this week, complete with guest podcaster Dylan Fields. Oh, and if you're a fan of Dylan's you won't be disappointed - as always, he gets something wrong before the show is out.

Newly minted LAMB The Droid You're Looking For has a great post dedicated to some of the great directors in history and the ugly stepchildren of their filmographies.

Over at Anomalous Materials this week, Max decided to stir the pot.

Norma the Flick Chick examines one of my favorite scenes of 2010: The conclusion of THE GHOST WRITER.

When blogger was being all dumb on Tuesday, it prevented me from commenting on this post by Alex - a review of one of my favorite classics, CHINATOWN. So instead, I figured I'd just link to it here. Nice the way things work out sometimes, ain't it?

last but not least, my man Univarn has taken a look around and realized that some actors are squandering their talent. he offers up a plea that they be granted better parts.

Enjoy!

Review: ATTACK THE BLOCK * * * 1/2

It's within human nature to get overzealous...to bite off more than we can chew.

We take up the sword and get on to our theoretical steed determined to slay the dragon, only to get around the corner and find ourselves facing down an entire legion of dragons. What to do then? If ATTACK THE BLOCK is any example the answer is to run...and to hope that the mighty beast doesn't follow you.

Late one night we meet Sam (Jodie Whittaker) on her walk home to the the lower-income tower block she calls home. Not far from home, she is mugged by a group of five young hoodlums. Before they can make off with their meagre spoils, they almost get hit by an unidentified object crashing out of the sky. After letting Sam walk away, the boys investigate the crash. It's discovered that the object is in fact some sort of alien creature - a creature they waste no time in killing.

They haul the carcass back to the tower block (turns out they live there too), with the intention of stashing it at Ron's place. Ron is the neighbourhood drug dealer, and seems poised to make the gang leader Moses (John Boyega) a foot soldier in his drug racket. It's right around then that a few dozen more objects fall out of the sky.

having already brought back one as a trophy, the boys are feeling badass and go looking for more armed with bats, blades, and whatever else they have handy. The hitch is that these creatures aren't quite like the one they already danced with. These ones seem...meaner.

Knowing that they've strayed into the deep end, the boys retreat back to the block, and run back into Sam in the hopes of getting away from the aliens. Soon the entire block is under siege, and everyone needs to work together to stay alive.


ATTACK THE BLOCK plays like a mosaic of many great - and seemingly unrelated - films. Within it are traces of FISH TANK, DISTRICT 9, GOONIES, and CHILDREN OF GOD. If that sounds like high praise...well...it is. The film brings together elements from all of those films (and more) and infuses them into a wickedly energetic narrative. The engine driving that narrative is clearly the gang of kids, who come across as true thugs when they first show up, but all show their true colours of immaturity before the night is out.

On the other side of the court from the kids stand the aliens. In the trailers I've seen for this film, I'm happy to see that the design of the aliens aren't fully revealed. I won't dare give more info here, except to say that the creature design is quite original and exciting. You never get used to seeing them attack, and the way they move might well make you forget you're sitting in a theatre seat and give you the impulse to get up and run.

But what use is it bringing together memorable players if you aren't going to make use of the stage they play on? To that end, director Joe Cornish makes great use of the apartment building much of the story take place in and around ("The Block" referred to in the title). One would think that using a filing cabinet of a community that the action would take on a claustrophobic feeling. Not so! The story never lets our heroes sit too long in one spot, and leaves us believing that no door can be bolted shut securely enough to keep the menace at bay.

Because of that, Sam and the boys never seem to stop running through the corridors, stairwells, and walkways. Bedrooms are traps...corridors are gauntlets...elevators are tombs. The characters are all filled with dread not just from the creatures, but by the way the creatures are turning their home - a place that should seem like sanctuary - into a slaughterhouse floor.

As intense as I have made this out to be, it's not something that the faint of heart need to avoid. Quite the contrary, the script is filled with cheeky humour provided by the boys in the gang. Sometimes it's as simple as letting their childish colours show, other times it comes courtesy of summing up the bedlam in the most poetic ways.

is part of my excitement over ATTACK THE BLOCK due to the experience of going in blind? Probably. It's a mindset I don't often find myself in outside of a film festival, and after the amount of joy it brought me, I almost wish i could find myself in this mindset more often. Whether you go in blind, or read every morsel of info you can find on the project, I venture that most audiences will have a fun time with this film...and find themselves wondering on when's the time to flee, and when's the time to fight?

What did you think? Please leave comments with your thoughts and reactions to ATTACK THE BLOCK.

Tears of A Clown (CONAN O'BRIEN CAN'T STOP Trailer)

Guess who's drunk?

'Twas a fine night where the movie geeks gathered! One where my beloved grew ever closer with her new bestie Sasha James. One where I saw the seeds of the most unending filmlover's argument ever. And one where I learned that a blogger I've long admired will be coming to town this fall!

(You know who you are and if you think you're getting away without me buying you a drink, you're insane).

It all reminded me of a mere two weeks ago where I was running into these folks at every turn during Hot Docs, and fun times like these were occurring every other night. It was during Hot Docs that I got to enjoy a rowdy midnight showing of today's trailer...a film that was wall-to-wall laughs and truly revelatory. This film should be making the rounds in a month or so - so if you're looking for some counter-programming to CARS 2 or TRANSFORMERS 3, this could be your out.

Dancing In The Dark (Free Movies at Dundas Square)

If there's one thing I love, it's free movies...especially free movies outside. This it brought me great joy last week to get my first glimpse at what awaits me in Dundas Square this summer.

Note to self - buy new dancing shoes.

Dundas Square is a little patch of our city that looks like something out of BLADE RUNNER, and every summer they show free movies outside once a week (including, apropriately enough, BLADE RUNNER three summers ago). Sometimes you see things you've never seen on a big screen before, sometimes you have to laugh as things like streetcars and fire engines distract your concentration, and sometimes you even get rained on. Still - lots of fun.

This year they're calling it the "Dancing In the Dark" (Hey cool! I'm not the only nerd that names everything after songs!!). Here's what's on deck, and there's one or two I'm already circling on the calender...

PARIS IS BURNING & HAIRSPRAY (1988) - June 28th, 7:30pm
BEACH BLANKET BINGO - July 5th, 9:00pm
DIRTY DANCING - July 12th, 9:00pm
MOULIN ROUGE! - July 19th, 8:45pm
WEST SIDE STORY - July 26th, 8:45pm
HAIR - August 2nd, 8:30pm
SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER - August 9th, 8:30pm
MAD HOT BALLROOM & STRICTLY BALLROOM - August 16th, 7:00pm
CHICAGO & ALL THAT JAZZ - August 23rd, 6:00pm
RIZE & HOW SHE MOVE - August 30th, 7:00pm

Humble Mumble

This blog would never be what it is were it not for The LAMB and all of the talented people that make it up. Once a year, many of The LAMB's get together and decide to honour their contributors with awards called The Lammy's.

This weekend, the nominations were announced, and to say I was surprised would be putting things mildly.

The Dark of The Matinee was nominated for:
Best Blog
Best Reviewer
Best Podcast
The Brainiac Award
Most Prolific Blogger
Best Blog Name
and Best Awards/Film Festival Coverage Twice! (One nomination for Hot Docs 2011, One nomination for TIFF 2010).

Eight nominations in total - More than any other LAMB, and two more nominations than last year. Y'all certainly know how to kick off a guy's weekend!

Thank you very, very much to anyone who nominated me and congratulations to all of my fellow nominees. As nice as it would be to win an award or two, the nominations are enough for me. It's been a long and busy year around these parts, a year that had moments where I swore I was losing more friends than I was making.

Thanks for sticking with me folks. This will push me to make 2011/2012 even better on this site.

Review: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES * * *

When trying to articulate what I think about a film, I have to balance two sides. There's my brian that wants to be challenged, demands something special, and delights in being provoked. There's also my heart, which was moulded as a six-year-old filmgoer, loves to laugh, and just wants to be entertained.

Usually, I defer to the my brain...but every once in a while, my heart wins out.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES re-acquaints us with Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp). After all the events of the previous trilogy, Sparrow has returned to London where he is still a hunted pirate. In trying to free one of his usual crew members, Jack is dragged into audience with King George. His Highness tasks Sparrow with leading an expedition to find The Fountain of Youth, since he has it on good authority that Spain has located it and is en route. King George wants Sparrow to work with his old nemesis Captain Hector Barbosa (Geoffrey Rush), beat the Spanish there, and claim the fountain in the name of England.

After turning the offer down and escaping the palace, Sparrow happens upon a pub where something odd is taking place. Seems as though many have gathered to offer their services as crew members on an expedition searching for the Fountain of Youth - an expedition being led by Captain Jack Sparrow. Knowing that he has made no such casting call, Sparrow looks to learn the identity of the impostor. Turns out its a comely young lass named Angelica - a former love interest of Sparrow's who coaxes him into coming along.

Unfortunately, Angelica is also posing as the long-lost daughter of Blackbeard (Ian McShane), who after finding out about Sparrow, forces him to lead the entire mission, hoping to beat both the Spaniards and Barbosa's English envoy to the prize.


Judging ON STRANGER TIDES is admittedly tricky. For starters, I wasn't left wanting more when the credits rolled on AT WORLD'S END. I found that film to be a bit overblown and scattershot. With that in mind though, I've always taken the bait with the POTC brand and always been charmed by what Johnny Depp can do with the character. So while I was hesitant to come back for a fourth helping, I reminded myself of one thing: "It could be fun".

It was - and by that measure, the film is a success.

The film is still far from flawless though. For starters, I didn't think that the plot needed both the Spaniards and The Brits to join the race, especially given that The Spaniards don't do anything The Brits couldn't have. Beyond that, I will readily admit once all of our treasure-hunters get to Whitecap Bay, the plot seems to take the longest route possible to the fountain. However, just about everytime I was getting antsy, the film had just the right remedy: It brought everything back to Sparrow.

This is the first POTC film to push Jack Sparrow into the protagonist's role, and for me this was a welcome move. Along with the fact that Depp has ingrained himself so deeply into the character that he can charm and amuse with merely a smirk, he's clearly the character we've all been paying to see all this time. So as happy as I am that Miss Swan and Mister Turner ended up star cross'd lovers, I found that I had more fun when Sparrow was causing mischief and pushing the story forward. No other actor in the film brings anything exceptional to their part, and yet many of them seem to find another gear when they are playing off Depp. ON STRANGER TIDES is supposed to launch a second trilogy of films, and if they are all to have Sparrow front-and-centre, perhaps there's hope.

The movie seemed to scale things back and try to emulate what worked best in CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL, and to that end I believe the movie succeeds. While I'm not even close to proclaiming Rob Marshall to be a great director, he shows promise with action set pieces such as the mermaid attack and the London carriage escape pictured above. Everything feels grounded in the real, and has been cut in a way that keep the viewer in tune with what's going on (no easy feat for modern action directors). Marshall could use some help in getting something more from actors like Penelope Cruz - who seems wasted in this film - but he's done well enough this first time out, and has given the series somewhere to go.

In writing all of these positive notes, I realize that there are many out there who don't/won't like ON STRANGER TIDES (when I watched the film, I sat next to two such people). To those, I cannot argue that there is much the film could have done better. For me though, the summertime is about having fun at the movies, and if I walk out of a theatre having had my fill of fun for two hours (or more), I call it a win. Hollywood seems to have a tough time giving us fun movies, and an even tougher time when the movies are sequels to other fun movies. ON STRANGER TIDES does not reach the bar of unexpected joy set by CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL, but I believe that it works better than the overstuffed DEAD MAN'S CHEST or AT WORLD'S END.

So take that for what you will, but I'm taking it for time well spent.

What did you think? Please leave comments with your thoughts and reactions to PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES.

Days of The Week (Films Watched 5/14 - 5/20)

Things cooled off a little bit this week. In part due to lack of specific writing/podcasting projects, in part due to social engagements (See Simon - I do to get out!), and in part just to reset myself after what felt like three weeks of sensory overload.

Of course right on cue, I've been sent a stack of NXNE screeners. Things may or may not ramp back up in the week to come depending on how good the weather is this long weeekend.

Here's what was on tap...

Screenings
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN - Four of us went, three of us had the same opinion.

Blu-Rays/DVD's I've Never Seen
I LOVE YOU, PHILLIP MORRIS - One of the more underrated films I've seen recently.
THREE O' CLOCK HIGH - More pain for the king.


Blu-Rays/DVD's I've Watched Before
SHERLOCK HOLMES - I liked it a little bit more the second time around.
BLACK SWAN - Still glorious.
RATATOUILLE - I'm finding my passion for cooking is returning, and this is the sort of film I turn to for inspiration.
KING KONG (1933) - "It was beauty killed the beast"


Boxscore for The Year
99 First-Timers, 69 Re-Watched
168 Movies in Total

How's about you - seen anything good?

Good Day Sunshine

Today, I Feel Like This...

Everybody's Talkin' 5 - 20 (Chatter from Other Bloggers)

Question: What makes a Friday more awesome than usual?
Answer: When it's the Friday leading into a long weekend!

That said it's been cool and rainy here all week, so it might just be a long weekend spent inside watching dvd's - here's hoping for sunshine!

If you haven't chimed in already, weigh in on the feedback question for the next Matineecast: In honour of the birthday show, I'm curious to know your favorite film from the year you were born.

Something must have been in the air yesterday, since most of the links you'll find below were posted within the last 24 hours. Go figure - so many people bringing the good, and me sitting there in the wee hours of Thursday morning staring at a blinking cursor. Oh well, it comes and goes I guess.

To my Canadian Brethren, happy May 2-4. To my American Comrades, Happy Friday. And to all a good night.


For your reading fulfillment, I give you...

With the blockbuster of the week already scratched off the list, I might be hitting the indie circuit for this weekend's watch. CERTIFIED COPY is one I've been meaning to get to for a while, and it looks like John quite liked it.

Just in case you didn't get enough of Anna on The Matineecast, she's written up a post for a creep-tastic film that I love - EL ORFANATO.

One more Elmo post from a great girl who's a tad stressed these days. Look closely in the video she's posted and you might even catch a glimpse of yours truly. Note to the author - You're an awesome blogger and a great friend, don't be afraid to follow your gut or your heart...we'll all follow right behind you wherever you decide to take us.

There are so many bloggers that spur me to try harder, and The Kid in The Front Row is towards the very tippy-top. I wish I could write things as charming and lovely as this.

So I heard somewhere that a small website launched this week.

Encore's birthday is coming up (join the club, mate!), and he's decided to celebrate the occasions with a series of posts about filmgoing memories. Pretty good idea if you ask me! Take a look here and keep clicking over for another seventeen days.

Enjoy!

What You Own

So here's me, musing to lady hatter that I can't think of anything to write about (a mere 24 hours after pointing out to someone how hard posts like this can be to come up with), when two recent tidbits come together to form a serendipitous idea.

The first was that conversation with Steve about essential dvd's and the somewhat popular post it has spawned. The second was chatting about the first film I have watched for the King of Pain series, a film that Lady Hatter owns but doesn't particularly like. The point of it all, is that i got to wondering if I (or perhaps others like me) buy dvd's "just to have".

Allow me to explain. There are titles out there that we have seen...very, very good titles. Often times these could be high-browed, important, "message" films. You saw it, you loved it, something inside of you told you that you had to have it (Perhaps it was the "2 for $20" signage on the store shelf. But you never watch it. There it sits, untouched and unwatched.

A film that I can think of in my own collection like this is Polanski's THE PIANIST. I know how much it rocked me when I saw it, and how much admiration I have for the film. Next month I'll have owned this rather dee-luxe edition for eight years, and I think I've watched it two times. I wouldn't ever dream of getting rid of it, but yet I can't envision myself reaching for it to watch on a whim.

I have a few others like this: CAPOTE, BROKEN FLOWERS, CLOSER, THE LIMEY...films I know I dig, but I probably don't need to own.

In reality it's these titles that feel like I'm trying to show off (but no Steve, not my Criterion copy of HIDDEN FORTRESS - That one is badass). It feels like I bought them and keep them with the notion that someone will see them on my shelf and think "Good taste in films!". In reality, they're probably asking themselves "Why the deuce does Hatter own LEAVING LAS VEGAS?"

C'mon folks...cheer me up a bit. Tell me that you too own a title or two that aren't the sort of thing you'd really actively reach for. Tell me that there's a title - pretentious or not - that you own "Just Cuz".

Eye Candy (TINTIN: THE SECRET OF THE UNICORN Teaser)

I get the suspicion this film will have a slight uphill climb (mo-cap always seems to these days), but it's a Spielberg film so I'm in for certain.



Thoughts?

The Bear Necessities (10 Essential DVD's to Build Your Library)

I was in a shitty mood last night...a rather shitty mood if I'm being honest. Luckily, I'm fortunate enough to have a good friend working down the street from me who has enough brain power to say "Let's go for a burger".

As I got to talking to the wise and patient cinematic sensei, I was able to let my grumpiness dissipate and move on to other topics of conversation - geekier topics of course. We got around to talking about the dvd's and blu-rays the people own, and what a person should have in their collection. We got to wondering, "What are the essentials?". To paraphrase a great local rock writer, what is the dvd equivalent of the little black dress?

There's many ways to cobble together a stack of essentials - personal favorites, critical praise, technical achievement, sources of mad fandom. The possibilities are indeed endless. For me though, I think it comes down to trying to find a cross-section...to represent a variety of genres and eras and begin with the titles that are truly lasting.

So if it were me...and it's my blog, so I suppose it is me...the ten dvd's that I would suggest be essential to any collection are below the cut in chronological order. Click on over and check it out, won't you (Spoiler Alert: CITIZEN KANE didn't make the cut).












What say you? Which ten dvd's would you say are the absolute starting point for any movie lover's collection?

Midnight Radio: The Matineecast Episode 33

The written posts on this blog got back to normal about a week ago, time for the audio component to follow suit. Welcome back to The Matineecast filled with lists, blockbusters and lots of geekery.

This time out we took the show to Scandinavia, and welcomed our very first guest from Finland! Speaking of which, my guest's microphone wasn't the greatest, so you might hear a squelch her or there, but what we lack in audio quality we more than make up for in energy.

Here's the Larry Walker episode...



(Go here or to iTunes if the embedded player doesn't start)

Here's what's in store in episode thirty-three...

Runtime
61 minutes, 18 seconds

Up for Discussion

1. Introduction
2. KNOW YOUR ENEMY - Q& A with this week's guest Anna Työrinoja from 5plit Reel (1:52)
3. COME TALK TO ME - Listener messages about weird films (10:10)
4. THE NEW SLANG - Review and reaction of THOR (20:21)
5. THE BEST OF YOU - We discuss our favorite movie marathons (32:49)

Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening.

Enjoy!

Review: BRIDESMAIDS * * * 1/2

If I have my facts straight (and I like to think I do) the circle of life goes like this where weddings are concerned:

Women get to collect their female friends and family members, tether four or five of 'em together who may or may not know each other well, and then lean on them for ten months or so of their lives. Once in a while it's a bonding experience. More often than not though it's wickedly stressful if not an all-out bloodbath...and the main reason why women agree to go through it is because eventually it'll be their turn to wear the white dress.

Accepted, but I'm left wondering one thing. How in the world do you ladies get through being a bridesmaid without completely losing your mind?

Annie (Kristen Wiig) and Lillian (Maya Rudolph) are best friends and have been since childhood. Annie is broke after her bakery went bankrupt, has no serious relationship (though she has no qualms being friends-with-benefits with a twerp named Ted), and is living in a hell-hole with two weird roommates. Lillian on the other hand seems to have a lot going for her - supportive friends, good job, and a swell fella named Dougie who has just asked her to marry him.

Right after saying "yes", she turns around and asks Annie to be her maid-of-honour.

Of course few maids-of-honour get to go it alone, so Annie is soon introduced to the rest of the bridesmaids...a motley crew that come off like THE USUAL SUSPECTS in taffeta. None of them have really met before, which really isn't a problem where bonding is concerned...for the most part.

The biggest crack in this particular sisterhood is between Annie and Helen (Rose Byrne). Annie is the longtime best friend, but Helen is the day-to-day best friend, so toes aren't being stepped on so much as they're being impaled by ridiculously expensive stilettos. Worse yet, they're being impaled by a woman who has everything that Annie doesn't. And as much as Annie would like to just slink out the exit door of this particular stress situation, she wants nothing more than to be there for her longtime friend. The question becomes, how she'll survive.
I tend not to get too far into marketing in this space, but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the bait-and-switch that is the marketing campaign for BRIDESMAIDS. Much of what audiences were given in advance played this film as a raunchy chick-flick ("A female HANGOVER" has been the party line), and that really isn't the case. Even the title is misleading, since the film isn't so much about the group as a whole as it is the Annie-Lillian-Helen tug of war with the other three women peppered in. The misdirection isn't a bad thing; quite the contrary actually as it turns what we are given into a welcome surprise.

That surprise is the story of Annie trying to get it together when she's at her lowest and being asked to step up. We meet her at a moment when absolutely nothing is going right for her, and yet she's being asked to stand up in front of groups of strangers and be a beacon for her childhood best friend. BRIDESMAIDS isn't afraid to paint the role of maid-of-honour for what it is - a colossal pain in the ass. Watching Annie not only attempt to be there for her best friend, but in some ways have to fight for her feels unexpectedly genuine...and much of the credit for that needs to go to Kristen Wiig.

If you've watched SNL over the last few seasons, you're well aware of the heavy-lifting Wiig is doing on that show. Much of her efforts either have her dialing up the snark, or going full-bore and fearlessly throwing herself into some outlandish characters. In BRIDESMAIDS however, she dials it back a bit and really lets us into Annie's life. We begin by shaking our heads at the state she's in, but eventually find a great deal of pity for her. Giving this sort of shape to the character has Wiig following through on the promise she showed with her small role in WHIP IT! One can only hope that this isn't the last time we see it.

BRIDESMAIDS is rather funny, even if it's not the slapstick/gross-out romp it's made out to be - and in my book that's a good thing. Much of the non-Wiig humour comes from Melissa McCarthy (who steals every scene she's in), Jon Hamm (playing a douche for the ages), and Maya Rudolph (who Hollywood oddly under uses). Funny as it is, the film is not without its flaws. There are one or two sequences that go on a bit too long, and Ellie Kemper and Wendi McLendon-Covey seem to get left behind after the halfway mark, which is criminal especially for the latter.

Imperfections aside, this film is surprisingly good. It finds a nice balance between the bedlam of being a bridesmaid, and the self-loathing that many of us can find ourselves in when nothing wants to go our way. It doesn't make its bones on potty humour so much as potty-mouthed humour. The dialogue the women whip back and forth would amuse all on its own, but for me it landed even funnier when I thought about all the women I've met that talk just like that but are seldom represented in film.

BRIDESMAIDS entertains in the way that it goes down unexpected paths and finds a balance between the raunch and the truth. It's the tale of a friend at her most pathetic being asked to step up and be a champ, and that would be good enough on its own. Giving us that while some truly funny women are allowed to swing away goes above and beyond. The film is a lot of fun, and if I have a hope it's that so-called "chick flicks" as smart as this aren't so few and far between.

What did you think? Please leave comments with your thoughts and reactions to BRIDESMAIDS

Days of The Week (Films Watched 4/23 - 5/13)

No time for love Doctor Jones - a long list is coming your way.

Here's what was on tap over the last three weeks...

Screenings
HANNA - A film I like more and more as I think back on it
BEATS, RHYMES, AND LIFE - Hot Docs Showing; Thanks Scott.
CONAN O'BRIEN CAN'T STOP - Hot Docs Showing; As it turns out, midnight screenings of docs can be pretty rowdy.
JIG - Hot Docs Showing; Never seen that many Irish girls in one place.
CAROL CHANNING: LARGER THAN LIFE - Hot Docs Showing; One of the two I got to soak up with Lady Hatter.
HOT COFFEE - Hot Docs Showing; Who knew a Canadian crowd would enjoy a story of American tort reform so much?
PROJECT NIM - Hot Docs Showing; Five bucks says it comes up at Oscar time.
THOR - Even *I* need a break from non-fiction!
SENNA - Hot Docs Showing; Again, to quote Andrew, "Now that's a movie!!"
BEING ELMO - Hot Docs Showing; This ranks amongst my favorite filmgoing experiences.
BRIDESMAIDS - Interesting... (Further Thoughts Tomorrow)

Blu-Rays/DVD's I've Never Seen
THE WILD BUNCH - Little bro has been telling me I need to see this for year. Damn do I ever hate it when he's right.
RESURRECT DEAD: THE MYSTERY OF THE TOYNBE TILES - Hot Docs Screener; Would make for a great double-bill with EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP.
BECOMING SANTA - Hot Docs Screener; One of my favorites of the fest.
BEAUTY DAY - Hot Docs Screener; Thanks Cinecast.
BURY THE HATCHET - Hot Docs Screener; Didn't hear much talk of this one around the festival.
THE OTHER GUYS - Thanks Jess
SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE - The King has commenced with the pain.
HANNAH AND HER SISTERS - There's no badass teenage girl in this one.
SWEET AND LOWDOWN - Lordy do I ever want to get my mitts on that score.
HUSBANDS AND WIVES - I'm beginning to detest films that make me question the integrity of marriage.
THE FLY - What...
VIDEODROME - ...The Hell...
NAKED LUNCH - ...Was That???

Blu-Rays/DVD's I've Watched Before
UP IN THE AIR - The Ocean's marathon from a few weeks back led to more Clooney
STARDUST - And we have the first film watched twice this year!
THE GREAT DICTATOR - Brilliance. Absolute brilliance.
FANTASIA - I thought the classical music would help me fall asleep. I ended up watching the whole thing.
GOODFELLAS - I might have to rethink this film's place in my all-time faves.
THE SHINING - I feel a strange urge to upgrade this dvd to blu-ray.


Boxscore for The Year
96 First-Timers, 66 Re-Watched
162 Movies in Total

How's about you - seen anything good?

Yakety Yak

Today, I Feel Like This...

Everybody's Talkin' 4 - 13 (Chatter from Other Bloggers)

Nothin' like technical difficulties on Blogger to make for a productive day at the office! Wasn't that fun?

Today marks the return of some regular features around here now that fetsival time is over. So along with this collection of links, look for the return of "Days of The Week" tomorrow (with what ought to be a large tally given that it's collecting three weeks' worth of watching) and a brand new episode of The Matineecast on Monday.

But enough about me - how are you?

For your listening and reading fulfillment, I give you...

During Hot Docs, I finally met Corey (aka "Goon" on Row Three). Turns out he's on a podcast too which features some lively discussion and a lot of local Toronto flavour. So if you aren't already listening to it, check out the CriticalMassCast.

I find myself curious about a smaller new release called LAST NIGHT (could have something to do with Kiera Knightley going on The Daily Show and mentioning how distraught she was after googling 'Santorum'). Rachel has seen it, and liked it, which is only stoking my curiosity all the more.

In case you haven't gotten enough film festival coverage (and really, how could you?), check out Daniel's reactions to the MSPIFF on Getafilm.

...Still haven't got enough? Check out what Blake is up to at SFIFF!

Vance at the Audient dicusses the hidden difficulty with getting theough a film for the second time.

Larry the Movie Snob wonders what we should do about Mel Gibson?

Enjoy!

Falling For the First Time (Talkin' GREMLINS with Jake Cole)

So you might recall a few months ago when I caught a screening of GREMLINS. That afternoon was my first experience with the film in possibly twenty years, and I was actually surprised at how well the film had held up.

However, that was just me talking...a cat who'd seen the film as an impressionable young lad and had those memories to fall back on. How would the film hold up to fresh eyes? One way to find out: Put it to the test that my Falling for The First Time series has become.

Jake Cole from Not Just Movies has joined me for this critique. Full discussion on how well Gizmo, Stripe, and Billy have stood up beyond the jump.

MH: Be honest - you want a pet mogwai now, don't you?

JC: Jesus, who on Earth wouldn't? I actually felt sad for Billy at the end. Then again, we all saw how creepy the damn Furby turned out

MH: You didn't comment on my post about the GREMLINS screening, which is odd because you always comment on my posts after you read them. (Hey wait, that means...) Did you have any expectations going into Joe dante's GREMLINS?

JC: Being a fan of Dante's SMALL SOLDIERS, I expected to see some satire and playfulness in GREMLINS.

MH: A realistic bar for the film to clear. How did it measure up?

JC: Satire and playfulness were exactly what I got. I think you can still see Dante in a sort of embryonic form here - the movie was uneven and kind of fell apart at the end; the actors weren't all that committed - but overall I thought GREMLINS was a wicked little film that messed with a lot of genre conventions and had a surprisingly political bent.

MH: Yeah, I don't think I caught that political bent when I saw it as a kid (as political as I was at the age of seven). That message is a little bit crazy, don't you think?

JC: Well, on one level, the film plays to the classic cartoons like Tom & Jerry, which were outrageously violent but aimed at children. On another, it shows an extrapolation to the Reagan era, the time of all those gory, amoral action films that dominated the box office. The gremlins run through a broad pastiche of '80s culture, and there's more than a slight hint that TV aids their violent streak.

The political satire isn't nearly as honed as it is in SMALL SOLDIERS, but you can see Dante poking fun at the decadence and increasing inundation to violence that marked '80s culture. There's even a hint of commentary on Western ethnocentrism in the film's foreign distribution: Dante went to the trouble of adding region-specific pop culture jokes for each language dub, which undoubtedly made it a bigger success in those markets.

MH: Don't forget too that the film aludes to gremlins as a secretive method that foreigners use to keep America down. that they send them to y'all in trojan horses designed as foreign cars and electronics, and when your stuff stops working that it's the gremlins at work. What about the film did you enjoy the most?

JC: I think that, more than sociopolitical satire, GREMLINS works best as an attack on the pop culture that grows out of it. It's funny that we're talking about this film because of the comment I left on your SCARFACE post with Bob, because I saw De Palma all over this.

Dante shares a clear disdain for the studio system that promotes these kinds of films; note that he mashes together genre tropes from mainstream fare (teen movies, Christmas morality plays) with B-grade schlock (creature-feature horror, the low-grade staple of the mystical Chinese shop) as if there's no difference between the two. De Palma's own 1984 film, BODY DOUBLE, is much more explicit and extreme in pointing out similar signs of cultural decay, but Dante actually makes a film that works within mainstream parameters.

MH: What about Spielberg's influence on the film?

JC: I was amused, though, at how many swipes he at least indirectly aims at Steven Spielberg, who executive-produced the film. Dante already shows a tacit bitterness over not getting to enjoy the same freedoms that Spielberg and his colleagues got a decade ago, and he makes fun of Spielberg's Disney fetish by showing the violent, stupid gremlins being stupefied by SNOW WHITE. But Spielberg was nice enough to give Dante final cut despite disliking aspects of the film, especially that hilariously grim story Phoebe Cates' character relates about a traumatic Christmas.

MH: The last line of Cates' monologue got a twisted laugh at the screening I attended. This film is rather dependent on effects, which can give a film a definite "best before" date. Do the effects hold up?

JC: I think they still work fine. For one thing, I think Dante intends them to look a bit cheesy. Now, anyone who reads my blog knows how much I hate the lazy argument of "It's meant to be bad," but when this tongue-in-cheek approach is done well, it can be incredibly entertaining.

I think the mogwai hold up better than the transformed gremlins, but Dante gets the most comedy out of the latter, so I'd say he was having fun. I also really liked the scene where the sinister mogwai throws itself into a pool to multiply. The resulting light and fog of the bubbling pool is pure B-cinema, but it looks good and is so ridiculous you have to laugh.

MH: It's funny how far we've come from a film like this having to rely on animatronics and stop-motion, and much of the digital effects are the images that aren't aging well. So the effects don't really date the film?

JC: I would actually say that the film around the effects has dated more, considering it's such an explicit commentary on '80s pop and social culture. The acting is more visibly stiff and the specifics of Dante's parodies lack bite so far removed from relevance, though the overarching message is still applicable, sadly. Hell, I think the most dated element in the film may be the fact that an Asian-made car doesn't work as well as American models.

MH: Yeah - and that we're to assume that the manufacturer of the American model hasn't needed a federal bail-out. So if the effects hold up and the broad story holds up, is there anything in particular about the film that does feel "so 80's"?

JC: If anything, we're even farther down the road from what Dante was criticizing. Flashy but harmless hip-hop posturing gave way to acceptance of gangsta rap as an ideal for bored suburbia, and microwaving a puppet is tame compared to seeing the same thing done to a human in KICK-ASS. In some ways, GREMLINS is as relevant as ever in its depiction of violent pop culture rotting the minds of mainstream audiences, but the cultural touchstones he uses for that attack almost seem quaint looking back from an even more extreme culture.

MH: Observant! It sounds like you had a lot of fun with GREMLINS, was there anything to the film that you weren't so crazy about?

JC: I think Dante reaches a bit beyond his grasp at this point in his career. He's not yet sure how to sublimate his satire into his overall genre parody, so there's an incongruity between the scenes, say, in the antique shop and the moments where he makes fun of gaudy '80s culture. It builds up to the point that I would actually say that the last 20 minutes of non-stop action and broad comedy is less entertaining than the more subdued and subtle commentary that led to it. Besides, once you nuke a gremlin in a microwave, there's nowhere to go but down, really.

MH: That gives me a bit of hope. Your qualms seem to be with the storytelling and not with the story being told. In the last post I did about GREMLINS, I talked about watching kids watching the film and how it reminded me of seeing it for the first time as a kid. When this film first came out, I can clearly remember how much it was marketed at kids (in my case, the marketing worked).

How appropriate would you say the film is for kids? Especially for those under 10-years-old?

JC: Hmmm, hard to say. It's certainly not hard to see why the film, along with TEMPLE OF DOOM, got the PG-13 rating installed -- it's far too tame to warrant even a light R rating, but I can see why parents wouldn't want their kids to see it. But I do think it's cartoony enough to play to children and not scar them. Like I said, it's got that Tom & Jerry feel to it that lampoons the violence, and let's be honest: those kids saw Stallone and Schwarzenegger films every summer.

MH: I didn't.

JC: Besides, I tend to think of the '80s itself as something marketed to children but entirely inappropriate for them (or anyone else), and GREMLINS is one of the less offensive things kids could easily see during that decade.

I do think it's interesting, though, that they actually would market this to kids. Notice how chaste the relationship between Billy and Kate is: if they'd showed even a bit of skin, you can bet no one would have tried to sell it as a film fit for the whole family. Goes to show how violence always seems to fly under the radar with minimal problems.

MH: Well said. Alright buddy, I'm hoping the streak ends today - How would you score GREMLINS on a scale of 1 to 5?

JC: I hate to seem like I'm keeping the record going, but I really would give it a 3.5/5. It loses steam near the end and some of its stiff aspects, whether intentional or not, grate, but it is a wonderfully tongue-in-cheek take on Hollywood (d)evolution in the '80s and a legitimately funny and occasionally inventive comedy in its own right

MH: Dammit! What's it going to take for a film to score at least a 4!!?? Thanks Jake, your observations are both astute and amusing.

Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me (COLOMBIANA Trailer)

Things are slowly but surely getting back to normal around here. I've already managed to post a review of a fictional film this week after eleven straight days of docs, and I should have a swell stockpile of links for Friday after two weeks away from "Everybody's Talkin". Another one of my usual features might make a return appearance tomorrow...but right now that remains to be seen.

In the meantime, let's look at a trailer, shall we?

I realize there are many that feel like Miss Saldana has sort of been forced upon us as a movie star, but you must admit that when she wants to, the woman can kick some ass. Looking at this clip, I gotta believe that the film is going to go one of two ways - it'll either seriously rock, or seriously suck.

Luc Besson is involved, and I kinda miss the guy. Thus, I'm hoping for the former...

Review: THOR * * *

When it comes to fantastical tales, equilibrium is key. Not only do we need a hero that is mighty-yet-vulnerable, but we also need a story that is epic and yet personal. It's difficult to find this particular sweet-spot, which is where many efforts in the past have failed.

THOR is able to set the scales so that they balance beautifully, and that's no easy feat when we're talking about a hero that wears a winged helmet and wields a hammer.

THOR begins in a faraway world called Asgard. Centuries ago, Odin (Anthony Hopkins) led the armies of Asgard to victory over the Frost Giants of Jotunheim and since then Asgard has had Jotunheim under their thumb. Years later, Odin's son Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is primed to succeed Odin on the throne of Asgard, but before his coronation can be completed, all hell breaks loose. The Frost Giants stage a sneak attack into Asgard, and while they are thwarted, Thor feels that Asgard needs to respond and leads a counter-attack that almost leads to war.

Furious with his son, Odin banishes Thor. He strips him of his unbeatable weapon - a hammer called Mjolnir - and exiles him to earth. When Thor crash-lands on earth, he is found by scientist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), her mentor Dr. Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard) and her assistant Darcy (Kat Dennings) who are tracking an astrological anomaly. They're equally stumped by who he is and how he got there. However, not long after he arrives, S.H.I.E.L.D. shows up at Jane's lab and confiscates all of her research. Thus, it doesn't take long for the scientists to put two-and-two together.

As Thor and the scientists try to reclaim Mjolnir, Loki lives up to his title as the God of Mischief up on Asgard. Thor then finds himself tasked with trying to protect inhabitants of two different worlds, all while searching within himself for what it truly is that has made him the God of Thunder.

Of all the Marvel films we've seen to date - and I do mean all, not just the ones building towards next summer's AVENGERS - THOR required the audience to take the biggest leap of faith. To date, what has helped the Marvel stories along is that while they are fantastical tales, they have all been set in our world. Blind lawyers, violent vigilantes, scores and scores of mutants...we bought into their stories because they were happening in cities we knew, and playing by rules we all have to play by. Now however comes the Marvel story that wants us to go to other worlds, and believe not just in heroes but in gods. Does it work?

The ultimate answer is "yes" and a lot of the credit for that has to go to director Kenneth Brannaugh and the screenwriting team of Miller, Stentz, and Payne. Together, the four men find the perfect balance of happenings on earth, and adventure on Asgard. As thrilling as the combat and conspiracy on Asgard is, it can get a bit heavy-handed. Not surprising: They're gods after all, and therefore not the sort to be subtle. That's where the escape hatch of earth can be used, and Brannagh & co. use it well. Everytime things on Asgard were getting a tad too heavy-handed, the film came back to earth.

What's interesting is that back on earth, there isn't much going on. Thor tries to get his bearings, reclaim Mjolnir (or "Mew-Mew" as Darcy amusingly calls it) and get back home. THOR is really one long character piece bookended with a bit of ass-kicking. This is a risky bet for a comic book film, but a bet that pays off thanks in large part to Hemsworth and what he's able to bring to the character.

Hemsworth gets the tone of Thor just right. He's badass when he's in battle, charming when he's not, and cocky through it all. He's able to goof around a bit with the role, but not to the point where he discredits the entire character. He brings both the physical presence and the charisma for the part (elements that couldn't have been easy to find in the same guy).

The unfortunate counter-point to what we get with Hemsworth's Thor is what we have to weed through for Hiddleston's Loki. As a god of mischief, Loki should be positively machiavellian...but in this movie he's far from it. Part of that comes from his role in the film being a tad underwritten, and part of that comes from Hiddelston underplaying him. Of all the Marvel villains we've met to date, he feels like the least menacing...and considering what he can do, he really shouldn't be. Hopefully both Hiddelston and Joss Whedon can get a better grip on the character before THE AVENGERS.

THOR takes us to the end of the galaxy and back and entertains us the entire time. It succeeds as a stand-alone film, a fantastical tale, and also as a boxcar on the Marvel Train that was set in motion three summers back. Best of all is the message that comes along with THOR: That true heroes know how to balance arrogance with humility, power with mercy, strategy with patience. THOR represents all of those characteristics splendidly - yet another manner in which it finds just the right balance.

What did you think? Please leave comments with your thoughts and reactions to THOR.

Aftermath

Today, I Feel Like this...

I Get Around: BEING ELMO @ Hot Docs

I could sit here and try to critique this film, but the simple truth is that it's pretty much critic proof. It has a few flaws - technical questions mostly, nothing that comes close to ruining things - but the simple truth is that BEING ELMO has three things going for it that will melt your heart.

It is a tribute to the genius that was Jim Henson.
Kevin Clash, the man behind the red fuzzy muppet is an inspiring study.
And spending any amount of time with Elmo is just so. much. fun!

Instead, I hope you'll excuse me while I recount to you my experience at this screening. After I got to the theatre and had a pleasant conversation with a friendly volunteer about my doofy headphones, I went to the ticket-holders line where I found Matthew Brown and Sasha James right at the front. Where film festivals are concerned, there is a small amount of line-cutting that is permitted, so for me to see two friendly faces at the very front of the line was good news.

Once inside (by which point the other half of MaMo, Matthew Price had joined us) it was Matthew Brown's idea to sit in the very front row. There were multiple reasons, but one of the best reasons was to force us all to completely drown in this film. It's bright, it's colourful, and it is primarily a happy experience. Thus, sitting down low and immersing ourselves in the doc was a fantastic way to experience it. There were a lot of laughs, and indeed a few tears, and by the time the credits rolled it was clear that we'd all seen something pretty special.

Then the other reason why Mr. Brown suggested the front row became quite clear - along with the director, DP, and producer, Kevin Clash himself was on stage to answer questions...and yes, he had the guest of honour in tow. Guess it goes without saying that the man got a standing ovation. There were more laughs to be had as the Q&A rolled along, and the session included many questions both for Kevin and for Elmo. Suffice it to say that the smile was pretty much cemented on my face through this part of the evening.

Finally, Kevin wanted to be sure that the handful of children who had come for the film got their moment, so a handful of lucky youngsters got to come on stage and meet their favorite muppet. And I can't quite express why it happens or where it comes from, but there is just something about getting to see a kid get a hug from Elmo that brings a joyful tear to my eye.

It's been a long week - as I'm sure I've said a few times - and I couldn't possibly have chosen a better way to end it than with BEING ELMO. The film represented some real joy in what is often a crummy world, and the fact that I got to experience it flanked with some of my best friends just made it all so much more worthwhile

Hot Docs Review: CAROL CHANNING - LARGER THAN LIFE

Some actors seem unbreakable: They go on and on with each passing year and always seem to be just as sharp and genteel as they were when they first came on to the scene. They age gracefully and take on a warm sense of wit. On Broadway, Carol Channing is that sort of personality. So much so that these days, as the title of this film says, she is larger than life.

Broken up into chapters thanks to some charming Hirschfeld-inspired animation, LARGER THAN LIFE gives us the complete biography of this Broadway legend. Director Dori Bernstein spends a lot of time with the woman who broke the mold for shows like "Hello, Dolly" and "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", and lets us listen to story after story of persistence and panache.

Unfortunately the doc is missing something to counterbalance all of those stories - an event in Channing's life to spark the retrospective. There's a thin attempt to meld the reflections with Channing's return to the stage last December. Unfortunately the event doesn't hold the sort of weight one would want to counter a look back on her life, nor is it really given much more than fleeting glimpses. Matter of fact - we're given more time with the men she co-stars in the production with than we are with her within the production.

As such, the film does not transcend. It will be a fun watch for Broadway lovers and fans of Channing herself, and while it did give me a good smile, I didn't leave feeling like I was given a lot of insight into who Carol Channing is or who she ever was. There are stories...lots of stories...funny stories...but they never take us anywhere. They all come together to create a charming little tribute video - which is fine. But if you're looking for a film, especially if you aren't a fan of Channing already, there's nothing here for you.

Hot Docs Review: SENNA

Now that was a movie!

That's what I love about watching films with other movie bloggers - sometimes they can read your thoughts perfectly. SENNA is indeed more than just a documentary about the life of F1 Racing legend Ayrton Senna. It takes the vibrant colours of a both a hero and the very sport he competed in, and boldly paints them on to a giant canvas. From the pulse of the soundtrack, to the passion of the many Brazilian people we meet, to the roar of the engine as the cars fly around the track...SENNA is more than just a documentary, it's a vibrant moviegoing experience.

The film introduces us to a young Brazilian named Ayrton Senna as he competes in an international go-karting championship in 1978. He has a passion for winning, and a beautiful communion with the sport. We quickly learn that Senna is a very religious man, and that he believes that it is through the grace of God that he is able to go so fast on a racetrack. From there we skip forward six years to the 1984 Monaco Grand Prix. That afternoon would be a coming-out party for Ayrton Senna as he would climb from 13th place on a rainy track to miss his first career victory by a mere technicality.

SENNA goes on to let us fully meet a person who has become more myth than man. In his native Brazil, his dominance of the sport turned him into a folk hero. For his people, he became what Muhammed Ali is to Americans, or Maurice Richard is to Canadians. Were it not such a devoutly catholic nation, I'd dare say they saw him as a god. What the film lets us see is that the god was a fiery competitor...that he was an easy-going charmer...and that he could do things with a racing car that no one else seemed capable of.

What makes the film so very powerful is the way it omits any "talking head" interviews. The movie is wall-to-wall archival footage, and instead of using new interviews for context, the film mines hours of existing interviews and footage from the scene to shape the story. Thus the feeling isn't that we're looking back on a life, instead that we're watching a life unfold.

Its use of race footage will have you holding on for dear life as if you were sitting shotgun. Likewise, it's wonderful sound design will make your chest shake as the cars roar by. As my friend said, SENNA is a movie. It has been designed for a big-screen experience just as much as any Michael Bay blow-em-up or comic book adaptation. It's a thrilling tale of a modern hero, and provides true insight into the heart of an icon.

SENNA is being distributed by Universal Pictures and will be in theatres this summer

Lust for Life: BEAUTY DAY Plays Hot Docs

The sun has gone down on a Wednesday night in Toronto. What was a bright and sunny May day after what has been a rather miserable spring has turned into a rather chilly night. I'm not usually the sort to hang out on a rooftop drinking beer when the temperature drops down to single digits, but the atmosphere up here is one of anticipation. We've all bundled up (or at least they did - I didn't have such forethought) to watch The Cap'n do his thing.

This brisk night is all about BEAUTY DAY and how it has captured people's imagination.

Ralph Zavadil is Cap'n Video. He was the star of a cable access TV show from 1990 to 1995 where he did the sort of stunts that usually dot a guy's weekend away and are precluded by a healthy amount of beer. We're talking about "rooftop tobogganing", "Telephone pole skiing" and my personal favorite "liquid razor". Watching such antics - and being in the company of the mad genius himself - might be why some of the others have gathered tonight, but there's something more that's brought me here.

For me, what sets BEAUTY DAY apart from just being a "Jackass"-like greatest hits mix, is the way in which director Jay Cheel gets The Cap'n to take off the wacky lighting rig helmet, stop using the funny voice, and let us learn more about Ralph Zavadil The Man. It's not like Ralph has led an extraordinary life away from his alter-ego. His story is a lot like many other people you've met before (plus or minus an arrest for growing pot). However, the juxtaposition of this quiet introspection on what he's done and where he's gone is what gives the story its heart, and makes us look at the film with a greater fondness.

Back on the rooftop, I'm waiting to talk to Jay Cheel...and I'm waiting around for a good little while. The man is in-demand during this festival, and the fact that this special showing went "Rush Seats Only" is no fluke. People have been talking up this film almost since the festival line-up was announced, so everyone in town is trying to get a few moments with Ralph and a few moments with Jay. For me though, watching them both have this wonderful moment in the sun represents something more - something encouraging.

Cap'n Video might have beat the rest of us to the punch by a good decade or so, but we've entered into an exciting age. We live in a time where we can follow our passions, do whatever we want, and easily access a potential audience for that. When Ralph started doing his Cap'n Video show, he was a machinist at a Ford Motors plant. When Jay started directing this film, he was a video game developer. Both wanted to do other things with their lives, and both found that the outlet to do so was there for the taking. For obvious reasons, I identify with this and think it's an avenue that still too few people pursue.

As the sun goes down and I finally do get to talk to Jay and Ralph, I begin to understand what gives this film its nuance. Ralph certainly seems like a beer-drinkin'-hoser when he's playing Cap'n Video. But what gives the film its lift - and what comes across face-to-face - is that there's a lot of genuineness to him. He often dials it all back and speaks with humility; whether its discussing things he's done in his past, or even shaking hands and meeting a lowly blogger for the first time. "He's good people" as an old frind of mine would say.

Jay takes all of those facets of Ralph's personality and filters it through his film-geek brain to turn it into something special. He might be a Cap'n fan from back in the day, but the film he has created isn't a fanboy love letter. It has brought together subtle elements of all sorts of films, and infused them into the documentary format. He is interested not just in crazy shit Ralph did, but also in what sort of person he was and who he has come to be. It's that important distinction that gives the film its wonderful structure.

I leave the rooftop just as the film is about to start, and as I walk along a quiet downtown street, I can't help but laugh to myself as I start to hear Cap'n Video's boisterous voice echo down from the roof above and bounce off the steel & glass canyon I walk along. I laugh because I truly love this film - and not just because it was directed by a blogger/podcaster ("one of ours" as it were). I love it because it has the balls to show a man warts-and-all. Through that stark reflection we are reminded, that no matter what bends we may need to navigate on our life's path, there's always a way to make that journey one of true joy.

Hot Docs Review: PROJECT NIM

Listening to the the emotional confessions that make up PROJECT NIM, I found one question repeating in my head:

With how emotionally involved all the scientists were getting in the experiment, how could they possibly have counted on purely quantifiable mathematic results?

You might set out to prove that it's possible to create a drug that will make two people fall in love...but if they get into close quarters and fall in love anyway, your entire equation is shot to hell anyway. Isn't it?

PROJECT NIM is all about a Columbia University research study from the mid 1970's. Back then Professor Herbert Terrace wanted to prove that a chimpanzee could learn sign language if nurtured by human parents almost from the moment of birth. His subject - a charmer of a simian named "Nim" - was taken from his mother after being born in captivity and raised by scientists and researchers at Columbia.

What PROJECT NIM shows us, is that the well-meaning imagination of 1970's science might have wanted to prove nurture over nature, however the real experiment came down to how these scientists interacted with each other. Marriages were tested, affairs were carried on, jealousy caused division, and differences in method came into play over and over again.

The film wants to tell a tale of animal rights, but for my money it's a story of human underestimation. Brought to us by director James Marsh (the same man who gave us MAN ON WIRE), the film combines archival video and photography with a few imaginative touches to bridge the gaps. Nim is clearly the star of the show, but the people who cared for him and tried to better understand him are the ones that makes us alternately listen-up and shake our heads.

Nim seems to be continually stuck between divorcing parents, all of them asking him who he wants to live with and waiting for him to make whatever gesture correlates to a choice. The purpose of the research is never really explained (Swell, you can talk to a chimp. Now what?), and it would seem as though it was all laid out with no end-game in mind. Thus the take-a-way for the story is wondering what was crueller. Is it that poor Nim was recruited for these experiments, and put into situations that an animal shouldn't be subjected to? Or is it that the scientists who put him there didn't have a good enough grip on what they were doing - and worse, contaminated any results the did get with unquantifiable emotional influence?

PROJECT NIM is a powerful film, and one that will engage for many reasons. It wants to tell a story of an experiment, the subject of the experiment, and the people performing the experiment in equal measure. It exposes true horrors, and unforeseen results without holding anything back. And if that hasn't sparked enough interest, perhaps you'd like to see it just to watch a chimp smoke a joint.

PROJECT NIM plays Hot Docs once more: Friday May 6th - 10 am at Isabel Bader Theatre

Midnight Radio: Life in Technicolor 2011 pt 3

Wednesday night found me in a slightly louder environment - namely a brisk rooftop patio where I was introduced to this guy...

He's the subject of BEAUTY DAY, an awesome documentary by director (and fellow blogger / podcaster) Jay Cheel. Jay is very much in demand around Hot Docs so this episode will be short & sweet.

Part three of my Hot Docs podcasting coverage on deck...



(Go here or to iTunes if the embedded player doesn't start)

Here's what's in store in part three...

Runtime
(A svelte) 13 minutes, 10 seconds

Up for Discussion

My BEAUTY DAY discussion with director Jay Cheel and star Ralph Zavadil

If you're interested in seeing BEAUTY DAY at Hot Docs, showtimes and ticket info can be found here. More of Cap'n Video's shenanigans can be found here.

Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening.

Enjoy!