#canadian film fest

[laresearchette]

Saturday, April 01, 2023 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: LOVE IN THE MALDIVES (W Network) 8:00pm WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT? EVERY BREATH SHE TAKES (TBD - Lifetime Canada)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

CBC GEM ESCAPE TO THE COUNTRY (Season 28b)

CRAVE TV JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION MASTER LIAR (Episodes 1-3) RISKY BUSINESS

NETFLIX CANADA 10,000 B.C. CATWOMAN CLICK CRASH DR. SEUSS’ THE LORAX GIRLS TRIP HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 JURASSIC PARK LAURENCE ANYWAYS LEGO NINJAGO: SEASON 4 CRYSTALLIZED – PART 2 LOUIS CYR, L’HOMME LE PLUS FORT DU MONDE THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – ROGUE NATION NEW YORK MINUTE SHARK TALE SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE SUPERBAD WILD WILD WEST YOU GOT SERVED ZATHURA: A SPACE ADVENTURE WEATHER

MLB BASEBALL (SN) 2:00pm: Jays vs. Cardinals (TSN2) 4:00pm: Orioles vs. Red Sox (SN Now) 8:30pm: Rockies vs. Padres

BKT TIRES & OK TIRE WORLD MEN’S CURLING CHAMPIONSHIP (TSN) 2:00pm: Canada vs. Switzerland (TSN) 7:00pm: Canada vs. Italy

NHL HOCKEY (TSN4) 4:00pm: Jets vs. Kings (SN1) 3:00pm: Bruins vs. Flyers (CBC/SN/APTN) 7:00pm: Leafs vs. Sens (City/SNEast) 7:00pm: Hurricanes vs. Habs (CBC/SN) 10:00pm: Ducks vs. Oilers

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (TSN3) 6:00pm: Final Four (TSN/TSN4) 10:00pm: March Madness: Final Four

CANADIAN FILM FEST (Super Channel Fuse) 7:00pm: POLARIZED: An encounter between two young women exposes deep prejudices.But as the pair enjoy a growing friendship, they will have to break barriers that keep them apart, or risk settling for the lives their families have laid out for them.

9:00pm: WINTERTIDE: An isolated northern city battles a plague of depression that transforms its victims into zombie-like automatons; a woman discovers that the key to immunity lies within her dreams.

NLL LACROSSE (TSN5) 7:00pm: Bandits vs. Rock

W5 (CTV) 7:00pm (SEASON FINALE): The Cash Cows; Sounds Farm:  International students are the new cash cow for Canadian universities, but students say they're getting ripped off; an Ontario farmhouse creates the sounds you hear in hundreds of blockbuster Hollywood movies.

MONSTER FAMILY (Crave) 7:20pm: Dracula's spell turns a woman and her loved ones into a vampire, a mummy, a werewolf and Frankenstein's monster.

W666 (CTV ) 7:30pm (SERIES PREMIERE): A new spin-off for the long-running Canadian newsmagazine, but entirely from the Satanist perspective. Tonight, meet the creators the Toronto Transit Commission who toil in the bowls of Hell and a profile of Anne Murray.

MLS SOCCER (TSN4) 7:30pm: Toronto FC vs. Charlottte

THE PLOT TO KILL MY MOTHER (Lifetime Canada) 8:00pm:  A woman who unknowingly grew up under federal witness protection starts to question everything after her mother's murder. She decides to leave the program and find her mom's killer before he strikes again.

THE GOALIES (Slicely) 8:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): Heather is looking for love, but in the Bachelor-esque dating series, she must determine who among 20 masked-men is an actual professional hockey goalie and who is just a guy named Gord from Moose Jaw.

KEY TO LOVE (Super Channel House & Home) 8:00pm: When bookstore owner Samantha Hill starts an antagonistic relationship with a book cover model Josh, they unknowingly find an antique key in a false book that starts to unlock their true romance.

IS THIS POUTINE? (Foodie Network North) 9:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): Skilled chefs from around Canada fashion poutine to look like non-poutine items to try to fool contestants. It sounded better in the pitch meeting.

THE SPARKS BROTHERS (Movietime) 9:00pm:  Edgar Wright explores how one rock band can be successful, underrated, influential and criminally overlooked. A musical odyssey exploring five weird and wonderful decades with brothers Ron and Russell Mael, celebrating the inspiring legacy of Sparks.

JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION (Crave) 9:00pm: Four years after the destruction of Isla Nublar, dinosaurs now live and hunt alongside humans all over the world. This fragile balance will reshape the future and determine, once and for all, whether human beings are to remain the apex predators.

THE PRICE WE PAY (Starz Canada) 9:00pm:  After a pawn shop robbery goes wrong, two criminals take refuge at a remote farmhouse to let the heat die down and find something much more menacing.

MOTHERFUNKER (Super Channel Squish) 10:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): In the continuing tradition of television series with names that sound like curse words, like “Schitt’s Creek” and “Son of a Critch” here comes “Motherfunker,” the story of a 1970's Edmonton funk band consisting of five brothers and their tour manager mom: the Motherfunker.

#cdntv #cancon #canadian tv #canadian tv listings #canadian film fest #W5 #mlb baseball #curling #nhl hockey #ncaa basketball #nll lacrosse #mls soccer #april fools!

[thepermanentrainpress]

THE PERMANENT RAIN PRESS INTERVIEW WITH JASON KARMAN OF GOLDEN DELICIOUS

An Asian-Canadian coming-of-age film about family expectations, sexual identity and peer pressure, Golden Delicious is all that and more. It is charming and sentimental, with family at its core. Jake Wong’s (Cardi Wong) story as he navigates his final year of high school is all too familiar in one aspect or another, and a look inwards into how we define and perceive stability and happiness is much needed. 

I watched Golden Delicious when it first premiered at the Vancouver International Film Festival in October, and it was a special night. Since then, the film has screened at many festivals (including Seattle Queer Film Festival, Reelword Film Festival, Vancouver Asian Film Festival, Rainbow Visions Film Festival and Mardi Gras Film Festival).

Does each new festival bring about a new excitement for you & your team?

Watching this film with diverse audiences is exciting and invaluable because one can see which moments transcend different groups and resonate strongly with specific identities. When making a film, one is often in a silo, making creative choices that feel true within the world of that story. I want viewers to empathize with my characters, so it is enriching when strangers come to me and say they are moved by the film.

How has the reception been? Have you been able to connect with many of the viewers as well as other filmmakers?

Many viewers, especially in the LGBTQIA+ community, appreciate the uplifting tone of the film. Many come away feeling empowered. Golden Delicious is a coming-of-age story, but it's also a family drama. In fact, I frequently hear how surprised viewers are that they are rooting for the sister or how much they can relate to what the parents are going through. Other viewers who are filmmakers, they are often interested in how I made the leap from shorts to features and what the most significant differences are. Managing your subplots and not cutting corners in post-production are some of the most critical differences between shooting a feature versus a short film.

Tell me about collaborating with the film’s writer Gorrman Lee and producer Kristyn Stilling. Were you always on the same page in terms of bringing Gorrman’s script to screen? How did you work through any creative differences?

Each of us had areas we were responsible for, and I understood these areas because I have also been a writer and producer. These roles take work. When collaborating, it is about understanding intent, so if Gorrman or Kristyn had a note, it is about understanding what their intentions are and respecting that, but also really know your interpretation of the themes well so you can defend it. Both Gorrman and Kristyn were great at articulating their notes. On the rare occasion, a creative difference comes up, we would discuss it privately with the other person and allow them to respond while recognizing timelines. Fortunately, we were on the same page regarding bringing Gorrman's script to the screen.

In your eyes, how did the script appeal to you? What about Jake’s story were you keen on exploring?

I liked how the script explored relationships through comparisons. We compare Jake’s relationship with his girlfriend with that of his parents. We see how his parents' treatment of his sister differs from their treatment of him. Even Alek's relationship with himself compared to how Jake sees himself is a commentary on how happy you can be if you don't regularly suppress an aspect of yourself. Through contrast, we reveal a hidden truth that must be addressed to move forward. This is what appeals to me about the script.

Regarding Jake's story, I was keen on exploring how Jake could be different from his Dad. I analyzed identity and whether it can be chosen and earned.

I thought the film was both charming and bittersweet, and with the strong family aspect, can appeal to multiple generations. On the coming-of-age spectrum, it drew similarities to a film I enjoy, Alex Strangelove. What films or projects inspired you when making Golden Delicious?

Thank you so much; I know Alex Strangelove. I was inspired by Beautiful Thing, Spa Night, Front Cover and Love Simon when making Golden Delicious.

I found myself drawn towards Jake’s family - mother Andrea, father George and sister Janet - and their own narratives with expectations, happiness, and identity. How did you hope to define family, and what did you seek to question about an Asian immigrant family in this film?

Saving Face is a core value in many Asian immigrant families: it is a strategy to avoid embarrassment to survive. The Wong Family use this and keeps activities that they find fulfilling separate and hidden, except for Janet. This is one of the reasons why many people love Jake's sister, Janet because she is not ashamed. I was looking at the notion of shame in this Asian immigrant family and what happens when you suppress an aspect of yourself. Can you reach your maximum potential? How does that affect others in your circle?

I want to define family by the different people we relate with, not just biological ones.

While Jake is the central character, Janet has her own dreams of entering the restaurant industry while being dissuaded by her parents. How does her story, voice and personality differ from her brother’s?

Janet's story differs from her brother's because she knows what she wants and likes. Janet embodies the theme of the film. Her parents constantly dissuading her while supporting her younger brother creates questions about Asian parents preferring sons over daughters.

Cardi Wong (Jake) and Chris Carson (Aleks) had been friends for years prior to being cast. Did you notice a natural chemistry between the pair and in how they interacted with each other?

I noticed a natural chemistry between the pair when I did a chemistry test on Zoom during auditions. They were very comfortable and open with each other in their communication. Both were charismatic on screen, and it is essential to have this balance.

What can you say about Cardi and Chris’ performances as their characters, and how they contrasted each other?

Cardi and Chris's performances as their characters were authentic. Both have good instincts. As actors, they were brilliant to work with; they were curious and open while also protective over their characters’ needs and wants.

In terms of how their performances contrasted, Chris’ character is proud of who he is, but he could be more empathetic. In contrast, Cardi's character has incredible empathy for others but feels ashamed because of his secret. You put these two characters together, and they naturally want to complement one another.

Did you have a lot of one-on-one discussions with your cast members to shape and define their characters?

Gorrman wrote a great script, and the characters felt clear. I didn’t have a lot of one-on-one discussions. The cast members were all professionals, so they did their homework.

You worked with intimacy coordinators Karyn Mott and Megan Gilron. Had you worked with intimacy professionals prior?

Megan Gilron, Phay Moores, and Karyn Mott were fantastic to work with. They made the process very easy and made me aware of some steps I had taken for granted. It was my first time working with intimacy professionals prior.

What guidance and support did they provide on-set and for the actors? How important were they for the production?

They could articulate an intimate moment through choreography, deconstructing the actions regarding escalation and consent. They also created a safe space to talk about intimacy and mental health. They helped set a precedent for safety, which was very important since we were shooting at the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The pitfalls and fascination with social media were used throughout the film. Did you have discussions on how you wanted it used as a mechanism? Were any teenagers consulted on how social media is used, as it is constantly evolving?

In the past, I have made short films experimenting with frames and containers and knew how much I could push it without not confusing the audience. I regularly discussed with my cinematographer Alfonso Chin, art director Stafford Matthews and Production Designer Jordan Bent how I wanted to portray social media in the film. Yes, teenagers were consulted, and yes, it is constantly evolving.

The movie was based in East Vancouver (we can’t not recognize the exterior of local Chinese staple, Pink Pearl!), and you also shot in New Westminster and Burnaby. What can you share about the locations you used and any challenges you faced? Was it important to embrace the city and not glamourize it?

Yes, it’s the Pink Pearl! We shot in March 2021 before anyone got vaccinated, so locations had to be big enough to accommodate social distancing, amongst other things. We wanted to shoot at a smaller Chinese restaurant but could not. Location scouting relied on connections and what was available online. The Pandemic made the process very uncertain, and rehearsal space took a lot of work to come by. Fortunately, I had a great location manager who loved the script and worked tirelessly to lock down locations.

Queer stories and ones that focus on male fragility are important, but not a constant in mainstream cinema. How has the film/TV landscape changed in this respect since you’ve been a filmmaker, and what progress still has to be made?

I see more male fragility in mainstream cinema with projects like The Whale, Banshees of Inisherin, and White Lotus Season 2. The characters are more diverse, which is excellent, but there is still this association with queerness if one is fragile. You can be straight and cry, and it doesn't mean you are queer. Men should be able to express themselves however they want, independent of their sexual orientation.

What do you hope viewers take away from Golden Delicious?

I hope viewers, especially from underrepresented communities, use this film to discuss more complicated things holding them back.

I also hope viewers, especially older ones, can empathize with the younger generation and what they are going through with social media being so prevalent in their lives. Being inundated with imagery on who to be, how to be and when to do things can be anxiety-inducing, especially during one's formative years. It is vital to not instantly judge someone until we understand the context of what we are looking at.

You’re currently working on a second feature film. What are you excited about, and is there anything you can share?

I am working on a couple projects that will grow into my second feature. I am excited to explore legacy and sacrifice in my new works while still working with the idea of diminished role models.

-

Thank you to Jason for answering our questions, and Touchwood PR for coordinating this interview.

For more information on Golden Delicious, visit their official website and Instagram. Purchase your tickets for their Canadian Film Fest screening at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto on March 30.  

Photo credit to: Syd Wong (film stills)

#Golden Delicious #entertainment #feature #interview #Jason Karman #Vancouver #yvr #bc film #yvrshoots #AAPI #Canadian Film Fest #Canadian Film Festival #Canadian Film #Touchwood PR #Asian Canadian #Cardi Wong #Chris Carson #queer film #queer cinema #lgbtq movies #lgbtq film

[paraphrasedkulchar]

.@canfilmfest's Homegrown Shorts are starting in 10 minutes at @superchanneltv. Read about them at @intheseats.

#canadian film fest #canadian film fest 2023

[trickerys-domain]

Can I just say, thank fuck there is a well known modern film critic out there who fucking understood this movie. Amanda you're a real one and I love you

#saltburn #funky canadian lesbian icon #her last thoughts in particular are so important #not every movie needs to be trying to say something on a higher level #also thank you amanda for correctly identifying this movie as a black comedy not a drama #she has literally helped me build watch lists of movies over the last few years with her film fest summaries #also also everyone looking at this go watch Bottoms

[radellama]

OFFICIALLY AN AWARD WINNING FILMMAKER!!??

#WE WON AN AWARD IN A CANADIAN FILM FEST!!!!!

[onlydylanobrien]

Fox’s MarVista Launches Tideline Entertainment; First Movie Under New Label Is Dylan O’Brien Sex-Worker Mob Tale ‘Ponyboi’ – Sundance

By Anthony D'Alessandro January 19, 2024 2:00pm

EXCLUSIVE: Fox Entertainment and its in-house studio division MarVista Entertainment are launching Tideline Entertainment, a production label that will focus on creating impactful and meaningful content with unique perspectives from differentiated storytellers, voices and creators worldwide.

Under the leadership of Hannah Pillemer, MarVista’s EVP and Head of Creative & Production, Tideline projects will range from movies and indie films to limited series, made-for-platform content and other cross-genre formats based on what best supports each creative vision.

The first project under Tideline is the Esteban Arango-directed Ponyboi, which is being sold by Mark Ankner in partnership with 30Kft out of Sundance; the pic premieres Saturday in the fest’s U.S. Dramatic Competition section. The movie, written by River Gallo and starring Teen Wolf‘s Dylan O’Brien, follows a young intersex sex worker forced to confront their past while running from the mob after a drug deal goes sideways.

“The tideline is the mark left by the tide when it reaches its highest point. We envision the Tideline banner to be synonymous with the most impactful genre storytelling and the home for creators to be their authentic selves as they share their stories with the world,” said Pillemer. “Under this vision, Tideline is already supporting exciting and important projects, starting with Esteban Arango’s tremendous film Ponyboi.”

“I have always believed that we must continue to build and evolve as a studio and storytellers, and now, as we celebrate MarVista’s 20th anniversary and our second year as a part of the Fox Entertainment family, our growth story continues,” said Fernando Szew, CEO of MarVista Entertainment and Fox Entertainment Global. “Today we are proud to establish Tideline as our new in-house production unit, allowing us to emphatically broaden the stories we will bring to the world.”

In addition to Ponyboi, first titles to bear the Tideline label include 2023’s comedy First Time Female Director, which made its debut at the Tribeca Film Festival and was directed, written and stars Chelsea Peretti (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, New Girl) in her actual directorial debut and produced by Amy Poehler’s Paper Kite Productions. First Time Female Director was acquired by Roku Originals out of Tribeca. Also on the roster are three upcoming films from first-time female directors: satirical thriller Slanted by Amy Wang (From Scratch, Crazy Rich Asians 2) , the action comedy The BM from director Rachel Goldberg (Resident Evil, American Gods), and the coming-of-age story Hurricane Summer directed by Lacey Duke (Queen Sugar).

First Time Female Director is about a woman who must fill the shoes of her problematic predecessor to avoid putting her play in jeopardy, while upcoming Slanted is about an Asian American high schooler so desperate to be prom queen that she undergoes radical treatment to change her racial identity, The BM follows a young woman whose desperate search for a bathroom gets her inadvertently caught up in a bizarre heist across Los Angeles. Hurricane Summer, adapted from the bestselling book, tells the story of Tilla, a Jamaican-Canadian woman who experiences growth and devastation the summer she turns 18.

Source: deadline.com

#dylan o'brien #ponyboi #news

[yibo-wang]

I've said if before and I'll say it again. 2023 is the year for yibo and yibo stans! currently Hidden Blade has an extended date for cinemas. Born to Fly and One and Only have begun their promo. All Tomorrow's Parties is travelling film fests around the world. Gank your Heart and Being a Hero are being played on different platforms and now Luoyang and Legend of Fei will be streamed on Beijing and Canadian city TV respectivly!!

#wang yibo #im so proud of him #like even that's an understatement #gank your heart #being a hero #luoyang #legend of fei #one and only #hidden blade #born to fly

[lgbtpopcult]

April 2023 WLW Entertainment Rundown

.

Movies

Polarized, April 1, 2023(Canadian Film Fest)

TV

Welcome to Eden Season 2, Netflix

Dead Ringers, Amazon Prime, April 21

The Owl House: Final Special Episode, Disney+, April 8

From season 2, MGM+, Apr 23, 2023

.

Books, video games, music and more

The Fiancée Farce: A Novel, April 18, 2023

Lambda Literary award winner and national bestselling author Alexandria Bellefleur returns with a steamy sapphic rom-com about a quiet bookseller and a romance novel cover model who agree to a modern-day marriage of convenience...

Tansy Adams’ greatest love is her family’s bookstore, passed down from her late father. But when it comes to actual romance… Tansy can’t get past the first chapter. Tired of her stepfamily’s questions about her love life, Tansy invents Gemma, a fake girlfriend inspired by the stunning cover model on a bestselling book. They’ll never actually meet, so what’s the harm in a little fib? Yet when real-life Gemma crosses Tansy’s path, her white lie nearly implodes.

Gemma van Dalen is a wild child, the outcast of her wealthy family, and now the latest heir to Van Dalen Publishing. But the title comes with one tiny condition: she must be married in order to inherit. When Gemma discovers a beautiful stranger has been pretending to date her for months, she decides to take the charade one step further—and announces their engagement.

Gemma needs a wife to meet the terms of her grandfather’s will and Tansy needs money to save her struggling bookstore. A marriage could be mutually beneficial, if they can fool everyone into thinking it’s a love match. Unexpected sparks fly as Tansy and Gemma play the role of affectionate fiancées, and suddenly the line between convenient arrangement and real feelings begins to blur. But the scheming Van Dalen family won’t give up the company without a fight, and Gemma and Tansy’s newfound happiness might get caught in the fallout…

#lesbian #gay #lgbt #lgbtq #wlw #bi #girls who like girls #lgbtqia #sapphic #tv #Youtube #april

[astoundingbeyondbelief]

Kaiju Week in Review (June 11-17, 2023)

Tsuburaya Productions released a five-minute trailer for Ultraman Blazar, focused on the human cast. Between this and the unveiling of a bunch of the monsters (a combination of originals and some deep cuts), it continues to look extremely promising.

Toho launched a Twitter account for their next Godzilla film on June 12. It's been counting down all the "core" (live-action and Toho-produced) entries in the series at the rate of one per day, starting with Shin Godzilla. Presumably, they'll reveal the poster, title, and maybe more for the new one at the end (so July 11). The way they're doing this also lends credibility to the rumored Godzilla Zero title.

Hoshi 35, Megumi Odaka's triumphant return to movies, released a trailer, poster, and a bunch of stills (gathered on Wikizilla). Alas, no shots of the daikaiju in the trailer, just the baby.

Bandai's finally going to be producing Ultraman toys for the U.S., with the first wave focused on the animated Netflix movie due next year.

For those of you headed to G-Fest next month, the full schedule is out, and they finally announced the Friday and Saturday movies at the Pickwick: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla and Godzilla (2014), respectively. King Kong Escapes will also replace Shin Ultraman on Thursday. Dunno if I'll go to GXMG (I just rewatched it before the Tokyo SOS Fathom Event), but I'm lunging at the chance to see G14 properly-lit and with booming sound. They showed it in 2017 too and it was a blast. For the hotel's film festival, the big title of interest is Yuzo the Biggest Battle in Tokyo, a Yoshikazu Ishii joint set during the pandemic. And if you haven't caught Iké Boys yet, that's playing twice (very much before the audience it was intended for).

Also, go to my friend Alana's panel about designing kaiju gijinkas for cosplay (Saturday at 1). If you've been to either of the past two cons, you probably remember her Mothra costumes, and we're both working on a bunch more for this year.

Oh yeah, and there's a third North American kaiju con, Super G, starting up in the fall... well, sort of. It might be better termed a convention within a convention (Northern National Collectors’ Convention). September 29-October 1 in Windsor, Canada, right on the Michigan border. Not many specifics yet, but the press release says, "Super G will offer fans a variety of guest celebrities and artists, direct from Japan and around the world, who worked on Kaiju franchises making either their first-ever or first-Canadian convention appearances. Inclusion opportunities feature program panels, contests, experiences, theatrical showings, collectables, cosplay, and more."

I haven't been keeping up with Godziban's multi-episode collaboration with Televi-Kun—seems like pretty routine stuff—but then they had to pay homage to Sharknado in the newest installment. I knew, of course, that this day would eventually come. Now which one of you said sharknadoes weren't kaiju back when I was unhealthily obsessed with that series?

#kaiju week in review #godziban #hoshi 35 #ultraman #gfest #blockbuster monster movie #kaiju #godzilla

[gifsbysimplysonia]

Rating Hayden Christensen movies Part 1

Thank you to @quinnsstars for the original post. I actually reblogged and added thoughts/ratings to her post but I just wanna put it in the tag in case anyone else might appreciate the ridiculous ratings and reviews lmao

Me and @jillybean1217 as we have now watched the following Hayden Christensen movies (as I’ve read in HC’s tag here on Tumblr, it’s not a Hayden flick if there’s not Tears or Tits or Both so that’s one of the Rating Categories):

Outcast

Movie: 3 / 5

Hayden: 10 / 5

Tears or Tits: Both!

I’m always going to be partial to a long on top but shaved on the sides haircut on a handsome man. Hayden is a Crusader Knight named Jacob while Nicholas Cage is a Knight named Gallain.

Hayden is so amazing in fights: super graceful in both hand to hand combat and with any type of sword. Jacob does lean towards Legolas levels of skill in this which isn’t terribly believable as he’s human, on opium (which he sticks in his mouth like it’s chewing tobacco??), and more often than not just this side of mortally wounded 😄 Yet he persists and looks so good whilst doing it. Covered in blood is a look I didn’t know i was into either, ha. The only minus for me with him was his accent went from British to Irish to Scottish, with Canadian slipping through kind of consistently.

Tears or Tits: Tears cuz he goes through physical pain and tits out cuz he bathes / has to be patched up when hurt.

Nick Cage is being Nick Cage in this so if that’s entertaining for you, you’ll be entertained when Nick pops up. Unfortunately I just remained puzzled about Crusader Knights in ancient China. Don’t think it falls under white savior though cuz dude was just trying to be on opium lol

90 Minutes In Heaven

Hayden: 1 / 5

Movie: 2 / 5

Tears or Tits: Tears

I understand if this 1980s Tom Selleck mustachioed vibe is for someone, but it is not for me. Hayden also made a choice to make his character Don Piper - based on a real person - Colonel Sanders level Southern…which was WILD cuz we get a clip of the real pastor preaching at the end of the movie and he doesn’t have an accent, like, at all.

We have referred to this as a Jesus movie as it’s produced by a company specifically making religious movies, and Christianity might as well have top billing. I’m sure the message could be for someone, just not for me.

The dramatization of the story also was too illogical and wild for me. Tell me when State Police would tell a man to go ahead and pray for a victim and then allow this random person to walk into an accident scene, climb into a mangled car and then LAY HIS HAND ON THE CORPSE to pray for the person?!? Don was also portrayed as very selfish and almost childish cuz he couldn’t understand why God had let him into heaven only to bring him back to a lot of pain and suffering. His parents, his kids, and his wife provided no inspiration for him to get his attitude together and I found myself actively disliking him.

Tears or Tits: Tears, usually of pain, and some wild noises that out of context? I could appreciate 🤐

I love (and miss) rom coms which is what this is so I was down. I am such a sucker and a sap, I’ll watch the same plot 72 different ways (i watch all the Hallmark autumn movies every year). This is in no way original which doesn’t have to be a bad thing but this could have been done better. Tropes include: childhood friends to enemies, fck boi/sleep with everyone, rival families, leaving small neighborhood and return, 1-on-1 competition with each other.

Little Italy

Movie: 3.5 / 5

Hayden: 4 / 5

Tears or Tits: Tits

Leo Campoli (how he’s introduced at a local fest) / Leo Campo (how the character is credited at the end of the flick) is adorable. I’m just confused by his - and everyone’s - New York accents? Cuz the film takes place in Little Italy in TORONTO CANADA! I guess everyone thought “Italian accent” somehow was equivalent to New York accent which was disappointing.

Despite being the neighborhood bicycle, Leo is sweet, helpful and thoughtful. Super adorable. And i like his dark hair, makes his eyes pop. It’s just funny that they obviously did reshoots or shot at some point after the original shoot cuz his hair is distracting in its difference

And I just love this one of him "dancing"

Unfortunately Emma Roberts plays the other romantic lead and I don’t like her as a person (mean girl and transphobe). I also found her character unlikable in her “I’m better than my home” attitude, as well as just found her devoid of charisma or charm. If I’m not rooting for both leads in a rom com, it’s not a great movie for me.

Tears or tits: Tits! Gratuitous and wonderful

BONUS! He plays soccer in the rain.

I have plot bunnies for all of these characters (not proud about the phone sex PWP for the pastor lmaooooo) now lol

#hayden christensen #movie reviews #outcast #jacob #90 minutes in heaven #don piper #little italy #leo campo #leo campoli #animations #not mine #AND mine

[thegirlisuedtobe]

ahh!! i got into a canadian film fest?!?

#im rereading the email again and like hehehehhehehehwhehehehehe #first thing my mom said when i told her was are u going LOL and then we have relatives there if u wanted to go like mumzie... #the film fest is affiliated and sponsored by some big name candian studios so like 👀👀👀👀👀👀 #my little film is going beyond what i ever expected from it 🥹🥹🥹

[laresearchette]

Sunday, April 02, 2023 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: VINYL OBSESSION (AXS Canada) 8:30pm HEAVEN’S GATE: THE CULT OF CULTS (CNN) 10:00pm ROYAL CRACKERS (adult swim) 11:00pm

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT?: 2023 CMT MUSIC AWARDS (CBS Feed) THE HAND THAT ROBS THE CRADLE (TBD - Lifetime Canada)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

NETFLIX CANADA WAR SAILOR: LIMITED SERIES

NHL HOCKEY (SN360) 1:00pm: Rangers vs. Capitals (SN360) 3:30pm: Bruins vs. Blues (SN1/SNEast) 6:00pm: Flyers vs. Penguins (TSN5) 6:00pm: Sens vs. Blue Jackets (SNOntario) 7:00pm: Red Wings vs. Leafs (SNPacific) 8:00pm: Kings vs. Canucks (SNWest) 8:00pm: Ducks vs. Flames

NBA BASKETBALL (SN1) 1:00pm: Raptors vs. Hornets (SNOntario/SN Now) 6:00pm: Mavericks vs. Hawks (SN360) 7:00pm: Suns vs. Thunder

MLB BASEBALL (SN) 2:00pm: Jays vs. Cardinals (SN Now) 4:00pm: Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers (TSN2) 7:00pm: Phillies vs. Rangers

BKT TIRES & OK TIRE WORLD MEN’S CURLING CHAMPIONSHIP (TSN) 2:00pm: New Zealand vs. Canada (TSN) 7:00pm: Norway vs. Canada

NCAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (TSN3/TSN4) 3:30pm: March Madness: Championship

BIOSTEEL ALL-CANADIAN GIRLS GAME (TSN4) 6:00pm

BEST IN MINIATURE (CBC) 7:00pm: The final five miniaturists tap into their mini-mes to create items inspired by their childhoods before laying it all on the floor building the most playful room in the house, the kid’s room!

SULLIVAN'S CROSSING (CTV) 7:00pm: The annual land blessing is thrown into disarray when one of the campers goes missing.

CANADIAN FILM FEST (Super Channel Fuse) 7:00pm: 2023 Winners: Featuring the winning short film and feature of the 2023 Canadian Film Fest.

BIOSTEEL ALL-CANADIAN BOYS GAME (TSN4) 8:00pm

A YEAR ON PLANET EARTH (CBC) 8:00pm: The North has constant sun, the south is in constant darkness. However, things aren't that simple. This is a season of feast, famine, and fire.

ESSEX COUNTY (CBC) 9:00pm:  When Lester tells his dad he wants to live with him, Jimmy starts to dream big and asks Anne for support. Lou destroys reminders of old heartbreaks and tells Anne the secret he has kept for decades.

MLS SOCCER (TSN2) 10:00pm: Toronto FC vs. Charlotte

RENOVATION RESORT (HGTV Canada) 10:00pm: To wrap up the interior transformation, Scott and Bryan task the teams with transforming the upstairs bedrooms and bathroom; Kyle makes a costly measuring mistake and April is forced to tackle the power tools.

THE CURSE OF OAK ISLAND (History Canada) 10:00pm: While the drilling operation gets closer and closer to its destination, the team is shocked when they discover evidence of an ancient safe.

PORTRAIT ARTIST OF THE YEAR (Makeful) 10:00pm: Dame Stella Rimington, Big Zuu, Alexis Ffrench

LOST TREASURES OF ARABIA: THE ANCIENT CITY OF DADAN (Nat Geo Canada) 10:00pm:  Investigating AlUla's unsolved mysteries and unraveling the many dramas that played out on this ancient stage.

#cdntv #cancon #canadian tv #canadian tv listings #best in miniature #sullivan's crossing #canadian film fest #a year on planet earth #essex county #renovation resort #the curse of oak island #portrait artist of the year #nhl hockey #nba basketball #mlb baseball #curling #ncaa basketball #high school basketball #mls soccer

[greensparty]

2024 BUFF - Dispatch #2

Green’s Party is proud to be covering the 2024 Boston Underground Film Festival, which kicked off last night at the Brattle Theatre (Cambridge, MA).  I’ve been lucky enough to cover the festival since 2016. Here is my 2024 coverage so far.

After the festival kicked off on Wed, the festival kicked into gear with more films on Thursday. I did not get to catch the much buzzed about Strange Kindness (filmed in Cape Cod) or the revenge film Femme, but I did get to see the coming of age vampire film Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (one of the best titles of this year's BUFF).

a scene from Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person

This film is Canadian and it's in French with English subtitles. Teen vampire Sasha rebels against her family by refusing to hunt for new blood. Hence she befriends Paul, a melancholic bowling alley employee already depressed. This is kind of slow at times (well, slow by BUFF standards that is), but there were some inspired moments and it is an interesting take on the vampire-as-a-metaphor-for-teen-angst genre. Drafthouse Films is releasing this in 2024.

Tonight: films include Off Ramp and Sleep

For tickets and info on 2024 BUFF

Stay tuned to Green’s Party for my coverage of this year’s fest!

#boston underground film festival #BUFF24 #humanist vampire seeking consenting suicidal person #film geek #film festival

[fearsmagazine]

HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS | Trailer, Images & Poster

In this silent supernatural epic, a drunken applejack salesman is thrust into the frigid wilderness. Can he go from Zero to Hero, become North America's greatest fur trapper, and defeat hundreds of beavers?

Hundreds of Beavers made its world premiere at Fantastic Fest and has emerged as one of the year's most unexpected gems, earning critical acclaim at festivals around the globe, including Fantaspoa, the Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival, Night Visions, and the Atlanta Film Festival.

Reuniting the team that brought Lake Michigan Monster to Fantasia in 2019, Hundreds of Beavers stars Ryland Brickson Cole Tews as the intrepid hero of this frostbitten inventive epic, co-written by Tews and director Mike Cheslik.

The filmmakers have taken home a number of awards including Best Narrative Feature at the Kansas City Film Festival International, the Oxford Film Festival, the Capital City Film Festival, and the Wyoming International Film Festival. Cheslik took home Best Director at Wyoming and the Phoenix Film Festival, as well as Best Comedy Feature at Midwest Weirdfest. At Mexico City's Morbido Film Festival, Hundreds of Beavers won the coveted Bronze Skull Award.

Hundreds of Beavers is excited to announce their Canadian premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival. Hundreds of Beavers will screen July 28th & 31st at the Salle J.A. De Sève as part of the 2023 edition of Fantasia.

#youtube #film news #movie news #hundreds of beavers #mike cheslik #ryland brickson cole tews #slapstick #black and white #dark comedy #trailer #images #poster

[dweemeister]

Best Documentary Short Film Nominees for the 96th Academy Awards (2024, listed in order of appearance in the shorts package)

This blog, since 2013, has been the site of my write-ups to the Oscar-nominated short film packages – a personal tradition for myself and for this blog. This omnibus write-up goes with my thanks to the Regency South Coast Village in Santa Ana, California for providing all three Oscar-nominated short film packages. 

If you are an American or Canadian resident interested in supporting the short film filmmakers in theaters (and you should, as very few of those who work in short films are as affluent as your big-name directors and actors), check your local participating theaters here.

Without further ado, here are the nominees for the Best Documentary Short Film at this year’s Oscars. The write-ups for the Live Action and Animated Short categories are coming soon. Non-American films predominantly in a language other than English are listed with their nation(s) of origin.

Năi Nai & Wài Pó (2023)

Rarely do both sides of one’s family ever meet. You might expect them to mingle at weddings and funerals. But cohabitation? Such is the case with Taiwanese American director Sean Wang’s two grandmothers in Năi Nai & Wài Pó (paternal and maternal grandmother, respectively), available worldwide on Disney+ and Hulu. Wishing to live closer to family, Wang moved in with his grandmothers Yi Yan Fuei (Năi Nai) and Chang Li Hua (Wài Pó) in their California household during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. His grandmothers rarely leave the house, even for groceries, and keep their heavy curtains drawn at all hours. As thin beams of sunlight barely stream through the interior’s earthy colors, both grandmothers continue to read the newspaper, sing traditional Chinese music, do their own cooking (I assume someone drops off groceries for them), tease each other about farting in bed, and reflect on their families and their pasts. They know that there are fewer tomorrows remaining, but that will not stop them from living joyously and with love for their grandson, who, though off-screen, they converse with throughout the shoot.

Qualifying for the Academy Awards by wining Best Documentary Short at SXSW in 2023 (in addition to the equivalent prize at AFI Fest), Năi Nai & Wài Pó freely admits that its subjects are playing up their act for their grandson. Observational cinema this is not. But in their sense of exaggerated play there exists a twofold acknowledgement. First, as Năi Nai states, “the days we spend feeling pain and the days we spend feeling joy are the same days spent. So, I’m going to choose joy.” And perhaps most meaningfully to Wang, their playing for the camera is one of many ways they express their love for their grandson. It is an elevated home video, a loving portrait, and a reminder to cherish those who loved us into being.

My rating: 7.5/10

The Barber of Little Rock (2023)

People Trust in Little Rock, Arkansas is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). In other words, it is a non-profit – partially funded by the American federal government – to address issues in creating economic growth and opportunities in some of the most underserved communities in the nation through loans, emergency financial assistance, and housing subsidies. People Trust and its President, Arlo Washington, are the subjects of The Barber of Little Rock (available for free online through The New Yorker), directed by John Hoffman (2021’s Fauci) and Christine Turner (2021’s Lynching Postcards: 'Token of A Great Day'). The film, Oscar-qualified by winning the Grand Prize for Documentary Short at Indy Shorts International Film Festival (Indiana), requires a wealth of context to the issues that it raises, but does not always provide enough – especially how municipal, state, and regional history impacts racism in banking, and vice versa.

Arlo Washington is a fascinating, wonderfully-intentioned person, but the movie spends too much time with him directly stating the piece’s thesis about financial equality and generational poverty to the camera. Most compelling of all were some of the individual appointments at People Trust of regular people simply looking for financial relief or a loan to kickstart a business or make their rent payments. So too Washington's barbering training school – especially a scene when two students are asked to look intently at the other’s faces, to understand the other’s struggles simply through quiet observation. Arlo Washington figures in many of these scenes as well, and those scenes reveal as much, if not more, about the lives of People Trust’s clients than any of his brief lectures can accomplish. Hoffman and Turner clearly had deeply cinematic material to work with that could empower their messaging, and it is a shame they are unable to fully utilize it.

My rating: 7/10

Island in Between (2023, Taiwan)

Ten kilometers away from the Chinese city of Xiamen lies Kinmen, a group of islands under control of Taiwan (the island of Taiwan is 187 kilometers away). Directed and narrated by S. Leo Chiang and distributed by The New York Times, Island in Between is Chiang’s meditation on not only Kinmen’s precarious geography and its political status, but his own identity of being American, Chinese, and Taiwanese – three separate identities that interconnect, but are forever distinct. Like many viewers, I was unaware of Kinmen’s existence before viewing Island in Between. This film is most valuable in introducing audiences to a place in some ways frozen in the mid-twentieth century, not so much capturing the spirit of the place and understanding its history.

During visits to mainland China in the late 2000s, Chiang, Taiwanese-born and American-raised, was struck by how vibrant the mainland was – something unrecognizable from “the communist wasteland [he] learned about in school.” In the years since, the crackdown on Hong Kong’s democracy, the COVID-19 pandemic, and increased political tensions between China and Taiwan have complicated his feelings towards the mainland. As a Vietnamese American, I easily saw parallels between how the younger diaspora views our so-called “motherland”, what we are taught, and how older generations perceive their original home. Even among generations, there are divisions in how we feel about the motherland. But Chiang has the additional complication of being caught between three nations important to his being. If anything, his mentions about his parents and their views feels far too cursory, as they are the ones most responsible for shaping his views about American/Chinese/Taiwanese tensions. One hopes this film is not a harbinger of things to come, as beached tanks rust on the placid Kinmen shore.

My rating: 7/10

The ABCs of Book Banning (2023)

As of the publication of this omnibus write-up, bans and challenges to books in libraries and schools have spiked since 2021. These book challenges, often taken up by parents and certain religious organizations, have disproportionately targeted books by and/or about LGBTQ+ and non-white (especially black) people. Stepping into the debate is MTV Documentary Films’ The ABCs of Book Banning (available on Paramount+), directed by Sheila Nevins, Trish Adlesic, and Nazenet Habtezgh. Unfortunately, the film advocates against book challenges in the most stultifyingly artless way. Early on, a title card reveals that the filmmakers will ask about book banning and restrictions from a group that we have heard little from: children. An honorable approach, but the interview snippets found in The ABCs of Book Banning are repetitive and seem rehearsed – children, aghast at the notion that a selected book is a target, offer reasons why book banning is a terrible idea. Nothing Americans have not heard before. Breaking up their interviews are images of book covers, followed by a brief quotation from said book, and an amateurish “BANNED” or “CHALLENGED” banner in red over the book. Sometimes, cheap animation depicting that book’s passage appears; the placement of these animated sequences has no rhyme or reason.

Damningly, this is a film in search of a structure. A handful of authors whose books have been banned from libraries or schools show up to introduce themselves over what appears to be an interview over Zoom. They say a few sentences about why book banning is terrible and we never hear from them again in the film – a complete waste. I suspect these authors recorded longer interviews, but there is almost nothing that remains of those interviews in the final product. This is a film for those who agree with its premise, have no cinematic taste, and are tediously self-satisfied in how they express their political views.

My rating: 4/10

The Last Repair Shop (2023)

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is the last major city school district in the United States to offer free musical instrument repair to its students. From the Los Angeles Times and Searchlight Pictures comes Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers’ The Last Repair Shop (also available on Disney+ and Hulu), which takes us to LAUSD’s repair shop. Just short of the 40-minute limit for short films, The Last Repair Shop curiously tells the viewer preciously little about the shop itself (what are the challenges it is facing, and why is the last of its kind?). Proudfoot and Bowers – both previously nominated in this category for A Concerto Is a Conversation (2021; also available online thanks to The New York Times) – adopt much of the same style as their previous nominee. Both films share talking heads in shallow focus and snappy editing. These aspects sometimes made A Concerto Is a Conversation incohesive, but they work immensely better for The Last Repair Shop. It also helps that The Last Repair Shop, which slowly reveals itself to also be a portrait of a rarely-seen side to L.A., has a clear structure that the viewer can discern early on.

What carries The Last Repair Shop are the life-affirming conversations we have with the four principal interview subjects, all of whom work in a different department at the shop – Dana Atkinson (strings), Paty Moreno (brass), Duane Michaels (woodwinds), and Steve Bagmanyan (pianos; also the shop supervisor, and who inspired the film as he tuned pianos at Bowers’ high school). Whether they play an instrument or not, all four recognize music’s ability to better understand ourselves and others, and as “one of the best things that humans do.” The addition of student voices to the film – especially when one realizes that the repair shop employees almost never hear back from the children whose instruments they repair – strengthens a connection, however distant, through music. The Last Repair Shop’s final minutes provide it that final cinematic touch you might have anticipated, an affirmation of why those who speak the language of music hold it so dear.

My rating: 8.5/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found in the “Ratings system” page on my blog. Half-points are always rounded down.

From previous years: 88th Academy Awards (2016) 89th (2017) 90th (2018) 91st (2019) 92nd (2020) 93rd (2021) 94th (2022) 95th (2023)

For more of my reviews tagged “My Movie Odyssey”, check out the tag of the same name on my blog.

#Nai Nai and Wai Po #The Barber of Little Rock #Island in Between #The ABCs of Book Banning #The Last Repair Shop #Sean Wang #John Hoffman #Christine Turner #S. Leo Chiang #Sheila Nevins #Trish Adlesic #Nazenet Habtezgh #Ben Proudfoot #Kris Bowers #96th Academy Awards #Oscars #31 Days of Oscar #My Movie Odyssey

[maximumwobblerbanditdonut]

In UK cinemas now

Despite the marketing, Love Again is not a rom-com. It’s a rom dram, a romantic drama in the vein of The Vow or Me Before You, a mostly earnest, syrupy love fest starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Sam Heughan, punctuated periodically by some camp, self-aware cringe comedy in the form of Celine Dion playing herself (and of course, providing the soundtrack).

Is it good? No. But in a world where Jennifer Lopez is almost single-handedly upholding the much-called-for revival of the rom com/rom dram, is it too bad to enjoy? Definitely not. Love Again delivers on the promise of an undemanding, mildly heart-warming night out (or night in).

Sam Heughan in Love Again (Photo: Giles Keyte)

Chopra Jonas is Mira, a children’s book illustrator whose boyfriend John dies in the opening scene of the movie. Two years later she wearily agrees to move back to New York with her sister after wallowing at her parents’ house in a deep depression. Her upbeat sister Suzy (an extremely watchable Sofia Barclay, just begging for a rom com of her own) persuades her to get back out there on the apps.

Around the same time, Mira decides that texting her deceased love will help her better process all that latent grief and starts sending long, sorrowful messages to his old number. Which, naturally, now belongs to Rob (Heughan), a lovelorn journalist whose ex left him at the altar and whose editor has recently threatened to take away an imminent gig interviewing Celine Dion because he doesn’t have enough “heart”. Cue lots of gently funny montages of Rob listening to Dion with increasing enthusiasm and determination to meet the mysterious scribe behind those romantic texts clearly intended for someone else.

The two do of course eventually meet, but how can he now tell her he’s been reading all those messages? No problem – this is where the Canadian queen of power ballads steps in, keen, naturally, to spend her limited junket time giving a random hack love life advice.

Love Again knows what boxes to tick. Central Park montage including cheesy slow dance? Check. Kooky sidekicks whose sole raison d’être is to encourage the protagonist to make bold choices? Check. Wilful misunderstanding of how newspapers operate and strangely accented journalists who never seem to do any work (Russell Tovey and Lydia West half-heartedly attempting American)? Check.

I enjoyed the sheer silliness of Love Again, the strict adhesion to romcom/dram norms and the delightful Dion cameos. This isn’t great movie making but it is simple fun. Go and have a silly night out. And you’ll be blasting Dion all the way home.

** If SH’s fans think ‘Love Again’ Will Be the Cinema Event of the Year, they are wrong 😑