When I see stories like this one, I want to pack-up and move myself across the country. Why? As a film lover, living in Vancouver has some serious disadvantages and though I occasionally think about a move, as soon as I think about leaving the mountains and sea I start to feel green.
The First Weekend Club has posted some great news about a film series which kicked off in Toronto yesterday (apologies for not picking up on it sooner). Curated by Canadian film blogger Alan Bacchus in partnership with the Revue Cinema, Canadian Cinema in Revue is a screening series of great Canadian films. And we’re not talking your mother’s stuffy Canadian films; we’re talking celluloid awesomeness.
The series kicked off yesterday with a screening of Vincenzo Natali’s Cube as well as his short film Elevated and if that wasn’t great enough, they also arranged to have Natali on hand via Skype (gotta love technology!) to answer audience questions. If you ask me, this isn’t a shabby start to the series; not one bit! On the slate for the next few months:
July 13th: Fido with The Big Charade August 10th: It’s All Gone Pete Tong with If I See Randy Again… September 21st: Six Figures with Still Live
That’s a great line-up of Canadian film. For more information and to stay up to date with the series, be sure to check out The Review Cinema’s website.
It’s amazing what one film role and a few award nominations can do for your career. Until the release of Milk (our review) last year, James Franco was considered by most, myself not included, a pretty face with little talent. I’d spotted a spark in a few earlier performances but with each new film, Franco seemed to be falling deeper into the hole of heartthrob but after his scene stealing turn as Sean Penn’s lover, the film buffs started to take note. Thankfully, it seems that Franco is taking the new opportunities in stride.
Franco was recently cast in Howl, an adaptation of Allen Ginsberg’s life (of which the first image has surfaced and though it doesn’t reveal much, I do like the look of the characters) and news today is that Franco has also signed on to In Praise of Shadows which was written and will be directed by Jay Anania, an up-and-comer who as of yet, has nothing of note under his belt.
The indie drama stars Franco as William Vincent, an eccentric man who after four years of absence, returns to New York City to save the woman he loves from a crime syndicate. Not exactly heart pounding stuff here but I have faith that Franco has turned the page from heartthrob to actor; fingers crossed that this project has more going for it than this mediocre idea.
Great title. I hadn’t heard about this novel before, but now that it’s being made into a film I’m all ears; especially since I now find that my new crush, Anne Hathaway, is involved.
According to Amazon (and other sources), this is a story about Billy Chaka, a popular writer who’s come to Tokyo to cover the 19 and Under Handicapped International Martial Arts Championship. While Chaka is waiting in a bar for the arrival of his old friend, filmmaker Sato Migusho, an apparently drunken woman enters and rushes for the ladies’ room. Immediately recognizing her as a geisha in disguise, on the lam from disgruntled clients, Chaka helps her escape. While on a quest to find the mysterious geisha, Chaka keeps stumbling over imponderables which begin to strangely resemble one of his own story plots; including a run-in with a yakuza leader named Kwaidan and an unnamed religious cult. Sort of like if you crossbred The Big Sleep with Memoirs of a Geisha and then took its offspring and crossed it with Chinatown you’d end up with Tokyo Suckerpunch–a tongue-in-bloody-cheek quasi-punk-noir tale of death and deception in the superfantastic Far East.
Sounds like quite the genre picture… with Anne Hathaway? For now, despite the casting of Tobey Maguire (also producing), you can count me in on this one.
Who is this Sam Worthington cat and why is his star on the rise? Other than a poorly reviewed contemporary version of MacBeth and a short stint on some television show, Worthington hasn’t had much in the way of leading roles. Hell, even in a straight-to-DVD movie about a killer crocodile that came out last year he played second fiddle to some unknown guy (amusingly, I actually watched Rogue about two weekends ago on Sci-Fi after coming home drunk from the bar – and maybe it was because of the beer, but I didn’t know that was Worthington until just now).
So how does this even work? He goes from almost complete obscurity (check out his past few years on IMDb for chrissake) to what will certainly be a huge, huge star. How does such an unknown get the leading role in Terminator Salvation (which he is the best part of, truth be told), convince James Cameron that he can be the big star in his upcoming potentially Hollywood-changing, undoubtably award-winning Avatar, snag first billing in John Madden’s The Debt alongside Helen Mirren and Tom Wilkinson, and then get the main role in Louis Leterrier’s inevitably successful Clash of the Titans remake with Liam Neeson, Danny Huston, and Ralph Fiennes (pictured above, courtesy of /Film).
Does he just have the greatest agent in the business? Is he just lucky? Did he sign over his soul to the devil? If so, where do I sign? Are the studios forcing him on directors in hopes of making him a mega star? Or do all of these directors really just see something special in this guy?
All I know is that I wish I were in this guy’s shoes. He’s going to be pulling poon like crazy a year from now.
Buffy fans are a legion of the highest order that I believe might even conquer the strength of the Brown Coats. Though let’s be honest, most of these fans would have a hard time deciding which faction to side with as most are simply in default Joss Whedon mode; as I am. Point is, fans have been clamoring for more Buffy since the show went off the air (with a bang) quite a few years back. But would they want more Buffy with the caveat that there would be no Joss Whedon involved and (probably) no cast members from the original show on board either? Speaking only for myself, I can say yes.
Word around the campfire is that original Buffy the Vampire Slayer film creator, Fran Rubel Kuzui and her husband Kaz Kuzui want to re-energize the franchise with a relaunch (or reboot or re-imagining – whatever the kids are calling it these days). In other words, this would be a launch from the beginning and would not involve any story arc from the show or original movie (no Willow, no Angel, no Spike, etc.). I think most fans want a spin-off from the TV show that would bring everyone back one last time. I can empathize with that notion, but since we’ve been told time and time again from Joss, Gellar, et. al. that that is never going to happen, then I’ll take my slayer any way I can get her. If that means rebooting the franchise and going in new directions, I’m all for it.
What do you think? Should we have a reboot of the Buffy franchise or leave where it is, in the ground.
Though I’m recovering from fun and sun days on the Westcoast (along with “The Tudors” season three filled evenings) I would have given almost anything to be enjoying the long line-ups, fast food, lack of sleep and countless hours spent in dark theaters in southeastern France. Alas, that was not meant to be this year but the time will come. You’ll see.
While we were going about our business, the movie people at Cannes were trucking along on the final few days of the festival and boy, what a final few days they were! Though Lars von Trier’s Antichristruffled a whole lot of feathers, it didn’t stop the film from being picked up for North American distribution. IFC has shelled out for the rights but it’s unclear whether they’ll be editing the film or releasing it in a very limited run considering it will likely get an NC-17 (AKA certain box-office death) rating.
One unlikely film to be getting a lot of buzz is Marc Price’s Colin, a zombie film which Price made for $70. Most of the information I’ve seen on the film reverts back to the CNN story which made me curious about the film and though it sounds great (make a cheap movie that gets loads of attention at a prestigious film festival), buzz doesn’t always translate into greatness. I’m sure the film has its moments, the trailer certainly does, but I’m not sure I could sit through 90 minutes of this:
Our friends at Movie Set have posted a video of the press conference for The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus which includes Terry Gilliam talking about the film and discussing Heath Ledger’s method though I have a feeling most folks will be interested in the few clips we get to see from the film. Check it out:
And now what we’ve all been waiting for: the winners. The guys (and gals) who came out on top. I’m sure Michael Haneke will be celebrating his revenge. My mom can now rest assured that I have brought attention to Portuguese director João Salaviza’s Palme d’Or winning short film Arena.
Palme d’Or:The White Ribbon, directed by Michael Haneke Grand Prix (runner-up):A Prophet, directed by Jacques Audiard Prix Exceptional du Jury (Special Jury Prize): Alain Resnais, director of Wild Grass Prix de la Mise en Scene (best director): Brillante Mendoza, director of Kinatay Prix du Scenario (best screenplay): Feng Mei for Spring Fever (Chun Feng Chen Zui De Ye Wan), directed by Lou Ye Camera d’Or (best first feature): Samson and Delilah directed by Warwick Thornton Special Mention:Ajami directed by Scandar Copti, Yaron Shani Prix du Jury (jury prize) – TIED:Fish Tank directed by Andrea Arnold and Thirst directed by Park Chan-wook Prix d’interpretation feminine (best actress): Charlotte Gainsbourg for Antichrist Prix d’interpretation masculine (best actor): Christoph Waltz for Inglorious Basterds Palme d’Or (short film):Arena directed by Joao Salaviza
indieWire has a full list of winners including the special prizes. It’s worth noting that Canadian director Xavier Dolan’s debut J’ai tue ma mere pretty much swept the Directors Fortnight prizes while Cordell Barker’s Runaway, won the Petit Rail d’Or for Best Short Film at the International Critics’ Week in Cannes.
Some will recognize Barker’s name as the talent behind the famous The Cat Came Back (which you can watch for free care of the NFB) and his new film looks just as charming. The music by Benoît Charest (who did the great music for The Triplets of Belleville) is certain to get you humming. Here’s a clip:
We have a lot of great material to look forward to in the coming year. At the top of my list is Antichrist followed closely by Haneke’s new film and Dolan’s debut which I hope sees life in Canadian cinemas outside of Quebec.
And I’m actively looking for someone to pay my way to Cannes for 2010. If you’re looking for a writer (or a coffee girl), call me k?
In the making for nearly 30 years, it looks like J. G. Ballard’s “High Rise” will finally see life on the big screen.
Our friends at Quiet Earth have uncovered a poster and synopsis for the film adaptation of Ballard’s book; an adaptation that has Canadian director Vincenzo Natali on board to write and direct. It’s the story of a tower whose inhabitants lead self contained lives within the tower until the society begins to eat itself out.
I’ve only read a few of Ballard’s books and this doesn’t happen to be one of the few but reading over the description on wikipedia and taking a parooze over the synopsis, it looks like the story is essentially the same with a few minor exceptions the most important of which being the physical isolation of the tower from the world (in the “midst of a vast ocean”).
In the midst of a vast ocean stands the Elysium Tower – a glistening vertical city – a sanctuary for challenging times. Powered by sun and earth, designed by the greatest architectural visionary of the new millennium, Elysium is a self contained world. A world of commerce, cuisine and entertainment, featuring restaurants, swimming pools, libraries, cinemas, even a research hospital. It is not just the tallest and most technologically advanced work of modern architecture, but one that embodies the world’s highest aspirations. Dr. Robert Laing, a new arrival, settles in and adjusts to this hermetic life. But before long he becomes aware of something unsettling in the building. In an escalating atmosphere of unrest the residents break into tribal factions. Laing watches in horror as the myth of a utopian society is shattered.
I’ve been a proud supporter of Natali’s work for well over ten years (shocking, I know) and I’m happy to see that the director is finally getting international attention. What I want to know now is: when the heck do we get to see a trailer for Splice?
Alejandro Jodorowsky isn’t a filmmaker I know all that well (though his name has popped up around these parts in the past) but when a movie includes Asia Argento, Udo Kier, Nick Nolte and Marilyn Manson in the cast, how is a girl not supposed to get excited? Forget the fact that I was once a Manson fangirl (I nearly got killed at an autograph signing) and just look at the man. Seriously, what is Manson doing, or better yet, going to do in a western?
At the moment there’s isn’t much on King Shot aside from the fact that it’s a “metaphysical spaghetti western.” Frankly, that’s too wordy and headache inducing to fully decipher at this late hour. What is clear is that the international production (Italian money, shooting in Spain, Chilean director) will start filming in October.
If the cast or the fact that this is Jodorowsky’s return to film (he hasn’t directed in 20 years) doesn’t do it for you, perhaps the fact that Oscar winning cinematographer (for Close Encounters of the Third Kind though he’s been nominated a number of other times) has also signed on to shoot the film.
I’m not sure what to make of it all but yes, I am curious.
I know that I’m in the minority around here when it comes to loving Zach Braff’s writing/directing debut, Garden State. But that’s okay, because I’m right. It’s fun, it’s well written, the drama is believable, the characters are great, the story is real and all of this is balanced terrifically with some nicely crafted humor that works fantastically when it needs to. Oh, and it has Peter Sarsgaard in it. So yeah, victory is mine.
The good news today though, is that we all win because apparently all of my bitching for the past three years seems to have paid off as Zach Braff appears to finally have himself a new project: writer, director and star of a new film entitled Swingles; which is being described as sort of a 21st Century version of When Harry Met Sally, co-starring Cameron Diaz.
That’s basically about the extent of the information available right now, but I’m really just glad to see Braff get away from sitcoms and film flops and get back to writing/directing. The story doesn’t sound all that exciting to me and I hope this isn’t a case of the sophmore slump. But again, if Garden State is any indication, there no reason to think we won’t have more critical success with Swingles.
We may not have Hot Docs but Vancouver isn’t without it’s own documentary film festival and DOXA is gearing for kick-off in a few days time.
With a ten day running schedule, there’s a whole lot to see at the festival this year from a schedule that includes some great international titles and a nice variety of Canadian films. The festival starts on Friday, May 22nd with Inside Hana’s Suitcase from award winning Canadian director Larry Weinstein and closes on Saturday, May 30th with Jennifer Bichwal’s Act of God which looks at people who have been struck by lightning (one I’m really curious to check out).
The festival is screening a whole load of other fabulous documentaries including Youssou N’Dour: I Bright What I Love which I recall getting lots of praise at VIFF, Shooting Women which features interviews with female directors and cinematographers from around the world, The Queen and I which explores the life of Farah Pahlavi: the last Iranian queen who now lives in exile, Hair India which looks at the selling of hair (a huge market) in India, Necrobusiness which tells the story of a mortuary scandal in Poland (sounds way more interesting than I’m giving it credit for) and The Dungeon Masters which, as the title suggests, delves into the world of Dungeons & Dragons.
I’m not sure how I’m going to cope but I am determined to find time for a number of these films; let’s hope I make it through next week. Full list of films, ticket information and screening times, check out the DOXA website.
The knock out is coming but it’s still a few days away and in the meantime, we’ve got another Cannes roundup and it’s a doozy!
Canada tends to be well represented at Cannes but this year our numbers seem to be down though the quality is definitely holding up. One of the few picks for this year’s festival came care of a young Quebec filmmaker named Xavier Dolan. The 20 year old’s film J’ai tué ma mere premiered at the Directors’ Fortnight to a huge standing ovation. The film opens in Quebec City and Montreal on June 5th but considering the Cannes praise and the great looking trailer, I’m hoping it expands to the rest of Canada.
On another note that makes me giddy with glee, it looks like Jane Campion’s Bright Star may be the comeback a few of us have been waiting for. The gents at In Contention have gathered a few reviews of the film and by all accounts, it’s a success. Even Mr. Jeff Wells concedes that it’s a great film even though it’s not his cup of tea. Can’t ask for much more than that.
The biggest buzz out of Cannes at the moment surrounds Lars von Trier’s Antichrist. Around these parts we were pretty excited about the trailer for the film but its premiere at Cannes has been less than favourable and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Where I was once merely curious I’m now on board completely to see von Trier’s twisted vision and from all accounts, it’s pretty twisted (and crowd splitting). Spout gathered a great collection of snippets from folks that reviewed the film both positively and negatively but what really caught my attention were von Trier’s comments after the screening.
Asked about the film, he explained that it “is a very dark dream about guilt and sex and stuff.” As if we couldn’t figure that out from the trailer. Even better, and one of the reasons von Trier is now on my revered directors list, is the fact that’s he’s unwilling to compromise the film he’s created:
I don’t have to justify myself. I make films and I enjoy very much making them. You are all my guests, it’s not the other way round. I work for myself and I do this little film that I’m now kind of fond of and I haven’t done it for you or the audience, so I don’t feel I owe anyone an explanation.
Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds has premiered and the reviews are slowly coming in. We should have a few more to go by in a few days time but for now, Screen Daily reports that the film has some moments but also features Tarantino overindulging.
Variety muses on how the billboard business is on the downturn this year though from what I’ve seen, it looks to me like they’re still going strong.
Martin Scorsese was in town last week to celebrate his good friend Roger Ebert. The Oscar-winning filmmaker was on hand for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to rename the press conference room as The Roger Ebert Conference Center.
And closing off with a few videos. A resourceful YouTuber has gathered together a playlist of Cannes trailers. Anne Thompson posted a video of Francis Ford Coppola after a screening of Tetro but perhaps the best video discovery so far is the teaser trailer for ONEDREAMRUSH.
Cinematical posted the teaser, along with details on the project which is essentially a collaborative film featuring 42 talented individuals all contributing 42 seconds of film and the result is weird. NSFW weird. You can check out the trailer here but I highly recommend checking out the project website (with a bunch of videos already posted).
POST EDIT: And breaking news that (as a fan) I simply had to post. Looks like New Moon got some Cannes love as well. News today is that footage from the upcoming film was screened at a party last night. Look for more footage (or perhaps the same footage) making a splash at the MTV Movie Awards in a few weeks time.
If you missed it, round one is here and yes, I’m still wishing I was there.
When I see stories like this one, I want to pack-up and move myself across the country. Why? As a film lover, living in Vancouver has some serious disadvantages and though I occasionally think about a move, as soon as I think about leaving the mountains and sea I start to feel green.
disgruntled clients, Chaka helps her escape. While on a quest to find the mysterious geisha, Chaka keeps stumbling over imponderables which begin to strangely resemble one of his own story plots; including a run-in with a yakuza leader named Kwaidan and an unnamed religious cult. Sort of like if you crossbred 
The biggest buzz out of Cannes at the moment surrounds Lars von Trier’s 
