A Nocturnal Nomad: Near Dark With Lance Henriksen
Posted in Canadian Content, Conventions/Expos, Films, Halloween, Horror, Science Fiction |

By Less Lee Moore

Every year as part of their Festival of Fear, Rue Morgue screens an iconic horror movie accompanied by a special guest. This year, we were treated to a screening of what may be the perfect vampire film, Near Dark, directed by Kathryn Bigelow, with Lance Henriksen (who plays Jesse Hooker) in attendance.

Near Dark is one of those movies that, forgive the cliché, truly improves with age, much like the vampires it portrays. It is even more relevant now than it was when it was originally released in 1987. Back then it was not exactly box office gold, although it has grown in both critical and cult status since.

Having just witnessed Lance Henriksen on screen as the somewhat terrifying Jesse Hooker, it’s a bit of a shock to see him ascend the stage with short grey hair and wire-rimmed glasses. He shows off his forearm tattoos in an attempt to look tough and then breaks into a grin and laughter at the attempt.

When emcee Richard Crouse starts asking questions, we hear Henriksen’s unmistakable, deep, gravelly voice and there is no doubt that the man before us is the same who has inhabited so many iconic, and frequently chilling, characters: Bishop in Aliens, Ed Harley in Pumpkinhead, and Frank Black in the much-cherished TV series Millennium

Lance Henriksen is a natural and gifted storyteller, though the word “raconteur” seems far more appropriate. Crouse pulls selected quotes and stories from Henriksen’s recently published biography Not Bad For A Human and asks him to elaborate on them, which he does at length, frequently spinning off into tangents, such as when Crouse asks him about a commercial voice-over gig he turned down early in his career. The pay was $50,000 but Henriksen claims he didn’t want to do multiple takes because he just didn’t want to hear his own voice that much. He interrupts himself and stands up to tell another story about his life, then looks over at Crouse: “I’ll just rattle on for a second.” The crowd laughs.

Although film fans may find Lance Henriksen creepy on screen, he’s utterly charming and witty in person. Still, there is that edge, like when he lowers his voice an octave to emphasize a point, or responds with a deadpan expression before smiling and laughing. Or when towards the end of the night, a patron got up to exit and Henriksen pointed him out: “”Don’t leave. I’m coming up to the best shit yet. God, I hate it when people walk out. Anything I can do for you? Would you like some wine?” The crowd cracks up and Crouse tries to assuage his fears: “I think he’s coming back.” Henriksen turns to call his bluff: “No, he’s not, you’re lying to me.” Crouse: “I’ve never lied to you before, and I won’t start now.” It’s like some sort of dark-humored stand up routine with Crouse as the unwitting straight man.

Where was I? Oh yes, Lance Henriksen’s stories . . . even though he tells a lot of them, he’s no gossip hound; he doesn’t name names, saying that he has “no axes to grind.” In fact, he admits, “everything that happens for real, I put in a movie.” As the discussion of Near Dark eventually reveals, he always creates a background reality for his characters.

It is not just his training as a Method actor that prompts this; it’s Henriksen’s self-identification as a “primitive.” “You know in your heart if you’re a primitive or not,” he states. He tells us that he goes to great lengths to convince himself that he has the intelligence, strength, and creativity to play a certain role because he has neither education nor trust. “The script only gives you the narrative and the words; they don’t tell you how to do it,” he reminds the audience. He needs that information to play the character so he’s not “just acting.”

Many of us were surprised by the revelation that despite his appearance in over 150 movies since the early ’70s (and years of theater, including Broadway productions), Lance Henriksen did not learn to read or write until he was 30 years old. “Why do you have to do something that you have no need for at the time?” he queries, then pauses. “That’s my agent [in the audience] laughing.” He continues, “Nobody ever asks an artist, ‘Why did you cut your ear off?’ No one asks, they just ARE.” In fact, Henriksen started off designing theater sets. He’s also created giant mural paintings and has been making pottery for decades now. “There are people who think in pictures,” he says, “and people who think in words . . .” Henriksen says he just wanted to BE the characters.

And although he did graduate from the Actors Studio (in his thirties), Crouse wants to know if the years Henriksen spent on the road were another kind of acting school. “I’ve worked with as many people as are in this room . . . and every one of them gave me something. I’m influenced by mentors on all levels.”

Could one of those mentors have been James Cameron? Henriksen tells the tale of a “very sophisticated writer” who interviewed him and asked how James Cameron has changed since Titanic and Avatar (Henriksen appeared in Cameron’s much-lambasted Piranha II in 1981). “Jim Cameron was Jim Cameron when I met him. He’s the same guy; he’s just got more money and more opportunity to express himself [now].” Henriksen continues: “We were back in Jamaica with a $300,000 budget [filming Piranha II] and [Cameron]’s up in his hotel room making rubber fish because they didn’t give us enough money . . . and then [we were] in the parking lot making models and stuff to blow up.” However, he is quick to add that, “he paid me to do that. I wasn’t his friend. Yet.” Then he laughs.

Crouse tells the story of how Canadian director David Cronenberg was offered to direct Flashdance and turned it down saying it would’ve been a huge failure. What if Henriksen had played the title role in The Terminator as James Cameron originally envisioned? “It would have been a huge failure,” quips Henriksen. “Arnold [Schwarzenegger] was a big bulldozer; he was perfect for the role. If you’re gonna have a giant . . . anything to do with hydraulics, Arnold’s perfect.” He pauses. “Look at what he did as a governor.” The audience bursts into laughter.

He goes off on a brief tangent about California being the most taxed state on the planet but when Crouse asks him why he stays there, he doesn’t miss a beat: “Arnold.” And the audience erupts into laughter again. Henriksen shows more of his dark side when he refuses to talk about politics, saying he gets “vicious.” Based on his Sea Shepherd T-shirt, though, I’d actually love to hear more of his political views.

A film Henriksen actually did appear in, though just barely, was Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind. “I was the fart-catcher,” he tells everyone, then elaborates: “You know the guy with the big part who goes (here he adopts a phony ‘actor’ voice and points out into the distance), ‘So, is that the sun setting?’” Then he mimes holding something up with his arms and puts on a goofy smile and subservient posture: “And I go, ‘Oh shit, yeah!’ And I catch the fart. ‘Oh, that’s a great line, and you’re so great’.” He blows a raspberry. “Oh, now I caught it.”

But there’s more to the story. “I was making scale plus ten for six months which is a lot of money, and I learned how to fly. My rationale was this character would know how to fly.” He laughs. “It’s a good excuse, even for the IRS.” He drops into a “serious” voice: “My character needed to know how to fly.” Then he adds, “I was going to jump out of the plane in a parachute and Spielberg sent people over there and said, ‘Lanc,e you’ve gone way over the limit. You know, flying is okay, but jumping out of a plane . . . you know, we might need you’.” Beat. “They never did . . . but they thought they might.”

So what about Near Dark? Henriksen praises director Kathryn Bigelow as “matriarchal,” detailing the tale of seeing her at an early screening of her 2008 film The Hurt Locker. “It was years and years ago that we did [Near Dark] and she still looked the same. I asked her, ‘Are you a vampire?’ and she just smiled. And I said, Ohhhh shit . . . ”

Henriksen and fellow actor Bill Paxton (who played Severen in the movie) were “obsessed” with where their characters came from. Henriksen explained the backstory he developed for Jesse Hooker: he was in the Southern Navy hundreds of years prior and after losing a battle at sea, he and the survivors drifted through the marshes until harpies started feeding on the dying. He didn’t call Jesse, Severen, or the other characters “vampires,” because “you can’t play a vampire; you only play a nocturnal nomad that is thinning the herd. . . ” At another point he says, “I hate Twilight, man” and the crowd applauds and cheers. Yet he praises 30 Days of Night, saying, “it tested my masculinity.”

Back to Near Dark: before they started filming, Henriksen picked up a hitchhiker who, at about 220 pounds, was much bigger than he was. “I said to him (adopts creepy Jesse Hooker voice), ‘Roll me a cigarette’.” So he rolls the cigarette and he gives it to me, but it looked like shit so I threw it out the window, ‘What the fuck is that?’

“And he’s looking at me like (warbly voice), ‘What?’ And I said, ‘Try it again. Put some mood music on.’ I’m ordering him all over the fucking place. . . . And I said, ‘What kinda music is that? It’s shit, turn that shit off.’ I take one puff and I go (spits), ‘Oh fuck this.’ He’s so nervous because of my staring at him . . . like he was a meal . . . ‘I wonder if I should take his face, his ear, what do I do? Do I rip his throat out?’ You know all those thoughts were going through my head, but in an artistic way.” Everyone laughs hysterically.

When they finally approached some lights, the hitchhiker pointed them out and said, “That’s where I get out. That’s where I’m going.” So they pulled over and there was no one around. Feeling bad, Henriksen asked him why he was hitchhiking and he replied, “Well, I’m broke.” Henriksen: “I took all the money I had in my left pocket (I had more in my right pocket) and gave him the money . . . I felt so guilty, for torturing this bastard for probably 70 miles, 70 miles of real Jesse Hooker horseshit. And so that was my voyage to go to work.”

At the end of the night, Lance Henriksen addressed us all and said, “I’m grateful that you saw [Near Dark] and enjoyed it. Let’s leave each other wanting.” Based on his discussion of a potential Near Dark prequel in comic form, we are definitely wanting more. According to him, Dark Horse asked him to write a comic after several comic artists contributed illustrations to Not Bad For A Human. Since he and Bill Paxton started writing a prequel script “the minute we finished shooting” Near Dark because they were “so enamored with each other and the movie,” this could be excellent. Henriksen says he has asked Kathryn Bigelow for her blessing.

I’ve tried to give a taste of what it was like to watch and listen to Lance Henriksen tell stories, but it’s hard to capture it in words on a computer screen, so there is much I’ve omitted. You can watch some clips of the event on YouTube here (thank you Vandelay77!), but I’m going to guess it’s also worth it to check out Not Bad For A Human.

The evening could be summed up, however, by Richard Crouse’s opening quote from the book, which was Henriksen’s assessment of his decision to turn down that $50,000 voice over job. “They probably thought, ‘This guy is an eccentric fuck.’ And they were right.”

Fans hope 'Deathly Hallows' can break Oscar curse
Constance Droganes, entertainment writer, CTV News.ca
Date: Friday Jul. 15, 2011

Oscar voters aren't easy to please. Even Harry Potter, Hollywood's famous boy wizard, has failed to cast his spell over these gatekeepers to win an Academy Award.

Fans hope to see that change with the release of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," the epic finale to the highest-earning movie franchise in Hollywood history.

"I'm just like any other Potter fan," said Tracy Cameron, a 28-year-old teaching assistant in St. Catharines, Ont.

Like millions of Potter fans, Cameron grew up on J.K. Rowling's books about a lonely young wizard who comes into his own. She also reread Rowling's books many times.

Like other fans, Cameron worried that Warner Bros.' film franchise would fail to capture the magic of Rowling's saga. Those worries faded after Cameron saw "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," the film that launched the Potter series in 2001.

"The films exceeded all my expectations," said Cameron.

"I just don't understand why the Oscars haven't given these movies their due."

Cameron isn't the only one pondering that mystery.

In January 2011, veteran actor Richard Griffiths, who played Harry's uncle Vernon Dursley, told reporters that he believed "something is going on."

Other than a few nods in the technical, costume, and music categories, the Oscars have never given the Potter movies a crack at the Academy's acting, directing and best picture prizes.

"It's sad it's only technical awards and not artistic ones it has received," the 63-year-old Griffiths said earlier this year.

"It's the biggest movie phenomenon on the planet. I remember when ‘ET' was the highest earning movie all time -- $870 million. With Harry Potter, you're talking "$6 billion," said the Tony and Laurence Olivier Award-winner.

The Oscar snub is perplexing.

To date the Potter franchise has earned US$6.3 billion worldwide.

It's proven that a children's fantasy could hold its own against adult franchises like "Lord of the Rings" and "Star Wars."

The instant recognition of the Potter films' first, memorable musical notes was seconded only by "Jaws."

The Potter movies also helped put Harry's iconic glasses into Hollywood's history books, giving them as much cultural significance as Judy Garland's ruby slippers from the "Wizard of Oz."

Yet, Oscar voters remained unimpressed.

That's not surprising, says Canada AM movie critic, Richard Crouse.

‘Deathly Hallows 2' no lucky charm

"Historically, these kinds of kids' or genre films have never been big Oscar winners. Voters have never felt they were deserving of an Academy Award," said Crouse.

"It's not to say that ‘Deathly Hallows: Part 2" isn't worthy of an Oscar nomination. But I don't think we'll see any acting or directing nods this year for the Potter gang," said Crouse.

But "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" could surprise everyone in 2012. In fact, the sentimentality over the end of the Potter era in Hollywood could influence Oscar voters in favourable ways.

"It's possible, but it's going to be an uphill battle," Gregg Kilday, the film editor for The Hollywood Reporter, told CTVNews.ca.

"The early reviews for ‘Deathly Hallows 2' have been solid. But I doubt that we'll be seeing David Yates nab a nomination for best director in 2012," said Kilday.

"Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg and other established directors could be vying for Oscar gold next year. Yates doesn't have the reputation to take these guys on," he said.

It's also unlikely that Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint will score any nominations in the best acting categories.

"The problem with the Potter films is that they came into being with a group of young actors who never had the stature to grab Oscar voters," said Kilday.

As well, the older stars showcased in the Potter franchise, including Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon and the late Richard Harris, were never on screen long enough to grab voters' attention.

"If any actors stand a chance for an Oscar nomination in 2012 it'll be Alan Rickman and Ralph Fiennes," said Kilday.

"They'll have to muster up a lot of magic to pull it off," Kilday said, with a laugh.

"But these guys have the acting chops and the Hollywood stature to stand a fighting chance."

Short film festival finds home in south Etobicoke
LakeShorts premieres at The Assembly Hall on May 7

Lakeshore Arts, along with Fifth Ground Entertainment, is gearing up to host its first ever short film festival, an exciting new event that's sure to give Etobicoke a new place on the map of the Toronto art scene.

LakeShorts International Short Film Festival is set to launch Saturday at the Assembly Hall, and will feature the talents of filmmakers both locally and internationally, said Susan Nagy, executive director of Lakeshore Arts.

Nagy said the idea spawned from a previous Lakeshore Arts program, My Neighbour's An Artist, which showcased a film screening of local Etobicoke actors, directors and filmmakers.

"One of the things filmmakers of short films find challenging is there's not a lot of opportunities to get their films showcased," Nagy said, "...And there really was nothing in South Etobicoke of that calibre."

One of the artists whose film was shown was directed by local actress and LakeShorts festival director, Michelle Nolden, who thought the event went so well that Etobicoke should have a short film festival of its own.

Nolden said LakeShorts will feature 13 short films chosen from more than 110 film submissions that came from local artists to filmmakers all over the world including Iran, Spain and Korea.

"There's funny stuff. There's thought provoking films. There are some really poignant films. It's a real different and diverse programming," she said.

Five jurors, including Nagy and Nolden, selected the chosen 13 that include 'Sis' from the U.K., 'It's Just Gary' from Australia and 'Seven Layer Dip' from the U.S., to name a few.

Nolden said the films are an eclectic mix of art films, drama and comedies, and each film in the festival is interesting in a different way.

Nagy said it was a challenging process to pick the final 13 films because there were so many great ones to choose from, but they are excited about the ones that were chosen and think people will be too.

"There definitely is something for everyone," she said. "I think they'll be a lot of chatter like, 'What film was your favourite, what did you think,' and I think people will really enjoy the experience and are going to be surprised and pumped that they saw this in South Etobicoke."

The event will be hosted by film critic Richard Crouse and once you walk down the blue carpet, people are welcome to take a picture with Crouse in front of the film festival poster.

"It's a real film festival experience," Nolden said. "You walk down a blue carpet and we have a videographer and photographer. There's wine and finger food, so it will really feel like a gala experience."

The event is being catered by Cafe du Lac, and 20 local sponsors in total are participating making it a real community event.

Nagy said LakeShorts is a win-win situation for the artists and the community because it's a great way to create new networks and attract new audiences to Etobicoke community arts scene.

Both Nagy and Nolden said they hope this inaugural event is one of many to come and becomes an annual event for South Etobicoke. They also hope to eventually extend the event to an entire weekend.

LakeShorts takes place on Saturday, May 7, at 6:30 p.m. at The Assembly Hall, 1 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Dr. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased online at www.lakeshorts.ca

For more information, please call 416-201-7093.

NEVE CAMPBELL AT TORONTO PREMIERE OF "SCREAM 4"
By MR. WILL-W.:POP MAVEN

Guelph native Neve Campbell had a busy day in Toronto today promoting the latest installment of Wes Craven's wildly successful Scream Franchise, Scream 4 (stylized as Scre4m). To date, all three of its predecessors combined have earned $145 million worldwide at the Box Office.

Campbell's stop-offs today included a last-minute appearance on CTV's The Marilyn Denis Show, CBC's George Stroumboulopoulous Tonight, Entertainment Tonight Canada and also Print Media including a Slasher-themed Photo Shoot with Eye Magazine. And that doesn't even include all the Media who queued-up early for a spot on the Red Carpet at Scotiabank Theatre this evening.  Luckily, I was able to get Campbell to stop for a second to pose for a Photo before she was whisked away to the madness... and she was lovely!

Although I am to hold off on my Review for Scre4m until its release date, April 15, 2011, I will say that I had an amazing time enjoying Craven's brand of campy Horror.  I literally was screaming at parts and laughing out loud at others - sometimes together simultaneously.

Campbell introduced the Film quickly in a gorgeous Alexander McQueen number - a fitting tribute the late London-based designer and Fashion Child of the City where she now resides. She returned right as the Credits rolled after enjoying a quick Dinner at Blowfish, then appearing on-stage in a brief Q&A with Toronto's favourite resident Film Guru Richard Crouse.

The Actress told the audience that to this day her favourite Horror Film still is The Changeling, which she discovered at the age of 13. Despite having much experience filming movies of the genre, Campbell says "I'm still a Suck. I am terrible at watching Horror Movies". In fact, she only saw her first Craven Film after her Scream Co-Star Jada Pinkett Smith bought her a stack of his DVDs while they were filming the second installment of the Series.

Despite one audience member professing his love for her in calling her a Legend, Campbell sees things on a more humble scale admitting: "To me, it's honestly about Corn Syrup on my face while filming, Plastic Masks and being chased around by a Prop Guy".

On filming with longtime Co-stars/former Couple David Arquette and Courtney Cox, she feels that her bond with them was tighter this time around. When they had first filmed Scream back in the mid-90s, they had little time to spend together considering that both Cox and Campbell had been busy with their respective TV series. With the new generation of Actors who are introduced in Scre4m like Hayden Panettiere and Emma Roberts, Campbell recalls joking to Cox during their Readings, "We could be their Mothers!".

On the rise of Social Media, Campbell revealed that times have changed since working on Scream 3 back in 2000 in that this time around they had a dedicated team of individuals who would consistently monitor what others were saying about Scre4m online, making efforts to thwart ideas of what the Movie was all about. Also, despite a new Twitter account surfacing recently alleging to belong to Campbell (@MissNeve), the Actress confirmed today that this is an Impostor and that she has not yet caught on to Twitter. And to think I clicked FOLLOW!

Champers and wings: Make your Oscars party memorable
Sheri Block, entertainment writer, CTV.ca
Date: Fri. Feb. 18 2011

Roll out the red carpet from your doorstep and make Oscars night as memorable for your friends as it is for the stars.

Hosting an at-home Oscars party can involve anything from a five-course meal in designer duds to having your guests feast on popcorn as they gather around the TV set.

Canada AM film critic Richard Crouse never misses an opportunity to celebrate the biggest night in Hollywood.

"The Oscars are like the Super Bowl for movie fans. Football fans get to eat wings and drink beer for the Super Bowl -- so why shouldn't movie fans have the same excuse to whoop it up once a year?" says Crouse.

But whether he's hosting an at-home party or a swanky affair at The Drake Hotel, he only has one rule for guests -- no talking during the show.

"No conversation that isn't directly related to what's happening on the show is permitted," says Crouse.

While this won't be a problem for a film buff like Crouse, how does he make sure his guests follow the same rule?

"Well they have to be carefully selected," Crouse says with a laugh. "People who are huge film fans like me take the awards very seriously so you have to invite people who are thinking along the same wavelength."

Crouse, who likes to dress up in a tux for Oscars night, says a good Oscars party always includes watching the red carpet (the etalk Red Carpet special begins at 6:30 pm ET on CTV). Not only is it a great warm-up to the big event, it allows the guests to get all of the chit chat about what everyone's wearing out of the way before the show begins.

Visual feast
 
Whether it's a glorious film about a gourmet chef or the transformed lobby of the Atrium, food is king
 
By MICHAEL D. REID, Timescolonist.com February 3, 2011

If there's one thing you can count on at the Victoria Film Festival, it's food, glorious food — on and off screen.

This year is no exception, starting with Friday night's opening gala presentation at Empire Capitol 6 — a film that gives new meaning to the term "frozen food."

It's The Chef of the South Polar, Japanese director Shuichi Okita's stunningly photographed portrait of life in Dome Fuji, an isolated Antarctic research station where Jun Nishimura, a gourmet chef, dishes up a mouth-watering variety of culinary creations to boost the morale of scientific researchers battling homesickness, isolation and sub-zero temperatures.

The South Pole theme will be reflected post-screening at the Atrium, 800 Yates St. The lobby is being transformed into a sparkling ice castle with a faux glacier and bar sculpted out of ice. Expect music by Lady Gaga-influenced local DJ Veela (a.k.a. Victoria Burnett), food by local restaurants such as Bon Rouge, Pescatores and Sips Artisan Bistro, as well as Driftwood Brewery's Reel Beer and other festival-specific cocktails and surprises.

Okita's visual feast continues a long tradition of putting foodie flicks on the festival menu. So will Saturday's Canadian Opening Gala presentation — the world première of Food Security: It's in your Hands, Duncan-based director Nick Versteeg's new documentary (7 p.m., Odeon).

Versteeg's film encourages viewers to change how we think about farming and food by relating his own experiences growing food on his hobby farm the Laughing Geese, with input from experts on topics from soil to the fate of bees.

Festival-goers have long hungered for such films, says festival director Kathy Kay.

"Outside of film festivals, you don't often get a chance to see them," Kay says. "It's always a good opportunity. Victoria in particular has such a foodie culture, so we always have our eyes peeled."

As for the festival itself, it's going on a bit of a diet this year thanks to arts cutbacks. The festival program guide is smaller than usual, with expanded descriptions going online; and fewer guests are being brought in.

"That's been key. We're lean and mean," laughs Kay, who is mounting this year's festival on a $646,000 budget. "We get money from the Victoria Foundation which has helped offset our problems, and we generated $130,000 from our box office."

This year's guests include Bruce McDonald (Trigger, Hardcore Logo 2), Ron Mann (In the Wake of the Flood), Larry Weinstein (Politics Is Cruel) and Don McKellar (Twitch City), with CTV film critic Richard Crouse returning to emcee Springboard.

Speakers at that popular opening-weekend industry event include Angie Burns, vice-president of publicity and promotions for Maple Pictures, Telefilm Canada's John Dippong, independent production pioneer Pat Ferns, and Tom Alexander, Mongrel Media's director of theatrical releasing. This year's Springboard highlights include Ferns's Friday pitching workshop, and The Great Convergence: Film, TV and the Internet, a Sunday master class conducted by Rainbow Media's Harold Gronenthal.

Success lies in the ability to be as resourceful as possible, notes Kay. They're hoping that reducing the size of the program guide but printing more copies will boost box-office revenues and continue the festival's trend of rising attendance each year.

More than 160 films from 23 countries will be shown during the 10-day showcase, including a generous slate of Canadian and homegrown fare. It includes the première of Victoria filmmaker Jim Knox's feature debut Cascadia, and shorts by locals Apeman Struthers (Down to the Sea on Drugs, Part One), Maureen Bradley (Pants on Fire) and Alice Faye Hopewell (Dearest).

Popular programs such as Sips 'n' Cinema, Dinner and More Than a Movie — featuring erotic fare at the Superior — and Converge, where viewers take to the streets to watch short films in offbeat venues, will also be back.

New initiatives include Contemplating Victoria (see sidebar), and a Grindhouse double-bill.

It opens with Machete Maidens Unleashed, Australian director Mark Hartley's documentary recalling how directors of shlock and exploitation flicks in the 1970s shot them in the Philippines because of its exotic locations and cheap labour.

It will be followed by The Big Bird Cage, Jack Hill's steamy 1972 "women in prison" exploitation flick starring Pam Grier as a buxom revolutionary who, with the help of a nymphomanic inmate (Anitra Ford), engineers a prison breakout to provide "babes" to satisfy the itches of mercenaries who work for her sleazy guerrilla-leader boyfriend (Sid Haig).

And don't forget about those two Oscar-nominated films booked at the 11th hour to fill the Saturday night time slot that was to have been filled by horror meister George A. Romero before he announced he'd have to cancel for personal reasons.

The Illusionist, Sylvain Chomet's adaptation of the Jacques Tati classic, screens at 6:45 p.m., followed at 9:15 by Alejandro Inarritu's Biutiful, starring Javier Bardem as a man coming to terms with his imperfect life while wandering through Barcelona.

A Bieber Story
By Steve Kupferman
torontoist.com

Bieber with members of his entourage, at the Royal York Hotel on Tuesday.

Justin Bieber was in town Tuesday, promoting the soon-to-be-released movie about his life—all sixteen years of it. There was a press conference yesterday afternoon in the ballroom at the Royal York Hotel. Torontoist was invited, of course.

The ballroom at the Royal York would be a pretty lavish backdrop for a state dinner, let alone a publicity stunt. There are painted ceilings in there, and chandeliers. The dour, stylishly dressed writer seated next to us theorized that Bieber's handlers had simply over-prepared, in case of an unexpectedly large turnout. But Bieber is famous on such a galactic scale, at the moment, that his publicists probably could have pulled the same or better number of media outlets if they'd held the presser in a public washroom.

Though even the public washrooms at the Royal York are really nice.

Bieber was late, and the assembled crowd of journalists began to get restless. A paper placard with his name on it was perched (somewhat needlessly, what with the galactic fame) on top of a red-velvet-fringed table on a dais at the head of the room. A reporter for TVO Kids was the first to succumb to the temptation to get her picture taken with the placard, which would have been maybe a slight breach of decorum had she not been ten years old. Then Steve Murray from the Post did the same, but he's a satirist, and so not always taking himself seriously is kind of his job. Then half-a-dozen other reporters, none of them children or satirists, did likewise.

So yes: Even Justin Bieber's name, printed on a folded piece of paper, has more personal charisma than most of humanity.

The first indication that His Biebness had entered the building was the arrival of his security retinue: a cadre of men built like refrigerators, wearing suits and Secret-Service-style earpieces. (They might have been employed by the hotel.)

Then, almost forty-five minutes after the scheduled start of the presser, Justin Bieber took his seat on the dais, alongside a few members of his entourage (his security guy, his stylist) and Jon Chu, who directed the Bieber movie.

Up close, the first thing that impresses itself upon one about Bieber is how small and very authentically kidlike he is. Next to the full-grown adults on the dais, he looked like a doll. And yet he had a way of taking control of the entire situation.

"Hey, where my fans at?" said Bieber. "We have so much room in here. Why don't we bring them in here? Yeah, yeah, yeah. That makes more sense."

Perhaps twenty adolescent girls filed in from the hallway and took some of the seats that weren't occupied by members of the press.

"I'm not really good at press conferences," he continued. "I'm not really sure how this works. If you guys could inform me how this works, that would be great."

Fans react to Bieber's answers during the Q-and-A session.

CTV's Richard Crouse, who was moderating the press conference, asked Bieber when it first dawned on him that he was "really famous."

"Um, I don't know. I still don't really notice it. I'm still just, like, a regular teenage boy," said the guy with a security detail and, now, a personal cheering section of twelve-to-fourteen-year-old girls. "And I mean, my fans have been here since day one, and I wouldn't be here without them."

The twenty girls let up a unison "Woo!"

Crouse asked if Bieber still cleans his room. "I do clean my room," said Bieber. At another point, he spoke about living in geared-to-income housing in Stratford. But that was years ago. Like, at least two.

Bieber had a way of projecting an appealing humility. It may have been false, but the point is that he knows he needs that image—knows that it's a defence against backlash and a key component of his appeal to the core Bieber demographic.

And he seems to know his demographic.

Talking about the movie, he said to the assembled reporters: "Some of you are probably a little surprised you liked it, right? Be honest."

Then he singled out the dour, stylish writer sitting next to us. It was as though he'd read the room already, and had picked out the one person most likely to be hostile to the project.

"You liked it, right?" asked Bieber.

"Yeah, I enjoyed it," said the writer.

Bieber cut him off: "You enjoyed it. It's a good movie whether you like me or you hate me."

Twenty minutes into the conference Bieber interrupted a lineup of journalists waiting at a microphone for their turns to ask him questions, and gave the cheering section a chance to pose one of their own. He called on a girl. She took the mic and laid out her query: "Will you marry me?"

"We get that question at least once a day," said Bieber. "The answer is: never say never."

Never Say Never is the title of the movie. And so in one breath he'd reassured a fan that he wasn't beyond her reach, romantically—that he was just an ordinary teenage guy—and had also plugged the 3D theatrical extravaganza that he stars in.

The conundrum of Bieber's fame is that, to keep it, he has to be at least nominally ordinary, otherwise the legions of fans who've turned him into the hottest shit on all the internets might no longer consider him boyfriend material. He needs to oscillate between extremes of celebrity and banality so quickly that all we see is a blur. The fact that he was able to do this in a room stacked with skeptical adults made him seem uncommonly smart.

Neither sleet nor snow can stop Bieber Blitzkrieg
Published On Tue Feb 01 2011
By Peter Howell Movie Critic

Toronto’s renewed winter wallop has a super fan in Canadian superstar Justin Bieber.

“Are you sure it’s gonna be a snow day?” the 16-year-old pop phenomenon from Stratford, Ont., asked excitedly Tuesday, when a fan gave him a weather report during a combo news conference and love-in at the Fairmont Royal York hotel.

“All the kids aren’t going to have school? That’s so awesome! Maybe I’ll be stuck here. That’ll be cool!”

But not even a “Snowpocalypse” could stop the Bieber Blitzkrieg, which moved through Toronto Tuesday with awesome force and to the squeal of screaming tweens, also making stops at MuchMusic and the AMC Yonge-Dundas theatres.

Bieber was in town to talk up his new 3-D movie, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, which opens Feb. 11. He also chatted about his four Juno nominations, announced Tuesday, and the mostly ups and occasional downs of a skyrocketing professional singing career that is less than two years old.

Dressed in a grey hoodie, jeans and colour-coordinated high-top sneakers, Bieber claimed to be a rookie at press conferences. But he worked the room like a pro, handling questions that were lobbed at him like marshmallows and insisting that his fans get equal time with the press.

“Hey, where are my fans at? . . . What’s the point if my fans aren’t in here?”

Bieber told emcee Richard Crouse the impact of sudden fame still hasn’t hit him, even though he’s sold million of records, with hit singles that include “Baby” and “One Time.” He has 6.3 million Twitter followers, 16.5 million Facebook friends and has been viewed one billion times on YouTube, where his rise to the top began.

Bieber is estimated to have earned $100 million, according to Vanity Fair, whose cover he graces this month (with a Rolling Stone front to come). “I still don’t really notice it,” Bieber said.

“I’m still just a regular teenage boy, living my dream, having a lot of fun.”

He’s delighted about his Juno noms, but said he’ll be unable to attend the March 27 awards ceremony due to tour commitments overseas.

He knows that not everybody is a true “Belieber” or succumbing to Bieber Fever: “There’s gonna be haters, no matter what. People want to see you succeed, and then once you’re there, they want to bring you down. It’s a weird world, but that’s how it is. There are people who aren’t gonna like me.”

He’s hoping that Never Say Never, a combo biopic and concert movie that culminates with his sold-out performance last autumn at New York’s Madison Square Garden, will win over any doubters.

“If they watch this movie, and they really get to see that I’m just a nice person . . . a lot of people think I’m just like some factory machine and people just put me together like a product. But I worked really hard to get here, and there are so many people who have helped me.”

He was flanked by some of them on the podium: Never Say Never director Jon M. Chu, and Bieber entourage members Ryan Good, Kenny Hamilton and Allison Kaye, who treated him like an adored kid brother.

And what’s not to love about a charmer who makes “adorable” sound like faint praise, and who candidly admits that the scene in the movie where his granny tells him to clean his room is true?

“Yeah, I clean my room. That day I was kinda just rushed out, and I forgot. but I do clean my room. Especially when I’m home at my grandma’s house. When she tells me to do something I’m like, ‘Okay, grandma!’”

At a fan’s request, Bieber rhymed off his favourite junk food with the seriousness of a courtroom brief.

“A year ago, I was all about Sour Patch Kids. Those are the greatest things. But then my fans kept bringing them to every show. Now, if I eat another Sour Patch kid, I’m probably going to throw up.”

His sweet tooth craves a new treat:

“In Canada, they’re Bigfoots, in America, they’re Swedish Fish. But you know, Canada is better, obviously. Ketchup chips are good. I love them.”

He’s been travelling so much, he hasn’t been home to Stratford as much as he would like. Here’s what he misses about home:

“I miss Tim Horton’s. I miss Timmy’s. I miss my ice caps. I miss my friends and family. I miss my dog Sam.”

He obviously doesn’t miss Gordon Pinsent, the Canadian acting icon who had his own YouTube hit a few weeks back, doing a spoof reading from Bieber’s autobiography, First Step 2 Forever: My Story. Bieber said he hadn’t seen the video, and apparently didn’t even know who Pinsent is.

Getting serious for a second, he denied a fan’s gush that he’s flawless (“I’m not perfect”) and he knows his career isn’t going to always be this wonderful.

But he refuses to dwell on negative thoughts.

“You can’t just think that someone is going to do something wrong, because if you think like that, you’re not going to be happy in your life.

“You have to always expect people to do the right thing, but at the same time, you have to guard yourself and make sure you’re letting the right people in.”

Bieber also doesn’t have time to think about marriage, although star-struck fans constantly pop the question — as one young girl did on Tuesday.

“Will you marry me?” she shyly asked.

“We get that question at least once a day!” Bieber replied.

“The answer is never say never!”

Justin Bieber meets press, fans in Toronto
By Seán Francis Condon, February 1, 2011
MSN

Justin Bieber during a press conference for his documentary film "Never Say Never" in Toronto on February 1. (CP Images)

Justin Bieber kept the crowd waiting at the Royal York Hotel on Tuesday afternoon, but when he did show up - well, the afternoon wasn't just for the reporters in the room, anyway.

"Whassup?" calls out the 16-year-old Canadian pop sensation - his hair a little looser than constantly photographed; his face starting to firm toward adulthood - as he appears from the wings and takes his seat 45 minutes later than scheduled for about 50 reporters and photographers. "Hey! Where are my fans at? Are those fans out there? There's a lot of fans out there, right? But there's, like, so much room in here."

"Should we bring 'em in here?" someone calls out.

"You should bring 'em in," Bieber - keeping the wardrobe simple today with a modest grey hoodie - concurs. "Yeah, yeah, yeah - that makes more sense. I love you guys behind the cameras and stuff. That's cool, right? But what's the point if my fans aren't here."

Playing up the "Rocky" theme while a score of teenage girls comes in through a lobby door, Bieber points out toward them: "Everyone give it up for my faaaaans!"

The small and tidy phenom from equally small and tidy Stratford, Ontario, is making a home-ground whistle stop on the promotional push before his 3D half-concert/half-documentary feature, "Never Say Never", hits the cinemas big-time on February 11. Flanked on a Royal York ballroom stage riser by the closest-knit of his team - stylist Ryan Good and strapping security chief Kenny Hamilton to his right; general manager Allison Kaye and Toronto journalist and moderator Richard Crouse to his left - Bieber had been setting off squeals since just before his press conference was scheduled to begin, at 2 p.m.

Reporters looking to bookend their TV reports take turns before Bieber's arrival by occupying the space marked for him and giddily running through intros. "Have a great Bieber day!" gushes one talking head; another pumps up the adrenaline for his thought-to-be-imminent arrival with rapid-fire effusion before being prompted, in a stunt, to get out of the chair.

"...Awkward...!" she zings. Um... yeah. But, in its own sidelong way, gleefully par for the course.

"I'm not really good at press conferences," Bieber says at the outset. "I haven't really done a lot of them. So, I don't really know how this works. You guys can inform me about how this works. That would be great."

Crouse leads into an upbeat and fast-moving 25 minutes that feature a few questions about the making of "Never Say Never" - which not only chronicles the 10 days before a long-anticipated (and somewhat nerve-racking) sellout show at Manhattan's Madison Square Garden, but fills in the details of Bieber's less grandiose background - and a lot of questions of a more "16" magazine variety.

The answers pretty much tell the level of the questions:

- "I think that Twitter's such a good thing because I'm able to just be, like, interactive with my fans. I'm able to talk to them. They feel like they're a part of me, which is really important."

- "I've gotta say at first, like, a year ago, I was, like, all about Sour Patch Kids, right? They were the greatest things. But then my fans - they started bringing them to every show. Everything I was at. So, I kept eating them. Now, it's like if I eat another Sour Patch Kid, I'm probably gonna just throw up. Now, I really like - well, in Canada, they're Bigfoots. In America, they're Swedish Fish. Canada's better, obviously. Ketchup chips are good. I love them."

- "I never wore long johns. Just sweatpants or something."

- "I miss Tim Horton's. I miss Timmy's. I miss my Ice Cap. I miss seeing my friends and family. I miss my dog, Sam."

- "Shout out to YouTube!"

The whole world of Bieber's though, with his adoptive entertainment family keeping him company on stage and keeping him moving throughout "Never Say Never"... it can't help but bring up the big question: Who does he trust?

"For sure," he answers. "There's so many people that are just new in my life. You can't just think that someone's going to do something wrong - because if you think like that, you're not going to be happy in your life. You always have to expect people to do the right thing, but at the same thing you have to guard yourself and make sure you're letting the right people in.

"All these past two years, these people have become like my family - just travelling with them every day. We're going to fight like family and we're going to have good times like family. Overall, at the end of the day, they're here to make sure that I just become a good person, overall."

"Never Say Never", beyond showing singing and dancing sequences from last year's My World tour, fills in the legendary blanks of Bieber's seeming rise from nowhere. The famed YouTube clips of Bieber busking outside the Avon Theatre in Stratford and sweetly singing Ne-Yo songs as a wee neophyte on a local stage are included, but there are a few more digs deeper from the home vaults: Bieber bundled up to shovel snow, Bieber entering the Stratford Star talent contest (and finishing second), and some astounding footage of eight-year-old Bieber holding his own as a jazz drummer in a band with full-grown musicians.

There are the expected appearances by celebrities, mentors and peers. Producer LA Reid speaks of how he knew he'd heard "the Macaulay Culkin of music" when he was alerted by Scooter Braun, the aspiring (and relatively inexperienced) Atlanta manager who nabbed Bieber on YouTube faith alone. Usher, who famously took Bieber under his wing, is on-stage and off-, duetting live while also admonishing the young star for balking at health drinks designed to preserve his vocal cords.

"You're not gonna be 16 forever," Usher warns, like an older brother, as Bieber holds his nose backstage and downs a special concoction that he complains "tastes like dinosaur pee."

There is talk of the famed hair, and of his allegiance to his mother Pattie Mallette and the rest of his Canadian family. But, mostly, "Never Say Never" is about the fans - be they the screaming girls in braces outside Toronto's Air Canada Centre and Ottawa's Scotiabank Place, or even the 40-somethings at the Royal York press conference who can't keep their crazed enthusiasm dimmed.

"There's gonna be haters, no matter what," Bieber admits at the conference. "People wanna see you succeed, and then once you're there, they want to bring you down. It's a weird world. But that's how it is.

"There's people who aren't gonna like me, and that's just - if they watch this movie and they really get to see that I'm just a nice person, and I'm not like... A lot of people think I'm just a factory machine, and people just put me together out of recycled product. Well, I really worked hard to get here. There's so many people that helped me."

And, with that in mind, Bieber invites one of the fans at the press conference to ask him a question. A young girl in a purple hoodie can't get it out fast enough.

"Will you marry me?" she asks.

"We get that question at least once a day, too," Bieber responds. "The answer is - you know - never say never, right?"

Oscar nominations announced, "King's Speech" reigns supreme  
Written by Richard Hinkson     
Tuesday, 25 January 2011   

The nominees for the 83rd Annual Academy Awards were announced Tuesday and as far as nominations go, The King’s Speech reigned supreme.

 
Oscar Nominees Colin Firth And Helena Bonham Carter is "The King's Speech"

The film, which chronicles King George VI’s struggle to overcome a speech impediment, scored 12 nominations including Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director and Best Picture.


The Coen Brothers’ western remake True Grit scored 10 nominations, while the mind-bending thriller Inception and the Facebook biopic The Social Network garnered eight nominations each.


Other films nominees in the Best Picture category are The Kids Are All Right, Toy Story 3, Black Swan, 127 Hours, The Fighter and Winter’s Bone.


Canadian filmakers will also be in the mix in the Best Foreign Language Film category as Quebecois director Denis Veilleneuve’s film Incendies was one of five films chosen for the prize.


Film critic Richard Crouse of CTV’s Canada A.M. said while he’s pleased with the Academy’s choice of nominees overall, there were a few glaring omissions, particularly in the Best Director category.


“I wonder how movies like Inception and 127 Hours get made because apparently they’re not made by the best director of the year,” Crouse told thedailyplanet.com.


“Danny Boyle and Christopher Nolan, although their movies were nominated, didn’t get a Best Director nomination and I think that’s kind of an oversight,” Crouse said.


“I know it’s a narrow field; they’re only five nominees in each category except for Best Picture, but I would’ve expected those names to appear somewhere.”



But Crouse said he was glad that one particular film was surprisingly, and rightfully, recognized by the Academy.


“I was very pleased to see Winter’s Bone was nominated for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor and Best Actress for Jennifer Lawrence,” Crouse said.


“It’s a breakout role for her. Not a lot of people saw the movie but she was fantastic in the film, and I’m just pleased that people were paying attention enough to get that one nominated,” Crouse said.


Crouse made his choice on who will take the Oscar for Best Picture.


“I think Best Picture is very likely going to be The Social Network; Best Director would be David Fincher,” Crouse said.

Crouse also predicted that the chances of Colin Firth, Natalie Portman, and Melissa Leo taking home Oscar gold are very high and he has already predicted a lock for the Best Supporting Actor category.


“Frankly, in the Best Supporting Actor category, if your name isn’t Christian Bale this year, you’re not going to win,” Crouse said.

'The King's Speech' leads Oscar nominations
CTV.ca News Staff
Date: Tue. Jan. 25 2011

"The King's Speech," the tale of King George VI's struggle with a stammer, leads this year's Academy Award nominations with 12 nods, including best picture and acting honours for Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush.

The British drama has already won the prestigious Producers Guild of America Award – a good omen since the Producers Guild have correctly forecast the Oscar best picture 13 times in the past two decades. But it will have serious competition from "The Social Network," which tells the story of the early days of Facebook and which dominated the Golden Globe awards and Critics Choice awards.

The Western remake "True Grit" is next in line in nominations with 10, yet its prospects for nabbing a coveted Best Picture trophy on Feb. 27 seem smaller. The film has largely been ignored in awards so far this season, and was completely snubbed by the Golden Globes earlier this month.

Also on the ballot for best picture are the boxing drama "The Fighter," science fiction thriller "Inception," the lesbian family tale "The Kids Are All Right," the stranded hiker drama "127 Hours," the independent film "Winter's Bone," and the animated feature "Toy Story 3."

"The King's Speech" star Colin Firth, seen by many as the front-runner for the Best Actor trophy, may have some competition from Javier Bardem, whose performance in the Spanish-language "Biutiful" has been celebrated by critics. Also in the running are Jeff Bridges for "True Grit," Jesse Eisenberg for "The Social Network" and James Franco for "127 Hours."

Natalie Portman, currently pregnant with her first child, is seen as a favourite for Best Actress, after picking up a Best Actress Golden Globe earlier this month. But also vying for the trophy is Annette Bening for her performance in the lesbian family drama "The Kids Are All Right." Also in contention are Nicole Kidman for "Rabbit Hole"; Jennifer Lawrence for "Winter's Bone"; and Michelle Williams for "Blue Valentine."

Up for best director are Tom Hooper for "The King's Speech"; David Fincher for "The Social Network"; Darren Aronofsky for "Black Swan"; David O. Russell for "The Fighter"; and Joel Coen and Ethan Coen for "True Grit."

Notably absent from that list are "127 Hours" director Danny Boyle and "Inception" director Christopher Nolan -- a snub that is already generating buzz, given that the movie is up for eight other awards.

Canadian film "Incendies", from Quebec director Denis Villeneuve, is up for Best Foreign Language Film. The film has already been named best Canadian film by Toronto and Vancouver film critics and has collected several awards on the festival circuit.

Canada hasn't had a film nominated for a foreign-language film Oscar since 2007, when Deepa Mehta's "Water" was in contention. And the last time a Canadian film won the category was in 2004 for Denys Arcand's "The Barbarian Invasions."

Yet "Barney's Version," based on the novel of the same name by Canadian legend Mordechai Richler, was snubbed from any big awards. The film did earn a nomination for best makeup.

Movie critic Richard Crouse says he was surprised to see both Christopher Nolan and Danny Boyle omitted from the best directors list. But he wasn't surprised to see "The King's Speech" earn so many nods.

"It will win a whole bunch of those," Crouse told CTV's Canada AM shortly after the nominations were announced.

"I mean, it is the kind of movie that the Academy likes. We always used to talk about how the Academy is old and out of touch and that's changed a great deal. But still, this is the kind of prestige movie that the Academy likes and it's the kind of biography that they like."

This year's 83rd Academy Awards will air live on CTV from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre.

The show will break with recent traditions of using comedians as hosts. Instead, big-screen stars James Franco, a best-actor nominee for "127 Hours," and Anne Hathaway will be co-hosts.

Razzie's take a bite out of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse     
Written by Richard Hinkson   
thedailyplanet.com
Monday, 24 January 2011

With just one day before the 82nd Academy Award nominations are announced, another organization is gearing up to “honour” cinema’s worst.
sandrabullock
Sandra Bullock accepts the Golden Raspberry Award for worst actress at the 2010 Razzies.

The Golden Raspberry Award Foundation announced on their website their nominations for the 31st Annual Razzies, with sequels, adaptations and remakes taking centre stage.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and The Last Airbender, both of which are contenders for worst picture, were tied for the most nominations with nine each.

Others films that earned the dubious honour of being nominated for worst picture are the Twilight spoof Vampires Suck, the Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler action comedy The Bounty Hunter and Sex and the City 2.

Film critic Peter Howell of the Toronto Star, said that while the nominations were spot-on for the most part, they were a few glaring snubs.

“I agree with the Razzies although this year I have to say they missed a couple big ones,” Howell said.

“I would’ve put in Kevin Smith’s Cop Out for sure and Little Fockers; I can’t believe Little Fockers didn’t make the worst picture’s list,” Howell said.

Howell also gave his thoughts on a new category of the awards, “Worst Eye-Gouging Misuse of 3D.”

“Clash of the Titans would certainly be high on that list. As long as they have Clash of the Titans in there, they got it covered,” Howell said.

Fellow film critic Richard Crouse of CTV’s Canada A.M. said the Razzies really put an emphasis on films and actors who made the headlines as opposed to who really deserves the Razzie for 2010.

“The Razzies really are more about making a splash than they are about truly celebrating the worst performances of the year,” Crouse said.

“Cher, Liza Minnelli and Barbara Streisand, sort of the battling divas who are vying for worst supporting actress, they all deserve a little slap on the wrist for doing awful work in movies this year,” Crouse said.

“But I kind of find it hard to believe they are the absolute bottom of the barrel,” Crouse said.

The Razzies will be handed out at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre on February 26, just one day before the Oscars.

For the full list of nominees, visit www.razzies.com, and be sure to check out www.thedailyplanet.com tomorrow for coverage of the 83nd Annual Academy Award Nominations.

"THE WAY BACK" TORONTO PREMIERE WITH DIRECTOR PETER WEIR
By Mr. Will-W.

Four-time Oscar nominated Director and Screenwriter Peter Weir graced Toronto with his presence today, doing Press for his already well-received new Film The Way Back.  Known for acclaimed titles like Green Card, Dead Poets Society, The Witness, The Truman Show and more recently, Master and Commander, Weir is still at the top of his game with this latest effort.

Although I am unable to post my Review of The Way Back due to a Press Embargo which ends on Release Day, January 21, 2011, I can say for now that the journey for these Siberian Gulag Prisoners is grueling, and in effect cathartic.  This fantastic Ensemble Cast including the likes of Ed Harris, Jim Sturgess, Saoirse Ronan and Colin Farrell put on some tour-de-force performances in an all-out fight for survival across Siberia.

As you might recall, Alliance Films was generous enough to give away passes here last week to a few lucky readers for tonight's Screening at gorgeous Bell Lightbox and it was a pleasure for me to see some familiar faces tonight!  

After visiting CBC for a taping of George Stroumboulopoulous Tonight (airing Thursday) earlier in the day, Weir was kind enough to do a Q&A for the Film, hosted by Canada AM's Richard Crouse.  Fielding questions from the Audience, Weir expressed that he has absolutely no regrets focusing attentions now on relatively more-Commercial releases, compared to some of his earlier work. Like Crouse, Weir is wowed by 16 year-old Atonement Star Saoirse Ronan's professionalism and drive for perfection.  The Australian Director concluded that Ronan who plays Irena, simply is an "Old Soul".  On the Film's Lead Character Janusz played by Jim Sturgess, who delivers a career-best here, Weir acted jokingly insulted about a statement Sturgess made recently on how making this Film was like "making a Movie in the olden days".  In reality, Weir has adapted to the Digital Technology of this era, although he has no interest in making a 3-D Film at this time.

On Filmmaking, Weir feels that his own works are more emotionally rather than intellectually-driven and he gave a practical tip to aspiring Directors to at least try dabbling in Acting and Writing too seeing that they all go hand-in-hand.  Equating the process to Working Out, he feels it is important always to remain in-form even if it is per say "writing a 50-word story".

One longtime Fan in the Audience presented Weir with Roses, which he accepted graciously.  When given the microphone, she went on to tell him that she has been a great Admirer since the '70s and even wrote her Thesis about him.  Not quite getting enough, she rushed-up again afterward with her Husband who snapped a Photo of her interacting with Weir, before he personalized a File Folder containing her Thesis.  "You captured the sentiments of the Polish so accurately", she proclaimed multiple times.

Finally getting a moment to speak to Weir, he was kind enough to pose for a Photo together and I kept it short and sweet, seeing how many others were hoping for a moment with him.  An honour, indeed.

Ten overlooked Hollywood gems
RICHARD CROUSE
METRO CANADA
Published: December 22, 2010

According to movieweb.com, 648 movies were released in 2010. Here are some of 2010’s releases you may have missed but are worth a look.  

Scott Pilgirm vs. The World
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World stars Michael Cera as a 22-year-old Torontonian who must defeat his girlfriend’s Seven Evil Exes if he wants to be with her. It’s a wild ride that nails the pop culture zeitgeist but also tells a universal human story.

Cyrus
Cyrus is an odd movie. It’s about a lonely guy, the woman of his dreams … and her quirky son played by Jonah Hill. Not quite a comedy, not quite a drama, it falls somewhere in between. Just like real life.  

Splice
In Splice, a creature goes from newborn to troubled teen in just a matter of weeks. Starring Sarah Polley and Adrien Brody, it’s giddy good fun; the rare sci-fi flick that revels in its B-movie roots while also offering up something to think about.

Harry Brown
Michael Caine has rarely been better than he is in Harry Brown, a gritty Teabag Western about an old man in the Elephant and Castle section of London who strikes back after a gang kills his best mate.

Flipped
Rob Reiner’s Flipped is coming-of-age Rashômon filtered through Leave it to Beaver with a dash of The Wonder Years thrown in for good measure. In other words, it’s a touching, but idiosyncratic film about growing up.

Get Low
Get Low, the unlikely story of a man arranging his own funeral, took on three hankie status as Robert Duvall played an old man looking back on his wasted life.

The Disappearance of Alice Creed
This kidnapping drama features three characters, three, maybe four sets and one hundred minutes of unrelenting tension. It’s a nasty little piece of work, remorselessly bleak but carefully crafted enough to be intriguing.

Winter’s Bone
Winter’s Bone should be seen not only for its uncompromising story of an Ozark girl who will do anything to keep her family together, but also for the breakout performance of its star, Jennifer Lawrence.

Defendor
In Defendor, Woody Harrelson plays a man whose rich inner life spills out into his real life. By day he’s dead-end-job-Arthur but at night he’s superhero Defendor. Gritty and funny, Harrelson breathes life into a role that could easily have fallen into cliché.

Marwencol
Marwencol, a documentary about a man with a severe brain injury who creates his own world as therapy is one of the funniest, most touching and inspirational films of the year.

STEPHEN DORFF IN TORONTO FOR PREMIERE OF SOFIA COPPOLA'S "SOMEWHERE"
By MR. WILL-W.:POP MAVEN

Toronto was lucky enough to get an official Premiere for Sofia Coppola's highly-anticipated new Film Somewhere, winner of the Golden Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival this September. The festivities took place at Varsity Cinema where its star Stephen Dorff came by to greet an intimate audience, which included many close friends made over the years in his many visits to the City. In fact, Dorff filmed his first Movie ever, The Gate, in Toronto back in 1986 and since then the Los Angeles native's career has seen many highs including starring roles in important Films like Backbeat, Blade and Cecil B. Demented.  He completes two full days of Press in the City tomorrow.

Dropping by quickly the introduce what he called "the most important film of his career", Dorff was presented by CTV's Canada AM Film Critic Richard Crouse and returned post-Screening for a Q&A. Dressed in a well-cut Suit, Dorff arrived exactly as expected - ruggedly handsome. The Actor who surprisingly is diminutive compared to his on-screen presence, undoubtedly is proud of his work here.

Somewhere is a story about a lonely Film Star perhaps past his prime, Johnny Marco, who calls the famed Château Marmont home. He is a Playboy - bedding many adoring Women - drinking and partying heavily, or as one anonymous spiteful ex-Lover succinctly calls him in a Text Message, "an Asshole". One day his twelve year-old Daughter Cleo (Elle Fanning, younger sister of Dakota) shows up unexpectedly for an undetermined period as her Mother must sort out some personal issues. Although interfering with his structure-free lifestyle, Johnny soon finds the experience rewarding, ultimately forcing him to re-evaluate his priorities in life in having been spoiled by Hollywood as an eternal adolescent.

Dorff admitted to Crouse and the audience, "I couldn't have played this role ten years ago" and only after his Mother Nancy had fallen ill, subsequently passing away, did he acquire the maturity and depth required in the quiet role of Johnny.  Coppola wrote the Screenplay for Somewhere specifically with Dorff in mind and his admiration for her was mutual, praising her unique vision. "She (Coppola) wants us to observe her characters like a fly on the wall" says Dorff, indicating that he felt really challenged by his role - despite having much screen-time, he has little to say;  he felt stripped of all his tricks.

In preparation for the Film, Dorff was given bonding assignments by Coppola to get him better acquainted with his on-screen Daughter. "I'd have to pick Elle up from school, realizing that my car stank of Cigarettes and this helped put me into the role Johnny that much easier", he recalled. Dorff also took her out for Ice Cream, only to realize that Fanning much prefers Frozen Yogurt. Before he knew it, they had transformed convincingly into Father and Daughter.

Although I was hoping v. much for it to have premiered this September at TIFF, I am thrilled to have been able to review this fourth effort from superlative Coppola. Due to a Press Embargo though, I won't be able to post my Review until Wednesday, so please remember to check back. Somewhere will open in select cities December 22, 2010 and everywhere on January 7, 2011 via Focus Features/Alliance Films.

Blog: Graeme McRanor on Whistler Film Festival winners
By Graeme McRanor, Special To The SunDecember 6, 2010

Most Canadians know actor Bruce Greenwood for his work in big-budget American films like Star Trek. But long before he played JFK in Thirteen Days the affable Canuck got his start playing a scuba diver with two lines on the locally shot show, The Beachcombers, and often returns home to work with directors such as Atom Egoyan.

"The Beachcombers was a great lesson in how not to pad your resume," he told an intimate crowd gathered at the Whistler Conference Centre before relaying a funny tale about fudging his diving experience. A comedy of errors ensued resulting in crushing head pain and a dropped mask, which forced a grip to strap on a tank, jump in the water and retrieve it from the ocean floor.

It was a casual conversation about his experiences with plenty of humorous anecdotes about autographs, interviews, acting and even Sly Stallone freaking out on the set of First Blood after missing his mark. (Greenwood played Guardsman #5). "Is this being recorded?" he asked afterwards.

There was also a funny moment when interviewer and film critic Richard Crouse asked Greenwood if he remembered any negative reviews. "Greenwood's choppy acting style lends nothing to the production," he deadpanned, before sarcastically adding, "No, I don't."

Another funny yarn involved a friend calling Greenwood up to ask if he'd seen the Today show following the release of the film Double Jeopardy. The friend told him that film critic Gene Shalit had ripped him on the show, claiming Greenwood "ruined the movie". Greenwood was crushed and, after he hung up the phone, had a lengthy conversation with his wife before deciding he had to just let it go. After many painfully silent hours the friend called him back and said, "I got ya!"

Film world mourns death of Leslie Nielsen
CTV.ca News Staff
Date: Mon. Nov. 29 2010 8:51 AM ET

Canadian-born funnyman Leslie Nielsen is being remembered as the fun-loving actor who somehow turned a 30-year career in drama into another 30-year career in deadpan comedy.

Nielsen died in Florida Sunday night after suffering from pneumonia, surrounded by friends and family. He was 84.

Nielsen spent almost three decades in scores of serious Hollywood and TV roles, but he will "surely" be best remembered for his iconic comedic roles.

The Regina-born actor grew up in Canada's North, but left his abusive family at the age of 17 to try his hand at acting in New York.

As a six-foot blond with good looks, he worked steadily, mostly in TV on such series as "Rawhide," "Gunsmoke," and "The Fugitive," as well as in such well-known films as "The Poseidon Adventure."

But Nielsen's career only really began, many might argue, when he joined the cast of "Airplane!" in 1980. At the time, Nielsen was 54 -- an age when many Hollywood actors' careers are winding down.

Canada AM film critic Richard Crouse says what made Nielsen so brilliant in that role was the way he took cues from the melodramas he's built his career on and turned it into comedy.

"He got this role in ‘Airplane!' and they told him, ‘Play it safe. Don't go for the joke; let the jokes come to you. Be the leading man you've always been. Just say extremely funny things'."

"He was 54 years old but it led to the next 30 years of his life," says Crouse. "He was working until, literally, weeks ago. This guy never stopped working. He enjoyed working."

"Airplane!" became a huge hit, filled with classic comedic scenes that allowed Nielsen to use his deadpan delivery for laughs.

When Nielsen's character asks character Ted Striker to fly the plane they're aboard, Striker replies, "Surely you can't be serious." "I am serious," Nielsen responds, "and don't call me Shirley."

Nielsen followed up "Airplane!" with the role of Det. Frank Drebin in "The Naked Gun," a film series send-up of the cliches of "Dragnet" and other cop shows. With George Kennedy, O.J. Simpson and Priscilla Presley co-starring, Nielsen had another hit on his hands, leading to sequels "Naked Gun 2 1/2" and "The Naked Gun 33 1/3."

In his later years, Nielsen worked on stage, in advertisement work and film. The naturalized U.S. citizen returned often to Canada for work, appearing in "Men With Brooms," "Due South," "Robson Arms."

Actor and filmmaker Don McKellar featured Nielsen in an episode of his cartoon TV series, "Odd Job Jack." Though he met the actor only a couple of times, he says he was always impressed.

"He reinvented that funny straightman for his generation, you see some of that oblivious straight guy in Steve Carell and Will Ferrell," McKellar told The Canadian Press.

"Robson Arms" producer, Brian Hamilton, said Nielsen always kept the film set atmosphere light with his mischievous sense of humour.

"He didn't take himself, or anyone else, too seriously and he was someone who lightened the tone on sets constantly, even when we were under stress or a tight time frame," Hamilton told CP.

"He was always the one to crack a smile and keep everyone in a light mood and frame of mind."

Those who worked with Nielsen knew the prankster kept with him a hand-held whoopee cushion that always helped to bring some laughs to any dull day.

Crouse says he himself has been the victim of that whoopee cushion.

"About a year and a half ago, I hosted a panel with him at the Fan Expo in Toronto. And every time I would come near him, he had a little flatulence device that he would hit," Crouse remembered.

"That was his thing; he had it with him all the time. Thirty years he carried this thing around and he was legendary for it. So every time I went near him, he would make the sound, and then he would look at me kind of disdainfully. And then with perfect timing, he would look at the audience with that ‘What am I supposed to do with this guy?' look. And it got a huge laugh every single time," Crouse said with a laugh.

Nielsen has stars on both Hollywood's and Canada's Walk of Fame and was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2002.

He is survived by two daughters, Thea and Maura, and his fourth wife, Barbaree.

Did Hart Hanson Inadvertently Reveal When Booth and Brennan Would Finally Get Together?
By theTVaddict on November 10th, 2010

Perhaps, kinda, well, maybe.

Okay, in the interest of full disclosure, Hart Hanson did not casually take us aside during Monday’s Canadian Film Centre Test Pattern Series to give a fellow Canadian TV Addict the scoop of the century! That said, what he did do was offer up a tantalizing clue — that if one were to read between the lines — may have inadvertently revealed a time frame for Booth and Brennan’s inevitable coupling.

Allow us to explain.

During the question and answer period that followed Hanson’s interview with moderator Richard Crouse, we took it upon ourselves to ask the BONES showrunner to elaborate on his plan to replace the unrequited sexual tension between Booth and Brennan with something of equal power should he ever decide to go there.

“I know what my theory is, what it will be, I have for about 2 years, and I still think that’s the thing should that day ever arrive,” explained Hanson. “Or I’m completely lying and I’m never going to do it and I have no plan! It’s one of those two things.”

Fortunately for us, moderator Richard Crouse wasn’t about to let Hanson off the hook that easy, following up our question with an equally probing one, “If the ratings fell off, is that when you make a change like that?” And while Hanson was characteristically cagey as to the exact date, his answer did infer that “a change like that” would only arrive during the final season, as the story of BONES comes to a close.

“I’m really hoping that I have an inkling of when we will be done. You know, any number of things can happen. You have actors on contract for seven years when they come in to do a network test, so if David [Boreanaz] or Emily [Deschanel] all of sudden said, ‘I want a million dollars an episode,’ that could kill the show. Actors are just the most high profile, but the business stuff keeps changing and it changes every few years and it can become not as an attractive business proposition for News Corp. to do BONES,” said Hanson. “Or creatively, we could stagnate or start dropping. You know, you drop 20% in the ratings, the writing may be on the wall depending what else is in the shoot. Say everything that FOX put on the air this season had done better than BONES, that puts us in a weaker position and I would be thinking that maybe this is our last season.”

The Showrunner in the Screening: An Evening with BONES creator Hart Hanson
By theTVaddict on November 9th, 2010

Last night, your very own TV Addict was fortunate enough to attend The Canadian Film Centre’s Test Pattern Series honoring native countryman Hart Hanson. Entertaining, informative and armed with a surprisingly spot-on Australian accent, Hanson wowed the audience of loyal BONES fans as he spoke candidly about the glorious highs and dizzying lows that comes with running one of the most popular shows currently on the air. Highlights of which we’ve tried our best to capture in our live blog below.

7:50PM: Moderator Richard Crouse (who did a bang up job by the way) introduces Hart Hanson and muses that it must be nice for the BONES showrunner to watch an episode — which in this case was “The Maggots in the Meathead” — with an audience. “It’s terrible, every possible weakness in the show is manifest,” said Hanson half-jokingly. “But it is really nice to hear people laugh since we think of BONES as a romantic ‘Crimedy’.”

7:53PM: In the first of what would turn out to be a series of fun facts that were “news to us,” it was revealed that the genesis of Hanson’s involvement with BONES was not so much as a result of his passion for forensics, but rather the fact that he owed 20th Century Fox a pilot after bailing on a legal drama. “It was a very fast shotgun marriage because I didn’t want to do a forensic or a procedural show. In fact, I incorrectly thought that ship had sailed,” explained Hanson. “There’s a million forensic shows. surely there is was no more room for a straight procedural? But I was wrong, there was plenty of room and it helped us to find our niche.”

7:55PM: From the department of “Well, Duh!” comes Hanson’s theory as to why the show is so popular with woman. “I don’t think David Boreanaz hurts, especially if every once in a while he takes his shirt off!” Being sure to add on a more serious note how much co-star Emily [Deschanel] resonates with the audience, “I promised Emily before she took the job that the number of times Booth would save her would be very small. I had to promise that to her and I meant it.”

7:57PM: Hanson credits the idea of kicking off each episode with a signature horrible or baffling occurrence to smarter than a fifth grader Fox exec Craig Erwich. Also calling co-executive Producer Stephen Nathan his right hand man. “Stephen Nathan is an old hippie, a song and dance man who actually played the original Jesus in Godspell. He’s a real f*ck the man kind of guy and loves to argue, so putting him up against Fox’s Standards and Practices is one of the real joys of my life.”

8:05PM: Good News: Like most reasonably sane people, Hart Hanson detests serial killers! Bad News: Network execs love them because American television audiences can’t seem to get enough of them. An obsession which interestingly enough resulted in one of Hanson’s biggest BONES regrets that we’ll affectionately refer to as The Gormogon Incident. “It was just bad showrunning,” admitted Hanson. “The original plan was to have Zack be a victim of the serial killer, but then there was a writer’s strike. There are no excuses in TV, but along came the strike, which not only curtailed our year, but didn’t allow us to do the story as it originally had been laid out. And then I felt very bad for the actor [Eric Millegan] because he was going to lose his job by being killed. So I thought if I’m making him the apprentice, he’d be able to come back every once in a while and make up that money. I probably should have killed him, but I didn’t have the heart.”

8:10PM: Fun Fact, according to researchers nestled deep inside the Fox mothership, studies have shown that
it only takes three episodes of BONES for a viewer to get hooked. Now, by no means are we condoning the use of physical force to tie down friends and family members to watch the show, we’re just letting you know that according to Hanson, “People watch one and they go, ‘That’s alright.’ Two, they say, ‘That’s a nice show.’ But if you watch three, ‘We’ve got you’.”

8:12PM: Attention Entertainment Weekly Editors who are currently seeking votes for the most under-appreciated entertainer of the year. “I know I’m bias, but I honestly believe Emily [Deschanel] is the most underrated actress on TV,” said the showrunner. “Every year we have to watch lovely Mariska Hargitay go up and get the Emmy while I’m thinking, “She didn’t throw the crab at anyone [referring to a hilarious scene in the episode we just screened]. She didn’t have to say dialogue that would kill a normal human being and then make you weep a little.”

8:15PM: What’s the only thing more challenging than dealing with a legion of incredibly vocal fans? Coming up with creative ways to murder people on a weekly basis! Said Hanson, “What I have to do now working on a murder show is get the writer to tell me the story from the murderers point of view, because it drives me insane when the killer doesn’t have a motive. And quite frankly, after 108 episodes, it’s getting harder and harder to not repeat ourselves.” Which naturally gives us an idea for an impromptu completely off-the-top-of-our-head pitch assuming Hart Hanson is reading this… ready: When a television writer is found murdered, his twitter feed provides the only clue, transporting Booth and Brennan into the increasingly bizarre world of online fans who may-or-may-not have taken their obsession with a fictional character’s love life a little too far! Just an idea, no pressure, but feel free to have your people call our people anytime.

8:18PM: And since we’re on the subject of passionate fans, the main event, or at least the portion that Hanson’s 25,000 twitter followers are probably most curious about is on the subject of Booth’s latest love interest, Hannah. “I came into the Hannah story knowing where it goes, but Katheryn [actress Katheryn Winnick] is more interesting than we thought, so we make adjustments,” teased Hanson coyly. “I’m being as oblique as I possibly can, there are people who are starting to notice that maybe Hannah was brought in to be another foil for Brennan as much as she was for Booth. That’s true and I’m glad that people are starting to notice that when they stop shouting and there’s a lot of shouting about Hannah. I know where it goes, I know how it ends, but we have made some adjustments to how it plays out.”

8:22PM: Needless to say, everyone has an opinion on how they’d like to see the Booth and Brennan relationship play out. Including the very vocal head of the ABC Network (Australia’s Broadcast Network), who at a recent Fox Party for its international clients had this to say, “Don’t let ‘em f*ck!” recounted Hanson complete with a fairly credible Aussie accent. “I’m not kidding, He just kept saying that I better not let them f*ck and that they’ll all tune out the minute I let them f*ck!”

8:25PM: “I actually don’t believe in the MOONLIGHTING curse, but it doesn’t mean that it won’t look like I do. The trick is, the main thing to BONES when it went from being a murder show to being a way to figure out how to replace the unrequited sexual tension between two people with something else of equal power and that is easier said than done,” said Hanson on the subject that just won’t ever seem to die. “That’s what happens, and it better work. If I’m wrong and I have them get together tomorrow and what I think is the thing that will replace it, if I’m wrong, then the show will go off the air, a lot of people will lose their jobs, and it will be very very sad.”

Arts: In Other Words
IFOA hosts on The Art of Good Conversation: Richard Crouse
Julie Wilson
Posted on Thursday, October 21, 2010

Richard Crouse is the host of Richard Crouse's Movie Show on the Independent Film Channel and Richard Crouse at the Movies on CFRB NewsTalk 1010 in Toronto. He is the regular film critic for CTV's Canada AM and is also the author of six books on pop-culture history, including The 100 Best Movies You’ve Never Seen and Reel Winners. He hosts an IFOA reading and interview with John Waters, the American writer, filmmaker, actor, and visual artist; Waters will be reading from his latest book, Role Models. Friday, Oct. 22, 8 p.m. in Fleck Dance Theatre.

Globe and Mail: Can you recall your first hosting gig?

Richard Crouse: It seems I have always been hosting something, in one form or another. As a kid, I’d always throw on a suit and gladhand at my parent’s parties. Later, as a bartender, I tried to get my customers kibitzing and chatting amongst one another. I guess I was training myself for dealing with difficult (although usually more sober) interview subjects yet to come.

I can’t remember the first of the live Q&As I hosted. I do 100 or so a year. There have been memorable ones, though. Glen Hansard doing an impromptu version of his (soon-to-be) Oscar winning song Falling Slowly with some back-up singers recruited from the audience sticks out. Harrison Ford calling me Canada’s most “beloved film critic” made me smile. And Paper Heart star Charlene Yi re-enacting the final scene of her movie live on stage was hilarious and touching.

G&M: Like an editor who remains invisible to the reader, I suspect the mark of a good host is one who lets the subject shine in his or her best light. What's the trick to staying in the conversation while removing yourself to make room for their responses?

RC: I make a point of never making the interview about me. No questions starting with “What I liked about . . .” or “I think what you did . . .” Who cares what I think? The audience paid their money to see what the guest has to say. If they want to hear from me they can tune into my radio show or look me up on Facebook. My job is to make the guest as comfortable as possible so I can then draw out answers from them that will be entertaining (hopefully), enlightening (with any luck) and interesting (fingers crossed!).

G&M: On Friday you'll interview John Waters. In a phone interview with Waters this past summer, you note that there are people in his book Role Models who could easily be dismissed, yet Waters treats them respectfully. And in a New York Times review of the book, Tom Carson suggests that Waters hasn't been "undone by the realization that he’s not outrageous anymore." As someone who has watched Waters career, do you see an evolution in character, or are we just now seeing beyond the fringe to a regular (if extraordinary) man?

RC: I’m not sure if it is John Waters who has changed or if it is the world that has gone through a transformation. His early films may have been intended to shock but instead of being outrageous for the sake of it, I always felt he was trying to slap the conservative post-war generation in the face, waking them up to the fact that there is an unseen and marginalized assortment of people that make up the grand mosaic of American life. Job well done. It worked. Now the kinds of characters he focused his camera on in the beginning of his career are mainstream figures, much less outrageous now than then.

Role Models is an extension of the film work, just much more personal. Reading about the characters he has befriended and/or simply admired from afar gives us a great deal of insight into his own character and why he felt it so important to stray far from the middle-of-the-road.

G&M: If you could concoct a cocktail comprised of the ingredients for a perfect evening — audience, interviewees and host — what would they be and what would it be called?

RC: I’d have a handpicked audience huddled around the bar at Southern Accent on Markham Street (still the best bar in the city) listening to my conversation with Hunter S. Thompson, Keith Richards and Andy Warhol, who, of course, would be accompanied by Superstar Candy Darling. We’d listen to Cajun music and discuss the creative process in a night I’d call “Why Do You Hate Freedom? A Look Into the Heart of an Artist.”

Suzuki, Speedman and Spacey hit E1 PARTY at The Royal Conservatory of Music
She Does the City.com
Mon, 09/13/2010 - 13:00.

What seemed like thousands gathered at the E1 Entertainment party at the Royal Conservatory of Music to have a sweaty dance party, talk hedge funds and guzzle Grey Goose.With sixteen films at TIFF this year, there was a lot to yammer about, and we did so on the romantic deck that overlooks foggy Philosopher's Walk. As for star wattage, we spotted the three S-men: Suzuki, Speedman and Spacey. While Kevin reclusively kept to the third floor VIP, Scott Speedman adorned his cheshire cat grin and bobbed amongst the masses. Although we didn't get to talk with the Barney's Version star, we did find ourselves conversing with the handsome Kris Holden-Ried from The Tudors, who now stars in The Lost Girl.  Opting for contact lenses instead of our specs, he didn't wipe our smudges like the last time we met.  Other hot men we mingled with? Toronto's most eligible bachelor, Ari Lantos, Co-Producer of Barney's Version, our favourite film at TIFF this year, and actor Ryan Cartwright (Bones, Mad Men, Seriously Weird.) Cartwright wore a pack of Alka-Seltzer around his neck and relayed how his late night partying isn't tolerated at the Soho. We didn't spot Paul Giamatti but heard word that earlier this week he partied to the wee hours at Richmond's secret boite, Goodnight. As the evening progressed, we found ourselves in a messy dance circle, shaking it to Journey with Young and the Restless mainstay Tonya Lee Williams. Everything at the E1 blowout was amazing, until some beligerent jerk with a Napoleon complex told us off for patting his shoulder. Luckily we quickly sought refuge with charming and eccentric critic Richard Crouse.

The top 5 movies at TIFF
September 16, 2010
Chatelaine blog

For some there are two season: winter and TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival). I admittedly fall in this camp as soon as Labour Day hits. As we’re approaching the climax of our own indie-darling-turned-blockbuster (yes, TIFF!), it’s time to take a breather and get some expert advice on the must-see movies from the festival.

The other day I was treated like an A-list celeb courtesy of NKPR, sipping the same Skyy vodka cocktails that would be served to celebs at some of the top parties. Plus, we were treated to a fashion show curated by designer-stylist, Rita Liefhebber, demonstrating the best day time to red carpet outfits.  

Film critic Richard Crouse  (you know the dapper dude who always sports a suit, thick-rimmed glasses and a Snooki-inspired bump) gives us his top 5 must-see movies at TIFF:  

1. Buried
                                                                                                                                                                                                  Ryan Reynolds plays a truck driver living in Iraq and who is stuck in a box – from opening credit to the end. ‘Nuff said.

2. You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger
                                                                                                                                      
Directed by Woody Allen, this comedy-romance features an ensemble cast (Josh Brolin, Naomi Watts, Frieda Pinto and Anthony Hopkins) who make get tangled up in a web of interrelated relationships and issues.

3. Fubar 2
                                                                                                             
Terry and Dean are back to give’r in the northern oil sands of Alberta.

4. Blue Valentine
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Watch as Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams’ relationship slowly unravels from their early romantic courtship to a young, married couple.

5. Let Me In
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Based on the critically acclaimed Swedish film, this vampire thriller follows two teen outsiders (a boy and a girl) who form a special friendship.

If you missed these films at the festival, not to fret because you can fill up your fall movie card and catch them at a theatre near you soon.

And, let us know if you saw some great (or not) movies at TIFF this year.

Xavier Samuel Talks “Eclipse,” David Slade and Fame
By Tracy Rosenfield

HollywoodNews.com: From the beginning of this interview with Richard Crouse, one can tell that Xavier Samuel is not taking his role as the evil “Riley” in “Eclipse” lightly. His first comment is that “being a part of something of that magnitude, I just think it comes with a level of responsibility. You know, you want to pay tribute to these characters and really do the best job possible. Otherwise I don’t think I could sleep at night.”

So far, Samuel is fine with the level of attention he’s getting as Victoria’s cohort in “Eclipse”. Instead of seeing it as intrusive, he says that it can reveal a lot about who you are and he’s feeling okay about it. He’s just happy to see the support and level of passion from the fans.

Regarding the overall appeal of “Twilight” that’s created such a large fan base, Samuel believes the books and films evoke a feeling like falling in love. People can really identify with the books, “even though it’s about vampires and werewolves.”

Moving on to filming, Samuel had nothing but compliments for director David Slade, saying he “is a fiercely intelligent director and has a firm grip on the dark side of the film…you couldn’t pick a better man for the job.”

Samuel did, however, walk into the film a little wary of fitting in. The other actors were already “a family” and he came in as a newbie and a bad guy, so he had a fear of being ostracized. Luckily, the cast greeted him very warmly, as Jodelle Ferland (“Bree Tanner”) also commented in another interview.

Once part of the “Twilight” family, if only for one film, Samuel jumped right into the fitness regimen. As much of the cast has stated before, any time they weren’t shooting, they were working out or learning to fight. “Eclipse” is clearly the most action-packed and physical of the films.

Cyrus – A Q&A With The Duplass Brothers
June 14, 2010
by onemoviefiveviews

By John C.

People’s initial feelings for the film Cyrus, opening June 25th from Fox Searchlight, will likely be mixed, feeling that the film walks a fine line between funny and creepy.  And that is true.  These are the feelings I had throughout the first part of the film.  But there is a certain sweetness to its strangeness that makes it always interesting, and never obnoxious or cloying.  And once we find out more about the characters, it’s not creepy either.  As it reached it’s conclusion, I found myself moved by these characters’ journey, in a way that I could have only hoped to be.

Cyrus is the latest film from sibling-directors Jay and Mark Duplass.  Their first feature was a quirky road-trip movie, The Puffy Chair (2006), that looked at romantic relationships.  Their second feature, Baghead (2008), was an alt-horror film.  Their latest, Cyrus, is a love triangle with a twist.  The Duplass brothers, (33-year old Mark and 37-year old Jay), were in Toronto last Tuesday for a screening of Cyrus at the Varsity.  It was directly followed by a Q&A, hosted by Canada AM’s Richard Crouse.

John (John C. Reily) has been divorced for 7 years, has never found a new partner, and still keeps in touch with his ex-wife.  When he meets Molly (Marisa Tomei) at a party, what starts as a one-night-stand, develops into a complicated love triangle of sorts between John, Molly and Molly’s young adult son, Cyrus (Jonah Hill).  Cyrus, though intellectually mature, is emotionally immature, and shares a rather juvenile relationship with his mom.

Although the characters aren’t always likable, and their personalities are sometimes confusing, it takes an indirect route in introducing a universal theme.  It’s completely natural and believable, and though there are stretches that would feel mundane in the wrong hands, the Duplass brothers’ handle these scenes with an expert skill that makes every moment interesting.

The film was scripted, but improvisation from the very talented cast was encouraged, and Jay was on hand to capture every moment.  Using handheld digital cameras, he likened the filming style to that of a documentary.  As limited sets and actors were used, Cyrus was also filmed in sequential order, allowing for further improvisation and natural progression of the characters.

During the Q&A, one audience member asked, after stating that he understood it perfectly, “what was the symbolism of the shoes?”  He was referring to the fact that John’s white Adidas play a role in the script.  Mark replied, ever graciously, “there was symbolism?  I’d love to hear your take on that.  They’re just shoes.  It was actually just something small, epically small, introduced later on in the script, that we thought just tied in nicely to the story.”

After speaking with the Duplass brothers directly following the presentation, I’ve been thinking a lot about how their work would compare to Noah Baumbach’s recent film Greenberg.  When I asked them, Mark, who had a brief part in Greenberg, replied jokingly, “well, obviously our film is better, but no, Greenberg was more misanthropic than our movie and a little more serious.”

I can think of many arguments for both, but the only comparison I can think of between their most recent work – Baumbach’s Greenberg, and the Duplass’ Cyrus – is that both movies, in tone and style, capture their characters perfectly.  Greenberg is more misanthropic, offering a bleaker view of the people it portrays.  The character and movie of Greenberg was a little more sure of itself, yet at the same time unsure.  Each line of scripted dialogue, was put forth with the same intelligent thought that Greenberg had before he would speak.  And like it’s central character, it was a little depressed, and not entirely likable.

The tone of Cyrus, like the characters, is more casual and laid back.  It captures perfectly the tone of these very ordinary people, who are all involved in a relationship that is a little unsettling, but rarely hard to watch.  The way they speak is nothing extraordinary, but the topics they discuss are in central focus of moving a very interesting character study forward.

The advice the Duplass brothers’ would give to aspiring filmmakers is “to keep making movies.”  As Mark said, “even if you have to make 20 shorts before you make a good one.”  To which Jay added, “Now with digital cameras, film making has gotten really affordable.  One of our first short films was made for only 3 dollars.”  He was referring to their first collaborative effort, This is John, a short that played at Sundance in 2003.

Money was another problem that the brothers faced on Cyrus, and not in the way you might think.  Their first feature, The Puffy Chair, was made for 15,000 dollars, graciously donated by their parents.  On Cyrus, working with a studio budget, they had to strictly follow union rules, which meant that at times there were upwards of 70 people on their small sets.  Certainly not something they were used to when filming their smaller “mumblecore” films.

But that doesn’t mean they didn’t keep the style of their other films.  One complaint from a nauseated audience member was that the shaky camera work was the only thing wrong with an otherwise good movie.  The way the camera is constantly zooming in and out could be seen as a distraction.  But as Jay explained, because the actors are given so much improvisational room, they use handhelds, so that as the actors move around at their own pace, they can follow them and use the zoom to try to quickly capture a particular emotion that an actor is portraying in the moment.

Obviously there was a different enthusiasm in the air, seeing the film with the crew in attendance, but the audience reactions seemed to be mostly positive.  Hopefully people will give Cyrus a chance when it opens in select theatres in Toronto on 25th of June.  I think the key to enjoying it is to go in with a clean-slate, and just accept the paths these characters take.  And perhaps come prepared if shaky-cam usually gets to you.

JAY BARUCHEL AT THE TROTSKY TORONTO PREMIERE
By Will-W on film, pop music, the science of celebrity and trending. (In addition to serving as Toronto network CP24's official Toronto International Film Festival Correspondent, he is also one of the official bloggers for the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival.)

Montreal native Jay Baruchel is arguably one of the hottest new breakout actors in Hollywood.  If you've seen How To Train Your Dragon, Million Dollar Baby, Tropic Thunder, She's Out of My League, Knocked Up, Almost Famous or Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, you've seen Baruchel's work.  And when I had the chance to meet him today, it was refreshing to see that he remains an incredibly modest, no-frills person despite having achieved a significant amount of fame.  In fact, today for his CBC interview with George Stroumboulopoulous on The Hour, he walked from his hotel to the studio.  Kindly, he took a moment out to pose for a picture with me and I am extremely honoured.  It is no secret that Baruchel is well on his way to becoming the next Tom Hanks of his generation.  He's awkward, funny, personable yet headstrong.

For this evening's Scotiabank Theatre premiere of latest comedy The Trotsky, he did a round of press after a hectic promotional itinerary which saw him visit MuchMusic Headquarters and CBC prior to arriving at his premiere.  Running late, he didn't get a chance to introduce the film with his fellow cast members, but he did pop by afterwards to field some questions post-screening.

Baruchel boldly wore a Montreal Canadiens T-shirt knowing very well what type of reaction it would draw from Toronto Maple Leaf fans.  And we all know how passionate Torontonians are about their Hockey.  The cat lover went on to explain that he drew inspiration from cartoons for his quirky, eccentric character Leon, who is convinced he is the reincarnation of Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky.  His brilliant sense of movement exiting some scenes drew praise from Toronto's most renowned Film Critic Richard Crouse, who hosted this evening's Q&A.  Believe it or not, Baruchel idolizes Rowan Atkinson of Mr. Bean fame and as an afterthought one can see that influence in his animated mannerisms.  When asked about his fame from an audience member, he indicated that he is proudly Canadian, planning to continue residing in Montreal as he always has.  He assured us that he will continue to support and make Canadian films and let the world know about the wonderful films being made in our country.

Also in attendace at tonight's screening was acclaimed theatre actor Colm Feore, last seen in films like Chicago and Good Cop Bon Cop.  He plays Baruchel's archnemesis Principal Berkhoff.  In addition, father-son producer/director duo Kevin and Jacob Tierney fielded audience questions also, stating that they had purposely played up the Canadian aspect of this film, chalkful of local references.   In ways, Kevin felt this was a big "fuck you" to Americans who normally expect Canadians to understand their local references in their films.  "I don't know where the hell New Jersey is and I have no idea where Ashbury Park is!  I do love Bruce Springsteen though!", he proclaimed.  The audience approved loudly.

Veteran television actor Saul Rubinek who plays Leon's father David, also answered some questions, revealing that when he was younger he also played a young man obsessed with Trotsky also and was determined to be a part of this film once he had learned of it.

Alliance Films' The Trotsky hits theatres Friday, May 14, 2010.  Visit its official website for more details.  For those who are curious, Baruchel will also be appearing tomorrow morning on Alternative-Rock station The Edge 102.1 for one more interview.

Richard Crouse Pt II – Kris Kristofferson & the VFF
By Rachel Fox from guttersnipe.com

Actor and musician Kris Kristofferson was honoured by the Victoria Film Festival this year with its presentation of the inaugural IN award, celebrating one “who has been INspirational, INnovative, and INdependant.”

Kristofferson was received warmly by the crowd, which was left utterly charmed by his candor and humility. The former Rhodes Scholar spoke freely and reflected about his incredible life and broad career, from being a janitor at Nashville’s Columbia Records to his emergence as a singer-songwriter associating with the likes of Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Janis Joplin before successfully transitioning to an acting career. That includes a memorable stint in a bathtub with Barbra Streisand (A Star is Born, a performance that earned him a Golden Globe).

A brief question-and-answer period was followed by a rather grainy screening of Kristofferson’s 1996 film Lone Star, which was succinctly summarized by filmmaker Ken Galloway (at the Festival with his short film, “Ways on Wheels”) as an example of how “the white man fucks everything and then fucks everything up.” Indeed.

The evening was emceed by Canada AM’s Richard Crouse, pulling double-duty at the Festival by presenting the series of SpringBoard talks and seminars. I had a chance to catch up with him about interviewing one of his personal heroes, hanging out with Teddy the Toad, and the unexpected treat of falling in love with a woman whose life and story stole everyone’s heart.

RF: How’s your experience been at the Victoria Film Festival so far?

RC: It’s over, now. I’m done (laughs). It’s been really fun. I cover film festivals all over the world. I go to Cannes, I cover Toronto – I live in Toronto. They’re much different festivals; I’m really working those ones really hard and seeing sometimes 75 movies [at the Toronto International Film Festival] and interviewing people so they’re much different. In this one, I was presenting things the whole time and doing interviews onstage and was more a part of it. So I kind of kicked back and relaxed a little bit at this one …

RF: You kicked back and relaxed in Victoria?

RC: Well a little bit, a little bit. You know what, I had fun here. The people who were here – I got here on Friday and the people that were here were amazing, good fun to hang out with, always something to do. I got to interview Kris Kristofferson tonight which was mind-blowingly cool.

RF: It was sort of like your James Lipton moment.

RC: I do a lot of these kinds of things in Toronto and other places too, but to sit next to him, that close… I don’t know if you could tell from the audience, but he teared up when he talked about Janis Joplin. That was… those kind of moments that I didn’t expect, and as an interviewer are very special and as an audience member I hope so too.

RF: What I noticed during the interview was he had this way, a sort of humility about him – he almost was like a little boy. He’d be talking about something and then he’d laugh about it as though it was no big thing. I thought it was quite endearing.

RC: Considering who he is, and the songs that he’s written – if he had only written “Me and Bobby McGee”, that would’ve been enough. If he’d have only written “Me and Bobby McGee” and “Help Me Make it Through the Night”, that would’ve been enough. If he had only written those and “Sunday Morning Coming Down”, that would’ve been enough. But the film work on top of that – for 40 years he’s been making records consistently, and good ones, and films, and working with directors like Martin Scorsese and everybody else. It’s kind of one of those unparalleled careers in terms of a musician who has branched off and done other things, considering the amount of success he’s had. I’m thrilled to sit and do it.

RF: Looking at someone like Kris Kristofferson and the career transitions he’s made – it’s something we’re seeing a lot more of now; artists who start as musicians and then suddenly they become actors and then perfumers.

RC: We’re only seconds away from Lady Gaga making a movie and having a clothing line. I think though, in some ways, it happens so quickly now that it dilutes the brand, and none of it is done particularly well. Whereas maybe I would’ve said that about Kris Kristofferson in 1971, “He’s a songwriter, what’s he doing making movies?” But he stayed at it and worked at it for so long and really made it not just a sideline, but a really parallel career. That’s interesting to me.

RF: One thing that you touched upon in your introduction of him was that “independent spirit”, which you spoke of along with the likes of Johnny Cash. When I think of Kris Kristofferson, one thing that always comes to mind is (I don’t recall what the event was) was when Sinead O’Connor performed for the first time …

RC: I was there.

RF: Were you there?

RC: I was. It was at Madison Square Gardens. She had torn up the picture of the Pope on “Saturday Night Live” the previous Saturday. I’d forgotten about this, or I would’ve asked him about it.

RF: Ahhh!

RC: See, I should’ve talked to you beforehand. [Laughs] It was at MSG, it was the 30th anniversary of Bob Dylan on Colombia Records. There was, I don’t know, 40 bands or acts – everyone from Eric Clapton to Sinead O’Connor. And so she comes out, and it’s horrific-

RF: I remember watching it on television and just being stunned at the [audience] response.

RC: Sitting in the audience watching that, I felt like, “great violence could happen any time now.” It was one of those times that the feeling changed in the room so quickly, and there’s 50,000 people –

RF: New Yawkers…

RC: New Yorkers, who were angry at her. And Kristofferson came out because he had hosted part of the evening. He put his arm around her and said, “Don’t let the bastards get you down.” And I remember it being such a cool moment, because it’s not like he took her off stage and did it. He did it onstage, and said to the audience, “I know what you’re doing, and I’m gonna help her.” And then Neil Young came out and blew everybody’s mind playing “All Along the Watchtower” and lifted the crowd right back up again. But it was Kristofferson’s moment.

RF: I remember that. When I think of him, that’s what comes to mind.

RC: I think that’s kind of emblematic of how he is. It seems to me that he, even if it’s not going to be popular, he does the right thing. Because he was then staring down 50,000 angry people –

RF: New Yawkers…

RC: – who were not really happy at him. It’s kind of a cool thing.

RF: You spoke a lot about the musical portion of his career and how that’s influenced you. What was preparing for this interview like? You seem to be a fan.

RC: I am a fan. I’m a pop-culture junkie. I had to do research for this, a great amount of research, because I wanted that no matter where the interview went I was going to be able to go there. I don’t like to plan my interviews particularly well. I don’t like to have a list of ten questions. I didn’t have anything written down. I had a couple of quotes written down that I wanted to ask him about just in case I got stuck but there were no actual questions written down.

“Me and Bobby McGee” was a really significant song for me, I loved it. I was too young – even though I’m Toronto’s oldest living man – I was still too young for the original Janis Joplin version which wasn’t really significant to me when it came out. It became really significant to me years later – the song, it tells a story, the vocals are amazing. There’s so much to it, and he wrote it. I wanted to be clear that it wasn’t one aspect of his career that had blown my mind. There were a number of things there that I’m really impressed by.

RF: He speaks to another era, of film makers and songwriters, who tell a story.

RC: The storytellers. I’m not sure that it would be such a bad thing if there were more people like him, working in both film and writing songs.

RF: Any other parting words about your experience here in Victoria?

RC: It’s been fun, you know. I got to hang out with Charles Martin Smith, which was totally fun. We ended up hanging out for three solid days, pretty much. It was hilarious.

RF: I spoke with him a little bit. He called me “schmoozy”, or rather, “charming”.

RC: [Laughs]

RF: I reminded him of a time – true story – he almost hit me, or rather, more likely I almost ran into his car on my bike…

RC: Terry the Toad almost hit you! That’s cool, though.

RF: It was really exciting. I wasn’t wearing a helmet …

RC: See, you should be wearing a helmet.

RF: I do now.

RC: I’m old, and I’m telling you that. I must sound like your father. Anyways, I think the festival is attracting a really interesting crowd this year. I haven’t been before, but Charlie was a lot of fun to hang out with. I hosted two days of SpringBoard Talks as well, and Academy-Award-winning director Chris Landreth [Ryan, 2004] – his talk was unbelievable. It made me understand, finally, why I hate Robert Zemeckis’ stop-motion movies. I’ve always known why, in my heart…

RF: Why?

RC: Because they look dead in the eyes. And he explained to me why they look dead in the eyes. It was fascinating.

RF: I wish I’d seen it.

RC: Of the SpringBoard Talks, although many of them were really fascinating, there was a woman named Madeleine Sherwood, and I just fell in love with her.

RF: I heard the crowd was left “misty”.

RC: Oh my God. She was the final speaker of two days, and it was pretty much the same people who came back and saw both things. And they were long sessions, they were three or four hours long with no break. I was literally just like, “Next! Next!”, bringing them all up on stage, one after the others. Some speakers were great at engaging, others maybe not as much, so it was a mixed bag. And then we bring her up after showing a short film about her life, about how she was sent to a mental institution and escaped, and thought, “where should I go?” And she goes to New York to become an actor, it was far enough away that she figured she’d be left alone and ended up originating 18 Broadway shows onstage, including Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and The Crucible. Unbelievable stuff. And then she comes up and she’s endearing and amazing and knew Elia Kazan and told stories about Marilyn Monroe… It wasn’t just the stories, it was just her. She was really kind of incredible.

RF: A textured life?

RC: More than just a textured life. She is a woman who really bucked trends her entire life. She comes from a well-to-do family in Montreal, escapes from an insane asylum, becomes a Broadway star, marches with Martin Luther Kin in the South and gets herself arrested, and instead of doing what everybody else did – which was get the hell out of there, or hire some hot-shot white lawyer – she hires the only African-American lawyer in Alabama to represent her, which was probably, at the time, going to guarantee her to lose. But she believed in it, and she had the strength of her convictions. I was amazed by her. She was lovely, and of all the people that I’ve met here – she was the treat, the unexpected treat.

That's a wrap: A feast of film and fun
Fans greet Kristofferson, Walsh with enthusiasm
By Michael D. Reid, Times Colonist
February 7, 2010

With the End of Festival bash at Fiamo just hours away, here's a quick review of notes and quotes from the 2010 edition.

One big surprise was that despite battling a nasty cold last Tuesday, Kris Kristofferson stuck around the Empire Capitol 6 after his interview with CTV film critic Richard Crouse and a Q&A long enough to watch Lone Star.

The actor and singer-songwriter got such an enthusiastic reaction he couldn't even take a pee in peace, as noticed when some overzealous fans followed him into the washroom.

"I'll probably still be telling the truth as much as I can when they throw dirt on me," Kristofferson said before bidding farewell.

---

Actor and comedian Mary Walsh of This Hour Has 22 Minutes fame was a barrel of laughs during her brief stay.

"At least four Canadians will see it now," she quipped after noting her film Crackie made TIFF's Top 10 Canadian films list.

The dynamic Newfoundlander, who plays a troubled teenage girl's brash, potty-mouthed grandma in Sherry White's gritty east coast drama, cheerfully lambasted attitudes toward homegrown fare.

"It's Canadian? Nope, not going to see it. Forget about it," she said, joking maybe they should have made Crackie in 3-D.

"I just think any Canadian film is a hard sell. You name me a film -- whether it's depressing, middle-of-the-road or funny -- that

is not a hard sell," she said.

Walsh revealed she's developing a talk show in which she'd team with different guests weighing in on the news of the week -- "Naomi Klein and a bunch of left-wing women one week, and Ann Coulter and a bunch of right-wing women the next."

Tentatively titled Broad Appeal, it would be "something like The View but with a singular kind of view per show."

She's also playing Siouxee Power, an "aging punk person" from The Rock who wins the lottery and moves to Toronto's tony Rosedale neighbourhood in Rise Up, a half-hour Global comedy series in development.

"I skateboard in it," said Walsh, who in Crackie also got back on a bicycle for the first time since she was 18.

And, yes, she'd love to confront Sarah Palin again, as she did last year in Ohio when, as This Hour's Marg Delahunty, she buttonholed the former Alaska governor and got dumb answers to her health care questions. The clip went viral.

Noted Walsh gleefully: "She's never going to go away."

---

Does being compared to Jim Carrey because of the hyper-zaniness of Matt Frewer's Max Headroom character bother him?

The Victoria-raised actor featured in Uwe Boll's Darfur says the comparisons are more flattering than frustrating.

"Jim acknowledged in a GQ article that he based everything he does on an actor named Matt Frewer," he says. "It was kind of surreal reading that. His background is in standup and mine is as an actor, and I've always looked on that kind of physical comedy as just another string in my bow."

---

QUOTE, UNQUOTE: Memorable quotes from this year's festival....

"It never felt like Ranger School when I was in the bathtub with her" -- Kristofferson, reacting to Internet reports claiming he once described working with Barbra Streisand on A Star Is Born as an ordeal akin to going to Ranger School.

"The NFB is a real wonderful thing about this country, that it's got a body like that that supports a director-driven, often very risk-taking kind of filmmaking" -- Oscar-winning animator Chris Landreth.

"Film festival people in Victoria are very festive -- despite Campbell cuts" -- actress Madeleine Sherwood (Sweet Bird of Youth, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.)

"I'm just really happy Pagliacci's is still here"

-- critic Richard Crouse, on the joys of returning to Victoria after 25 years.

"Super-what?" -- filmmaker Scott Amos on how he feels about Super Bowl Sunday conflicting with the festival.

RUSHES: Things we learned at this year's fest... Producer Rob Merilees is teaming with director Bruce McDonald on Hardcore Logo 2 ... We have B.J. Cook to thank for getting Kristofferson here this year. The local singer-songwriter met him on the set of Heaven's Gate through mutual friend Ronnie Hawkins 30 years ago. And that was no ordinary baby being wheeled around town in a pink baby carriage during Converge yesterday. It was a doll with an iTouch playing short films mounted on her tummy ... The audience at Friday night's documentary on Trimpin, the inventor and sound artist whose creations include Seattle's Experience Music Project's tower of guitars, really got into the spirit of sound creation. Acting on a patron's suggestion, they ripped their Audience Favourite award ballots in unison, to the delight of the endearing instrument-maker.

What? No Star Trek? The worst of Oscar snubs
By: Constance Droganes, entertainment writer, CTV.ca
Date: Tue. Feb. 2 2010

What, no "Star Trek?"

The news of today's Oscar nominations from Los Angeles shot around the world, leaving critics and film buffs shaking their heads over snubs made by Academy Award voters.

Much has been made this year of the Academy's move to broaden the nominations for Best Picture from five to 10 entries.

For decades highbrow fare dominated this category. Oscar organizers felt it was time to give mainstream hits like "Star Trek" and other films a chance to vie for Best Picture gold.

"‘Star Trek' was even used as the example for the kind of movie that would get nominated," says Canada AM movie critic Richard Crouse.

Then why is "Star Trek" nowhere to be found among 2010's Best Picture nominations?

The same can be asked about Clint Eastwood's rousing sports drama, "Invictus."

Toppled by popcorn-guzzling entries like "The Blind Side" and "District 9," "Invictus" fell to the wayside like an old wad of gum.

Is "District 9" really a better picture than "Fantastic Mr. Fox" or "Where the Wild Things Are"?

Does "District 9"and all its tentacled alien fury really surpass the craftsmanship in movies like Jane Campion's "Bright Star" or the sparkling storytelling in Nora Ephron's "Julie & Julia?"

What where Academy voters thinking?

Julianne Moore gave one of the best performances of her career in Tom Ford's searing drama, "A Single Man." Moore, sadly, is a surprising shutout from this year's Best Supporting Actress race.

Ditto for Mélanie Laurent, the fierce World War II heroine in Quentin Tarantino's film "Inglourious Basterds."

Viggo Mortensen's gut-wrenching performance in "The Road" had some critics betting on a Best Actor nod for this underdog.

The same can be said for underdog Tobey Maguire, who blew critics away with his blistering portrayal of a troubled American soldier in "Brothers."

Sadly, Mortensen and Maguire are out of luck.

Today's Oscar nominations turned "Avatar" and "The Hurt Locker" into the heroes of Hollywood for the moment.

Oscar's snubs, on the other hand, turned some incredible films and talents into yesterday's news.

'Avatar' and 'Hurt Locker' lead Oscars race
By: Andrea Janus, CTV.ca News
Date: Tue. Feb. 2 2010

An animated film, an Iraq war movie and one of the biggest blockbusters of all time were among the expanded list of 10 pictures nominated for Oscars Tuesday morning.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced its Oscar nominees in Los Angeles, and the list included some favourites as well as a few surprises.

The list of best-picture nominees:

    * Avatar
    * The Blind Side
    * District 9
    * An Education
    * The Hurt Locker
    * Inglourious Basterds
    * Precious
    * A Serious Man
    * Up
    * Up in the Air

Canada AM film critic Richard Crouse said the best picture list, which included 10 films for the first time since 1943, was notable for what was not on it as much as for what was included.

"The movie that surprised me that wasn't nominated in the top 10 for best picture was ‘Star Trek,'" Crouse told Canada AM Tuesday morning.

"And I only say that because when they first announced that they were going to expand the field to 10, everyone said that's because they want to have ‘Star Trek' in there. And 'Star Trek' was used as an exemplar of the kind of movies that were then going to get nominated."

In what's emerging as a showdown between ex-spouses, James Cameron's "Avatar" is tied with "The Hurt Locker," directed by his ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow, for nine nominations each, including best director.

While "Avatar" has swept awards shows leading up to next month's Oscars, Bigelow was named best director by the Directors Guild of America, long a harbinger for directing honours at the Academy Awards.

Bigelow is only the fourth female best-director nominee, following Sofia Coppola for 2003's "Lost in Translation," Jane Campion for 1993's "The Piano," and Lina Wertmuller for "Seven Beauties" in 1975.

Upon hearing the news of her nomination, Bigelow said she was gratified and humbled.

"It's a huge, huge compliment to the entire cast and crew," Bigelow said. "It was a very difficult shoot of heat and sun and windstorms and sandstorms and they had to unite crew from Lebanon and Israel."

Joining Cameron and Bigelow in the directing category are Quentin Tarantino for "Inglourious Basterds," Lee Daniels for "Precious" and Jason Reitman for "Up in the Air."

Daniels is only the second African-American filmmaker to be nominated for best director. John Singleton received a nod in 1991 for "Boyz N the Hood."

Daniels said Tuesday he was just as excited about his film's nomination for best picture.

"After 82 years, it's the first film nominated for best picture directed by an African-American," Daniels said. "Isn't that great? It's so exciting."

The nominees for best actress include emerging favourite Sandra Bullock for true-story football flick "The Blind Side." Bullock won the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards for her role as a wealthy woman who helps a homeless teen, Michael Oher, who is now a star with the NFL's Baltimore Ravens.

Bullock said winning is less important to her than the opportunity to meet her fellow nominees, actresses she greatly admires.

"You laugh at the absurdity of it all and how they pit women up against each other. We go, 'Why are they making us out to be fighting when we're just happy to share this moment?'" Bullock said. "The women I've met and gotten to know along the way have made me so happy for this business that didn't really support women for a long time. It's been really sweet. I feel really lucky to be working at this time."

Joining her in the category are Helen Mirren as Leo Tolsoy's wife in "The Last Station," Carey Mulligan as a rebellious teen in "An Education," Gabourey Sidibe as a teen mother and abuse victim in "Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push' by Sapphire," and Meryl Streep as chef Julia Child in "Julie & Julia."

Mirren said she was "very happy and honoured" to learn of her nomination. Mulligan said hearing the news was "like a really good, friendly punch in the stomach."

Favourite Jeff Bridges, also a Golden Globe and SAG winner, heads up the best actor category for "Crazy Heart," in which he plays a down-on-his-luck country singer trying to turn his life around.

Also nominated for best actor are George Clooney as a company hatchet-man in "Up in the Air," Colin Firth as a gay professor grieving his dead lover in "A Single Man," Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela in "Invictus," and Jeremy Renner as a bomb defusing expert in Iraq in "The Hurt Locker."

Los Angeles Times film critic Pete Hammond said Bridges is "by far the front-runner here."

"He's a veteran, he's 60 years old, people love him in the industry and they think he's due and this is a terrific performance," Hammond told Canada AM. "So look for him over George Clooney in the final race."

Despite being a long shot in the best actor category, Freeman, who was in Rome when the nominees were announced, pointed out that it is his fifth nomination, "and I'm more proud of that than all the rest of it I think."

Comedienne Mo'Nique appears poised to add to her award haul for her blistering turn as an abusive mother in "Precious." She is joined in the best supporting actress category by Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick for "Up in the Air," Penelope Cruz for "Nine," and Maggie Gyllenhaal for "Crazy Heart."

Matt Damon in "Invictus," Woody Harrelson in "The Messenger," Christopher Plummer in "The Last Station," Stanley Tucci in "The Lovely Bones," and Christoph Waltz in "Inglourious Basterds," make up the best supporting actor category.

The 82nd annual Academy Awards will be handed out March 7 at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre, and will air on CTV.

New Oscar producers Adam Shankman and Bill Mechanic promise a livelier, more fun show than years past.

After Hugh Jackman livened up last year's show with song-and-dance numbers, humour will likely be the order of the day for co-hosts Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin.

While television ratings for the show have sagged in recent years, the presence of the highest-grossing film of all time in so many categories will likely draw in viewers.

Ratings peaked 12 years ago when Cameron's "Titanic" nabbed 11 nominations. "Avatar" has since surpassed "Titanic" as the number one film of all time at the box office, with $2 billion in revenues worldwide.

Miramax closed by Disney, plagued by money troubles
By Holly West, thedailyplanet.com  
Friday, 29 January 2010

The film house known for its independent features was given the axe by its parent company.

Though the Miramax website shows no mention of the news, it was leaked late Wednesday that the company would shut down, costing about 80 employees their jobs.

The movie giant had been in trouble since president Daniel Battesek quit in the fall.

Brothers Harvey and Bob Weinstein created the company in 1979 naming it after their parents Miriam and Max. In 2005, they sold the successful venture to the Disney Corp.

“This was coming for a while," Richard Crouse, CTV‘s Canada AM film critic, told thedailyplanet.com.  "Once Harvey and Bob (Weinstein) left the company was really dwindling.”

Under the Weinstein's, many pop cultural favourites were produced such as "Pulp Fiction"and "Good Will Hunting."  Following Disney's take-over, the brand moved away from indie flicks to more family-oriented fare. Six films are still awaiting release, and the future of those movies is uncertain.

Miramax released five movies in 2009 which grossed $39.6 million in U.S. box-office sales, according to Box Office Mojo, a film researcher based in Sherman Oaks, California.  In 2008, eight released films collected $66.2 in U.S ticket revenue.

“In its heyday back in the 90s, no one did independent films like the Weinsteins – and no one has since,” said Crouse.

Kristofferson goes for wild ride
Actor and songwriter braved ice, snow and illness to reach Victoria
By Michael D. Reid, Times ColonistFebruary 4, 2010
 
Kris Kristofferson, 73, developed a nasty chest cold on a "wild ride" to Victoria, where he's being honoured with the film festival's inaugural IN award in recognition of independence, innovation and inspiration.
 
Kris Kristofferson, 73, developed a nasty chest cold on a "wild ride" to Victoria, where he's being honoured with the film festival's inaugural IN award in recognition of independence, innovation and inspiration.
Photograph by: Debra Brash, Times Colonist, Times Colonist

A legendary actor, singer and songwriter who got his start sweeping floors at Columbia Records displayed traits often associated with a different profession -- mail delivery -- before landing here for his Victoria Film Festival appearance last night.

Kris Kristofferson had to brave ice, snow and freezing temperatures that gripped North Carolina and Tennessee, where he performed concerts on the weekend to promote his solo album Closer to the Bone.

"Oh, it's been a wild ride, but I'm glad to be here," said the smiling, gravelly voiced Grammy Award-winner.

Road conditions were so treacherous that before flying here from Nashville, Kristofferson and his wife and manager, Lisa Meyers, had to drive north from North Carolina through Virginia to reach Tennessee because of a "weather bonk," they said.

"We've been living on the tour bus going really, really slow and we're just lucky we made it," Meyers said.

Along the way, Kristofferson, 73, developed a nasty chest cold but, ever the trouper, he wasn't about to let that stop him from accepting the festival's inaugural IN award in recognition of independence, innovation and inspiration.

"We've been here before," recalled Kristofferson, clad in black jeans and a matching T-shirt and fleece jacket as he sipped coffee in the Fairmont Empress hotel's Harbourside room. "It's such a beautiful place."

Despite being under the weather, he took part in a Q&A at Empire Capitol 6 last night and was interviewed by Canada AM film critic Richard Crouse.

If someone were to ask him to name a movie he would make over again, Kristofferson said it would be Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid.

"It was like being in hillbilly heaven," he recalled. "But there was so much energy wasted on that because [director] Sam Peckinpah was feuding with the people at MGM and they were kind of doing him dirty."

Shooting in Durango, Mexico, was "a thrill and a challenge," he recalled, adding that Peckinpah was his own worst enemy.

"I don't think Sam understood the potential. He thought the studio had pressured him into hiring a big star like Bob Dylan, but Bob was unique," said Kristofferson, recalling that Dylan called him, unsure whether he should make his film debut as Alias.

"I said, 'Man, do it. This is a lot of fun,' and it was," Kristofferson recalled. "I thought Bob did a great job. He'd been doing it onstage for a long time. I think Sam could have exploited that better, but what was great was the music he brought to it."

Kristofferson is also often asked how he felt about his status as a superstar sex symbol.

"I don't think anybody would be really comfortable with that, but it kept getting me work, whatever it was," he said.

After flying back to California, the troubadour will resume his solo tour Feb. 16 in Missouri, followed by concerts with Merle Haggard in Texas, Oklahoma and other states.

- - -

You can thank Chris Landreth for getting to see Ways on Wheels at the Odeon tonight.

It was the Toronto-based animator's Oscar-winning short Ryan that inspired Ken Galloway to become a filmmaker.

"I was living in Tokyo, working as a muralist and an English teacher and hanging out at an artists' collective bar," recalled Galloway, whose short focuses on a quadriplegic artist and how he used his disability to turn his life around.

He made the film after doing four years of research for a book about Canadian graffiti. He interviewed 250 graffiti writers during a cross-country odyssey of hitchhiking, "couch surfing" and hopping freight trains.

"It was 3 in the morning and Ryan shows up on the screen," he recalled. "I saw the NFB logo between beers and I was blown away by what I saw. I said, 'I can't just keep working as an English teacher. It's time to make a change.' "

Three weeks later he applied to Sheridan College and "somehow talked my way in" to its film program.

Galloway was shocked and delighted to learn that Landreth was a festival guest. "I approached him and said, 'You're the reason I started making films,' " Galloway said. "He indulged me. It's been a blast."

A celebration of cinema
Glitzy gala at new venue honours stars, directors and producers
By Michael D. Reid, Times Colonist January 31, 2010
 
"Wow!" was the operative word Friday night as the Victoria Film Festival's 2010 edition blasted off with a glitzy gala amid the stunning pools, fountains and tropical plants adorning its new venue, Parkside Victoria Resort and Spa.

Indeed, there were moments you half-expected Hugh Hefner to walk in.

"I feel like I'm at the grotto at the Playboy mansion," quipped guttersnipenews.com correspondent Rachel Fox.

Opening nighters, many weary after spending hours on airplanes, were jubilant. The festival is a homecoming of sorts for Vancouver Island native Barry Pepper, former Glenlyon student Matt Frewer of Max Headroom fame, UVic grad-turned-producer Nicholas Tabarrok and Richard Crouse.

Who knew Crouse, the jovial Canada AM film critic, lived in a $350-a-month McLure mansion apartment in Rockland 25 years ago and ran the long-defunct jazz club The Alhambra? "I remember Victoria being really vital and having a great arts scene," Crouse said, reminiscing about the "most intimate concert I've ever been to." It was when he found himself alone with Dr. John when the legendary musician came in to do a sound check.

He asked if Crouse had any requests, and then played New Orleans Christmas songs for him.

Oscar-winning animator Chris Landreth (Ryan) gamely mingled despite feeling the effects of a head cold and a long flight.

"It sounds like everyone's talking underwater," he said, smiling.

Coincidentally, two gala guests were star athletes who overcame life-threatening health issues and are now in showbiz.

"I'm back to support the festival because I'm a Canadian boy and an Olympian so it coincides with Vancouver," said Howard Dell, a former Olympic bobsledder, pro football player and actor (Totally Blonde).

Dell, 47, recently received a liver transplant after being diagnosed with a terminal liver disease.

"I planned for an end, and now I've got to plan for a new beginning," he said.

Meghan Mutrie, who played for Canada and England's national rugby teams, has also made an incredible comeback after she was knocked out for 18 minutes during a Nation's Cup game two years ago.

"My brain was bleeding and I was handicapped for six months," she said. "I couldn't walk or talk and I was drooling." After recovering at her parents' home and completing her graduate degree in journalism in Wellington, New Zealand, Mutrie, 25, covered rugby during a brief internship with CHEK.

Now a rugby broadcaster for Australia's heavensgame.com, she's returning to Wellington in May for her grad ceremony.

Other guests included new film commissioner Jo Anne Walton, filmmaker Charles Martin Smith, producer Rob Merilees, Beyond Gay director Bob Christie and producer Morris Chapdelaine. Industrial FX studio chief Simon Game waxed enthusiastic about his feature film -- "a Sam Raimi movie meets the Beachombers" -- slated to roll this summer.

Christie was pumped about last night's enthusiastically received Beyond Gay premiere at the Odeon.

"Victoria's a great place for this film," he said. "It's a political capital and this is a political film." There are two more intriguing documentaries on today's schedule.

Director Alison Rose says the most interesting part of making hers, Love at the Twilight Motel (review below) was the editing process.

"It was something akin to alchemy," she said, noting it brought out the "amateur social anthropologist" in her. "The interviews that you see were all surprising to me." All the motel users interviewed, with the exception of Mr. R, answered her ads seeking stories.

"I offered them whatever degree of anonymity they required." A tougher sell is Boyhood Shadows: I Swore I'd Never Tell (tonight, 9:45, Cap 6), a powerful, ultimately hopeful documentary about childhood sexual abuse as told through the eyes of "Glenn," a survivor who will attend tonight's screening.

"We've been fighting to get audiences, but it's been difficult because of the subject," said Monterey, Calif.-based director Steve Rosen, noting while it has played in Wales, Ireland and England, only one U.S. festival -- Tiburon -- is showing it.

"Americans are a force of quintessential ostriches," he said. "They don't want to hear about something unless it affects them directly, right now. But childhood sexual abuse is reaching epidemic proportions, so people need to pay attention."

On the Side
Posted By: Amanda Farrell-Low
01/27/2010

Beyond the screenings at VFF

While the numerous feature-length screenings may be the main event at the Victoria Film Festival, there’s plenty of other activities happening during the 10-day event. More info and ticket purchasing options at victoriafilmfestival.com.

• SpringBoard Talks: Introduced at last year’s festival, this weekend-long program features some of Canada’s established and up-and-coming film talents spending 15 minutes on an industry-related topic of their choice—think TED but for the Canadian film industry. Speakers include producer Nicholas Tabarrok, director Warren Sonoda, actor Madeleine Sherwood, Maple Pictures publicity VP Angie Burns and many more. Runs from 1:15-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, January 30 and 31. For the more industry-oriented folks, SpringBoard Industry offers master classes and networking receptions in addition to admission to the Springboard talks.

• An Evening with Kris Kristofferson: The man himself will be in town (again) to receive the VFF’s inaugural IN Award, which they hand out to “a person who has been inspirational, innovative and independent.” Canada AM’s Richard Crouse will do an on-stage interview with Kristofferson before his award is presented and the evening is capped off by a screening of Lone Star. 9:15 p.m. Tuesday, February 2.

• Converge: Happening in week two of the VFF, this fun-filled guerilla cinema event screens short-film programs around downtown in restaurants, back alleys and haunted houses, all with an afterparty at the Victoria Event Centre. 2-5 p.m. Saturday, February 6.

• Special Guests: Whether they’re guest speakers at film screenings or presenting as part of Springboard, look out for film and television folks during VFF. Confirmed guests include Kris Kristofferson, Barry Pepper (Whose Like Dandelion Dust was a late program addition), Mary Walsh (Crackie), Academy Award-winning animator Chris Landreth (at SpringBoard), actor Matt Frewer of Max Headroom fame (at both Darfur and SpringBoard), Madeleine Sherwood, Charles Martin Smith (creator of last year’s festival favourite The Stone of Destiny), SpringBoard host Richard Crouse from Canada AM and film/ television producer and UVic Alum Nicholas Tabarrok (at SpringBoard as well as Coopers’ Camera and Defendor) as well as many more.

Victoria Film Festival: Still cutting edge, despite funding cuts
By Travis Paterson - Oak Bay News
Published: January 26, 2010

Festival looks to increase audience engagement, sponsorship

It’s still the cutting-edge festival that began as the Victoria Independent Film and Video Festival in 1995.

And the people in charge of the Victoria Film Festival hope it will continue to be after the 2010 edition, the last with any significant government grant money.

There’s no reason to expect any dramatic change in the VFF, said head programmer Donovan Aikman, who believes the event is at a stage now where it will carry on just the same, perhaps with a little extra sponsorship help.

“Ticket sales improve a good percentage every year and we feel that’s because of our interactive aspect,” he said.

Inviting as many directors as the festival does for discussion on their films creates engagement with the audience and creates the type of experience that will help the festival survive financially and move ahead, Aikman said.

Of the hundreds of movies that come through the selection committee’s hands, 53 features and 94 shorts make up the 2010 catalogue, which begins showing Friday (Jan. 29).

“We’ve never changed our philosophy from independent films,” Aikman said, and the trio of opening gala films is a good indication of that.

The big-budget Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky shows how far the indy movement has come. Yet the Canadian opening gala selection Beyond Gay is a testament to what can be done with little more than an airplane and camera, he added.

Making waves in the pre-festival leadup is the controversial, shit-disturbing documentary The Brothel Project, chosen by the Victoria Film Producer Association to spotlight for the festival.

Although the film is not officially part of the VFF opening gala, the hype around it has seen it treated like one.

Made by Vancouver filmmaker April Butler-Parry, the movie follows an attempt by local newspaper columnist and former Peers executive director Jody Paterson, and former sex-trade worker Lauren Casey, to facilitate the opening of a legal brothel in Victoria.

The movie embraces the classic film festival cliché of being cutting edge and the VFF is a perfect place to debut it.

“It’s an interesting take on the brothel question – it’s independent and it (focuses on) things that people won’t get a chance to see regularly,” Aikman said.

“Plus it’s totally local, filmed 90 per cent in Victoria. So even though it’s not an opening movie, it’s an important industry film for the festival at large and for directors and producers in Victoria.”

If you don’t have an opening weekend ticket yet, it may be too late. But there’s a lot of exciting opportunities besides those three movies.

The stirring look at Western complacency surrounding genocide in Darfur promises to spark conversation, not just with B.C. director Uwe Boll, but special guests Senator Mobina Jaffur and actor Matt Frewer.

And for industry up-and-comers, this year’s festival also features SpringBoard Industry, a three-day (Jan. 29-31) series of talks, meetings and opportunity to network with industry names.

“Everyone gets 15 minutes to talk about media-related and changing trends, provide insight, network and shop their film,” Aikman said.

A $175 Industry Pass covers the SpringBoard series. Film festival memberships are $2 (one is all you need) and screenings are $9 each.

For a complete schedule visit www.victoriafilmfestival.com.

Kristofferson IN the house

The Victoria Film Festival has created the IN Award and Kris Kristofferson is coming to accept.

The first ever honouree of the lifetime achievement award has earned it for a career of independence, innovation and inspiration.

“Kristofferson has never been afraid to tackle the really challenging roles and projects, which has always kept him fresh and on the cutting edge,” said festival director Kathy Kay.

The Golden Globe and Grammy award-winning and Academy Award-nominated actor and musician will be interviewed live on stage by Richard Crouse of CTV’s Canada AM at 9:15 p.m. on Feb. 2 at the Empire Capitol 6 cinema.

Interview: Film Critic Richard Crouse
By John C.
One Movie, Five Reviews

Last week I had an idea. The “brilliant and beloved” Richard Crouse, who has interviewed so many celebrities, would make a good subject for an interview. I posed this question to him last Thursday, asking if it would be okay to send over some questions. He gave me his phone number, and graciously said I could call. I spoke to him for just over 20 minutes this past Friday afternoon. .

We talked about everything from the genius of Pixar, to the brilliant state of family entertainment in 2009, and the pop culture phenomenon that is Avatar. He gave me his picks for the best and worst movies of last year, and told me what he would nominate for Best Picture if he had a ballot.

To the right is a picture of Richard wearing his awesome Mr. Fox "tail tie", (which we also briefly discussed)
_____________________________________________

When did you start reviewing movies? Well, I started reviewing movies probably about 15 years ago. Before that I had written about music, and movies a little but mainly music.

And when did you know that’s what you wanted to do? When I first saw a film and realized ‘you know what? I liked that, but I think that they could have done this better’. And that was probably when I was about 5 years old. I grew up in a very small town in Nova Scotia, and they had a beautiful old movie theatre. Now the population of the town was only about 1500, and this place was built to be a grand opera house with space for 900, or so people. So often there were only like 10 or 15 other people in there, so it was like this really cavernous place. I was entranced by it, and we would often go a few times a week, but it was so far out of the way that often the selection playing would be far behind what was playing elsewhere, so one day you could be seeing a Bruce Lee movie, and the next a Russian art film, and the next Santa Claus Conquers The World, except in June. This gave me a broad appreciation for movies - as for the first one I saw, I don’t remember.

What were the best movies you saw in 2009? They were actually all kids movies this year, (or last year if you get technical). I feel that they really set the bar high. My favourites would have to be Up, Coraline, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Princess and The Frog, and Where The Wild Things Are. Those are the ones that stand out for me. Another one would possibly be Avatar, which is living at the centre of pop culture right now as such a big movie, but 10 years I think I might look back on the phenomenon and of the year we will remember the kids movies the most.

That’s kind of what I feel about Avatar as well. It was visually stunning though. Absolutely, it was really an overwhelming experience to watch.

But the other films you mentioned will be more timeless. I think so. The Princess and The Frog was one that gives a good example of avoiding the trap that a lot of other animated kids films get into. When they think they must have jokes for adults, like pop culture references, mentioning Brittany Spears, etc., eventually, they will seem dated because of that. If you make classics, with good stories well told, then they will appeal to everyone at the very basic emotions. You have to trust that when you tell a good story, you don’t need to add all kinds of references in order to keep people interested.

And TPatF had a great soundtrack... Absolutely.

My next question for you today is, what were the worst movies you saw this past year? The worst movie was I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell. I think that it is not only worst of the year, but, and this may sound clichéd, but the worst certainly that I’ve seen as a professional. I felt like I was leaving a crime scene when I walked out of the theatre - a crime scene against entertainment. It was just really poorly made from top to bottom. I’m having a little trouble remembering some of the bad movies of last year. Just let me pull up a list. I’m currently writing an article about movies opening in April, so 2009 seems like a while ago.

Yeah, and the bad ones are the ones that you try not to remember. Right. So when did you start your website?

It was started in June, 2008 with a review of Get Smart.

So was that a positive or a negative? Fairly positive. That had The Rock in it, who I just finished reviewing in The Tooth Fairy.

Oh, I haven’t seen that one yet. Don’t bother, it’s terrible. Other ones that can be considered failures, are those that try to shoot the bar, but don’t attain it. Probably the ones I would really consider some of the worst movies are, when there are great movies like Mr. Fox, on the flip side there are films like Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs and Astro Boy, those are movies that, unlike something like Mr. Fox, treat kids like they’re stupid and can’t handle anything that isn’t goofy and shiny. And then there’s The Ugly Truth, that’s another movie that tried to put two appealing stars together in a premise that could have worked but just started rehashing, so could be considered one of the worst movies.

Especially when you look at a romantic comedy that really worked like (500) Days of Summer. Right, that one was really charming, interesting, and funny too. Joseph Gordon-Levitt should be an enormous star, I mean he’s already famous, and Zooey Deschanel, well, she should be my girlfriend.

What movies are are you most looking forward to in 2010? In 2010, there’s a movie called Kickass - the trailers look completely politically incorrect, like a 10 or 11 year old girl as a trained assassin, but I honestly think that the line ‘Good call, baby doll’, could become the new I’m Rick James, b****!.

And it looks hilarious. It does look hilarious.

Other ones that I’m curious about are the new Robin Hood remake, I mean Russell Crow has had some up’s and down’s, and then there’s Cate Blanchett as Maid Marion... And I’m also interested about Chris Nolan’s Inception - I mean the trailer looks amazing - and the description says it’s a sci-fi action film set within the architecture of the mind. Then there’s Greenberg, which is by the director of The Squid and the Whale, which I liked, and I’m interested to see more of a drama with Ben Stiller rather than a straight comedy and also it’s with Greta Gerwig. I'm curious to see whether she can make the leap to something that is a little bigger budget than usual.

Also, there’s I Love You Phillip Morris - I’m just really curious to see Jim Carrey and Ewen McGregor in that one, and Alice in Wonderland, which obviously we all know the story of, so it’s not for that, but I saw the props, and they are absolutely gorgeous, so it'll be a beautiful film. And then - I don't know when it's coming out, if it even is this year - the new ‘Three Stooges’ movie. I’ve heard different things, although at this point I think there’s talk that it will have Sean Penn, Jim Carrey, and Benicio Del Toro. But the interesting thing is that it's not a biography, it's actually a new Three Stooges movie.

And then there’s also Toy Story 3 coming out as well. What are your thoughts on that one? Well, to me, I think Pixar can do no wrong. They chose to make TS3 and these aren't people who need the money, or do something for the money, so if they’re doing it, then I’m sure they’ll make it cool or interesting.

What’s the coolest promotional item you’ve ever received? I don’t keep them all, since there’s only so much space, but as for DVD’s, I really liked the Planet of the Apes set, where all of the DVD’s are in a life-sized bust of Cornelius (one of the characters). It was stuffed with as many discs as could fit in the back of his head. Also, there was this Russian horror science fiction movie - and this was a few years ago - and it came with a little doll like creature with spider legs, a replica from the movie, that you can wind it up and it scurries around the floor. I actually have that right here.

What’s the most practical? The most practical are the clothes, since you can actually use them. T-shirts, hats, so that stuff’s pretty practical, and you also get lots of pens, which are always useful because I’m a writer, and I have gotten a lighter...

I remember seeing a picture of you wearing a Fantastic Mr. Fox tail tie... I love the tail tie, I wore the tail tie on Canada AM. I just thought it was a really cool promotional item, that was really unique to the film it was promoting. So I had some fun and wore it on TV.

Do you believe that 3D is the future of cinema? No. People right now are suggesting that the only way to make huge money is to make 3D movies. Avatar is a movie that is enhanced by the 3D, but if you tell a good story, then you can still succeed without it. The 3D in Avatar is beautiful, and I certainly don't object to 3D...

I haven’t, so I was wondering if you’ve seen Avatar in 2D? I haven’t, but my girlfriend saw it in Bangkok in 2D, and she was underwhelmed by it, so I don’t know how it will hold up in 2D.

Not like a film like Up...

...or Coraline.

What are your thoughts on Avatar and it’s Best Picture chances? Well you know, I wasn’t surprised that the Golden Globes gave it a Best Picture. It’s like how they were more apt to go with Robert Downey Jr., since they knew that he would give a funny, charming, engaging little speech. I don’t know whether or not the Academy will work by the same standards, The Hurt Locker is a superior movie, and if it won, it might get enough attention to get more eyes on it, since not as many people saw it as they should have. Also, it would be interesting to see Kathryn Bigelow and James Cameron, who are ex’s, go up against each other...

Do you think a film like, one of my favourites, Up, is secured a nomination for Best Picture, or do you think there will there be an upset come February 2nd? I don't know. I think that since they have 10, the only reason it wouldn’t be, would be because it’s animated. Certainly if you have a list with 10, its gotta be here.

What are your predictions for the Oscars? The only one to put money on is Jeff Bridges - I think it’s a lock. I think he’s a master, and Crazy Heart is some of his best work in a very long time.

...and The Weary Kind for Best Song... Yes, it has really good shot of getting it in. You know, the irony, is that it’s by Ryan Bingham, and Ryan Bingham is the name of the character in Up in the Air.

Right...

Next, what would you nominate for Best Picture if you had a ballot? If I had a ballot, I would probably nominate Up in the Air, Inglourious Basterds, all of the kids movies I’d mentioned as favourites before, The Hurt Locker, Avatar might be in there, (I don’t know if that’s 10 yet), and Tyson - in terms of a documentary it just really stood out.

It seems like with 10 nominations, what doesn’t get nominated? It feels that way I read an article by Pete Hammond saying that Academy members are having trouble coming up with ten films to nominate. I find that ridiculous - they don’t want to recognize something that they call kids and genre movies. Star Trek could sneak in, but it’s a genre movie, aimed more at a younger audience, and some of the Academy voters who are older may not connect to it the same way.

There is the nostalgia factor with it though. Right, and it’s one of the best of the year.

So, is there anything else that you’d like to add before we wrap up? Keep reading film criticism. Find someone that you like to read, and continue reading them.

One Movie, Five Views thanks Richard Crouse for taking the time to do this interview.

Can Ricky Gervais keep the audience laughing for the entire Golden Globes?
by: Sheri Block
Date: 1/13/2010
CTV.ca

Presenting an award at last year’s Golden Globes with a drink in hand, going off script and making his annoyance known about not being nominated, didn’t seem to hurt Ricky Gervais’ credibility.

In fact, the impromptu banter with the audience likely helped him land the hosting spot for this year’s show, airing Jan. 17 at 8/7C on CTV.

Gervais casually sipped his beer and talked about how he couldn’t believe he didn’t get acknowledged for his role in “Ghost Town,” especially since the Hollywood Foreign Press Association told him how much they loved the movie.

“Not enough obviously. Brilliant. What a waste of a campaign! That’s the last time I have sex with 200 middle-aged journalists,” quipped Gervais.

“It was horrible. Really. A lot of them didn’t even speak English. Europeans with wispy beards. The men were worse.”

It left the audiences in stitches and obviously left quite the impression on the association as this marks the first time the 67th annual awards, which honour the year’s best in film and television, have had a host since 1995.

“That may be exactly the reason they brought him on is because he’s not afraid to just have a little bit of fun with it all,” says Richard Crouse, Canada AM movie critic.

Some of the funniest moments in recent awards show history have actually come from Gervais but can the British funnyman keep the crowd laughing for the entire ceremony?

Crouse believes he can.

“He’s a very gifted improvisational comic so he can really go with whatever the situation might be, so if things go wrong, I think he can probably turn it around into something really funny.”

Gervais is best known for co-creating and starring in BBC’s “The Office” and “Extras” and has also found success in Hollywood with 2008’s “Ghost Town” and 2009’s “The Invention of Lying.”

At previous award shows he’s done everything from commend Kate Winslet for listening to him about doing a Holocaust movie to get the awards to come in (making reference to a cameo she made on “Extras” a few years earlier) to poking fun at Steve Carell – his counterpart on the U.S. version of “The Office.”

During the 2008 Emmys, Gervais made reference to Carell accepting an award in his absence the year before and that he now wanted it back. He badgered Carell, who was sitting in the front row, until he surrendered the Emmy. Carell was obviously in on it but the shtick was hilarious none the less.

The following year at the Emmys, Gervais called it the greatest awards ceremony in the world, making reference to how at the Oscars and the Golden Globes the room is always filled with film stars who have “jaw lines and chiseled looks,” making him feel bad about himself, but in this room he is above average. He again poked fun at Carell, saying that in this crowd even he’s considered handsome.

With Carell up for a Best TV Actor in a Comedy or Musical award for “The Office” this year, it’s possible Gervais might have a similar trick up his sleeve. But the actor has previously said he plans to play his hosting duties loose and off the cuff, taking cues from Frank Sinatra and the rest of the Rat Pack.

“I think it will be well planned in advance but by the time he gets on stage he’ll probably end up throwing out the script,” says Crouse. “That seems to be from my estimation of him the way he works.”

Whatever he does, Crouse is confident Gervais will bring even more unpredictability to the typically booze-filled affair.

“I think he’ll just have kind of an irreverent sense of fun with the whole proceeding and keep the show motoring along.”

Sneak peek reveals celebrity guests and features at the Victoria Film Festival

This year, film event features everything from Coco to a killer whale
 
By Michael D. Reid, Times Colonist January 8, 2010

Who says artsy types don't have Olympic spirit? A tongue-in-cheek dose of that unspooled at last night's 2010 Victoria Film Festival pre-fest bash. It was a shtick that might even have amused those picky Vancouver Olympics organizers.

It featured A-Channel Vancouver Island's Adam Sawatsky, a likable fellow but certainly not someone you'd confuse with torchbearer Simon Whitfield or Silken Laumann. That didn't stop Sawatsky from getting cheers of his own as he spoofed the 106-day Olympic torch relay at Simon Game's Island Industrial FX Studio on John Street.

Sawatsky single-handedly completed a 106-second Program Guide Relay last night. Passing the program guide to himself over and over, he appeared to be sprinting through New York, Las Vegas and other locations, thanks to the wonders of green screen technology.

Sawatsky emceed the official launch of the festival at the studio, where dozens of film fans previewed festival flicks and sampled Driftwood Brewery's Reel Beer and gourmet goodies from Sauce Restaurant. Fittingly, considering the festival features a homage to Italian cinema this year, the menu included an antipasto platter and tomato bruschetta crostini.

It also seemed fitting that the venue for this cinematic January tradition was switched from Lucky Bar to the production facility where strategically placed cameras and the studio's giant green screen gave cinephiles the chance to become part of the action beamed onto large monitors.

"It was just time," festival director Kathy Kay said. "We've been at Lucky for four years, and it's easy to keep going back to the same place.

"We wanted to freshen things up, and with all the new media stuff we're doing, it's perfect."

Guests got sneak previews of the festival's technological advances (including tiny pink USB drives containing interactive program guides and a festival iPhone app) and its focus on Web-based productions and new delivery systems.

Flickering away were clips from films such as opening night gala presentation Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky; the Canadian film Beyond Gay, Bob Christie's documentary on gay pride; Private Lives of Pippa Lee, Rebecca Miller's Brad Pitt-produced satire starring Robin Wright Penn as its enigmatic heroine; and Bruce Sweeney's sexual dysfunction comedy Excited.

Other noteworthy features will include Lost Cause, Steeve Leonard's absurdist Québécois comedy about a soul-searching janitor; A Shine of Rainbows, Vic Sarin's drama about the exploits of a young Irish orphan; the Australian drama Three Blind Mice; Untitled, Jonathan Parker's satire on New York's modern art scene; and Uwe Boll's take on Darfur.

We can also expect some intriguing entries with local interest, notably Who Killed Miracle?, Scott Renyard's documentary revisiting the mysterious death of the baby killer whale; and The Brothel Project, April Butler-Parry's directorial debut, which chronicles attempts by columnist Jody Paterson and retired sex worker Lauren Casey to open Victoria's first legal brothel.

And we got the lowdown on movers and shakers coming to speak at Springboard.

They include the industry event's host, Canada AM film critic Richard Crouse; writer-comedian Todd Allen (This Hour Has 22 Minutes); Infinity Features producer Rob Merilees (The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus); Kinosmith's Robin Smith; director Warren P. Sonoda; and Angie Burns, vice-president publicity and promotions for Maple Pictures Corp.

Winners of this year's FilmCan student short films competition were also announced. St. Michaels University School student Chris-tina Robillard won a Sony HD Handycam in the junior category for her short film Wannabe, and Dunsmuir Middle School's Emma-Lynn Whitman won in the senior category, taking home an iMac, complete with Final Cut Express software, for Technology Is a Dead Bird. The winning films can be viewed at vimeo.com/groups/filmcan.

Not surprisingly, there was much talk about special guest Kris Kristofferson, who will be here Feb. 2 to accept the inaugural IN award recognizing innovation, independence and inspiration.

The trail-blazing actor, singer and songwriter will be interviewed by Crouse at the Empire Capitol 6 at 9:15 p.m., followed by a screening of a Kristofferson classic.

"He's such a lovely man," Kay said. "He represents all of what the award's about, and works with a lot of indie directors like John Sayles and Alan Rudolph."

Also confirmed last night were two new curatorial programs, Pleasure Paradox and Future Perfect, and the debut of the Office (formerly Platinum) as the festival's social hub. Parkside Victoria Resort and Spa will be the new opening gala venue.

The 2010 Victoria Film Festival runs from Jan. 29 to Feb. 7 at the Capitol 6, Cineplex Odeon, the Fairmont Empress hotel, Whitebird and other venues. Program guides hit the streets today and the box office is open at 1215 Blanshard St. Tel. 250-389-0444, www.victoriafilmfestival.com.

From November 23's National Post!

Toronto, Meet Tara
Seven decades later, Gone with the Wind is still VIP-screening material
By Shinan Govani, National Post 
Published: Monday, November 23, 2009

Forbidden love ... a hunk capable of sending out mixed messages ... a heroine who's smitten and spirited, if not a little histrionic at times ...a society splintered ... a saga, a sensation, an epic sweep.

But, nope, not a vampire in sight.

As the cha-ching, chachings continue to come in for the latest Twilight flick, a movie of another kind -- one no less a crowd-pleaser in its time -- is receiving an airing in Toronto tomorrow. Courtesy of Warner Home Entertainment, it's Gone with the Wind -- the ultimate motion picture for Civil War-hards.

A VIP screening, combined with an invite-only dinner it is, for a film that won eight -- eight! -- Oscars way back when, and continues to dominate the all-time lists. And for those giving a damn about Vivien Leigh -- and Clark Gable's unique brand of brawn -- the movie is new again, indulgently remastered for its 70th anniversary.

But talk about an early start time!

Because Gone with the Wind is famously almost four --four! -- hours long, the aforementioned event is scheduled to begin when the markets are very much open--at 4 p.m.! Set to roll in the Hazelton Hotel's exclusive screening screen (the best place to watch movies in the city, natch), the whole thing starts at four, breaks at 6 p.m. for dinner, and continues again at 7 p.m.

The man minding the watch, by the way, is professional filmgoer Richard Crouse.

Does it all sound a bit like the Amazing Race answer to the movies? They do say that the story is, well, timeless.

November 12, 2009
"Nothing Changes Until You Do"
From Hye's Musings blog by Heidi Mo

This is the tag line for the documentary Prom Night in Mississippi by Paul Saltzman. The film premiered at Sundance earlier this year and was also part of Hot Docs here in Toronto. I missed it during Hot Docs but I'm glad that the First Weekend Club presented this film, as part of their Canada Screen Series, this past Tuesday night at the Drake Underground.

The film is the result of Paul Saltzman and wife/co-producer Patricia Aquino's decision to live in the small town of Charleston, Mississippi for five months. This is also the home of actor Morgan Freeman. In 1997, Freeman offered the Charleston School Board to organize an integrated prom with him paying for all costs... the Board declined the offer. Freeman just could not believe such practices were still taking place in present time; in his home town nonetheless. In 2008, Morgan made his offer again, the board accepted. Here is where the film begins.

I'm not going to go into much detail about the film because I hope you go see it. It definitely makes you think about your own prejudices and the current state of affairs in the States and even here in Canada. The kids interviewed and highlighted in the film are very mature and understand the extent of racism in their town. Most of them want to have the integrated prom as they've all been going to school together since very young... They don't see the point of keeping separate, Black and White proms. Really, we are in a new century!

Like a friend of mine, I found interesting to hear a father, a self-proclaimed "redneck," explain why he did not feel comfortable with his daughter dating a young black man. He says, "My grandfather was brought up that way; my daddy was brought up that way; I was brought up that way.... I know it's selfish and I hope in college they stop seeing each other. But I love my daughter a lot; if she chooses to keep seeing this boy, I won't abandon her." You know that he knows it's wrong to be racist but that's all he's known his whole life... It was good to hear his point of view.

Another person that stood out for me was a young man by the name of "Billy Joe"... he didn't want to be identified. He comes from a white family and disagrees with their attitudes and behaviours towards black people. He wishes things were different. You can tell he's at odds with and will probably be hard for him to change things... A difficult place to be in these current times. Once we get to the prom, though, it's nothing but good times. You feel the excitement that the students are feeling; a sense of pride.

After the film screened, Richard Crouse moderated a Q&A session with director Paul Saltzman and Rosemary Sadlier, president of the Ontario Black History Society (pictured right). It was an interesting discussion... Crouse mentioned how he liked that you felt a connection with the people in the film. He asked Ms. Sadlier what her experience was having seen this film with an audience, her 17 year old son. She mentioned her son could not believe segregation was still a part of some places in the US. Sadlier said, this film is a "slice of life" in a small town but we can all think of place where racism still takes place. Saltzman also described what it was like to see this film with the people of Charleston... It went really well; the auditorium was filled past capacity. At the end, we heard loud clapping and cheers. Every screening has received very positive feedback. Crouse asked both Sadlier and Saltzman what they hoped people would take away from the film. Sadlier said, remember this is a slice of life. Think of how things can change and how you can be part of that change. Saltzman said, he hopes the film makes you look within yourself and acknowledge your own judgments and prejudices. If the film bring something to light that you can change, then, he's happy.

This is an excerpt from an interview Geoff Pevere and Richard did on Reel to Real with director David Cronenberg. It was trabscribed by"Ashley" on Row Three.com:

Richard Crouse: You know there’s a long list of films, and it’s interesting to hear you talk about how A History of Violence could have been probably a much different film if it had been made by an American. There’s a long list of films that you’ve said no to, that I’ve read about.

Geoff Pevere: How different a film Flashdance might have been.

Richard Crouse: Absolutely.

David Cronenerg: It would have been a failure!

Richard Crouse: Geoff and I were talking about this earlier, Geoff said someone quoted to you the idea that there would have been a whole alternate world of blockbusters had you directed Top Gun, and Flashdance, and Beverly Hills Cop, and some of the other films you were offered and said no to. You’d probably get offered many many things.

David Cronenberg: Well, Witness was one of those, and it actually was the first movie that Viggo Mortensen was in.

Richard Crouse: That’s right.

Geoff Pevere: Oh, that’s right.

David Cronenberg: He played an Amish.

Geoff Pevere: One of the Star Wars movies too. Weren’t you offered one of those?

David Cronenberg: Uh, yes. Yes, I was. I got a phone call from somebody from Lucas Film, and they said “we’re thinking of you for doing this third Star Wars movie.” I guess it was Return of the Jedi, and I said “well, I’m not used to doing other people’s material.” And I think there was a hang-up after that. I think they were looking for unbridled excitement, and instead they got hesitation, and that was it. Anyway, you have to know what to turn down. Those movies wouldn’t have been hits if I had done them. I would have somehow screwed them up because what they needed was that full on … I mean I certainly remember very definitely why I turned Witness down, because I could see the structure of that movie demanded that you sort of idealize the Amish. And to me they were a very repressive, sort of cultish group that I didn’t have much affection for, and I knew that I couldn’t do that kind of idealizing that the script required, because that was paradise, and life in the big city was “bad.” And I just didn’t believe it. So that was as it often is with me, a philosophical problem. People think because I’ve done horror films, they send me things like Constantine, with demons and stuff. And I say “I don’t do devils. I don’t do the Devil. I don’t do demons. I don’t do angels. I don’t do ghosts. I really don’t. And that’s because it’s a philosophical question. All of those things presuppose an afterlife, which I don’t believe in. And therefore I don’t, even metaphorically – I mean, I suppose if there were an approach were you could really say all of those things were metaphors for something else, then maybe it would work – but mostly it’s not. I can watch The Exorcist and see why it’s effective, and enjoy it. But I couldn’t make it.

“Oh, I get it, the Moon did it.”
Filed under: Literature — whatigotsofar

I don’t know what to call it, but I went to this thing where an author was being interviewed about a book he’d written. The nature of the book, being made up of interviews with many people, made it less authorly for the guy to give a reading. The author was more of an editor than he was a writer for the purposes of this book.

What’s the book you say? It is “The Uncensored, Unauthorized Biography of The Simpsons” or something along those lines. I can’t be bothered to dig up a link or google or it something. Pretty much, right now, I’m typing with one hand as the other caresses a warm cup of coffee. The author is John Ortved. I’d never heard of him before I read this book. He was being interviewed by Richard Crouse who I have heard of. Around Toronto, Richard Crouse is known as one of those guys who has a TV show and a radio show about movies. Every Friday, he reviews some new flicks on the radio morning shows. He looks like Hugh Dillon gone swing. (If that sentence makes any sense to you, then you can actually picture this guy perfectly, if it doesn’t make any sense to you, don’t sweat it, it’s a very obscure reference. It’s just that this guy looks like Hugh Dillon but made a much different choice of lifestyle at some point.)

This non-reading, book launch interview for a book that had been out for some time already was at the Gladstone Hotel. I don’t know if it’s still a hotel, but it’s more of a nightclub, intimate concert-venue type of place. It’s also in a part of town that I felt uncomfortable leaving my car parked down there. But it was a Monday night. The heroin addicts are probably sleeping off their high from the weekend on a Monday night.

This book itself, is more about the behind-the-scenes of the Simpsons and the writing staff. It’s a book I’ve been wanting to see get made for quite some time. Not that I knew this particular book was being written. I didn’t know what it was when I saw it on the shelf at the bookstore. I mean as a concept, I’ve been wanting to learn more about the Simpsons writing staff. This book is at times, about the warts of the Simpsons writers and producers. The Simpsons makes a lot of money and everybody wants their piece of the pie. And it is Hollywood. Everybody’s back has a spot saying “Insert knife here.”

The whole thing was interesting. I’d never been to a book launch before of a real book. In college, a couple buddies of mine got published in some annual short story collection compiled by the school’s resident grammar nazi. I went to the launch to support my friends, bought the book, had them both sign it. This signing though, I forgot the book at home. I wasn’t going to buy it again. And, my copy of the book, well, it’s been in the washroom already. I would feel uncomfortable asking an author to sign his book after I’d brought the book into the washroom.

I did ask the author a question. I asked “What of Swartzwelder?” John Swartzwelder is the man who has written the most Simpsons episodes of any of the writers. He’s no longer on the show. He has also written several novels which are pretty funny. He’s developed a reputation as being a recluse. There really is nothing more interesting that the mysterious. We all know that even though we’ve already won the red snapper, we can’t resist going for what’s in the box!

And my own thanks to Christielli for alerting me to this event. Otherwise, I would have stayed home, ate too much and watched some sucky television.

The Wizard’s Gift: Re-Discovering THE WIZARD OF OZ
October 6th, 2009

There’s a scene late in THE WIZARD OF OZ that any of the film’s many fans will readily recall where the Wizard is handing out the much longed for rewards to each of Dorothy’s merry band of heroic misfits. What has always struck me about it is not just the visible excitement and anticipation plastered all over the faces of each character in line awaiting their turn for the Wizard to bestow his magic upon them. It’s also the tiniest hint of fear hidden in their faces, as if they are dreading the possibility that they might be the one exception where the Wizard’s magic won’t work, that for them his promises might just too good to be true.

I suppose the reason that’s always stood out to me is because it’s a feeling I can acutely relate to as someone upon whom - unlike in the end for the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion - THE WIZARD OF OZ’s magic never worked. Even as a child, while those around me found themselves pulled into and charmed by the wonderful world of Oz, I was always left untouched and sheepishly wondering “Why isn’t it working on me?” I’ve always distinctly felt as if I were Dorothy just after she arrived in Oz and is looking out into its colorful word from within her still sepia drenched house. However, unlike Dorothy who ultimately stepped out and immersed herself in it, I never did, and simply found myself thinking “Yeah, that’s nice” but always unable to feel how nice it actually is since I never entered that world. In all the times I’ve seen the movie sine I was kid, that’s never changed. I’ve remained repeatedly unaffected, resigning myself to the fact that OZ’s magic - as much as I wanted it to - would never cast its spell on me.

Still, that hasn’t kept me from continually trying. Which is why when I recently received a special invitation to take advantage of a unique opportunity to catch a very special projected screening of the brand new 70th Anniversary restoration of THE WIZARD OF OZ (to coincide with a DVD and Blu-Ray release), it seemed as good a time as any to revisit OZ and give THE WIZARD’s magic another shot after about almost a decade of not seeing the film.

Hosted and organized by the always charming and esteemed Toronto film critic, Richard Crouse (former host of “Reel to Real” and author of “The 100 Best Movies You’ve Never Seen”) in conjunction with Warner Brothers at chique Hazleton Hotel in downtown Toronto, the movie was shown in the sort of private and fully equipped screening room that would fulfill more than one movie and home theatre buff’s fantasy.

As I waited for the lights to dim and nestled myself into the luscious leather couch, Crouse’s emphasis in his introduction that this is how the film should be seen echoed hopefully in my head. I knew if there was any way to see and finally appreciate THE WIZARD OF OZ, it would be this way.

Sure enough (and finally) this time the magic worked.

A large part of what I think helped me finally cross that threshold from indifference to wonder this time was initially - and perhaps superficially -the restoration. It is so gorgeously clean and vibrant, that it can’t help but add a certain magical sheen to the film and make it hard to resist such a beautifully rendered world full of dazzling and rich colors restored to their most pristine original condition.

What’s more, any movie buff will tell you the often astronomical differences between seeing a movie on the small screen (yes, even if your “small screen” is a 80 inch LCD) and seeing it projected above you. Despite the advancements in home theatre technology, a theatre screen will always provide a more immersive experience than a television screen. When you’re sitting in a chair, looking up at images that consume your entire field of vision, you feel so much more part of the world you’re watching. That has all the more impact when you’re watching a world of wonder, music, color and magic, which is why THE WIZARD OF OZ had all the more impact on me this time around.

With those elements acting as facilitators, this time I finally clued into the film’s enveloping charm and its magical innocence. In fact, I was surprised by just how swept away I was by it all. The movie’s simple and sweet story and events had me perpetually smiling, its music had my fingers tapping, and its vaudeville style humor had me laughing. It’s like somehow seeing it projected onto a big screen, sitting there watching it in the dark, THE WIZARD OF OZ suddenly turned me into a kid again. The kid who should have loved this film and grown up to cherish it for all these years.

In that sense maybe in the end the Wizard did work his magic on me after all in more ways than one. The Cowardly Lion got his courage, the Tin Man got his heart, the Scarecrow got his brain, Dorothy got to go home, and me? Well, I think for the period of the movie he gave me back the child in me that somehow missed out on the joy of THE WIZARD OF OZ.

Polanski arrested in Switzerland on old U.S. warrant
28/09/2009
CTV.ca News Staff

Swiss police took director Roman Polanski into custody late Saturday on a 30-year-old U.S. arrest warrant for having sex with a 13-year-old girl.

Polanski had travelled from his home in France to Switzerland to receive an honorary award at the Zurich Film Festival when he was held at the airport, festival officials said in a statement.

The Swiss Justice Ministry released a statement Sunday, saying the U.S. had been seeking Polanski's arrest in various countries since 2005.

"There was a valid arrest request and we knew when he was coming," ministry spokesperson Guido Balmer told The Associated Press. "That's why he was taken into custody."

According to Balmer, American authorities will have to issue a formal extradition request if they want Polanski returned to U.S. soil.

The director's French lawyer, Georges Kiejman, told France-Inter radio that it is "too early to know" if Polanski will face extradition.

"The proceedings must take their course," Kiejman said. "For now we are trying to have the arrest warrant lifted in Zurich."

It is still unclear why Polanski was arrested now, given that he regularly travels to Switzerland.

According to Balmer, the arrest of someone facing an international warrant is "automatic when you know when and at what time the individual is coming."

Balmer denied that Switzerland was trying to appease U.S. officials, with whom Swiss authorities recently disagreed over tax evasion issues and concerns about Americans hiding money in Swiss bank UBS AG.

"There is no link with any other issues in question," Balmer said.

France's culture minister said Sunday that he was "dumbfounded" by the arrest.

Frederic Mitterrand said he "strongly regrets that a new ordeal is being inflicted on someone who has already experienced so many of them."

According to a statement released by the culture ministry, Mitterrand is in contact with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, "who is following the case with great attention and shares the minister's hope that the situation can be quickly resolved."

Polanski has lived in France since 1978, when he fled the United States after pleading guilty the year before to unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old girl.

The director, now 76, has asked a U.S. appeals court in California to overturn another judge's refusal to throw out the case. Polanski has levelled allegations of misconduct at the original judge in the case, who is now deceased, saying he reneged on a previously arranged plea bargain.

Polanski was accused of raping the teenager during a photo shoot in 1977 at the home of Jack Nicholson, while the actor was away. The girl testified that the director gave her champagne and part of a Quaalude pill and proceeded to have intercourse with her despite her protests.

Polanski pled guilty to one of six charges, unlawful sexual intercourse. He was sent to prison for 42 days of evaluation.

Defence and prosecution lawyers were satisfied with the 42-day sentence. However, the judge tried to overturn the plea bargain, which would have meant more prison time and eventual deportation for the director, who chose instead to flee to France.

The victim, who identified herself publicly many years ago, has supported Polanski's attempts to have the case dismissed.

Samantha Geimer, now 45, has said she would like to put the ordeal behind her. She previously sued Polanski for an undisclosed sum.

Despite the director's arrest, the film festival announced that it will go ahead with a planned retrospective of his work.

Polanski was born in France, but as a child moved to Poland. He escaped Krakow's Jewish ghetto as a child, but his mother died at Auschwitz.

He began his career in Poland, earning an Oscar nomination for best foreign-language film in 1964 for his movie "Knife in the Water."

His career in the U.S. began in 1968, when he directed "Rosemary's Baby." However, his Hollywood fairytale was cut short with the gruesome murder of his actress wife, Sharon Tate, in 1969 at the hands of followers of Charles Manson. Tate was eight months pregnant when she was killed.

Polanski also directed the classic film, "Chinatown," in 1974, and received a directing Oscar in absentia for his 2002 film, "The Pianist."

He is married to French actress Emanuelle Seigner, with whom he has two children.

The French Foreign Ministry said in a statement Sunday that it has directed the French ambassador to Switzerland to help arrange a consular visit for Polanski as soon as possible.

According to the statement, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has told Swiss counterpart Micheline Calmy-Rey he hopes "Polanski's rights (will) be fully respected and that the case would quickly result in a favourable outcome."

CTV film critic Richard Crouse said the film community is shocked by Polanski's arrest, but it likely won't damage his career.

"It's a real case of judge the art, not the artist," he told CTV News Channel on Sunday.

"His filmmaking peers see him as an extremely talented but troubled man who was still doing good work."

Crouse explained that Polanski has had a hard life filled with setbacks, but his career has survived through it. The director survived the holocaust as a child, but his mother was murdered in the Auschwitz prison camp. His wife, actress Sharon Tate, and their unborn child were murdered by followers of Charles Manson in a random attack in 1969.

Then in 1977, he pleaded guilty to sex with the 13-year-old girl and then left the country.

"Maybe if he's extradited, finally we'll be able to put this to rest once and for all," said Crouse.

With files from the Associated Press.

Looking back: Top TIFF Moments
Posted on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009
by Andrea Miller - Cineplex Entertainment

Thirty-four years after its inception, the little film festival that could has become a major player on a global scale, turning the city of Toronto into a movie-lover’s paradise with historic world premieres and enough cachet to attract A-list celebs who rightly look at TIFF as a must-attend celebration of cinema.

Here’s a look back at the standout moments - good, bad and otherwise - from the past three decades.


French New Wave master comes to Toronto - 1980
Jean-Luc Godard, one of the leading figures of the French New Wave cinema that ushered in an experimental, youth-oriented, politically potent film viewing experience in the ‘50s and ‘60s, made his way North for a retrospective held in his honour. Godard’s mere presence at TIFF significantly upped the global profile and credibility of the festival and indeed the city. Merci, Jean-Luc!

They only come out at night: Midnight Madness - 1988
Former TIFF co-director, and current artistic director of Bell Lightbox Noah Cowan started the Midnight Madness program as a late-night refuge for those flicks deemed too base, gory, weird or avant-garde for the masses and standard screening times. Exceeding expectations from day one, MM has become a trademark of a film festival that caters to the Hollywood-loving crowd as well as those who prefer films on the fringe.

Michael who? Roger & Me premieres - 1989
Famously divisive documentary filmmaker Michael Moore wasn’t always the forceful, spotlight-hungry agitator that we know today. When he came to Toronto to premiere his doc Roger & Me, audiences flocked to his film about the fallout of General Motors’ closing its Flint, Michigan plant – to the tune of 30, 000 jobs - and Moore’s search for answers from GM CEO Roger Smith. It went on to win the People’s Choice award and Moore has continued to make provocative documentaries that take to task the powers that be.

TIFF predicts Oscars - 1999
Given the top-tier selection of films that show up on the big screen during the film festival, it’s no small wonder than a handful would end up either being nominated for that coveted golden statue or in fact take one home. But 1999 saw a seriously impressive crop of would-be Oscar winners premiere in Toronto, among them: American Beauty, Cider House Rules, Sweet and Lowdown, Boys Don’t Cry and Snow Falls on Cedar. As we know, Kevin Spacey, Hilary Swank and Michael Caine won Oscars for their acting, Sean Penn was nominated and Snow Falls on Cedar received a Cinematography nom. That’s a pretty impressive haul!

McConaughey’s got one powerful pucker - 2001
Having had much practice playing the Southern gent in films, Matthew McConaughey got to try out his act in real life when a woman fainted during the screening of his film 13 Conversations About One Thing. (It seems like there’s an obvious punch line in there, but not one to resort to cheap shots, I’ll move along.) The woman, 49-year-old mother of three Janice Flisfeder, blamed her blackout on the fact that she hadn’t eaten all day and was clearly dazzled by McConaughey’s caring gesture, which varies from a reported kiss on the forehead and hair-stroking to full-out mouth-to-mouth. Either way, a pretty solid move on his part. You win this round, McConaughey.
Mark Ruffalo

Sean Penn lights up TIFF - 2006
The notoriously prickly actor-writer-director was in Toronto to promote the world premiere of All the King’s Men when he decided to light up a cigarette indoors at the Sutton Place Hotel during the press conference for the film, which normally wouldn’t make the back page of a small-town paper. Given that he was openly flouting the Smoke Free Ontario Act, photos of Penn taking long drags off his smoke were interpreted as defiant and a mini-scandal ensued that ended with Penn getting a warning and the hotel being fined to the tune of $600.

Colin Farrell sheds ‘bad boy’ image - 2007
When the salty-tongued, hard-drinking Irishman helped out a local homeless man named Stress whom he’d befriended years ago, he instantly dropped the scandalous reputation that had been plaguing him for years. When Farrell spotted Stress among a gaggle of fans waiting for autographs outside his Yorkville hotel, he took him shopping at Europe Bound Travel Outfitters and picked up everything from socks and underwear to a sleeping bag. And as if that wasn’t generous enough, Farrell withdrew a large sum of money and gave his friend money towards first and last month’s rent. Cynics claim it was a publicity stunt but if someone, besides Farrell, was helped in the process, it can only be a good thing.

Tears from Mark Ruffalo - 2008
Given the source material and actor Mark Ruffalo’s personal relationship with Brian Goodman, the writer-director of Southie drama What Doesn’t Kill You, overtly emotional displays don’t seem like a stretch. But it still came as a shock when Ruffalo broke down in tears after he was asked by moderator Richard Crouse what it was like taking on the role of former junkie, and now friend, Goodman and how Ruffalo dealt with such a hefty responsibility. It was a truly poignant moment that cut through all the celebrity fanfare and proved that films can still move people, even actors.

Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt avoid each other in Toronto - 2008
The interwebs were positively humming with news that Jennifer Aniston and ex-hubby Brad Pitt were rumoured to be taking a “business dinner” when both were visiting Toronto for the film fest, although just the fact that these two were in the same city at the same time was enough to make headlines. Since their, ahem, rather dramatic separation in 2005, even an accidental run-in would have been all kinds of awkward (you think you don’t like running into your ex) and apparently Aniston had her people take serious precautions so she never crossed paths with Mr. Jolie. Alas, the business dinner never was.

Watch your mouth! Bill C-10 vs YPF - 2008
A clear example of what can happen when art and politics collide, producer-writer-director Martin Gero’s feature film debut found itself at the centre of a debate when an amendment to Bill C-10 allowed the heritage minister to deny tax credits for a film if it was deemed offensive, even if the government had already invested in said lewd material. The film in question, the bravely titled Young People F---ing, chronicles the sexual (mis)adventures of five couples and for all of the controversy and finger-wagging, actually doesn’t show much scandalous imagery, choosing instead to rely on spicy dialogue, innuendo and well-placed cameras rather than out-and-out nudity. No matter, the film premiered at TIFF with hype to spare and went on to pick up a Genie and bring in serious box office loot.

Oscar buzz, vodka and stalking advice doled out at the Hazelton Hotel

From Toronto LIfe.com's TIFF.TO blog

With two weeks left until the opening gala of the Toronto International Film Festival, reporters gathered at the Hazelton Hotel to get a rundown on the buzziest films (Precious), parties (One X One), possible Oscar contenders (Mo’Nique, the woman from Soul Plane) and TIFF-inspired cocktails (Skyy vodka for all).

CTV film critic Richard Crouse said the Oprah-backed film Precious could mean a possible Oscar nomination for Mo’Nique, while co-star Mariah Carey can finally shake off the tarnished glitter from, well, Glitter. Closing film Young Victoria also got a thumbs-up and was predicted to be Emily Blunt’s big break. But the most intriguing film tidbit (and a brilliant marketing move to boot) was that everyone who went to the pre-screening of Heath Ledger’s last film, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, had to sign a waiver that forbid them from talking about it.

corduroy magazine
Inglorious Basterds: A Sneak Peak
August 13th, 2009

Yesterday we were fortunate enough to attend the Canadian premiere of Quentin Tarantino’s highly anticipated WWII romp Inglorious Basterds. Security was intense–all cellphones with camera capabilities were checked upon entrance–and metal detectors greeted us at the door. Clearly, this wasn’t just another screening. Buzz about Tarantino’s presence was fierce, and after learning that he had done Canadian press earlier that afternoon coupled with a security guard’s mutterings–”the director really wants to get started by 7 PM”–our anticipation had reached a fever pitch. Thirty minutes after the scheduled start time, Canada AM’s resident film geek Richard Crouse took hold of a mic and stood before a packed-to-the-brim theatre, to introduce a very special guest. “I remember when I first saw Pulp Fiction….”

Tarantino was greeted with a no-brainer standing ovation, and was joined by fellow director Eli Roth–who plays basterd Donny Donowitz in the film–two giants of modern cinema standing before an adoring audience. Clearly these men have little to no self-esteem issues. After the obligatory bigging up of Toronto (Eli Roth called it his “home”), Tarantino opted out of the requisite “bonne cinema” and instead belted out “ARE YOU READY TO WATCH SOME NAZIS GET THEIR ASSES KICKED?” And with that, the lights dimmed…

It’s easy to describe Inglorious Basterds as a film about Brad Pitt’s Aldo Raine and his team of rough-and-tumble Nazi killers (who also happen to be Jews), as they plow and pillage their way through occupied France, but it’s so much more than that. It’s an homage to the cinema of the 1940s, to noir films, and it’s classic QT. Long, tense scenes of surgical dialogue are punctuated with explosive, whip-quick instances of extreme violence, orchestrated by a director who has checked into his comfort zone, and shows no signs of vacating anytime soon. Giving major plot points away would spoil all the fun, but let’s just say Tarantino takes a few liberties with historical facts, especially in the film’s blazing final act. I’ve already said too much. Inglorious Basterds opens wide on August 21st, and in case you’ve been hiding out under a floor board (too much?) for the last year, check out the trailer below.

-Daniel Barna

Grown-up Radcliffe is all business on Harry Potter set
Tue. Jul. 14 2009
Constance Drogances, entertainment writer, CTV.ca

It's a mistake many Harry Potter fans make. They look at Daniel Radcliffe and think "Wow, he's so like Harry. He's grown up before our eyes just like him."

Yes and no, says 19-year-old Radcliffe.

"Everyone always says he's grown up on screen. No, I haven't. Harry has. I've been quietly doing my growing up away from the cameras," Radcliffe told Canada AM movie critic Richard Crouse on Tuesday.

Starring in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," the sixth entry in Warner Bros.' golden film franchise, Radcliffe, Emma Watson (Hermione), Rupert Grint (Ron) and Tom Felton (Malfoy) return to the big screen after a two-year absence.

Much has happened since audiences last watched these kids wield their wands in 2007's "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."

Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters are terrorizing the Muggle and wizarding worlds. Teenage hormones are wreaking havoc at Hogwarts. It all makes for a wicked blend of laughter and drama in what critics have dubbed the scariest Potter movie yet.

"I have a laugh with the crew and the cast. But when it comes to work I'm very serious about it," says Radcliffe, who turns 20 on July 23.

Speaking with clarity and confidence, Radcliffe calls working with Gary Oldman in "Order of the Phoenix" a pivotal experience in his career. It brought about an enormous shift in the young actor, both personally and professionally.

"It was the first time I ever went, 'Oh, I'm good there. I'm proud of the work that I did there. I haven't really felt that before or since. But I've felt it once. That was enough to sustain me," he laughs.

Radcliffe owes one of his favourite set memories to Richard Harris. The late, great Irish actor portrayed Professor Dumbledore in "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" (2001), the first film based on J.K. Rowling's books.

Harris complained about being given the wrong scene to learn. Eleven-year-old Radcliffe bravely walked up to the disgruntled legend and said, "Excuse me, Mr. Harris. Would you mind running my lines with me?"

"It was a moment of what I will unashamedly call dramatic political genius," says Radcliffe. "I am still very, very proud of that moment. I haven't done anything nearly like it since."

As for discovering joy on the job, Radcliffe points again to Oldman, whose brilliant career includes such films as "Sid and Nancy" (1986), "Dracula" (1992), "Batman Begins" (2005) and "The Dark Knight" (2008).

Oldman gave Radcliffe his first insight into "real" acting while working together on "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" (2004).

"It was the moment where I realized a kind of joyous and rewarding thing about acting," says Radcliffe. "The more you give it, the harder you work, the more seriously you take it the more fun it becomes."

As the maturing star says, "It gives something back to you. Yeah, it's lovely."

Drake Hotel Transforms Into A Hub Of Summer Activities This June
Wednesday May 27, 2009
Colleen Tang, CityNews.ca

The Drake Hotel is known to be a popular spot for social gatherings but this summer the hotel's going to embark on a different venture, Camp Drake.

Community members and visitors are going to reap the benefits starting June 11 for the hotel's three-month camp session. A ton of events have been lined up to entertain all ages.

Drake Hotel management and employees brainstormed and came up with the plan of creating a bunch of friendly and fun initiatives that would reflect summer camp activities.

"Everything we do we make it a hybrid between, you know, culture and community and hospitality so everything ties in together, and we will do a hotel package as well," said Jenn Godbout, the Drake's marketing and communications coordinator. The hotel package is for out-of-towners looking for a cultured experience at the hotel, packed with bike rides and picnic lunches.

Many of the events are planned so that community members can drop by any time to participate - they include barbeques and after dinner activities, or trips to the garden to learn about plants and herbs with the hotel chef.

"Because it is geared towards the neighbourhood, most of the activities are neighbourhood-friendly, for example, we're going to have kids from the Grove community school coming to plant a garden," Godbout explained. That outing is slated to happen at 4pm Wednesday. But it won't be the last trip out into the garden -- there will be more events later in the summer. 

Godbout is excited about the upcoming weekly Camp Drake Drive-Ins which will feature summer movies selected by 13 experts. A few of the films they'll be featuring include Big Trouble In Little China, Last Summer and PeeWee's Big Adventure. Movie-goers can get a head start on this Camp Drake activity and see the first screening on June 2 at the Sky Yard.

"We're playfully calling it a carless drive-in and it's just really neat because I'm a film buff and I like the idea of all these different personalities like Bruce McDonald, Richard Crouse...a bunch of really cool people have given their favourite summer movies," Godbout explained.

Drake staff will be kicking off their first official camp day and spreading the camp vibe with their own customized Camp Drake t-shirts, reminiscent of camp counselors except some of the counselors are actually bartenders serving you sangria and spiked lemonade instead of hot cocoa. The hotel will also be sporting its own old-school general store and a wooden bear carving by local artist Walter VanderWindt.

They're also giving out freebies but you'll have to check out their Twitter site to find out how you can win. If you'd like to contact the hotel yourself for more information on the Camp Drake events call: 416-531-5042, or head out to 1150 Queen Street West to visit them.

'Angels & Demons' 101: 16 facts about this blockbuster
Tue. May. 12 2009
Constance Droganes, entertainment writer, CTV.ca

Poised to make an unholy sum at the box office this summer, "Angels & Demons" is generating sky-high hype, much like "The Da Vinci Code" did three years ago. Cryptic symbols, grisly murders, a race against time to save Vatican City and Rome from annihilation...The taut twists and brain-teasing clues that made Dan Brown's book a bestseller should make Ron Howard's new movie a helluva good time.

The premise

Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to CERN, a Swiss research facility known, to analyze a cryptic symbol seared onto the chest of a murdered physicist.

Langdon links the murder and theft of a container of antimatter to a vendetta against the Catholic Church orchestrated by the Illuminati, a 400-year-old secret society.

The inspiration

Reporting live from Rome, Canada AM's film critic Richard Crouse revealed Dan Brown's inspiration for "Angels & Demons." Published in 2000, the idea came to the American author while touring the secret pathways under Vatican City. The walkways were built as escape routes should the Vatican ever be attacked.

Prequel or sequel?

Even though "Angels & Demons" was published three years before "The Da Vinci Code" Ron Howard treated this thriller as sequel to his previous film, not a prequel. Howard liked the idea that Robert Langdon, Brown's hero, had been through one big adventure. It made Langdon a more confident character to bring to the screen.

More chances, less reverence

According to producer Brian Grazer, he and Ron Howard were too "reverential" when they adapted "The Da Vinci Code" to the big screen. Not this time. Here antiquity, technology and faith clash with some modern artistic liberties. The result, says Grazer, won't be long or boring.

Hank's big pay day

Looking impressively toned in a Speedo in this new flick, 52-year-old Tom Hanks will reportedly surpass his US$25 million-dollar "Da Vinci" paycheque. His rumoured take for "Angels & Demons" falls between US$29 and US$49 million. That makes Hanks the highest-paid actor in Hollywood.

Hanks' new leading lady

So long Audrey Tautou (aka Agent Sophie Neveu). For this new instalment, director Ron Howard cast Israeli actress Ayelet Zurer, 39, as Vittoria Vetra, Robert Langdon's brilliant physicist side-kick.

As the adopted daughter of "A&D's" murdered physicist Zurer is ballsy. She's tenacious. And the way this raven-haired beauty runs across Rome in heels is miraculous.

'Angels & Demons' budget mystery

Shrouded in secrecy, "Angels & Demons" exact production costs are a mystery. "The Da Vinci Code" cost US$125 million to make. Some scenes for "Angels & Demons" required filming in Rome at the height of summer. That alone should make this movie just as costly, if not more so.

Vatican blues

In April 2009, Ron Howard told The Associated Press that the Vatican interfered with efforts to get permits to shoot certain scenes of "Angels & Demons' in Rome. The Vatican denies the charges. They have called them "a publicity stunt."

The Illuminati

Whether you call them the heroes or hell raisers of Dan Brown's book, the Illuminati, or "Enlightened Ones," spawn all the action in "Angels & Demons."

The underground group is based on fact. Its origins lie with the Bavarian Illuminati, which was founded in May of 1776. Since then conspiracy theorists have called this shadowy sect the "power behind the throne." They believe the Illuminati infiltrated monarchies, governments and corporations to control world affairs and establish a New World Order.

Ambigram huh?

Used to convey key clues in this fast-paced thriller, the ambigrams in "Angels & Demons" use typographical designs to spell out words or phrases.

The design is usually very symmetrical and can hold two very different readings of the word or phrase depending on the viewpoint or directions from which they are viewed.

The most common way to read ambigrams is flipping them horizontally or turning them upside-down.

Location, location

Some scenes for "Angels & Demons" were filmed at Rome's Piazza del Popolo and the Pantheon. The production had to build a scale replica of St. Peter's Square since Vatican officers banned the movie from being filmed on its grounds.

Writer's block

This movie became the first big-screen casualty of the Hollywood writer's strike in 2007. Akiva Goldsman's script still needed work when he went on strike with the Writers Guild of America. As a result, the production of "Angels & Demons" had to be postponed.

The Path of Illumination

To solve this new mystery, Langdon attempts to retrace the steps of the so-called Path of Illumination. It's an elaborate process once used by the Illuminati to induct new members. The test involved following a series of subtle clues left in various landmarks in and around Rome.

The Altars of Science

Langdon's chase through "Angels & Demons" takes him through four locations called the Altars of Science. Each represents the four elements: earth, air, fire and water.

Box office estimates

Ron Howard's film adaptation of "The Da Vinci Code" earned more than US$750 million worldwide. Early predictions say "Angel's & Demons" will make between $70 and $80 million in its opening weekend in North America.

Vatican reviews

Top church officials strongly objected to "The Da Vinci Code." Its premise that Jesus married and fathered children was deemed blasphemous. Its unfavourable portrayal of the Opus Dei, the conservative Catholic movement, also added to the Church's concerns.

Reviewers at the Vatican's newspaper, however, have passed judgment on "Angels & Demons." They call the religious thriller "commercial and inaccurate" but conclude it is "harmless" entertainment and no a danger to the church.

Exclusive interview with Richard Crouse
Talking Movies with Richard Crouse
by Katherine Brodsky from The First Weekend Club Newsletter, April 09

Richard Crouse is a Canadian staple when it comes to film, known for his sharp take on cinema in his reviews on CTV's Canada AM, The Globe & Mail, The National Post, his six books, as well as informed and entertaining movie commentary hosting shows like Reel to Real(Canada's longest running television show about movies). and The 100 Best Movies You've Never Seen on Rogers Television Now, he has a new venture, aptly named: Richard Crouse's Movie Show. The show combines probing analysis of new theatrical films and DVDs, interview and investigative journalism to uncover "what it is about the medium of movies that holds us in such a state of thrall". Expect the unexpected. The show airs every Friday at 10:30 a.m. on Canada's Independent Film Channel and every Sunday at 6:30 p.m. on E!.

First Weekend Club had a chance to catch up with this very busy movie man and discuss his new show, the state of Canadian film, the art of being a film critic and much more...

Describe the show in one sentence.

All the movie news, reviews and interviews you can use!

This is not your first movie show. You've done a number of them actually. What made you get involved with this one & how did it come to be? What makes it unique?

Richard Crouse’s Movie Show was a natural extension of my last show Reel to Real. We did that show for ten years and when it came to an end I thought the idea of doing movie reviews on television was still viable. It’s certainly not as common as it once was. There was a time when every morning show had a reviewer on staff and shows like Siskel and Ebert were on every weekend. Now, it’s different. Most television entertainment shows don’t have a critical edge and seem to simply work as extensions of the Hollywood studio’s publicity arms more than anything else. I thought, and still think, that movie criticism is important, serves a purpose and is something that people find interesting. Luckily the folks at IFC Canada and E agree with me.

As for the show itself, Richard Crouse’s Movie Show is the evolution of all the shows I have done previously. I’m still doing the same kind of in depth movie coverage I’ve always done, but the show itself is a bit faster paced with tighter reviews and longer interview segments, but the basic idea of covering an eclectic range of movies—everything from foreign language documentaries to Canadian features and Hollywood blockbusters—hasn’t changed.

How much focus will you be giving Canadian films & talent on the show?

I have always focused on Canadian talent and films on all the shows I’ve done and this one is no different. I’m active in the Canadian film community, hosting events like the First Weekend Club events and Q&As for all kinds of filmmakers—everyone from established artists like David Cronenberg all the way to new directors like Charles Officer—and I plan to continue that kind of support on the show.

The biggest problem Canadian film has is a lack of awareness. Audiences simply don’t know the movies are out there. We make good movies in this country but often they go unseen because there is rarely enough money to mount really effective marketing campaigns. I aim to make people aware that there are good movies that reflect their Canadian experience playing on screens in their neighborhoods. What's your favorite Canadian film, actor and director?

People ask me for lists of my favorite films all the time and I’m always really non committal with my answers. I’m a Gemini, so my mood changes every few minutes, so depending on my mood the answer changes. Right now I’d say Hard Core Logo, Nadia Litz and David Cronenberg. Ask me again in five minutes and you’ll likely get different answers.

How would you describe the state of the Canadian film industry these days? What sorts of films do you see being made here most?

I think we’re at the beginning of another rebirth of Canadian film. As I answer these questions two Canadian movies are being released on the same weekend—Pontypool and One Week—and are getting great reviews, have decent releases and have a really good chance of finding an audience. Young People Fucking is the number one download on i-tunes. That’s really heartening. I think people are finally realizing that we make great movies in this country that tell our stories and if they go see them perhaps that support will help the industry blossom.

The kinds of films being made here right now are still overwhelmingly American. There’s 200 foreign productions shooting in Toronto this year, and overall there will only be about 80 or so Canadian films made in the same period. But that’s OK, it’s about quality, about making the best films we can, not numbers.

Around the time of Bill C-10 and other proposed funding cuts to the arts I was asked what killed Canadian film, and I said ‘You and I did because we didn't go see them.’ Now, I’m happy to report, the industry is far from dead. The last while has been really good with filmmakers like Bruce MacDonald, Guy Maddin, Benoît Pilon and David Cronenberg making the best films of their careers and the future is bright. It's hard making films in Canada, but as long as some kid picks up a camera in Victoria or Winnipeg or Newfoundland and starts making home movies in their basement there is a hopeful and exciting future.

You probably could go write or host a show elsewhere in the world, including our friendly neighbor the USA - why do you stay in Canada?

It’s simple. I’m Canadian. I like it here. I like that there is a market for what I do here. In the US I’d be shaped and hammered into some kind of generic television personality, sans hair gel and horn rims, and while I’d likely make more money I wouldn't be as happy.

Why did you decide to get involved with film from a more journalistic focus, rather than say, becoming a filmmaker?

Because I can’t frame a photograph to save my life. Because I like watching movies more than I enjoy the process of making them. Because sitting in a darkened movie theatre watching a movie that someone has labored over is still one of the great pleasures of my life.

What episode of your show are you most excited about?

The next one. I’m always most excited by the future and the challenge of trying and doing something new.

Any future projects?

Working on a novel right now about a singer in a band who kills his drummer to get publicity for the band’s new record. It’s a whodunnit, a comedy (I hope) and a comment on the lengths to which people will go to get famous. Who knows, maybe one day it will be a movie…

To keep track of Richard Crouse's show, viewers can join The Richard Crouse Movie Show Appreciation Society group on FaceBook.

Films break the news
 
By JON TATTRIE
FOR METRO CANADA
April 15, 2009

As newsrooms slowly die across the country, one journalist is hunting for the killer. Well, a killer. In Russell Crowe’s new movie, State of Play, he stars as a grizzled hack dodging bullets to track down a murderer, rekindling our love affair with silver screen ink slingers in the process.

Anne McNeilly, assistant professor of journalism at Ryerson University, thinks movies set in newsrooms are so popular because the work itself is exhilarating.

“As soon as news happens anywhere, you know about it first. 9/11, how exciting was that? A hostage taking downtown, you know about in a second. It’s a buzz.”

McNeilly started in small papers before working 25 years for the Globe & Mail and Ottawa Citizen. It was movies like All The President’s Men that drew her to newspapers.

“Journalists get hooked on that adrenaline rush, because it’s like a drug. You get so addicted you can’t leave the biz,” she explains. That excitement translates to the viewer.

“I love movies about newsrooms,” she says, citing His Girl Friday and Deadline USA as favourites.

“What’s so unnerving (at Ryerson) is that lots of the students now have never heard of Woodward and Bernstein. They don’t even know what Watergate is,” she says. “They brought down a president! What’s a bigger story than that?”

While her students retain some of the idealism of previous generations, they are already jaded and prefer a different kind of fictional news hound. “They like Jon Stewart or Rick Mercer. Some of them think what they are doing is journalism.”

Richard Crouse, Metro’s movie columnist, cites All the President’s Men and another Crowe movie, The Insider, as great examples of the genre.

“The reporters in these films act as surrogates for the viewer. They ask the questions the viewer would ask,” he explains. “You’ve got newspapers who are bringing down big, evil corporations or taking on city hall and winning. It really appeals to people.”

Crouse highlights Billy Wilder’s 1951 movie Ace in the Hole as a newsroom flick that got too close to the truth. Kirk Douglas plays an out-of-luck journalist who risks lives to stretch a news story that could save his career in Wilder’s follow up to Sunset Boulevard.

“It’s a terrific movie, but it bombed really badly,” he says. “Movie historians think the journalists who were reviewing the film were so offended by it that they trashed it.”

All the news that’s fit to film
Looking to investigate the journalism-on-film genre a little more closely? Here are Metro’s suggestions:

• Shattered Glass
• The Killing Fields
• The Paper
• All the President’s Men
• Broadcast News
• The Insider
• Absence of Malice
• Good Night and Good Luck
• Salvador
• Wag the Dog
• Blood Diamonds
• Capote
• Citizen Kane
• The China Syndrome
• The Year of Living Dangerously

Interview with Richard Crouse
from This is Not a Readiung Series / Pages Books website

Richard Crouse is a noted critic, author and broadcaster. He is the host of a show about movies called – what else? -- Richard Crouse's Movie Show on E! and the Independent Film Channel. Crouse is also a frequent guest on many national Canadian radio and television shows. In April 2008 his new Saturday afternoon radio show, featuring movie reviews and news, began its run on News Talk 1010 CFRB in Toronto.
He is the author of six books about popular culture, including the runaway bestseller 100 Movies You’ve Never Seen and its equally popular follow-up, Son Of The 100 Movies You’ve Never Seen.

Crouse is also one of the “usual suspects” at This is Not A Reading Series. For the TINARS launch of his latest book, Son of the 100 Best Movies You've Never Seen, he joined forces with the brilliant comedy troupe Monkey Toast. At TINARS, Crouse has also interviewed Kathleen Turner, roasted Marc Glassman, and, most recently, was a “celebrity assassin” at the event to launch Graham Roumieu’s 101 Ways To Kill You Boss.  He will interview novelist Tony Burgess and award-winning filmmaker Bruce McDonald about their acclaimed adaptation of Pontypool Changes Everything, at The Gladstone Hotel Ballroom on Tuesday March 3.
 
W:
How long have you been collecting the “Best Movies You’ve Never Seen”? 

R:
I’ve always been a fan of outsider and cult movies so I guess I have been collecting these titles for my whole life. I grew up as a movie obsessed kid in a tiny town in Nova Scotia. This was long before Video Stores dotted the landscape, so I had to rely on television (we only got 3 channels) and the local movie theatre to get my fix. The theatre was amazing. The town, Liverpool, was originally meant to be a very busy port so it had a very grand hotel and an opera house, but it was never as successful as hoped and the opera house was eventually converted into a movie theatre. The movie theatre could literally hold half the town’s population. It was grand and it was great. Also, because it was located at the very butt end of the distribution path the programming at the theatre was a little erratic. One day they’d play a Hollywood blockbuster (although six months or so old, but new to us), the next might be a Bruce Lee flick coupled with a Russian art film. I was indiscriminate and went to see them all and I think that’s what gave me my eclectic taste in movies.      

W:
Of the 200 that you have assembled thus far in book form, what is your personal favourite? 

R:
They’re all like my kids; it’s hard to pick a favorite but I’m really partial to The Cameraman’s Revenge in the Son of the 100 Best Movies You’ve Never Seen. It’s a 1912 stop motion animation film about a jilted husband whose revenge involves filming his wife and her lover and showing the result at the local cinema. All characters are played by animated insects and the results are so realistic one critic wondered if director Ladislas Starevich taught bugs to perform for the camera. It’s a bizarre, beautiful artifact from one of the pioneers of the art form. 

W:
What is the difference between a ‘little known’ and a ‘cult’ film? Are such semantics merely a matter of marketing? 


R:
All “little known” films would like to be “cult films.” If a film is little known, I guess it means that it is also little seen, whereas cult films have a life that transcends the actual movie. Cult films develop dedicated fan bases who go see the movie over and over, dress up and even act out the films. Little known movies don’t inspire such fanaticism… and usually have an inch of dust on them at the video store.  

W:
Where do you stand on that perennial conundrum: rock, paper, scissors?

R:
Rock when I’m feeling sad; paper when it rains and scissors at tax time.

W:
Dozens of movies are released every week. You can only review a fixed number on your show.  How do whittle down the stack, to the titles that will receive coverage?

R:
I generally see pretty much everything that comes out and review different movies for different outlets. On Canada AM I stick with the big guns, the Hollywood blockbusters; on my CFRB radio show (Saturdays at Noon!) and my E! show, Richard Crouse’s Movie Show, I generally mix it up with a bit of Hollywood tempered with Canadian titles and cool foreign films and docs. In print, on my website (www.richardcrouse.ca), the CTV.ca and CFRB websites I generally cover as much as I can. 

W:
What books are currently on your bedside table?

R:
I read a lot and there is always a stack of books piled high on my bedside table. I just read Eric Nuzum’s Dead Travel Fast, a fascinating look at vampire culture and history. I recently finished Deconstructing Sammy, a look at Sammy Davis Jr’s troubled final years by Matt Birkbeck. I bought it because of the back cover blurb. It’s a grabber! I’m one chapter away from finishing Vanity Fair’s Tales of Hollywood and am midway through Hellraisers, a book about the drunken exploits of Peter O’Toole, the Richards—Burton and Harris—and Oliver Reed.

W:
If you could put one recent cinematic trend on ice, what would it be?

R:
Bio pics that end with the main character dying only to reappear in a feel-good montage just before the credits roll. The old Hollywood wisdom says that heroes aren’t supposed to die at the end of movies, so I think bringing them back is a cheap trick to try and placate an audience. I get it, but I don’t like it. Going into these movies we know Harvey Milk and Che die, there’s no reason to bring them back for one more ghostly turn before the camera.  

W:
Who is your favourite character on Sesame Street? Why?

R:
Ernie, because I think he has a secret life.

W:
You have participated in countless Hollywood junkets over the years. Do any stand out in your mind as being particularly surreal?

R:
Strange things always happen to me when I go to LA. Two of the strangest have involved Gary Busey. (Caution! Dropping names ahead.)

On a hot June evening in 1992 I had dinner at a Wolfgang Puck restaurant in Malibu called Granita. We scored a great table on the patio, and were seated between Johnny Carson, who had just retired, and Gary Busey, who was celebrating his birthday. The meal was relatively peaceful until Busey started opening his gifts. He insisted on showing us each of his presents, which was fine, but he had a lot of presents, and we were trying to eat. Eventually we stopped commenting on the gifts and tried to enjoy our meal. It was then that I felt a bread roll hit me in the back of the head.

“Hey! Tell Wolfgang we’re having a food fight,” Busey hollered as he winged another roll in my direction. 

I didn’t know what to do, and didn’t really want to get involved, but the rolls kept coming, so eventually I threw one back at him, hitting him in the chest. I’m sure Mr. Carson was impressed with my aim. Thankfully someone at the table (I think it was his mother) got him to stop, and we never progressed past the rolls into throwing hot entrees at one another.

I didn’t see Busey for another eleven years, and much has happened in the intervening years. He has worked steadily, mostly in straight to video movies that earn a “Terrible,” or “Appalling” user rating on IMBD; he had a plum sized tumor removed from his sinus cavity, has been arrested and become a born-again Christian. He has starred in a couple of reality shows, Celebrity Rehab and I’m With Busey, a reality show a la The Osbournes. I think the show’s tagline says it all: “Somewhere, between reality and insanity, Is Busey.”

He is sitting inside with a group of people, including a friend of mine from Toronto. At one point Busey decides that he wants to smoke one of his large Cuban cigars, and comes outside to our table. Actually he looms over the table, sitting on a ledge above us, with his feet resting on one of the chairs. Introductions are made. I tell him I am from Toronto.

“I have made ten movies in Toronto. Ten in Vancouver and three in Montreal,” he says loudly.

“I must have missed those,” I’m thinking, but say nothing.

When I don’t take the bait he starts spouting Buseyisms, which are basically acronyms of his invention which contain his philosophy on life.
“Do you know what FEAR stands for?” he asks me.

Not sure where this conversation is going, I say no.

“FEAR… False Evidence Appearing Real,” he says. “F-E-A-R.”

Wow.

“Do you know what LIGHT stands for?” he hollers.
Before I have a chance to answer, he says, “LIGHT! Living In God’s Heavenly Thoughts… L-I-G-H-T.”

I have a feeling this is going to go on for a while, so I order another drink.
They came in quick succession… GOAT! Get Over Adulterous Tendencies! BIBLE! Beautiful Instructions Before Leaving Earth!

Then, to make a peculiar scene even more bizarre we were joined by one of Busey’s friends, Sal Pacino. No, that’s not a typo, I said Sal Pacino, father of Al. Sal is in his eighties, but has a strong resemblance to his famous son. He was wearing a very cool belt with the letter “S” on the buckle, and didn’t say much. He didn’t have much of a chance to, as Busey holding court, sucking up all the air on the patio.

I wondered if it was just me who didn’t really know what Busey was on about, but later read a quote from his son Jake, who said, “He’s always telling stories about monkeys and toads and rockets… I can never understand what he’s talking about.” Good, even his blood relatives can’t comprehend him. I think if I could identify with what he was saying then I would have something to worry about.

Anyway, as quickly as he joined us, he was gone, leaving nothing but perplexed looks and a cloud of cigar smoke. It was definitely the oddest celebrity encounter I have ever had.

W:
What songs would you put on a mixtape CD for a cineaste you were courting?   

R:
I used to be the king of the mix tape, but my skills have dulled in recent years. For sure I’d kick off with Misirlou by Dick Dale and finish with Jarvis Cocker’s Running the World from the Children of Men soundtrack. In between I’d wedge in some Tom Waits, perhaps Singin’ In the Rain, some Elvis Costello and lots of Ray Charles. No mixed tape is complete without some Ray Charles, preferably Midnight or I Can’t Stop Lovin’ You.

Rumours swirl as the Academy preps top-secret show
Sat. Feb. 21 2009
Sheri Block, CTV.ca

Heath Ledger and "Slumdog Millionaire" are poised to sweep some of the biggest Academy Awards, but there's still plenty of suspense in store for Oscar viewers. The show's producers are promising big and bold changes to the main event.

As the clock ticks down to the biggest night in Hollywood, the Internet is buzzing with rumours about possible surprises from first-time show producers Laurence Mark and Bill Condon. The duo were responsible for reviving the movie musical with "Dreamgirls" and might just do the same trick for the Oscars.

"I hope it does what they want it to do," says Canada AM movie critic Richard Crouse. "They're showbiz guys, they understand how to put together a show that will attract people."

Choosing Broadway over comedy with host Hugh Jackman, unveiling a new set and keeping the presenters top secret are just some of the major changes in the works.

The presenter list is being kept top secret, and those who are handing out Oscar statuettes are asked to enter the Kodak Theatre quietly, and skip the red carpet this year. Their designer duds and jewels will make their big reveal on the show itself.

But will the stars behave and obey the new rules? Word is that nominees Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie may cross paths on the red carpet with Brad's ex, Jennifer Aniston, and her new beau John Mayer. Jolie is rumoured to have spent the past week seeking a $20-million necklace in an effort to dazzle the cameras in the event of a run-in. Can this foursome avoid a red carpet encounter? Will Aniston be assigned to hand out the Best Actor award?

"I think it's a great idea to sneak in the presenters through the back door and not let the general public have a look at them until they come out on stage," says Crouse.

"If you don't see them on the red carpet the idea is that you'll tune into the ceremony to see them -- and I think that could very well work."

Other plans include:

    * Keeping the speeches to a strict 45-second limit (we'll believe it when we see it!)
    * Handing the awards out in a new order, possibly grouped in themes.
    * Cutting back on the musical numbers, but teaming Jackman up with director Baz Luhrmann for something spectacular.

Peter Gabriel was apparently so ticked about being asked to sing a condensed version of "Down To Earth" from "WALL-E" -- in a medley with the two other songs nominated from "Slumdog Millionaire" -- that he backed out of the performance altogether.

Gabriel will be in the audience in event of a win, and there will be plenty of other musicians on stage. There are indications Beyonce will perform (she's been spotted rehearsing in New York), and the younger demo would be thrilled if "High School Musical" stars Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens do a number.

It all begs the question: Is there anything about this year's show that will still resemble the Oscars?

"It wouldn't be such a bad thing if they radically changed it ... these shows have to change otherwise people just get tired of it," says Crouse.

Crouse will be watching the awards Sunday night at Toronto's Drake Hotel, where he's hosting a free Oscars party, and he thinks all the buzz will have many others glued to their screens as well.

"I think there's just been enough talk about how much things are changing -- about how they want to keep it to three hours and of Hugh Jackman and what he'll do -- that people are curious about it."

Watch CTV's live coverage of 2009's Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 22 at 8:30 p.m. EST.

Hugh Jackman: Sexiest Oscar Host Alive?
Thu. Jan. 22 2009
Sheri Block, CTV.ca

Anyone want to make a prediction on how Hugh Jackman will open the Academy Awards?

He could start with a joke. Or he could come out in gold lamé pants, gyrating his hips while he sings a Broadway tune and pull an unsuspecting actress out of the crowd to bump and grind along with him.

Wait, he already did that the last time he hosted a major awards show.

It was part of his performance at the 2004 Tony Awards, where he reprised his role in "The Boy From Oz," which earned him a trophy for Best Actor that same night. As well as impressing the crowd with his uninhibited hips, he did such a good job hosting that he received an Emmy Award the following year.

So he can sing, dance, act and host. But is he funny?

Some are calling Jackman an unusual choice to host the Oscars, considering the trend for many years has been to enlist people who have nothing to do with movies at all -- stand up comics and TV hosts such as Ellen DeGeneres, Chris Rock and Jon Stewart.

Critics have already doubted the 40-year old actor's abilities; with journalists from the Los Angeles Times and New York Times saying he had style and sex appeal but not enough substance.

But organizers say they want to shake things up this year and People Magazine's newest "Sexiest Man Alive" may be the one to do it.

Canada AM movie critic Richard Crouse thinks they may be right.

"I think Hugh Jackman is an all-round entertainer, in sort of the truest sense of the word," says Crouse. "It's sort of an old-fashioned kind of saying but he can sing, he can dance ... he's also a movie star and I think that it's kind of appropriate that you have an actual movie star hosting the Academy Awards."

No one's sure what Jackman's going to do and it sounds like that's the way the Academy wants it.

Crouse says the opening monologue will likely be eliminated, which will shorten the time of the epic-length program.

"I think it will be really straightforward. Hugh Jackman will come out looking terrific in a tuxedo, welcome everybody and say, 'And now let's get to the awards.' I think it will be that simple and I think that's what the Academy Awards needs, is to be streamlined a little bit like the Golden Globes."

New Academy Award producers Laurence Mark and Bill Condon have much faith in their host, calling Jackman a "consummate entertainer and an internationally renowned movie star."

"He also has style, elegance and a sense of occasion," Mark and Condon said in a joint statement. "Hugh is the ideal choice to host a celebration of the year's movies and to have fun doing it."

Jackman has never won an Oscar himself, but was nominated for a Golden Globe in 2002 for the fantasy rom-com "Kate & Leopold."

He's done a mix of romantic comedies, dramas and action movies in his acting career, from "X-Men" and "Van Helsing" to "The Prestige."

Although his most recent flick "Australia" with Nicole Kidman got lukewarm response, there's already buzz about the upcoming "X-Men Origins: Wolverine."

Successful Oscar hosts of the past have been able to find the right combination of wit, charm and self-deprecating humour. They also had to be careful not too poke too much fun at the stars or the Oscars themselves, as Hollywood takes themselves very seriously - a lesson Chris Rock learned the hard way.

So what does Jackman need to do to pull it off?

According to Crouse, he just has to keep it going.

"Keep the pace really fast," he says. "Don't try and do things you're not really comfortable with. Don't try and be funny. If you're not good at telling scripted jokes then just don't do it. Stick with a song and dance routine and let that be the end of it."

Good news and bad news for Expelled
January 1, 2009
The National Institute for Science Education

As 2008 drew to a close, the good news for the producers of Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed was that their creationist propaganda movie was getting a bit of press again. The bad news is that it was in the lists of the worst movies of 2008. The Onion's A.V. Club (December 16, 2008), was quickest out of the gate, commenting, "There are terrible movies, and then there are terrible movies that cause harm to society by feeding into its ignorance. Nathan Frankowski's odious anti-evolution documentary belongs in the latter category. ... Few moments in cinema in 2008 were as shameless and disgusting as the Expelled sequence where Stein solemnly visits a Nazi death camp and unsubtly links 'survival of the fittest' theory to the Holocaust."

John Serba of the Grand Rapids Press (December 26, 2008) wrote, "Ben Stein hosts this pro-Intelligent Design documentary that forgets to include a compelling argument for this viewpoint, and instead chooses to equate Darwinism and its legions of rational scientist followers with Nazis and the Holocaust. Facts rooted in reality are at a premium in this insidious, crassly manipulative dreck." Roger Moore of the Orlando Sentinel (December 26, 2008) commented, "Ben Stein's documentary was a cynical attempt to sucker Christian conservatives into thinking they're losing the 'intelligent design' debate because of academic 'prejudice.'" Stephen Whitty of the Newark Star-Ledger (December 27, 2008) described Expelled as lifting "its nonsensical knowledge of early man from an Alley Oop comic and its sense of honest inquiry from a snake-handling preacher." In the LA City Beat (December 30, 2008), Andy Klein wrote, "Stein's 'intelligent design' documentary has all the red flags — inadequate or misleading identification of interviewees, aggressively manipulative editing, extraordinary claims without extraordinary evidence, and extreme leaps of logic ... particularly suggesting guilt by association, even to the point of laying blame for the Holocaust on Darwin." And Ken Hanke of the Ashville, North Carolina, Mountain Xpress (December 31, 2008) said that Expelled was "as corrupt a piece of work as you’ll ever encounter."

Expelled fared no better north of the border. Jay Stone of the Canwest News Service (December 26, 2008) described Expelled as "a masterwork of intellectual dishonesty." And Richard Crouse of Canada AM (December 30, 2008) commented, "Wrapping his thesis in good old American jingoistic rhetoric — remember this guy used to write speeches for Nixon — Stein repeatedly compares Darwinist scientists to communists by the suggestion that the only way they can get funding for research is to be good Darwinist 'comrades' and even makes the outrageous connection between Darwin's theory and Nazism." Crouse added, "Perhaps it isn't just a coincidence that the host's initials are B.S."

Can Hollywood beat the recession blues?
Sun. Jan. 4 2009
Constance Droganes, entertainment writer, CTV.ca

Will it be lights, camera, action as usual in Hollywood in 2009? Yes and no.

Heroes triumphing over gloom and doom on the big screen have been Hollywood's bread and butter for more than eight decades. But does the world's dream capital have what it takes to survive a recession?

Absolutely, says Patrick Corcoran, director of Media and Research at the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO).

"Right now movie theatres are doing remarkably well," says Corcoran, who spoke to CTV.ca from North Hollywood, Calif. In fact, according to NATO's data, box office admissions have gone up in five of the last seven recessions.

"From the beginning of September, when the credit crunch really took hold, to the beginning of December we're up 15 per cent in box office and 9 per cent in admissions. That's compared to the same period last year," says Corcoran.

That growth, according to Corcoran, is linked to the nature of the fall releases consumers have had to choose from in 2008.

"Last year during the autumn there were a lot of heavy dramas in the theatres -- movies about Iraq, a lot of independent films that were eating each other's business. The box office was truly terrible," says Corcoran.

"What drives the box office is what's available at the theatres," says Corcoran. "If there are movies that people really want to see, they'll go out and see them regardless of the economy."

Great Depression didn't stop movie-goers

Of course, studio execs are the first to tell us that even in the midst of the Great Depression, when more than a quarter of the population in the United States was out of work, people still managed to scrape together the pennies it took to go to the movies.

Today's a different story.

According to a recent survey done by Forrester Research, those aged 25 to 34 were the most willing to sacrifice a night at the multiplex or premium cable if money gets tight. High-speed Internet was the main thing they couldn't live without.

Maybe rising Baby Boomer numbers will compensate for that trend? But in the U.S. alone there are 60 million homes with high-speed connections. With endless entertainment choices available today-- free movie downloads topping the list -- will Internet-age consumers still rush to the movies?

Corcoran believes they will.

"Even when people are cutting back, movie theatres will still have the advantage. People will still want to get out of the house and in a recession movies are the least expensive form of entertainment," says Corcoran.

Biz battens down the hatches

Driven by that mentality, studios are sinking more than a half-billion dollars into productions for their 2010/2011 calendars - and that's despite the ongoing threat of a SAG strike, something that could cost big studio productions as much as $500,000 a day.

"Hollywood is never going to go away," says Canada AM critic Richard Crouse. "Every time something bad happens people say it's going to be the death of movies. Then everyone runs to see 'The Dark Knight' or "Shrek the Third" and these movies make hundreds of millions of dollars."

The figures don't lie. In 1929 - the start of the Great Depression -- Hollywood raked in $720 million. In 2007, that figure exploded to $9.6 billion.

Who knows? In December of 2008 Jeffrey Katzenberg, the CEO of DreamWorks Animation, told a Toronto audience that 2009 would the year of 3D. Maybe that hot trend will help pad Hollywood's coffers with even more mega-millions?

But in an era where the cost of making and marketing movies has become astronomical and studios are facing huge credit crunches, less risk and more care on the spending side of the industry will be the modus operandi in Hollywood for the foreseeable future.

"Hollywood will survive. But I don't think we're going to see as many $20-million paycheques for stars," says Crouse.

Studio co-productions will also be on the rise.

"Ten years ago it would have been unheard of to see Warner Bros. and Paramount working together on a big movie like a 'Benjamin Button,'" says Crouse.

In May of 2004, in fact, Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures joined forces to get this $150-million film onto the silver screen.

As Corcoran says, "When you're worried about protecting your bottom line you go to co-productions to spread out the risk and costs up front."

Superbad is super-successful

Finally, those like Judd Apatow who can churn out comedies on the cheap could become Hollywood's top dogs in 2009.

"In tough times like these good, fun stories are what Hollywood wants to see," says Corcoran.

Moreover, Hollywood will want films that can turn a huge profit -- something Apatow proved he could do with such films as 2007s "Superbad" (budget: $20 million, worldwide take: $$169,871,719) and "Knocked Up" (budget: $33 million, worldwide take: $219 million plus according to boxofficemojo.com).

As Crouse says, "We're headed for a period where we'll see a lot of safe filmmaking. You won't see Zac Efron doing Hamlet. But you may see him singing and dancing in a remake of 'Footloose.' It's 'High School Musical' a year later. But the movie is essentially the same thing."

And for those looking for riskier movie fare? "The really interesting stuff will come from independent films," says Crouse. "You won't see anything remarkably different coming out of Hollywood studios for a long time. Not until things turn around."

Canucks offering songs for Obama's iPod
THE CANADIAN PRESS
   
Barack Obama needs some Canadian content for his iPod.

So says CBC Radio 2, which is inviting Canadians to select songs that best define Canada for the incoming U. S. leader, known to be an avid music fan.

A CBC website already includes submissions from rapper Maestro Fresh Wes, who suggests his own 1989 hit, "Let Your Backbone Slide."

Meanwhile, movie critic Richard Crouse says BTO's "Takin' Care of Business" would offer inspiration.

The survey officially kicks off next Monday, when Canadians have a week to submit their choices by email, phone or online.

CBC Radio 2 will reveal a shortlist of 100 songs for public voting the following week, and reveal the top 49 songs on inauguration day Jan. 20.

Comeback kids of 2008: Best career conversions
Fri. Dec. 26 2008
Constance Droganes, CTV.ca

In a town that turns out -- and on -- celebs faster than Britney Spears can run from a court date, Hollywood did something worth watching in 2008. It gave us some Oscar buzz-worthy comeback moments from veteran actors, the likes of which made stars du jour like Miley Cyrus and Zac Efron look, well, a little old.

Sure, we had Britney Spears struggling, ad infinitum it seemed, to make her pop princess return. Like any good cliff-hanger, the Brit drama continues.

We hailed down-and-out action star Jean-Claude Van Damme in "JCVD" and cheered "Saturday Night Live's" ratings comeback, an achievement owed largely to Tina Fey's eerie transformation into Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

Heck, we even lapped up 82-year-old Cloris Leachman, the acerbic, Oscar-winning actress who scored a whole new generation of fans thanks to her vivacious performance on ABC's reality hit, "Dancing with the Stars."

But 2008's most compelling career conversions come down to these three stars.

Robert Downey Jr.: Hollywood's red-hot man of steel

Dubbed 2008's entertainer of the year by Entertainment Weekly (and we agree), Downey (aka "Iron Man") proved that Hollywood mega-stardom is possible after drugs, jail time and everything else one can do to screw up a brilliant career.

At 43, Downey wasn't "the most obvious choice" to play Tony Stark -- the billionaire industrialist with a slew of playboy vices -- according to "Iron Man" director John Favreau. In fact, Favreau planned on casting a newcomer in the role.

But after landing the part and delivering a box office juggernaut that made $98.6 million alone on its May 2 opening weekend, Downey became the red-hot lynch pin to the biggest superhero franchise launch since "Spider-Man."

"Tropic Thunder" followed grossing $110 million, as did "The Soloist," a film which generated enough Oscar buzz to score another best actor nomination for Downey. His first came with "Chaplin" in 1992. That prospect piffled away, at last for the time being, after DreamWorks bumped "The Soloist's" November 2008 release to April 2009.

Now there's "Sherlock Holmes," Warner Bros.' latest franchise launch built around the comeback kid Hollywood is openly rooting for once again.

Even Downey can't explain his new hot factor. As he told EW, "To tell you the truth, I haven't fully digested what's happened to me before, during and after 'Iron Man.'...But I do know that I don't want to waste any more time. That's why I'm putting my nose to the grindstone. That's why I'm cranking them out."

Mickey Rourke: Back in the ring

"Oh Mickey, you're so fine. You're so fine, you blow mind, hey Mickey, hey Mickey."

Back in the 1980s, when Mickey Rourke's acting career was on fire and the 1986 film "9½ Weeks" cemented his sex symbol status, fans often quoted Toni Basil's 1982 lyrics to describe this Hollywood bad boy.

Rourke was hot all right, scoring critical praise in cult classics such as "Diner," "Rumble Fish" and "The Pope of Greenwich Village" -- a film Johnny Depp has called "perfect cinema." But like some studio backdrop well past its prime, Rourke's big career went up in smoke by early the 1990s because of his erratic behaviour.

Against the odds, the 52-year-old actor returned to the big screen in 2008 as a washed-up pro athlete in "The Wrestler." His pummelling, nuanced performance helped the film win the Golden Lion Award for Best Film at the 2008 Venice Film Festival and score Rourke his first Golden Globe and Screen Actor's Guild nominations for best actor.

"It's all about Mickey Rourke this year. He'll get an Oscar nomination and he deserves it," says Canada AM movie critic Richard Crouse.

"Here's a guy who hasn't had a lead in a film for 15 years. In fact, if you read interviews with him he talks about borrowing money from friends just to eat and how he considered getting construction jobs to make ends meet," says Crouse.

But as Randy "The Ram" Robinson, Rourke's work reflected the pathos of his own life. "That's what made a good movie great," says Crouse.

Frank Langella: Hollywood's new Olivier?

There aren't many actors who get the role of a lifetime handed to them late in life. But as American actor Frank Langella turns 71 on New Year's Day, the star of "Frost/Nixon" could get the best birthday present of all in 2009: An Oscar.

Nominated for a Golden Globe and a Screen Actor's Guild Award for best actor, Langella's Oscar nod is 99.9 per cent guaranteed.

"Frank Langella is one of the great American actors of all time. But when you ask anyone about him they'll say 'He was Dracula.' That was 30 years ago," says Crouse.

"Langella has never had the kind of fame that his contemporaries like Al Pacino and Robert De Niro have had," says Crouse. "He was equally as gifted and has done some very distinguished work on stage and in films. Who knows? Maybe he just didn't want Hollywood mega-stardom badly enough?"

Yet Langella's searing, seamless portrayal as President Richard Nixon is as close to acting perfection as anyone will ever see on the big screen.

Even if he wins the Oscar alone, Crouse predicts the beginning of a true renaissance in Langella's film career.

"If Langella wins, and I think he will, he could easily turn into that kind of in-demand, Olivier-like actor everyone wants," says Crouse. "More great work will definitely come Langella's way."

From the Toronto Sun, 2004.

National Post Diaries December 15 - December 19, 2008

Monday

My personal e-mail address begins with “mrchaos” for a reason. As a freelance film critic—root work “free,” I like the freedom of it—I have always tried to avoid structure, particularly in my work life. I generally play by the ATM rule—Always Take the Money!—so unless I have to do something illegal or show myself naked I’ll usually say yes to a gig if there is a pay cheque involved. That often leads to log jammed weeks like the one I have coming up. It’s better to be busy than not (that’s the freelancer’s motto… or at least it should be) but sometimes I sacrifice sleep for work and live to regret it. I’ve just come through a rough weekend of sitting through eight hours of deliberations for a film award on Saturday and then doing a quick in-and-out-in-an-Sunday-afternoon trip to New York to interview the cast of The Wrestler. Today is spent strapped to my computer writing this and trying to think of clever things to say about the movies I have to review this week; reviews that will eventually end up in print on my website, and live on Canada AM and my radio show on CFRB. Tonight I’m hosting a screening of a new movie called Toronto Stories at the Hazelton Hotel screening room. It’s a beautiful space, the kind of elegant mini-theatre I imagine Hugh Hefner has in at the mansion. The only difference, I guess, is that Hefner has Playboy Bunnies draped over his over-stuffed leather seats and we don’t. Tonight two of the film’s directors—there’s four in all—David Weaver and Aaron Woodley will be in attendance to do a Q&A and sip some champagne after the screening. It’ll be a fun night… more on that tomorrow.

Tuesday

I seem to be spending a lot of time in hotels these days. Over the weekend I was at Gladstone in Toronto for a meeting and the W Hotel in NYC to interview freshly minted Golden Globe nominee Mickey Rourke. Since I’ve been back everyone wants to know what he’s like. I only spent a few minutes with the guy, but I my first impression was that he’s unpredictable. Refreshingly so. In the interview he talked about living in a “state of shame”—try getting Brad Pitt to go there… you can’t—and later had me reach down the back of his shirt to check the label. The next night I had dinner at One at the Hazelton Hotel and saw Tom Cruise in the restaurant, Bryan Adams at the bar and heard that Duran Duran was about to check in. Strange days indeed.    

Wednesday

There’s nothing but deadlines this week because everyone is trying to cut out early for Christmas. I’ve been screening movies steadily for weeks so I’m caught up with everything I have to see through to New Years. Trouble is, I also have to write about them and shoot advance episodes of my TV show Richard Crouse’s Movie Show. That translates to a lot of keyboard bashing. I make it doubly hard on myself because I have a rule when it comes to reviews; I either write them 24 hours after seeing the film or wait 24 years. One is a gut reaction, the other a considered response with the benefit of hindsight and reflection. In my new book Son of the 100 Best Movies You’ve Never Seen I mostly used the latter approach but these days I’m in the mind numbing position of writing two or three reviews a day. Carpal tunnel here I come!

Thursday

Thursdays and Fridays are the days I throw off the shackles of my computer and actually reenter society. Spending most of my time in the dark watching movies or at the computer writing reviews doesn’t really do much to hone one’s people skills, so I look forward to Thursday and Fridays when I actually get away from the glow of the computer screen and get to talk to real, live humans. Started the day with a cell phone interview on the Bill Carroll Show on CFRB as I drove to the CTV studios to do a hit on Canada AM discussing the Golden Globe nominations. It’s a fun spot although I’m so gob smacked that James Franco got nominated for Pineapple Express and not Milk I am uncharacteristically speechless by the end of the segment. The rest of the day is spent getting reacquainted with society…

Friday

On Friday’s I have to get up at a time I like to call “arse o’clock” to do Canada AM. I’ve been their movie critic for years, but no matter how many times I do the show I feel like barfing every time the alarm goes off at that hour. After dragging a comb across my head and fighting traffic I “entertain the nation” as I like to call it, and head back downtown to shoot an episode of Richard Crouse’s Movie Show for the Independent Film Channel and tape my radio show at CFRB NewsTalk 1010. At night I shoot a review segment for NewsNet and head over to The Royal Theatre to host a screening of Toronto Stories. David Cronenberg and Bruce MacDonald are in the audience. At one point during the Q&A I see Cronenberg cradling his head in his hands. Am I boring David Cronenberg? I hope not… later he says hello and doesn’t seem agitated so I think I’m OK.

Where those Christmas tidings have been hiding
 
Dec 11, 2008
Jason Anderson
Toronto Star

The holiday movie season may be in full swing but there's a conspicuous lack of holiday content on screen. Sure, audiences have flocked to see Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn contend with horrible relatives in Four Christmases, but where is the seasonal cheer in the other box-office favourites and Oscar-hungry releases on offer?

For instance, nowhere in Frost/Nixon does the interviewer offer the wily ex-president a glass of eggnog. Nor do Twilight's Bella and Edward commit any mistletoe-related hijinks. At the very least, we should have seen Daniel Craig stringing popcorn on a Quantum of Solace-themed tree.

Unless Punisher: War Zone is meant to be an allegory about the agonies of Christmas shopping, few of these movies seem to have much to do with the holidays at all. That's why the seasonally oriented programming at two local theatres provides some reasons to be thankful.

The Fox Theatre (2236 Queen St. E.) is well into the swing of things, already hosting screenings of Home Alone, Scrooged and that timeless holiday classic, Die Hard. On Dec. 13 and 14, viewers who prefer to learn about the true meaning of Christmas without so much gunfire involved can opt for afternoon screenings of It's a Wonderful Life. Then on Dec. 20 and 21, there are matinee double bills of White Christmas and Zack and Miri Make a Porno, though we're pretty sure only the first of those two movies involves sleigh bells.

Seasonal selections at the Bloor Cinema (506 Bloor St. W.) prove to be equally diverse. Anyone who missed them at the Fox can catch big-screen showings of Home Alone and Die Hard on Dec. 17. On Dec. 21, there is again a less violent alternative with The Sound of Music, presented in a rare, un-sing-along form. Any viewer caught humming along to "Edelweiss" will presumably be disciplined.

But the big event for holly jolly patrons is most certainly the Bloor's special Dec. 23 screening of a heart-warming movie that John Waters declared to be "the best seasonal film of all time." That would be Christmas Evil, or You Better Watch Out, as it was also known upon its original release in 1980.

Though part of the wave of holiday horror that got its start with Canada's Black Christmas in 1974 and continued with the likes of Silent Night, Deadly Night, it's a cut above the usual killer-Santa movie thanks to its surreal sense of humour. Having kept close tabs on who's naughty and nice, a deranged toy-factory employee heads out on Christmas Eve with the intention of reminding people what's really important at this time of year: avoiding bearded men with hatchets.

Christmas Evil director Lewis Jackson will be on hand to converse with critic Richard Crouse about his dearly cherished contribution to the holiday genre. Could there be a better way to commemorate the season? You know the answer to that question.

Nothing says Christmas like a twisted Santa

JENNIE PUNTER
Globe and Mail
December 19, 2008

Not everyone appreciates the Christmas season's candy-cane smiles and chocolate ho-ho-hos. Which is why a rare screening of Christmas Evil - originally titled the more appropriately sinister You Better Watch Out - should appeal to those who prefer naughty over nice during the holidays.

The obscure 1980 slasher film - which by today's standards plays more like a low-budget psychological drama - has become something of a cult classic in recent years. A 2006 special edition DVD includes audio commentary by none other than singular "bad taste" filmmaker John Waters (Pink Flamingos, Hairspray) who deems Christmas Evil "the best seasonal film of all time," adding, "I wish I had kids. I'd make them watch it every year and if they didn't like it they'd be punished!"

Only one 35 mm print of the film is known to exist and it travels with director Lewis Jackson, who brings his road show to a screening in Toronto next Tuesday (9:30 p.m., Bloor Cinema, 506 Bloor St. W., $13 for non-members, $10 for members). Lewis will also present a reel of deleted 35 mm scenes from the film and participate in an onstage discussion with critic Richard Crouse. And for last-minute gift needs, Jackson promises a satchel full of Christmas Evil merchandise.

The film opens on Christmas Eve, 1947, in suburban New Jersey as young Harry, his brother and mother quietly watch Santa Claus quaff some snacks, deliver gifts then disappear up the chimney again. Later that night, unable to sleep, Harry hears a creature stirring; but it's no mouse - it's Santa (actually his dad still in costume) on his knees groping his mother's garters. A stunned Harry goes to the attic where he smashes a snow globe and deliberately cuts his hand. Creepy music lets us know this kid's screwed for life.

Cut to a few decades later and it's clear the traumatic childhood experience has created a sociopath with a promising career as a psychopath. Harry, a loner, works at the dreary Jolly Dreams toy factory and at home lives a Christmas-obsessed life as a self-made secret Santa, his apartment festooned with toys and Christmas decor - he even spies on neighbourhood kids with binoculars and keeps notes on them in his "Bad Boys & Girls" book.

After being exploited by a co-worker and enduring other humiliations just before Christmas, Harry has a nervous breakdown and his disturbing activities - which involve toy destruction as much as revenge murder - begin. And what Christmas movie would be complete without a torch-waving mob in pursuit of a psycho Santa? It's jolly good evil fun.

Of course, the rep houses are offering more "traditional" Christmas flick fare. The Revue (400 Roncesvalles Ave.) is screening Scrooged, Richard Donner's 1988 modernization of Dickens's A Christmas Carol, this Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. Bill Murray stars as a cynical TV exec visited by three spirits on the eve of producing a crass live broadcast of A Christmas Carol - the scenes of Carol Kane, as Christmas Present, continually punching Murray in the face (literally trying to knock sense into him) still crack me up.

Tonight the Bloor presents perennial holiday classic It's a Wonderful Life (7 p.m.), worth catching on the big screen particularly for those who have only watched it interrupted by commercials on TV.

And for a decidedly different kind of holiday treat, the Bloor rings in the New Year with a return run (Jan. 1-7) of Repo! The Genetic Opera, one of the rep cinema's most successful premieres ever when it opened last month. The explosive popularity of the grisly rock-opera musical has inspired a local group, the Shadow Cats, to organize North America's first amateur live interactive performance to the film à la Rocky Horror Picture Show on Jan. 3 (check bloorcinema.com for show times).

Will Keanu Reeves kill a sci-fi classic?
Thu. Dec. 11 2008
Constance Droganes, CTV.ca entertainment writer

Keanu Reeves as an alien? Okay, we'll bite. The idea certainly seemed heaven-sent to producers of 20th Century Fox's "The Day the Earth Stood Still," a film which will make history on December 12 as it becomes the first motion picture to be literally transmitted into deep space.

"It's headed for Alpha Centauri," says script consultant Seth Shostak, a senior astronomer at The SETI Institute in Mountain View, Calif. Of course, no one knows if life exists there. "If it does and anybody's cruising in that vicinity in four-and-a-half years from now they'll enjoy seeing it," he told CTV.ca.

Love him or hate him, other worldly roles have helped turn Reeves into Hollywood's $3-billion man - the staggering figure his films have grossed to date.
    
"The Matrix" series made $1.7 billion. "The Matrix Reloaded alone pulled in $740 million. Dollar for dollar Reeves' "Pow" at the box office is undeniable. But it annoys his critics.

To them, the 44-year-old's looks and luck have been the secret of his success in films like "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure," "Constantine" and "Speed."

To others, Reeves' reserved delivery is the definition of his acting brilliance.

With his reticent, Zen-like presence, the existential Reeves seemed locked, loaded and downright destined to play Klaatu, the famed alien herald who comes to earth at the height of its Cold War fever to warn humanity of impending doom if it doesn't change its petty, squabbling ways.

But scan the blogosphere and earthlings are divided about Hollywood's casting choice, as well as the very idea of remaking what the American Film Institute called the No. 5 science-fiction movie of all time in 2008.

Will earthlings embrace Keanu as Klaatu?

"When will all these remakes end?" "Keanu, oh no! Has Hollywood gone mad?" "Brilliant casting. Can't wait to see it." There's nothing iffy about moviegoers' feelings concerning this 21st-century redo of Robert Wise's 1951 gem.

"Keanu Reeves is Keanu Reeves," says George Zotti, manager of Silver Snail Comics in Toronto. "He's a huge star and it makes perfect sense to hire him for this remake. But I know people who won't go and see the movie just because Keanu is in it"

As the film's release looms closer, Zotti doesn't deny the fact that the remake has renewed an interest in the 1951 classic, particularly in Klaatu's killer robot "Gort," the most recognizable figure from the original film.

"We've got 12-inch 'Gort' figures, wind-up toys and metal figures from the '70s. The new film has certainly made people come in looking for this older merchandise," says Zotti.

"There's always going to be that argument of why should we remake a film that still holds up and is, quite frankly, rather awesome," says Canada AM movie critic Richard Crouse. His take on Keanu's performance? "I think he's mistaken, listless...he's even more monotone than unusual in this one...He's no Michael Rennie."

But as Crouse says, "The bottom line, as always when Hollywood does a remake of a great classic, is to introduce it to a younger audience."

With its $100 million-dollar budget and CGI effects, that's exactly what director Scott Derrickson ("The Exorcism of Emily Rose") has done, but with a few timely twists.

Replacing Cold War era fears with an environmental message, Klaatu no longer resembles the fatherly, compassionate character made famous by British stage actor Rennie.

"In this remake the hero/villain lines are blurred," Reeves told CTV's etalk. "He was an interesting role and a fun role to play."

Reeves has described his incarnation of Klaatu as "more sinister and tough, ready to execute a judgment, but he eventually breaks down and becomes more human and starts to understand what a human can do."

"Unlike the original, Klaatu comes here with a job to do and the humans are in the way," says Shostak, who spent considerable time on the film's Vancouver set with Reeves and co-stars John Cleese and Jennifer Connelly.

"Keanu was very focused on getting this duality in the character just right," says Shostak. But Reeves and Cleese also plagued the scientist with big questions about the universe.

"Is life really out there Seth? That's all they'd want to know. They drove me nuts," says Shostak, who credits the 1951 classic for inspiring him to become an astronomer.

"I haven't seen the final cut, but one part of the remake process did bother me," says Shostak. "It was Scott's decision to eliminate Klaatu's final soliloquy before he leaves Earth. To me that was moment was thrilling. But Scott felt today's audiences wouldn't sit through three minutes of talk. Maybe he's right. I don't know."

For those who haven't seen the original, Klaatu's message to earthlings is simple and hopeful. Shape up, stop fighting amongst yourselves or we'll come back and take care of you. Your choice is simple: join us and live in peace, or pursue your present course and face obliteration. We shall be waiting for your answer. The decision rests with you.

The new trailer, however, show's Keanu's Klaatu feeling far less benevolent: As he says, "If the Earth dies, you die. If you die, the Earth survives."

Two different films. Two different leading men. Will Reeves cream Rennie? Will Derrickson's version nuke Robert Wise's original into intergalactic oblivion? As Klaatu says, "The decision is yours."

Twilight
reviewed by Marc Glassman on www.classical963fm.com

Twilight. Catherine Hardwicke, director. Melissa Rosenberg, script based on the novel by Stephenie Meyer. Starring: Kristen Stewart (Bella Swan), Robert Pattinson (Edward Cullen), Peter Facinelli (Carlisle Cullen), Nikki Reed (Rosalie Hale), Billy Burke (Charlie Swan), Cam Gigandet (James), Rachelle Lefevre (Victoria), Edi Gathegi (Laurent). Sarah Clarke (Renee Dwyer)

Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight, a dark fantasy about the romance between Bella Swan, a healthy, slightly klutzy, teenaged American girl, and a very goth-like vampire named Edward who appears to be 17, has become a publishing phenomenon, selling over 8 million copies worldwide. It was inevitable that the series -- now a quartet of novels -- would be translated to the screen. The media frenzy surrounding the film’s release has been astonishing; here, for example, film critic Richard Crouse was nearly torn apart by adolescent girls who discovered that he had actually touched the hand of Robert Pattinson, the actor playing Edward Cullen, the handsome and apparently youthful 108-year-old vampire-lover of Bella.

While Meyer’s franchise hardly matches that of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter, the success of the books is indisputable and the anticipation surrounding the film release of Twilight rivals that of the first Potter movie. Like Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Twilight suffers from the director’s fear of creating a free adaptation of the novel into a film. Followers of the Potter cycle will recall that it took the third version, auteur Alfonso Cuaron’s Prisoner of Azkaban, to liberate the youthful magician from the page and on to the screen, and it may take as long for Meyer’s books to achieve a truly cinematic form.

Catherine Hardwicke has made a version of Twilight that is slow, safe and dull instead of committed, passionate and brave. Loving a vampire is a metaphor for the Wagnerian Liebestod -- the embrace of love and death -- or of the surrealist vision of l’amour fou (or “mad love.”) When Bella falls for Edward, the world should tilt and the heart race like a jack hammer pounding out the fastest, scariest rhythm in the world. The film does end with Bella begging Edward to “turn her” into a fully sexual immortal being. But Edward refuses -- sequels loom, of course -- and Hardwicke seems to endorse the same reluctance to put emotion in front of logic throughout the film.

But if there’s no passion, what is Twilight about? The film slowly builds over two hours as Bella, well played by Kristen Stewart, falls for Edward and gradually realizes that he’s a vampire. Nothing noteworthy clicks in beyond that telegraphed realisation until a trio of “bad” vampires catches on to Bella’s scent and decides to make her their next feast. Edward’s coven supports him as he fights the baddies -- mainly James, an over-the-top “B-movie” villain, accompanied by a femme fatale named Victoria -- to save his girl.

Twilight will likely have a great weekend at box offices across North America. There are enough teenaged girls invested in the series to make that happen. With attractive leads in Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, the franchise should survive this mediocre debut. One can only hope that Meyer’s second film is directed by Cuaron or someone else committed to cinema and, as Fred Astaire once sang, “love and romance.” Let’s Face the Music and Dance.

'Twilight' fans line up overnight to meet stars

16/11/2008
ctvtoronto.ca

Hordes of teenage fans of the "Twilight" series of vampire books lined up in
downtown Toronto for a chance to see the stars of the forthcoming movie
adaptation.

The actors appeared at MuchMusic's studios at 299 Queen St. W. at about 6
p.m. on Saturday, but the most fanatical fans started lining up late Friday
to camp out overnight -- in the rain and cold.

In San Francisco on Monday, an estimated 3,000 showed up at a similar event.
MuchMusic organizers estimated about 2,000 showed up. They had wristbands
for 1,000.

"Twilight" hits the silver screen next Friday.

Most professional movie-watchers think it has a very good chance of being a
big hit for the following reasons:

The "Twilight" novels by Stephanie Meyer (who will have a cameo in the
flick) have been extremely popular with teens, selling more than eight
million copies

The soundtrack is already topping the U.S. charts

The online trailer has enjoyed huge success

The film comes with a built-in audience

"I think the movie is going to be an enormous hit -- especially with teenage
girls. I think you're looking at lineups around the block," movie critic
Richard Crouse told CTV Toronto. Some of those young teens went wild when he
simply told them he met the actors.

Some older teens described the "Twilight" stories as good, escapist fun.

The basic storyline of the movie is that teenaged Bella (Kristen Stewart,
most recently in "Jumpers"), who lives in a small town in Washington state,
falls for Edward (English actor Robert Pattinson), a vampire who doesn't
want to suck her blood.

Instead, he tries to protect her from the evil vampires, led by Victoria
(Montreal actor Rachelle Lefevre).

Those three actors were on hand at MuchMusic's studios, along with Nikki
Reed. When they appeared on stage, the screams of their fans echoed through
the neighbourhood.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Galit Solomon

Vampire film to take huge bite out of box office
Thu. Nov. 20 2008
CTV.ca News Staff

Cast members of the bitingly-hot vampire flick "Twilight" say it isn't all
about the horror - but rather the intensely personal relationship between
fans and the story that has teens rushing to the box office to snatch up
advance tickets for the film, which debuts Friday.

The silver screen romance between a young vampire Edward Cullen (played by
Robert Pattinson) and human Bella Sawn (played by Kristen Stewart) is based
on Stephanie Meyer's wildly popular tween novel series, which has sold more
than 8-million copies.

Hysteria surrounding the film has reached a fever pitch and the buzz
generated is even being compared to what surrounded Harry Potter. The film's
young and attractive stars, Stewart, 18, and Pattinson, 22, recently told
CTV movie critic Richard Crouse they're not surprised fans are fixated on
the characters.

"For most girls reading the book, you feel like you are Bella. You get to
live her," Stewart said.

Fans can still identity with the story of forbidden love despite its whimsy
elements because all the action takes place in every-day Washington State,
Pattinson suggested.

"It's very personal because it's set in such as small town...nothing much
happens. It's not like it's jumping time frames or changing locations too
much," Pattinson said.

"People really feel like they know the characters. You can really obsess
over them," the hunky shaggy-haired actor with an English accent said.

But no one could have prepared the couple for the thousands of screaming
fans that wait for them at public appearances or the roughly 2,000 sold-out
midnight advanced screenings across the U.S.

"Twilight" is already on course for a blockbuster opening weekend in North
America. After Friday, both Stewart and Pattinson will undoubtedly be
superstars among teenagers.

"I wasn't aware of it while we were shooting the film which was probably
good," Stewart said.

"No one really knew the extent of the hype that would come," Pattinson said.

Pattison recalls how in six of seven cities, fans had a similar response
when asked why they like Edward's character so much: "Because he is so
sexy."

But in the last city, Pattinson recalls how one girl answered: "It's because
of the way he loves Bella."

Hordes of teenage fans lined up in downtown Toronto last Saturday for a
chance to see the stars of the forthcoming movie adaptation.

Fanatical youngsters started lining up late Friday and camped outside the
MuchMusic studios overnight in the rain and cold just to catch a glimpse of
the cast.

Most professional movie-watchers think it has a very good chance of being a
big hit for the following reasons:

The "Twilight" novels by Meyer (who will have a cameo in the flick) have
been extremely popular with teens.

The soundtrack is already topping the U.S. charts

The online trailer has enjoyed huge success

The film comes with a built-in audience

"I think the movie is going to be an enormous hit -- especially with teenage
girls. I think you're looking at lineups around the block," Richard Crouse
recently told CTV Toronto. Some of those young teens went wild when he
simply told them he met the actors.

Some older teens described the "Twilight" stories as good, escapist fun.

From Shinan Govani's column in The National Post, November 4, 2008: Did you know that Joan Collins was once capable of a “restrained performance” as well as a “layered character?” These are among the many things one can learn from Richard Crouse’s latest book, Son of The 100 Best Movies You’ve Never Seen.

Making the grade in the Canadian critic’s latest cinematic tally of the “underappreciated” as well “overlooked” is the 1960 movie, Seven Thieves, starring the very woman who would grow up to be the chick we all know as Alexis Morell Carrington Colby Dexter Rowan! A caper film with a film noir bent, it has Collins as a burlesque dancer —one who is “simultaneously hardened and forlorn, but with a compassionate soul.” Adds Crouse, this is a “strong performance without any of the camp that marred most of her work.”

Yes, who knew? Among the other must-see movies included in this movie buff’s guide are flicks such as Ace in the Hole, The Brown Bunny, Dear Frankie, The Descent, Marie Antoinette, Switchblade Sisters … and, oh, others.

Richard Crouse Enjoys Monkey Toast With His Son Of 100 Best Movies Book Launch
by Kris Abel
Fri 10 Oct 2008

Earlier this week Canada AM film critic Richard Crouse was challenged to launch his new book Son of the 100 Best Movies You’Ve Never Seen to a live audience without actually reading from it, holding it, or even opening it. It was all part of the rules of This Is Not A Reading Series, a literary festival currently taking place here in Toronto. True to Richard’s offbeat style, he rose to the task with a clever solution, partnering with comedy troupe Monkey Toast to perform an improvisational talk-show where he and his book became the focus of a series of unscripted comedy sketches. Considering the often hit-and-miss nature of improve comedy troupes, was it a risky move? Yes, but one that paid off with laughs for a full house that rewarded him with a long line at the book signing table afterward.

“Monkey Toast” is the name of a mock talk show. Richard and an interviewer from the troupe sat at a table on one end of the stage, engaged in a question-and-answer discussion very similar to the ones we perform on Canada AM, except that a comedy troupe sat off-stage listening in and snatching at sentences and key points to quickly craft sketches from them. Richard would answer questions about the films in his book, his personal life, his career and then the troupe would jump up on stage and interrupt with a quick volley of funny sequences.

When Richard was asked to explain his penchant for fanciful socks, he explained it as a “sartorial statement”. When he described a video on YouTube of Orson Welles, reduced late in his career to performing in a frozen peas commercial, the troupe hit the stage and acted out a casting session where they need a “sartorial” actor to sell their product. When Richard described the difficulty of recommending a controversial film, the group enacted a skit where a woman discovers a copy of “Triumph Of The Will” in the garbage and decides to show it to her friends and they all love it, completely missing its true message. Later they returned to the concept, this time with one of the group sharing the movie “Annie” only to have her friends react in offense, as one performer yelled “Do you know what you get when you rearrange the letters in Annie? INANE!!”

The two sides of the stage traded performances all night. Richard discussed the movie “Waiting For Fidel” and the group used it to perform a variation of “Waiting For Godot”, Richard jokingly quipped that writing can be a sad and lonely experience and the group translated that into a stark film of German expressionism. It’s difficult to capture in writing what was spontaneous and physical on the stage, but for those in the audience, including myself and Canada AM host Seamus O’Regan, it was a funny and surprising mix that made the night fly past quickly.

Some of the biggest reactions from the audience came not from the gags, but from Richard’s own mention of rare and obscure films that had film-lovers in attendance cheering, shrieking, and even jumping out of their chairs when he described overlooked cinematic gems such as “Grey Gardens” or “Theremin: An Electric Odyssey”. Cinephiles are no different from others in their love of the underdog and every movie buff has a title or two they wish would get more attention. With Richard’s deep knowledge of both fan favorites and obscure finds, his discussion and books become both a comfort and a guide for film geeks.

As the title suggests “Son of the 100 Best Movies You’ve Never Seen” is a follow-up to his earlier book along the same theme. Richard explained to me that when he sat down to write the first book, he assembled a collection of 300 films that he wanted to include, but was forced to whittle that down to just 100. With the success of that first book, he was given the chance to write “Son of” and explore many of the films he had to cut out the first time.

Despite what the title and cover may suggest, Richard has not written a book of lists. I say this as someone who, in addition to being CTV’s tech specialist, is also a cinephile in private and the owner of over 200 books on the subject of film, some of which are so lazy as to merely assemble a list or include mini-encyclopedic entries on various titles. In Richard’s book the only number you’ll find is in the title. As you would expect with a critic of his caliber, Richard has assembled a guide where the film titles double as chapter titles and his entries are a combination of his passion for his chosen films as well as his unique ability to describe what it is about them that make them interesting. Not only does he explain why they have been under appreciated, but he also provides keen background information, details that even those who have seen the movie may not be aware of.

Throughout the book there are added sections, bonus entries on noteworthy moments in the career of Roger Corman, for example, and rare movie selections by leading actors and directors themselves, including Peter Greenaway and Danny Boyle.

The guide ranges from the very old, “The Cameraman’s Revenge” from 1912 to the very new, 2006’s “Marie Antoinette”. He includes offbeat fare such as “Evil Roy Slade” starring John Astin of The Addam’s Family fame, a title that Richard found in DVD in a bargain bin in San Francisco to conservative dramas such as “The Horn Blows At Midnight”, a religious fantasy from the 1940’s.

Before I opened the book myself, I decided to play a game and think of an obscure film I’ve seen myself and then looked to see if it had made the collection. Sure enough, “Titicut Follies” a 1967 banned documentary on the harrowing conditions of the Massachusetts Institution for the Criminally Insane is among Richard’s picks. In his book he details the circumstances behind the film’s banning as well as the minimal techniques under which it was shot. No musical score, only natural lighting, it was Dogme 95 long before the concept ever occurred to Lars Van Trier. It has easily been more than ten years since I saw it and although the film does depict jarring behavior from its mental patients, poor hygienic conditions, and stark living conditions, all shocks you expect and brace for, the disturbing reality captured is one completely lacking of any concept of caring. Living in a strange complex of concrete stalls devoid of heat, light, and fixtures of any kind, patients are left to meander free, to hide in alcoves and darkened corners as a minimal nursing staff struggle to place a name, let alone symptoms or afflictions to any of the faces the camera discovers in the gloom.
 
For each title, Richard is kind enough to note which ones are available on DVD, VHS, YouTube, or in cases like Titcut Follies, “hard to find”.

Movie collectors and celluloid hunters know that exploring the world of overlooked cinema is a journey you take with you, not a vacation you return from and that’s something Richard Crouse captures in his two “100 Best” guides.

Richard Crouse digs up some old movie gems
Sun. Oct. 5 2008 7:11 AM ET
Constance Droganes, entertainment writer, CTV.ca

"I watch bad movies so you don't have to." That mantra has turned Richard Crouse, "Reel to Real's" bespectacled film critic, into the movie guru Canadians turn to for the lowdown on new Hollywood releases. Now Crouse serves up a century's worth of lesser-known, eye-opening pleasers in his new book, "Son of the 100 Best Movies You've Never Seen" (ECW Press). A sequel to his 2003 hit, "The 100 Best Movies You've Never Seen," the Canada AM movie critic delves into those entertaining but under-appreciated film gems that fell by the wayside at the box office.

Crouse's top 100 includes:   

* "The Cameraman's Revenge" (1912)

Calling this flick "13 minutes of sheer cinematic joy," Crouse says this melodramatic love-triangle surrounding a philandering couple predates the juicy, adultery-filled novels of Jacqueline Susann by 50 years.    

* "The Crime of Dr. Crespi" (1935)

Based on Edgar Allan Poe's "The Premature Burial," Eric von Stroheim plays a chain-smoking doctor out to ruin the husband of his former flame. As Crouse says, "The film movie makes an impression because of the twisted story and even more twisted performance from von Stroheim."    

* "On Dangerous Ground" (1952)

Martin Scorsese calls this taut drama about a jaded cop one of his biggest influences. Directed by Nicholas Ray ("Rebel Without a Cause), Crouse says this film's shy psychopathic killer character may have partially inspired the portrayal of Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho."    

* "Black Christmas" (1974)

"Without this groundbreaking 1974 Canadian horror film there might never have been a Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger or Michael Myers," says Crouse. Shot in Toronto on a $600,000 budget, this horror classic about a psycho terrorizing sorority girls will make your skin crawl.    

* "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer" (2006)

"This is one strange movie," says Crouse. In it an expert perfumer kills virgins to harvest their scent and make the ultimate fragrance. "This film isn't for everyone, but should thrill adventurous viewers," says Crouse.

Like its predecessor, "Son of the 100 Best Movies You've Never Seen" is peppered with detailed plots, memorable lines and trivia tidbits. From the 1923 classic "Safety Last!" - which Premiere Magazine called on of the 50 greatest comedies of all time, to 2007's "Akeelah and the Bee" Crouse's witty compilation makes it easy for film lovers to make informed choices at the video store.

"Son of the 100 Best Movies You've Never Seen" also includes interviews with Billy Bob Thornton on the movie that has most inspired him. Francis Ford Coppola discusses his grief after "One from the Heart" tanked. Even Mario Van Peebles' shares his feelings on portraying his father, Melvin Van Peebles, in the original Blaxploitation flick "Baadasssss!"

"I didn't want these movies to be so impossibly obscure that people would never have heard of them. That's why you'll find everything from Henry Fonda to Edward Norton. If you haven't heard of the movie you'll recognize the actor," says Crouse.

Of course, Crouse's definition of a great movie may not please all readers.

"People today will go and see Shia LeBeouf in 'Eagle Eye' because they liked him in 'Indiana Jones.' Sadly moviegoers who get sucked in by celebrity alone won't give a more obscure film or actor a chance and that's a shame," says Crouse. "You'll miss out on so many great movies if you only watch films that way."

As Crouse says, "You can love my movie picks or hate them. That's okay by me."

An early review of The Son of the 100 Best Movies You've Never Seen from the Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut.

“Here’s a book that movie buffs will enjoy and debate...if you are looking for help with your next Netflix pick or video store choice check out Crouse’s new book.” -Donna Larcen, Hartford Courant (Hartford, Connecticut)

Hollywood icon Paul Newman dead at 83
Sat. Sep. 27 2008 10:54 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff

Hollywood legend Paul Newman, who won accolades for his roles in films such as "Cool Hand Luke" and "The Sting," has died at age 83.

Newman, who had been battling cancer, passed away at his home near Westport, Conn., on Friday with family and friends by his side.

Newman's movie career began in the 1950s and spanned six decades, making him one of the industry's best-known stars. He often played rebellious mavericks and cultivated an enduring image of masculine cool that transcended his films and made him a cultural icon.

Alongside his wildly-successful motion picture career, Newman was a business man and race car driver who placed in the top five at some of the most competitive races in the U.S. during the 1970s.

The 10-time Oscar nominee was also an acclaimed director and a philanthropist who donated millions of dollars to charity.

Canadian actor Christopher Plummer, who first met Newman in the 1950s, said the blue-eyed thespian was a selfless anomaly in Hollywood.

"I miss him like mad," Plummer told CTV Newsnet Saturday afternoon.

"He was modest, he shunned fame - he was an actual real person for a change," he said, adding that Newman was a modest, generous man who lived modestly despite his international fame.

"He was totally un-actorish," said Plummer.

In the early 1980s, Newman started up the "Newman's Own" brand as a way to sell his homemade salad dressing. The company, which also made popcorn, spaghetti sauce and other products, has turned into a multi-million dollar business which has donated $175 million to charities.

Even in his 60s and 70s, Newman kept up an impressive production pace with such films as "The Road to Perdition" and "Message in a Bottle." However, the star pulled out of a plan to remake the play "Of Mice and Men" last spring because of health problems.

Even some of Hollywood's biggest names were star struck by Newman.

"He'd slug me if I was to call him an icon that I was intimidated by," said actor Tom Hanks in 2002 after the pair worked together on "The Road to Perdition."

"But he's much more than anything you'd expect. He's much more relaxed, unassuming. He gets it. He understands that the biggest job of being an actor, the hardest thing to do is to really capture 45 seconds of truth on film in the course of a long day."

Newman won three Oscars in his career, including two honourary trophies and a win for his turn in the pool-shark flick "The Color of Money," which teamed him with Tom Cruise.

"There is a kind of empathy he has shown throughout his career for this kind of underdog," said director Robert Benton of Newman in 1994.

"He just feels what they're going through from the inside, just feels them. He loves the way people just barely get by."

Newman, who married in 1958, also worked with his wife Joanne Woodward in films such as "Rachel, Rachel."

Despite Newman's heartthrob image and his bad boy onscreen persona, the couple's long marriage was an anomaly in Hollywood.

When asked by Playboy if he was ever tempted to cheat on his wife, Newman replied, "I have steak at home, why go out for hamburger?"

Though Newman got a relatively late start in the acting game, within a few years of his film debut in 1955's "The Silver Chalice," the actor was a major force on the big screen.

In 1958, Newman starred alongside Elizabeth Taylor in the celluloid version of Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."

Three years later, Newman was cast as a pool shark in "The Hustler," which would become one of the actor's best-loved roles.

In 1967, "Cool Hand Luke" was released to critical and commercial acclaim, with Newman playing a rebellious convict bucking against authority. The character struck a chord with audiences and seized on the era's anti-establishment mood.

Though other commercial and critical successes followed in the 1970s and 1980s, it wasn't until Newman reprised his pool hustler role with "The Color of Money" in 1986 that he won his first contemporaneous Oscar.

With his famous blue eyes and handsome features, Newman was the typical Hollywood heartthrob, film critic Richard Crouse told CTV Newsnet on Saturday.

"He really set the template for the modern movie star," he said, pointing to today's stars like Brad Pitt and George Clooney who split their time between film work and philanthropy.

Newman also blazed a trail for younger actors by picking tough underdog roles, such as his turn as a convict in "Cool Hand Luke."

"There's so many iconic images that are associated with him," added Crouse, pointing to his buddy roles with Robert Redford in the massive films "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and "The Sting."

"He went beyond just being an attractive screen stud and became a really interesting actor, who brought something unique to every role he did."

Our TIFF army's most memorable moments

Mark Ruffalo in tears
By Gayle MacDonald, Globe and Mail

(This is account of a press conference Richard hosted during the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival for the film What Doesn't Kill You. On the panel was Ethan Hawke, Mark Ruffalo, director Brian Goodman and Amanda Peet)

Mark Ruffalo's, Ethan Hawke's and director/ actor Brian Goodman's Q&A with the media redeemed TIFF's sorry press conferences for me. I've come to dread them, slinking down farther in my seat when reporters ask things like, "Do you like tacos?" (That question was directed at Renée Zellweger, who appears in the western Appaloosa, shot in New Mexico). I almost walked out.

Goodman wrote, directed and starred in the film What Doesn't Kill You, which is about his early, stormy life in South Boston, where he was a coke addict, jailed thief, and all-round lousy dad/husband. It's a raw, compelling film that Ruffalo - a good friend of Goodman's for the past 10 years - told the crowd he was terrified to act in. (He plays the badass Goodman, who is now reformed and sober.)

You could hear a pin drop in the presser as the three men explained - Ruffalo in tears, and Goodman close to it - how the film was a wrenching (and for Goodman, therapeutic) journey. The questions were smart and insightful. The answers were honest and heartfelt. It was an exchange of mutual respect, an increasingly rare occurrence at TIFF pressers of late.

Real men do some crying
Staff, AP / September 11, 2008

(This is account of a press conference Richard hosted during the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival for the film What Doesn't Kill You. On the panel was Ethan Hawke, Mark Ruffalo, director Brian Goodman and Amanda Peet)

Mark Ruffalo met Brian Goodman - a coke addict and reformed convict turned actor - nine years ago when the two were working on an independent film. Goodman handed Ruffalo a script, with the working title Real Men Cry, about his life in south Boston as a damaged boy, and then a damaged man, who against all odds manages to get his act together. At a press conference that was a rare treat for both journos and actors because of the heartfelt questions, Ruffalo broke down and shed a few tears, explaining how harrowing it was bringing his friend to life onscreen, in a film since renamed What Doesn't Kill You, also starring Ethan Hawke and Amanda Peet.

"Why it's so moving to me is there is a young boy in south Boston who doesn't have a chance - for economic reasons, education, luck. He has something to offer to the world but has no avenue to get to it. To know Brian like I do, and the human being underneath ... to tell that story today is just a huge responsibility.

"There were moments where I was completely bowled over by the pain ... the immense pain of waking up in a crack house. And the shame. Because these people are human beings under this terrible, debilitating, cunning, brutal disease."

Canadian Film Programmes Blog

Coopers' Camera - Makin' It Work
Posted By Warren Sonoda At 6:26 PM

It's been pretty crazy lately.  I'm on an airplane right now, flying to Vancouver to start prep on a new movie... and I'm browsing through the aircraft's movie channels, and what do I find? My buddy Michael Sparaga's movie "Maple Flavour Films" (for all you indie filmmakers out there, you should check it out -- it's basically a wicked primer on the state of our cinematic union).

So I sit back and watch it, love it, thinking - this sets up my next TIFF blog post nicely - how does one make movies in Canada... and more specifically, how did we get Coopers done?

In Maple Flavour Films, the always erudite Richard Crouse succinctly puts it (I'm paraphrasing here b/c I want to cram in a viewing of Vantage Point before the flight ends), "It's hard making films in Canada - but as long as people pick up a camera in Victoria, or Winnipeg... people will always find a way to make a movie here...."  But why? And how?

It's not easy (it's supposed to be hard to weed out the weak) but if you have the passion, the talent and the stamina for it - filmmakers will find a way to get'er done. Richard might have been talking about my producers, Sean Buckley and Nicholas Tabarrok. They been supporting and guiding Jason, Mike and myself throughout the entire process of making Coopers' Camera in its (probably) record-setting pace to hit the screens.

Sean Buckley has been a big supporter of my career for several years now - (literally) paying my rent, representing me for commercials at Buck Productions. Throughout that time, we were always looking for a larger movie project to work on. When Jason and Mike brought me the screenplay for Coopers, I immediately thought this might be a film Sean would get behind. Not only because I knew we could do it together at Buck - that it was something I knew Sean could finance entirely on his own - but more importantly, it was fresh, edgy and exactly the type of film someone like Sean would "get". Remember, we're taking the conventional Christmas family story and turning it on its ear and ass with a couple of groin punches thrown in for good measure.

Sean got coverage done on the script in late November 2007. And it was brutal - seriously - like, the WORST coverage ever in film-making history. (I reference what I said earlier about Sean's the type of guy that would "get" this film). Undaunted, and maybe even challenged by the early review of the first draft, Sean & Buck Productions set up the project with Nicholas Tabarrok of Darius Films (talk about someone who's supported me over the years -- Nicholas has been instrumental in getting me out there on movie projects and editing jobs ever since I was a fresh-faced music video director knicknamed "The Kid"). Nicholas also brought John Kozman and their Boutique Films label on board. This was early December.

As legend has it - at the Buck Christmas party Dec. 21st, the deal for Coopers Camera was done, Jason and Mike were heading into rewrite mode and I was making a movie once I got back from the holidays. Let's do the math here: Sean got coverage done on like, November 26th - and it was terrible - he and Nicholas got the deal done LESS THAN A MONTH LATER --- and on February 13th, 2008 (less than 2 months after that) - we went to camera, and had one of the best shoots I've ever had in my career and hopefully one of the funniest comedies I could have ever hope to make.

Unbelievable.

That it took only 11 days to shoot, and from the time we started cutting to now is only around 5 months - adds to the whirlwind that I remember Coopers being. But sometimes, under complete duress and in the middle of absolute chaos, some genius gets shaken from the saltshaker. (that's the saying, right?).

How do you do it in Canada?  By not being too precious and going for it. By surrounding yourself with the very best people - believers. I will take believers over the rich or beautiful or talented anyday.  Sean and Nicholas are a bit of all that. Sometimes coverage people aren't.

You do it by just going out there and trying to make the best movie you can make... and if you can do it with your friends, all the better.   Ok - we're landing now. West Coast here I am!!

Shoot Good Film,

WPS

Article on Richard's house reprinted from Toronto Star:
Condo honours 1950s
December 23, 2006 Kathryn Kates
Special to The Star

'If you look at me with my slicked-back hair and glasses, everyone identifies me with that (vintage) look'

Richard Crouse is the host of Rogers Television's Reel to Real and The 100 Best Movies You've Never Seen.

He's also the film critic for CTV's Canada AM and Newsnet and a pop culture/entertainment author, who is writing his seventh book. Three years ago, Crouse purchased his first home, an 800 square-foot, two-bedroom condo. When it came to decorating the place, which is located on the eighth floor of a 12-storey building near the Eaton Centre, the Liverpool, N.S. native's fascination with pop culture is evident throughout.

"My living room style looks like a 1950s' hotel lobby," says Crouse. "I didn't plan on it because I don't really have that much decorating sense, but that's how it turned out and I love it. This look suits me and suits the place.

"Once you walk in, it is not hard to imagine that I live here because of the '50s look. If you look at me with my slicked-back hair and my glasses, everyone identifies me with that '50s kind of look and it is certainly an era, in terms of music and film, that I'm a fan of. Although I think I'm very forward-looking in my image, I tend to be drawn to the 1950s-inspired design and the condo reflects that, I think."

When Crouse began his search for a condo, another unit in the building was the first place he saw. But he was encouraged to keep looking by his agent. He saw about 100 other offerings before being drawn back to the first building to check out another unit.

"It felt right and it was exactly the area I wanted to be in. I wanted to live downtown; I think it is important that people live downtown to keep a city vital and to stop it from turning into one of those big American cities that are ghost towns at night," he states.

Directly in front of the foyer is the kitchen that opens up into the living room that boasts floor-to-ceiling windows. To the left of the kitchen is the dining room. To the left of the foyer are two bedrooms with a shared ensuite in between.

The far room Crouse uses as a home office.

He plans to hire someone to repaint the place, but in the meantime, the walls are the colours chosen by the previous owners. All the rooms are dark beige, except the master bedroom and bathroom, which are painted a bright yellow. He hopes to have his bedroom painted a slate blue and will rely on a professional decorator to suggest other colours for the other rooms.

There is light-stained hardwood flooring throughout, except for the bathroom, where you will find grey ceramic tiles. The kitchen appliances are black, with light-stained cabinetry and black granite countertops.

Since he is a big fan of the late pop culture artist Andy Warhol, Crouse has a print called "Double Elvis" hanging in his bedroom – Crouse's pose on his sixth book – The 100 Best Movies You've Never Seen – the same title as his TV show, was inspired by Warhol's print.

Another Warhol of Marilyn Monroe is in the dining room, along with two large silver wood cabinets, featuring roll-top desk fronts that house thousands of DVDs Crouse has reviewed over the years. In fact, he says almost every drawer in his condo is filled with DVDs.

Crouse is a collector of clocks; he has more than 20, many displayed in his home office.

"I'm a bit weirdly excessive about clocks, as it turns out," admits the television personality. "I never thought I was, but my girlfriend points out that whenever we go shopping, I always end up looking at the clocks first."

The living room is Crouse's favourite room. He works from home, so it was important for him when he shuts his office door at the end of the day, to have a room to relax in, he says. He spent a lot of time and money to create a space he could comfortably lounge around in.

The living room furniture includes one nine-foot black, art deco-style, leather couch with rounded arms, a small loveseat with high arms and white stitching, a black leather Barcelona-style chair and a black leather stool with a white diamond shapes and brown wood legs.

Also in the room is a clear glass-top, kidney-shaped coffee table with chrome legs and a smaller frosted, mobile kidney-shaped table underneath on wheels. There is a small waist-high, black wood and chrome table with a clock face top, a dark brown-stained Asian influenced cabinet between the kitchen and living room. Artwork includes a poster of Crouse as a character from the television show Monster Warrior; it is framed in black wood.

Page two of article on Richard's house reprinted from Toronto Star.

Article from National Post by Shinan Govani: 'Sometimes I feel like a blacksmith: Someone who used to do something useful.'

That was Richard Crouse -- one of my all-time favourite people in the city -- being characteristically demure over breakfast one not-long-ago morning. I'd asked him to breakfast at the Four Seasons, and he'd accepted, and so went the taut conversation, the sticky asides, the frays and fringes of opinion.

All of it, of course, delivered from behind those familiar Elvis Costello-ish glasses -- the kind of specs that suggest that Richard might just break out in a wistful delivery of She at any moment.

My egg-eating companion, who's been a presence on TV for years -- talking and rating movies on Rogers -- has a new show now. And it's such a marvelous, not to mention instructive, idea that I can't believe he waited so long! The 100 Best Movies You've Never Seen is the program, based on a book of the same name that Crouse wrote some years ago. The overlooked, the under-appreciated and the ignored -- that's the topsy-turvy list, complete with clips, bits and interviews.

Which brings us back to that 'blacksmith' comment. What the assiduous critic means to say is that in an age of celebrity overdrive -- in a channel galaxy filled with eTalks, Extras and Entertainment Tonights -- the fact that he actually covers movies, and old movies at that, is pretty revolutionary.

Like a man who uses a Filofax or something.

"We live in an era," Crouse tells me at one point, "when six or seven movies come out a week. It's like the Springsteen song, 57 Channels (And Nothin' On)."

And so he's here to sing from the mountaintops about such choice flicks as Delicatessen. And A Face in the Crowd. And The Pope of Greenwich Village. Also Ginger Snaps, Chelsea Girls and not to mention Tadpole!

And Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, a sort of sequel to the Valley of the Dolls? He can't be serious, can he? Quoting Roger Ebert -- who actually co-wrote the film, as some trivia buffs might know -- Crouse tells me that this is the movie "that got made by accident when the lunatics took over the asylum."

He then adds a sound-enough argument: "I'd rather watch Beyond the Valley of the Dolls than Man of the Year (Robin Williams' newest one)!"

So, I ask him, changing the conversation, does he have a cinematic "blind spot"? Any movies that he's embarrassed to say he hasn't seen yet? "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," he answers quickly. Never got to it, for whatever reason.

Which then leads us to a close (and strange) encounter of the celebrity kind, one of Crouse's very first -- back in the '80s. And certainly years and years before he was meeting celebrities all the time. (During the most recent Toronto International Film Festival, for instance, he did about 250 interviews for Rogers -- everyone from Jennifer Lopez to Pierce Brosnan.)

This is the encounter he's not likely to forget: He was standing in a movie line at the Cumberland and it was just after E.T. had come out, and he noticed a "little girl" being told she couldn't go in to see that particular movie 'cause she was too young. After some interjecting from an older handler -- "do you know who this is?" -- the squirt was finally allowed in.

Who was it? Drew Barrymore, naturally.

(For the record, he thinks she's turned out quite nicely, but no, none of her movies rank in The 100 Best Movies You've Never Seen.)

Crouse's latest, greatest, most absorbing show airs on Monday nights, by the way. It repeats generously throughout the week also. If you like movies, you'll like this show!

Ad for Richard's radio show on CFRB NewsTalk 1010.

Article from National Post by Shinan Govani: "How hot is the movie Shortbus? Not anywhere as hot as the two familiar faces that turned out for a screening in Toronto last Friday!

At the unspooling we speak of -- held at the Cumberland in Yorkville -- some of the cinemagoers couldn't help but notice an obviously affectionate woman sitting on the lap of her scruffy 21st-century prince. In fact, even Sook-Yin Lee and Richard Crouse noticed them! (She, who stars in the much-discussed Shortbus and is as famous as famous gets in Toronto, was there to introduce the movie. He, a professional movie-watcher who was there to introduce her!)

"They started their Q&A after the movie," a mole reveals, "by making a joke about how the movie seemed to be having the right effect on the young couple!"

People chuckled; they moved on; the marquee twosome sank ever-deeper into their seats. But then the story took a sitcomish turn when the lovebirds went over afterwards to talk to Sook-Yin ... and it turned out that it was Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams!

The same two canny Canadians, who took a page out of The Notebook, and hooked up as a real-life couple last year. The same two canny Canadians who put the MVP into PDA!

They went on to pay their compliments to the CBC personality/ actress. Told her they liked Shortbus, a movie with sex scenes that are famously quite out-there and un-edited.

It's been a spectactularly good stretch on-screen too for the handsome pair. Rachel -- who's been sitting in fortune's lap when she's not in Ryan's -- recently followed up movies like Wedding Crashers, Mean Girls and The Family Stone with a turn in Marriage, co-starring Pierce Brosnan and Chris Cooper. Her sweetheart, meanwhile, is the subject of endless Oscar talk for his earthy, honest performance in the indie flick Half Nelson.

Soon, very soon, Mr. Gosling starts work on his latest project, Lars and the Real Girl. It so just happens to be shooting in town. Meaning: Going to the movies in Toronto may be a lot more exciting for a few months still."

Can 'The Women' remake rule in Hollywood?
11/09/2008 2:29:50 PM
By Constance Droganes

Natural disasters, wars, election drama looming on both sides of the border...Set against that backdrop can the box office success of one more chick flick really matter?

Does Kim Kardashian know Esperanto?

Yet in that illustrious hill of beans known as Meg Ryan's "girl power" comedy, "The Women," does matter. Its debut in theatres on September 12 will be scrutinized by studio execs and critics much like moviegoers will ogle Eva Mendes, Ryan's smoking hot film nemesis. Why? It's all about the money, honey.

Making movies by and for women has certainly not been a top priority in Hollywood. But two of 2008's top-grossing films have shifted Hollywood's thinking: "Sex and the City" and "Mamma Mia!"

As of the end of August, 2008 "Sex and the City" has made $152 million in the United States and $236 million overseas. "Mamma Mia!'s" haul is no less impressive. To date, the film version of the famed musical has earned $126 million in the U.S. and $250 million overseas.

Both "women's" movies proved to be far more than flukes at the summer box office. They also proved that chick flicks can lure male moviegoers into theatres.

Can "The Women" do the same?

Pumping up the girl power

"The Women" isn't Tolstoy. Don't hold that against it. And if you're annoyed that director Diane English dared to remake George Cukor's 1939 classic, get over it. Remakes are the plat du jour in today's Hollywood.

At its core "The Women" - a tale about a rich Manhattanite (Ryan) who learns of her husband's affair with a shopgirl (Mendes) - holds as much appeal today as it did when Joan Crawford strutted her stuff as this story's "other" woman. Cattiness, compassion, comic genius...Cukor juggled all that plus some crafty little nuggets about marriage, female friendship and love into a bonbon that only gets better once the wrapper comes off.

Like Cukor's estrogen-stoked original English's update is locked and loaded with heavyweight talent. Annette Bening (Ryan's overbearing best friend), Debra Messing (the earth mother), Jada Pinkett Smith (the lesbian), Bette Midler (the jaded casting agent) and Candice Bergen (Ryan's big-screen mom) easily round out this Gucci-clad girls' club. In fact, Bergen nearly steals the show with her pithy one-liners and the Botoxed-brand of wisdom.

Tooled for the times, "The Women" even works some Oprah-esque self-help into its dialogue. "What do you want?" Midler's ballsy character asks Ryan at a personal power retreat. From that moment Ryan visualizes these words 24/7 and morphs from a duped wife with no life into a dynamo who goes for her dreams.

Can women rule in Hollywood?

If it's a hit "The Women" could help propel Hollywood's "girl power" momentum to new heights. If its success eclipses "Sex and the City" and "Mamma Mia!" that's just one small step in the right direction, says Phyllida Lloyd.

"Frankly I find it very odd that in a population that's more than 50 per cent of women that Hollywood isn't producing more movies to cater to that audience. The demographic is being grossly underserved in my opinion," the 50-year-old Mamma Mia! director told CTV earlier this summer.

According to www.moviesbywomen.com only five per cent of Hollywood features are directed by women. In fact, women comprised just seven per cent of the directors working on the top 250 films of 2006, 92 per cent of these films had no female directors at all and 63 per cent had no female producers.

As for meaty leading roles for 21st-century actresses, consider this. When George Cukor made "The Women" in 1939 Bette Davis stared in "Dark Victory," Greta Garbo headlined in "Ninotchka," Judy Garland sped to super-stardom in "The Wizard of Oz" and Vivien Leigh conquered the world with "Gone with the Wind." Can anyone remember a year like that in Tinseltown in recent times?

"The only rule in Hollywood is that there are no rules. Nobody knows what is going to sell," says Canada AM movie critic Richard Crouse. "'Every now and then a movie comes along that goes against the current wisdom of Hollywood. For example, movies headlined by women can't make money. 'Sex and the City' changed that. It proved to Hollywood that women do go see movies, not just 15-year-old girls."

"The Women" has its charms and enough stilettos to kick most gold-digging, husband-stealing social climbers to the curb. But can it kick some serious box office butt? Can it convince Hollywood to make more movies geared to a female demographic? Like those breathy studio execs we'll have to wait and see.

As Lloyd says, "To have Hollywood tell me or other women like me that we're not a market that interests them is silly. Good stories work. Hollywood should wake up to that and give this audience films they want."

Ryerson grads to premiere film at TIFF
By Clare Hill | Published  09/10/2008

Taking a walk down Princess Margaret Boulevard holds many meanings for Ryerson film graduate Kazik Radwanski. He walked down that street when he visited his grandmother. He named his fourth-year thesis film after it. And now he will watch the film as it premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival on Thursday.

The opening of the film finds Isabelle Rodarte, played by Gina Sylvester, aimlessly wandering Princess Margaret

Boulevard. Only with a sign placed on her front door by her children can she locate her home.

The 14-minute short chronicles the plight of Rodarte, an elderly woman suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

Produced by Daniel Montgomery and shot by a small Ryerson crew, the film not only won this year’s TIFF Group’s Student Film Showcase in May (out of 500 entries from film schools across Canada), but was selected to be part of the festival’s Short Cuts Canada program. It will also screen at film festivals in Halifax, Sudbury and Vancouver. 

The opening scene contains no dialogue, but observes the main character in a documentary-esque style.

“I’m a big fan of the golden rule of film, which is show me, don’t tell me,” says Richard Crouse, film critic and member of the showcase jury that awarded the film. “They handled the issue with great sensitivity.”

Alzheimer’s is so extreme that it becomes a universal topic of interest, Radwanski says. And the crew knew they would have to do their research.

“Who are we, two 22-year-olds, to make a movie with such emotional weight?” Montgomery asks.

Prepared to answer this question, Radwanski and Montgomery visited nursing homes and met with a geriatrician during the six-month shoot. They were introduced to the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, the test used to conclude whether patients have the disease.

Radwanski knew something about this process, having gone through testing in high school for learning disabilities.

And Rodarte’s own examination becomes a key scene in the film.

“I would say the most important part about this film is Gina,” Radwanski says, adding that this was Sylvester’s first leading role, after having taken theatre classes at Ryerson.

The cinematography caught Crouse’s eye. “I thought it was beautifully done, one of the most cinematically beautiful pieces we saw,” he said. “They did an exemplary job.”
 
Yet Radwanski and Montgomery were surprised the TIFF group chose their film, which they submitted late after encouragement from the programmers.

“I got the call on my cell,” Montgomery says. “Maybe I reacted too strongly. I think the guy (on the other end) was overwhelmed,” he laughs.
 
“It just felt incredibly gratifying that they were taking us seriously,” adds Radwanski. With a number of short films under their belts, including Assault and The Nakuru Slums, and their own production company, MDF Films, the two Ryerson grads are planning to do another short and then a feature-length film, something many people believed Princess Margaret Blvd. had the potential to become.

Meanwhile, their work will be noticed.

“Short films are calling cards,” Crouse says.

“They’re a good way to show what you can do. This film will get eyes on it.  That’s what this whole festival is about.”

TIFF Chatter in the Lines: The man just loves dinosaurs
National Post September 05, 2008
TIFF 2008

Everyone’s got an opinion about the TIFF’s best bets, but only a devout few are willing to spend hours queuing to see their picks. Throughout the festival, we’ll be checking in with these diehards.

Paul Sturnion, 25, Etobicoke, ON

Q  What do you want to see most at the festival?
A  I try to look for a story that may be interesting but might not get a theatrical release. The one I just bought was for Che (Part 1).

Q  So do you have tickets for Part 2 as well?
A   I guess I have to. I don’t know, though; tickets are pretty expensive.

Q  How did you pick the movies this year?
A   Every year I’ve done it, I’ve just winged it last minute, which isn’t the way to go. A friend mentioned Che, and I’m a big fan of Che and what he’s done.

Q  How many times have you been to the festival?
A   I’ve been going for the last three years.

Q  Do you have any tips for TIFF rookies?
A   Do your research, for sure. It can be very complicated, and you really do have to schedule it out for yourself. So give yourself time to plan ahead.

Q  Favourite director?
A   Atom Egoyan. I’m a fan of his, especially his being a Canadian director.

Q  Favourite movie of all time?
A   Jurassic Park, to be honest, but I don’t know if that’s a good one. I just love dinosaurs.

Q  What’s your favourite dinosaur, then?
A   The triceratops, because no one else likes him. Maybe it’s the three horns.

Q  Who is the most overrated actor working today?
A   The funny guy, tall, ’70s Show ... Ashton Kutcher! That guy, big time.

Q  And the most underrated?
A   I’m not sure if he’s still underrated, but I think Ryan Gosling is so talented, and I look up to him as an actor.

Q  Do you read film critics?
A  Not so much in the paper, but I really like watching Reel to Real [with Geoff Pevere and Richard Crouse; now cancelled] on Rogers.

Q  If you were invisible, which celebrity would you stalk?
A  Brad Pitt or George Clooney, to see what they are like just doing their own thing.

Q  If you could be any movie character in real life who would it be?
A  One of the dudes from Reservoir Dogs.

– Jesse Kinos-Goodin, National Post

Real To Reel, R.I.P
posted July 27, 2008 by grumpy old film dork

Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper are officially finito with their At The Movies gig.  So long guys - hello Ben and Ben… for now.

Truth is, young bucks Mankiewicz and Lyon are not going to be able to save the Disney/ABC venture, either.

Folks turn to the web anytime they want for their film reviews and trailers, rather than wait for a pre-determined time slot on the weekend.

The Rotten Tomatoes/Metacritic influence brings attention to quick consensus rather than lingering individual analysis.  Film Comment will cover the details a few months down the road but the week before a film gets released, (many) movie goers want to know what a number of critics think the cake tastes like and not what any one of them may feel about the breakdown of the ingredients.

Heavens sake, this is an age where guys like Jeffrey Wells are giving their impressions of the first draft of scripts, let alone pontificating about the final product.

But as much as the Roger-Gene (then Roper) personality clashes and bitch sessions are about to become a memory, a more serious loss in the demise of Real To Reel, hosted for the past several years in Canada by Richard Crouse and Geoff Pevere.

For myself and others, their gift was in providing a terrific array of reviews and other information throughout so many years of the Toronto International Film Festival.  Sadly, Bell Globemedia shut Rogers Communications out of the TIFF press coverage material by flexing their sponsorship muscles and, by 2007, Richard and Geoff were unable to provide any real reports.

Addressing each other (rather than the camera) helped give the viewer a sense that they were ease-dropping on an intelligent but relaxed discussion rather that a glib observation or two delivered in a robotic monotone.

For those of you outside of Canada, this is an example of what will soon be missed.

Maybe they’ll come back in a few years on the web as the Canadian Film Geezers.

Stoner movies a popular film genre despite continuing illegality of weed
By Leanne Goodman / Canadian Press

TORONTO — Marijuana might be illegal, but few other illicit drugs have spawned such a thriving cinematic subculture: stoner movies, comedies that centre on the silly hijinks of pot-addled characters.

Wednesday's highly anticipated release of "Pineapple Express," an adventure film about two stoners played by Seth Rogen and James Franco, represents just the latest in a genre that was pioneered by legendary weed enthusiasts Cheech and Chong.

"People did drugs in movies long before Cheech and Chong," Richard Crouse, film critic for CTV's "Canada AM," said Wednesday.

"There were drug references in movies as early as the 1930s and '40s but people using drugs in those films were always drug addicts, there was reefer madness, there were huge consequences to doing drugs. But when Cheech and Chong came along in the 1970s, things were changing dramatically, and they were among the first to take drug use in movies to a different level and make it really funny."

Indeed, Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong blazed a trail for a long string of stoner movies that include classics ranging from "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" - featuring one of the best stoner characters ever in Sean Penn's Jeff Spicoli - to "Half-Baked," "Dazed and Confused," "The Big Lebowski," "Clerks" and the popular "Harold and Kumar" movies, to name just a few.

In every one of these films, pot-smoking is largely portrayed as a relatively innocuous pastime that simply results in a lot of silly - and often hilarious - behaviour.

"There are not a lot of funny heroin movies out there, nor a lot of funny crystal meth movies," says Crouse. "Marijuana is certainly easier to poke fun at, and it's because pretty much everyone of a certain generation now believes that smoking a joint is a fairly harmless thing to do. Hollywood pretty much equates smoking pot with having a Scotch."

Heather Watson, a pop culture blogger (cvxn.tumblr.com) and city editor of the BlackBook guide to Vancouver, adds that pot smoking in films is becoming even more acceptable than cigarette smoking and boozing.

"You can't have a movie with an unrepentantly drunk character in the way you can have an unrepentant stoner character. It's an interesting shift, kind of like you can't have a hero that smokes cigarettes anymore in most things, and yet pot is OK," says Watson, who describes herself as a member of Vancouver's "weederati."

"As a drug, pot is pretty G-rated, and the consequences of its use are - especially lately - comedic and not at all life-threatening. At worst in these films, society gets its pants pulled down in the town square by the lovable loser armed with no weapon save a thick cloud of sweet smoke and a fit of the giggles."

Stoner movies often have subtle social messages, Crouse adds, that can be even more effective than those in heavy-handed dramatic films.

He cites the "Harold and Kumar" movies and their pointed - but still funny - commentary on everything from prejudice, racial profiling and the frightening realities of post-9-11 America.

"There is real commentary in the 'Harold and Kumar' movies - particularly the second one, 'Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay.' They delve into race relations in America and how the war on terror has really spiralled out of control, and they've been far more effective in terms of communicating that stuff than an earnest film like 'Lions for Lambs' was. And many more people saw the 'Harold and Kumar' movies than 'Lions for Lambs."'

Watson believes there's even substance for the lofty intellectual to chew on in an outwardly goofy stoner flick.

"If you want to look really closely at a clown character like Jeff Spicoli, you'll see roots in commedia dell'arte and the archetype of the fool who speaks the truth when others can't see it," she says.

"I've been watching stoner movies since long before I was a stoner, and ultimately I suppose they are about boring stuff like 'codified communications' and 're-drawing the paradigms of polite discourse' in less threatening ways than aggressively laddish movies like 'Jackass."'

Which brings Watson to her next point.

"The bigger question that remains unasked here is where are all the lady stoner flicks? Pardon the pun, but isn't it high time for a female Cheech and Chong?"

David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson in 20th Century Fox's 'The X-Files: I Want to Believe'
Updated Thu. Jul. 24 2008 7:30 AM ET
Constance Droganes, entertainment writer, CTV.ca

Is the truth still out there? Moviegoers will find out once "The X-Files: I Want to Believe" storms theatres on July 25.

Surrounded by more secrecy than King Tut's treasury, this latest addition to "The X-Files" brand promises a return to that scare factor that made the famed television series (1993-2002) a pop culture phenom.

"The best part of 'The X-Files' was that it was creepy. It could make you afraid of anything," says "I Want to Believe" producer and co-writer Frank Spotnitz. "This new movie is a stand-alone film. Audiences will get it without seeing the series. But it follows in that 'X-Files' tradition of scaring the pants off people."

Joining "The X-Files as a writer in 1994, Spotnitz worked on the acclaimed series for eight of its nine seasons. The Golden Globe winner also co-produced and co-authored the story for the 1998 movie "The X-Files: Fight the Future."

Spotnitz won't reveal much about this highly anticipated sequel. According to what little fans know, Agents Mulder and Scully (David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson) are drawn back into the world of the "X-Files" by a case replete with disappearing bodies, maddening circuitous clues and a disgraced priest (Billy Connolly) who has questionable "visions."

Mulder's new quest for truth is played up by the film's title. The words "I want to believe" were seen by fans for years on a poster featured in Mulder's FBI office.

"I was glad to return to these characters. For years they were all I thought about. It was easy to pick up where we left off," says Spotnitz.

The same can't be said for stars Duchovny and Anderson.

"Chris and I had a much easier time getting back into the groove," says Spotnitz. "David and Gillian spent years trying to push themselves away from their 'X-Files' characters. As actors they wanted to do something different. But consciously reconnecting with Mulder and Scully was not easy for them."

Getting this sequel made was no cakewalk either, says Spotnitz.

In 2003 Spotnitz and Carter created a story for this movie and pitched it to studio executives. The film was green-lighted for production. Then a dispute arose between Carter and the studio concerning the profits from the TV show.

"That stopped everything," says Spotnitz. "The issue dragged on for years. I started to think that this movie might actually never happen."

In January of 2007 the dispute was settled. As Spotnitz says, "Literally the next day the movie was back on."

Vancouver: Where X still marks the spot

Spotnitz and Carter headed back to Vancouver, the original home to the "X-Files" series," shortly thereafter. "Vancouver made us a success. We wanted to return to it before we did anything else," says Spotnitz.

Long considered the silent star of the "X-Files," Vancouver's appearance in the TV series was documented in the 1999 book "X Marks the Spot" by Louisa Gradnitzer and Todd Pittson. In the pilot, for example, the graveyard Mulder and Scully visit is Queen Elizabeth Park. The psychiatric ward is really the Riverview Hospital. The list of locations goes on and on.

Vancouver's unique light, or lack thereof, helped to create that "X-Files" look viewers universally perceived as "mysterious" and "alien"

"Coming back here has been amazing. It's was like reuniting for family," says Spotnitz, who, along with Carter, wrote the script to take place in and around Vancouver. Whether that reunion will be well received at the box office has yet to be seen.

"This new 'X-Files' film fits in with the tried-and-true way that Hollywood is going right now," says Canada AM movie critic Richard Crouse. "You've got 'Sex and the City,' 'The Hulk.' Both movies have characters made very famous by TV. The 'X-Files' movies follow that trend."

Yet people have short memories, as Crouse points out. "Pop culture moves very quickly. The 'X-Files' has been off primetime TV for years. Gillian Anderson hasn't really been seen for a long time. People like David Duchovny in 'Californication' but he's not a big draw in theatres. The 'X-Files' brand is strong. But if there's one sure thing in Hollywood it's that there is no sure thing."

The conjecture doesn't bother Spotnitz. "Time does pass and people and characters change," he says. "Chris and I are older. So are Mulder and Scully. But I think that brings something new to this movie that hasn't been seen before."

As for rumours about sexy new love scenes between Mulder and Scully, Spotnitz says skin won't be in for this PG-13 flick. "Scully and Mulder do have some romantic time on screen. There's has been a lot of conjecture about how far they take it. We can promise you suspense in this movie, not racy sex scenes."

Comedy legend George Carlin dead at 71

U.S. comedian George Carlin, the influential godfather of counterculture comedy and originator of the classic "seven words you can't say on television," has died.

CTV.ca News Staff

He passed away of heart failure on Sunday in Santa Monica, Calif.

Jeff Graham, Carlin's publicist, said the 71-year-old went to hospital Sunday afternoon complaining of chest pain and died that evening.

He had performed a week ago in Las Vegas but has had a history of heart trouble.

On June 17, it was announced that Carlin had been awarded the 11th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humour.

He first performed his "seven words" bit in Milwaukee in 1972. It got him arrested for disturbing the peace. A judge dismissed the case, saying it was indecent but not obscene and didn't disturb the peace.

When a New York radio station broadcast the routine, it led to a 1978 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upheld the government's authority to sanction stations that broadcast offensive language.

"So my name is a footnote in American legal history, which I'm perversely kind of proud of," Carlin said earlier this year.

Over his career Carlin released 23 comedy albums, 14 HBO specials, had a few TV shows and appeared in several films.

"He was the consummate nightclub stand-up comedian," film critic Richard Crouse told Canada AM on Monday. But Crouse said Carlin was too idiosyncratic to make it big in film the way that contemporaries like Richard Pryor did.

Carlin guest-hosted the first broadcast of "Saturday Night Live," admitting on his website that he had been "loaded on cocaine" the entire week before the broadcast. He did at least one stint in drug rehab over the course of his life.

Born May 12, 1937, Carlin was a native of Manhattan's Morning Heights neighbourhood. His single mother raised him.

A high-school dropout, Carlin joined the U.S. Air Force. According to his official website, Carlin received three courts-martial and numerous disciplinary punishments.

It may or may not be telling that in touting his brother Patrick's novel "Highway 23," Carlin said people should read it if they:

The website seems to take pride in recording Carlin's anti-authority streak.

It notes, for example, that after starting a disc jockey job in Boston, he was "fired after three months for driving a mobile news van to New York to buy pot."

He had also worked as a carnival organist and as a market director for a peanut brittle company.

Career beginnings

In 1960, he went to Hollywood with a buddy where they formed a comedy team.

An early comedy hero for Carlin was comedian Danny Kaye, whose heyday was in the 1950s.

"He was a typical nightclub comic (of the time)," Crouse said of the early Carlin. "He wore a suit. His hair was slicked back."

But Carlin said that mainstream style didn't work for him.

"I was doing superficial comedy entertaining people who didn't really care: businessmen, people in nightclubs, conservative people. And I had been doing that for the better part of 10 years when it finally dawned on me that I was in the wrong place doing the wrong things for the wrong people," he said in a recent interview.

By 1970, Carlin had moved decisively to the edge, although Crouse noted the first true shock comic was Lenny Bruce, who was routinely getting arrested in the early 1960s. Carlin dropped the suits, dressed in either jeans or all-black and grew a beard and ponytail. He started doing routines about drugs and other counterculture material emblematic of the times.

Here's a Canadian reference from his "hippy dippy weatherman" character: "The weather was dominated by a large Canadian low, which is not to be confused with a Mexican high. Tonight's forecast ... dark, continued mostly dark tonight turning to widely scattered light in the morning."

Crouse noted that despite the raunchiness of his nightclub act, Carlin still appeared on decidedly mainstream shows like Ed Sullivan.

"The thing that made George Carlin great was he really treated the English language as a living, breathing thing," he said. "He was a comic that other comics looked up to."

In his later years, Carlin also did voice work for children's TV shows and movies.

Carlin's first wife Brenda died in 1997. He is survived by wife Sally Wade; daughter Kelly Carlin McCall; son-in-law Bob McCall; brother Patrick Carlin; and sister-in-law Marlene Carlin.

With files from The Associated Press

‘YPF’ panel opposes Bill C-10 but welcomes publicity

By Sarah Gopaul | Posted on June 15, 2008

MANY PEOPLE TALKING: The panel at the weekend screening of the controversial Canadian film, ‘Young People Fucking’ (Photo: Sarah Gopaul)“I guess what we’re saying is ‘Don’t vote Conservative.’”

That was just one of the many sentiments expressed by a panel of filmmakers and industry professionals after a Saturday evening screening of Young People Fucking (YPF) presented by the First Weekend Club at Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto.

Speakers consisted of YPF director/co-writer Martin Gero, YPF co-writer/producer/star Aaron Abrams, co-president of Maple Pictures and YPF distributor Brad Pelman, Telefilm Canada’s feature film executive for Ontario and Nunavut Dan Lyon, and entertainment lawyer David Zitzerman. The discussion was moderated by film critic and Reel to Real co-host Richard Crouse.

“We always expected a grown-up to tell us that’s not the title,” said Abrams. Gero agreed, imagining the name would have been changed to something less raw, like “Bedtime Stories.” Even the folks at Telefilm thought the title would take care of itself and become something more “socially acceptable,” according to Lyon.

But the title stuck and put the film at the center of a national debate regarding government tax credits for Canadian productions.

The issue surrounds one-and-a-half pages in a 600 page omnibus bill amending the Income Tax Act. If passed as is, Bill C-10 will give the Heritage Minister power to deny tax credits to film products deemed offensive or contrary to public policy, even after government agencies have invested.

The Conservatives have made voting against the bill a question of confidence in the reigning administration; in other words, the government could fall apart if opposition parties vote against passing the legislation.

However, Gero thinks the pundits have made a mistake selecting his film as the poster child for the bill. YPF is the “perfect film to be in the middle of controversy because it’s not controversial.”

Furthermore, it generated a lot of publicity for the film before its release. The attention is “good for the film, bad for the bill,” said Gero.

Prior to YPF’s theatrical release, it was shown at a special screening in Ottawa. While the screening of government-funded films in Ottawa is not unusual, this one was special. However, despite the fact most proponents of the bill have admitted to never seeing the film, no Conservatives attended the presentation. When asked what their expectations for the screening had been, Pelman said, “We hoped they would see the film for the film and not judge it by its title.”

Despite the Conservative boycott, young parliamentary aides and assistants packed the theatre.

“The industry has been galvanized by how wrong this is,” said Pelman, as made evident by the numerous actors and filmmakers who have spoken out against Bill C-10. He goes on to say, “without security, producers will be left only to make…Anne of Green Gables pictures and the minister will be fine with that.

“It’s Draconian and absolutely ridiculous.”

One of the primary concerns is the effect the legislation will have on the 127,000 people employed in the Canadian film industry. If Canadian productions are forced to shoot outside the country, these people will be virtually jobless. According to Pelman, Canadian productions invest $3 billion in the Canadian economy.

Additionally, Gero notes the amendment is “very directly going after Canadian production” because it does not apply to foreign productions.

During the discussion, Zitzerman reiterated a point made by several others: “Canada’s famous for its edgy films.” But after seeing the movie, it’s difficult not to agree with Gero when he said, YPF is actually “more commercial than most Canadian films.”

The entertainment industry has, however, proposed a simple solution to the debate, said Zitzerman: change “contrary to public policy” to “contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada.” This revision would remove the dependence on the minister’s and her successors’ discretion and whims and establish a more acceptable (and already employed) criterion.

The entertainment industry is determined not to allow “backdoor censorship.”

The Comedy Issue
Glenn Sumi Now Magazine

Today’s comics need to go viral

Years ago, Canadian stand-ups needed a Comedy Now special to catapult their careers to that next level. These days you need a viral video. Russell Peters’s already booming career went insane thanks to on­line excerpts from his stand-up act. (So did Dane Cook’s, so there’s no accounting for taste.) Add social networking sites, and, sans pricey market research, you know exactly who and where your fans are.

What’s great is that comics whose work doesn’t quite fit into the typical stand-???up model are making things click.

Renée Percy is a terrific sketch performer and writer for the soon-to-be-defunct Air Farce, but she never thought that one day she’d be known as the “poo lady.” That’s thanks to the viral video she made where she plays a woman who inadvertently wraps up her business (long story – just click on the vid) and leaves it for a guy she’s just slept with.

She estimates the video has had 5.5 million hits.

“People recognize me – and not just perverts,” she says about the video’s success. She even thinks the notoriety may have worked in her favour when she was pitching her new animated series, Nunchucks, about a pair of undercover Ninja nuns.

“Plus, I’m currently in an Imodium commercial. Really. I don’t know if that’s related.”

Jared Sales's Everydave Life impressed Will Ferrell

For several years, Jared Sales was producing smart videos and tech-related­ bits in small clubs. Now his work’s being seen by more people than he’s ever performed to combined, thanks to his prizewinning www.funnyordie.com video Everydave Life, about two roommates (Sales’s fellow Sketchersons members Gary Rideout Jr. and Pat Thornton) who drunkenly agree to star in a reality show, then regret it afterwards.

Sales has been tapped to direct 13 episodes of that fake reality show for the Will Ferrell site.

He also co-hosts, with Tal Zimerman, one of the most unusual video-related comedy shows in the city. The Rivoli’s monthly NSFW (Not Safe For Work) night screens a couple of dozen viral videos and features a panel of guests riffing about them.

“We wanted the show to be like you’re sitting in someone’s basement watching these videos,” he says. “What some might think is hilarious others might find revolting. It gets a strong reaction either way.”

This month’s show, on Tuesday (May 27), guest stars Seán Cullen and movie critic Richard Crouse, so expect a showdown. Sales also encourages audience members to bring their laptops and cellphones to the Rivoli, which is WiFi-?ready.

Imagine a show that actually encourages you to turn on your phone.

“We want you to text-message or e-mail responses,” he says. “It’s part of the show.”

'The Love Guru' stirs controversy: Is racial humour a relic of the past?
Canadian Press

TORONTO — Mike Myers was a big fan of the buffoonish Insp. Clouseau of the "Pink Panther" films as a child, introduced to the rip-roaringly funny but politically incorrect movies by his beloved father, a comedy junkie himself.

But is the brand of cultural humour that has infused the Toronto-born Myers's work - from the "Austin Powers" franchise to the upcoming "The Love Guru" - becoming a relic of the past?

"The Love Guru," about a goofy Hindu self-help coach who tries to solve the marital woes of a Toronto Maple Leafs player, doesn't arrive in theatres until June 20, but it's already controversial as Hindu groups around the world complain that Myers is lampooning their faith.

Hindus in India have even called for the film to be banned, while North American Hindus - led by the man who has been called America's most savvy Hindu priest, Rajan Zed - are actively trying to block the film's release by appealing to distributors and theatre chains.

In Canada, one Hindu leader is calling for edits to the film and is planning to contact Paramount Pictures to demand them.

"It should not be released in Canada without editing," said Kanayalal Raina, executive director of the Canada Hindu Heritage Centre in Mississauga, Ont. "There are only some portions that are offensive, not all, so it doesn't mean that we should completely ban the picture, but it should not be released until it's edited properly."

Paramount Pictures is apparently so nervous about the controversy, they've decided to screen the movie for Hindu leaders before its release.

The film, starring Myers, Jessica Alba, Ben Kingsley and Justin Timberlake - who plays a Speedo-clad Quebecois hockey player - is "a satire created in the same spirit as 'Austin Powers,"' says Paramount's Jessica Rovins.

But Zed, the Nevada-based head of the Universal Society of Hinduism, has seen the trailer and isn't impressed.

"The movie appeared to be lampooning Hinduism and Hindus and using Hindu terms frivolously," he told the Times of India.

Richard Crouse, the film critic for CTV's "Canada AM," says it's tough to successfully make movies based on racial stereotypes anymore, with the possible exception of the recent "Borat" film.

Some of the biggest comedies of the past have featured scenes, language and jokes that would likely make audiences squirm today - from Mel Brooks's "Blazing Saddles" to Peter Sellers's "The Party" and even the 1980s teen flick "Sixteen Candles," in which a gong mysteriously sounded every time the film's Chinese exchange student walked into a scene.

"'Borat' did it, but look at Borat's choice of locale - Kazakhstan," Crouse said Thursday. "It doesn't have a real international voice and it's a country that no one had really ever heard of before the movie came out."

"Borat," in fact, was skewering the ignorance of some Americans far more than it was ridiculing people from Kazakhstan, and that's why the film was such a critical success, said Charles Keil, director of the Cinema Studies Institute at the University of Toronto.

But the buzz about the "The Love Guru," he notes, isn't positive.

"You can negotiate any of these potential landmines if you handle the publicity and the marketing properly, and if the film gets a warm critical reception," Keil said.

"If, on the other hand, the film gets bad reviews and you don't have the critics in your corner, than you're left defending it on your own. Nobody wants to see a dumb movie that also offends people, whereas you can defend a smart movie that offends people."

Like Myers, Sacha Baron Cohen has long cited Sellers as an influence, but the late British comic's memorable portrayal of a boneheaded Indian in "The Party" would not fly today without engendering the same kind of outrage confronting "The Love Guru," Crouse says.

"Look at 'The Party' - it's a classic, but you simply could not make it today in the way that it was presented then. You just couldn't."

But Crouse says he finds it hard to imagine that the brains at Paramount did not anticipate the controversy that has reared up over "The Love Guru."

"I haven't seen the film yet, but there must be some cultural sensitivity - there has to be," Crouse says. "I just can't believe that a major release from a major movie star is going to drop the ball completely. There must have been some work done behind the scenes beforehand to make sure this movie is not going to get swept away in a sea of controversy."

Small Wonders
CTV.ca
Wed. May. 7 2008
by Constance Droganes

"Iron Man," "The Hulk" and "Indian Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" will score big blockbuster gold this summer. But 2008's hot, small-budget summer flicks prove that size isn't everything.

Hidden amidst the mega-million marvels like "Iron Man "and "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" is an impressive new crop of small, independently made movies filled with quirky plots, big laughs and breakout performances. These low-budget long shots won't make billions at the box office. But these alternatives to blockbuster madness should not be missed says Canada AM movie critic Richard Crouse.

"It all comes down to strategy," says Crouse. With as many as 10 movies opening each weekend, smaller movies are often released against bigger Hollywood fare. It's a counterprogramming tactic that lures in audiences looking for something different. In some rare cases it can even turn an obscure "art house" drama or documentary into a summer sleeper hit.

"Every year it costs more money to make movies and promote them. That's not a problem for 'Indiana Jones.' But it is for smaller films," says Crouse.

"When you've got an 'Iron Man' to contend with, which made more than $100 million in its opening weekend, good little movies can easily get lost in the shuffle," says Crouse. "It's a little too early to tell how they'll do this season. But hopefully we'll get some really interesting smaller movies opening against the big loud ones."

'My Winnipeg' (Late July/early August)
Directed by Guy Maddin

Topping Crouse's small flick pick list is this gem from Canadian director Guy Maddin.   Done as a "docu-fantasia," Maddin pays tribute to his hometown but in a way that pushes traditional documentary boundaries.

"'My Winnipeg' is one of those films that fans might think they won't care about much. But I guarantee they will. After seeing it you're going to have a lot of new ideas about Guy Maddin and Winnipeg," says Crouse.

Filled with a singular visual style that has set apart "The Saddest Music in the World" director, Maddin skillfully uses his eye and his heart to capture the essence of Winnipeg and reinvent the documentary form along the way.

"Nobody makes movies like Maddin. They're incredibly unique and look like nothing else," says Crouse. "This film is extremely personal and very funny. But it's also an engaging look at Winnipeg. I hope that people find their way to it because 'My Winnipeg' is worth it."

'Son of Rambow' (May 9, Toronto; May 16, Vancouver and Montreal; May 23, Victoria, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg)
Directed by Garth Jennings

Former school weenies of all ages will find this heartfelt tale a real summer charmer
Set in England of the early 1980s, a sheltered little boy who has never seen a movie hooks up with the school bully. After his new playmate shows him a pirated copy of "First Blood," the first Rambo movie, the pair set out to make a home movie tribute to their favourite action hero.

"This is such a cool, sweet little movie," says Crouse. "Even Sly Stallone gave the movie his blessing."

Don't be confused. "Son of Rambow" is not a Rambo sequel. But Garth Jennings' film wields a weighty punch because of its young stars Will Poulter and Bill Milner, its poignant lesson about friendship, and its funny take on the perils of school life.
As Crouse says, "A lot of people gravitated towards this movie when it did the festival circuit last year. It's one of those gems that could easily be overlooked during blockbuster season. But don't miss it."

'The Foot Fist Way' (May)
Directed by Jody Hill

Blending insane humour with heartfelt spirit "The Foot Fist Way" could be the sleeper summer hit of 2008.

In it a gleefully inept Tae Kwon Do instructor runs a training centre in a small town strip mall.  His blissful mood changes, however, after he attacks the man who slept with his wife. Desperate to get his master instructor mojo back, this endearing loser heads on a pilgrimage to see his hero Chuck "The Truck" Wallace, the greatest martial artist of all time.

"The trailer to this movie makes me laugh like crazy," says Crouse.  Shot in 2006 this kooky confection played a couple of festivals including Sundance, where Will Ferrell saw it.  "He was knocked out by it," says Crouse. In fact, Ferrell was so smitten by this hilarious little gem that the Hollywood A-lister pulled some strings to secure a release date for it.

Ironically the batty story sounds like something Ferrell could have starred in. But as Crouse says, "We many not know director Jody Hill and the film's star Danny McBride yet. But that could all change by the end of the summer."

'The Babysitters' (May)
Directed by David Ross

Now here's a film about a high school student with initiative.
In it we find Shirley Lyner (Katherine Waterston), a nice, attractive teen who makes good money babysitting for parents in her neighbourhood. Then one day a client (John Leguizamo) kisses this working girl as he gives her a ride home. The kiss scores the teen a bigger tip on top of her pay. She quickly learns just how well married men will pay to fool around with her. In fact, it's a revelation that morphs this average adolescent into a call girl baroness who happily pimps out her teen pals to other dads in need of  a "babysitter."

"This is a very dark drama and the subject will probably disturb most parents," says Crouse. "But John Leguizamo gives a good performance in it as does Katherine Waterston. It should do well as a summer blockbuster alternative."

'American Teen' (June)
Directed by Nanette Burstein
For those who think high school teens' lives are boring these days the new documentary "American Teen" will change that opinion. 

"It's not like a John Hughes film and it's certainly not like a lot of the 'American Pie' movies we've seen lately," says Crouse. Yet in it director Nanette Burstein keeps serves up a riveting portrait of what it's really like to be an adolescent in today's crazy world.

Focusing on a group of Indiana seniors and their cliques, the universality of these kids' never-ending drama and lip-glossy backstabbing will resonate with audiences across North America.

"Here's a film that takes is a real, bull's eye look at what it's like to be in high school and the good and bad that goes along with it," says Crouse. "It's interesting. It's eye-opening. I recommend this one highly."

'Lou Reed's Berlin' (July)
Directed by Julian Schnabel

Julian Schnabel's deft hand as a director scored him an Oscar nomination last year and the Best Director prize at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival for "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly." Only time will tell if "Lou Reed's Berlin," Schnabel's musical follow-up, will do as well.

Filmed over five nights at St. Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn, N.Y, Schnabel's documentary captures the essence of the influential American musician who came to prominence in the mid-1960s as the guitarist and principal singer-songwriter of The Velvet Underground.

"Reed's album 'Berlin' is known far and wide as the singularly most depressing album ever made," says Crouse. "That said, Schnabel gives us a remarkable performance piece which documents Reed's creative process as well as his delivery of the entire record."

'The Mother of Tears' (Late June/early July)
Directed by Dario Argento

A tour-de-force gore-fest filled with lesbian psychics, orgy-crazed witches and stylish disemboweling, "The Mother of Tears" is everything you won't find in "Kung Fu Panda." But for cult fans of Italian horror maestro Dario Argento, this graphic bone chiller will be the summer's horror highlight.

"Summer blockbusters always try to appeal to as many people as possible. But often in the process hardcore horror fans get ignored," says Crouse.  That's not the case in this bit of Argento gold. The third part of a trilogy that started with 1977's "Suspiria" and its 1980 follow-up "Inferno,"  "The Mother of Tears" is a return to form for the famed director says Crouse.

In it a young American student unwittingly opens an ancient urn that is found in a cemetery outside Rome. It triggers a series of violent crimes throughout the city, all of which signal the return of Mater Lacrimarum, the last in a centuries-old triumvirate of evil-wielding witches.

"This film is not for everybody and it probably won't be talked about very much since its release falls right around the same time as 'The Dark Knight' and the new 'X-Files' movie," says Crouse.  "But for anyone who loves Argento's movies this one is a must-see."

'Choke' (Late July/early August)
Directed by Clark Gregg

Fans who loved 1999's "Fight Club" will find the same kind of quirky punch in "Choke," a film based on another Chuck Palahniuk novel.

Its premise is a wild one. A medical-school dropout who works as a historical animator at a theme park devises a clever scam to pay for the care of his Alzheimer's-afflicted mother. Cruising the city's best restaurants during his down time from sexual addiction recovery workshops, this hustler pretends to choke on food that he eats. He then allows himself to be "saved" by shaken fellow patrons who go on to send this conniving loser sizeable cheques for his recovery.

"The film stars Sam Rockwell, who is really one of the best and most underrated actors working today," says Crouse. "Given the quirkiness of the story, if anybody can pull this one off, Rockwell can."

'Trumbo' (Late July/early August)
Directed by Peter Askin

Peter Askin's documentary about Dalton Trumbo, the blacklisted Hollywood screenwriter of the late 1940s and 1950s, was a huge hit at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival.

"Anyone who has an interest in film history should have a look at this one," says Crouse.

In it, actors Michael Douglas, Liam Neeson, Paul Giamatti, Joan Allen and other actors read from Trumbo's acerbic letters written during the time of his infamous exile from Hollywood. The best of these moments is Nathan Lane reading Trumbo's letter to his son on the subject of masturbation.

"I remember talking to Donald Sutherland about this movie because he knew Dalton Trumbo," says Crouse. "This film is really something. It will open a lot of peoples' eyes to how Trumbo and the other blacklisted screenwriters in that infamous group called the  Hollywood Ten suffered."

'Hell Ride' (August)
Directed by Larry Bishop
Aging motorcycle dudes and testosterone-fuelled antics could make "Hell Ride," the new film from director Larry Bishop, a summer winner with nostalgic "biker film" lovers.

"If this movie had been made in 1969 it would have been a huge hit. Now I don't really know," says Crouse. "But anyone who feels an affinity for those times and the stories of the Hell's Angels will be drawn to this movie."

In it, badass bikers, among them Michael Madsen, Dennis Hopper and David Carradine, get wrapped up in a convoluted plot to squash mutinous rivals and seek bloody justice. In some instances these hog masters seem more like rejects from a Sergio Leone western than modern crusaders out for vengeance. But that's part of the small flick's charm.

As Crouse says, "Guys like Hopper were Hollywood's original film bikers. They were the counterculture guys in movies like 'Easy Rider.' I don't know if 'Hell Ride' can beat that but it's definitely one worth watching."

Reel to Real and Richard were parodied by Canadian comedy legends The Royal Canadian Air Farce on the Friday December 21, 2001 episode of CBC Television’s Air Farce. In the skit an obnoxious film director (Jonathan Torrens) is interviewed by Richard (Roger Abbott) on the Reel to Real set. To see a clip, cut and paste this into your browser: http://www.airfarce.ca/video/011207.html or click here.

Classics like 'Sixteen Candles,' 'Ferris Bueller' still big among today's teens
April 27, 2008 - 11:39
Lee-Anne Goodman, THE CANADIAN PRESS

TORONTO - Danielle McNally is an 18-year-old high school student who loves the raunchy hit comedy "Superbad" as much as the next teen, but her all-time favourite movies are ones that were made before she was born: "Sixteen Candles" and "Say Anything."

"The stories are just so simple but they're so funny," McNally says of the 1980s cinematic classics that are still popular among today's teenagers.

"I love 'Superbad,' but it is kind of gross in places, and those movies weren't and that's definitely part of what I like about them," she says while on her lunch break at a downtown Toronto high school. "They were just funny and sweet. My friends and I never get tired of watching them."

Films like "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," "The Breakfast Club" and "Pretty in Pink" - all of them from John Hughes - are still so big that they are among some of those most commonly rented movies on Zip.ca, Canada's online movie rental service.

Of 72,000 films in the Zip.ca catalogue, "The Breakfast Club" - the high-school detention caper that starred Molly Ringwald and Judd Nelson - ranks No. 794, an impressive showing considering its age and how many modern-day blockbusters it's competing against.

Other Hughes classics and films from Cameron Crowe, including "Say Anything" and
"Fast Times at Ridgemont High," are also popular rentals.

Film critic Richard Crouse says the Hughes films, in particular, represent the glory days of teen movies largely because they so perfectly portrayed genuine adolescent angst amid the belly laughs.

"The John Hughes movies are the gold standard of teen films," says Crouse, the film critic on CTV's "Canada AM."

"For the first time, kids with real problems who weren't really afraid to talk about them and take action were seen on screen. Those films have a real insight into what matters to kids, and what still matters to kids. They had a huge impact on the films that came after them, for sure, but I think they were done best back then, and that's certainly why they're still so popular."

But is there a renaissance afoot for the teen comedy genre? Crouse suggests producer Judd Apatow and Canada's Seth Rogen, who wrote the screenplay for

"Superbad" when he was a teen and stars in the stoner film "Pineapple Express" this summer, seem to be making a play for the crown.

"Superbad is really racy in parts, but the characters in it - the three boys - were likable, smart and funny and they had real teen problems," Crouse says of last summer's Rogen/Apatow hit comedy.

"If we do indeed have another teen comedy heyday, it will be a different kind of movie - they'll be more like 'Superbad' than 'Sixteen Candles,' that's for sure, so perhaps not quite as innocent," he says.

"But the thing about 'Superbad' and 'Pineapple Express' is that Seth Rogen wrote those scripts when he was a teenager, so there's serious authenticity there. It gives him a real leg up on 40-year-old screenwriters pumping out something that they feel will appeal to kids."

There's no question Hughes, who now lives a low-key life in Chicago, has profoundly influenced Rogen and Apatow.

Apatow has long called Hughes a major inspiration dating right back to his short-lived TV cult favourite "Freaks and Geeks," starring Rogen and James Franco (who appear again together in "Pineapple Express.")

"John Hughes wrote some of the great outsider characters of all time," Apatow recently told the Los Angeles Times.

"It's pretty ridiculous to hear people talk about the movies we've been doing, with outrageous humour and sweetness all combined, as if they were an original idea. I mean, it was all there first in John Hughes' films. Whether it's 'Freaks and Geeks' or 'Superbad,' the whole idea of having outsiders as the lead characters, that all started with Hughes."

Jerky camera moves too much to handle for some 'Cloverfield' viewers

Monday, January 21, 2008

Canadian Press: Cassandra Szklarski

TORONTO - The latest monster thriller to hit movie theatres is making some people queasy, but it has little to do with gore.

"Cloverfield" features the jerky shooting style of a hand-held movie camera and some audience members say it's too much to bear. One Toronto blogger says more than a dozen people walked out of the screening he attended and that he spotted fresh vomit in the hallway leading out of the theatre.

"I can't recommend this movie for anyone who isn't into self-torture or hasn't had a robust dose of Gravol," the blogger, identified as "Allen" says at Guinevere.ca.

"Cloverfield gave me the worst motion sickness I've ever had," a blogger named Almostzooey adds on Jezebel.com. "I thought I was going to vomit in the middle of the theatre."

With obvious parallels to 9-11, "Cloverfield" is about a monster who terrorizes New York City and a group of friends that catch the mayhem on a camcorder. The film has drawn largely favourable reviews so far, with its champions defending the cinema-verite style as integral to the storytelling.

The shooting style is similar in feel to 1999's "The Blair Witch Project," featuring shaky views of panicked characters and bouncing shots of the ground when the beast sends them running for their lives.

Movie critic Richard Crouse said filmgoers seated next to him grumbled throughout the screening. He called the camera movement so erratic that "it makes 'The Blair Witch Project' look like it was shot on a Steadicam by Ansel Adams."

Still, Crouse lauded the technique for lending a strong sense of realism and intensity and for evoking the shaky news footage that dominated coverage of the 9-11 terrorist attacks.

Cineplex Odeon said Monday that it anticipated the herky-jerky motion could rub some people the wrong way. It posted signs at its theatres warning viewers that the camera work could cause side-effects associated with motion sickness similar to riding a roller-coaster.

Spokeswoman Georgia Sourtzis said the warnings are "a courtesy" to audience members and that anyone upset by the film can seek a refund. Complaints must be lodged before the film has ended and would be assessed on a case-by-case basis, she said.

Sourtzis had heard of a few complaints at one theatre, but didn't have an overall picture on what moviegoers across the country felt of the "Cloverfield" camerawork.

"Some people were uncomfortable with the filming technique and it did cause them some uneasiness," she said of one theatre in Burlington, Ont.

"Blair Witch," also a Cineplex release, elicited complaints of dizziness and nausea when it was released.

Fans of "Cloverfield" say the shaky style is not that bad.

"It's no different than riding in a car," Craig Fulford said Monday after buying a ticket to "Cloverfield" for his second viewing.

Fulford said the wild views are central to the plot.

"It wouldn't have made sense otherwise," he said. "They're supposed to be recovering a tape after this disaster. If someone's filming with a Handycam it's ... going to come out like that. And you're running around the city and it's blowing up, it's going to be totally herky-jerky like that."

Crouse said he actually found the more extreme swinging motions to be beautiful.

"When you have these incredible visuals of this guy running and all you see is ... shafts of light and a blurry image on the screen from his hand moving back and forth but you're hearing the sounds of these people running and the swish of the air as it rubs up against the microphone on the camera, it's pretty intense," he said.

"That whole thing kind of all comes together. It quite literally had me on the edge of my seat and I see 400 movies a year."

© The Canadian Press, 2008

A Night at Caren's with Gondry
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Originally uploaded by 416style

I messed up previously laid plans when I was offered preview passes to Mos Def and Jack Black's new flick Be Kind Rewind. The clincher was the Q&A with director Michel Gondry. Gondry's well-known in film for directing The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind but it's his unique style directing music videos for the White Stripes and Bjork that gets my attention. Bad news is I got to the screening (right on time) and all the seats were filled (yeah, apparently there's a disclaimer you're supposed to read) so my friends and I had to change course. We headed to Caren's Wine Bar across the street (158 Cumberland) since I'd heard they had some swish mac and cheese and a tasty fondue too.

We sunk into our seats upstairs and I noticed that Richard Crouse, the easily recognizable host of Rogers Television's Reel to Real, was seated near to us. Hmmm...I wonder who he's dining with in Yorkville. Sure enough it's Michel Gondry, having a glass of red before ducking into the theatre to begin a round of questioning.

I wanted to give him my two cents too, tell him that my photo of him is used in his wikipedia profile, but best we could do was "So you couldn't get into the movie either?" He seemed rushed and faked a laugh, but he seemed to be doing that a dinner with his guests too. Solemn and reserved; not at all what I'd expect. Shouldn't you be a people person as an accomplished director? Maybe not. This is the guy, after all, that developed what's now called "the bullet technique", made famous by The Matrix. Oh well, I guess he's a technical guy. I can appreciate that.

We missed our chance with him and we missed the Q&A, instead we sat at Caren's waiting forever for food and drinks to have overly formal staff bring us overly mediocre food. (And, hey, shouldn't you have a decent selection of wines if you want to call yourself a wine bar?)

Besides good company the night was a bust - but hey, I did get another movie pass, to try and get into the movie another time.

posted by sookie @ 23:17

So where's the Oscar party? TheStar.com - Oscars - So where's the Oscar party?

Without A-list bashes like the Vanity Fair fete, will stars just go home Sunday night?

February 22, 2008

Raju  Mudhar
Entertainment Reporter
When the Oscars are just a few days away, the speculation is usually about who is going to take home the gold statuette.

But this year the suspense is about where the glittery, celeb-laden parties are going to be. With the cancellation of several high-profile A-list events like the annual Vanity Fair bash due to the late resolution of the writers' strike, many stars are unsure where they'll be celebrating – or drowning their sorrows – after the telecast.

With all the uncertainty, one local movie critic thinks that it might lead to more of an old-school celebration.

"What might happen is the kind of thing that happened 20 years ago before things like Vanity Fair and everyone else decided that they had to throw a huge party, is that there were all these small intimate gatherings at restaurants that you needed to be invited to," says Richard Crouse, co-host of Reel To Real on Rogers Television.

"Like (legendary agent Irving) `Swifty' Lazar used to always have a party at Spago," adds Crouse. "So I bet you that's going to happen, with a lot of smaller, cooler parties happening."

The party saviour brigade might already be underway. According to Nikki Finke, who writes the influential Deadline Hollywood Daily blog, stars like George Clooney and Madonna are working on putting together last-minute bashes that could become the talk of Tinseltown on Monday.

Closer to home, Oscar uncertainty also had an effect on parties here. In years past, venues like The Drake and Gladstone hotels have held Oscar parties, but decided against it this year.

Traditionally, charities have also used the event as way to run Oscar-themed fundraisers.

Kacey Siskind, an event planner who volunteers on the board for youth anti-violence organization LOVE (Leave Out Violence Everywhere), says a venue was ready, sponsors lined up, and a local celebrity headliner on board, but had to pull the plug in early January when the Oscars were still up in the air.

"It was too risky, plus, you don't want to have a half-assed party," she says, adding they planned to show the telecast at the event and if the Academy Awards were cancelled, "it just would have been a useless party. We could have carried on and done some kind of gala evening, but really the point was an attempt at being similar to the real event."

Siskind says the group postponed the fundraiser but plan to hold an Oscar party next year, in the hopes of it becoming an annual event.

There are still some public parties around town to celebrate the Oscars. The Bloor Cinema has broadcast the Oscar telecast for many years and this year is no different, although some things are still up in the air.

"Actually, we are still confirming our host, so it's very dramatic," jokes Lisa Fender of the Bloor. "The person who's done it the last few years is stepping down, so we're still sorting that out. But it is a really good time. We usually have around 400 people, and some people dress up. Well, let's say the very brave ones show up in their ball gowns."

The Wolf & Firkin Pub on Elm St. has been hosting an Oscar party for the past four years.

"It's free to get in and we have a red carpet and we all dress up too," says bartender Christine Bubleit. "There's an Oscar pool and it is a lot of fun."

This year, the Canadian arm of the African Medical & Research Foundation (AMREF) is piggybacking onto the Firkin's party, although they have a little more invested in Sunday's telecast.

"AMREF is featured in War/Dance, a documentary about three children in Northern Uganda (see Philip Marchand's review on E5), where we have been very active in trying to help with the ongoing conflict there," says Amanda Moore of AMREF. "It's nominated in the Best Documentary category, so we just wanted to celebrate just how well the film has done."

JAMES ADAMS

From Monday's Globe and Mail

March 24, 2008 at 3:54 AM EDT

For Bern Euler, there's no irony in showing, at a festival devoted exclusively to Canadian movies, a 46-minute documentary on why these same Canadian movies never seem to get a break or find an audience in the theatres of our home and native land.

"That's just the way it is," he said the other day from his home in Toronto where, as founder and director of the Canadian Filmmakers' Festival, he was putting the finishing touches on the festival's fifth annual instalment, which starts tomorrow.

Euler will be screening 14 Canadian-made features and 22 shorts over five days in Toronto, stuff with titles like Confessions of a Porn Addict, Bedwetter and Insanophenia, and it's a good bet few if any of them will get (or have gotten) theatrical distribution in a country where last year English-language Canuck features accounted for just 1 per cent of the total gross domestic box-office. Even Euler's festival is something of a pariah. It has survived largely as a labour of love, fuelled by the fumes of hope, with no financial assistance from any government movie-financing body such as Telefilm Canada or the Ontario Media Development Corporation.

"It's more than just a festival," Euler asserted. "It's" - no, not an exercise in futility or sado-masochism or a kind of inverse snobbery re: Hollywood's slick glick, but, yes - "a cause."

In this case, to show Canadians - or at least the 6,000 or so who are expected to attend this year's CFF ("Every single year we've seen growth in our audience," Euler declared. "Last year almost half of our screenings were sold out!") - that Canuck films "are not boring, are not all artsy, do not all have bad sound. They're not all about drug-addled fishermen from PEI dealing with their lesbian daughters who are hooking on the streets of Vancouver."

One of the CFF's "world premieres" this year is that 46-minute documentary alluded to earlier. Titled Maple Flavour Films, it's the tale of a cross-country screening tour that Toronto screenwriter/producer/director Michael Sparaga undertook by car in April, 2006, on behalf of his low-budget feature Sidekick. It also functions as an anatomy of the anemic state of Canadian English-language cinema, with Sparaga eliciting risible answers from ordinary Canadians in Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary and Vancouver to questions such as "What is the name of Canada's annual movie awards show?" "Do you know any Genie winners from the past decade?" and "What was the last Canadian movie you saw?" Providing sober assessments of our cinematic malaise are the likes of critic Richard Crouse, producer Anna Stratton, distributor Brad Pelman and Michael Kennedy, the last executive vice-president of filmed entertainment for Cineplex Galaxy Cinemas.

Sparaga, who graduated 12 years ago from the film production and screenwriting program at Toronto's York University, originally conceived Maple Flavour Films simply as an extra for the DVD release of Sidekick, not a standalone documentary. But after completing the screening tour and looking at the video that he and his pals shot during "the great Canadian road trip," he realized the footage could serve as the basis for something larger. In fact, the last interview, with Cineplex's Kennedy, wasn't bagged until last summer.

Ironies, of course, abound in the saga of both Sidekick and Maple Flavour Films. For instance, Sidekick - a smart, charming but dark story of a comic-book-obsessed computer geek who ends up mentoring, with deadly results, a feckless colleague with telekinetic powers - was the winner of the people's choice award at CFF 2006. A month after that, well, "triumph," Sparaga and the film's director Blake Van de Graaf were on their cross-country preview-screening tour, promoting Sidekick in an effort to drum up buzz to lure a theatrical distributor. As they did so, they shot the footage that eventually became the backbone of Maple Flavour Films.

Sidekick was originally shot on digital video in 2004 in Toronto for $35,000, virtually all of it paid for with a $10,000 line of credit and maxing out credit cards. "I'd pay off one credit card with another, and as I paid off the balance, they'd raise my limit," Sparaga recalled recently. "It was great." The film had its world premiere in fall 2005 at the Calgary International Film Festival where it enjoyed enthusiastic crowds and piqued the interest of several other film festivals, including one in Boise, Idaho. But Sparaga was broke by then. He knew if the film was to have any legs, the digital version needed to be transferred to a 35-mm celluloid print.

Desperate, he sent what he now calls "a Hail Mary e-mail" to Telefilm, begging the federal funder for help. Amazingly, it agreed, giving him $40,000 from something called the alternative distribution fund. In January, 2006, a print consisting of two 35-mm reels was struck and a few weeks later Sparaga was hauling those reels to the San Francisco Independent Film Festival.

After all this, Sidekick did, in fact, get distribution, from Toronto's Maple Pictures Corp., not as a sexy theatrical release, mind you, but as fodder for the direct-to-DVD and television markets. Still, the movie continues to persevere; the U.S. DVD, for example, is coming out June 10, which means Sparaga and his buddies are planning a "celebratory day trip to Buffalo to get wings at the Anchor Bar and buy a copy at Best Buy."

Moreover, all the media that Sidekick got has brought Sparaga into Telefilm's good books. It has actually landed him development money for "a Canadian creature feature" about Bigfoot, tentatively titled Footprints. "Every country's got a mythological hominid lurking in the forest," Sparaga observed. "In Canada, I'm betting that next to hockey, Bigfoot is one of the things kids think about the most."

The hope is that principal photography can start some time in spring 2009. And who knows, maybe it'll play at some future Canadian Filmmakers' Festival. But it better be good.

"We're not going to show any movies that aren't worth showing," the CFF's Euler attested. "It's very hard to get into the festival. We never say, 'Well, it's Canadian; let's show it.' At the end of the day, a good movie is a good movie."

Euler himself got the Canadian film bug earlier in the decade. "I remember one time I went to the video store in the mood for a monster movie," he recalled. "So I grabbed Ginger Snaps [a female werewolf movie released in 2000] and I didn't even know it was Canadian until after I watched it. And I just thought, that was such a good movie, I would have paid to have seen that in the theatre. In fact, I would rather have seen it on the big screen. But I'd never seen it until I bumped into it in the video store. That's the way it seems to go for Canadian movies, y'know."

Maple Flavour Films will be screened at 3:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday at the Carlton Cinemas in Toronto. A panel discussion, moderated by Richard Crouse, will follow. For information on the 2008 CFF, which concludes March 29, go to http://www.canfilmfest.ca.

What's wrong with Canadian film?
Filmmaker Michael Sparaga interviews a Canadian on her views of Canadian film in his upcoming release, Maple Flavour Films.
Local filmmaker digs for answers on struggling industry
BY JUSTIN SKINNER
March 19, 2008 10:02 AM
 
Local filmmaker Michael Sparaga was looking to come up with some extra material for the DVD release of his feature film debut, the independently produced superhero flick Sidekick. Instead, he found a whole new movie.

Sparaga took Sidekick on a cross-Canada tour in April 2006 and, while traveling across the country, decided to ask people about their views toward Canadian film on the whole. What he found opened his eyes and formed the basis for a new project, Maple Flavour Films, which is slated to premiere at the 2008 Canadian Filmmakers Festival next week.

"I went out and asked people what they thought about Canadian English-language film and I kind of expected everyone to say that they hate Canadian movies," he said. "Across the country, what I kept hearing, though, was people saying they really liked them."

While that came as a surprise to the North Toronto writer/director, the discovery came with a very large - and very unfortunate - catch.

"When I pressed people further about Canadian films, most people didn't even know one," Sparaga said. "Why say you like something if you don't know any?"

As a filmmaker himself, the news was obviously unsettling to Sparaga, who found Canadians' lack of knowledge over their own film industry daunting.

"I actually wouldn't have cared if people were saying negative things about the industry," he said. "If people are bad-mouthing something, at least they're talking about it."

Sparaga has some ideas as to why Canadians are so often oblivious as to the films being produced in their own country. The problem, he said, stems from Canadian filmmakers' own opinions as to what makes for a 'Canadian' movie, and how that differs from the tastes of the general public.

"Hollywood concentrates on (drawing audiences of) young boys, but we declare ourselves more of an art house country," he said. "The thing is, the big, wide release movies in the U.S. finance their production of independent films. We don't have that; we'd rather say, 'At least we didn't have to sink to making The Mighty Ducks.'"

Sparaga said his solution is for Canada to start funding and producing more films that are, if not big-budget blockbusters, perhaps more a form of entertainment for entertainment's sake. While he enjoys a profound art house film as much as anyone, Sparaga acknowledges the need to meet audiences halfway.

"You can't deny what the public is saying, and if you look at box office, it's pretty clear what they're saying," he said. "Unlike most of the world, we fund our country's films through our tax dollars. The industry should give people what they're paying for and not just (cater to) niche groups."

While Maple Flavour Films takes various facets of the Canadian film industry to task, it stops short of pointing fingers. Rather than laying the blame at the feet of distributors, producers or funding agencies such as Telefilm, whose mandate is to develop and promote the Canadian audiovisual industry, the movie is more an in-depth investigation into the industry.

"I don't want this to come across as me making fun of something when it's hurting or kicking something when it's down," he said. "I don't want people to think it's an attack on Canadian filmmakers or on Telefilm. Telefilm developed my superhero movie, and they're developing my Bigfoot action movie."

If anything, Sparaga hopes to help uncover and tackle some of the issues that have led to Canadian films sagging in popularity even locally. To that end, the film's premiere will spark a panel discussion featuring top industry professionals and moderated by noted Canadian film critic Richard Crouse.

Considering that Sparaga has screened Sidekick to sold-out audiences across Canada, he is surprisingly anxious about his latest venture, perhaps because it will premiere before many of the Canadian film industry's movers and shakers.

"I'm nervous as hell, and when I was talking to Richard (Crouse) about it, he said, 'I've done panels before, so don't worry,'" Sparaga said. "So great, now I only have to worry about the world premiere of my film, not about the hour afterward."

Maple Flavor Films will premiere at the Carlton Cinemas, 20 Carlton St., at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26 as part of the Canadian Filmmakers' Festival. For more information on the film, visit www.grindstonemedia.com. For tickets to the screening or information on the film festival, visit www.canfilmfest.ca.

Easter bunny layoffs and other matters of state
Canadian Film Fest
Chris Knight, National Post  Published: Tuesday, March 25, 2008
When Michael Sparaga's superhero movie Sidekick won the people's choice award at the Canadian Film Fest in Toronto two years ago, the prize included a Cineplex movie card, good for free admission for a year.

"That was the greatest year of my life," says Sparaga, a Canadian filmmaker and unabashed cinematic patriot -- but then he pauses for thought. "You know," he continues ruefully, "I don't think there was one Canadian movie in the 75 I saw that year."

It wasn't entirely his fault. If you stray from the Carlton or Toronto's rep cinemas, it can be tricky to find a Canadian movie in Canada's largest city. This inspired Sparaga to make the documentary Maple Flavour Films (note the "u" in that title, Alanis), in which he interviews regular Canadian filmgoers and industry players from coast to coast.

"The biggest surprise," he reports, "was how much people wanted to love Canadian film. It was like asking, 'Do you love your mother?' " Unfortunately, that desire didn't always translate into bums in seats, or even the ability to name any great Canadian movies of the past year.

People on the streets were even stumped to recall what our film awards are called; they're Genies, not Junos or Geminis. (Although to be fair, that all-J-sound nomenclature -- the French ones are called Jutras --make it tricky to separate one from another.)

The latest Canadian Film Fest opens today and runs until Saturday, with screenings at the Varsity and Carlton. Founder and festival director Ben Euler says the reason for holding it is simple: "Not being able to find Canadian movies at the theatre. Anyone who's tried knows it's almost impossible."

He remembers renting the 2000 werewolf movie Ginger Snaps, liking it, discovering it was Canadian and thinking, "How do I not know about this? How have I never heard about this?" From such incredulity was the festival born five years ago, and it has grown to include 15 screenings last year, seven of them sellouts.

Euler says there is no one answer to the dearth of Canadiana on the big screen, but he says marketing is a problem, since the big U.S. studios have a near lock on which trailers get shown. Toronto filmmaker Sudz Sutherland, for instance, couldn't get a trailer for his 2003 film Love, Sex and Eating the Bones in front of Barbershop 2 audiences, who would have made a perfect match for his work.

In Maple Flavour Films, film critic Richard Crouse asks: "Who killed Canadian film? Well, you and I did because we didn't go see them." Here are five excellent Canadian films to see this week at the Canadian Film Fest (www.canfilmfest.ca). Ask not what films your country can serve you. Ask how you can serve them, and enjoy it.

Is community TV facing its Waterloo?
Grassroots local TV has been a source of community information and a training ground for future professionals. But as part of a sweeping review, the CRTC may rule cable distributors will no longer be required to carry the service, Marsha Lederman writes

By MARSHA LEDERMAN
Thursday, April 10, 2008

VANCOUVER -- When Steven Kerzner was 14, he put on his slightly-too-small bar mitzvah suit, grabbed a briefcase he found in his house, and took the bus over to the tiny local community television station in his Toronto neighbourhood. He walked in, pitched a show called Let's Talk, and was hired - as a volunteer - on the spot.
By the time he was 18, Kerzner was running the station. In the meantime, he had created several shows and personas - including Ed: a mouthy, cigar-toting, politically incorrect sock puppet.

Ed the Sock is now a bona fide TV star, having made the leap from community to mainstream television in 1994. Guests of Ed's Night Party (now Ed & Red's Night Party) have included Christina Aguilera, Hilary Duff and Coldplay.

The red carpet Ed now frequents seems a very long way from the threadbare studios of Newton Cable, but community TV was integral to Ed the Sock's creation. "It was a great opportunity to have all these toys there to play with, without the commercial pressures that are there now," says Kerzner, 40. "We could go and play around and have fun and see what worked and learn ... without there being [the] pressure of being graded for it."

This week, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission is considering removing the requirement that community channels remain on basic cable as part of a sweeping review of broadcast distribution regulations. The public hearings began Tuesday in Gatineau.

Alarmed by the possible disappearance of community television, where he spent more than 30 years as a volunteer, Richard Ward of the Community Media Education Society has written to the CRTC, urging it not to expel community TV from basic cable.

While Ward acknowledges that the issue is just a tiny part of the CRTC's review, the overall discussion about deregulation has him worried. "We have got distinctly Canadian things to say and the community channel [has] the broadest reach of all of the parts of Canada's broadcasting system," he said from Calgary. "I think it's prudent to be on guard, even if the threat is not directed primarily at the community channel. I don't think you wait until everyone else has been destroyed before you speak up."

In probably the most documented rise from community television, Tom Green went from hosting a show on Rogers Cable 22 in Ottawa to The Comedy Network in Canada to MTV in the United States. The Tom Green Show - part talk show, part gross-out prankfest - made him a star.

Like Kerzner, Green was an early community television volunteer, starting when he was 15 at Rogers 22's predecessor, Skyline Cable, learning lighting, camera and reporting. He vividly recalls seeing himself on TV for the first time, reporting for the station's news program about an earthquake fault in Ottawa. "I remember just being completely amazed when it aired," he says. "I was sitting at home watching it on my television and I just literally couldn't believe that I was able to sort of volunteer there and then be on TV, on real TV."

Times have changed: Tiny stations like Skyline and Newton Cable have been swallowed up by conglomerates like Rogers and Shaw. And thanks to regulatory changes introduced in 1997, advertising is now allowed. Nowadays, much of what's on community television is slick, professionally produced programming. Fourteen-year-olds aren't running the show any more.

Take Reel to Real: The Rogers-produced film review program is a community-TV hybrid, the hosts are paid freelancers, a Rogers-employed staff person runs the show and volunteers do the technical work.

The show, in its 15th season, attracts A-list guests like George Clooney, Halle Berry and Jerry Seinfeld. Only once in recent memory has it been denied a big-name guest because it was a "community TV" show (the U.S. publicist's decision was reversed, and the guest, ironically Canadian music producer Daniel Lanois, did ultimately appear).

Reel to Real has made a celebrity of co-host Richard Crouse, who has parlayed the gig into other projects, including books (his sequel to The 100 Best Movies You've Never Seen, called Son of The 100 Best Movies You've Never Seen, comes out in September) and a just-launched radio show.

"We're on a low number on the dial in the biggest TV market in the country," Crouse says. "It's created a loyal following for us."

Being low on the dial is key, Ward believes, to community television's survival. "A lot of people still watch television as opposed to watching a particular show," he says. "They flip through the dial [and] when they pass the community channel, a surprising number of them stop there."

It can be surprising indeed to discover how many people have seen a particular community-TV show episode. Ed the Sock's public access tipping point came the night actor Robert Vaughan, who was in the area doing dinner theatre, was a guest. The former star of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. seemed furious at Ed's questions, and the segment created all kinds of buzz. "Nowadays it would be all over YouTube," Kerzner says. "But in those days, people just videotaped it and took it to their friend's house and it sort of spread and from there it kept going."

So in the age of YouTube, is community television still needed?
 
Steve Anderson, the co-ordinator for the Campaign for Democratic Media, says yes. "Most people still get a lot of their news and information from TV despite the Internet," says Anderson, who is also a graduate student in communications at Simon Fraser University. "Also, the Internet is a very global medium whereas community television ... is locally focused, locally produced and locally watched."
And for people starting out in TV, Green says, an online forum can't possibly replace a hands-on experience. "At the end of the day, if you go down and volunteer at a public access television station, there's a lot of people there who are really passionate about television and they'll teach you a lot of stuff," he says. "You wouldn't really be able to learn any of that kind of stuff on your own just sitting at home putting clips on YouTube."

Green, who this year launched a new show, Tom Green's House Tonight (The Comedy Network), says he used the skills he learned from community television to create the program. "I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing now if it wasn't for that," he says. "If I hadn't picked up all that stuff on the way at Rogers Cable, I wouldn't have even known where to start."

A MAPLE Flavored Mission
Monday April 7 5:37 PM ET
What forces, good and bad, currently shape the definition of "Canadian cinema?" Filmmaker Michael Sparaga decided to find out.

By FilmStew Staff, FilmStew.com

The British Commonwealth spelling of the word "flavor" is your first clue that we aren't in Kansas anymore. Actually more like Toronto, the home base of Canadian filmmaker Michael Sparaga, whose documentary Maple Flavour Films premiered on Wednesday, March 26th at the Canadian Film Festival.

The premise of Sparaga's directorial debut is simple but intriguing as it commingles interviews with industry folks and critics alongside those of average men and women on the street to determine the temperature of Canadian moviemaking. Since there are far fewer well-known movie critics in Canada than there are in the U.S., Sparaga felt it imperative that his doc feature one Richard Crouse.

"The lists of professional folks we wanted to talk to were pretty short, and we pretty much got everybody we wanted right off the bat," Sparaga tells Excalibur, a newspaper published by his Toronto Alma Mater, York University. "I mean, Richard Crouse specifically has the longest running movie review show in Canada, Reel to Reel, and he's pretty much the only personality that's recognizable as a critic. So, it just felt like a natural [choice] to talk to him and get him involved."

Perhaps the most intriguing revelation of Sparaga's research is the lessons English Canada needs to learn from French Canada, a.k.a. Quebec. Although the perception in the former is that French-Canadians embrace all cinematic offerings in their native language, it's actually more a matter of a standard preference for high-concept action and comedy.

"Those [high-concept] movies do better because they're made for audiences, and that's what English Canada has to realize, that we can't rely on Away From Her," Sparaga suggests. "We can't rely on a drama to be the engine of our box office. A one-million-dollar box office success is not successful at all. It's successful for a drama, and for the style of film it is, but it can't be everything we're betting on that year at the cinema."

Further confirming Sparaga's views is the fact that the recent 2007 Canadian film Silk, despite the presence of Keira Knightley in the lead, failed miserably at the box office because of its murky 19th century narrative. Conversely, he suggests that even though the Mike Myers films Wayne's World and The Love Guru were made by Paramount Pictures, their maker and narratives easily tip them over the 49th parallel.
"The Love Guru is about a guru who comes back to Toronto to help the Toronto Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup," Sparaga notes. "That's going to be the most Canadian movie this year, I guarantee it. It's a hundred times more Canadian than Eastern Promises. I still think Titanic is more Canadian than Eastern Promises."

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