The TIFF Bell Lightbox sends ‘Greetings from Tim Buckley’
Starting an exclusive run at the TIFF Bell Lightbox this week is the new drama about a time early in the career of singer/songwriter Jeff Buckley before any of the acclaim and accolades, Greetings from Tim Buckley. The film explores the ups and downs and the impact that Jeff’s father had on his life and career through flashback sequences intermingled into the days leading up to the tribute show. As talented as both Buckley’s obviously were, the film struggles to succeed on its merits.
Greetings from Tim Buckley
Starring Penn Badgley, Imogen Poots, Ben Rosenfeld and William Sadler
Written by Emma Sheanshang, Dan Algrant and David Brendel
Directed by Dan Algrant
TIFF highlights the films of Chris Marker with a mini retrospective
Starting at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, as a compliment to TIFF ‘s exhibition of Chris Marker’s photographs as part of the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival, is a mini-retrospective of the films from the heavily influential French Filmmaker himself entitled ‘Films in Remembrance of Things to Come: Works by Chris Marker’. Starting May 16 and running through the Sunday of the long weekend, May 19, the collection of films features a single screening for each and starts each night at 6:30. For some of these works the opportunity to see them on the big screen is extremely rare as some have only recently been restored after the passing of Marker last year.
Chris Marker Mini-Retrospective
Playing at the TIFF Bell Lightbox
May 16 – 19
The retrospective starts with one of perhaps his more widely known and easily attainable works with ‘Sans Soliel’. The ‘film essay’ that traverses the globe and deals with time, (more…)
‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ boldly goes for stellar box office
Arriving in theaters this weekend is the follow up film from J.J. Abrams to his 2009 eponymously titled reboot of the ‘Star Trek’ franchise, Star Trek Into Darkness. The film has been under heavy guard with cast members sworn to protect the secrets of the film as to not ruin any of the twists that lie ahead. Looking to rule the box office this weekend, with phasers set to stun the competition, will Star Trek Into Darkness be able to boldly go past Iron Man 3, this year’s early box office champ?
Star Trek Into Darkness
Starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho, Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin, Bruce Greenwood, Alice Eve, Peter Weller and Benedict Cumberbatch
Written by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Damon Lindelof
Directed by J.J. Abrams
‘I Declare War’ prepares to overtake the TIFF Bell Lightbox
Starting an exclusive run at the TIFF Bell Lightbox this weekend is the visionary new film from directing team Jason Lapeyre and Robert Wilson that will transport audiences back to those hazy summer afternoons of childhood where playing with your friends carried much more epic circumstances in your own mind. The film takes on that area of adolescence just as the characters arrive on the cusp of typical teenage school dramas, including girls, where a game of ‘War; could hold so much sway. They film adds a level of the surreal by removing the crude homemade weapons the boys possess and replacing them with actual guns and ammunition.
I Declare War
Starring: Siam Yu, Gage Munroe, Michael Friend, Aidan Gouveia, Mackenzie Munro, Alex Cardillo, Dyson Fyke, Spencer Howes, Andy Reid
Written by Jason Lapeyre
Directed by Jason Lapeyre and Robert Wilson
Hidden Gem ‘Graceland’ graces the TIFF Bell Lightbox
One of the grittiest films to play at last year’s Reel Asian Film Festival in Toronto was the crime thriller “Graceland” from the Philippines. Not to be confused with the lavish estate of Elvis in Memphis, Graceland in this case refers to the seedy underground that inhabits and seeps out of every pore of the city of Manila. A place where everything has a price and nothing appears to be as it seems. Graceland is finally getting a long deserved theatrical run at the TIFF Bell Lightbox starting May 10th and it’s definitely a film that should not be missed.
Graceland
Starring Arnold Reyes, Menggie Cobarrubias, Dido De Le Paz and Ella Guevara
Written and Directed by Ron Morales
Marlon Villar (Reyes) is a pious family man who minds his own business, takes care of his daughter Elvie (Guevara) and visits his bed-ridden wife at the hospital every night. (more…)
‘Skull World’ rocks the Carlton cinema
Starting an exclusive run at the Carlton Cinema in Toronto this week is the newest film from Toronto based director Justin McConnell that impressed back in March at the Canadian Film Fest, “Skull World”. McConnell’s fun and engaging documentary about his friend Greg Sommer is some well-crafted film making though the film hints that there is a ton of footage left aside that will likely emerge on a DVD/Blu-ray release down the road. But this rare, unexpected chance to see the film on the big screen in a regular theatrical run in a opportunity most should take advantage of.
Skull World
Starring: Greg “Skull Man” Sommer
Directed by Justin McConnell
An enterprising man in his early 30s Greg, and his alter-ego Skull Man, is at war, ‘Box Wars’ that is. Step into Greg’s world full of warriors, magic, glory, and metal music. Greg is e founder and developer of the Canadian-chapter of Box Wars, an international (more…)
‘ChristCORE’ mildly rocks the Royal Cinema
Starting an exclusive run at the Royal Cinema on May 4th is the new documentary that goes on the road touring with the biggest bands in hardcore music, ChristCORE. Of course this isn’t your typical hardcore musicians, rather the deeply religious preachers of faith in the midst of the volatile vocals that is known as the ever expanding in popularity Christian based hardcore music scene.
ChristCORE
Directed by Justin Ludwig
Canadian filmmaker and atheist punk rocker Justin Ludwig goes on tour with two evangelical hardcore bands, driven newcomers ‘Messengers’ (more…)
‘Veep’ is one candidate worth supporting on Blu-ray
New to Blu-ray from HBO Home Entertainment is the new series from the creator of the similarly politically charged “The Thick of It” and “In The Loop” Armando Iannucci, Veep. Starring “Seinfeld” vet Julia Louis-Dreyfus and a handful of improv veterans like Tony Hale and Matt Walsh, Veep has all the quick witted retorts and lightning fast dialogue that has become a trademark of Iannucci productions, but also features the slapstick sensibilities of SNL vet Louis-Dreyfus as well. Set in the ‘other offices’ not in the white house, Veep explores the desperation and idiosyncrasies of a power hungry woman that cannot manage to escape the mediocrity that surrounds her position.
Veep Season 1 Blu-ray
Starring: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Anna Chlumsky, Tony Hale, Reid Scott, Timothy Simons, Matt Walsh and Sufe Bradshaw
Created by Armando Iannucci
‘Iron Man 3’ starts the summer box office off on the right foot
On the heels of last year’s mega smash hit “The Avengers” Marvel Studios and Disney, in partnership with Paramount Pictures, brings us the newest installment of one of the Avenger’s key players, Iron Man 3. With this film, Robert Downey Jr. fulfills his Tony Stark contract quota and has fuelled speculation that he may be done donning the iron suit for good. Whether this is the case or not, it would be hard to argue that he has not left the character in a far better place than he started with it.
Iron Man 3
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Ben Kingsley, Rebecca Hall, James Badge Dale, William Sadler and Jon Favreau
Written by Drew Pearce and Shane Black
Directed by Shane Black
Hot Docs 2013: Essential Viewing ‘Valentine Road’
The seaside town of Oxnard, California, was shattered in 2008 by the shooting death of Lawrence “Larry” King, a 15-year-old biracial, gay/transgendered student. Who was the killer? Larry’s 14-year-old classmate crush Brandon McInerney. The question became was this a hate crime, a retaliation against unwanted advance or something much more complex? Did flamboyant Larry, who liked to crochet, wear makeup and don heels, push his attacker, an emerging white supremacist, over the edge with his advances? It sure made for catchy headlines and drew attention to the plight of LGBT teens, as well as the overwhelmed educational and juvenile justice systems.
Valentine Road
Director: Marta Cunningham
Valentine Road is a masterfully crafted documentary and one of the highlights of this year’s Hot Docs lineup. The film manages to be heart wrenching, maddeningly infuriating and inspirational all at the same time. (more…)
Hot Docs 2013: 5 Films that need your attention
Hot Docs 2013: 5 Films that need your attention
With Hot Docs in full swing starting today after last night’s gala premiere of “The Manor”, here’s a quick checklist of 5 films that should not be missed. With the over 100 films playing this year this is far from a comprehensive list of the best films overall, but these are some definite winners.
#5- Downloaded
Director Alex Winter’s documentary about the rise and fall of Napster is a very funny and informative dissection of the rise and fall of Sean Fanning and Sean Parker’s (more…)
Alex Winter uploads his thoughts on ‘Downloaded’ (Interview)
Alex Winter uploads his thoughts on ‘Downloaded’
With his new documentary “Downloaded” having it’s Hot Docs debut tonight, Alex Winter has finally graduated from being Bill from “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” into a seriously talented documentarian with a sharp eye for story and humor. The film is a rousing crowd pleaser and one of the most sought after tickets from this year’s fest. I got to sit down with Mr. Winter for a brief Q&A about the film.
Movie Junkie TO (MJ) -Thanks for taking some timeout to speak with me today Alex. I got to see the film the other day and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the film. I was working in a music store when the Napster thing exploded so I had a very personal relationship to what I was seeing. What was your introduction to the story and how did you get involved in telling this story? (more…)
Napster is dissected in the new Doc ‘Downloaded’
Downloaded
Director: Alex Winter
In 1998, teenage hacker Shawn Fanning cracked the code that enabled peer-to-peer file sharing online. In 1999, he partnered with his friend and fellow teen Sean Parker (later of Facebook fame) to launch a little service known as Napster. The music-sharing website transformed not only the music industry, but technology as a whole. It sparked a revolution and became the touchstone of a new, digital generation. Filmmaker Alex Winter is granted near unlimited access to Fanning and his collaborators, as well as to a roster of famous musicians including (more…)
Hot Docs 2013: Mini Reviews Part 1
The time has finally arrived and Toronto yet again will bask in the documentary glow that the Hot Docs Film Festival radiates every year. This year will mark the 20th edition of the now legendary festival and features a very strong line up, perhaps one of the strongest of all of it’s editions. Here’s reviews of 4 of the festival’s films, with more to come.
The coverage on Examiner for Hot Docs 2103 (more…)
Hot Docs 2013 – Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer is a must see
Meet Pussy Riot, the feminist punk collective that’s openly challenging the Russian Orthodox Church and President Vladimir Putin. They became infamous for invading the altar of St. Christ Church in Moscow and shocking worshipers with a raunchy song about a sexual coupling between Putin and the church. Three members of the collective were sentenced to three years in a penal colony. Such harsh punishment for a little disorderly conduct served as a clear demonstration of the church’s influence on the state and the state’s influence on the judiciary and brought Pussy Riot global attention.
Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer
Directed by Maxim Pozdorovkin and Mike Lerner
Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer may turn out to be the most vital film playing this year at Hot Docs. The film is paced brilliantly (more…)
Hot Docs 2013: Dayani Cristal and Muscle Shoals
Hot Docs is upon us again! The 2013 edition marks the 20th edition and it looks to be one of the strongest lineups ever. Here is a couple of the films playing over the 11 days of the festival.
‘Deadball’ rounds all the bases on DVD and Blu-ray
New to Blu-ray and DVD from Well Go USAEntertainment and Sushi Typhoon studios is director Yudai Yamaguchi’s follow up to his 2003 cult hit “Battlefield Baseball”, Deadball. The further blood drenched misadventures of juvenile delinquent Jubeh, played again by Tak Sakaguchi, play as a higher budgeted remake of the first film, with a different opponent this time around, and features some of the more ingenious tongue in cheek sequences in the Sushi Typhoon history. So how does this trip to the baseball diamond compare to other Sushi Typhoon outing s?
Deadball
Starring: Tak Sakaguchi, Mari Hoshino, Miho Ninagawa, Takamasa Suga
Written by KeitaTokaji
Directed Yudai Yamaguchi
Baseball prodigy Jubeh Yakyu (Sakaguchi) is the most feared and dangerous juvenile delinquent in all of Japan. After accidentally causing the death of his father with a super-powered, deadly fireball pitch, (more…)
‘Luv’ packs some heart in a familiar story
New to DVD from Indomina Releasing is the acclaimed sophomore drama from director Sheldon Candis that impressed many at last year’s Sundance Film Festival, Luv. The film stars a stellar cast of African American actors in this unique coming of story. Centered by a strong performance from 12 year old Rainey Jr will Luv deliver enough to warrant a purchase?
Luv
Starring: Common, Michael Rainey Jr,Danny Glover, Dennis Haysbert, Danny Glover, Charles S Dutton, Lonette McKee, Michael Kenneth Williams and Megan Good
Written by Justin Wilson and Sheldon Candis
Directed by Sheldon Candis
‘Wrong’ rolls into the Lightbox from ‘Rubber’ director Quentin Dupieux
Starting an exclusive run at the TIFF Bell Lightbox this weekend, infamous director and musician Quentin Dupieux, aka Mr Oizo, the director of the movie about a car tire on a killing spree ‘Rubber’, is back with his newest absurdist comedy ‘Wrong’. With Rubber being an extremely divisive film, and Dupieux’s penchant for the bizarre, Wrong is sure to not just be simple a story of a man trying to find his lost dog, but among the other distractions and flights of fancy from Dupieux it also is simply that story. But will the director’s latest opus be worthy of a trip down to the Lightbox for the experience?
Wrong
Starring Jack Plotnick, Eric Judor, Alexis Dziena, William Fichtner, Steve Little and Regan Burns
Written and Directed by Quentin Dupieux
Terrence Malick returns and takes us ‘To The Wonder’
Starting at the Varsity Cineplex Odeon this week is the latest from prolific and polarizing filmmaker Terrence Malick, To The Wonder. After decades where Malick was silent and not producing film his recent efforts have come in bunches with To The Wonder and Tree of Life only a year apart and Malick currently working on 3 projects all due by end of year 2014. To The Wonder has Malick pondering love and faith, and the loss of both of them.
To The Wonder
Starring: Ben Affleck, Olga Kurylenko, Rachel McAdams, Javier Bardem
Written and Directed by Terrence Malick
‘Oblivion’ feels very familiar, but looks stunning
Starring: Tom Cruise, Andrea Riseborough, Olga Kurylenko, Zoe Bell, Melissa Leo andMorgan Freeman
Written by Joseph Kosinski, Karl Gajdusek and Michael Arndt
Directed by Joseph Kosinski
New in theaters this week is the new Science Fiction action/thriller from the director ofTron: Legacy starring Tom Cruise, Oblivion. The first of many apocalyptic earth films to be unleashed in theaters this year, this summer’s After Earth and fall’s Snowpiercer still to come; Oblivion is a beautiful looking epic that despite a small cast is very grand in scale. The question is will the film be original enough to outshine its competition?
2077: Jack Harper (Cruise) serves as a security repairmen stationed on an evacuated Earth with his partner Victoria (Riseborough) (more…)
Toronto Jewish Film Festival: Mini Reviews
Starting April 11th on screens across Toronto is the 21 edition of the Toronto Jewish Film Festival (TJFF). The prestigious festival has been bringing the best and most diverse of Jewish cinema to the city for more than 2 decades and this year’s crop looks to do the same with gripping documentaries and inventive horror films marking the reviews over the next pages.
For more information about the festival, additional films playing and showtime/ticket (more…)
‘The Place Beyond the Pines’ falls short of the mark
“Blue Valentine” director Derek Cianfrance returns, with his lead actor from Valentine Ryan Gosling in tow, to brings us his vision of an epic crime saga that spans a generation with the much hyped film that debuted at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, The Place Beyond the Pines. Also bringing along Bradley Cooper and rising star Dane DeHaan this time around, director Cianfrance is attempting a much larger in scope and scale story with Place Beyond the Pines, but will the film have more intention and purpose behind the script, or be more about observation and character like Blue Valentine?
The Place Beyond the Pines
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, Rose Byrne, Dane DeHaan, Emory Cohen, Ben Mendelsohn, Ray Liotta, Bruce Greenwood and Harris Yulin
Written by Derek Cianfrance, Ben Coccio and Darius Marder
Directed by Derek Cianfrance
‘Tormented 3D’ marks a return to form for Takashi Shimizu
Back in 2002, in the middle of the boom of the Japanese Horror (J-Horror for short) craze in North America that arrived after the release of “The Ring” remake, director Takashi Shimizureleased his blockbuster smash Ju-on: The Grudge. For a while Shimizu was on top of the genre with the Ju-on sequel and the American remakes that he directed himself. But ever since the lackluster results of the Grudge 2 American sequel, Shimizu has failed to recapture the acclaim he once had in North American with a string of disappointing films that have not connected with audiences. New to Blu-ray from Well Go USA Entertainment, Tormented aims to mark a return to form for Shimizu and re-establish his name as a leader in the genre.
Tormented 3D Blu-ray Review
Starring: Hikari Mitsushima, Takeru Shibuya, Tamaki Ogawa, Teruyuki Kagawa and Nao Ohmori
Written by Sôtarô Hayashi, Daisuke Hosaka and Takashi Shimizu
Directed by Takashi Shimizu
Daigo (Shibuya) doesn’t speak anymore, not since he killed that rabbit on the playground at school. (more…)
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