RKS Literature: Working in a Harlem Hospital (James Baldwin)

“ I didn’t spend as many hours as she did, for example in the corridors of Harlem Hospital; wasn’t surrounded, as she was, by the stink of blood, the rattle of expiring life; the cold, brutal high-pitched siren of our indifference: On Saturday nights, they pick up a torso here, some legs there, over yonder, a head, one eye here, some legs there, over yonder, some guts draping the garbage can, and they do everything else they can find into a croker sack and bring it to the hospital and say, sew it up! And you know? It’s hard to believe it, but- sometimes we do. And they walk out in the morning, don’t even say thank you.”

James Baldwin “Just Above My Head”, 1979.

RKS 2023 Wine: From Côtes Catalanes

Lafage Narassa 2020 is from 50-year-old plus vines and is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah. It was from grapes harvested in September and November and then blended.

Aroma: Blackberries, blueberries, plums, licorice and a smattering of dark chocolate.

Palate: Just a bit of momentary sweetness as part of the grapes used in the blend were intentionally overripened. While one might categorize the wine as made from hot weather grapes which it might be that touch of sweetness soothes the heat and leaves in its wake a smooth ride and a heap, of very ripe strawberries.

Personality: You may initially contemplate a hot and heavy wine and as far as your palate is concerned you may be correct. But take me a step further and take a sip and you might find me almost elegant if such is possible with 15% induced heat.

Food Match: Just about any pasta dish made with fresh local tomatoes is key.

Cellarbility: Drinking window now until 2027.

Price: $24.95 CDN.

RKS 2023 Wine Rating: 90/100. Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com 91.

(Lafage Narassa 2020, IGP Côtes de Catalanes, Famille Lafage, Perpignan, France, 750 mL, 15%).

RKS Literature: “Surrounded By Junkies and Sleepwalkers” (James Baldwin)

“It’s like we used to say in church, and its still true-the sinner can’t be saved unless he knows he is a sinner. And you surrounded by junkies child. This is a nation of sleepwalkers, and they can’t wake up” She reaches out, and touches Tony’s face, lightly. “And death comes baby, that’s all. It’s best when death comes, that he wrap his arms around you, and take you with him. Death can strike you and leave you grinning where you are-like a skeleton with clothes on. It’s happening around us every day. You just look around you, when you walk out tomorrow morning.”

James Baldwin “Just Over My Head”, 1979

RKS 2023 Film: “Mother of The Station”: Heartfelt Doc of Greek Women Emigrating to Germany

“Mother of the Station” is a Greek documentary presenting a historical and very pictorial story about two waves of Greek emigration to Germany with a focus on Greek women in two waves one in 1960-1973 and another following the Greek economic crisis of 2010. In both waves there is pain and hardship on Greek families particularly amongst children of these Greek emigrants to Germany. Sort of a “Twilight Zone” being caught between two cultures and languages but some of these emigrants feeling neither Greek nor German particularly in the first wave. While the first wave of Greek women emigrating it was poverty in the rural areas, particularly in Northern Greece that caused a huge wave. Employment contracts were signed in Greece and at the employer’s expense Greek women and their families ended up in Germany but not the entire family at once. Some left families and children behind to be minded by grandparents.  The newer wave saw many professionals emigrating.

As is the story of many immigrants the plan was stay of a relatively short time and return to Greece with a nest egg but once children were immersed in the German educational system there was less incentive to return to Greece.

Most of the dialogue is from emigrants and their children in the first wave and one learns the challenges and in some causes trauma of having to leave behind family and establish a life in Germany. This is the forté of the documentary with these personal stories brought into the context of comments from a historian and a economist but it is the personal stories one will remember.

Since the end of WW II over three million Greeks emigrated from Greece.

You can watch the trailer here https://www.filmfestival.gr/en/movie-tdf/movie/14862

The documentary premiered at the 25th Thessaloniki International Film Festival last year and is directed by Kostula Tomadaki.

RKS 2023 Film Rating 81/100.

RKS 2023 Film: “Doppelgängers”: A 90 Day Fiancé Phantasmagorical Voyage?

There are numerous people out in social media land that are curious or perhaps obsessed with finding their double and social media is the engine that stokes it all.

In the documentary “Doppelgängers” are further explored through the experiences of 6 individuals. And through a doppelgänger historian and psychologist some reasons for the rising popularity of doppelgänging are given.

But first what is a doppelgänger? One definition is that it is a non biological twin.

Do doppelgängers have anything in common other than looking similar? A personality test can assist in this determination and amongst the 6 individuals exact similarities were not present but proximate ones may be. It is the mere connection of meeting a double, as another in the flesh human being, that can spark a friendship more than having identical looks. You have met a lookalike so what a reason for furthering that into a friendship which is what all 6 individuals in the documentary walk away with.

Doppelgängers from a mythical and folklore perspective are often evil seeking to “take over” another human being.

Why doppelgäng? For the 6 individuals in the documentary some wanted the sibling they never had or a sibling that died at a young age so they never had the chance to grow up with. Wanting now what they never could have. It can be an instant connection into intimacy, trust and a family they never had. Could it be the enforced isolation wrought by COVID added fuel to the doppelgänger fad or is it social media that made connecting to your doppelgänger easier? Is it a hobby, addiction or obsession or a combination of three and which the documentary does not discuss.

A rather light and fluffy documentary but very worthy of a rubberneck view without any messy carnage. A 90 Day Fiancé fantasy voyage!

Written and directed by Deborah Wainright.

“Doppelgängers: Face to Face” premiers on Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s “The Passionate Eye” on 18October on CBC Gem and CBC TV at 20:00 hours.

RKS 2023 Film Rating 82/100.

RKS 2023 Film: “The Traveler”: Greek International Film Festival Tour of Canada (GIFFT): Suspense 101

2023 will be the third year for GIFFT and it is packed with full length, short films and documentaries from Greece or films produced by Greeks outside of Greece. The Greek film industry has developed to a level of excellence over the last 10 years and here is a chance for Canadians to immerse themselves in it showing feature films in 11 Canadian cites. Feature films will be in person but the non “top tier” full length films may be seen online throughout Canada. For further information including cost and scheduling go to www.gifft.ca.

A man walks along a Canadian country road in the blazing sun. After a couple of minutes you might start thinking what exactly is transpiring here. But there are no clues except perhaps for the initial credits in an old western movie script from the 1950’s. An old Western style campfire harmonica riff and a bell tolling like in some Clint Eastwood spaghetti western offers a flavour but no hint. And then clicking of a camera photographing the walker. The walker knows he is being followed and challenges whomever that may be to “come and get him”. It looks like an old-fashioned Hollywood western gunfight is being suggested! A combination of Hitchcock’s “Rear Window” and “Hang em High”?

Does this Canadian short give the viewer a lesson that suspense can be brief and simple yet effectively spellbinding?

“The Traveler” was directed and written by Connor Nikedes and the traveler is Taylor Nikedes.

To determine how and when to view refer to the website referred to above.

RKS 2023 Film Rating 86/100.

RKS 2023 Film: “Iman”: Greek International Film Festival Tour of Canada (GIFFT): Deception and Loneliness Begets Explosive Conclusions

2023 will be the third year for GIFFT and it is packed with full length, short films and documentaries from Greece or films produced by Greeks outside of Greece. The Greek film industry has developed to a level of excellence over the last 10 years and here is a chance for Canadians to immerse themselves in it showing feature films in 11 Canadian cites. Feature films will be in person but the non “top tier” full length films may be seen online throughout Canada. For further information including cost and scheduling go to www.gifft.ca.

The Cypriot film “Iman” is loaded with social relativism dealing with loneliness, deception, delusion, corporate greed, political corruption, physical and psychological violence, fanaticism, religious hatred, the migrant swell in Greece and the groundswell against it and connections between the seemingly unconnected.

Three stories that initially appear unconnected slowly meld into coherent whole grabbing the intellect of the viewer and when all is about to conclude in many possible ways I found myself almost shouting, “NO! Not Now!”

I have 7 pages of notes on the film but if I say much more I will ruin it for you. So I will skirt around it all and take the high road. All the characters in the film are deluded and suffer a rude awakening of which only some can escape whether it be fanatical Islam, the asshole boyfriend or double-dealing corporatism.

To sum up be prepared for a complex and layered plot but where it all ends both you and I can only guess. Who can ever control their destiny?

Highly professional production and a salute to the excellence of Greek filmmaking.

You can see the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jp31Gk_Kmp8

Immaculate acting throughout.

Directed by Corinna Avraamidou and Kyriacos Tofarides.

Check the website mentioned above to determine when and if the film will be showing in your Canadian city.

RKS 2023 Film Rating 95/100.

RKS 2023 Film: Hot Docs Citizen Minutes: “Rising From The Ashes”: Depanneur Sylvestre

Citizen Minutes is a collection of Canadian short documentaries highlighting ordinary Canadians doing extraordinary things “to make their communities better places” at least according to Hot Docs. The series of shorts will be playing in select Canadian cities.

In this case it is a depanneur in Gatineau Quebec that was converted into a community drop-in centre named Depanneur Sylvestre in 2002 in an attempt to deal with social isolation i.e., a lack of social connection which for some people can lead to loneliness.

Visitors to the Depanneur Sylvestre suffer from loneliness and isolation for a variety of reasons that include physical and mental disease. By the way “depanneur” is a particular Quebec concept denoting perhaps what can be called a convenience store. The visitors affectionately refer to it as the DEP. We hear from residents and volunteer management and it is all very positive. Depanneur Sylvestre has been awarded a Quebec Lieutenant Governor Award of Merit. The concept of the old general store is the essence of Depanneur Sylvestre . Group together, chat and communicate.

We hear post COVID all these wonderful and grand government initiatives to improve mental health often focusing on impersonal “mental health” modules and call-in lines. An institutional approach but Depanneur Sylvestre is a grassroots initiative supported financially by the community and some governmental assistance. With Depanneur Sylvestre do we learn that grassroots initiatives surpass the glossy high-profile media lauded cold and impersonal solutions devised by governments whose COVID “public health initiatives” sparked social isolation for the greater good?

“Rising from the Ashes” is just over 10 minutes and is directed by Sara Ben-Saud. A citizen initiative shows the power of true organic community-based programmes.

Each screening of these collection of docs will be free and followed by an audience Q&A “with the goal of inspiring collaborative dialogue about civic engagement and the many forms it can take” according to Hot Docs.

Theatrical dates in Canada are;

October 16th – Rio Theatre, Vancouver, BC, 6:30 pm – Host Angela Steritt

October 25th – Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, Toronto, ON, 6:30 pm – CBC Host Ismaila Alfa and a special guest performance by Akitone.

November 9th – Calgary Central Library, Calgary, AB, 6:30 pm – CBC Host Angela Knight

November 27th – Cinema Du Musée – Montreal, QC, 6:30 pm – CBC Daybreak Host Sean Henry 

November 27th – Halifax Central Library, Halifax, NS, 6:30 pm  – CBC Host Preston Mulligan and a special guest performance by comedian Janelle Niles.

RKS 2023 Film: “The Baker”: An Unlikely Family Team Against the Nasties

Pappi (Ron Perlman) is a baker in a small Floridian island town. His appearance is imposing but heck he is a senior who we see has certain violent “militaristic” flashbacks. A bit of mystery.

His son Pete so happens to be napping in a Miami airport parking lot early one morning and a drug transaction involving pink packets of super test heroin gets violent and all involved are killed but an orange bag containing the smack is left behind and Pete can’t resist taking it. He takes his preteen daughter Delfi (Emma Ho) to his father Pappi the Baker so he can go out solo to find a buyer for the narcotics. The Baker and Pete haven’t spoken in years and The Baker has never met his granddaughter but gets stuck with her for “just a day” as requested by Pete so he can make some deal back on the mainland to dispose of the smack. Delphi, traumatized since her mother died in a vehicle accident does not speak. Vic (Elias Koteas) is waiting for Pete when he returns to the mainland at Pete’s home and beats him badly and then whacks him. Vic works for Merchant (Harvey Keitel) a nasty man who says wars are for the young to fight and not the old but he wants the smack which that little airport massacre prevented from being delivered to him.

The Baker goes on a search for his son Pete with Delphi in tow. After many bloody fights it is quite apparent The Baker has military training and despite his age deals savagely with the thugs, young men of course, sent his way to annihilate him. Delphi is instructed by The Baker to wear welding glasses when violence is imminent so when doing she looks like a Mad Max character.

The Baker finds the body of Pete guided by Vic with The Baker’s gun to his head.

Surprisingly The Baker hands over the smack to  Merchant. Merchant knows The Baker and refers to him as The Butcher. Don’t leave the theatre until the final credits stop rolling. A ruthless gangster with a guilty conscience will deliver a surprise. Like me will you jump out of your seat.

Solid acting throughout. Although Keitel has a bit part he has morphed from his youthful violence of “Taxi Driver” into a senior diplomatic thug with sage philosophy! Really workable relationship between Perlman and Ho.

You can see the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_R8scO_HEE

Major Canadian release on September 30, 2023.

RKS 2023 Film Rating 90/100.

RKS 2023 Film: “Imbroglio”: Greek International Film Festival Tour of Canada (GIFFT): Brutality Begets Brutality

2023 will be the third year for GIFFT and it is packed with full length, short films and documentaries from Greece or films produced by Greeks outside of Greece. The Greek film industry has developed to a level of excellence over the last 10 years and here is a chance for Canadians to immerse themselves in it showing feature films in 11 Canadian cites. Feature films will be in person but the non “top tier” full length films may be seen online throughout Canada. For further information including cost and scheduling go to www.gifft.ca.

Imbroglio means a confusing and complicated situation. This short film may have it wrong.

Sergeant Tim Baker (Konstantinos Simsiris) of the British army parachutes into a mountainous area of Greece. During the German occupation of Greece Allied headquarters in Cairo through its SOE (special operations executive) made many drops of weapons, munitions and saboteurs to the Greek resistance operating in mountainous areas of Greece.

Baker witnesses the brutality of the Greek resistance towards those perceived to be collaborators. I emphasize perceived here as a lawyer hearsay evidence is most often excluded in litigation evidence. More generous is exclusion of hearsay evidence as opposed to it being deadly.

Directed by Dimitris Papagiannopoulos.

This Greek short will be showing in theatre in Toronto on 29 September. Check the website first appearing above to determine if it is playing in your city.

RKS 2023 Film Rating 76/100.