Anne Wheeler is perhaps best known as an Albertan documentarian and filmmaker. In the narrow sense this book is a chronicle of several life events in the 1970’s that shaped her into the filmmaker that she is. However in a more expansive sense it a universal story about certain events in our life that shapeContinue reading ““Taken by the Muse”: On the Path of Becoming a Filmmaker”: Seemingly random events shaping your life”
Category Archives: film
“Amityville Poltergeist”: Where is the horror?
Here’s a typical horror movie with perhaps a twist which might be totally out in leftfield but when you make a movie be prepared for possible multiple interpretations. Quickly then to the plot. After losing his mother to cancer Jim (Parris Bates) moves out of town leaving his father and sister behind. He hangs withContinue reading ““Amityville Poltergeist”: Where is the horror?”
“Moby Doc”: The Highs and the Lows
This is an autobiographical documentary featuring musician Moby who started with punk and moved to electro. He had a miserable childhood with an alcoholic father who died when Moby was a tot. The parents were arguing incessantly. His only solace were his pets and then music as he took to playing a guitar one ofContinue reading ““Moby Doc”: The Highs and the Lows”
“The Long Way Back “: Some Reflections on an Indie Film
Breaking Glass Pictures (BGP) in Philadelphia has an interesting portfolio of films they have sent my way over the past few years. Not all are great but some are gaspingly delightful and not to mention the LGBTQ film inventory they have. And they don’t carry the Hollywood slop I have little interest in. In theContinue reading ““The Long Way Back “: Some Reflections on an Indie Film”
“I’m Wanita”: Wanita’s Big Chance!: Toronto Hot Docs
This is my last Hot Docs Film to be reviewed and after seeing so many serious and less than cheerful documentaries I came across one from Down Under “I’m Wanita” that is a bit more relaxing than being enshrined in doom. Wanita, a hard drinking and party animal and former sex trade worker is aContinue reading ““I’m Wanita”: Wanita’s Big Chance!: Toronto Hot Docs”
Markdale Dies and Is Reborn Thanks to Obscenely High Toronto Real Estate Prices
Two hours from Toronto lies the town of Markdale. Jesse McCracken takes us there to film his father and grandfather and Markdale. After all this is where he grew up and drifted away from this town of 1,500 in the Grey Highlands Municipality. There is no doubt the town was on the verge of totalContinue reading “Markdale Dies and Is Reborn Thanks to Obscenely High Toronto Real Estate Prices”
“The Last Forest” (A Última Floresta): The Next Step Genocide? Toronto Hot Docs
The Yanomami indigenous people live in Northern Brazil and in Southern Venezuela. They have been there for at least 1,000 years which is 500 years longer that the nation states of Brazil and Venezuela. The greed of gold, oil natural resources and hydro electric projects threatens the indigenous way of life. The processing of goldContinue reading ““The Last Forest” (A Última Floresta): The Next Step Genocide? Toronto Hot Docs”
“Any Given Day”: Insider’s perspective on mental illness; Toronto Hot Docs
Director, writer and producer Margaret Byrne takes us down a road that is a long journey where it seems impossible to ever reach a happy destination. The road we travel upon is mental illness in Chicago where Chicago’s Cook County offered a specialized probation for mental illness diagnosed detainees. A special court geared to provideContinue reading ““Any Given Day”: Insider’s perspective on mental illness; Toronto Hot Docs”
“The Doll”: Iran’s Progressive Morals on Display: Toronto Hot Docs
In today’s “progressive” Iran a 35-year-old father Alireza who considers himself a “enlightened traditionalist” considers marrying off his 14-year-old grade 9 daughter Asal to Soroush a medical student in university. If it wasn’t so sad and disgraceful it might be a comedy. As we hear from various relatives about the pros and cons of theContinue reading ““The Doll”: Iran’s Progressive Morals on Display: Toronto Hot Docs”
“Archipelago”: A Dreamy and Poetic Journey: Toronto Hot Docs
Félix Dufour-Laperrière’s “Archipelago” is an animated dreamy poetic journey in which 12 different animators show their style of animation. The narration is at times poetic and very fluid. This in contrast to an old newsreel narrated in a 1950’s style. I think the newsreel was called “Les ÎIes de St. Laurent” taking a voyage fromContinue reading ““Archipelago”: A Dreamy and Poetic Journey: Toronto Hot Docs”
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