Having its international premiere this evening at 9:15 at the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema, is what may be my favorite documentary at the festival so far. With additional screenings on Tuesday May 3 at 3:45 at the Isabel Bader Theatre, and again at 9:15 on Saturday May 7, with a final screening at the…
Category: Did You See That?!? (Tv & Film)
Hot Docs 2016: Wizard Mode -Nathan Drillot & Jeff Petry
Robert Gagno is a brilliantly talented pinball wizard, he is also autistic. And amidst the flashing lights, electronic sounds, and crowds of people, he comes of age as he travels to Pinburgh, the pinball competition mecca of the world. Wizard Mode introduces us to Robert, a young man, with an easy smile, a knack…
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) – Rupert Wyatt
Ten years after the last film, Fox reinvigorated the Planet of the Apes series as I continue my exploration of it with the Sci-Fi Chronicles book. Featuring a stunning performance by mo-cap superstar, Andy Serkis, and emotional performances from both James Franco, and John Lithgow, the film gets the series back on track after…
Toronto Screenwriting Conference 2016 Day 2
The creativity and writing began early as day 2 of the Toronto Screenwriting Conference got underway this morning with showrunner Stephen Falk (Orange is the New Black, Weeds, and You’re the Worst) took to the stage to talks about how to break a season, or specifically how he and his writer’s room, break a…
Hot Docs 2016: Cheer Up – Christy Garland
Having its World Premiere this evening at Scotiabank at 7pm is this charming, emotional, little gem, that takes us to northern reaches of Finland’s Arctic Circle, and into the lives of some wonderful young women, cheerleaders, who have big hearts, and bigger dreams. Led by their coach Miia, this cheerleading team tries to win…
Hot Docs 2016: Fear Itself – Charlie Lyne
Screening this evening at 10pm at the Lightbox, and again on May 3rd at 3:45pm, before moving to the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema for a final screening om May 4 at 9:45pm. An experiential film, a solo voice, that of Amy E. Watson, guides the narrative as she recalls and experiences fear as brought…
The Proposition (2005) -John Hillcoat
The next recommendation following my screening of Night of the Hunter for the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book is this Australian western that sees a lawman, Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone) apprehend notorious outlaw Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce) and offers him a deal, he has nine days to track down and kill…
Toronto Screenwriting Conference 2016 Day One
Not that I need a break from Hot Docs yet, if ever, but there is a lot going on this weekend, and Sue and I were delighted to be invited back for our fourth time to cover the Toronto Screenwriting Conference. The conference is always amazing, and Sue and I start with the best…
Hot Docs 2016: The Slippers – Morgan White
Movie history, Hollywood dreams, conspiracies, finger-pointing, millions of dollars, back-stabbing, and the most iconic items in cinema history, Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz are the topics up for perusal in White’s documentary, The Slippers. Having its Canadian Premiere this afternoon at the Lightbox at 3:15pm, the film delves into the world…
Hot Docs 2016: Operation Avalanche – Matt Johnson
It’s right there in the title, Operation Avalanche, it’s a snow job. This faux documentary is played straight, pretending to be a film edited together from film shot by a pair of agents (Matt Johnson and Owen Williams) posing as filmmakers, working on a documentary about the Apollo program at the height of the…
The Mind Reels 