The Weekend In Movies: You're seeing Ratatouille.

Happy Canada Day Weekend everyone! I hope you have something fun planned for this weekend and enjoy another great birthday for this awesome country we call home.

And to celebrate you wacky Victoria residents, you're going to get off your bums, go down to the Capitol 6, Star Cinema, Silvercity, Caprice or University 4, walk up to the box office and demand tickets for...

Ratatouille - **** One of the most joyous cinematic experiences this year (besides Grindhouse, of course), Ratatouille is the story of a lovable rat named Remy who wants nothing more than to cook at the prestigious eatery Gusteau's in Paris, and the relationship that he makes with a "garbage boy" who works at the eatery that is losing its star rating.

This film is for anyone who loves not just a great story but a great cinematic experience (and it's also the first animated film I've ever seen that has left me HUNGRY as the credits were rolling). Not only that, Remy is one of the most beautifully realized characters in a film this year and it will only take you five minutes to fall in love with him. The story and themes are universal, the animation is so good that you'll forget about computers and digital trickery and go along with the visual beauty, the voice casting is top notch and the film finalizes on a sequence so wonderful and just bizarre enough that you'll never want it to end.

I want you to see this film so much, in fact, that I'm posting the showtimes right here for your convenience:

Capitol 6 - Daily @ 12:40, 3:30, 7:00 & 9:40
Silvercity - Daily @ 12:45, 3:45, 7:00 & 10:00
Star Cinema - Daily @ 7:00pm. Additional Friday & Saturday @ 9:15; Matiness Sat-Thu @ 2pm
University 4 - Daily @ 1:00, 3:50, 7:00 & 9:30
Caprice - Fri, Tue & Wed @ 2:00, 7:00 & 9:25; Sat - Mon @ 1:00, 3:30, 7:00 & 9:25

Don't know how to get there? Google Maps will help you. So you have the showtimes and the maps. You now officially have no excuse.

Here's the film you are seeing this weekend. I don't want to hear about how busy you are, or how you're not interested in an animated film or how you would rather see Evan Almigthy. No, you're going to this lovable, wonderful movie. Trust me, I guarantee you will love it.

Full review on efilmcritic.com this friday.

Sicko (***1/2) -- Surprisingly, this excellent new documentary from Michael Moore is not getting as wide of a release as anticipated. Only scheduled on one screen at the downtown Odeon, you still have access to Moore's take on how dreadful and careless the health care system is down in the United States.

Live Free or Die Hard -- While it opened on Wednesday, here's another mention of the long-delayed Part Four to the Die Hard series. Not sure exactly how badly we need a fourth entry into this series, but nevertheless I'm curious to see how director Len Wiseman (Underworld) handles a PG-13 Die Hard. (Silvercity, Odeon, University 4)

Evening -- I want to tell you to go see this unapologetic weeper of a family story that spans a few generations. I want to tell you that I'm a fan of director Lajos Koltai (Fateless) and can shoot a beautiful picture from a mile away. I want to tell you that I have had a massive crush on Claire Danes and can't wait to see her in Cinemascope. And I'll see it, because it's my gig and I see everything except for Nancy Drew. But for you, the moviegoer that goes to one movie a week, if that...you're going to Ratatouille, I'm sorry. (Capitol)

The Transformers -- Fuck Michael Bay. That is all. (Silvercity, Odeon, University 4)

Wild Safari: The IMAX Experience - FINALLY shuffling up the dull-as-nails IMAX schedule (and even moreso on 7/13 when Spidey 3 opens in the blown-out 'MAX format) is yet another doco that pretty much explains itself in the title. It's wild! It's safari! What, you thought this was about the Isreal-Palestine conflict?

Also:

With all the big movies opening this weekend and that Brad Bird movie I'm urging you to see, the fine Vancouver-based film Everything's Gone Green screens at UVIC Cinecenta on Sunday. This is Douglas Coupland's first foray into screenwriting and he does a great job.

Also, if you're up for an interesting experience on Monday, swing by the Eric Martin Pavillion and check out The Journals of Knud Rasmussen playing at Movie Monday. From the director of The Fast Runner, this is another look at the arctic life that you'll otherwise never get to see.

Bon appetit.

Jason
efilmcritic.com

The Top 10 Films of 2007...So Far!

I finally found some free time in my crazy schedule and published my annual mid-year Top 10 on efilmcritic.com. This has been one hell of a great year so far for movies, and I look forward with great eagerness to see what the rest of the year holds in store.

The best films of 2007 so far:

1. Grindhouse
2. The Lives of Others
3. Paris Je T'aime
4. The Wind That Shakes The Barley
5. Knocked Up
6. Bridge to Terabithia
7. Vitus
8. The Lookout
9. Breach
10. Away From Her

Worst films: 1. Because I Said So, 2. Love and Other Dilemmas, 3. Wild Hogs, 4. The Reaping, 5. The Ex.

This list is current until June 15th. I really wanted to showcase Away From Her which is a knockout film from Ms. Sarah Polley. Ratatouille opens on Friday and will give this whole list some shaking up. Not to mention a LOT of press later this week.

Click HERE to read the whole article.

Jason
efilmcritic.com

It's just an AFI list, people.

The folks down at the American Film Institute have updated their "100 Years, 100 Movies" list with a new Top 100 based on critics and filmmakers who have voted for their favorite American films. Citizen Kane has taken the cake, as it has in the past (and should), and all I'm thinking is "What, no GRINDHOUSE?"

Of course I'm kidding. But since people are more drawn to complain rather than to embrace, this list has immediately drawn fire from people who automatically think that since THEIR movie isn't on the AFI list, immediately the list is worthless. "How can they put X movie on there when Y movie is better?" Then along comes someone else going "How can they put Y movie on there when X movie is better?" It reminds me of the Oscars, where everyone suddenly thinks they're the authority on the awards, everyone disagrees and nothing is resolved except for a lot of useless pissing and moaning from people who secretly like to detest film. The act gets old and tired pretty damn quick, and people forget that we all bring our own attitudes towards film. We should be asking ourselves what we love about this medium if all we do is be so cynical.

This reminds me of why I enjoy going to the Vancouver Film Festival every year. No one agrees on anything. "Paris Je T'aime" and "The Lives of Others" were my favorites of VIFF '06, yet you could find as many people who detested it as much as people who adored them. The annual visit to this festival is a powerful reminder to think for yourself and not to let someone "higher" in power sway your opinion. You just think differently than they do. And that's good.

When I saw the AFI list back in 1998, I didn't need to agree with it. What I took from the show was its underlining power: "Hey, here are some good looking films that I need to go check out on DVD!" And I did. And for any aspiring film students or avid filmgoers who are looking to see some better movies in this day and age of Shrek The Third, this can be a great benefit. It is also a benefit to have interviews with established filmmakers, writers, actors and film scholars to give their reasons for why they adored each film.

If anything, the AFI, -- which in itself is a great film institution -- does a lot of good (I have a few friends enrolled there currently), and I think these lists and shows that air on TV are a good thing. If I can offer a critisicm, however, I really feel that the shows should stay as far away from giving away the endings to a lot of the movies being profiled. The clips for Citizen Kane, for example, explains Rosebud and plays the very last shot of the film. Offensive, to say the least.

For wit, here is my personal Top 10 Favorites of All Time and how they stack up on the AFI list:

#1. Apocalypse Now - AFI #30
#2. 2001: A Space Odyssey - AFI #15
#3. The Apartment - AFI #80
#4. Stop Making Sense - N/A
#5. Woodstock - N/A
#6. Grave of the Fireflies - N/A, since it is a foreign film
#7. Network - AFI #64
#8. Grand Illusion - N/A, since it is a foreign film
#9. The Godfather Part II - AFI #32
#10. Magnolia - N/A

Haven't seen any of those? Well, start renting some DVD's!

Jason
efilmcritic.com

The Weekend in Movies: Summer's Too Busy for Jim Carrey.

Honestly, people, why the hell do you want to see Shrek The Third? Pirates of the Caribbean? Fantastic 42? You all keep whining about how bad movies are and how you want to see better stuff, yet you keep emailing or coming up to me and asking about these lousy summer sequels, and completely ignore me when I recommend you try something a little different from your cinematic junk food diet. Are you THAT afraid to try something new once in a while?

There are so many great films playing in the city of Victoria this weekend, but none of you will see them. Instead, you'll ignore this post and go watch an Ogre yell at you for 90 minutes. Or you'll spend your dollars on a movie that has Steve Carell in it this time, since Jim Carrey was smart enough to realize you don't sequel-ize a God Comedy.

Victoria is slowly but surely getting its art house back, I'm noticing. With the success that the French Film Festival has been having over at the Ridge this past month, we have opened some great new films locally. I'm hoping the trend continues (and it does, we open the Irish musical "Once" on the 29th while the Oscar-worthy Edith Piaf film "La vie en Rose" screens on July 6th).

So what have we got this week:

A Mighty Heart (Odeon) - Wall Street columnist Daniel Pearl was abducted in Pakistan in 2002, and this story is about his wife, Mariane (Angelina Jolie) who risks great emotional pain to find him. This story is based on Mariane's autobiography about her husband Daniel, and the film is directed by British indie-guru Michael Winterbottom, who is no stranger to films depicting our post 9/11 hell (check out his 2005 film "The Road to Guantanamo" sometime).

Evan Almighty (Silvercity, Caprice, Odeon, Star) - Now Steve Carell is god. Bruce (Jim Carrey) is nowhere to be found. And now he has to build an ark by Mr. Morgan Freeman's request. There's just something so inherently wrong with this concept that I don't know where to begin. The trade reviews have been awful and only five year old kids have laughed at any footage (when I saw "Ratatouille" last week, The trailer is woefully unfunny, and it pains me to see Lauren Graham, now no longer Lorelai Gilmore, in such films like this.

1408 (Silvercity, Capitol) - The promotions for this film REALLY want you to know it's based on a story by Stephen King. Forget the fact that John Cusack, a wonderful and gifted actor, is in the lead, or workaholic Samuel L. Jackson is seen giving strong support in this story of a travel writer who decides to stay in a hotel room that has had a history of being haunted. The trailer certainly intrigued me.

Day Watch (Capitol) -- I still haven't seen the sequel to the Russian hit "Night Watch", a film which didn't do very well in these parts so I'm surprised that the Capitol 6 picked it up. This whole "Lights vs. Darkness" battle in Moscow is pretty big back home, and if you've seen and liked the first I very much recommend checking the sequel out on the big screen.

Live Free or Die Hard (Starts Wednesday at Odeon and Silvercity) -- Since these series blog posts go up on Thursday, I'll quickly mention Die Hard 4.0, a project that has been in production limbo for over a decade. Since Die Hard originator John McTiernan has shot himself in the foot with so many bad films over the year and thus not allowed to direct anymore (what a shame!), Underworld auteur Len Wiseman has been brought in to helm with the countless script rewrites over the years. And watch out for that Kevin Smith cameo!

Also:

Not much in the city this week for special or rep house screenings, but if you haven't seen the very good pro-shark documentary Sharkwater, you get a chance to check it out at UVIC Cinecenta on Sunday night. The doco very much changed my mind about those great white creatures, and it should for you too.

What else you should be seeing: Waitress, Paris Je'T'aime and Away From Her STILL rock on at the Odeon, the delightful Ocean's Thirteen is dealing aces everywhere, Knocked Up is still laughing up audiences all over town, while the war epic Black Book goes into its second weekend at the 'lil Vic Theater. And you tell me there are no good movies to see right now...

Showtimes, as always, at tribute.ca

Jason
efilmcritic.com

I'm an Old Pornographer.

My (exactly) one year long reign of having a photo of mine being the first thing you see when you go to the official site for The New Pornographers has come to an end. What you see above was a photo I decided to take, on a whim, since I was snapping away shots of the concert with my piddling old Fuji cam and wondered what a thousand people behind me looked like. That image was that good enough that the fine folks at the site chose to make it the image of their home, and for all this time I have been thankful.

The changing of graphics is understandable, of course, since the Porno's have to promote their new album entitled "Challengers", yet another blast of joy from the Vancouver-based band that includes the adorable Neko Case, the not-so-adorable Dan Bejar of Destroyer and wacky AC Newman, among others. They're "itchingly fun psycho pop rock", as I like to inaccurately label them, as these guys just defy description. The music is like, sooo damn addictive.

I had been listening to the NP's on and off through the years, but it was the 2005 release of their landmark album, Twin Cinema, that launched my love for this group into the stratosphere. And on the first day of my Vancouver Film Fest vacation that year, I mosied on down to the Commodore Ballroom to see the most wild concert of my life. Not only did I first meet Immaculate Machine followed by a drunk Bejar jam with his group Destroyer at that show, but also witnessed a freakin' TWENTY-EIGHT song blast from the NP's that still rings in my ear as I think of them. I danced, I made a few friends, I perspired like crazy. It was the most perfect night.

And their new album Challengers is amazing. Yes, I've listened to it early, even though the disc is due out in August. It takes some time getting used to, but I've had these songs on constant repeat on the MP3 player ever since it went in there. These guys know what they're doing, and it blows me away that they're still cranking out great music. I'm seeing them TWICE in concert this September, the latter in Vancouver at the Commodore, where Ms. Neko is in attendance once again. I can't wait to groove and dance to "Use It" once again.

Download a free NP's MP3: My Rights Versus Yours

Jason
efilmcritic.com

The goofballs at Disney marketing say you're picking up Bridge to Terabithia on DVD this week.

As much as I admire Walt Disney Pictures this year for bringing some of the best films out of their studio in years, they and Walden Media are responsible for one of the biggest marketing blunders of 2007...the lousy theatrical trailers and marketing devoted to the early-year film Bridge to Terabithia. How can one of the year's best films have a marketing campaign scared of what the film is really about?

And you know what? I went along with it. I went into the movie not having read Katherine Paterson's book, instead having a theatrical trailer based around the film's five to ten minutes of visual effects whimsy. I came out of the screening 100 minutes later, in tears and a changed person, having witnessed an unforgettable gem about a real friendship.

Jess (Josh Hutcherson) and Leslie (Annasophia Robb) are two outcasts at school. Josh enjoys his morning jogs and his drawing, while Leslie likes to create stories. Both are bullied by their respective classmates, something that they are trying hard to ignore. A chance meeting at school strikes up a small friendship, but as they realize they are neighbors and they have this unlimited amount of forest around them, they venture out and create Terabithia, a world limited only by their imagination.

I grew up with bullying. I grew up with long afternoons where my mom made sure I went outside and used my imagination. This film spoke to me so deeply about what it is like to be a kid and to create a place where only two people can share, and not to let anyone or anything impact it even when they still have to deal with harsh reality. Where the film takes you in the film's final act I can't say, but it is some of the most emotional filmmaking I've seen in a family film since "E.T.", and the film finalizes on a sequence of amazing power.

Even though the film did very well financially, I am still annoyed that Disney led a lot of people into the wrong movie. The effects are such a minor part of the overall package, which perhaps Disney was too scared to market to a younger audience. I think this is required viewing for kids, but also for the kid in all of us. We've all been there and we've been Jess or Leslie in some form or another, and it is nice to see a movie that admires imagination and being yourself as much as I do.

Jason
efilmcritic.com

Ratatouille is a freaking masterpiece. Film at 11.

Ratatouille is a freaking masterpiece.

I have just returned from seeing yet another Pixar film that has leapt off the screen and into my heart. This is the kind of gem that its production company, Pixar Films, is known to deliver, but there's something wonderfully fascinating about a rat that can communicate his love for life through the love of cooking. It comes as no surprise that it comes from one of our best storytellers, Brad Bird, who is a bit animated himself. Here is not just a great piece of animation, but also one of the best films of the year.

Remy, who sounds a bit like Paul Giamatti (but is instead wonderfully voiced by Patton Oswalt) loves to cook. He adores the creation of food and the serving of it, as we first witness with Patton and friends outside of a small house in the french country. When Remy is washed away into a sewer, he comes across a famous restaurant in Paris that takes pride in its all-important star rating.

Quickly, Remy is hooked. He wants to cook. But what is a rat to do? Simple: he will befriend Linguini (voice of Lou Romano), the "garbage boy" who is vulnerable and doesn't want to get into any trouble. Remy eventually befriends Linguini and convinces him that he can cook, so the two bring together a plan: Remy will provide all the work by staying on Linguini's body, while Linguini does all the show.

Ratatouille is two-fold: it is about the love of food and the creation of it, but it is also about someone who fights to do what he loves despite adversity. In this case, Remy is a rodent, he knows this and accepts that he is not human. But that does not stop him from forging a relationship with a human, who himself wants more out of life than what he has. Remy and Linguini's stories are fairly parallel, and their interplay as they each fault and stumble through the film is fascinating to watch.

These themes are brought carefully by Brad Bird, who with his team of animators and storytellers use sublety and careful storytelling to their advantage; it reminds me of the storytelling of Hayao Miyazaki, who is known for accurately balancing his characters and their situations instead of trying to wow us with computer animation. Mr. Bird is no exception; his 1999 film "The Iron Giant" is one of the best animated films of all time, and his 2004 film "The Incredibles" is a joy that will last generations.

Ratatouille may be his best work, however, as he is at the top of his game in how he tells this story. Nearly the entire film takes place in the restaurant, especially the kitchen, where Remy belongs. Mr. Bird reveals things slowly, taking his time to let us savor the experience, much like a good meal. I don't want to reveal much of the film's final act, which was something I was not expecting, and was blown away at Bird's audacity at how far he takes it. It brings everything to such an emotional high that I floated out of the cinema happy as a clam, and I'm still on cloud nine as I write this.

Which reminds me of a point that I have made time and again: animation is supposed to look animated. During the end credits for Ratatouille, there is a statement that guarantees that no motion capture has been used to animate any of the film whatsoever. This is a curious remark, as motion capture can be wonderful in its own right (see "Monster House") but Pixar's approach to storytelling is to take you out of the bounds of reality and let you loose into their own world. And there's nothing quite like it.

Ratatouille is a glorious entertainment, the kind of animated film that we should be seeing more often. It is a film for everyone, not just kids or the parents that accompany, but for every man, woman and child who loves a great story and the filmmaking that goes with it. This year has been a three-knockout punch for the mouse house known as Walt Disney Pictures; with Ratatouille, Bridge to Terabithia and Meet The Robinsons all stellar films, I have no doubt that we will be seeing great things in the future. Disney just isn't a cool new logo; with new people in charge of their filmed entertainment division (including Pixar head honcho himself, John Lassiter), they are quickly earning back their reign as the best in their game.

****

Jason
efilmcritic.com

The Weekend In Movies: Forget What's Fantastic and Go French.

It's sequel and adaptation week at the 'plexes in Victoria, yet all I'm thinking about is how well represented French cinema is in town right now. Both in live action short form and animated from the good folks at Pixar (for one night only!). Yet I get the sinking feeling the majority of Victoria filmgoers will ignore my pleas to watch these and instead settle on another noisy, joyless sequel like...

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (Odeon, Silvercity, University 4, Caprice) -- I flat out HATED the first Fantastic Four film -- four drab superheroes and not one of them are the least bit interesting -- and yet I'll probably see this anyways as a "job" screening to kill a Saturday afternoon (at least it is mercifully short at 92 minutes). What is also bizarre is that the first film made money yet was detested by most, and suddenly people who I have talked to "like" the first one since there's a sequel coming out and it has a money-shot trailer. What is going on here?

Nancy Drew (Silvercity, Capitol) -- Emma Roberts is adorable and she looks primed to be a movie star one day, although I didn't grow up reading the adventures of the female sleuth detective (Hardy Boys, bitches!) so I have no idea if it will be a faithful representation of the source material or a teeny-bopper comedy with a Hot New Soundtrack (I'm assuming the latter). Since Warner doesn't screen movies in advance in Canada now, I was unable to see this last week with my local press friends and heckle the film with them.

Black Book (The Vic Theater) -- Paul Verhoeven goes back to his roots with this WWII film from the Netherlands, a surprise since he has been a staple of pushing the envelope with splatter studio pictures for over the last decade. A hit in its Vancouver release a month ago, it should find some curious souls down at that wee little Vic theater downtown that seriously needs to book better films (and faster!).

Also:

Ratatouille sneaks at Silvercity this weekend, which is a surprise as I can't recall the last time Disney screened an animated film two weeks ago, let alone a film from Pixar! Not only am I excited to see this "rat becomes chef in Paris" story which is also Brad Bird's followup from the awesome The Incredibles, but I'll get to take a peek at it two weeks ahead of the game.

And a quick aside: Disney is on a freakin' ROLL this year. With the outstanding Bridge To Terabithia earlier this year and the delightful Meet The Robinsons (which I just saw recently), this has been a solid year of cinema from the Mouse House. Now they just have to add vintage shorts to all their films and they'll be on my A-list.

If you haven't seen it yet, go see Paris Je T'aime at the Odeon, now in its second successful week. This short film ode to the City of Love is so joyous, so life-affirming that your heart will leap while you watch it. I was blown away by local critic Michael D. Reid for giving this a lousy 2.5/5 rating. This is one of the best films of 2007 and I urge you to see it.

Also playing in town is another one of the very best films of 2007, the Oscar-winner The Lives of Others, which plays at Cinecenta Friday and Saturday night. If you have missed this masterful look at a love story amidst fierce German politics and law in the 80's, here is your chance to go out and take a look.

If you're around Cinecenta on Sunday night, check out a screening of either The Painted Veil or The Host at Cinecenta. The former is a beautifully filmed love story set in 1940's China during the second world war with Edward Norton and the intoxicatingly beautiful Naomi Watts, while the latter is a creature feature box office smash from South Korea that is a lot of fun. Both are great in their own ways.

Ocean's Thirteen is also a delightfully funny film and might very well be the best in the series. It may not contain Soderbergh's best cinematography (that belongs to Part Twelve), yet it is his most breezy, most entertaining Ocean's film yet. (It's playing at Silvercity, Capitol, University 4, Star Cinema and Caprice.)

Waitress and Away From Her also rage on at the Odeon (the latter is also getting a run at the Star Cinema in Sidney this weekend), Knocked Up is still laughing up screens all over town, and the funny animated penguin comedy Surf's Up is recommended for the family.

This is one busy weekend! Stay away from the ogres, the pirates and Eli Roth. There are so many better movies that you can be seeing right now. For showtimes, click yourself to tribute.ca.

Jason
efilmcritic.com

Chris Cooper says you're picking up Breach on DVD this week.

In case you haven't watched Stop Making Sense or The Third Man on DVD last week (you silly bean, you went out and rented Norbit or Because I Said So, didn't you?)

Breach hits DVD shelves this week, and has been lingering in my head ever since I saw it back in theaters in February. It is director Billy Ray's excellent follow up to his 2003 film Shattered Glass which featured a whip-smart yet seriously flawed character in Stephen Glass, who outwitted everyone with his fake articles at The New Republic.

Ray was definitely on my cinematic radar, and it's nice to see that he's developing a true style with his work in Breach. He follows his dynamic and flawed characters with the true story of FBI boss Robert Hansen (Chris Cooper, who still has Oscar possibilities with his amazing performance), who sold secrets to the Soviet Union. The film follows new agent Eric O'Neill (Ryan Phillipe, excellent here) as he is assigned to track him.

Breach is not just a cat-and-mouse game, but an interesting study on the ethics and personalities of two men, one of which is a seasoned professional who is tired and weary after years of experience, and the other who is young, vulnerable and still has his heart in all of it. The film unfolds slowly and calmly, but it must to keep with the emotional weight of these characters.

I am currently finishing up an article on the best films of 2007 to date, and Breach is on the list. This is a tense and well done drama that I hope will find a bigger audience on disc.

Also out on DVD is the Glastonbury documentary, so if you want to get your rock on and have a good sound system to do so on, then by all means.

Jason
efilmcritic.com

Grindhouse should have had an intermission.

Before the freakin' SIXTH time (I'm addicted) I was about to sit down and partake in the Rodriguez and Tarantino Double Feature (this time at UVIC Cinecenta), a staffer at the cinema approached the audience and told us that there would be a brief, two minute break in-between the shows, as they wound Planet Terror and Death Proof onto separate platters. "Cool", I said to a nearby filmgoer as we chatted briefly about what we were going to see.

Planet Terror came and went as per usual, and what was interesting was how the projectionist simply let the film tail out of the projector, letting every last frame of film dance through the projector. For the kind of scratched, banged up film this was, it was kind of a cool effect. (Not only that, the "faded white stock" that was seen in-between all the trailers at the start of PT was repeated at the end of reel 6, but it's been cut out of every print I've seen to date.)

Only about two or three minutes passed as I again talked to the nearby filmgoer, adjusted in my seat and stretched. A few people got up and made a quick run for the bathroom and made it back. To help matters, Cinecenta was smart enough to attach a trailer for one of their upcoming movies before the "Fake trailers" and DP began.

None of this would be worth mentioning if not for the fact that the audience participation was dramatically improved because of this. The few minutes of breathing room gave them a bit more time to adjust and they sat through the dialogue sequences with nary a twitch. And those final, insane twenty minutes of Zoe the Cat going nuts on Stuntman Mike drew applause and cheers (mostly from myself) much more so than my previous screenings.

This is my only minor criticism of the otherwise miraculous Grindhouse experience: there's no intermission and there should have been. All 12 reels have been ordered by the filmmakers and studio to play out straight, forcing anyone who chooses to hit the commode to go at the "fake previews" and miss half of them. And there's no cool down from PT, either, which is unfortunate. For exhibitors, this could be a godsend for anyone who wants to hit up some refills at the concession stand.

I'm not saying that ALL longer films should have an intermission; Magnolia needs you to hold on for those 189 minutes, for example. But since double bills in these old Grindhouses gave you a quick break to pee and load up on goodies, they should have figured out a way to include a five minute rolling stock clip ("Let's all go to the lobby!") or split the film onto different platters, as this cinema did tonight. The quick break made the film even better than it already was.

Jason
efilmcritic.com

The Weekend In Movies: Go to the Oceans or Go To The Ocean. Better yet, go visit Le Seine.

As we're finally starting to get rid of those blockbuster behemoths that hogged all the screens around town last month, a few new films open this weekend, one of which you must make priority if you plan to go filmgoing on le weekend.

Paris Je T'aime (****) -- A joyous film featuring 19 filmmakers each doing a 5-10 minute segment on the city of love. Featuring work from Alexander Payne, Alfonso Cuaron, Tom Tykwer, Sylvian Chomet, Gerard Depardieu and Vincenzo Natali, among many others, each short segment contribute to a glorious whole and is a flat out love letter to filmmaking. I am thrilled that the Odeon in Victoria booked the film and I do hope that it finds an audience here. (Odeon)

Hostel Part II -- I was not a fan of Eli Roth's first Hostel (however I did quite like his Cabin Fever from a few years back), so I am unsure as to whether or not to see his horrific followup. (Silvercity, Capitol 6)

Ocean's 13 - The enormously watchable gang is back and there's another heist to be had, with Al Pacino and Ellen Barkin jumping onto the cast list. I adored the first two films and hey, it's directed by Steven Soderbergh so that alone has sold me a ticket. (Silvercity, Capitol 6, Star, University 4, Caprice)

Surf's Up -- I quite admired the theatrical trailers for the film which frames the story as a documentary about penguins entering a surfing competition. Not only does the film have some jaw dropping animation, it looks like a whole load of fun, even though I am already tired of movies featuring those damn penguins! (Odeon, Silvercity)

What else:

Grindhouse (****) gets a last-chance, final screening at UVIC Cinecenta on Friday and Saturday, so if you have not seen the film thus far, drop whatever you are doing and check out this awesome double slam of fun. And if you've already seen it, why not give it another go and watch Zoe the Cat kick some ass?

The Namesake (***1/2) also screens at Cinecenta on Sunday night, which is Mira Nair's beautiful story about an Indian family that moves to New York and the hardships the youngest son faces as he finds love against the wishes of his parents.

Also, if you're around Cinecenta on Tuesday, by all means park your butt in a seat and watch Truffaut's The 400 Blows, by way of a new print from Janus films. It is the start of an every-tuesday-for-six-weeks screening series which also include Carne's Les Enfants du Paradise, Bergman's Summer With Monika and Ozu's Tokyo Story.

Elsewhere, Away From Her and Waitress rage on at the Odeon, Knocked Up is laughing up the box office and is playing all over town, After The Wedding hits up a third week at the Vic and Hot Fuzz is double billed with the lousy Blades of Glory at the Roxy. And if after all of this you decide to see Shrek The Third this weekend, double donkey shame on you.

Showtimes are up at Tribute.

Jason


Jason
efilmcritic.com

David Byrne says you're going to track down my DVD instead of renting Because I Said So.

Since there are no new DVD's to recommend this week (unless, that is, you're dying to see Eddie Murphy in a fat suit all over again), I'm going to mention two films on DVD, the latter of which I'm anticipating I'll be making a double dip on soon:

Stop Making Sense - I had a stat holiday day off last week and not much to do, so I decided to give the 'ol house some cleaning. And there's no better way to clean your tabletops and dust off your shelves than to crank your speakers and jam out to what is possibly the greatest concert film ever made. Jonathan Demme filmed three nights of Talking Heads shows when they played in LA in 1983, and the resulting concert film is both a technical masterpiece and a study on the importance of shared experience and the way that live, performed music can make a connection to the viewer. Not only that, this film is flat-out fun and alive.

The Third Man: Criterion Collection - The journey of good 'ol Holly Martins to find Harry Lime in shadow soaked Vienna is all nice and restored; what else would you expect from Criterion? A new film print has been unearthed and slightly windowboxed to battle with all that nasty overscanning your TV does. The 2-disc set also has all new bells and whistles including a commentary by Steven Soderbergh and enough documentaries to cover this Carol Reed gem. I have yet to give this disc a spin (oh wait, I have to BUY it first) but I can't wait to check it out.
Jason
efilmcritic.com

(Also, I missed a Lazy Sunday update due to helping a friend move into his new house. More pictures are getting uploaded this week.)

Sarah Silverman has brass fucking balls. Film at 11.

I knew I should have thrown a tape in to watch this otherwise useless awards show.

Sarah Silverman is a comic known to break the mold, but to joke about Paris Hilton while IN attendance at an awards show in the way she did is kind of brilliant. Just remind me never to piss Sarah off.

Jason
efilmcritic.com

Hey Mickey!

From now on, I think that every G, PG or family oriented film should have an animated short before the feature begins.

I was at the Roxy (an improving grindhouse in the Victoria area) tonight for a screening of Meet The Robinsons and was treated to the delightful, fully restored 1938 Mickey Mouse short Boat Builders, featuring Mickey's friends Donald, Goofy and Minnie. They're all together to build a cute little boat that seems to be made out of sticks, and they quickly learn that it's not all it's cracked up to be.

It was quite interesting to see the short attached to a computer animated, whiz-bang feature that sees the future as if the film is set in 1954. I found "Robinsons" to be a delight; it is somewhat of a return to Disney's charm and apt storytelling that sort of lost itself when Pixar came to the game over a decade ago. With this and Bridge to Terabithia, I am now pleased to see the Walt Disney logo before a family picture. This is both suitable for children as well as adults, with or without child accompaniment.

As for Boat Builders, I am pleased that Disney went back into their vaults and fully restored the short back to its three-strip technicolor origin and remastered the sound. I was blown away by not only the entertaining short but the fact a studio would add this to their new film to complete the moviegoing experience. Disney does do this on occasion with their features, but I do feel that they should be doing this much, much more often.

And other studios dealing with animation could join the concept: Warner can run a Looney Tunes before a Harry Potter flick, for example. And for those that don't have a past in animation (Dreamworks), how about creating a short film to run before your feature starts? In a time where attendance is going down and exhibitors are trying to get people back to watch movies in a cinema, here is a good start.

Jason

efilmcritic.com