EIFF: A Generation of Whine
Entries are being now taken to come up with a name for the new generation that recently came of age and hates Generation X as much as Generation X hates the Baby Boomers. They’re here … and even that reference is out of date (Poltergeist, 1982). Any ideas? Generation Y is lame, Next Generation is […]
EIFF REVIEW: Fightville captures humanity behind mixed martial arts
There’s a moment early on in the documentary Fightville that elegantly summarises a key theme: that success demands discipline, while life demands honesty. Young Albert Stainback is explaining his motivation for wanting to be a pro fighter. It’s about his difficult life, his father’s murder, the abuse his mother suffered. He’s a smart, perceptive young […]
EIFF REVIEW: Crime After Crime commits a few of its own
There are a few things that you should know if planning to attend the documentary “Crime After Crime,” airing today at Empire City Centre at 4:45 pm as part of the Edmonton International Film Festival. First, the subject of the documentary, Debi Peagler, should have been out of jail years ago. Instead, she served 26 […]
EIFF REVIEW: The Swell Season and the not-so-swell season after that
The Swell Season is a story about the frailty of relationships, of trying to balance the expectations of others against one’s own needs. It’s set against the backdrop and influence of fame, with an Oscar-winning songwriting duo at its heart, but it could well be about just about any couple you might know. Ultimately, that’s […]
EIFF REVIEW: Meaty female roles let Oscar winners shine in Cloudburst
Remember how as a kid you used to recoil when grandma zoomed in for a big wet smooch and a cheek pinch? But you secretly liked it, didn’t you? Now imagine two grandmas kissing each other. Now try to get that image out of your head. These are just some of the emotions at play […]
EIFF ENCORE: Bob and the Monster turnaround
Bob Forrest is one brilliant guy. He’s funny, compassionate, talented, magnetic. Unfortunately, he credits all of it to the comfort he feels when he’s drunk or high. It’s not an uncommon story. But surviving it when you also happen to be a minor-league rock star with a big budget and lots of time on your […]
Cameron Crowe’s Pearl Jam documentary digs deep
Pearl Jam, has it really been 20 years? The latest film from director and former Seattle music journalist Cameron Crowe, Pearl Jam Twenty, recounts the story of the ‘90s grunge group’s origins and staying power. Crowe’s film is more than a documentary, more than a concert film – it’s a personal portrait and an unabashed […]
EIFF STAR WATCH: Pearl Jam, Omi Vaidya, Brenda Fricker, Joshua Leonard – and you!
It wasn’t a coincidence – it was a conspiracy! The fact that Pearl Jam had a day off on the same night that EIFF screened the new Pearl Jam documentary, Twenty, was “not an accident,” confirms EIFF programmer Guy Lavallee. “It was very specifically targeted to play between the Calgary and Edmonton shows. But they […]
Pearl Jam Week declared in Edmonton – on screen and stage
The new Pearl Jam documentary Twenty is opening the Edmonton International Film Festival (EIFF) on Thursday – which just happens to be a day off for the band before they play Rexall Place on Friday. Coincidence? Probably. Will members of Pearl Jam actually show up at the screening? Probably not. Sources close to the band […]
City pledges $5 million to invest in Edmonton film industry
The City of Edmonton has jumped into the movie business with a pledge of $5 million towards a new Edmonton Filmed Entertainment Fund – bringing us one step closer to that magical title of “Hollywood North.” The money will be used to finance projects that already have backing and distribution deals, and so will be […]
Sneak Preview Video to close in July – 18,000 rare vids to be sold
Sad news for movie nerds: Sneak Preview Video – Edmonton’s coolest and most venerable independent video store – will be closing its doors on July 20, its entire inventory of 18,000 rare and hard-to-find videos sold off. Owner Sandy Muldrew issued the following statement, a beautiful piece of prose that deserves posting the full version: […]
