The Victoria Cinemaphile is returning....as another site.

Greetings to all,

It is time to restore this blog and get it running. The city of Victoria needs a home for the filmgoing community. A lot has happened since I last posted in January: the Vic closed, Silvercity, Odeon and Capitol have new digital projectors, and there are rumors circulating that a new multiplex may open this year or in 2009.

This blog site will now become cinemavictoria.com, a site devoted to moviegoing and film news and interests in the city of Victoria.

Watch soon for a dynamic change in this website, including the new domain, a new banner and some redesigning of the layout. Yes, I will be utilizing the free blogger software as I am incredibly lazy and do not want to figure out how to run a website (those days are long gone!).

Here is some of the regular content cinemavictoria.com is going to feature:

- Profiles of all cinemas in Victoria including descriptions of auditoriums, where the best place to see a movie is, and where the best popcorn is in the city.
- Every tuesday I will be profiling a new Blu Ray or recommended DV as my "Pick of the Week"
- Every thursday: The Weekend in Movies feature which profiles all the new film releases.


More to come, so watch this space!

Jason
cinemavictoria.com

Pat Garrett and D-Jay say you're picking up The Hunting Party on DVD this week.

The Hunting Party came and went in early September last year to some good reviews and mediocre box office. I loved the film, recommended it to everyone and yet next to no one I knew saw it.

A shame, really, as this is an eye-opening indictment on current politics, warring countries and the media, and is simultaneously funny, wonderfully acted and a great night out at the movies. And whaddaya know, it's out on DVD this week, so go check it out!

Richard Gere, Terrence Howard and Jesse Eisenberg play reporters who have returned several years after the Bosnian war to find one of the most wanted war criminals in the world. What's amazing about the picture is how the U.S. Government doesn't really seem to want to find them, as these reporters find them rather quickly despite being constantly mistaken for CIA.

The film is directed by Richard Shepard, whose last film was the wonderful The Matador starring Pierce Brosnan as a hit man and Greg Kinnear as a salesman. Shepard seems to be quite interested in complex relationships amongst different people, which he very much succeeds at here. The film touches on all aspects of our culture and our politics, yet these characters are the film's strongest asset.

Available on standard-def only for the time being (it's Miramax/MGM, so perhaps a Blu-Ray disc is down the road?)

Jason
The Victoria Cinemaphile

The Weekend in Movies: Savages! Blood! Debating!

If you're even remotely interested in going out to the movies this weekend, there is absolutely no shortage of new and awesome films dominating the cinemas.

What's new this week:

There Will Be Blood (****) - To prove how much of a cinemaphile I truly am, I ventured over to Vancouver last weekend for a screening of Paul Thomas Anderson's first film in over five years. He doesn't knock them as quickly as Allen, so doing so for my favorite director working today I have no problem with. Daniel Day Lewis gives a legendary performance as an oil tycoon in the early 20th century, and that description is a very timid one to a spectacular piece of work that will live on for years instead of in its first weekend. (Odeon)

The Savages (****) - Fox Searchlight is putting so much energy into promoting "Juno" (and good for them), and yet they also have this other great film in release, a human comedy about two siblings (Phil Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney) who are forced to move their father into a nursing home. (Like with The Orphanage last week, this is inexplicably playing at the University 4. This one belongs downtown where it will draw a much larger crowd.)

The Great Debaters - Last fall, everyone was touting Denzel Washington's performance in "American Gangster" as Oscar bait, and now he's directed and starring in "The Great Debaters", about a debate team from a small Texas college in the 1930's. Forest Whitaker has also been receiving raves for his work, as is Washington's direction. I for one am very much looking forward to seeing it. (UPDATE: Apparently this picture didn't open and will most likely open on the 25th. After all, it IS a busy weekend.)

27 Dresses - Aww, doesn't it all look so cutesy and adorable. Katherine Heigl has been the bridesmaid to 27 other weddings, but hasn't had her own. So that immediately means that she will become married in this film. The trailer is filled with every single bad romantic comedy moment, from the banging of a bell when a character promises to kick another's ass (ding!) and when an older women is told how much hot sex she gets to have (double ding!). (Odeon, Silvercity)

Mad Money - I saw the trailer for this Diane Keaton/Katie Holmes/Queen Latifah comedy before a trailer for "The Golden Compass", felt it looked bloody lousy and have been lucky to not have seen any trailers or TV spots since. If you're even thinking of seeing this movie on the weekend...why? There are so many other great films listed here that you should be seeing.

Cloverfield - I'm quite interested in seeing this horror-film-shot-on-a-camcorder which has had the words "J.J. Abrahams" all over the posters and advertisements, along with an image of a beheaded Statute of Liberty. Fellow efilmcritic writer William Goss told me to "see it with a big audience and stay for the credits." Naturally I like the credits, but just as long as that audience is not constantly talking out loud and texting on their cell phones, I'll be fine.

What else you should be seeing:

I also saw The Orphanage last week and found it a surprisingly haunting thriller that had a few genuine jolts along with some deeply powerful performances. It's still at the University 4, oddly enough. Juno also rages on at the Odeon and Silvercity and is a tremendously funny character comedy. The great Atonement, which recently won the Golden Globe for Best Drama, continues at the Odeon. No Country For Old Men continues at the Odeon, which also won GG's for screenplay and for Javier Bardem. And everyone is seeing Rob Reiner's good-but-not-great The Bucket List (the film I've been asked the most about this week) which is still playing all over town. I really wish you'd see any of the other recommended films on this list, however.

Screenings:

20h17 Rue Darling at Movie Monday: A man who has spent most of his life feeling numb to the world has his eyes opened by a brush with tragedy. This mystery / drama follows an ex-crime Bernard Émondreporter, struggling to stay on the sobriety wagon, who, because of a simple chance, arrives at his address just after his apartment building has been destroyed by an explosion. He reluctantly picks up his investigative skills to attempt to solve the mystery of how it happened, but is haunted by deeper and intensely personal questions. Why did he survive when neighbours didn't? What is the meaning of life itself?

Bernard Emond will be also participating in a phone interview with MM host Bruce Saunders.

The Darjeeling Limited at Cinecenta -- If you missed it during its brief run at the Odeon, here's another chance to see Wes Anderson's new film about the experiences of three brothers as they travel across India. Plays Friday and Saturday (and if you feel like doubling it up with the kid matinee of Martian Child, by all means...just don't invite me!).


Full showtimes, as always, at tribute.ca

Jason
The Victoria Cinemaphile

Contacting The Victoria Cinemaphile

Contacting The Victoria Cinemaphile:

To the filmgoing community in Victoria:

Do you have an opinion on any of the cinemas in Victoria?

Did you have a horrible experience at a cinema and want a place for your opinion to be heard?

Where is your favorite/least favorite place to see a movie?

What do you like the most about the filmgoing scene in Victoria, and what would you like to see improved?

Get in touch with me!

Filmmakers/Writers/Directors/Publicists:

Are you looking for your short film or independent feature to be reviewed?

Do you have a film in the festival circuit but are having trouble finding someone to review or do an interview about it?

Do you have a movie-oriented screening or event in Victoria and would like coverage?

Would you like to contribute content to the Cinemaphile?

Email: jasonwhyte@efilmcritic.com

PLEASE include a proper subject line, along with a detailed message along with your contact information for a faster response.

Jason
The Victoria Cinemaphile

In Memoriam: Wayne Lee, VIFF Volunteer Extraordinare

The following post is of a personal nature to me, however the reason this site exists is to cover the exciting happenings in my life in and around Victoria. Film festivals, especially, are one of my favorite things as it brings everything that I love about cinema together.

And when you get to one of these festivals, the people make it the most memorable. And when it comes to my annual smörgåsbord of cinema known as the Vancouver International Film Festival, you get to meet the many, crazy volunteers who are there, every single year, without fail. Without them, the festival is nothing.

The passing of longtime VIFF volunteer and fellow festivalgoer Wayne Yun Chung Lee, who died on December 15th at the age of 54, is a enormous loss to the film festival community in Vancouver. He was well liked amongst his peers and was a pure film-a-holic as there ever was.

Wayne was one of the very first people I met when I first started covering VIFF in 2003. In fact, in one of my very first line-ups outside the Granville 7 cinema, I was having a conversation about foreign films with a friend when Wayne broke into the conversation with his own opinion on the matter. And that's what he always did, time and again; he never held back what he thought and was at the festival, each and every day, doing what he loved and discussing film when he could.

I didn't keep in touch with Wayne the rest of the year, but I'm sure he was constantly at the cinema every week seeing as many movies as possible. Because when you're people like us, that's what you do.

Wayne was an interesting character. To me, the timeless image of Wayne is of a man standing outside the Granville 7, all alone, in his dark jacket, red toque, pocket protector and making notes. He was always writing stuff down, but I never knew exactly what. Perhaps he was taking notes of the film he had just seen or working on his schedule, but Wayne was always there.

I was honored to know you, Wayne, and I miss you already.

Jason
The Victoria Cinemaphile

LEE Wayne Yun Chung A Celebration of Life for Wayne Yun Chung Lee of Vancouver (b. January 16, 1953, d. December 15, 2007) will be held on Wednesday, January 16, 2008 at 3:30 PM at Glenhaven Memorial Chapel, 1835 E. Hastings, reception following. In lieu of flowers, donations in Wayne's memory may be made to the Greater Vancouver International Film Festival Society, 1181 Seymour St., Vancouver, BC, V6B 3M7 or to the Canadian Cancer Society, BC & Yukon Division, Attention: Donor Services, 565 West 10th Ave., Vancouver, BC V5Z 4J4.

The Weekend in Movies: Something wicked The Orphanage comes!

Well, what a busy week. Victoria Film Festival has announced their movies (look down!), the high-def format war is almost over, the Golden Globes is a piddling press conference, and the January Movie Dumping Ground is upon us.

A few platform releases are coming our way, as is the long delayed and apparently overlong (130 minutes?) Uwe Boll masterpiece of the modern cinema. But hey, Jack's back, so it's not all that bad.

What's New:

The Bucket List (***) - Last week I viewed "P.S. I Love You" from director Richard LaGravenese, who made an overwritten, far overblown and bloated piece of work that reminded me of movies made by director Rob Reiner. Reiner's films tend to beat their symbolism like a jack hammer, yet here is "The Bucket List" which, amazingly, is like the works that LaGravenese used to make. This dramedy pits both Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman as men diagnosed with cancer and plan to take one last joyful trip at life before their end. It's a nice film, filled with interesting people, funny dialogue and Reiner's surprisingly restrained direction. Oh, and it's playing EVERYWHERE. (Star, Capitol, Caprice, University 4, Silvercity)

The Orphanage - Guillermo Del Toro, who knocked everyone blindsided with Pan's Labyrinth, has the producer credit on this ghost story which has been receiving rave reviews on the festival circuit and its limited release. (Bizarrely booked at only the University 4, and this film belongs downtown at the Capitol or Odeon)

I'm Not There - Long delayed release of Todd Haynes' bio-pic on Bob Dylan, replete with six different actors playing the folk legend. Reviews have been mixed with many calling the film "strange", but I like strange, so there you go. (Odeon)

First Sunday - I'm flat out blown away that the Odeon booked this movie, as (sad to say) black oriented films don't do ANY business in one of the whitest areas on the planet. This comedy featuring Tracy Morgan, Katt Williams and Ice Cube garnered a 2.5/4 review by James Berardanelli, so it could have just been an awful trailer. Still, I don't see this film doing any money here. (Odeon)

The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A Veggietales Movie: Yes, I'll see a Veggietales movie the day I invest in HD-DVD.

In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale: I met Leelee Sobieski up in Whistler a few months ago, and had I known she appeared in this Uwe Boll flick, I would have shouted at her "Why, Leelee, why? You and your gravitationally impossible rack can do better, way way better than this!" Video games are cool and all (I just acquired a Playstation 3 and am loving the racing games and Blu Ray discs) but this massively budgeted film ($60 million) will barely make a clink at the box office. I love Leelee, but The Lovely Ellen Page is in Juno and I'd rather see that again, so there.

Screenings:

27 Dresses (Sneak Preview, Silvercity @ 2pm) - This movie was supposed to open this weekend, but has been pushed back to give moviegoers an alternate to Cloverfield. I guess this is the annual January Rom-Com and Katherine Heigl is cute, so I may give this a sit through.

The Red Balloon & White Mane (at Cinecenta, Saturday Sunday @ 12:30) - Janus Prints, restored, and as kid matinees? Well now I've seen everything.

Into The Wild at Cinecenta, Saturday - In case you missed its two month run at the Odeon, get yourself to Cinecenta this weekend and check out Sean Penn's gem which is one of my favorites of 2007. And I sure hope Cinecenta gets the Odeon's print, which was still in amazing shape in its last week.

Jason
The Victoria Cinemaphile

Victoria Film Festival Notebook: Program Reactions

Tonight at Lucky Bar, the unveiling of this year's edition of the Victoria Film Festival has been hoisted upon us. And while I wasn't there, I did get home tonight and hit up the online festival book, which gives you a look at what is going to be unspooled infront of our eyes.

Local director Barbara Hager must be on a sugar high right now, as her docu Motown High is not only the opening gala, but it's being screened twice, both on Thursday the 31st at the Caprice followed by a party, and then again on February 1st -- the real opening date of the festival -- followed by the official opening party.

The festival "closes" with the usual closing party as well a screening of the Canadian hit Amal, which I missed at the Whistler Film Festival last November but do intend to check it out while playing here.

Out of the entire list, I've seen the following films in the order they appear in the book (which are rated out of four, recommended films bolded, and you'll be hearing my comments about these films later):

All Hat (2.5/4)
The Counterfeiters (3/4)
Hank & Mike (1.5/4)
Hell on Wheels (3/4)
The Tracey Fragments (1/4)
Beauty in Trouble (3.5/4)
The Walker (3/4)
The Band's Visit (4/4). You're seeing this movie.
The Union: The Business Behind Getting High (4/4). Ditto that.

MANY more ratings to come prior to the film festival, including Fierce People, California Dreamin', Adam's Apples, Saving Luna and Up the Yangtze (which is also at Sundance this year).

Out of all of these, the two titles I am excited for Victoria audiences to see are The Band's Visit and The Union. Both screened at the Vancouver International Film Festival last fall to amazing response. The Band's Visit was an incredible, emotional experience watching with 700 enthralled filmgoers, and I am hoping that the same happens here.

The Union had thunderous applause, huge laughs and standing ovations at both of its sold out screenings at the VIFF. It is a flat out blast from beginning to end, equally informative and entertaining. It's the best Canadian docu I've seen in years and will get you talking.

In a bizarre move, the Caprice Langford has been added as a venue while the lovable Star Cinema in Sidney is shut out this year. The Caprice is a long drive, an even longer bus ride and a bit out of the way for festivalgoers, but it is also a unique triplex and hope it pulls in some money.

Watch closer to the film festival for more notes from the Cinemaphile as well as links to my official Victoria Film Fest coverage on efilmcritic.com.

Jason
The Victoria Cinemaphile