Finally...Fringe Reviews

So, I’ve finally had the chance to see a couple of the plays mentioned during my 5-Minute Fringe show on July 2nd and here are my thoughts and ratings:

Finally An Epic Cycle
Rating: **** 4/5 Stars

You’ve heard the phrase, “Keep it simple, stupid.” Thank you, Finally for sticking to a simple story that is well told and well acted. Everyone shines in this ensemble because they are all equally talented. Convincingly playing Gen, the confounded ex-girlfriend who is trying to win her ex-boyfriend (Michael Rode) back with Leaf tickets is the fresh and lovable Sarah Cody. Gen’s sardonic, comic-book nerd roommate, Will, is charmingly played by Luke Marty. There are scene stealing characters like the robot jock girl (Cassie Muise), and a Quebecois bounty hunter/bike messenger (je t’adore, Derek Perks), but considering that these cast members also play other roles with the same competence demonstrates that good casting and acting is not anathema to the Fringe. Good on ya, guys! You won’t be disappointed by this play.

Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse
60 min.
Fri, July 15 5:15 PM 855
Sat, July 16 1:45 PM 860

The Billy Willy Show
Rating:**** 4/5 Stars

Where were you? I was really disappointed by the small audience for this late afternoon show, but was highly entertained by this excellent character comedy. I know the late shows have been selling well, so hopefully the remaining shows will have even bigger audiences. Gay content galore, country music in small snippets, and a delivery be West Virginian native, Billy Willy, that’s drier than a Mormon bar. Hello, sister Fruit Flies, PFlag members and small town queens! Get your honey buns down to the Solo Room and have a knee-slapping good time. Think of it as a cruising while you Fringe;-)

The Solo Room (at the Randolph Academy)
45 min.
Fri, July 15 10:30 PM 539
Sat, July 16 8:00 PM 543

The Giant’s Garden
Rating:**** 4/5 Stars

I’ve seen some dreadful 90-minute shows at the Fringe, but let me tell you this isn’t one of them. Bird is a delight, and Flower is a scream in this delightful family musical. Alas, there weren’t enough kiddies (lots of grown folks, though) in the audience when I attended, but maybe the word will spread that this play, although not part of Fringe Kids, has kid appeal. As for the adult content, there’s plenty, especially lines sprouted so gaily and Diva-liciously by Flower, and sung so vampishly by Winter (“I don’t cook!)”, a woman waging a war of vengeful icicles against her sister, Summer, the Giant, and the children who love the garden. I’ve become sick and tired of body mics being used for everything, and really appreciate the cast using their natural voices rather than Auto-Tune, but not everyone is able to project well at all times. The strong singers stand out, calling attention to the lack of chops by others, but this is a minor point, and one that has probably been corrected now that the show has had a few runs.

George Ignatieff Theatre
90 min.
Fri, July 15 8:45 PM 657
Sat, July 16 4:00 PM 661

The Soaps
Rating:*** 3/5 Stars

Hmm…I was expecting more. It’s not that this improvised soap opera is not entertaining, it’s just that with the caliber of actors in the ensemble, I expected stronger characterizations. I know the story changes with every performance, as the story progresses, so maybe I saw a week night. Stand outs for me were actors, Lisa Merchant, Paul Bates, and Jim Annan, all of whom knew how to carry each improve suggestion (from the wonderful, Matt Baram) without missing a beat. Surprisingly disappointing was Robin Duke (SNL) whose scenes were cut short because of lack of delivery. I was at a loss to explain her performance.

Bathurst Street Theatre
60 min.
Fri, July 15 7:30 PM 356
Sat, July 16 4:00 PM 361
Sun, July 17 Noon 366

For all things Fringe, please visit: www.fringetoronto.com or call 416-966-1062 or 1-866-515-7799 for ticket information

Are They Trying to Seduce You?

Hey, TmTm listeners. Here is a list of the titles, show times of the 9 Fringe companies that dropped by CIUT's second floor studio to convince you to go see their shows. Who succeeded, who didn't get you to fall for their sweet words? Only their box office takes will know for sure;-) All tickets are an affordable $10. For complete information on How to Fringe, please visit the Toronto Fringe Theatre Festival website at http://fringetoronto.com/index.htm


Excuse Me, Would You Like to Buy a Bar?by Wesley J. Colford
Web: http://www.theatreadmin.com/FRINGE/ExcuseMe.html
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JYAIfUKI2U
(search our title on Facebook)
presented by Don’t Panic Productions from Toronto, ON
Director: Marc Richard
Genre: Comedy, Drama

Outside of time, six people are trapped in an absurd cycle of broken dreams and regret. Their only hope: one boy on a mission to sell the most chocolate bars and be the best. A play that challenges the intentions and methods of teachers and parents, students and children, lovers of all creeds, and above all, the human artist. It’s better than Llama Cats.

*Winner of the Tarragon Theatre 2010 Under 20 Playwriting Competition.*Presented in partnership with the Paprika Festival.

Venue 5 The Solo Room (at the Randolph Academy)
60 min.
Wed, July 6 8:15 PM 502
Sat, July 9 8:30 PM 514
Mon, July 11 7:30 PM 522
Tue, July 12 6:45 PM 525
Thu, July 14 9:45 PM 535
Fri, July 15 5:15 PM 536
Sun, July 17 5:45 PM 547

Finally: An Epic Cycle
by Sarah Cody
presented by Phone It In Productions from Toronto, ON
http://www.phoneitinproductions.com/
Director: Joanne Williams
Genre: Comedy
Warning: Mature Language

It was only a matter of time. It took nearly half a century, but finally the unthinkable has happened: The Leafs made it to the finals. Gen has a problem: she’s misplaced her tickets... Just hours before the game. Stories collide in this quirky comedy that explores the world of bike messengers, relationships and underdog hockey franchises.

Venue 8 Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse
60 min.
Fri, July 8 1:15 PM 807
Sat, July 9 9:15 PM 818
Mon, July 11 10:45 PM 831
Tue, July 12 4:45 PM 834
Thu, July 14 9:30 PM 850
Fri, July 15 5:15 PM 855
Sat, July 16 1:45 PM 860

The Giant’s Garden
by Peter Fenton & Scott White
(www.thegiantsgarden.com)
presented by The Giant Collective from Toronto, ON
Director: Scott White
Choreographer: Laura Caswell
Cast: Paula Wolfson, Mark Terene, Michael MacLennan, Dale Miller, Jody Osmond, Laura Caswell, Lucas Meeuse, Tara Lisowski Genre: Family, Musical

From the composer who brought you the Fringe hit Top Gun! The Musical, comes a new show of epic proportions. Travel into The Deep Dark Forest and experience a tale of bravery, friendship and the power of love. Featuring a cast of 13 colourful characters, and a score filled with unforgettable songs, The Giant’s Garden will enchant children and adults alike.

Venue 6 George Ignatieff Theatre
90 min.
Wed, July 6 10:30 PM 603
Sat, July 9 5:15 PM 616
Mon, July 11 8:00 PM 630
Tue, July 12 3:00 PM 633
Thu, July 14 Noon 645
Fri, July 15 8:45 PM 657
Sat, July 16 4:00 PM 661

Gravestone Posse
by The Canadian Space Opera Company
(www.cspoc.ca)
presented by The Canadian Space Opera Company from Toronto, ON
Genre: Play, Comedy
Cast:Nike Abbott, Don Berns, Paul Koster, Jorge Moreira, Rhonda Riche, Jeff Santos, Tracy Shea-Porter, Dave Till, Scott Watkins, Cary West,
Mallory Williams
Warning: Gunshots

The creators of the 2008 Fringe hit “Casa De Los Fantasmas” (**** - EYE) return with another chilling radio drama! Tired of the endless bloodshed, James “Blasting” Pitt, deadliest gunman in the Wild West, wants to settle down with a wife, family, and Sears Roebuck catalog. Little does James know his victims have returned from the grave, seeking revenge...

Venue 22 CIUT Radio Station, Hart House Map Room (Site Specific at 7 Hart House Circle, U of T)
60 min.
Wed, July 6 8:00PM 2201
Thu, July 7 8:00PM 2202
Fri, July 8 1:00PM 2203
Sat, July 9 1:00PM 2204
Sun, July 10 8:00PM 2205
Wed, July 13 8:00PM 2206
Thu, July 14 8:00PM 2207
Fri, July 15 8:00PM 2208
Sat, July 16 1:00PM 2209
Sun, July 17 8:00PM 2210

Jungle 1/I Spy
by Urban Jungle Theatre
(www.urbanjungletheatre.ca)
presented by Urban Jungle Theatre from Toronto, ON
Director: Gillian Street
Cast: Michael Atlin, Lindsay Bellaire, Sedina Fiati, Jen Hum, Madeleine Jullian, Kaylan Worsnop, Adrian Yearwood
Genre: Play, Physical Theatre

Jungle 1 is a collaborative site-specific piece by the newly formed Urban Jungle Theatre. Our ensemble of seven highly talented performers are hard at work creating an innovative and engaging piece of theatre to liven up your summer. In the meantime, you can go online to visit our blog and see video clips of the work at www.urbanjungletheatre.ca.

Venue 21 Central Technical School (Site Specific at 725 Bathurst Street)
60 min.
Wed, July 6 7:00PM 2101
Thu, July 7 7:00PM 2102
Fri, July 8 7:00PM 2103
Sat, July 9 7:00PM 2104
Sun, July 10 7:00PM 2105
Tue, July 12 7:00PM 2106
Wed, July 13 7:00PM 2107
Thu, July 14 7:00PM 2108
Fri, July 15 7:00PM 2109
Sat, July 16 7:00PM 2110
Sun, July 17 7:00PM 2111

The Billy Willy Show
by Billy Willy
(www.thebillywillyshow.com)
presented by Billy Willy from Friendly, West Virginia, USA
Director: Billy Willy
Cast: Billy Willy
Genre: Comedy, Musical
Warning: Mature Language

The Billy Willy Show is an old-fashioned barn dance radio program hosted by America’s least favorite country and western superstar. Between songs, Billy Willy shares his hilarious hard-luck stories and masterfully combines stand-up and storytelling in a surreal satire about one cowboy’s obsession with country music, success, and celebrity.

Venue 5 The Solo Room (at the Randolph Academy)
45 min.Thu, July 7 6:00 PM 504
Fri, July 8 4:45 PM 508
Sat, July 9 10:15 PM 515
Sun, July 10 2:45 PM 516
Tue, July 12 8:30 PM 526
Wed, July 13 6:30 PM 529
Fri, July 15 10:30 PM 539
Sat, July 16 8:00 PM 543

The Soaps -The Live Improvised Soap Opera
by The National Theatre of the World
(thenationaltheatreoftheworld.com)
presented by The National Theatre of the World from Toronto, ON
Director: The Company
Cast: Matt Baram, Christy Bruce, Chris Gibbs, Ron Pederson, Jim Annan, Albert Howell, Scott Montgomery, Paul Bates, Lisa Brooke, Aurora Browne and special guests every show
Musical Director: Bob Derkach!
Genre: Comedy
Warning: Mature Language

Each night a cast of Toronto’s best improvisers will create a new episode of an ongoing story packed with drama, romance, intrigue, twists and betrayal. Just like a real soap opera, but funny on purpose. Our story takes us behind the scenes of an ego clashing theatre company as they scramble towards the opening night of the most powerful play ever written!
*Fringe Fundraiser Show

Venue 3 Bathurst Street Theatre
60 min.
Fri, July 8 3:30 PM 308
Sat, July 9 9:15 PM 318
Tue, July 12 5:00 PM 334
Wed, July 13 7:30 PM 342
Fri, July 15 7:30 PM 356
Sat, July 16 4:00 PM 361
Sun, July 17 Noon 366

The Travelling Salesman & His Magical Suitcase of Desires!
by Vincenzo Aliberti
presented by Zanni Arte Productions from Toronto, ON
Director: Teodoro Dragonieri
Genre: Comedy, Physical Theatre

What would you do if someone offered the one thing you always wanted? When a mysterious salesman with his magical suitcase comes to town, these unsuspecting townsfolk find out...the hard way! This is a story for all ages, told in the style of COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE, by colourful characters in hilarious situations. Come and get the one thing YOU always wanted.

Venue: FringeKids - Palmerston Library Theatre
60 min.
Thu, July 7 4:00 PM 3003
Fri, July 8 6:15 PM 3010
Sat, July 9 11:00 AM 3012
Sun, July 10 2:15 PM 3020
Tue, July 12 11:00 AM 3030
Wed, July 13 4:30 PM 3039
Fri, July 15 11:15 AM 3048
Sat, July 16 7:30 PM 3059

Tyumen, Then
by Adam Underwood
(www.sometimesandrea.com)
presented by October Theatre from Toronto, ON
Director: Andrea Donaldson
Cast: Adam Lazarus, Lyon Smith, Kevin MacDonald
Set & Costume Design: Jung-Hye Kim
Sound Design: Verne Good
Genre: Play
Warning: Smoking,
Graphic Violence

July 4th, 1941: Locked in the boxcar of a motionless train, somewhere between Moscow and Siberia, two confined soldiers guard the rousing corpse of Vladimir Lenin. Join this award-winning assembly of Toronto theatre artists for a ruthless, wicked, seriously unhinged satire about ideology, war, and survival.
*Fringe Fundraiser Show

Venue 9 Robert Gill Theatre
60 min.Fri, July 8 11:00 PM 912
Mon, July 11 8:45 PM 931
Tue, July 12 4:30 PM 935
Wed, July 13 12:15 PM 939
Thu, July 14 7:00 PM 950
Fri, July 15 6:15 PM 956
Sat, July 16 1:45 PM 961

TICKETS
Tickets are $10 at the door. At-The-Door Tickets are available at a show’s venue starting one hour prior to show time, cash sales only, limit of 4/person.

FringeKids Tickets are $5 for ages 12 and under.

In person Tickets are available at The New Festival Box Office (July 6-17, 12-9pm) - @ The Fringe Club, 581 Bloor St. W.

By Phone at 416-966-1062 or 1-866-515-7799, July 2-17, every day, 10am-6pm

For COMPLETE Details Visit:http://fringetoronto.com/fringefest/index.html

Photos: courtesy of show websites
Descriptions: courtesy of Fringe website.

5-Minutes of Fame & They're Ready for Their Close Ups!

Up close and just for YOU! Saturday, July 2nd, 1:00-2:00 pm, 9 reps from 9 plays will get 5 minutes to woo you into their theatres during the Toronto Fringe Theatre Festival. That's right, just 5 minutes each. Can they do it? Can each rep woo you in 5 minutes? Tune in and hear them pitch their little hearts out. My stop watch is ready to go! 5 minutes and they get the ole heave ho from the microphone. Next!

So, get your pens, pencils, and electronic devices ready to take down names and book your tickets to wildly adventurous, darkly mysterious, or as sedate as you like it theatre. The Fringe has it all! July 6-17th!

Too Tired to be Out and Proud? Check Out These DVDs

Kirk Cooper (Founder, Film Market Access) and I had a quick chat last Saturday about some of our favourite LGBT films. Some of the films on our lists are classics, a blast from the past and a couple of more recents DVD selections. Our list is just to get you thinking and/or started at your local DVD store. We couldn't list everything we liked or this would be a pretty looooong post. Trans advocate and CIUT 89.5 FM Host, Syrus Ware (Resistance on the Sound Dial) also added a couple of his faves to our list. (I passed him in the hallway at the station.) Feel free to add your faves by way of leaving a comment. What's on your list for Pride Week (or the rest of the year, for that matter)?


Kirk's Top 10 Countdown
10. “My Beautiful Laundrette” (1985)
9. “The History Boys” (2006)
8. “Torch Song Trilogy” (1988)
7. “Nico & Dani” (2000)
6. “Adventure of Priscilla Queen of the Desert” (1994)
5. “A Single Man” dir by Tom Ford (Colin Firth, Julianne Moore)
4. “Crazy” – (Canada )dir by Jean-Marc Vallée
3. “My own Private Idaho”- 1991 OR “Milk” – dir by Gus Van Saint
2. “Brokeback Mountain – 2005 OR “Wedding Banquet” 1993 dir by Ang Lee
1. “Maurice” 1987 dir by James Ivory

More recently played in a festival…
1. “Undertow” a.k.a “Contracorriente” from Colombia – Audience Choice at Sundance 2010
2. “Skoonheid” a.k.a “Beauty” from South Africa …played in Cannes 2011 won the Queer Palm

Syrus Ware's Faves (Resistance on the Sound Dial)
1. "xxy" (Argentina) 2007 dir. Lucia Puenzo
2. "Change" (USA) 2011 (short film) dirs. Jeff McCutcheon and Melissa Osborne
watch trailer at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1735324/

donna g's list (alpha order)
1. "Beautiful Thing" (UK) 1996 dir. Hettie Macdonald
2. "Chutney Popcorn" (USA) 1999 dir. Nisha Ganatra
3. "Eleven Men Out" (Iceland) 2005 dir. Robert I. Douglas
4. "Love!Valour!Compassion" (USA) 1997 dir. Joe Mantello
5. "Mambo Italiano" (Canada) 2003 dir. Emile Gaudreault (set in Montreal)
6. "Queens/Reinas" (Spain) 2005 dir. Manuel Gomez Pereira, featuring a roster of Almodovar's female leads such as Marissa Paredes, Carmen Maura etc)
7. "Rope" (USA) dir. Alfred Hitchcock + "The Celluloid Closet" (must see doc) dir. Rob Epstein, Jeffery Friedman
8. "Saving Face" (USA) 2004 dir. Alice Wu (features Joan Chen)
9. "The Broken Hearts Club, A Romantic Comedy" (USA) dir. Greg Berlanti …meanwhile…
10. "Touch of Pink" (Canada) dir. 2004 dir. Ian Iqbal Rasid set in Toronto and London
11. "Transamerica" (USA) dir. Duncan Tucker

Guilty Pleasures:
"Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds" (USA) 2006 dir. Phillip J. Bartell (sex comedy, adult content), stars Jim Verraros from American Idol

"Fruit Fly" (USA) 2009 dir. H.P. Mendoza

In Theatres (check your local listings)
"Beginners" (Christopher Plummer, Ewan McGreggor) see my review
"Loose Cannons" (Italy) see my review

Worldwide Short Film Festival: Oh, No, They Didn't!

Laughter Without Borders
Royal Ontario Museum
Saturday, June 4, 9:30 pm
89 Minutes

Yes! If you missed it at Hot Docs, you will have a chance to see one of my all time favourite short films: Two’s A Crowd. Shorter really is better for me when it comes to short films (8 minutes, and I’m good), but at 20 minutes Two’s A Crowd leaves me wanting more. More time spent with New Yokers, Allen and Collette, a middle-aged who have been successfully married for four years while maintaining separate domiciles about a mile apart: he lives in Chelsea, she lives in the West Village. After four years of separate but together, the economic situation has forced Allen to move into Collette’s rent controlled apartment. Neither is really happy about changing a situation that has kept them happily married and are each very worried about what impact living together will have on their relationship. The film explores these fears as we meet Allen and Collette in their apartments, showing us what they each enjoy about their own places, and what they feel they will be sacrificing by moving in together. Even friends and family, who have come to accept their relationship, have qualms about the pair living together Yes, their marital situation is unique, but what makes the film work is Allen and Collette: they are hilarious! Collette doesn’t want to see Allen brush or floss his teeth; Allen doesn’t want to argue about watching what he wants to watch on HBO. Allen and Collette are in love and committed solely to each other, but will two become a crowd in this rom-com documentary?

Canada has three entries in this International programme: 4 Pounds and 52 directed by Josh Levy and written by Kids in the Hall-er, Scott Thompson (who also stars), and Family First directed by Chris Hanratty and written by Mike McPhaden. What. The. Fuck! Offended by my language? Then you better skip this programme, or ask someone to tell you when Two’s a Crowd is showing so you can sneak in and out once you’ve seen it. Not offended? Great. Buy some popcorn and get ready to have your head spin and your eyes bug out at the Canadian contingent. Scott Thompson tackles gay men’s fears of weight gain and aging in two fictionalized bio shorts that satirize the narcissism and self-doubt that plague all actors, but which are compounded by being gay. Mike McPhaden, you dirty dog! What were you on when you wrote Family First, and how on earth did you convince his ensemble (which includes such notable stage actors/playwrights such as Michael Healey and Dianne Flacks) to partake in a comedy so squeamishly icky and so twistedly tawdry that I wanted to pluck out my eyes and take a scalding hot shower after watching it? May you rot in hell for what you put me through for 7 minutes. Okay, 14 minutes (so, what if I watched it twice, you sick bastard!) Um…call me when you write something else;-)

It’s Christmas in June with Irish comedian Chris O’Dowd’s Capturing Santa. Ever wished year after year for a gift that Santa never, ever brought you? You will be able to relate to this humourous short about O’Dowd’s childhood bad luck with Christmas presents and his downward spiral into Santa hatred. Will little Christopher be scarred for life by Santa’s slights, or will Santa redeem himself in time to save Christopher from a lifetime of therapy? Since Chris O’Dowd is Irish, the ending could go either way!

Rounding out this section is the The Dark Side, a spoof of Sandra Bullock’s The Blind Side as interpreted by Saturday Night Live writer, Seth Meyers and starring NFL quarterback, Peyton Manning; When the Wind Changes, and Australian short that is way too long at 17 minutes, but which offers up an original take of the bromance by pushing the envelope on the concept of being of the same mind-set; and the German short, Arts + Crafts Spectacular #1, a 1 minute animation about “idyllic” country life.

For more info please visit: http://worldwideshortfilmfest.com/ or call 416-929-2232

Shorts for Shorties at the CN Tower!

For the first time, Worldwide Short Film Festival is screening films way above Toronto! Shorts for Shorties 1 & 2 will be way above the city on Saturday!

Whether you choose Tell Us a Story or All Creatures and Small (or both) for your shorties or for yourself, you will have the opportunity to see the Oscar-nominated animation, The Gruffalo. Based on the children’s book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, this short is incredibly beautiful to watch and extremely fascinating to experience. Telling the story of a mouse’s adventure in the woods, is Helena Bonham Carter, a mother squirrel has reasons of her own for spinning this epic fantasy for her children. The film also features the voice talents of Robbie Coltrane and Tom Wilkinson.

Shorts for Shorties: Tell Us a Story
CN Tower
Saturday, June 4, 10:30 am
60 Minutes
Besides Academy Award nominated, The Gruffalo, highlights of this programme include the wonderful tale of Marvin. Although he was born with a hole in the middle of his forehead, Marvin, was never made fun of and was accepted by his peers. One fateful day, sick and dragging his snotty-nosed self home from school, Marvin’s common sense pops out of the hole in his head. Confounded, Marvin goes in search of his missing common sense, a journey that takes him to places he has never been, and encounters with people he has never met. Narrated in delightfully funny couplets by Steve Coogan, Marvin the film is as delightful as Marvin the character.

“Love who you are” is the lesson of Jillian Dillon, a girl who, unlike Marvin, gets teased because she is different: part hippo, part platypus. The storyline as well as the animated paper puppets in this charming, pop-up-like storybook world captivated me. Simple though they appear, the production team must have put in hundreds of hours to create the images in this 4-minute piece of magic. Magic and machinations are also in play in Lokomoschine, the German animation in which two inventors (one as thin as the other is round) construct a machine that will bring storybook characters to life. When a glitch in the machine causes some unexpected happenings, rather than bring everything to a screeching halt, the two inventors find their love of books is elevated to an equally satisfying plane. Speaking of plane…the dream fairy in Dreamgiver finds himself in a bit of a pickle during his nightly delivery of pleasant dreams when a stray bit of magic sends a dreamer into a realm inhabited by a scary dragon. Director, writer, editor, and cinematographer, Tyler Carter, uses all his talents to bring to life this whimsical, luminous tale.

Also included in this section, is the 2-minute Jon Izen’s (he of Yam Roll fame) fantastical tale 9 Things I Saw Last Wednesday, and Qingyuan Wang’s Orange City, which celebrates the sweetness of the fruit as well as our differences and similarities.

Shorts for Shorties: All Creatures Great and Small
CN Tower
Saturday, June 4, 1:00 pm
60 Minutes
It’s a jungle out there, and it’s exquisitely brought to animated brilliance with Sam Chen’s Amazonia about a hungry little tree frog who navigates the hazards of his habitat in search of food. Backing the simple tale is the unexpected and surprisingly well-matched music of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8. Ha! No more will your children think classical music is boring, especially when teamed with such colour, humour and adventure! Taking us from the rainforest to South Africa is the ubiquitous Jungle Beat, a mainstay of WWSFF’s Short for Shorties progammes (and long may they remain so!). In This Little Light of Mine, a tiny firefly battles his fear of the dark and his own irritating light as he tries to fall asleep, while in Blowin’ in the Wind, an ant wages his own struggle to get a leaf back to his anthill. Brent Dawes’ work always feature challenges that have to be overcome, but he always manages to infuse his characters' journeys with barriers that are chuckle-inducing.

Music is the key to humour in On the Branch (Czech Republic) and Mobile (Germany), two uproarious shorts that will make even adults giggle. In the first, two birds spar over ownership of a branch. Their choice of weapon? Tweets. See who wins the battle of the birds on the branch in this 1-minute donnybrook. In the second, a lonely cow tries to engage the animals on the other side of the mobile. Trapeze swings, near meetings, and circus music elicits sidesplitting guffaws in this topsy-turvy silent short. Andale, vacita!

In Reulf, a happy army of origami-esque figures tries to bring colour to Paris. Equipped with maps and paint brushes the merry band add colour to everything from the Eiffel Tower to the Metro, to footwear and clothing, while taking time out to hang from street signs and laze in coffe cups on sidewalk café tables. Providing the soundtrack to their lively expedition is music by Robert Le Magnifique.

Switzerland’s Pink Nanuq is about a Polar Bear and a Penguin who try to save an iceberg, but for me the animation is more captivating than the story. Layered and colourful, the animation is interesting to examine, but I can’t say the same for the lackluster delivery of the story. Which goes to show that even short filmmakers need to know how to pace even a 6-minute film. Luckily, Jakob Schuh and Max Lang, the directors of The Gruffalo (see above) give you 25 minutes of fun and exciting activity in a well-paced story worth watching more than once.tmtm

The Worldwide Short Film Festival
TOWERING SHORTS – a morning of family activities at the CN Tower.
(info courtesy of http://worldwideshortfilmfest.com/)
•Every adult ticket gets you (and up to two kids, twelve and under, for FREE)
•Screening ticket to our family friendly programming, Shorts for Shorties (one of two programs);
•Access to a hands-on animation workshop, presented by the National Film Board;
•An elevator ride to the observation deck at the top of the CN Tower!
•All activities are good for the young and young-at-heart.
•Workshops to choose from:
9:00 AM
11:30 AM
2:00 PM
Tickets are $22.99 plus HST ...


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Worldwide Short Film Festival: Celebrity Quickies;-)

Worldwide Short Film Festival: Celebrity Shorts 1 & 2. I've always wondered why celebrities dabble in shorts. It can't always be because they can't find work; yet in this year's collection of Celebrity Shorts you'll find such Oscar winners such as Colin Firth, Sandra Bullock, Anthony Hopkins, Rachel Weisz (directing)and Oscar a parade of Oscar nominees: Gérard Depardieu, Imelda Staunton, James Cromwell, Debra Winger, and Kiera Knightley. And football notable Peyton Manning doesn't need the money. They can't all be doing it as a glamour project, either. Maybe they just like to act and want a break from being in projects that have to rack up millions of box office dollars. Whatever the reason, they do all do a bang up job in the shorts screening at WWSFF this year.

Celebrity Shorts 1
Thursday, June 2, 7:00 pm, Royal Ontario Museum
Sunday, June 5, 7:15 pm, Cineplex Odeon Varsity Cinema
94 Minutes
I thoroughly enjoyed each of the seven shorts in this section. From the documentary, PS Your Mystery Sender, about British designer Paul Smith and his odd collection of fan mail/paraphernalia (surf boards, mismatched skis, stuffed animals etc) sent by unknown appreciators of his work, to the sombre and touching French drama Winter Frog, featuring Gérard Depardieu as a grieving vintner, whose life is infused with the spirit of magic by an unexpected visitor (Eriko Tanaka). Harry Potter actors, Imelda Staunton and Tom Felton (Malfoy) play scenes far away from Hogwarts in, White Order, an hospital drama rife with dark undertones that is suitably lit by cinematographer, David Mackie. Nudity, tension and angst cloak the British short, Sergeant Slaughter, My Big Brother, which explores the relationship between a bruiser of an older (Tom Hardy) who want to join the French Foreign Legion, and his younger brother (Ben MacLeod) who is being bullied by a neighbourhood boy. The masculine interplay between the brothers and the coldness of their parents makes you want to back away from this house, while being fascinated enough to want to watch the goings on through a crack in the window.

Love is the theme in the remaining three films: Animal Love, sees Selma Blair and Jeremy Davis as loners in the future who hook up via a dating service. Shy and introverted, the two make tentative steps towards getting to know one another beyond hooking up thanks to an allergic response and an adventurous rodent named Frank. Also exploring the issue of love on many levels are Gina McKee and Stephen Mangan as a couple who goes to visit the wife's sister. What ensues in An Act of Love is best left for you to observe when you get to the theatre. Adding a sweet touch to the programme is, Bunce, written by author, actor, comedian, Stephen Fry who stars in his own childhood biographical short. As a precocious boarding school lad, it seems that Fry the Second (his brother also went to the same school), young Fry had a love of sweets that transcends every punishment he could ever endure. The scheming, sweetie lover's machinations and at school and his friendship with young Bunce is a delightful tale of childhood larceny.

Celebrity Shorts 2
Bloor Cinema
Friday, June 3, 7:00pm
88 Minutes
Who knew that James Cromwell (Babe, W, The Queen) was once linked to the Black Panther Party. Turns out, young, naive, idealistic James once loaned his parents' apartment to a few Party members back in the 60's. Narrated by Cromwell with re-enactments by his son, John, this eye-opening documentary (A .45 at 50th) will have you rethinking what you know about Cromwell while exposing some of the underhanded tactics the American government used to pursue and persecute Party members. This documentary is way at the opposite end of the scale when compared to yahoos Jason Biggs and Joel Moore who finally get their bums off the couch to learn at the feet of motivational guru, Anthony Hopkins in The Third Rule. Given the first two rules by their new life coach, these bumbling pals, think they have it made, but just what is the third rule? All I can say is "Beware the Mongoose!"

Sitting in the director's chair for The Thief, is actress Rachel Weisz, who does a wonderful job of keeping this simple story (based on a true story from Glamour Magazine) on track. This two-hander is an interesting modern morality tale that is well-acted by Rosemary DeWitt and Joel Edgerton. Also holding her own is actress, Julia Stiles in Sexting, written and directed by Neil Labute. Stiles has 97 percent of the dialogue in this short, where the camera takes the place of the woman she is taking to. The one-sided conversation about sex and communication streams naturally to its hilarious thanks to a crackling script and emotionally nuanced performance by Stiles. Like Labute, director, Rupert Friend also writes his own script for Steve, starring Colin Firth and Kiera Knightley, who has none of the usual facial tics that irriate some of her non-fans. Steve, played by Firth is an annoying neighbour, who lives downstairs from Knightly and her husband. Steve takes neighbourly-ness and the British cuppa to a different level in this dark, biting satire about how modern social interaction.

Meanwhile...Meanwhile...is a bright movie musical with a pleasant surprise. The dancers in this one belong on the hot tamale train for transforming themselves from concession stand employees to hoofers who raise the roof with popcorn and fountain drinks. The dynamic team of Sable and Battlion remain true to their brand of comedy, music and irony in this brilliant short that rivals, The Dark Side, for its humourous surprises. A spoof of Sandra Bullock's The Blind Side (and no, you don't have to go rent it before seeing this), this short takes kindness and to the extreme, where good Samaritan, Sandra, insists on mothering NFL quarterback, Peyton Manning. Did the studio not know what Saturday Night Live contributor, Seth Meyers would do with their film! Way to go, Seth!

I'm not saving the best for last with How It Ended. Unfortunately, you have to sit through 18 minutes of Debra Winger dying if you want to see the rest of these wonderful short films. Time is really relative here: Steve is 16 minutes of acerbic wit; How It Ended is only 2 minutes longer, but feels like it's an hour longer. Had it been shorter, the ending to the film would have been a fantastic pay-off, instead it elicits a lackluster response. Note to director/writer, Gabriel Nussbaum: shorter is better!

http://worldwideshortfilmfest.com/
May 31 - June 5
BOX OFFICECumberland Terrace
2 Bloor Street West, entrance on Cumberland between Bay and Yonge
416-929-2232 (tickets and passes)
Monday May 30 to Friday June 3: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Saturday June 4: 11:00 am to 6:00 pm
Sunday June 5: closed (tickets will be available at theatre box offices all day)
Please note that all sales are final. No refunds or exchanges.