Dear Oscar, Please Remember ANOTHER YEAR

Director/writer, Mike Leigh’s latest film, Another Year, is a flawless, understated gem, whose delicate beauty makes me wish I could whisper, “go see it!” in each of your ears instead of writing about it. I just don’t want the film to be over-hyped in a way that will detract from the simplicity of the story. Since I do want as many people as possible to go see this film , I will ask that when you do, that you leave any expectations of high drama at the door and prepare your senses for seasons filled with humour, pathos and reality.

Mike Leigh regulars, Jim Broadbent, Ruth Sheen, and Lesley Manville are the featured stars in the ensemble piece, Another Year. The story centers around Tom and Gerri (Broadbent and Sheen), a contented middle aged couple, their lonely, divorced friend, Mary (Manville), and their son Jack (Oliver Maltman). We follow these characters over the course of a year, watching the seasonal canvass change as Tom and Gerri cultivate their communal garden and welcome others into the warmth of their home.

Lesley Manville’s performance is so heartbreakingly spot on, you will feel embarrassed and protective of her, even as you laugh at her antics. Manville’s character, Mary, a woman in her fifties whose It Girl days have long passed, desperately wants to belong to Tom and Gerri’s home, so much so that she flirts inappropriately with Jack, whom she has known since he was ten (he’s now 30). But who wouldn’t want to sit at Tom and Gerri’s kitchen table with Tom at the stove and Gerri making a cuppa? They are that one couple that we all know who just seem to have the perfect familial chemistry. A couple who are not without joys or sorrows, but whom are too nice to incur our all out jealously, but of whom we can’t help but feel a twinge of envy. That’s why we can’t blame Mary completely for her feelings because we would have them too. So, when she goes too far we feel her pain and devastation, at the same time hoping that we would have the sense not to cross the barriers that her loneliness drives her to breach.

For all its serious emotions, Another Year is not entirely filled with despair. It’s this subtle balance of emotion that makes the film so exquisite. Mike Leigh continues to demonstrate that he is an exceptional craftsman when it comes to composing and directing improvised films that show the reality of every day life. You know that feeling you get when you pass a house and wonder what the people inside are like? Mike Leigh answers these questions brilliantly by choosing talented actors, setting them up in these "houses", and letting them say and do things that seem real. In actuality, these scenes are directed by a master who knows how to tell a good story, and who knows what other elements to bring to his screen fictions. For example, the beautiful score that supports rather than intrudes, and the lighting that enhances rather than infringes. For all of these reasons, I wish that you will give this film a chance and that the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences will also remember it at Oscar time.

Mike Leigh has received four Academy Award nominations for original screenplay (Happy-Go-Lucky, Vera Drake, Topsy-Turvy and Secrets & Lies) and two for directing (Vera Drake and Secrets & Lies).

ANOTHER YEAR
Released January 14th (Mongrel Media)
Screens at Varsity Cinemas and Yonge-Sheppard

Photo Credits:
Mary (Lesley Manville). Photo by Simon Mein (c) Thin Man Films Ltd., Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

Director Mike Leigh. Photo by Simon Mein (c) Thin Man Films Ltd., Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

Hail the Queen: Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work

I first bragged about Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work on air in April of 2010 when I saw it at Hot Docs, and then in May 2010 when I saw it again at Inside Out. Well, here it is 2011 and I'm going to brag about this film again by reprinting my original review and my thoughts about the film now that it has been released on DVD.



The Film (original review from May 2010)
"This documentary is an honest portrait of perseverance and endurance. The title sums it up: Joan is a "piece of work" in the sense that she is different and edgy, and she is a work-a-holic. Her daughter, Melissa spells it out in the documentary when she says that all the comics she knows has a sense of insecurity that they never seem to lose no matter how famous they become. They all seem to long for the validation and attention they get from their audience. The film shows Joan stressing about empty calendar dates, working on her play, dealing with the business of being Joan Rivers, and, of course, doing her stand up. Her stand up is coarse, frank and extremely funny. This is the way she was back in her twenties, and this is how she continues to perform on stage in her seventies. Seeing her amidst the all-boys network at a George Carlin tribute, I couldn't help but wonder why, she has still not gained the accolades she deserves. She has paid her dues, and continues to do so, and dammit, I want more for her while she is still alive. I don't want to hear about her accomplishments after she dies. Let's hope this film will bring her the attention and and prestige she deserves." END

DVD REVIEW
It amazed me that I still laughed out loud while watching the DVD. After all, I had already seen it twice. I credit my laughter to the fact that Joan Rivers is an artist (I'm not talking about the fact that she paints, and has a jewllery line). Joan Rivers knows how to craft jokes. She is genuinely funny, but being funny in life can't sustain a career in comedy. You must have incredible comic timing or your jokes will fall flat. You also have to be able to write jokes, and Joan writes constantly. People forget that she used to write material for other comedians/talk show hosts before being on Carson launced her into the spotlight. She has also written several books. She has a files upon files of jokes on any given topic, and she still pracitices stand up at little night clubs in New York to test her material. You think you want to do comedy? Can you handle a heckler and still still deliver the material that people paid to see you do? Joan's a work-a-holic, so I don't expect you to keep her pace, but can you do even half as much work as she continues to do? If you can, tell me who you are and I'll come see you.

Don't pidgeon hole Joan Rivers because she fits into too many boxes. Take her audience for example: young, old, gay, straight, rich, poor. Everybody can relate to what she has been through: her joys (daughter Melissa and grandson, Cooper), her sorrows (husband Edgar committed suicide), her work ethic (she will play any where for the money). At 76, she is still "opening doors" for female comedians, and she has not abdicated her role as Queen of Comedy. As is mentioned in the film, someone will have to take that crown from her cold, dead hands. Good luck to them!

The DVD falls a little little flat when it comes to the Bonus Material, but the flaws are minor. Most of the Deleted Scences should have remained deleted, and did we really need to see the TV Spots for the movie? The Sundance Q & A sequence is the best of the Bonus Material because we get to hear directly from Joan. One gaping hole in the DVD is what became of a long time friend that Joan had to break with during the course of filming. It's the only time she cried in the film, and her pain was palpable. I don't know if it was too difficult for her to talk about further, but I thought the question of "What happened to So and So?" would have been included in the DVD. But you're going to buy the DVD for Joan and her candid revelations about her life, so if she omits one tidbit, that's more than okay by me. I love you Joan!

DVD Details
Entertainment One Presents
Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
A Film By Ricki Stern & Annie Sundberg
85 minutes / Documentary
Documentary/Biography
14A – Coarse Language, Crude Content
84 Minutes
Release Date: Jan. 11, 2011

Trailerhttp://www.joanriversapieceofwork.com/

Nostalgia for the Light Shines at the TIFF Bell Lightbox

NOSTALGIA FOR THE LIGHT, my number 2 pick (and it was a very close runner up to West is West) at TIFF 2010 is screening at the TIFF Bell Lightbox (corner of King and John Streets) until January 19th. Wish it had a longer run because this Chilean documentary by master director, Patricio Guzmán, is exquisite (see my TIFF review). This film is made for everyone, but will be of particular interest to history lovers and astronomy buffs. Since TIFF always gets the best film prints, seeing the stars on a large screen at the Lightbox will be an amazing treat for the senses. Spanish with English subtitles.

NOSTALGIA FOR THE LIGHT
Runs until Feb 2nd
TIFF Bell Lightbox (corner of King and John)

Schedule and Info
http://tinyurl.com/4h57ys2

Hey, Barney! Where's Miriam? Barney's Version Reviewed

I have never read Mordecai Richler's version of Barney's Version. I have read, heard and been told that it is one of the author's best and that it is a beloved tome. Well, it will be a while before the Toronto Public Library (TPL) informs me that my copy has arrived at my pick up location because right now I am 187th on the list of 187; the TPL has 45 copies. At over 400 pages, I didn't expect the screen adaptation written by Michael Konyes and directed by Richard J. Lewis to give me every single detail of the book, so I won't be surprised when I do get my copy of the book that some things did not make it to the screen.

The book and movie is about movie producer, Barney Panofsky, his relationship with his Dad, his three wives, and his two children; it also includes a gun shrouded in a past mystery. A tactless curmudgeon with a bit of the sad sack about him, Barney is played competently by Paul Giamatti, who over the past decade has gone from "That Guy" (remember him as a hostage in the Sam Jackson/Kevin Spacey flick, The Negotiator?) to Oscar-nominated actor. I expected Giamatti to be good, and I expected the same of Dustin Hoffman (Izzy Panofsky). Playing father and son, Giamatti and Hoffman are a tag team of insensitivity and brash humour. In a pivotal scene, Barney chases after Rosamund Pike's character, Miriam, on his wedding day, while father, Izzy (Hoffman)gets drunk and imposes himself on the wedding guests and the bride's (Minnie Driver) family.

I also expected British actress, Rosamund Pike (left) to be good. She's been in a few things, but I really noticed her as the ditsy blonde in An Education and as the under-appreciated brainy wife in, Made In Dagenham. She made an impression on my in both roles, so I was pleased to see that she had been cast in this film. What I didn't expect, and was thrilled to see, is how superbly she held her own in a film with Giamatti and Hoffman. In my opinion, she surpasses both men, displaying a range in acting that takes her from a young woman in her twenties to a middle age wife with grown children. Rather than relying on heavy make-up, someone made the wise choice to go light on the aging process and have Pike use her body and voice to project her progressive maturity as the film spans the decades. We know that Barney is drawn to Miriam. We are made very aware that she is his romantic focus whom he loves with a depth that he cannot show to anyone else in his life, and as such, we are drawn to her, too, but it is Pike's acting and what she brings to the role that locks in our attraction to her. I don't know who thought of casting her in the role, but kudos to them for giving her this chance to shine.

Barney's Version is a respectable film, with a respectable cast, but is it an excellent film? No. While it merits viewing because of the fine acting by Rosamund Pike, we have seen Giamatti and Hoffman play their respective roles before. I also felt as if I was watching an abridged movie rather than a complete film, despite the 132 minute run time. I don't know how the mystery of the gun plays out in the book, but in the film it seems like a made-for-tv plot point that just doesn't seem to work with the rest of the film. When I get the email from the TPL, I'll let you know what I think of Mordecai's version.

My rating: 3/5 stars
Film Opens December 24th

Photo Credit: Takashi Seida. eOne Pictures

A Feast, 8 Women and a Candle

I had a fun chat last Saturday with a couple of my film buds, Kirk Cooper (founder of Film Market Access) and Moen Mohamed film lover, and man about town. We spoke about our Christmas/Winter DVD faves, but we didn't get a chance to mention all the films on our lists so here they are. Kirk and I have a couple of theatrical releases on our lists, but for the most part you can find the films on DVD. If you can't find the films at your local video store, try Queen Video, Bay St. Video or the Toronto Public Library. Please feel free to leave a comment about your favourite cold weather films, so we can all check out something we may be missing.



Moen’s Faves
Babette’s Feast
Bullets Over Broadway
City Lights
Flowers of St. Francis
Imitation of Life
Make Way for Tomorrow
Sunrise
The Ice Storm
The Red Shoes
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg




Kirk’s Faves
8 Femmes
Bad Santa
Gremlins
In Bruges
It’s a Wonderful Life
Scrooged (Bill Murray and A Christmas Carol starring Alistair Sims)
The Fighter (theatrical)
The King’s Speech (theatrical)
This Christmas
Trading Places




donna g’s Faves
Bell Book and Candle
Black Swan
Brooklyn Lobster
LA Confidential
O’ Horten
One Special Night
Rare Exports
Sleuth (Lawrence Olivier/Michael Caine and the remake with Michael Caine/Jude Law)
The Ref
Three Wishes for Cinderella
Black Swan (theatrical)

5 Disco Balls for Priscilla Queen of the Desert!

It is the gayest thing I have ever seen! Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical is a stunningly over the top, gay musical that hits all the right notes, and glitters in all the right places. The transition from screen to stage is exceedingly well done, with the elimination of material that is dated or too awkward to fit the stage, and with the inclusion of new scenes and songs that surpasses the film in some respects. Then there is the bus. Holy moly, the bus! Yes, it is pink--very PINK, and a multitude of colours that are as bashful as a jacket by Liberace. After all, she is the Queen of the Desert, and what queen, gay or otherwise, isn't sometimes bedecked in all her bejewelled splendor?

Drag queens, Tick/Mitzie, Adam/Felicia and Bernadette (don't call her Ralph!) trek across the Australian dessert (from Sydney to Alice Springs) with humour, feathers, arguments pizazz, and, ahem, a few road kills. Joining them along the way is Bob, the mechanic who lubricates Priscilla and romances Bernadette, his nostalgic favourite from her days as a member "Les Girls".

Of course, where there are drag queens, there must be costumes, right? Well, lucky for us the memorable costumes from the film's Oscar®-winning designers Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner (remember her American Express dress from Oscar night?) are included in the stage version, as are a plethora of eye-popping, to die for regalia. Even the funeral scene (Bernadette's off-stage boyfriend, Trumpet, dies at the very beginning of the play) is a cavalcade of corsetry and lace. Hello! to my man en pointe in the short black number! Fabulous legs, darlin'! André Leon Talley would have been proud.

Olivier Award nominee, Tony Sheldon steals the show as Bernadette, and Tony Award nominee Will Swenson does an excellent job as Tick, the straight man (forgive the pun) to the other two's schtick, and Nick Adams (Felicia) is just all out sex on platforms. Question: is it wrong that I found him sexy in his pink mini? Go see it and tell me if you didn't feel the same. The man is hot. Worthy of being studied in Anotomy class!

Catch this musical now while it's in Toronto or you will have to skip south of the border to see the same cast on Broadway! Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical, runs until January 2, 2011 at the Princess of Wales Theatre.

On a budget? Student pricing is available (see website for info) and if you are not a student, grab the cheapest seats you can and have a ball. Best to go with friends because this musical experience is even better when shared! Come on, there are Divas singing disco from mid-air!

http://www.mirvish.com/
Recommended for ages 14+

CD REVIEW: d'bi young's "womanifesto"--she ain't goin out like that!

Drop the word “socio-political” in a conversation and most people’s eyes would glaze over in anticipation of the preaching and boredom to follow; but, in the case of d’bi young’s latest CD, “wombanifesto”, all it takes is a listen to the assertive lyrics and reggae, latin, beatbox and punk rhythms and the word “socio-political” will take on an unexpected new energy.

With its raw, powerful lyrics and African-Caribbean rhythms, “wombanifesto” is a powerful assertion of the female in general, and a defiant declaration of existence by the black woman. The CD’s universal appeal will come from the listener’s recognition of what is happening in the world, to the Earth, even as they dance and chant along with the lyrics. young’s dub poetry speaks of long-suppressed truths, truths that resonate with the collective and the individual.

The rocking “gendah bendah” is an anthem to those who don’t fit into any of the institutionalized boxes imposed by society. “animal farm” with its punk-reggae beats will have them all thinking about media manipulation and manufactured popular opinion.

The womb bleeds in tracks like “children of a lesser god” and “blood” (back up by jo watson). The former talks about sexual molestation of girls and boys and is also a metaphor for “uncle sam”’s perversions; the latter, blasts the marketing of modern-day secrecy and shame that have replaced centuries-old menstruation rituals. young’s Yoruba references on tracks like “ase elegua”, and “ase ochun” as well as her chant “yemojah moon phoenix” (a dedication to her sons) mix well with the Cuban melodies that flow throughout the CD.

Further proof of young’s universal appeal can be heard in tracks like the decidedly feminine “cycles” about early motherhood. Featuring beat box by da original one and jugular, this track will have you nodding your head in sync. The live performance of “ain’t I a ooman”, a Sojourner Truth homage, where Amina Alfred’s congas will have even men repeating the last refrain.

Adding to young’s powerful poetry is the are the talented musicians such as Cuba’s Havana Jazz Trio, Traza Quartet, Passo Firme Reggae Band, and musicians like Pablo Herrera, Laura Mungila Martinez and Canada’s own Dub Trinity Band. Read her books of poetry and monodramas (she’s won 2 Dora awards), and you will see that she in no studio creation being masked by expert musicians to make a quick buck and satisfy a flavour of the month audience. like assata shakur (whose words are included in a couple of tracks), young is advocating a people's revolution, and she is in it for the long haul, you can hear it in her lyrics and the conviction of her voice: she ain't goin out like that!

d'bi young is currently on tour. http://dbiyoung.net/
Photo Credits: (top) dbiyoung.net; (middle) Sabriya Simon Photography; (bottom) Alexis Finch