On screens
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
On screens Indie Game: The Movie to screen in Halifax
May 3 is the night for Sundance doc on video game developers
Posted by Carsten Knox on Wed, Apr 25, 2012 at 11:20 AM
The Canadian premiere of Indie Game: The Movie will be simulcast live nationwide from the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema in Toronto at 10pm (AST), Thursday, May 3. You can go see it at Empire Park Lane that night.
The documentary is a Canadian-made---directed by James Swirsky and Lisanne Pajot---crowed-funded film about video game developers who, according to the press spiel, "sacrifice money, health and sanity to realize their lifelong dreams of sharing their creative visions with the world."
The screening includes a live satellite Q&A with the filmmakers and guests. Buy tickets from Empire Theaters here.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Atlantic Film Festival / On screens The Corridor arrives on VOD
Nova Scotia-shot horror now available to creep you the fuck out
Posted by Carsten Knox on Tue, Apr 3, 2012 at 2:15 PM
We've been watching for The Corridor, directed by Evan Kelly and written by Josh MacDonald, since it screened to massive acclaim at the 2010 Atlantic Film Festival (check here and here for stories on the award-winning film and its creative talent).
If you haven't had the chance to see the story of a group of guys who encounter something weird and terrifying out in the snowy woods, now is the time. Today The Corridor premieres on Video On Demand, brought to you by D Films and the IFC, so if you are a subscriber to iTunes, Xbox, Sony, Rogers, etc., check it out.
And congratulations to everyone involved.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
On screens Land & Sea airs "Pirates and Privateers"
Maritime doc show provides regular local cultural and historic content
Posted by Carsten Knox on Thu, Mar 1, 2012 at 11:03 AM
For those who don't know, CBC TV's Land & Sea is a half-hour documentary show running stories of Atlantic history and culture, running Sundays at noon. In the past months they've aired "The Last Sardine Outpost" about North America's only remaining sardine cannery in Blacks Harbour, New Brunswick and "Rum Running," about prohibition-era run trade between Atlantic Canada and the French Islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon.
This Sunday, March 4 at noon, Land & Sea will air "Pirates and Privateers," which introduces the viewer to several notorious pirates who pillaged Atlantic Canada and looks into the practise of privateering. The story "recalls the blunderbuss, the cutlass, evil deeds, and supposed buried treasure," according to the press release.
If you can't watch the show on Sunday, go to cbc.ca/landandsea after the broadcast time to see the doc and other recent programs available to be watched at your convenience.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
On screens Screening of The Music Never Stopped for Atlantic Association for Music Therapy
Sundance feature gets first Canadian screening
Posted by Carsten Knox on Tue, Feb 28, 2012 at 4:00 AM
To celebrate Music Therapy Month, the Atlantic Association for Music Therapy is holding screening The Music Never Stopped, directed by Jim Kohlberg. The screening happens 10am, Saturday March 3 at the Oxford Theatre (6408 Quinpool Road), followed by a Q&A. $10/$6 for students.
The Music Never Stopped is set in the mid-1980s, telling a story based on a case study called "The Last Hippie" by Oliver Sacks, about Gabriel (Lou Taylor Pucci), who has been almost two-decades estranged from his father Henry (JK Simmons) and mother Helen (Cara Seymour). Gabriel has a benign brain tumour removed losing the ability to retain new memories. Through music, particularly the stuff from his teens in the late '60s---The Grateful Dead, Beatles and Stones---and the help of therapist Diane Dailey (Julia Ormond), he starts to reconnect to who he was.
At its core, it's the story of the relationship between Gabriel and Henry, the spanning of a generation gap, as well as a fair amount of guilt, using a bunch of great music.
In some ways, the film plays as a validation of a whole generation, the Boomers, which needs no more mythologizing, IMHO. Since Ang Lee's unbearably mushy Taking Woodstock, the genre of Weren't The '60s Awesome? can go up in a cloud of pot smoke. And The Music Never Stopped certainly doesn't avoid the Hallmark disease-of-the-week cliches. But going for it is a stellar performance from Simmons, called one of the great American character actors in this month's Vanity Fair, and it's also an ideal film to get a discussion going for the AAMT's cause.
The AAMT is a non-profit organization committed to promoting, supporting and advocating for music therapy in Atlantic Canada. For more information go to atlanticmusictherapy.ca
Friday, February 24, 2012
On screens Nightmare Factory screens at The Oxford
The doc a must for horror fans on industry master Greg Nicotero
Posted by Carsten Knox on Fri, Feb 24, 2012 at 3:49 PM
Film Nova Scotia and Empire Theatres are presenting a free screening of Nightmare Factory at the Oxford Theatre (6408 Quinpool Road) on Wednesday, February 29, 7pm.
Nightmare Factory delves inside the fascinating high-stakes world of special FX make-up and creature design through the eyes of one of the industry's key players, Greg Nicotero. He headed the SPFX make-up team on more than 800 films including Grindhouse, Hostel, Sin City, Kill Bill, The Hills Have Eyes and The Mist. He even won an Oscar in 2006 for the The Chronicles of Narnia and recently he's worked on AMC's monster hit The Walking Dead.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
On screens CFAT Media Art Scholarship Program Screening on Saturday
Check out the video cool at Neptune Theatre
Posted by Carsten Knox on Tue, Feb 21, 2012 at 5:12 PM
The Centre for Art Tapes is having its annual Media Art Scholarship Program Screening on Saturday February 25, 7pm at the Neptune Theatre (1593 Argyle Street). Check out the varied selection of work from CFAT scholars of different ages and backgrounds. Tickets are $8 ($10 at the door), available online by clicking here.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
On screens Ulimate Dog Tease on its way to the big screen
Haligonian video at Paramount for movie development
Posted by Carsten Knox on Tue, Feb 14, 2012 at 4:45 PM
Haligonian Andrew Grantham, whose YouTube video Ultimate Dog Tease is more than a frikkin' sensation, it's a monster meme worldwide---94 million hits and the most viewed YouTube video in the United Kingdom last year---is making waves in Hollywood. Variety is reporting that Grantham's video is at Paramount Studios, which is talking to Seinfeld writers Alec Berg and David Mandel to develop it as a feature film.
Here's the video:
Thursday, February 9, 2012
On screens We're not reviewing 3D rereleases
And I'll tell you why
Posted by Carsten Knox on Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 4:00 AM
The Coast movie braintrust---Molly Segal, Matt Semanksy and myself, film editor
Carsten Knox---has discussed this recent trend of older movies being released in 3D. We've decided to not review them.
That's included Disney's Beauty and the Beast and this week's rerelease of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
The reasons for not reviewing them are manifold.
For starters, these are movies that have been in the public consciousness for years. Critical thought on them is easy to find, both locally and out there on the interwebs.
Secondly, there is an ongoing discussion right now about the difference betweem 3D movies made utilizing 3D cameras as part of the concept of the thing and movies that are retrofitted for 3D after the fact. Even those who really love the technology providing an illusion of extra depth are critical of 3D as a post-production effect. Movies such as Clash of the Titans were turned 3D retroactively to the detriment of the film, by many estimates. So are we taking a political stand against retroactive 3D? Not necessarily, but neither are we rushing to embrace it.
Thirdly, what is a reviewer going to tell you about the cinematic experience at these 3D rereleases? There's certainly a part of the job that requires some awareness of the technical bells and whistles, how it was made and how it's being experienced. But asking a reviewer to revisit a film which is changed only by being in 3D hardly seems like a useful application of his or her skills. It's the same reason a reviewer wouldn't necessarily go to Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol in IMAX to review it. Yes, it will increase the spectacle of the experience with a bigger image, more dynamic sound, but there is a standard of quality measured in your average screening space that should define a moviegoing experience.
Which leads me to, finally, the fact that we're kind of waiting to see how this plays out. Perhaps this trend of rereleasing older films in 3D will quickly vanish if audiences don't show up, or perhaps it will linger like the smell of burned toast. One of us is a big supporter of Jim Cameron's Titanic, which will be rereleased in 3D in April. We are sure to revisit this policy then.
So, in the meantime, we're putting it out to you. Do you want to read a review of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace in 3D, even if the review discusses only whether Jar-Jar leaping off the screen much improves the experience?
Friday, January 20, 2012
On screens We want Detention
Help former Coast critic Mark Palermo get his movie screened here
Posted by Carsten Knox on Fri, Jan 20, 2012 at 3:56 PM
An inspiration to all of us frustrated screenwriters and filmmakers, Mark Palermo---who for a decade was The Coast film reviewer---co-wrote and co-produced with Hollywood director Joseph Kahn a feature film called Detention. It's getting a release elsewhere in the world soon, and Mr Palermo would like your help to bring it here. Check out this Facebook Group for all the info, and let's help him realize his dream to have Detention show on a local screen.
On screens Empowerful screens second film
Pink Dog productions and Mulgrave Park residents creative collaboration
Posted by Carsten Knox on Fri, Jan 20, 2012 at 3:44 PM
On Tuesday, January 24 at 7pm, the public is invited to the see the second video in the "Empowerful" series project, produced by local company Pink Dog.
The first screened last winter, where African-Canadian youth from North and East Preston worked with members of their communities to make a video on their first hero, Sinclair Williams, the first Black police officer in Dartmouth.
The second is another documentary-style video, launched by the youth and seniors of Mulgrave Park to celebrate one of their local African-Canadian heroes, Evelina Upshaw, a leader in neighbourhood activism.
The screening will be held at the Mulgrave Park Baptist Church Hall, 5676 Sebastian Street.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
On screens Massage Addict to appear on CBC's Dragon Den
Local therapeutic massage clinic gets its shot on popular business development show
Posted by Carsten Knox on Tue, Jan 17, 2012 at 4:00 AM
Local business Massage Addict (1472 Martello Street, 407-4040, and three other locations in Halifax and Dartmouth) will appear on Dragon’s Den, airing Wednesday at 8pm on CBC Television.
Massage Addict is a membership-based massage therapy company started in 2008 by Lori MacKenzie. She and Massage Addict COO, Chris Harker, will pitch their concept to the five business experts (the "dragons") in an effort to gain support for their business model.
“Not many businesses can thrive and expand during recessionary times,” said Harker in a press release. “We’ve set out to build something truly unique in Canadian Health Care and we need to convince the dragons this business is poised for success across Canada.”
Monday, January 16, 2012
On screens Mr D's second episode tonight on CBC
Halifax-shot comedy gets big props
Posted by Carsten Knox on Mon, Jan 16, 2012 at 5:11 PM
We're hearing a lot of positive buzz about Mr D, the CBC sitcom created by comedian Gerry Dee. The first episode---it aired last Monday at 8pm, the second is tonight---earned 1.23 million viewers on its premiere. Great news for the show, which was shot in Halifax in 2011. The show is based on Dee's experiences as a public school teacher---he's a St.FX Education grad---before he became a full time comedy performer.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
On screens The Lowlife trailer
First gander at a creepy-looking local feature film
Posted by Carsten Knox on Tue, Jan 10, 2012 at 4:42 PM
Lowlife is the first feature film from Dog Day and YoRodeo's Seth Smith. Inspired by Davids Lynch and Cronenberg, the film was shot last winter in rural Nova Scotia, the surreal story of a woman struggling with an addiction to psychotropic slugs---living drugs that distort reality. A talking, god-like dog is also involved (see the trailer, below). Smith cowrote the script with Darcy Spidle, who stars as Asa. Kate Hartigan plays Elle, the heroine of the film. We'll get to see it in the fall.
Monday, December 12, 2011
On screens AFCOOP Super 8 Party this Wednesday
Free handmade holiday movies and good times
Posted by Carsten Knox on Mon, Dec 12, 2011 at 1:24 PM
You're invited to AFCOOP's Super-8 Handmade Holiday Screening and Party! Join the Atlantic Filmmakers Co-operative staff, members and friends at 8pm, Wednesday December 14 at the Bus Stop Theatre (2203 Gottingen Street). You'll get to witness never-before-seen holiday-inspired Super-8 films on the big screen and enjoy a holiday drink or two.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
On screens Faith, Fraud and Minimum Wage on Movie Central
Looking for a Nova Scotian movie this season? Here ya go
Posted by Carsten Knox on Thu, Nov 24, 2011 at 12:18 PM
The Nova Scotia-created and filmed comedy/drama Faith, Fraud and Minimum Wage is now available to be seen on Movie Central (go here to check out the schedule of screenings).
The film---which I always think of as being called Holy Grounds, an alternative title I gather was the preference of some---is about a coffee shop employee who splashes her cup of coffee on the back wall of the establishment, creating a local phenomena when people keep seeing Jesus Christ in the stain. Ideal holiday programming!
It was directed by George Mihalka and adapted from the play Halo by Josh MacDonald. It stars Martha MacIssac, Callum Keith Rennie, Don Allison, Andrew Bush and Cory Bowles.
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