Scarborough

 "Scarborough" won the 2021 Canadian Screen Award for Best Picture; deservedly so. What's is all about? It revolves around the children of three families who attend a drop-in reading centre in, you guessed it, in Scarborough. This is Canada's version of "The Florida Project" - if you are unfamiliar with that movie, then let me describe it this way: It's a gritty realistic portrait about families living in poverty, specifically kids. In the hood of Scarborough, the film gives us snap-shots of drug addition, mental illness, racial biases, white privilege, and some undiagnosed autism. It also addresses the broken system of social services for those who have no power, money, or privilege. It's grim, and yet despite some horribly tragic events which take place, there is a kindness to the film, and dare I say, maybe even a little hope. The child actors are phenomenal - Anna Claire Beitel as Laura (the daughter of a meth-head mom and an impoverished neo-Nazi dad) was a standout for me. If you are looking for great Canadian cinema, the take a trip to "Scarborough." Catch it a your local rep cinema or on DVD or Streaming services. 

The Sadness & Virus-32

I don't normally combine reviews, however these felt so closely linked that I thought it just makes sense. 

If you are into Zombie movies, please continue. If not, you can skip this. So, let's talk zombies. I'm going to quote myself from my review of "The Dead Don't Die."- "Since George A. Romero's 'The Night of the Living Dead,' zombie has equaled social commentary about society's pressing issues - whether it be race relations in 'The Night of the Living Dead' or consumerism in 'Dawn of the Dead' - the zombie motif is usually a fun way to talk about all different aspects of humanity's cruelty and ignorance which we inflict upon one other and the Earth. Jim Jarmusch isn't traditional and we could certainly use a conversation about climate change. " I wrote that in 2019. It's now 2022. The world endured four years of Trump, two years of a pandemic, the environmental crisis is worse than ever, and inflation is at the highest point it's been in decades. Plus the Russian invasion of Ukraine. People, I think it's fair to say, are mad, like really really mad. What does that give us in terms of zombie films - it gives us fast and pissed offed zombies, and in the case of "The Sadness" violence and blood like I've never seen before. This Taiwanese film is actually written and directed by a Canadian,  Rob Jabbaz. McPherson's Movie Marquee is still hoping to hear back from Rob about his movie. Anyway, in "The Sadness" the virus which infects people, it doesn't just turn them into your standard zombie, no, this turns them into homicidal axe wielding maniacs (with a slight zombie head tilt). If you are into zombie films, blood and guts B-horror movies, then "The Sadness" is blood-curdling screaming for you. 

Then there is "Virus-32," a zombie film out of Argentina and Uruguay! This one isn't nearly as violent but it does have the same manic energy to it and the zombies are also running full tilt. There is the same sense of chaos, a society gone mad - a sign of the times I think. What's this one about? A woman and her daughter find themselves under undead siege in a sports complex. As far as B-zombie films go, this one has tasty brains.

If you are in Ottawa, catch "The Sadness" at the Mayfair Theatre this week and then soon on streaming and blu-ray. Catch "Virus-#2" streaming on Shudder.  

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

If you're are a Gen-Xer like myself, you grew up on Nicolas Cage movies: "Vampire's Kiss," "Moonstruck," "Raising Arizona," "Wild at Heart;" then later, large action blockbusters such as "The Rock," "Con Air," and "Face/Off." Cage won an Academy Award for "Leaving Las Vegas," and has been in other films which have endeared him to audiences like, "The Family Man," and "Captain Corelli's Mandolin." The he did some great work in films like "Matchstick Men," "Adaptation," "Lord of War," and "The Weather Man." Then there were rumours of financial troubles and for the last decade plus, Cage has been working like no other actor, churning out film after film, many it seemed, straight-to-video/streaming. I have watched many of them. There is a lot of mediocre stuff, some great stuff ("Joe," "Pig") and some off-the-wall bananas stuff,("Mandy," "Color out of Space"). Cage has never stopped working.

In his latest film, now out in theatres, Nicolas Cage plays Nicolas Cage, an actor in debt needing a hit film. He resorts to take a million dollar gig (to pay off his debts) to show up and be the guest of a wealthy olive oil farmer in Mallorca, Javi (played by Pedro Pascal). Javi is a huge, obsessive Nicolas Cage fan and he would like Nick to read his screenplay. The movie is a riot and Nicolas Cage has fully embraced it like only Nicolas Cage can. Other actors have played fictional versions of themselves before, like Jean-Claude Van Damme did in JCVD and I have always enjoyed those who can poke fun at themselves, but Cage takes it to a new level of self deprecating narcissism which is a joy to behold. Catch this one now in theatres.  

We Need to Talk About Cosby

I'm white, if you didn't know (pretty much anyone reading my blog knows me personally, but just in case you didn't). I grew up in the 1970s and 80s in a pretty much white, middle to upper class community in Ottawa, Canada. I knew a total of five black kids by name and I was only really close with one. I think I was mature enough to understand the black people depicted on the TV show "Good Times" were, to a large extent, a truer representation of American black society in the 1970s - namely, poor and struggling. Then came along "The Cosby Show," a show where an American black family was depicted as not only, NOT poor, but well off, rich and educated. Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable (Bill Cosby) was a doctor and his wife Clair was a lawyer. The show depicted a family where there was a lot of love and laughter - white, black, brown, etc., it didn't matter what colour you were, everyone wanted to have a joyous home like the Huxtables had. I understood the importance of the show for black audiences in America. It's important to have yourself represented in a place of power and authority so people know it's achievable. 

I grew up on Cosby. I watched the cartoon show "Fat Albert" and loved it. I saw Cosby on "The Electric Company," in Jell-O ads, and in Coke ads, and then in "The Cosby Show." Bill Cosby was loved by everyone.

Unlike Harvey Weinstein and Michael Jackson, rumours of sexual misconduct hadn't been swirling around Bill Cosby for years, or at least not in the same public way as the other two. Everyone suspected Jackson was into kids and Weinstein was known for his casting couch. But it wasn't until 2014 that I heard anything bad about Bill Cosby. Drugging and raping of women? Shocking. Disappointing. This, this couldn't be true, could it?

Welcome to the four part, documentary series on the life and times of Bill Cosby. 

It's tough but important viewing. It showcases not only all Bill did for black actors, black stunt performers, kids, comedians, comedy, and North American black culture, but it chronicles the five decades of drugging and raping Bill Cosby did to the 60 women who have come forward. The victim count might well be double that, or more. This documentary is a survivors' diary. It's brutal and traumatic. 

Michael Jackson is dead but his music still plays on the radio - I have a tough time with that. Weinstein is in jail, his Miramax company is destroyed; people still watch Miramax films, or at least I do (I cringe when I see his name in the credits). Bill Cosby is out of jail and nobody is watching the Cosby show. Catch this powerful series on Showtime/CRAVE. 

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Move over Spiderman, move over Dr. Strange, the multiverse just got a little bit more fun than just three Spidermans jumping around; it's now got Kung Fu battles wearing/firmly-inserted anal butt plugs and cheese-string finger people! Say what?! Welcome to the second film from 2022 to arrive on my blog and one which will likely to be nominated for a best picture Oscar next year, "Everything Everywhere All at Once." What's it all about? Well, besides from everything, it's a family dramedy about a Chinese family who runs a coin laundry shop which is being audited by the IRS - things are not looking good! The auditor is played by Jamie Lee Curtis and she is a hoot (best supporting nomination coming her way). The star of the show, is Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn Wang, the wife, mother and co-owner of the laundry mat. She will be getting her best acting nomination for sure. What a performance! Anyway, there is an everything bagel force moving across the multiverse and Evelyn is recruited to stop it - I really don't want to try and explain more. At the heart of the movie is the exploration of the relationships between parents and their kids, between marriage partners, and the cultural differences between generations of an immigrant family. It's a tapestry woven and borrowed from , "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," Jackie Chan fight scenes I, "Brazil," "Ratatouille," and "Sliding Doors" which all lays atop a body of deep existential angst. It's a bloody head trip and a hell of a ride. Strap in, grab the safety bar and hold on tight, this shit is bananas fun. Catch it at your local cinema now.

The Fallout

I think the enduring thing about "The Breakfast Club," the reason it continues to be discovered by new generations, is because of the honesty in the writing, the dialogue. Those kids, John Hughes' kids, felt real; they still feel real. The Netflix series, "Ginny and Georgia" is one contemporary example of honest dialogue - at least it felt that way to me. "The Fallout" is a teen drama about a high-school shooting. It's a heavy subject. It's the first feature film written and directed by Megan Park. Wow, what a way to come flying out of the gate. I can't say enough about how impressive this debut is - the level of honesty in the writing and in the performances is extraordinary. Jenna Ortega (also in 2022s "Scream" and "X") as Vada and Maddie Ziegler (found also in 2021's "West Side Story") as Mia are both really impressive - they seem accomplished beyond their years. This is the story of the post-traumatic effects of a mass school shooting as we see it through the eyes of four select students, the main one being Vada; how it affects her family, her relationships, and mostly how it affects her. From the phone messaging/texting to the music, this film feels contemporary. Hats off to Megan Park for putting together something so honest and human. I look forward to seeing what she does next. Catch this auspicious debut on HBOMax/CRAVE.

The Innocents

This Norwegian horror/thriller is remarkable. What's it all about? Sisters, Anna and Ida, maybe aged 12 or 13 and 10/11 respectively find themselves living in a new apartment complex with the majority of the residents away on holiday. Anna has autism and she is non verbal. Her sister Ida seems to resent her existence. She pinches her, puts broken glass in her shoe - mean kid stuff. Ida meets two kids about her age, Ben and Aisha. They both have special gifts - telekinesis, telepathy, and an uncanny empathic synchronization. Turns out autistic Anna has some powers too. The problem is Ben. He is like a serial killer in the making and he is beginning to discover his own magical abilities. The closest thing I can compare it to is the Swedish film "Let the Right One In." This film gripped me like a rare few have. And the performances of these kids are simply phenomenal. I can't say enough good things about it. One of the best films to come out last year; I just got around to seeing it. You should too. Catch it on streaming services or your local video store when you can.