Something old, something new, some violence (actually rather a lot of violence) and some absurd stuff. Let’s get started!
First, a new film that I unreservedly recommend: Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret is now at the Mayfair. If Judy Blume’s classic YA novel was one of your favourite books when you traversed those awful years between childhood and young adulthood, this film is a must-see. Even if you’ve never read it, you ought to give it a go because everyone was a teenager at one point.
Next: Past Lives from Korean-Canadian director Celine Song. Barry Hertz of The Globe and Mail calls it “the year’s most beautiful film” and “one of the year’s best films”. It’s a Metacritic must-see. This romantic drama is about the road not taken. Nora, a 12-year old South Korean, forms a close bond with a boy named Hae Sung. They’re more than friends; they’re on the road to become life partners. Then Nora’s family immigrates to Canada. She grows up, moves to New York City and marries kind, witty author Arthur. Her career as a playwright begins to take off. Meanwhile, Hae Sung has had a more prosaic life in Korea. He and Nora get back in touch via the internet. He’s saved up enough money to visit her. To quote Hertz again: “the filmmaker builds a romantic drama in which audiences are just as invested in seeing two people kiss as they are in actively hoping they don’t do anything of the sort.” I’m really looking forward to seeing this! At the ByTowne.
Another new film I’m eager to see couldn’t be more Canadian: Blackberry is a dark comedy about the meteoric rise and spectacular fall of the company behind the world’s first smartphone. The focus is on two brilliant (but naive) engineers–Mike Lazaridis and Douglas Fregin–and a cunning corporate exec, Jim Balsillie, who knows how to market and wheel-and-deal. If you’ve ever worked in high tech, this will be catnip for you. If you’re not, come look at what was behind all those headlines and stratospheric stock prices. At the ByTowne.
There’s a rather bizarre film possibly playing this month (starting the week of July 14) that looks to be a lot of fun. It might even be based on a true story! Once Upon a Time in Uganda follows a Ugandan brickmaker who decides to make ’80s-style action films and a film nerd from New York who, having seen one of these films online, joins him. Improbably, their “Wakaliwood” movies are an enormous internet success. Truth stranger than fiction?
Moving to films from the vault, there’s another “truth stranger than fiction” film I recommend. Grey Gardens is a 1976 documentary by the esteemed directors Albert and David Maysles about a pair of reclusive women–a mother and daughter who were relatives of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis–who live in their decayed estate on Long Island. The film gently reveals their eccentric personalities as they recount their past lives. A must-see for documentary fans. At the ByTowne.
Also at the ByTowne from ‘way back in 1953, a genuine classic of the absurd: Jacques Tati’s brilliant Les vacances de Monsieur Hulot (Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday). Tati’s gentlemanly Mr.Hulot embarks on a seaside vacation filled with brilliant slapstick and wonderfully effortless sight gags. Consider it a try-not-to-smile challenge.
At the other end of the gentle-weird/violent-weird spectrum is the second half of Mayfair’s Mad Max Marathon. First up is Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome. Roger Ebert thought it was the best of the first three Mad Max movies, and it’s hard to disagree with him! There’s more amazing vehicle choreography and stunts, plus more development of Mel Gibson’s character (especially since he’s shepherding some abandoned kids). Best of all, it’s a chance to see Tina Turner in a juicy role as the despotic ruler of a post-apocalyptic town.
Next, there’s an interesting version of what may be the best action movie ever made—Mad Max: Fury Road, the Black and Chrome edition. If you haven’t seen the film, this is a great chance to do so as George Miller intended, on a big screen with a big sound system! If you’ve seen the colour version, this is a chance for b&w nerds to see what it looks like in monochrome (pretty snazzy, based on the trailer).
Finally, last but certainly not least, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is back at the Mayfair! Seen it once? twice? Half a dozen times? Well, let’s do the Time Warp again!
Happy viewing!
Dates, times and tickets for the ByTowne are at www.bytowne.ca. Dates, times and tickets for the Mayfair are at www.mayfairtheatre.ca.
