Blog: Big Thoughts From A Small Mind

Set in 1989 South Africa, at the height of the fight against apartheid, amidst the battle between the Inkatha and the ANC is Otelo Burning . The story follows three township kids who take up surfing on “Whites Only” beaches during off peak times. Sixteen year-old Otelo (Jafta Mamabolo) spends most of his time hanging out with his best friend New Year (Thomas Gumede). New Year's mom has a licence to run a bar in her home where a lot of the neighbourhood spend their off hours. Outside of the bar, the other popular spot [...]

Last month all 11 films were identified. Here is this month’s selection of film scenes. How many can you identify? 1. 2. 3. 4. [...]

Motifs in Cinema is a discourse across several film blogs, assessing the way in which various thematic elements have been used in the 2012 cinematic landscape. How does a common theme vary in use from a comedy to a drama? Are filmmakers working from a similar canvas when they assess the issue of death or the dynamics of revenge? Like most things, a film begins with an idea - Motifs in Cinema assesses how the use of a common theme across various films changes when utilised by different artists. Reflecting back on the cinematic landscape [...]

Those with a keen eye will notice in the closing credits of David 'Tosh' Gitonga’s energetic and immensely entertaining film, Nairobi Half Life , that Tom Tykwer ( Run Lola Run , Cloud Atlas ) is listed as supervising director. While Tykwer and his One Fine Day Film Workshop, which sponsors an African film per year, oversaw the production, it is Gitonga and lead actor Joseph Wairimu whose names will keep audiences talking. The pairing is a match made in heaven as they deliciously infuse new life into familiar cinematic tropes. Nariobi Half Life [...]

After successful screenings on the film festival circuit, Shadows of Liberty begins its theatrical run at the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema on Friday. Here are my thoughts from when I viewed it at Hot Docs last year: Exposing how conglomerates have influenced legislative change in order to control major media outlets, Shadows of Liberty is a startling wake up call. Director Jean-Philippe Tremblay’s film dissects how corporations, and even the government, are manipulating the news information most American’s receive. What was once a vessel for unbiased stories about real issues, many newspapers [...]

A few months back the photo sharing site Instagram created a huge stir when the company alluded to using aspects of photos uploaded by users in their advertising. The backlash from users was quick and loud enough to force Instagram to issue a statement retracting this idea. The company blamed poorly worded documentation, or so they claim, as the cause of this misunderstanding. What was fascinating about this event was not how Instagram’s image was briefly tarnished, but the fact that a generation who has grown up with the notion of piracy being an acceptable crime, was [...]

REBELLE 2013 Academy Award nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, REBELLE (WAR WITCH), will be screening this Thursday as part of the inaugural Toronto Black Film Festival (February 13th – 17th). Created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation and presented by Global Toronto, the Toronto Black Film Festival is dedicated to giving unique voices in cinema the opportunity to present audiences with new ways of looking at the world. Here is the full schedule of films screening at the festival: OPENING [...]

You may have noticed that postings have been a bit sporadic over the last few weeks. There have been several things going on behind the scenes that are responsible for this. The most important one being that recent changes at work have left me feeling wiped out lately. By the time I get home and spend time with the family, the last thing I feel like doing is looking at a computer screen. Even my film viewing has taken a bit of a dip of late, but that is more likely due to the fact that [...]

Steven Soderbergh 10 sample films: Side Effects Traffic Bubble The Limey Schizopolis Out of Sight Erin Brockovich Magic Mike Che Oceans Twelve or Danny Boyle 10 sample films: 127 Hours Trainspotting [...]

In Watts, Los Angeles during the 1970s reminders of the Watts Riots are everywhere as children play outside. Their playground does not consist of slides or swings, but decrepit buildings and rocks which they pelt at each other. As the children frolic in this urban wasteland, Paul Robeson’s song “The House I Live In” plays in the background with the haunting lyrics “what is America to me?” It is a somber but powerful moment in Killer of Sheep that reminds the audience that the American dream does not apply to all Americans. [...]

Michel Gondry has directed some of the most innovative music videos and films (hello Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind ) in recent memory. However, after The Green Hornet I could not help but wonder if Gondry would ever direct something that was both visually stunning and emotionally touching as Eternal Sunshine again. Judging by the trailer for Mood Indigo (or L’Ecume Des Jours in French), it looks like Gondry may come close. Despite the trailer being completely in French, Mood Indigo appears to be a magical love [...]

Wondering what film lovers have been chatting about this week? Here is Your Reading and Listening Schedule for Today : 9 am : Jessica had the stars align when she sat down to watch Django Unchained . 10 am : Episode 2 of The Film Pasture podcast explores the films, and the ticket processes, of Sundance . 11 am Chip Lary gives his thoughts on Amour [...]

If your only experience with the Death Race series is the 2008 Jason Statham Mario-Kart inspired remake, then you must do yourself a favour and seek out the 1975 original. Unlike its remake, Death Race 2000 embraces both the silliness of its concept, and the fact that it had a limited budget to work with. An added bonus is the truly memorable performance by Sylvester Stallone, which will have you wishing he played villains more often. Set in a dystopian future, the film centers around the deadly [...]

Alan Arkin 10 sample films: Stand Up Guys Argo Glengarry Glen Ross Slums of Beverly Hills Catch-22 Sunshine Cleaning The Rocketeer Grosse Point Blank Little Miss Sunshine The Private Lives of Pippa Lee or Christopher Walken [...]

The Blind Spot series started off as a way for film lovers to catch up on the iconic titles they previously missed for some reason or another. However, somewhere along the line, the series has evolved into a monthly master class in cinema. It has become something that I eagerly look forward to each month. While not every filmmoves me in the same way, I cannot deny that each film I have watched for the series has left a huge impression on me. Now in its second year, the trend continues with Dario Argento’s Suspiria [...]

While leaving the theatre parking lot after watching Ang Lee’s latest film, Life of Pi , I nearly found myself in an accident. Though I had the right of way, a white truck came barrelling out of an aisle at full speed and recklessly made a wide right-hand turn into traffic. Had I not slammed on my breaks in time, the white truck would have certainly slammed into my vehicle. As the driver of the truck peeled off clueless to the destruction he almost caused, I was left to wonder was it an act of God [...]

Joel and Ethan Coen, better known as "The Coen Brothers," are back and film lovers everywhere are rejoicing...well I am at least. Inside Llweyn Davis appears to be a story about a struggling folk singer (Oscar Issac) trying to make a name for himself in the 1960s. Though the trailer may lead you to believe that this might be The Coen Brothers most mainstream film to date, keep in mind that even Intolerable Cruelty had its share of quirky moments. Considering the brothers’ knack for writing exceptional dialogue, and a cast which includes [...]

Wondering what film lovers have been chatting about this week? Here is Your Reading and Listening Schedule for Today : 9 am : Sam has been covering Sundance and has a great interview with Mud director Jeff Nichols . 10 am : Candice and the rest of the ladies on the Cinema in Noir podcast interviewed actor David Oyelowo . Who you will know from his roles in the films Lincoln , Middle of Nowhere [...]

Chloë Grace Moretz 10 sample films: Movie 43 Hugo 500 Days of Summer Let Me In The Eye Diary of a Wimpy Kid Dark Shadows Hick Texas Killing Fields Kick-Ass or Elle Fanning 10 sample films: [...]

There is something unsettling about The Impossible and it is not the 30 foot waves that displaced close to 1.7 million people. In an attempt to capture the emotional weight of one family’s incredible plight, the film inadvertently perpetuates many of the racial stereotypes that still exist in the studio system. The main one being the notion that audiences are only able to truly connect to stories involving white characters. Similar to Argo , The Impossible is yet another film based on a true story where the lead characters, whose are of Hispanic [...]