“We can’t change the past. All we have left is our future.” The past and future are not so much what Sergio Navarretta’s The Cuban focuses on. Rather it calls us to find life in the present. Mina (Ana Golja) is a young Afghan-Canadian pre-med student who is working at a nursing home. She is… [Read More]
Most Wanted – The Cost of Ambition
What happens when a big, police inspired drug sting goes bad? Most Wanted, from writer/director Daniel Roby, is inspired by a true story of a Canadian man who was used by the police and left hanging in the wind when things turned bad. Daniel Léger (Antoine-Olivier Pilon) is a recovering heroin addict, who finds himself… [Read More]
Refracting Truth: 1on1 with Atom Egoyan (GUEST OF HONOUR)
Atom Egoyan does not make life easy for the characters in his films. Known for such powerful and entracing films as The Sweet Hereafter, Exotica, and Chloe, the iconic director always creates characters who are caught up in complex relationships that challenge the viewer’s assumptions. His latest film, Guest of Honour, continues this trend by building around what appears… [Read More]
Sipping from the Cup of Life: 1on1 with Sean Cisterna (FROM THE VINE)
In his latest film, From the Vine, director Sean Cisterna (Kiss and Cry) shows that, like a glass of fine wine, it can be refreshing to go home again. From The Vine tells the story of downtrodden CEO Marco Gentile (Joe Pantoliano), a man experiencing a moral crisis. Burned out and broken, Marco finds himself lost in… [Read More]
Guest of Honour: The Pieces of Life
Atom Egoyan is adept at creating cinematic puzzles for us to assemble. We aren’t quite sure what it will all look like when it is complete, but as we piece together the various facts and memories, we discover not necessarily the truth as much as emotional and psychological insight into how those memories live within… [Read More]
Band Ladies: Never Too Late
Band Ladies is a new web series streaming on HighballTV.com beginning May 13, 2020. Highball TV is a newer platform that offers a 7-day trial where you can check out Band Ladies, as well as much more content. Band Ladies was created by Kate Fenton, Dana Puddicombe, and Molly Flood (who also directed). With each episode running… [Read More]
Canadian Strain: Marijuana and the Marginalized
First of all, it’s not about what you think. While the title of the film may sound eerily like some vague attempt to capitalize on the current pandemic, Canadian Strain has nothing to do with any viral outbreak. Written and directed by Geordie Sabbagh, Canadian Strain tells the story of young cannabis dealer Anne Banting (Jess Salgueiro), who takes… [Read More]
Saturday at AFI Fest 2019
The second day of AFI Fest Presented by Audi, was another day filled with interesting and powerful films. The odd thing about being at Hollywood and Highland this year is that since the Egyptian Theater down the street isn’t being used this year, I have no reason (or desire) to descend to street level and… [Read More]
Friday at AFIFest 2019
Welcome to Hollywood and AFI Fest Presented by Audi. I love coming to this festival and discovering some of the best films in the world, some of the great history of the industry, and the work of filmmakers who are just now making a name for themselves. Part of the New Auteurs section featuring emerging… [Read More]
Saturday at #NBFF20
Welcome back to the Newport Beach Film Festival presented by Pacific Sales. It was a full day for me, as you’ll see when you see the nine films I have to talk about. Okay, I’ll admit that six of them were shorts, but that still seems like a full day to me. Note that I’m… [Read More]
