Though his popularity exploded after Netflix’s SOMEBODY FEED PHIL, Phil Rosenthal has changed the world with his talent as a Writer, Creator and Producer. If you love EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND, you’re already a fan of his work, being one of the masterminds behind the beloved Sitcom. SOMEBODY FEED PHIL, a hybrid travel and food show showcasing Rosenthal‘s charm front and center, has shown staying power, its viewership continuing to climb even after seven seasons. We hear an eighth season is very likely on the way.
Rosenthal spoke with Brad Smith at The Danforth Music Hall tonight, as part of his AN EVENING WITH PHIL ROSENTHAN OF SOMEBODY FEED PHIL Tour which was just in Buffalo and next heads to Ottawa. We were so lucky to get our hands on tickets to this amazing conversation, which saw a full house who even got to ask questions at the end in a Q&A period.
Some highlights from the night, including excerpts from his in-conversation:
We had the joy of meeting Rosenthal. Huge fan of his Series and cannot wait for some new episodes and maybe finally a Toronto episode!
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
It’s grand slam for CHALLENGERS! Luca Guadagnino‘s latest starring Josh O’Connor, Mike Faist and Zendaya debuts in the top spot with $15 million from 3,477 theatres for Amazon Studios/Warner Bros. The Tennis Drama-Thriller-Romance gets 88% on the Tomatometer.
Second goes to UNSUNG HERO with $8 million for Lionsgate/Kingdom Story from 2,832 theatres. It gets 56% on the Tomatometer.
GODZILLA X KONG is third with $7 million from 3,312 theatres also for Warner Bros., a five week tally of $181.5 million.
Fourth is CIVIL WAR with $6.2 million from 3,518 theatres, bringing its run to $55.3 million in weekend three for A24/Elevation Pictures.
Rounding things off is ABIGAIL with $4.5 million for Universal Pictures, a total $18 million in its second weekend.
Today, chart-topping vocal powerhouse Teddy Swims releases four new surprise tracks on Iâve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1.5). Listen HERE via Warner Records. The project includes his chart-conquering smash hit âLose Control,â which recently claimed the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100chart, hit #1 at Top 40 and Hot AC radio, and has surpassed 1 billion streams across all platforms.
Among the four new tracks on Iâve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1.5) is âHammer to the Heart,â a moody anthem with a stirring, stadium-ready chorus, âTell Me,â an understated alt-leaning offering that explores loss and heartbreak, and âApple Juice,â the kind of soulful throwback that Swims does better than anyone. Another unforgettable highlight is âGrowing Up Is Getting Old,â an acoustic treasure that captures the Atlanta nativeâs magnetism like never before.
âIâve Tried Everything but Therapy (1.5) is an extension to Part 1 of the album â this whole album is just me being honest,â Swims says of the new release. âYou know, Iâve been touring, writing, and continuing to work on myself over the past 8 months and wanted to share something like a real-life check-in. These songs represent where Iâm at and I didnât want to wait till I had the whole part 2 done â so here you go.â
As Swims himself relayed, life has not slowed down since his album dropped. He recently performed âLose Controlâ on American Idol and rolled out a new dazzling video for his viral track âThe Door.â On top of all that, Swims is currently making his way through the UK and Europe on his sold-out Iâve Tried Everything But Therapy tour. He will then continue the tour throughout New Zealand and Australiaâwhere he will make his arena headline debutâand Asia, before bringing it back stateside for more shows, including a performance at Lollapalooza in Chicago and Outside Lands in San Francisco. See the full list of upcoming tour dates below.
Putting in real work for years, a quiet, yet steady grind brought Swims to the forefront of popular culture as a tried-and-true star without comparison. Teddy started to gain notoriety after posting covers online in 2019 â such as Michael Jacksonâs âRock With Youâ and Shania Twainâs âYouâre Still The Oneâ â gaining hundreds of millions of views, leading to his signing to Warner Records in 2020. He tirelessly honed his voice and songwriting across EPs such as Unlearning [2021], Tough Love [2022], and Sleep Is Exhausting [2022]. He showcased his sky-high range by collaborating with artists such as Maren Morris, Meghan Trainor, X Ambassadors, Thomas Rhett, ILLENIUM, TiĂ«sto, Armin Van Buuren, and Matoma. He made a statement with Iâve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1) in 2023, and wrapped up a prolific run by releasing a Live Version of the album alongside his band Freak Freely at the top of 2024.
Teddy Swims 2024 Tour Dates:
Apr 26 Cologne, Germany Carlswek Victoria
Apr 28 Paris, France Elysee Montmartre
Apr 29 Antwerp, Belgium Muziekcentrum Trix
May 1 Copenhagen, Denmark KB Hallen
May 2 Oslo, Norway Rockefeller Music Hall
May 4 Stockholm, Sweden Fallan
May 7 Hamburg, Germany Grosse Freiheit 36
May 8 Berlin, Germany Tempodrom
May 10 Tilburg, Netherlands Poppodium 013
May 11 Tilburg, Netherlands Poppodium 013
May 13 London, UK 02 Shepherds Bush Empire
May 14 London, UK 02 Shepherds Bush Empire
May 15 Manchester, UK 02 Apollo Manchester
May 16 Birmingham, UK 02 Academy Birmingham
May 18 Glasgow, UK 02 Academy Glasgow
May 20 Dublin, Ireland Olympia Theatre
May 21 Dublin, Ireland Olympia Theatre
May 23 Liverpool, UK Liverpool Olympia
May 24 Leeds, UK 02 Academy Leeds
May 25 Newcastle, UK 02 City Hall Newcastle
May 27 Nottingham, UK Rock City
May 28 Bristol, UK 02 Academy Bristol
May 29 Bristol, UK 02 Academy Bristol
May 31 Birmingham, UK 02 Academy Birmingham
June 1 Manchester, UK 02 Apollo Manchester
June 2 London, UK 02 Shepherds Bush Empire
June 29 Denver, CO Endless Sunshine Festival
July 4 Christchurch, NZ Christchurch Town Hall
July 6 Auckland, NZ Spark Arena
July 7 Wellington, NZ TSB Arena
July 9 Brisbane City, AUS Riverstage
July 11 Moore Park, AUS Hordern Pavilion
July 12 Moore Park, AUS Hordern Pavilion
July 13 Melbourne, AUS Margaret Court Arena
July 14 Melbourne, AUS Margaret Court Arena
July 17 Adelaide, AUS Hindley Street Music Hall
July 19 Perth, AUS Riverside Theatre
July 21 Jakarta, Indonesia We The Fest Festival
July 23 Singapore, Singapore Capitol Theatre
July 24 Manilla, Philippines The Podium
July 26 Niigata, Japan Fuji Rock Festival
Aug 2 Montréal, CAN Osheaga Music Festival
Aug 3 Windsor, CAN The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor
Aug 4 Chicago, IL Lollapalooza
Aug 7 Hampton Beach, NH Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
Aug 9-11 San Francisco CA Outside Lands
Aug 16 Biddinghuizen, Netherlands Lowlands Festival
Aug 23 Reading, UK Reading Festival
Aug 24 Leeds, UK Leeds Festival
Sep 6 Reno, NV Grand Sierra Resort – Grand Theatre
Sep 8 Dillon, CO Dillon Amphitheater
Sep 12 Council Bluffs, IA Harrahâs Council Bluffs – Stir Concert Cove
Sep 13 West Fargo, ND Lights Amphitheater
Sep 14 Hinckley, MN Grand Casino Hinckley Event Center
Sep 17 Madison, WI The Sylvee
Sep 18 St. Louis, MO The Factory
Sep 20 Pittsburgh, PA PPG Paints Arena*
Sep 21 Louisville, KY Bourbon & Beyond Festival
Sep 23 Columbus, OH KEMBA Live! Outdoor Pavilion
Sep 24 Syracuse, NY Landmark Theatre
Sep 26 Albany, NY Palace Theatre
Sep 28 Atlantic City, NJ Ocean Casino Resort – Ovation Hall
Oct 2 Greensboro, NC Piedmont Hall
Oct 3 Knoxville, TN Tennessee Theatre
Oct 6 Fayetteville, AR JJâs Live
Oct 8 Savannah, GA Johnny Mercer Theater
Oct 10 Tampa, FL Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Oct 13 Durant, OK Choctaw Grand Theater
Oct 15 Lubbock, TX The Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts
Sciences – Helen DeVitt Jones Theater
Oct 16 El Paso, TX Abraham Chavez Theatre
Oct 18 Flagstaff, AZ Pepsi Amphitheater at Fort Tuthill County Park
Oct 19 Valley Center, CA Harrahâs Resort Southern California – The Events Center
Oct 21 Anaheim, CA House of Blues
Oct 22 Anaheim, CA House of Blues
*Supporting Aerosmith
Paramount+ today announced that the all-new original film APARTMENT 7A, a psychological thriller starring Golden Globe winner Julia Garner (Ozark) and directed by Natalie Erika James (Relic), will premiere this fall exclusively on Paramount+ in Canada, the U.S. and in select international markets. Set in 1965 New York City, the film tells the story prior to the legendary horror classic Rosemaryâs Baby, exploring what happened in the apartment before Rosemary moved in.
When a struggling, young dancer (Garner) suffers a devastating injury, she finds herself drawn in by dark forces when a peculiar, well-connected, older couple promises her a shot at fame.
The film also stars two-time Academy Award winner Dianne Wiest (MAYOR OF KINGSTOWN), Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe) and Kevin McNally (Pirates of the Caribbean film series). Additional supporting cast includes Marli Siu (Everything I Know About Love), Andrew Buchan (All the Money in the World), Rosy McEwen (Blue Jean) and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Wonka).
âAPARTMENT 7A is the perfect way to kick off the Halloween season,â said Jeff Grossman, Executive Vice President, Programming, Paramount+. âDirector Natalie Erika James and the prodigious creative team have crafted a chilling and clever new entry into the genre.â
Paramount+ has even more for horror fans with an expertly curated Peak Screaming collection that offers a broad and popular lineup of new originals, fan-favorite horror movies and iconic Halloween episodes from beloved series.
APARTMENT 7A, a Paramount+ original movie in association with Paramount Pictures, is a Platinum Dunes / Sunday Night Production and is based on the novel Rosemaryâs Baby by Ira Levin. Directed by Relic filmmaker Natalie Erika James, with a screen story by Skylar James and a script by Natalie Erika James & Christian White and Skylar James, the film is executive produced by Vicki Dee Rock and Alexa Ginsburg, and is produced by John Krasinski, Allyson Seeger, p.g.a, Michael Bay, Andrew Form, p.g.a, and Brad Fuller.
Telefilm Canada announces 22 projects in the French market receiving financing under the Production Program, representing a total financial commitment of $21.6 million.âŻ
Petite Rose (drama)
Screenwriter and director: GeneviĂšve Dulude-DeCelles
Production:â Colonelle films inc.
Distribution: Entract Films
*Canada/Belgium/Bulgaria co-production
Violences (drama)
Screenwriter and director: Luc Picard
Production:â Christal Films Productions Inc. â
Distribution: Les Films Opale
Menteuse (comedy)
Screenwriters: Ăric K. Boulianne, Ămile Gaudreault and SĂ©bastien Savary
Director: Ămile Gaudreault
Production:â Amalga CrĂ©ations MĂ©dias Inc.
Distribution: Immina Films
Fanny Cloutier (action/adventure)
Screenwriter: Stéphanie Lapointe
Director: Yan England
Production:â TĂ©lĂ©fiction Productions Inc.
Distribution: Téléfiction Distribution & Marketing
Furies (comedy)
Screenwriter: Gabrielle CÎté
Director: MĂ©lanie Charbonneau
Production:â Echo Media Inc.
Distribution: Immina Films
L’habit du HĂ©ros (drama)
Screenwriter: Michel Marc Bouchard
Director: LĂ©a Pool
Production:â Lyla Films Inc.
Distribution: Les Films Opale
*Canada/Luxembourg co-production
Les BottanĂŻx (comedy)
Screenwriters: Marie-France Landry and Anastasia Michailidis
Director: Benoit Godbout
Production:â Productions Carpediem (CHAOS) Inc.
Distribution: Maison 4:3
*Coproduction Canada/Spain/Belgium
ĂlĂ©o et Nova (science fiction / fantasy / storytelling)
Screenwriter and director: Jérémy Comte
Production:â Max Films Inc.
Distribution: Les Films Opale
Adam (comedy)
Screenwriter and director: Anne Ămond
Production: Metafilms Inc.
Distribution: Immina Films
OĂč vont les Ăąmes (drama)
Screenwriter and director: Brigitte Poupart
Production:â Bravo Charlie Inc.
Distribution: Axia Films
Au revoir pluton (musical)
Screenwriter and director: Sarianne Cormier
Production:â Voyelles Films Productions Inc.
Distribution: Maison 4:3
Paquet de trouble (drama)
Screenwriter and director: Myriam Guimond
Production:â Pourquoi Production inc.
Distribution: K Films Amérique
Une splendeur de vivre (drama)
Screenwriter and director: Marianne MĂ©tivier
Production:â Le Foyer Films Inc. â
Distribution: Studios H264 inc.
*Coproduction Canada/France/Philippines
The Shiatsung Project (science fiction/fantasy/tale)
Screenwriter: Brigitte Archambault
Directors: Eva Cvijanovic and Brigitte Archambault
Production: 9286-4883 QuĂ©bec (F.A.S. L’embuscade Films)
Distribution: NFB
Labrador or the Anatomy of Silence (drama)
Screenwriter and director: Rodrigue Jean
Production: Transmar Films Inc.
Distribution: Studios H264 inc.
PĂ©trole (drama)
Screenwriters: Frédérick Pelletier and Simon Lavoie
Director: Frédérick Pelletier
Production: Corporation de développement et de production ACPAV Inc.
Distribution: Maison 4:3
La professeure (comedy)
Screenwriters: Judith BrĂšs and Eva Kabuya
Director: Eva Kabuya
Production: Metafilms Inc.
Distribution: VVS
Le trésor des héritiers (comedy)
Screenwriter and director: Phil Comeau
Production: 701275 NB Ltée
Distribution: Maison 4:3
Comme si de rien n’Ă©tait (drama)
Screenwriter and director: Samer Najari
Production: Productions Karaman inc.
Distribution: K-Films Amérique
Denise sans Denis (comedy)
Screenwriter: Paul Ruban
Director: Guillaume Lambert
Production: Wookey Films Inc. & Chasseurs Films Inc.
Distribution: Entract Films
Melvile (drama)
Screenwriters: Olivier Tollet, Romain Renard and Anne-Laure Guégan
Directors: Romain Renard and Fursy Teyssier
Production: Productions lâunitĂ© centrale Inc
Distribution: Maison 4:3
*Belgium/France/Canada co-production
Immortelles (drama)
Screenwriters: Victoria Kaario and Caroline Deruas
Director: Caroline Deruas
Production: Possibles MĂ©dia Inc.
Distribution: K-FILMS AMĂRIQUE
*France/Canada co-production
Telefilm received an increasingly high volume of applications under the Production Program this year. A total of 89 applications were considered by the Advisory Committees representing approximately $129.5 million in funding requests.
More funding decisions, including projects from the English market, will be announced in the coming weeks. Statistics on all films funded in the year will be released once all funding decisions have been made.âŻâŻâŻ
An advisory committee of external and internal representatives assessed the projects and made recommendations to Telefilm. The decision-making process considered Telefilmâs goal of fostering a diversity of voices in the industry, ensuring that Telefilm funds a balanced portfolio of productions that reflect a variety of genres, budgets and company sizes, regions of the country and points of view. Names of selection committee members will be published on theâŻProject Financing Advisory Committees webpage⯠once all funding decisions have been made.âŻâŻÂ
Disney+ reveals new images for the evocative documentary series âCAMDEN,â which will premiere on Disney+ exclusively in May, featuring the world’s biggest pop acts, including series executive producer Dua Lipa.
With access to some of the biggest music stars in the world whose lives were changed forever by this tiny part of London. The series will reveal the extraordinary untold stories of how the lives and careers of many of todayâs most iconic music acts were shaped by Camden.
The new images released today feature Dua Lipa, Chris Martin, Little Simz, Nile Rodgers, Boy George, Yungblud. Also confirmed to feature in the series are Pete Doherty and Carl Barat of The Libertines, Mark Ronson, Questlove, Black Eyed Peas, Soul II Soulâs Jazzie B, Chuck D and Sister Bliss from Faithless.
The U.K. Original series is produced by Lightbox, the production company founded by Academy-Award-winning producer Simon Chinn and Emmy-winning producer Jonathan Chinn in association with Day One Pictures, the production company co-founded by Amy Winehouseâs original manager Nick Shymansky and Radical22. Asif Kapadia is Series Director. Episode directors are Toby Trackman, Yemi Bamiro and Sarah Lambert. Series Producer is Gaby Aung. Executive Producers are Simon Chinn, Jonathan Chinn and Suzanne Lavery for Lightbox, Nick Shymansky, Jasper Waller-Bridge and Ben Friedman for Day One Pictures and Dua Lipa and Dukagjin Lipa for Radical22.
Today we get a new clip where Axel F (Eddie Murphy) from Beverly Hills Cop: AXEL F, gives Lions QB Jared Gof some advice! Arrives July 3, 2024 on Netflix.
ABOUT BEVERLY HILLS COP: AXEL F
Director: Mark Molloy
Based on Characters created by: Danilo Bach and Daniel Petrie, Jr.
Story by: Will Beall
Screenplay by: Will Beall And Tom Gormican & Kevin Etten
Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer, p.g.a., Eddie Murphy, p.g.a., Chad Oman, p.g.a.
Executive Producers: Ray Angelic, Charisse Hewitt-Webster, Melissa Reid, Lorenzo Di Bonaventura
Cast: Eddie Murphy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Taylour Paige, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser, Bronson Pinchot and Kevin Bacon
Synopsis: Detective Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) is back on the beat in Beverly Hills. After his daughterâs life is threatened, she (Taylour Paige) and Foley team up with a new partner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and old pals Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and John Taggart (John Ashton) to turn up the heat and uncover a conspiracy.
(Photo/video credit: Netflix)
Paramount+ today announced that the upcoming docuseries LOLLA: THE STORY OF LOLLAPALOOZA will premiere exclusively on the service in Canada and the U.S. on Tuesday, May 21 and on Wednesday, May 22, 2024 in the UK, Australia, Latin America, Brazil, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Directed by the multi-EmmyÂź nominated Michael John Warren (Spring Awakening: Those You’ve Known, Jay-Zâs Fade to Black) and executive produced by multi-EmmyÂź nominees James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte (McMillions), the three-part series made its triumphant world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.
In the summer of 1991, the Lollapalooza music festival was born. What started as a farewell tour for the band Janeâs Addiction rose from the underground to launch a cultural movement and change music forever.
LOLLA: THE STORY OF LOLLAPALOOZA depicts the exciting and strangely symbiotic 30+ year relationship between the iconic festival and Perry Farrell (Janeâs Addiction, Porno for Pyros). Throughout the series, Farrell reconnects with what the event has become and reflects on the festivalâs cultural significance across multiple genres and decades.
âFinally, someone cares about the generation that no one cared about,â said Lollapalooza founder Farrell.
LOLLA: THE STORY OF LOLLAPALOOZA is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and FunMeter, in partnership with C3 Presents. The series is executive produced by Bruce Gillmer and Amanda Culkowski (MTV Entertainment Studios), James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte (FunMeter), Daniel Gibbs and Mat Whittington (C3 Presents), and Brian Levy (Entertainment 360). Perry Farrell, Charlie Walker, Charles Attal and Berkeley Reinhold are producers; Matt Kaye and Jordan Bogdonavage are co-executive producers; Shannon Pence is supervising producer. Michael John Warren serves as executive producer and director.
Running in Toronto April 25 to May 5, 2024 the 2024 HOT DOCS Festival is back, now in its 31st edition. The Festival not only is one of the World’s premiere Documentary Film Festivals, it is also highlighted by an array of events including a dynamic series of knowledge sessions, networking opportunities and market programs for documentary practitioners and industry delegates, including the renowned Hot Docs Forum and Hot Docs Deal Maker.
This year, 168 Documentary Filmmakers are expected to introduce their work at the Festival including the likes of Peaches, Sash Simpson, Valerie Simpson, Lucy Lawless, Thelma Schoonmaker and several more! Priyanka Chopra-Jonas produced BORN HUNGRY also premieres at the Festival this year.
HOT DOCS ‘24 boasts 168 documentaries representing 64 countries across 16 diverse programs and will feature 51 world and 32 international premieres.
Tickets and ticket packages can be purchased and/or redeemed online at www.hotdocs.ca or in person at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema Box Office, located at 506 Bloor Street West in Toronto.
Our Justin Waldman (@DubsReviews) attends this year’s Festival and gives us his Top Five picks, in addition to sharing some reviews of some key titles!
From Justin:
There are so many great Documentaries to see this year at the Hot Docs festival but there are a handful of titles that certainly standout more than others. While the Nightvision program (usually the most disturbing documentaries or the most out of the box, though there are exceptions) isnât the typical midnight fare this year but two of the three titles in the program certainly have peaked my personal interest. With plenty of being shown throughout the Festival, I am going to dive into my top five most intriguing docs (with one recommendation of something Iâve covered) for the upcoming HOT DOCS ’24 in no particular order.
Some Reviews ahead of the Festival:
The most wonderful time of the year, or so the saying goes. December is supposedly a time of joy, love, gifts, whimsical magic and so forth. Of course, this only really applies if youâre of the Christian faith and celebrate Christmas, but for director Ken Wardrop that is the focus of their documentary, So This is Christmas. The documentary focuses on a small Irish village and a handful of residents and their relationship with the Criss Cringle holiday.
The dark side of holidays that no one ever seems to focus on is what Ken Wardrop decides to focus on in So This is Christmas. We get to see the stories of five individuals, all of which have a very difficult relationship with the holiday. While their stories are told and interweaved with the Christmas scenery and exploration, however these five people truly do not like the holiday and certainly do not have the joy that the holiday typically evokes. Whether the stories the audiences are told are tales of tragic loss or just horrific circumstances, So This is Chirstmas will have the audience re-examine not only how they celebrate the holiday but the meaning of Christmas itself.
Ken Wardrop crafts a story that not only is going to captivate the audience but also ensure that they take a more appropriate look at the holiday season. While some people celebrate the holiday season, and the Christmas cheer others have a difficult relationship with the holiday and thusly creates an uncomfortable and difficult time of year for those.
So This is Christmas screens at the HOT DOCS ’24 on Tuesday, April 30th at 8:15 pm at TIFF Lightbox and Thursday, May 2nd at 4:45 pm at Scotiabank Theatre.
When creating a Documentary on a subject/person that has been done often and has had plenty of spotlight on the subject it is rather a daunting task and difficult to do something new and provide new light to said subject. Larry Weinstein was tasked with creating a documentary on Beethoven and specifically his Ninth, amply titled Beethovenâs Nine: Ode to Humanity, a play on the ode to joy. While the documentary doesnât singularly focus on Beethoven himself or the ninth itself but rather the impact of the legendary piece of music and how it is managed to stand the tale of time over the last 200 years.
Focusing on Beethovenâs Nine from legendary comic creators to psychologists, Weinsteinâs documentary focuses on how the music has carried a significant cultural impact over the past two centuries. With stories interwoven across different cultural moments and world issues, we see the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra perform the piece, and we also see Director Larry Weinstein breakdown the piece and the fourth wall in regard to the current situation in Israel and his personal connection to that story. He focuses on explaining how to separate art from life and the significance that Beethoven brings to the cultural zeitgeist.
Beethovenâs Nine: Ode to Humanity may not be the Documentary expected from audiences, but instead delivers a beautiful story of triumph and art that has defined generations. The cultural significance of the Ninth and how it has brought people together, helped them face adversity, and bring them an âOde to Joyâ is truly captured in Weinsteinâs Documentary which similarly to Beethovenâs Ninth will transcend audiences for centuries to come.
Beethovenâs Nine: Ode to Humanity screens at HOT DOCS ’24 with screenings on Sunday, April 28th at 5:15 at the TIFF Lightbox, Tuesday, April 30th at 11:30 at the TIFF Lightbox, and Saturday, May 4th at 2:15 at Scotiabank Theatre.
Alfredo Pourailly De La Plaza brings one of the most inspiring and heartbreaking Documentaries to audiences this year, with his The Fabulous Gold Harvesting Machine. With a title like that it may be easy to think this is a Documentary of something whimsical and fantastical, and while in part of its essence it is, but at its core the true heart of the story is looking at a broken system, a son who doesnât want to watch his father suffer, and a passion for life and willingness to live that cannot go unmatched; true determination and perseverance brings this machine to new heights and levels.
The Film focuses on Toto as heâs in his 60s and has been working in the mines for the past 40 years and explaining in the town of Tierra Del Fuego in Chile, there arenât many miners left. His car â similarly to his health â is in disarray but keeps on pushing through, even though they both need lots of fixes and eventually wonât be able to continue. His son, Jorge, cannot watch his father continue this way any further, and Toto doesnât qualify for social assistance, so he creates an invention, a gold harvesting machine that he hopes can help his father so he can continue to live without the extra continuous strain on his body.
The Fabulous Gold Harvesting Machine is a story of triumph and the power of a good, healthy father-son relationship. De La Plaza brings a levity to such a serious story and by capturing the earnest feelings between Toto and Jorge along with his wonderful contraption and idea creates a moving documentary that is sure to capture the hearts of its audience and bring a powerful story of perseverance and love to the forefront.
The Fabulous Gold Harvesting Machine screens at the HOT DOCS ’24 on Sunday, April 28th at 4:00 pm at the Scotiabank Theatre and again on Tuesday, April 30th at 8:30 pm at the Scotiabank Theatre.
First-time feature Director Hamoody Jaafar takes risks with making their Documentary on the River Rouge High School Panthers basketball team, a team that at one point was one of the most successful high school basketball teams in the United States. 70 years later from their triumphant run, a former player returns to the scene and wants to coach the team to help them achieve another state championship. While the story is inspiring and aspirational, the documentary aspect of it almost feels lost. It feels like a well crafted Hollywood-ized story of overcoming the odds and defying the chances to achieve what a once prosperous team back to their glory. It works incredibly well, but the guise of a documentary feels lost, even though it is one.
Rouge focuses on LaMonta Stone â the former player who returns to bring the team back to the championship dance and some of the student players consisting of Legend Geeter, Brent Darby Jr and Ahmoni Weston. Not only does the Documentary focus on creating a world for the audience to get lost in and route for the underdogs to regain the glory they once held and create a world for of hope that this team can claim another championship. But it also focuses on the troubles and tribulations of being a pre college athlete, fighting for scholarships, what life brings after the games over and the things that people donât always think about when thinking about student athletes. It offers an inside look that usually gets ignored and explores the chaos that resides off the court.
Hamoody Jafar captures the story of the River Rouge Panthers and the past, present and the future of some of their current players. It does so in a way that does not feel like a Documentary, as it focuses more on the team being the best team they can be rather than the trials and tribulations of what happens off the court and after they graduate. While it may not be feel traditional the story is exceptional and is bound to capture the heart of their audience.
Rouge screens at the HOT DOCS ’24 on Sunday, April 28th at 8:15 pm at the TIFF Lightbox and Tuesday, April 30th at 5:30 at the TIFF Lightbox.
The heart yearns for what the heart yearns for, at least that is the general message that Alix Blair wants to convey in their Documentary; Helen and the Bear. Focusing on a nearly forty year marriage that is running near its end (death not divorce) it examines how people can be together, even if they seem completely different but something brings them together and the thought of then being alone is one of fear and anxiety, but learning to make the most of the time they have together is key.
In the ’70s, Helen â a young idealistic hippie — met Pete McCloskey, a republican who opposed his own party and famously ran against Richard Nixon. What happens next is something neither of them couldâve predicted â they fall in love, and end up getting married despite a plethora of things Helen doesnât understand such as the concept of marriage and even their own sexual preference/orientation. While Pete is busy working, Helen explores her sexuality all the while not wanting to hurt her husband. Affectionately calling Pete the Bear, Helen and the Bear focuses on their relationship, what theyâre going through now that Pete is 96 years old and nearing the end of his life, and how love manages to persevere overall.
Helen and the Bear is a beautiful look at love, time, and self but the issue lays in how deep Blair chooses to go with the subjects and focal point. Nothing gets explored too deeply and thusly it is all surface level discussions, emotions, and feelings. Yes, loss is a part of life, but one would think the dissolving of a near forty year marriage simply due to age would be a harder subject to address and accept. Overall, Helen and the Bear scratches the surface and it is plausible based on Helenâs personality it is something thatâs been accepted, but further exploration and deeper questions being asked couldâve provided deeper connections to the audience.
Helen and the Bear screens at HOT DOCS ’24 Sunday, April 28th at 4:40 pm at Scotiabank Theatre and April 30th at 11:45 am at Scotiabank Theatre.
More Reviews to come, please check back soon.
Once Julian Assange is extradited to the US, the legal noose will tighten on his closest associates, including American Jacob Appelbaum, identified in indictments against Assange as âWLA3â (WikiLeaks Associate 3), currently living in exile in Germany. Nobody Wants To Talk About Jacob Appelbaum unveils this fascinating, troubled character, whose fate seems inextricably entwined with Assange’s, and the little-understood subculture from which they both sprang.
Filmmaker Jamie Kastner (The Skyjackerâs Tale, Secret Disco Revolution, There Are No Fakes) sets out to determine what happened and why Nobody Wants To Talk About Jacob Appelbaum. Interviews pried from secretive subjectsâ blend with a trove of scarcely-seen footage and original investigation in this spy-story, a cautionary tale-of-our-times.
Nobody Wants to Talk About Jacob Appelbaum is a documentary Channel Original, and was produced in association with CBC documentary Channel, Canada Media Fund and the Rogers Cable Network Fund.
The film opens in Toronto and Vancouver June 2024
In Toronto on Thursday, June 13, 2024, 7:00 PM at the
Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema
Encore screening on Saturday, June 15, 2024, 12:30 PM
In Vancouver on June 14, 2024 (time TBD) at the VIFF Centre
Followed by a national streaming premiere on CBC Gem starting June 26, 2024
For advertising opportunites please contact mrwill@mrwillwong.com