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The cliché that “Vancouver never plays itself” — popularized six years ago in a video essay by Tony Zhou that has close to 2 million views on YouTube — is difficult to dispute, especially when considering the innumerable examples of Vancouver standing in for places like Seattle, Chicago, or San Francisco. The Cinematheque’s series The Image Before Us: A Film History of British Columbia aims to challenge this narrative and celebrate, or perhaps simply identify, the province’s understated and too often overlooked cinematic identity. Founded in 2015 by Vancouver filmmaker and scholar Harry Killas, The Image Before Us is in its sixth season, returning after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19. The current edition of the series includes a mix of contemporary films set in B.C., or works by B.C.-based filmmakers set elsewhere, in addition to a handful of older pictures produced in or centred around the province. Titles this season include Atom Egoyan&r ....
I find most film podcasts range from mildly irritating to offensively grating. The idea of listening to two or three often uninformed friends gabbing about movies they like with little structure and even less insight is not particularly exciting to me. Of course, some exceptions exist. The film podcasts I do gravitate towards are ones that teach me about film history (my all-time favourite is You Must Remember This), feature interviews with filmmakers, or help me keep up with new films otherwise overshadowed by large blockbusters. I was hesitant when listening to Film Formally, as the episodes are framed around two friends (both of whom are seasoned Vancouver-based filmmakers) having wide-ranging conversations on a number of cinematic topics. Thankfully, hosts Devon Scott and Will Ross are insightful and engaging, and the series offers a number of well-structured, informative, and often in-depth conversations without ever feeling too “chummy” or overly opaque.Each episode o ....
Kímmapiiyipitssini: The Meaning of EmpathyWhen you watch Kímmapiiyipitssini it is impossible not to constantly be aware of contrast. The idyllic mountains around the Kainai First Nation, and the grit of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. The warm yellow light inside the Healing Lodge, and the harsh white glare of streetlights illuminating darkened alleys, and most of all, the strength and resilience demonstrated by the Kainai people and the systemic oppression they continue to face. In her documentary Kímmapiiyipitssini: The Meaning of Empathy, director Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers discusses the impacts of substance abuse, and a current drug-poisoning epidemic within the Kainai Reserve, located on what the Canadian government considers Southern Alberta. Through direct interviews with medical professionals, people in recovery, and various community leaders the film uses personal stories to highlight how the people of Kainai have been working to support so ....
Former Navy SEAL Jack Carr is the author of the military thriller novel The Devil s Hand. 13 Apr 2021 It’s only been three years since Navy veteran and former SEAL Jack Carr published “The Terminal List,” his first novel about former SEAL James Reece and his relentless quest for justice. He’s just published “The Devil’s Hand,” the fourth book in the best-selling series, and production has started on an Amazon television series based on “The Terminal List,” with Chris Pratt in the starring role. Reece is not a classic Hollywood hero. His cause may always be righteous, but his need to hold others responsible usually leads him to use methods that can violate the rules of engagement and usually turn out to be downright terrifying. ....