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One of my favorite things about Hot Docs, and documentaries in general, is learning about something – a person, a place, a practice, an event, an idea, whatever – I might never have heard of before and might never have otherwise discovered. It happens every single year, and I...
Director Joss Whedon brings his trademark smarts and the sass – honed on iconic TV series like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly – to this long-awaited big-screen teaming of some of cinema’s most recent superhero subjects, and the result is 2+ hours of big, boisterous summer-movie entertainment that’s...
It’s always funny to me which screenings wind up packed to the rafters and which ones are barely attended. Even better, as the festival goes on, it’s interesting to hear which films are getting consistent buzz (good or bad), and which ones are never really mentioned in the ubiquitous...
Sometimes, even a two-screening day can feel long… especially when your digestive system reacts poorly to something you ate the previous afternoon. So it was that I made my way through the day and didn’t feel too guilty about opting to cut it short by walking out of my...
What better way to follow a “light” movie-going day than to see if I’ve still got what it takes to pull off one with four back-to-back screenings? Happily, it turns out my stamina – not tapped since I-don’t-know-how-many TIFFs ago – remains intact! And, weirdly, all of the films...
As many frequent festivalgoers will likely attest: sometimes, when you’re seeing a whole slew of movies in a fairly short amount of time, you need a “light” day in order for your body and mind to take a bit of a breather. That’s why I only saw two films...
It was a very grey and rainy day today, which meant audiences arriving for screenings wet from the knees down and with drippy umbrellas in tow. In some cases, having to stand outside in the rain while waiting in line. Spirits, though, were not dampened… even though two of...
What is WRONG with some people in the audience for these Hot Docs screenings? Bad behavior during a film, which used to be scarce (if present at all) during the fest, is now rearing its loud, ugly head more and more often. At one film, a couple arrived late...
I’m not sure whether it’s a good sign or a bad one that each of the three films I saw today made me cry. (Yes, I know, it’s to be expected at Hot Docs — these docs are frequently poignant.) The subject matter of the films was diverse, but...
My first official Hot Docs screening is tomorrow night, but I’ve been lucky enough to catch a few pre-fest press screenings. Here’s what I’ve seen so far, and what I thought: In the strangely poignant Detropia (6/8), filmmakers Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing (Jesus Camp) examine the economic collapse...
It’s here! A year has flown by and it’s once again time for what’s become my favourite film festival — Hot Docs! This year’s fest will unspool some 189 documentaries from 51 countries, with subjects ranging from the ordinary to the mind-blowingly bizarre. I’ve already seen a half-dozen of...
Unapologetically sweet and sappy, and the epitome of a feel-good movie for the holidays, director Cameron Crowe’s dramedy is predictable, obvious… and totally made my heart feel all warm and fuzzy. I don’t care. I love these kinds of films. Based on a true story, the film centers on...
