Usually I hate when Americans try to act “Canadian” - but “Wheels Ontario” by Nick Kroll is amazing.
Beauty is Embarrassing is a documentary about Wayne White - an artist best known for his work on Pee-Wee’s Playhouse for set and puppet designs. He went on to direct music videos and work on art including his most famous works called “Word Paintings” which are incredible pieces of art.
I thoroughly appreciated the documentary, which focused on White’s childhood and aspirations growing up and went into great detail about his creative endeavours and the stories of working on television. He seems like a very genuine person and doesn’t take art too seriously. He doesn’t believe in pompous artwork and just wants to be creative.
You can watch the trailer for Beauty is Embarrassing here. It’s a very honest trailer and fits the tone of the documentary very accurately. If you like the trailer I’d recommend this film.
Buy it on Amazon.ca:
Beauty Is Embarrassing - DVD
You guys, I am thrilled to finally share this with you. It’s the first time I’ve ever curated a show, and it’s a theme that I’m very passionate about. Take a gander at the artist list, get yourself pumped up and come to the show, it’s going to be a stellar time.
Really excited about this!
Another Kickstarter update! I received my rewards for The Whole Story: Winter 2013 - a creator-owned comic distribution Kickstarter featuring dozens of artists from around the world. The collections featured contained dozens of comics all DRM-free and all produced by some really talented people. The SD card came packed with tons of material and I even received posters, mini-comics, original art and more - it was crazy.
Lots of work was put into this collection and it’s going to take me a long time to catch up. Ryan Estrada really pulled out all the stops and was great about communication along the way. Helping these artists produce more original art is great. I recommend checking out the Kickstarter page for more information on all the artists involved!
Side By Side is a documentary hosted by Keanu Reeves featuring dozens of directors, producers, cinematographers and film enthusiasts discussing the impact of digital filmmaking and the future of film in our digital lives.
The positions of these filmmakers varied greatly between for and against digital filmmaking and actually promoted positive discussion from some of the most creative individuals creating media. I was drawn into the discussion and appreciated the viewpoints on both ends. I’ve always been partial to film grain - there’s something to be said about the authenticity of something that appears to have been record on “film”. It’s grainy and realistic and reminds you that you are watching a film. Digital has its obvious benefits - most importantly the lift on restrictions and limitations of film, but there’s something that can be waxy and disingenuous.
Needless the say, the discussion has to take place as filmmakers figure out what the future of their medium will hold. There are great discussions in the feature and Keanu does an excellent job moderating the discussions. I’d really like to see some more of some of the interviews (specifically of David Lynch, who referred to Keanu by his first name which was awesome).
Side By Side is available to stream on Netflix Canada right now or can be ordered on Amazon.ca:
Side By Side - DVD
Side by Side (Blu-Ray)
Plains, Trains and Automobiles is both my second favourite Steve Martin film (The Jerk being the first), and second favourite John Candy film (Uncle Buck). I remember watching it often when I was younger and love it still to this day. It had been ages since I last watched it and thought it would be good to re-visit it.
It was odd re-watching the film after having seen it in its entirety so long ago and only seeing TBS-edited airings in the mean time. The pacing of the film is much quicker than I remembered, and the film feels significantly “shorter”. I would still put it up there with all the great comedies of the 80’s, and although less “iconic”, the film holds up exceptionally well. John Candy does such a great job getting under your skin and Steve Martin plays one of the best straight-man acts in the film, lending himself perfectly to Candy’s abrasive personality.
If you haven’t seen Planes, Trains and Automobiles - you should. It’s manageable and easy to digest and a great John Hughes film.
Buy it on Amazon.ca:
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (“Those Aren’t Pillows” Edition) - DVD
Planes, Trains and Automobiles Blu-ray
