Primary Sites:
* Talking Pictures with John Keyes *
One man's opinion on film and television...
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*Box Office Piracy: Scandal in the High Cs -- movie studios still obsessing about Pirates . . . *
. . .and we don't mean the "of the Caribbean" kind, either.
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Alliance Atlantis chops itself in half *
If you're a big fan of TV shows such as Da Vinci's Inquest or The Eleventh Hour, or you liked the film The Good Thief with Nick Nolte, the news that Alliance Atlantis is taking an axe to its entertainment arm -- apart from the hit show CSI, of course -- probably comes as a nasty shock.
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Anti-Bush sentiment busts out all over *
And it's not just the usual suspects taking shots, SIMON HOUPT writes. The fire is coming from feature film, theatre and TV.
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Celebrating the cinema *
From kids' matinees to drive-ins to art films, going to the movies is an everyday magical experience, GAIL SINGER writes.
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Lions Gate posts deeper loss *
Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. reported a deeper loss in the third quarter as merger costs and higher marketing expenses offset a 25 per cent rise in sales.
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Once upon a time in the Story Seminar *
I used to be ashamed of some of my film preferences, but thanks to one Robert McKee, I now hold my head high. Here it is: I thought The Mummy was awesome. Pirates of the Caribbean rocked. When I heard they were doing a sequel to the first Charlie's Angels movie, I drooled a little. However, I do have enough critical discernment to state that Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle was unmitigated compost. Once, I might not have possessed the tools to explain to you why I might find Boneheaded Hollywood Confection a pleasure, but its seemingly identical counterpart, Cynical Special Effects Orgy II an inducer of mock gagging noises. The answer can be summed up in one word: Story.
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Summer Movies Round-up: Superheroes, super freaks *
The next four months offer a bewildering deluge of blockbuster flicks, with nary a surfboard in sight.
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Surprise! Real jolts are found in docs *
Johanna Schneller finds that the biggest surprise in new documentaries -- and the most essential aspect missing from mainstream film today -- is the element of surprise, itself.
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Talking Pictures: Barf. . .How did the Food Channel Get So Unappetizing? *
John Keyes -- evalu8.org's intrepid Film & TV Editor -- has a Food Network melt-down that has nothing, but nothing to do with tuna-melt.
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Talking Pictures: Bring Me the Head of Famous Players! *
John Keyes points a finger at the Real Culprits in today's Low Box Office Scores; he thinks a lack of respect for the audience is why movie-going is at an all-time low.
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Talking Pictures: Hope Sprang Eternal *
Ski-jump nose. The writer who coined that image should go down in the history of American journalism alongside the New York deskman who dreamed up the timeless tabloid headline Headless Body Found in Topless Bar.
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Talking Pictures: John Keyes' Oscar picks 2004 *
John Keyes, evalu8.org's intrepid Film (video, DVD) Editor succinctly describes his reasons for cheering for just one of the nominees for Best Picture at the 2004 Academy awards.
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Talking Pictures: John Keyes's Oscar picks 2006 *
John Keyes, evalu8.org's intrepid Film (video, DVD) Editor succinctly describes his top ten choices that he hopes will be considered for the 2006 edition of the Academy awards.
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Talking Pictures: John Keyes's Top 10 movies of 2006 (Keyes round-up) *
John Keyes, evalu8.org's intrepid Film (video, DVD) Editor succinctly describes his top ten choices that he hopes will be considered for the 2007 edition of the Academy awards (subject to revision closer to the Oscars).
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Talking Pictures: When TV ads are a Turn-off *
Do real people live like this? Have these kinds of conversations? Why haven't their neighbours ganged up and killed them yet?
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The Back Lot with Lynne McNamara blog entry for April 15, 2007 *
So sad to hear that A Christmas Story director Bob Clark and his son Ariel Hanrath-Clark died recently in Los Angeles in a car crash on the Pacific Coast Highway.
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The modern movie pitcher *
Bearded by a stranger, LIAM LACEY believes he is being ambushed by a wild-eyed film student with an idea. Then he learns the ugly truth.
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Secondary Sites:
* In Bruges (Keyes review) ****
Two hitmen spice up the picturesque Belgian town of Bruges with filthy language, in this not-for-the-kiddies dark comedy. John Keyes gives it four stars.
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* The Back Lot with Lynne McNamara column for April 22, 2007 *
Lynne's blog addition for April 22, 2007
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Faith in popcorn: John Bailey departs Famous Players *
At a theatre near you, video arcades and fast food have turned movie-going into a 14-year-old's dream. And a cinephile's nightmare. As the CEO of Famous Players, John S. Bailey was largely responsible for the "megaplexing" of the country's theatres. Toronto's Paramount, Montreal's StarCité and dozens of others were born under his watch in a strategy that helped Famous Players stay in the black while rival chains spilled red ink. Bailey, 56, a 30-year veteran of the movie industry, left the company in February. He will not disclose the circumstances of his departure
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Features editor John T.D. Keyes offers his choices for the 2002 Vancouver International Film Festival: *
evalu8.org's Features Editor, John Keyes helps you cut to the chase, at this year's VIFF...
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Gospel according to Garth *
The film The Gospel of John offers a unique chance to understand Jesus's life , not just his violent final hours, says GARTH DRABINSKY.
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Graphic novels to film? Easy-peasey *
Once upon a time it was just too expensive to turn the lavish fantasies of comic book writers into movies. But not anymore. Renowned graphic novelist Neil Gaiman reveals all. . .
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Hollywood box office enjoys summer rebound *
After a dismal box-office year and gloomy prophecies about its future, the movie business has rebounded with a solid -- though far from spectacular -- summer 2006 season.
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Inside the head of a film critic *
It's not an easy job, what with bossy volunteers and existing all day on coffee and gum. The good part is all the nice, interesting people you meet along the way, LIAM LACEY says
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Oscars saved as Hollywood writers' and Producers Reach 'Tentative Deal' *
Striking writers --who have manned picket lines since October -- could be back to work next week, breathing new hope and life into the 2008 Academy Awards show.
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Pouting pinups push women off the screen *
Ay yi yi, have you seen this current film, The Girl Next Door? Its characters are high-school seniors on the cusp of graduation.
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Take this job and film it *
What better time than a holiday dedicated to the working masses for RICK GROEN to review what movies have done on the subject of labour
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The Back Lot with Lynne McNamara column for April 16, 2007 *
Well, finally I can take some time to blog the backlot. It's been a crazy
couple of months since, as Red Robinson wrote in his TV Week column, the
Vancouver Sun and I "agreed to disagree."
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The pleasure of thoroughly mindless movies *
WARREN CLEMENTS finds the secret to happiness lies in films that are so bad, they're good
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THE TOP 15: Groen and Lacey pick their 'pretty goods' *
They don't like the term 'best' -- so here are their 'pretty goods.'
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TIFF: Ink-stained airheads asking wretched questions *
What is to be done about the alleged press conferences during the Toronto International Film Festival? They should be a golden opportunity -- rows of glittering cast members from the hottest movies provide salient quotes to a lot of reporters who can't get one-on-one interview time.
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Why I will skip seeing The Birth of the Pink Panther *
I glanced at the Turner Classic Movie Channel while scarfing down a snack today, and saw a promo for the "original" movie of Father of the Bride, and it got me thinking. . .
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