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Reviews
Keyhole (2011)
Expectations are Key
Before viewing, I saw this film referred to as a '30s Gangster homage' or noir-styled 'drama'. For anyone expecting a throwback film or conventional narrative, Keyhole will confuse and then, probably, disappoint. In fact, Keyhole is a very abstract take on the memories and emotions harboured inside an old house, which is inhabited by ghosts and other slaves to the past. And while Keyhole isn't a gripping crime thriller, neither should it be taken purely as an academic statement or challenging art-house experiment. Like most of Maddin's films, the dark absurdity and creative imagery is almost casually amusing and less pretentious than comparable movies. The cinematography, music, art direction and performances are tremendously captivating, if occasionally over-bearing. For anyone who's intrigued by these elements as much as by the often-mislead depiction of the film in mainstream media should definitely see Keyhole. Anyone who's turned off by bizarre inventions of unorthodox storytelling should leave this door locked.
Shock Chamber (1985)
Such a Different Time
Not that there aren't atrocious TV-movies anymore, but nowadays nothing so blunt and openly-cardboard would be considered for primetime. One in a long series of ultra low-budget genre flicks from Emmeritus films, this movie is also a rare reminder that local TV stations (in Canada no less) once had the guts and wherewithal to produce their own feature films (or so-called). Apparently this movie also had partial Telefilm funding. It's hard to imagine CHCH making its own dramas these days, let alone features, and Telefilm putting cash forward for a non-union B-movie is a stranger anomaly. Alas, neither funding source put up much (I've heard these were made for around $30k). Given the mainstream-market aims and miniscule budget it's not surprising how this turned out; somewhere between a cheap soap and a bad dream.
The description for this film is about as lazy and misleading as the script; the first story isn't about a teenager (or if it is, it's one who looks 30 and has apparently completed many college degrees, although this assertion isn't supported by his lack of intelligence). Likewise, the second story isn't particularly about the 'waitress' (who actually owns the establishment) so much as an ensemble cast of criminal characters. Speaking of characters, none of them are intriguing or likable in any way, although the best thing in the film is the bizarre bit part of a landlord (Sue Morrison) who dresses (and acts) like a 6-year-old who got into her mother's makeup and probably swallowed a good deal of it. Another highlight is the criminal trickster who thoughtfully prepares a printed-out label ('4- Second Infinite Loop') so we can all understand his unbelievably clever audio-cassette decoy. Perhaps the producers ripped that label from the film's soundtrack source of endless, drab synth music.
I saw this film as 'Greedy Terror' which is a more appropriate title than 'Shock Chamber' seeing as all the characters are greedy and there's no shock and no chamber. In fact, not a single death or any other element of action is really captured on camera. What remains is a lot of suspicious glances and threatening chit chat, some mildly amusing corner-cutting techniques and a pox for anyone who's ever felt nostalgic about Canadian TV in the 80s.
If it weren't so dang conventional, the sheer awkwardness of this film may have invoked something approaching creepy. As is, the only scary thing is how it ever got made.
Scar Tissue (2002)
Tasteful, Simple - Not Bad at All
Sure, you could call this a poor man's version of Sarah Polley's masterpiece, Awawy From Her, but this film deserves a chance on its own. Taken as it is - an earlier, relatively low-budget, made-for-TV feature - Scar Tissue isn't half bad. The script is tasteful and believable, and Roberta Maxwell and Shawn Doyle in the main roles are both excellent. Sure, it's predictable and the weepy Hollywood score doesn't help, but it's also engaging, touching and simple in the right ways...especially given the fact that there's only 3 primary locations and six main actors. This film furthers its significance in Canadian cinema by having Ignatief's '93 novel as its inspiration. Despite the notable actors and source material, it seems to have dropped off the face of the earth. It was released on DVD in 2002 but is increasingly hard to track down. While it may not be worth the premium prices to dig one up, it's definitely better than the majority of made for TV fare.
Drawing with Chalk (2009)
Intimate, Lively, Indie and Refined...all at the same time
Drawing with Chalk is a fairly rare thing. A micro budget, American, musical indie that is neither pretentious nor cold, crude nor glossy, predictable nor melodramatic. I saw this at the Canadian International Film Festival and was surprised to learn that it was made for well under 100k. It's truly a film from the heart that doesn't try to be anything it isn't. While not an entirely original concept, its strong bond with the peoples and places it portrays gives it an edge of realism and a grounded confidence in the field. Frankly, I found this far more likable than Once (comparable in a lot of ways) and it reminded me in many ways of Hank William's First Nation (a very good thing in my books) . My only regret is not catching the filmmakers' autographs, because whether or not they ever become famous, I'm confident this film will have a proud fan following for years to come.