RSS

Note: This article was written in tandem by At the Movies co-hosts Remi Caron and Danny Aubry. Remi's section follows, with Danny's starting halfway through...

The Fantasia International Film Festival kicked off their programming last Thursday, August 20th. The first week had so much content to cover and I tried my best to make time for everything, albeit with a tight schedule.

It was a Fantasia first for me as I finally got to experience a DJ XL5 Zappin’ Party with a screening of DJ XL5 Nine Lives Zappin Party. As a first time experience I enjoyed it. However, these experiences are best enjoyed alongside the Fantasia audience (the film festival went online this year). DJ XL5’s Zappin' parties have been a Fantasia staple and are a collection of short videos that are shown in context or out of context, as the viewer dertermines. Think of it as channel surfing on television past midnight whether mindless or not. These shorts are not for everyone, but still have something that the regular Fantasia audience will enjoy. Those involved in this zappin' collage of shorts were iRony - taking on a commentary about our plugged-in society, an edited video titled Evil James Bond Vs World War Z, and the Quebec short paying homage to It with Clown: L’attaque des Clowns. However, since this is a cat-centric themed Zappin' party there is no excuse to stay for the catshorts, including Simon’s Cat.

The documentary that I feel is an urgent call for 2020 is Feels Good Man (Dir. Arthur Jones), which chronicles cartoonist Matt Furie and his character from the Boy’s Club comic, Pepe the Frog. Pepe took on a life of his own when the character would become a meme followed by a symbol of hate idolized by the Alt-Right movement. Jones follows Furie’s journey to claim his character back as well as showcase that Pepe can be a symbol of peace and love, rather living in the face of hate.

Tiny Time: King For A Day (Dir. Johan von Sydow) is an autobiographical documentary on American singer and entertainer Tiny Tim, who from birth to stardom was a singer/entertainer that was misunderstood but beloved by those who understood him. Even though there was success in his life, Tiny Tim was always dealing with personal demons, which can be seen through his diary entries. We also see the later portion of his career as he dealt with a tumultuous love life and staying relevant despite the fact that he thought negatively of himself and his moral dilemmas that plagued him. The film takes a personal approach to the most popular and enigmatic figures of popular music with diary entries voiced over by Weird Al Yankovic - in the same way that Yankovic is a character in himself like Tim, who sometimes has found it hard for people to understand his music.

Sanzaru (Dir. Xia Mangus) is a slow-paced thriller that thrives on attention to detail. Evelyn, a young Filipina nurse, is tasked with taking care of the family matriarch, while at the same time taking in her nephew. When things start going strange, taking care of the family matriarch becomes more of a challenge as mysterious voices start being heard in their home, meaning they aren’t alone. Mangus is a director to be on the lookout for future projects for his bold ambitious work in the genre of horror and thriller, with a distinct eye for visuals and attention to detail that are incredibly important within this genre.

My final film of the week was You Cannot Kill David Arquette (Dir. David Darg and Price James). As a Hollywood star in the 90’s, David Arquette is sometimes referred to as one of the worst things that happened to professional wrestling, winning the World Championship Wrestling belt. This is stated because of the fact that Arquette was known as the Hollywood actor that took away the belt from a legitimate pro wrestler that had been training all his life for the title. He was seen as the outsider by that point and was shunned by some of the wrestling community. However, this did not stop Arquette from having passion for the sport, which is the main focus of this documentary - part of which shows him training and entering the ring again. There was still the Hollywood outsider mentality to Arquette coming back, however, for him it was never about the title - it was all about gaining respect, which is seen throughout this film alongside the pain that is inflicted in this lifestyle. It is a raw in-your-face unapologetic look at the life of a Hollywood actor that has faced rejection and personal problems, but has found respect amongst one of his deepest passions, wrestling.

And here are Danny's thoughts on week one...

As we continue to do our best to stay inside as much as possible due to COVID-19, I’ve been finding ways to separate my world from the world outside of me. My participation in the Fantasia Film Festival by watching its films through my laptop has made it even easier for me to separate those worlds. Although I have had the pleasure of watching several films within the first week of the festival, the films I’d like to review for my first week at Fantasia are Fried Barry, Cosmic Candy and The Block Island Sound. What interests me the most about these three films is the underlying theme they have in common: outer space.

Fried Barry focuses on a low life drug addict named Barry who is a lousy husband and a deadbeat dad. He finds himself abducted by aliens after another one of his heroine binges. During his abduction, an alien entity takes over his mind. The alien entity leads him to become even more of a drifter, which therefore takes him on a series of misadventures where crazy things occur. I personally liked the film because I have an appreciation for sci-fi and the supernatural, athough I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone, as it is very graphic and requires a strong stomach.

Cosmic Candy focuses on an eccentric grocery store clerk named Anna who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). She is both addicted to her medication and something called “Cosmic Candy.” Anna’s world takes an upside-down turn when her nine year old neighbor Persia’s father goes missing. Anna then takes on a mother role for Persia and quickly realizes all of the hardships that come with being a parent. Anna’s addiction to Cosmic Candy leads her to fantasize about a big pink bubble picking her up and taking her to outer space. This is a film that I would recommend to everyone because I feel that Anna is a very relatable character. We’ve all felt the need to escape this world at some point in our lives, and we also find that even once you have reached adulthood, you still have some growing up to do.

The Block Island Sound focuses on a character named Harry who is socially difficult and not easy to get along with. When strange things occur within his town, he refuses to believe his friend Dale when he suggests that it’s all happening due to something supernatural. He chooses not to believe Dale until strange things start happening to him. We see Harry’s behavior change when he starts expressing zombie-like tendencies. Harry’s sister Audrey explains to her daughter what being a marine biologist entails, that alone hints at the idea of how certain species seek to study less intelligent species. This is a film which I would recommend to everyone because I feel that the story is very well written and it is currently my favorite film of the festival.

My first week of Fantasia allowed me to escape from this world through its films. Next week I shall review films with a different theme in common.

Remi and Danny host At the Movies which features everything new and noteworthy in the world of cinema. The show goes live every Tuesday at 8:00AM.

Stay tuned for more Fantasia coverage starting next week as we talk about our second week of films we watched at the festival. Be sure not to miss At The Movies Extra on September 8th at 9:00 AM for our Fantasia wrap-up party, the first episode where our co-hosts as well as other members of CJLO reunite - so don’t miss it!

CJLO is a proud sponsor of the Fantasia International Film Festival.

With the band’s first release in 17 years, Phil Elverum of the Microphones shares his vulnerable yet powerful journey of becoming an artist.

The Microphones is a project of Phil Elverum, started in the late 1990s in Olympia, Washington. Phil gained prominence in the local lo-fi scene, often collaborating with nearby artists such as Calvin Johnson, Bret Lundsford, and Mirah, to name a few. The Microphones were Phil’s solo project - signature of his experimental sounds balanced with thoughtful introspection. Unfortunately, the project seemed to have come to a halt when he began creating new works under the name Mount Eerie, claiming that he was ready for something new (taken from an interview with Pitchfork magazine).

With the first Microphones release in 17 years, Microphones in 2020, Phil is looking back. The album is best devoured by watching the “flip book” video created for it on Youtube featuring the artist’s stunning photographs. The video features an empty table with a hand placing down a glossy photograph about every 10 seconds. The partnering of the music and the visuals are almost inseparable - creating a heightened experience and deeper understanding for the viewer. Watching these images flash by, we are caught up in someone’s memories, yet they are neutral enough to spark our own subconscious. The images feeling both insignificant and significant at the same time offers the idea that this singer is reminding us of the preciousness of the mundane.

The album itself consists of a 44-minute song composed of steady, droning guitar progressions and delicately sung monologue-style lyrics. Phil introduces his thoughts by attempting to share his idea of the “true state of all things”.

Through the lyrics he takes us through his journey of becoming an artist. Going backwards through time, we are taken to Olympia when he was just 17 and starting off experimenting with sounds, then onto when he was constantly touring with the Microphones, and even closer to the present day when he changed names and isolated himself in a cabin in Norway. All throughout these experiences, Phil is often taken aback. He sings of moments of intense inspiration, but also reflective meditation. Perhaps he could be described as an observer; Phil sings that, “Every song I’ve ever sung is about the same thing: standing on the ground looking around, basically.” Often engulfed by nature and weather - a recurring theme - he is constantly questioning what is the true essence he is trying to achieve (and who he is, exactly).

Through time and inspired experiences, Phil explains his decisions and his intentions to make art that was connected to a “deeper peace”. He begins to learn as he grows older that he is always learning, forgetting and then learning again. Microphones in 2020 was his opportunity to look back and share, for him to create a part of eternity with a simple message:

“Now only and there’s no end”.

L. Rupnik is the co-host of Last Stop: This Song (every Wednesday from 11:00AM-12:00PM) here at CJLO and is a musician in the making.

Reporter: Shanellie Marie

Stories: Luca Caruso Moro 

St-Laurent to be pedestrian-only 

St-Laurent street is now pedestrian only. 

The stretch between Sherbrooke and Mont-Royal has been closed to traffic, coinciding with the summer mural festival. 

It will remain closed until August 23. 

Iroquois Nationals will compete in the world games

After months of debate, The Iroquois Nationals will play in the 2022 world lacrosse games. 

The team represents the 6 Nations confederacy, which includes several First Nations in Ontario, Quebec, and the northern United States. 

The organization in charge of the games, World Lacrosse, did not give reason for excluding the team from the roster.

The Nationals did qualify to compete, and will now do so in Birmingham in 2022.

Kahnawake grand chief dies in hospital

In Kahnawake news, 

Grand Chief Joseph Norton passed away in hospital Friday evening. He was 70 years old. 

Norton led his community for nearly three decades before stepping away from office in July for health reasons. 

He will be remembered as a tireless leader instrumental in shaping the community for years to come.

Photo credit: Simon Loisir

When Montreal musician, DJ, and blogger Mathias Pageau released his first EP under his Dylarama moniker back in 2018, the world was obviously entirely different from the last several months of our lives. So much so that the origin of his second EP Parle-moi de ça (out August 7 on Lisbon Lux Records), were his travels across North America, where new experiences and perspectives unlocked a wellspring of creativity. Even with so much of our lives having changed, the power of a songwriter scratching beneath the surface to turn their personal experience into a universal one remains the same. That said, Dylarama doesn’t take himself too seriously either - look no further than the multitude of cats surrounding the artist on the cover of Parle-moi de ça. CJLO interviewed Dylarama about his new EP, love songs, and missing his cat.

Parle-moi de ça is described as an intimate, straightforward EP, written in a universal language addressing desire, regret and romantic dialogue. When you were writing these songs, were you thinking of writing explicitly with a larger audience in mind, or was that not a factor, and it was more a hope that people could relate their own experiences to your lyrics?

It’s hard for me to write with an audience in mind. In the early stages, thinking of someone listening to my song would be like thinking of someone reading my diary as I’m writing in it. I try to write the songs I’d like to hear, and I relate to straight-forward (read: dumb) songs about naive emotions, mumblecore nonsense, etc. There’s also a nuts-and-bolts aspect to it. When I write, I have a bunch of melodies on one side, notebooks filled with bad ideas for songs on the other, and I’m putting them together hoping I get something done that day. It’s not very romantic, but most professional songwriters I’ve spoken to work that way, even the good ones.

The genesis of Parle-moi de ça is your travels throughout North America in the last couple of years, whether they be cafes in Mexico or hotel rooms in Los Angeles. Do you think you could have only written these songs during your travels? Would you not have had the same lyrical frame of mind if you wrote them in Montreal?

I could’ve had the same frame of mind, but I wouldn’t have found the motivation to write them there. I needed to experience something different. Is it sharks that need to move to stay alive? I guess I’m like a shark that way. I need to see new places, meet new people, have different circumstances. Travel gave me the perspective, but the answer was inside me all along, or whatever.

After having released two EPs in a row, do you see an album on the horizon, or will you stick with the EP format for releasing your next set of music? Is there something about the EP format that you find is advantageous over crafting LPs?

An EP is more immediate. You have less of a chance to overthink everything; you just find a couple songs that fit together and kick them out into the world, see what sticks. The less ambitious and definitive a project is, the more fun and stimulating it is to me.

“Comme des dominos” is the most purely pop song on the EP, with a sugary-sweet 80’s pop arrangement and the lovely sentiment that “tout est possible avec elle." At its core, what is it that makes a perfect pop song to you?    

Ironically, the things that make a good love song are also the things that make a bad relationship. Explosive emotions, passion, insecurity, codependency. We all go to therapy to outgrow those things, yet we like to experience them in the safe, abstract space of a pop song. Why would someone write an even-keeled love song? Where’s the fun in that?

Similarly, what do you think is the key to writing a good love song – one that is romantic without being too over the top or cheesy (or is there indeed a place sometimes for cheesy love songs)?

Oh, the cheesier the better. When did cheesy become a bad thing, by the way? The cheese is the best part! (Cue in the Seinfeld theme.) Why? Do you want your song to be breadier? Who’s the best guy in a group? It’s the Big Cheese! etc.

COVID-19 has obviously wreaked havoc on our lives, but are there any music or non-music related trends popularized during the pandemic that you hope continue once this is all over?

There was this brief period where it felt like we were all in this together. There was this feeling of community, of compassion. We were banging on pots for essential workers and calling each other up to make sure we were holding on. I wish we could’ve stayed like that a little longer.

As someone who also writes about music for a living and is a DJ, I imagine the current pandemic has given you plenty of time to sink into new releases and old classics. Are there any notable discoveries you’ve had that you’d like to share? Alternatively, has the pandemic led you back to your past favourites instead?

There is so much good music coming out right now, I don’t take the time to go back and listen to old stuff as much as I should. Still, there is one album that I totally overlooked, and I’ve been really into lately. It’s Untrue, by Burial. When it came out, the subtleties of this masterpiece whizzed right over my head. It sounded like a bunch of rain ambiance and muffled drums to me. I watched a short YouTube documentary about the album recently and I realized a lot of the artists I’ve been obsessed with in the past decade are probably inspired by Burial. Anyone from Caribou to The Weeknd, to lo-fi house producers like DJ Boring and Computer Data.

To end on a lighter note, that’s a lot of cats on the cover [taken by Simon Loisir] of Parle-moi de ça! What was the inspiration behind the artwork, and are you a cat person at heart?

Long story short, leaving Montreal also meant leaving a cat behind. I think about him around 20-30 times a day, no exaggeration. What is he doing? Does he still think about me? What would we be doing right now if I had never left? Would he sit on my lap and do that thing where he curls up his paws under his chest like a pretzel? I’m starting to think he was the one true love of my life.

Parle-moi de ça is out on August 7 (Lisbon Lux Records).

Alex Viger-Collins is the host of Ashes to Ashes, your weekly dose of modern pop, every Tuesday at 8:00 PM EST.