by Gilbert Seah

CINEFRANCO SPECIAL QUEBEC 2017

This year’s “Cinefranco Special Quebec” will be taking place the weekend of April 21 – 23 at the Carlton Cinemas.  A total of 6 films will be screened during the 3 days.  Capsule reviews are provided for three of these films.

The full Cinefranco will take place later part of 2017.  We will keep you posted.

Price for each fi is $10 cash.

More details of the festival is available at the Cinefranco site at:

(The 6 films – titles and screening dates/times can be found at the cinefranco site below.  Please clink on the link:

http://2017.cinefranco.com/en/?option=com_content&view=article&id=125

GUESTS ATTENDING to date are:

Actor:   Émilie Bibeau, Fri April 21, 7pm screening of  Ça sent la coupe.

Director:  Benoit Pilon, Sat April 22, 7pm screening of Iqaluit.

CAPSULE REVIEWS OF SELECTED FILMS:

LA CHASSE AU COLLET (THE SQUEALING GAME) (Canada 2016) ***

Directed by Steve Kerr

Steve Kerr’s suspense drama is an odd one in that it sneaks in political messages as well.   The females like the wives have their say; a psychologically affected daughter gets her comeuppance.   The owner and CEO at a web ad agency, Eric is finally expecting to make it big, as he is launching a new discreet dating site for married people- for those who want to cheat on their spouses.  However, this type of venture comes at a cost; a moral one.  The film also centres on a young and troubled dental hygienist, Elyse, struggling to overcome her repulsion of intimate relationships with men.  When she overhears Eric’s interview on the radio: “The best of both worlds. Have an affair!”, she decides to take steps that she hopefully thinks, would led to her redemption.  Paul Doucet, not exactly the typical leading man, plays the CEO.  Not totally a satisfying thriller, the film has its moments in bing different from the typical Hollywood slasher movie.

Trailer (sans sous-titres; without subtitles): 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llLvL6J5ujM

MISERICORDE (Canada 2016) ***1/2

Directed by Fluvio Bernasconi

A mystery drama with the theme of redemption that also takes on the issues of the indigenous Indians.  Thomas (a Swiss in Quebec) has to settle his conscience by doing right on finding the killer of a boy, Muk, hit and killed by a hit-and-run truck river. Thomas is escaping trial in his home Switzerland after accidentally killing his baby after shaking it to death.  The driver is remorseful on the deed.  A retired officer who knocked all the teeth out of a suspect also does his bit for his conscience.  An assured and compelling drama that has the audience not taking sides of the guilty or the innocent.  A good moral tale with a good story and suspense (Thomas has to find the driver before the Quebec cops arrest him to extradite him back home) to go with it.  Veteran actress Marthe Keller has a supporting role in the film.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Bo59fBH5Vg

PRANK (Canada 2016) *

Directed by Vincent Biro

The film PRANK must be a prank of some kind.  The no-brainer film is about 3 guy losers and a loser girl that go about town playing pranks of various kinds.  Stefie (Étienne Galloy) is a bored, awkward teenager with giant train tracks, a mouth that’s constantly agape, no apparent friends, and nothing better to do than throw a tennis ball listlessly against a schoolyard wall.  Enter older pranksters Martin (Alexandre Lavigne) and Jean-Se (Simon Pigeon), who con Stefie into collaborating on a YouTube ruse.  One might include dancing on a bridge until someone comes long when he will be told to f*** off.  This prank is not at all funny, nor are the other pranks nor the film itself.  This is a small budget Quebec film that serves no purpose.   The film that makes the film JACKASS look like a masterpiece.

(No need to bother with a trailer here!)