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Movie Review: EDDIE THE EAGLE (UK/USA/Germany 2016) ***

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eddie_the_eagle_poster.jpgEDDIE THE EAGLE (UK/USA/Germany 2016) ***
Directed by Dexter Fletcher

Starring: Taron Egerton, Hugh Jackman, Tom Costello Jr.

Review by Gilbert Seah

EDDIE THE EAGLE is the typical type of British export crowd pleaser that have charmed North American audiences. Similar films like KINKY BOOTS, THE FULL MONTY, BEND IN LIKE BECKHAM, BRASSED OFF and THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL have all done well at the box-office. So, why not a film about the feel-good story of Michael (Eddie) Edwards (played by Taron Egerton) appropriately called EDDIE THE EAGLE?

Eddie is a tenacious British ski jumper who believes he is good enough to enter the Olympics. He has never stopped believing in himself, much to the consternation of his dad, a plasterer who wants his son to follow his own footsteps. Even the British Olympic Selection Committee wants him out. With the help of a rebellious and charismatic coach (played with equal tenacity by Hugh Jackman), Eddie takes on the establishment and wins the hearts of sports fans around the world by making an improbable and historic showing at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. Based on true events – as the titles at the films start tells the audience.

Top marks for effort go to Hugh Jackman who plays disgraced skier Bronson Peary who eventually becomes Eddie’s coach. It must be tough for this talent to go through all the ropes. It is tough enough to pretend to play someone who cares, but to evoke all the fake emotions, do the silly dance training steps and act and cry as if it all matters, Jackman does the job. (He must have been paid a lot.) As for Egerton who plays the lead role, he looks and acts too much like Bubbles of the Trailer Park Boys. But to be fair, the real Edwards, shown at the end credits does look like Bubbles. The film contains a few neat cameos from the likes of Christopher Walken and Jim Broadbent.

To the film’s credit, the film set in the 80’s with the Calgary Olympic 1988 setting does have an authentic 80’s atmosphere aided by the film’s 80’s songs soundtrack. The choice of Van Halen’s song “Jump’ used is a bit too obvious.

Director Fletcher (whose credit in film lies in the acting department from various minor roles in films and television) has created a film that is 100% formulaic is 0% originality. Whether the film succeeds depends entirely of which school of audience one comes from. The general public would have no problem cheering whenever Eddie makes a jump or laughing whenever he falls as observed in the promo screening attended. The other school would only grimace and wish the real ‘Eddie’ with all the human faults be revealed in a feel-bad story.

For the general public, this is the kind for feel good movie many would have no problem paying good money for. Fletcher pushes all the right buttons – in fact too many right buttons so that nothing out of the ordinary can be expected. For this group of people, the movie would be rated 4 stars. For the other film cynical critics, filmmakers and art-house cineastes, this 1-star movie is a complete bore and a waste of time.

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Movie Review: EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT (Colombia/Venezuela/Argentina 2015) ***

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embrace_of_the_serpent.jpgBest Foreign Language Film of the Year

EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT (Colombia/Venezuela/Argentina 2015) ***
(EL ABRAZO DE LA SERPIENTE)
Directed by Ciro Guerra

Review by Gilbert Seah

Touted as the first Colombian film to be nominated for the best Foreign Film Oscar, EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT might just be the sleeper hit if voters for MUSTANG and SON OF SAUL cancel each other out.

The Colombian film plays like an a weird combination of art-house primitive feature. The film is set in the early 1900s, centring on a young shaman, Karamakate (Nilbio Torres) in the Colombian Amazon. He is reluctantly hired to help a sick German explorer, Theo (Jan Bijvoet) and his local guide (Miguel Dionisio Ramos) search for a rare healing plant. Flash forward a decade or so later when the same shaman (each played by a different actor, Antonio Bolivar) takes an American to search for the same plant.

Unfortunately, the film’s uncomfortable intercutting between the two twin stories makes little sense and spoils the momentum built in each segment before a switch. It would be better to tell the two tales in two parts one after another. Both stories are equally interesting.
The villain of the film and hero appears to be the white man. But director Guerra also shows the pompous native shaman as one that could learn a lesson or two. In short, the native and white man could do best to learn from each other, one of the messages hidden in the story. But the priest that beats up the native children for nonsensical sins is quite the shock to take in. Religion and colonization is treated as totally evil in Guerra’s film.

The film is shot in black and white, which enhances the images. The scenes of the boat gliding down the rivers of the Amazon are breath-taking.

But the slow pace of Guerra’s film and lack of narrative might be hard to take for some, despite the rare see images of the Colombian jungle.

It is revealed in the end credits that it is from the diaries of the two German and American explorers that the world got to learn about these Amazon tribes. And Guerra’s heartfelt film (must be his labour of love) will extend the knowledge to the world as well.

 

 

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Movie Review: THE MERMAID (Hong Kong 2016) ****

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the_mermaid.jpgTHE MERMAID (Hong Kong 2016) ****
Directed by Stephen Chow

Review by Gilbert Seah

Starring: Yun Lin, Chao Deng, Yun-Lin Jhuang

Thanks to Sony Pictures, THE MERMAID gets a distribution release in Canada and the United States. I just previewed the film on the second day of opening on a Saturday evening in a full-house of Cantonese speaking Asians. It was quite the experience.

THE MERMAID is produced, co-written and directed by Stephen Chow whose KUNG FU HUSTLE was widely released. To those unfamiliar with his works, his films are pure silliness. Lots of action, slapstick, fast dialogue with CGI added to this 3D comedic hilarity. The film has already broken records after opening Chinese New Year in Asia. See paragraph below (figures from and courtesy of Sony Publicity) before the review.

“MĚI RÉN YÚ (direct translation: Pretty Human Fish i.e. Mermaid)” opened in China on Chinese Lunar New Year’s Day (February 8) and shattered box office records. On opening day in China, it opened in the #1 spot, grossing a whopping $66 million. In Hong Kong, the film also opened to #1 on opening day with $709,000. To date, the film has grossed over $348 million in China. In Singapore, the film was the highest grossing Sony release for a Chinese film with $838,000, while in Malaysia it was the highest grossing opening day of all time for a Chinese-language film at $528,000. In Malaysia, it was also the highest grossing film opening on New Years and also the highest opening day gross for director Stephen Chow.

THE MERMAID tells the tale of a mermaid (Jelly Lin) who falls for the evil business tycoon (Deng Choa) she’s been sent to seduce and assassinate.

The CGI in THE MERMAID is used for the most ridiculous purposes. The flapping of the mermaid’s tail, the movements of the octopus’ tentacles, the shoals of fish in the sea, the air-borne back-strapped contraption are some examples. But, they do to Chow’s credit generate the most laughs.

Anything can happen in a Stephen Chow film and the man will do anything to get a laugh out of his audience. Take for example the important scene in which an old sage (in the form of a mermaid) tells the legendary tale of how humans and fish used to co-exist. All the mermaids and other fish are listening. Before she ends her story, she falls asleep snoring. Another is the octopus cook acting as if nothing is happening while his tentacles are being cooked up in the open kitchen.

The film contains, as in all comedies, hits and misses. The hit/miss ratio, thankfully is high, with the laughs coming fast and furious. There will be classic segments that might go down in Hong Kong comedy history like the chicken cooking/exercise segment in the Hui Brothers’ THE PRIVATE EYES. One of these is the segment where Deng Chao goes to the police station to report being kidnapped by the mermaid. (See trailer below or part of this segment.)

If you can throw logic and sanity out the window, THE MERMAID will turn out to be a big treat. THE MERMAID is as silly (and hilarious) as can be. The millions of asian moviegoers cannot be wrong.

 

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Movie Review: TRIPLE 9 (2016) ****

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triple_9.jpgTRIPLE 9 (USA/UK 2015) ****
Directed by John Hillocoat

Starring: Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie, Gal Godot, Kate Winset, Aaron Paul, Teresa Palmer, Michael Kenneth Williams

Review by Gilbert Seah

No stranger to violent films, director John Hillcoat’s (LAWLESS, THE ROAD and his best film THE PROPOSITION) latest entry into gangster genre proves himself apt at serious comic book sensibility. TRIPLE 9, the code for ‘officer down’, plays like a ‘real’ serious adult comic book version of DEADPOOL.

It takes a while for the film to settle on its bearings. The script by first time writer, Matt Cook is clever enough not to reveal all the plot points, but keeps the audience always one step behind what is happening. An example is the bank heist. Who are the robbers working for? What is their aim? One point is a bank officer removing a safety deposit box from the vault. As far as I now, it requires two keys, one from the officer and the other from the customer to open a box. It is a good tactic. For example, the audience is aware that one officer is going down, but never sure which one or for what reason. The characters are also individually distinct and eccentric all aided by superlative performances from a eclectic cast.

The key performance comes from Casey Effleck (brother of Ben) who has proven his acting mettle in previous films like THE TOWN. His character is the only uncorrupt one, and the key one that puts the whole story into prospective. The good must always prevail. The script contains a few too many close calls for his character. As for the ambiguous baddies, there are too many too count. Interesting enough, many do good for the wrong reasons. The true baddie appears to be the Russian moll, Irina played by Kate Winslet , complete with Russian accent and is barely recognizable in her makeup.. She is also doing bad for a good reason, to aid her crooked husband escape.

Hillcoat keeps the action and fury fast and furious and nonstop. Be prepared to be glued to your seats! The film alternates between highly charged action and drama sequences. For the action segments, the bank heist at the film’s start is hard to beat. The robbers show no mercy and show they mean business. They do not shout warnings. They fire and beat up the victims, and talk later. All this makes the heist even more gripping. Hillcoat also realizes that the devil is in the details. On the highway, a robber points his rifle at a car, only to have it rammed from behind and the robber moving backwards to avoid being hit. The camerawork is excellent, the best example being the one where the camera pulls back during a car chase showing where each in on the maze of highways in the city.

Hillcoat does not skimp on the violence as evident by showing a bag of bloodied teeth at another point in the film. The characters are always angry, screaming at each other but not without reason. Every character is desperate. Every character is ready to kill.

Stay for the end credits. The 1980’s song ‘Pigs” (called so for obvious reasons) by Cypress Hill is inventive, catchy, hilarious and totally appropriate. The song can also be played on YouTube.

Movie Review: THE CLUB (EL CLUB) (Chile) ***1/2

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the_club.jpgEL CLUB (Chile 2015) ***1/2
Directed by Pablo Larrain

Review by Gilbert Seah

Pablo Larrain’s (NO, TONY MANERO) latest film is a very different drama that is as absorbing as it is deadly slow-moving. The title of THE CLUB (EL CLUB) refers to an open prison for disgraced priests. The 4 priests and nun confined there in the seaside town of La Boca in Chile by the church are about to have their idyllic sojourn shaken to the ground.
EL CLUB is a very complex film, in a way similar to last year’s CALVARY starring Brendan Gleeson, a black comedy about a priest taking on the sins of a murderer. Both films coincidentally take place in a seaside setting.

The film begins innocently with a greyhound race that takes place in La Boca. The grey greyhound wins the race. It is slowly revealed that the animal is trained by a father who resides in the roomed building. There are three other priests who all place bets. It turns out that Father Vidal (Alfredo Castro), Father Ortega (Alejandro Goic), former army chaplain Father Silva (Jaime Vadell), and senile Father Ramirez (Alejandro Sieveking), disgraced priests are all dutifully tended to by a similarly “retired” nun, Sister Monica (Antonia Zegers), who is apparently not that innocent. She is called a bitch by one of the fathers later on in the film.

Trouble brews when another disgraced priest, Father Lazcano (Jose Soza) is delivered to the house. He shoots himself after a young local fisherman, Sandokan (Roberto Farias), recognizes him. Sandokan, kind of a crazed bum, remembers the abuses he suffered as an altar boy at Lazcano’s hands and starts screaming the abuses outside the doorstep. Then the church dispatches Father Garcia (Marcelo Alonso), a crisis counsellor, to settle things. The priests come to believe, that Father Garcia’s intention is to close the house down.

The story turns into a horrid tale of survival. It is each man for himself, even for Sandokan and Father Garcia who is disliked and looked upon with suspicion by all.

Director Larrain is a great story teller always keeping the audience in anticipation with always a twist in the story around very corner. His camera work is meticulous, capturing the tranquility and imprisonment of the subjects despite the beautiful seaside setting. Violence is kept at a minimum, and mostly left to the imagination. He also keeps each priest as interesting as the other – each having their own individuality despite being there for the identical purpose.
One of the greatest pleasures of the film is the director’s use of Arvo Part’s music. I first heard the Estonian composer’s music, ‘Spiegel I’m Speigel’ when I first saw Gus Van Sant’s 2002 film, GERRY years back. Part known for his classical and religious music, he delivers a beautiful score that adds to both the serenity and eeriness of the film’s proceedings.

Whether the film ending is a happy one is arguable – best left to the audience to decide. But EL CLUB is a story that concerns many key issues – identity, beliefs, redemption, fulfilment but mostly forgiveness and how one can live with oneself after any terrible deed.

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Movie Review: DEADPOOL (2016)

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deadpoolDEADPOOL (USA 2016) ***
Directed by Tim Miller

Starrting: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller

Review by Gilbert Seah

DEADPOOL the latest Marvel comic book ‘hero’ movie arrives with great anticipation and fanfare of comic book fans. Fans know their comic book hero and expect to see a foul-mouthed, angry, sexy and ugly fighter in an R-rated movie.

First of all, some background on DEADPOOL. Those familiar with the marvel character, best described as an uncensored personality would best skip this paragraph. DEAD POOL is the name of the lead character previously known as Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds). The character is less a hero than an antihero. He describes himself in the film as a bad guy paid to take out other bad guys. At first a normal human being, then voluntarily subjected to experiments in order to cure his cancer, Deadpool ends up totally mutated but also with accelerated healing powers and fighting agility. He is badly scarred especially facial wise and wears a skin tight costume. He is angry, swears all the time and beats various people up, depending on his mood. The fans expect the film to be extremely violent, especially in the already famous touted skewer scene in which Deadpool props a baddie up with his twin blades. Director Miller satisfies the fans with the segment not only shown twice, but also in slow motion.

To director Miller’s credit, the film is energetic and funny enough for the audience to be distracted from the film’s flaws. The film begins with mock opening credits that no doubt is funny at first, but soon wears out its welcome. It says for example that the film is directed by an overpaid tool with all other members of the the filmmaking team insulted except for the writers. The real credits appear at the end of the film.

The film begins with Deadpool (Reynolds) taking a cab, driven by Dopinder (Karan Soni) to fight his enemies, the main one being Francis (Ed Skrein from the TRANSPORTER remake). Deadpool has a lengthy irrelevant but hilarious conversation with Dopinder. The fight ensues, but because Deadpool has forgotten his bag of weapons, has only 12 bullets in his gun. As a result, he has to cut off his hand from a handcuff in order to escape in a garbage truck. The film flashes back to how this scene takes place. In the process, the audience learns that the film is a love story – one between Wade Wilson and Vanessa (Morena Baccarin).

The film’s storytelling format is chopped up unnecessarily as if the target audience is assumed to have a very short attention span. There is no need for the excessive violence, except maybe to satisfy the hardcore Deadpool comic book fans. The humour is forced, the dialogue terribly crude and blunt and many characters appear out of nowhere. An example is the blind old back lady, Al (the wonderful Leslie Uggams) who ends up as Deadpool’s lover, living in his apartment. Her quotable line: “I miss my cocaine.” All this might be entertaining to some but on the other hand , terribly boring to others, like the film critics.
For what it is worth, DEADPOOL delivers to its core audience. The film turned out better than I expected, having very low expectations after watching the trailer. But I am not the core audience. DEADPOOL fans will definitely be pleased!

 

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Movie Review: ZOOLANDER 2 (USA 2016) ***

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zoolander_2ZOOLANDER 2 (USA 2016) ***
Directed by Ben Stiller

Starring: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Penélope Cruz, Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, Christine Taylor

Review by Gilbert Seah

ZOOLANDER and ZOOLANDER 2 are milder versions of Sasha Baron Cohen’s BRUNO which are still pretty wild for most audiences unfamiliar with films like these that satirize the fashion/modelling industry.

It took a while, 15 years, since the first ZOOLANDER (2001) also directed by Ben Stiller hit the screens. It has been a long wait – the stars have grown older, and the plot makes use of the fact. Whatever goes on in the movie does not make much sense, but famous pop stars are being killed as they are protecting the Chosen One. “You can’t kill us all.” utters Justin Bieber, the 6th pop star killed in a year, before he kicks the bucket after posing on Instagram. Even Madonna has struck her last pose! Who is the Chosen One and who is the villain? As outrageous as the plot is, the twist is even more outrageous than anything found in any film in a while. Hilarious? It is in a way if one sits back and ponder over what has occurred. The script, by no less than 4 writers including Stiller, Justin Theroux (the writer of AMERICAN PSYCHO who also appears in the film as an evil DJ) is actually hilarious, though it might not seem so on first appearance. Perhaps ZOOLANDER 2 should be seen a second time to digest the mayhem on screen.

So, the not-so bright Zoolander (Stiller) is drawn out of recluse together with fellow model, Hansel (Owen Wilson). The villain is Mugatu (Will Farrell hamming it up, the most he can ever muster), engineering his escape from fashion prison. (Don’t ask!)

Not everything is original in the film. A lot of the jokes are similar to ZOOLANDER 1 and the ending sexy cat fight between two beauties, Penelope Cruz and Milla Jovovich, to the delight of all the males watching is way too similar to the scene from the French film (that did not get released here), OSS 117 NEST OF SPIES, directed by THE ARTIST’s Michel Hazanavicius.

The star cameo list is staggering. They include Bieber and real life fashion icons, Valentino, Vera Wang, Marc Jacobs, Tommy Hilfiger and Anna Wintour. The trouble is that these icons are not immediately recognizable, but their names are emphasized at least so audiences know who they are. Of the recognizable star cameos, Susan Sarandon (doing a ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW routine), Milla Jovovich, Macaulay Culkin, Billy Zane, Katy Perry, Sting and Neil deGrasse Tyson strut their stuff, all playing themselves. But the best of these belong to Benedict Cumberbatch who surprises as he plays All, a transgender looking super model so full of himself that he marries himself.

ZOOLANDER 2 plays like a spy spoof as well as a satire of the fashion/model industry. Hate it or love it, my partner best described the film as “not that funny but sill entertaining.” Yes, and the film has lots of energy! But audiences not in the know might be totally bewildered at the goings-on!

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Movie Review: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL MONOGAMIST (Canada 2016) **

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portrait_of_a_serial_monogamistPORTRAIT OF A SERIAL MONOGAMIST (Canada 2014) **
Directed by Christina Zeidler and John Michell

Starring: Robin Duke, Masa Lizdek, Grace Lynn Kung

Review by Gilbert Seah

This spritely romantic relationship comedy is exactly what the title promises. It is the story of monogamist, Elsie (Diane Flacks), in her thirties who cannot, no matter how much she tries change her ways. A slight twist to the story is that Elsie is a lesbian.

When the film begins, Elsie has just broken up with her girlfriend, Robyn (Carolyn Taylor). Robyn has not taken the breakup too easily. It is tough for them to remain friends without fighting.

Meanwhile, Elsie has a fling or two while trying to survive her job was aTV producer after a corporate takeover. She is offered advice from friends and family. As the saying goes: “Everyone has a advice and everyone is full of sh**”

That is basically what the entire film is about. It is pretty boring for those who cannot connect with the main character. Whether one does depends, but to Flacks, credit, she is not a bad actress.

The film is shot in Toronto and the directors are proud of the fact. Torontonians will recognize familiar sights like the local streets, streetcars and buildings. The film also showcases local musical and art talent.

Diane Flacks inhabits her role comfortably, passing off as a desperate lesion trying not to be desperate. She creates a likeable character and a very human one. She is pretty though not overtly pretty and smart, though human enough to make mistakes and smart enough to recognize them. She takes a little time to figure out what she wants. In other words, she is a normal person, a nice Jewish girl from Toronto (as she describes herself) in the ordinary sense. Of the supporting cast, Robin Duke stands out as Elsie’s mother, a nice Jewish woman from Montreal.

The film ends up an ok watch, but there is nothing exceptional about the film, which is a shame. Everyone tries very hard, as is evident in the last scene of the cat funeral. During the cat funeral, Elsie and Robyn have it out amidst the ceremony. It is definitely a far-fetched scene that is funny at parts, but feels too artificial.

There are no sex scenes, thanks goodness for that! The actresses are pretty but not sexy enough that the audience would like to watch them doing it in the nude. The kissing scenes are sufficient and short.

PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL MONOGAMIST, made in 2014 finally reaches the big screen after making its round across the country’s LGBT festival circuit. The film is unlikely to become a big hit, but its target audience is clearly the LGBT festival audience and maybe the local Toronto art scene.

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Movie Review: THE WITCH (USA 2015) ****

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the_witchTHE WITCH (USA 2015) ****
Directed by Roger Eggers

Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie

Review by Gilbert Seah

Set in 17th Century New England, writer/director Roger Eggers (whose background is in production design and theatre) has mounted more than a handsome production in his chilling horror debut. Looking like THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT from the frequent flickering lighting (though the comparison does not do THE WITCH, the better film justice) and Shyamalan’s THE VILLAGE from the period setting, the story follows a newly settled New England family from England.

When the film opens, we hear dialogue which informs the audience that the family has just been banished from the village due to witchcraft, details unspecified. They settle on their own on the forest outskirts. The religious family is comprised of William (Ralph Ineson), his wife Katherine (Kate Dickie) and their five children. The film centres on the daughter Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy), who is made to look after her infant sibling while the parents toil the land. But the baby suddenly goes missing (never explained how in the film, but assumed to be taken by a wolf), and Thomasin has no explanation either.

William and Kate descend into hysteria. Did the evil in the woods take their unbaptized child? Their twin children, Mercy (Ellie Grainger) and Jonas (Lucas Dawson), blame Thomasin but their own behaviour has become disturbingly suspect. Middle child Caleb (Harvey Scrimshaw) takes it upon himself to search for the answer with dire consequences. Thomasin admits to being a witch to scare the twins into silence but it backfires on her.

The film has certain unexplained scenes like an actual witch that appears and kisses Caleb. The other is the possession of the twins.

The film succeeds for two reasons. One is its ambiguity which makes everything all the more mysterious and scary. Is the family descending into religious madness or are there supernatural forces afoot? But the film falls apart when director Eggers shows actual demonic forces in motion. Second is the scary effects created by the light, setting and soundtrack. The characters speak with an old Northern England accent and old English which takes a while to get used to. Sample dialogue: “What’s the matter with thee? Come hither!” The story is supposed to be based on folklore and the dialogue adapted directly from old literature.

But THE WITCH is a very scary film- not scary in the form of the typical B-horror flick but in genuine fear of the unknown. Religion and superstition drive the family part. Trust in God appears to be the answer for the family, but faith is obviously not enough. The desperation of the family is on clear display and examination here. Eggers shows differing points of view, from the daughter to the father, mother and even the brother., while always centring on Thomasin. Eggers knows how to create a sense of evil from almost any prop, from the goat, to the evil stare of the rabbit, to the woods to the omnipresent darkness. THE WITCH also contains very disturbing images, made even scarier because often, it is hard to make out exactly what is depicted, and much is left to the imagination. The scariest image is the crow picking at the mother’s breast. Evil, indeed takes many forms.

Altogether a very impressive film debut by Eggers and definitely a most chilling one.

Movie Review: SNOWTIME! (Canada 2015) *** Directed by Jean-François Pouliot

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showtimeSNOWTIME! (Canada 2015) ***
Directed by Jean-François Pouliot

Starring: Angela Galuppo, Mariloup Wolfe, Lucinda Davis

Review: Gilbert Seah

LA GUERRE DES TUQUES (3D) is the highest grossing Canadian film of 2015. But almost no one in English Canada has heard of it. As the saying goes in the film industry, French Canadians see French Canadian films but English speaking Canadians do not see Canadian films at all – French or Canadian. So, it would be appropriate then to dub the French animated feature into English complete with an English title SNOWTIME! as if the original never existed.

But when the film, a delightful kids fantasy set in real life progresses, it becomes apparent that the film is very Quebecois despite the fact that all the character are speaking English. Even the names of the leads Luke and Sophie sound French (Luc et Sofie). The setting is a little village, snow covered, the typical seen in pictures of Quebec, which one kid calls the best village in the world. And he and the other kids believe it too.

The animated feature is based on and is an animated version of the 1984 family film THE DOG WHO STOPPED THE WAR (French title LA GUEREE DES TUQUES, no change here).
This review is based on the 3D English version.

The film centres on a group of children, led by Luke (Nicholas Savard-L’Herbier in the French version, Angela Galuppo in English) and Sophie (Mariloup Wolfe in French, Lucinda Davis in English), who plan and stage a giant snowball fight during the Christmas holidays. The story is unimportant. The fact that all the children appear to be having a fine time at war is all that matters. Until someone loses an eye – or a dog is hurt, as in the case of this film. As in most children’s films, SNOWTIME! is one centred around the children. There are no adults around. The kids behave like adults mostly, dealing with issues such as acceptance, loyalty, friendship and chivalry, elements that make a good family or children’s tale. This is a delightful Canadian film, quite unlike Disney expensive blockbuster animated features like FROZEN. Still, there are a few catchy tunes like “You are My Sweater” (whatever that means, I have no clue) performed at the end credits.

The 3D effects are well done with lots of snowy stuff tossed out of the screen at the audience. The village looks very Christmassy and the film has an overall warm and fuzzy atmosphere despite the ‘war’ setting.

The humour is mild at best. It is not overtly hilarious or extremely goofy, characteristics of most animated features these days. Getting brain freeze from drinking milkshakes or changing the odds of winning during an arm wrestling match are examples of the kind of humour found in the film.

The result is a rather mediocre entertaining film. The plusses of the film include the gorgeous animation on the screen, better bang for the buck that the multi million dollar products churned out by the Hollywood studios. At least Canadians can say this is our animated feature. It is up against strong competition like NORM OF THE NORTH and KUNG FU PANDA 3.

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