When you see multiple titles in a film festival, you sit through the video the festival makes lots of times. I run into that in the Windsor International Film Festival. You are excited viewing it the first couple of times. You get a little sick of it about the 9th or 12th time. You cry the last time you see it because you know the festival is ending.
Turns out the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival crowd got a dose of the Made | Nous campaign video we mentioned earlier this year.
I read a take where someone at the festival was describing the video. There were references to Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, Denis Villeneuve, and others without mentioning them by name. The voiceover from Christopher Plummer was the clincher. This reviewer pointed out that after the "Time to take credit for it!" line, the crowd always applauded even a week into the festival.
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2019 TIFF Canadian film wrapup
South Park has poked fun about Canada and has even blamed Canada. Last week's episode Band in China focused on China and in a roundabout way, the independence of Canadian film.
If you have wondered about the state of mainstream American film, South Park pointed out what has been unsaid. American mainstream films are made to conform to China standards in terms of content.
"Now I know how Hollywood writers feel," Stan says while a Chinese official stands over him to make sure nothing "bad" gets into the script.
The U.S. domestic film market, which includes Canada, isn't enough for really expensive films. The China market gives these film producers a chance to make their money back. The plots need to be simple, minimal meaningful dialogue, lots of flying and explosions. The morality of said films also have to fit into China standards.
The South Park episode gave an example of this where a character in a film couldn't be openly gay.
I thought about this as well when Rogers Sportsnet took a significant chunk of money to over hyper promote the Will Smith film Gemini Man during opening night of the NHL season. American mainstream films spend money in Canada to promote American films. Gemini Man is a classic example of this type of film that is likely influenced by Chinese censors.
South Park does its typical over-the-top style; Canadian invention Winnie the Pooh as well as Piglet are in the episode.
Canadian film is not subject to concerns about the Chinese market. "Too much" talking and little to no explosions found in Canadian film don't translate as well to running in China. Lost money to be sure, but there is something to be said for integrity, also a theme in the South Park episode.
South Park runs on Much in Canada and Comedy Central in the United States.
2019 CBC television upfront preview
'Young Drunk Punk' was more of what Canadian TV should be
Tried out a couple of episodes of Tallboyz, the new sketch comedy series. Bruce McCulloch is executive producer and director on the show.
Guled Abdi, Vance Banzo, Tim Blair, and Franco Nguyen are very young and talented. Some sketches are outstanding. The on-the-street game show about Native Americans and pennies was wonderful in humour and poignancy. The cafeteria bullying turned restaurant was very real and funny.
There was a zoo sketch involving grammar and a rapper that was a bit long and puzzling.
Young men doing sketch comedy about not being too macho is a welcome sight on television. They just need to improve the ratio of funny to meh.
There is hope for Tallboyz, hoping the final episode is funnier than the first 2 episodes I watched. The show would likely have done better debuting as a summer show to work out the kinks. Scheduling the show ahead of Baroness von Sketch Show feels like a mistake.
Then again, Bruce McCulloch's Young Drunk Punk sitcom was funny and deserved a better fate.
2019 Valentine's Day: Our love for Sandra Oh
IFC mistakes Canadian Sandra Oh as an American
Sandra Oh did the most amazing ad for Air Canada about how to travel like a Canadian. Saying sorry, offering kids poutine to stop fighting, having a Caesar: lots of ways to travel as a Canadian.
I have flown mostly Porter and Westjet among Canadian airlines. I know I have been on an Air Canada flight or two. The last time would have been coming back from Halifax via Montréal in 2015.
CanadianCrossing.com film coverage
CanadianCrossing.com television coverage
Schitt's Creek Season 5 is coming to Netflix tomorrow. Season 5 has been available on demand through Pop TV in the United States. Schitt's Creek episodes are on CBC Gem in Canada.
Baroness von Sketch Show returns to IFC on Wednesday, October 30 at Midnight Eastern.
IMDb TV has picked up Seasons 1 and 2 of Corner Gas Animated (yes, that is a show) as of October 15. The U.S. service will also pick up the original Corner Gas program and Corner Gas: The Movie.
Season 3 of the Corner Gas Animated debuts on the CTV Comedy Channel in 2020.
You might remember that WGN America had the original contract to syndicate the original show in the United States.
video credit: Made | Nous; Air Canada
photo credit: South Park/Comedy Central
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