The Celebrity Dish

Film Review: Now You See Me

2013-05-31T05:40:10Z

Now You See Me is a cat and mouse game. It's not a whodunnit. It's a "how'd they do that?"

The story centers on four brilliant magicians who each have a special talent. Daniel (Jesse Eiseberg) is an illusionist and his former assistant Henley (Isla Fisher) is an escape artist. Merritt (Woody Harrelson) is a hypnotist and mind reader and the magician who's been at it the longest, while Jack (Dave Franco, James Franco's brother) is a spoon-bending trickster and a pickpocket.

After each receives a mysterious Tarot card, the foursome is brought together in a dingy Manhattan apartment. Next time we see them, it's a year later and they are "The Four Horsemen", performing glitzy sold out shows in Las Vegas - thanks to their wealthy benefactor played by Michael Caine. As part of that show, the illusionists rob a bank in Paris and then give the money away to the people in the audience. Needless to say, this catches the attention of both the FBI (Mark Ruffalo) and Interpol agents (Melanie Laurent) who are trying to unravel the mystery of how they managed to do this - without ever leaving the stage.

These agents aren't the only ones trying to figure out how the illusionists did it. Morgan Freeman plays a man who exposes magicians as fraud and then sells his discoveries to the home video market. He joins the action too.

But who is really pulling the strings?

As Daniel says in the opening sequence, "The closer you look, the less you see." True to those words, this movie keeps the audience at least one step behind the magicians, trying hard to get us all to fall for the illusion. Ruffalo's hapless FBI agent becomes our eyes and ears as he follows the foursome through a winding maze of illusions and false leads.

At one point in Now You See Me, Merritt says that for magic to work, you need three things: belief, faith and trust. When one is broken or used for ill means, magic no longer works.

And so it is with this movie. You have to disregard the CGI effects and believe in the magic, even after the tricks become revealed to you one by one. While it starts strong, for me it didn't quite live up to its fullest potential. Overall though, the film is an entertaining trick and at the end you'll wonder how you didn't guess the main illusion all along.

Perhaps you were looking too closely.

Now You See Me opens nation-wide today.

Film Review: The English Teacher

2013-05-31T05:37:27Z

Linda Sinclair (Julianne Moore) is forty five-years old, prim and proper, loves classic literature and is - you guessed it - a high school English teacher. Single and living alone, Linda's most significant relationships are with her students and with the characters in the books she reads.

One day, her former student Jason Sherwood (Michael Angarano) re-appears in town. Now twenty-six, Jason is disheartened by his unsuccessful attempts to become a playwright in New York. After reading Jason's thesis play, Linda is touched and inspired. Along with her school's drama teacher (played by Nathan Lane), Linda steps out of her comfort zone and decides to mount the play at her school.

Since this is a comedy, not all goes according to plan. Despite her better judgement, Linda has a fling with Jason and her life turns from perfect order to perfect chaos.

While the plot is predictable this is a pleasant little comedy with a bit of pep. It's not trying to be deep or satirical. It's just trying to entertain you. Julianne Moore is always good and here she is a different character than we've seen her play most recently. The cast is filled with many other likable actors, including Greg Kinnear as Jason's father.

The English Teacher is a nice light film to catch with your girlfriends - especially if you're looking for an alternative to summer blockbusters filled with superheroes or special effects.

The English Teacher opens nation-wide today.

From the Red Carpet: "Now You See Me" Premiere

2013-05-30T02:04:32Z

It was a hot and muggy night in Toronto last night, as fans and media gathered at Scotiabank Theatre for the Canadian premiere of the new film Now You See Me.

The film stars Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher and Dave Franco as a troupe of illusionists who are being chased by the FBI (Mark Ruffalo) and Interpol (Melanie Laurent). It also stars Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman.

Before Eisenberg arrived, two very handsome actors were also on the red carpet.

Steve Lund and Paul Greene star in the upcoming CTV series Bitten. Fans of The Vampire Diaries or Twilight movies will want to be on the look-out for this one. Bitten is based on Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld novels. It's about a woman who is bitten by her former werewolf lover, forcing her to survive with the werewolf pack as the world's only female werewolf. The show is currently in pre-production and will air on CTV Space in 2014.

Jesse Eisenberg arrived and graciously fielded questions from reporters. He's very energetic and spoke fast. Totally adorable and you just know he's really excited about the movie. He was also on stage to introduce the movie as we sat down for the screening. Eisenberg said that he hoped we'd like the movie, but since he's found that we Canadians are so nice, if we didn't like it, we'd never tell him anyway.

So how was the movie? Come back to the blog tomorrow when I'll post my review of Now You See Me.

Until then though, you'll just have to check out the clip of the 3-minute opening sequence of this film. Super-cool.

Now this sneak peek should whet your appetite:

Film Review: Behind The Candelabra

2013-05-27T03:02:21Z

Behind the Candelabra is a film that was turned down by every major studio for being "too gay" Luckily, it has also found a home in HBO and premiered last night.

It is good. It is really good.

Directed by Steven Soderbergh (Michael Clayton, Magic Mike), the film is based on the 1988 memoir by Scott Thorson who was Liberace's live-in boyfriend and chauffeur for five years.

The film opens in 1977 when teenage hunk Scott Thorson (Matt Damon) meets a much older pianist and performer Liberace (Michael Douglas) after one of his concerts. At the time, Liberace was the highest paid performer in the world.

At the height of his fame, Liberace appears as a kindly older man who is lonely and longing for his own family. Despite a history of boy-toys who came before him, Scott - who is forty years younger than Liberace - moves into his Las Vegas home. Liberace never acknowledged his homosexuality, so to the public, Scott was known as Liberace's chauffeur. He wore a white rhinestone costume while driving a white Rolls Royce and carrying the 16-foot train of his boyfriend's mink coat.

Soderbergh pulls out all the stops in showcasing Liberace's gaudy displays of wealth - from flamboyant stage costumes to over-the-top decor of his Las Vegas home. This is, after all, a man who flew around in the air suspended by cables above the stage.

Obsessed with all things visual, Liberace gets a facelift from Dr. Jack Startz, the creepiest plastic surgeon I've seen on film - fabulously played by Rob Lowe.

"Will l be able to close my eyes?" asks Liberace after seeing his post-surgery face "Not entirely, but this way, you'll always be able to see people's expressions when they see how FABULOUS you look!" replies Dr. Startz

Gay or not, this is really a love story. But a sad one because it disintegrates into tragedy for both men. At the start, the two men really did fall for each other. Liberace adored Scott and couldn't bear to have him out of his sight. Scott - who's been in and out of foster homes - becomes attached to Liberace and sees him as father, best friend and lover all in one.

And yet...while living with Liberace, Scott enters a world of wild excess and grotesque opulence for which Liberace was so famous. He becomes addicted to prescription drugs while trying to stay slim on "The California Diet".

In the ultimate show of control and narcissism, Liberace convinces Scott to get plastic surgery too - so he can look just like him.

Adoration eventually gives way to petty arguments and Scott goes from a handsome hunk to a pill-addicted plastic replica of his lover. It isn't long before jealousy and insecurity take root with Scott asking: "Are you tired of me? Am I too old for you?"

Liberace is a tough character to play. The temptation to turn to caricature and imitation is great. Yet Michael Douglas hits the perfect note as Liberace, able to capture the complexity of this charming but controlling man. Matt Damon as Scott, is very humane and sympathetic. You really, truly feel for the guy.

"Behind the Candelabra" airs on HBO Canada Thursday May 30th (6:00PM ET), Saturday June 8 (10:00PM ET) Friday, June 14 (3:55PM ET), Saturday June 15 (1:30AM ET)

Film Review: McConaughey Shines in "Mud"

2013-05-24T17:37:07Z

Matthew McConaughey has been on an amazing run of interesting films in the last few years. Gone are the days of light romantic comedies with questionable scripts (The Wedding Planner, How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past). Starting in 2011's Lincoln Lawyer, he's made some great career choices playing interesting (and not always likeable) characters which showcase his natural acting talent. And starring in the title role in Mud follows that same trajectory.

Part Stand By Me, part Beasts of the Southern Wild, Mud is a coming of age story about two fourteen year old boys who find a fugitive hiding out in the woods and try to help him reunite with the love of his life.

Living in Arkansas in a house boat, Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and his friend Neckbone (Jacob Lofland) encounter Mud (McConaughey) when they go to a small island nearby in search of a boat stuck in a tree.

At first afraid, but then captivated by Mud's story that he is waiting there for his love Juniper (Reese Witherspoon), the boys agree to help him reunite with her. Ellis, who is in love with a girl himself, just as his own parents are separating is very drawn to Mud's story of the perfect love. But as the story unfolds, Mud turns out to be a fugitive from justice and bounty hunters begin to swarm the town, endagering the boys and changing the way they look at love and the people around them.

The film is beautifully filmed, capturing the golden light and earthy and rugged terrain. There's a Southern gothic feel about it. All the characters - even the minor ones - are beautifully acted. Sam Sheppard, as Ellis' crusty neighbour is a scene stealer. Michael Shannon as Neckbone's uncle Galen provides some comic relief, while also being more complex and caring than he first seems.

But the film really centers on McConaughey and his intriguing title character. Part charm, part rogue, part mystery, you've never really sure how honest Mud is, but you like him anyway. You can see why the boys are compelled to help.

It's a wonderful performance (and yes, he does eventually take his shirt off).

Best Quotes:

This river brings a lot of trash down, you gotta know what's worth keeping and what's worth letting go.

Even the sun shines on a dog's ass some days.

People just forget sometimes why they fell in love in the first place.

What Happened to Keanu Reeves?

2013-05-21T14:53:12Z

Ever since the 66th Cannes Film festival kicked off May 15th, I've been gleefully enjoying the photos of attending celebs as they strut their stuff on the Croisette. This morning, one person in particular caught my eye, but not for the reasons you might think.

As I perused the photos from the photo agencies from this weekend, my eyes settled on a man who looked familiar - but not quite. Then it hit me, it's Keanu Reeves!

Appearing on May 19th to promote his directorial debut in "The Man of Tai Chi", Reeves stands with the beach behind him looking...how shall I put this? Somewhat bloated and not as good as I've seen him before.

I'm just sayin'...

Look, I know he's 48 and he still looks pretty good for a man that age. You could make the case that I'm being overly critical. That it's a bad angle. But I don't apply "regular people" standars to someone rich, famous and with access to surgeons, private chefs and trainers. Truth be told, what I've posted is not the worst photo from the weekend. Read on.

On the left, is my last memory of Reeves - from last October - at the "The Cloud Atlas" premiere:

See what I mean???

Before you call me mean, or say it's the lack of beard that is making Keanu look bloated, feast your eyes on THIS. Keanu on the Odessa boat in Cannes over the weekend, as featured in US Weekly. I am not alone in my asessement!!

Now, let's just remind ourselves of what once was. On the right is a photo from 2003 taken at the Los Angeles premiere of "Matrix Reloaded". Ahhhh.....YES!

Please Keanu. Not you too. Stop it now. Save yourself man. Do NOT go the way of Val Kilmer.

Angelina Jolie Undergoes a Double Mastectomy

2013-05-14T13:32:31Z

Angelina Jolie (37) has revealed today that she has undergone a double mastectomy.

Writing in the The New York Times, in a piece called "My Medical Choice", Jolie said it was a preventative measure. Her doctors had estimated she had an 87% chance risk of breast cancer and 50% risk of ovarian cancer.

"Once I knew this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimize the risk as much as I could. I made a decision to have a preventative double mastectomy" Jolie wrote.

Jolie lost her mother, actress Marcheline Bertrand to cancer in 2007 - when Bertrand was only 56. Having the operation was a way of reassuring Jolie's six kids that she would not die young from cancer - as their grandmother did.

"We often speak of 'Mommy's mommy'. and I find myself trying to explain the illness that took her away from us. They have asked if the same could happen to me. I have always told them not to worry, but the truth is I carry a 'faulty' gene."

Jolie writes that her procedure started in February 2nd and the treatment (which lasted months and included breast implants) ended in April. Her fiancee Brad Pitt was by Jolie's side the entire time.

Even though she has kept silent about her treatment until it was over, Jolie writes that she hopes her ordeal will help other women in facing a similar situation:

"I wanted to write this to tell other women that the decision to have a mastectomy was not easy. But it is one I am very happy I made," Jolie writes. "My chances of developing breast cancer have dropped from 87 per cent to under 5 per cent. I can tell my children that they don't need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer."

Goodbye "Katherine Chancellor" - Jeanne Cooper Dies at 84

2013-05-08T20:13:36Z

It seemed to me that Jeanne Cooper was just always there. She's always been around - at least for as long as I've lived in North America. So when I heard today that she had died, it was almost as if someone I knew had passed away.

I first saw Jeanne Cooper as "Katherine Chancellor" on The Young and The Restless when I was eleven years old. I had not been in Canada long and didn't speak the language particularly well. Home from school, I would count on our TV as a way of passively listening to the English language while trying to absorb all the new sounds I was hearing all around me.

Naturally, at that time of day, soaps were running on most of the channels and along with General Hospital, Y&R was my go-to "educational program".

That is when I was introduced to Jeanne Cooper playing a wealthy matriarch, a "Duchess of Genoa City". With her piercing blue eyes and strong deep voice, she was fierce! I was fascinated. It was amazing to see such a strong and commanding woman daily on TV. I've never seen a soap opera before, but boy, was I hooked.

I wasn't alone. In the 40 years she's been on that show, Cooper has amassed a huge fan base. She was first brought on by Bill Bell - the creator of the show - to improve flagging ratings and provide a quick fix and add controversy to a storyline. Cooper only signed on for three years. She stayed much longer than that.

"I was going to give it my all for three years but all of a sudden, when you are creating another person who grows with you, Katherine grew with me. I grew with her." Cooper told EW.

"It was fascinating. Then, of course, I got a divorce and couldn't afford to be too terribly hard ass about what I was and wasn't going to do. You have to admit, to have a paycheck coming in weekly for 40 years is pretty great. I did not join this show when I was 21. I was 45. Everybody was shocked I would do this and stay with it. Bill Bell gave me carte blanche to do what I wanted."

And did she ever! I'll never forget watching - though half-closed hands - as Cooper (aka Katherine) got a real facelift on the show. I didn't even know such a procedure existed! She gained millions of fans after that. Same when Katherine battled alcoholism. Nothing seemed to be out of bounds, but that's what we came to expect from this colourful actress.

Eventually I got older and I stopped watching the show. But I never forgot Cooper. Every once in a while, I'd catch a glimpse of her on TV while on the treadmill at the gym. Or as I lay in the dentist chair waiting to be seen. It would always amaze me that she was still there. Still being Katherine. Still giving 'em hell in Genoa City.

Of her passing, her son - actor Corbin Bernsen - had this to say on his Facebook page:

"My mother passed away this morning just a short time ago, peaceful with my sister by her side, in her sleep. I was going to visit this afternoon, thought I had time. Reminder to self - time is a precious thing. I too am at peace however. I said my goodbyes several times over during the last few weeks.

"I'll go one last time now for a gentle kiss a final farewell for this lifetime," he continued. "She has been a blaze her entire life, that beacon, that boxer I spoke of earlier. She went the full twelve rounds and by unanimous decision... won! And while her light finally gave into the wind that gives flight to all our journeys, there will always be a glimmer left behind by what she stood for. I will speak about that more in coming days, months I suppose. I will certainly dedicate what remains of my life to continue her purpose of honesty, equality, humility, empathy and love."

While no cause of death was listed, it doesn't really matter. Jeanne Cooper is gone and most of us will probably never see the likes of her in daytime TV again.

Goodbye Katherine Chancellor. You were the bomb!

Chantal Kreviazuk - On Being A Mom

2013-05-06T18:33:46Z

"My mothering style? A great pair of New Balance sneakers and a perpetual awareness of my weaknesses. They're gonna bite me in the butt at any given moment!!! It's a minefield out here in parenthood." says Chantal Kreviazuk (38), a week before celebrating Mother's Day.

She is best known as a talented Canadian singer and songwriter with hit albums and Juno Awards under her belt. Yet Kreviazuk is also a mom to three boys: Rowan (9), Lucca (8) and Salvador (5) with husband Raine Maida, the lead singer of Our Lady Peace.

Now Kreviazuk is adding the role of "Mom Ambassador" to her list of accomplishments. She is one of the judges for the second-annual Walmart Canada's Mom of the Year Awards.

Created as a way to recognize the enormous contributions Canada's 9.2 million moms make to their families and communities, the Awards allow people to nominate important moms in their lives.

The Award recipient will take home $10,000 to pamper herself plus $100,000 for donation to a charity of her choice.

As Kreviazuk got set to kick off the call for nominations on May 6th, I had a chance to ask this lovely and talented songwriter about her life as a mom, the Awards, and what we can look forward to seeing from her next.

In what ways has becoming a mom changed both your professional and personal life?

"I think that being a parent really balances you. So often I see myself in my kids' behaviours, and I have been given the ULTIMATE dose of perspective by having kids. I feel that kids really keep you grounded, and they make you realize what is important in your world. They really shake things up. They become everything."

Have you had to cut back on work or travel schedule once you had kids?

"I would say at least HALF of the time my flights are changed, itineraries modified to accommodate the kids' schedules, or the family schedule. I will fly home for dinner and to read to the kids before bed and tuck-in...I will fly out preferably after the kids are dropped off at school. I don't 'hang out' ANYWHERE...to a fault.

I actually need to really work at doing things for myself, and Raine and I have such a hard time spending any time away from our boys outside of work....and we know we have to make time for just each other. It's SUCH a balance."

Why did you want to be involved in selecting Mom of The Year?

"Being a parent is exciting to me...the learning curve, the practice of it all...I am very passionate about parenting. Anyone can birth a child, but being a parent requires the 10 thousand hours like any other art/practice. I am dedicated to being the best parent I can be, facing my demons HEAD on. My awareness of what it takes to be a great parent made me feel really pumped about getting to play a part in this selection process."

What would you consider to be the qualities of a great mom?

"Ultimately, being a great mother is being a great human. An incredible parent, in my eyes, is someone who is non-judging, selfless, patient, kind and above all else STRONG. A great mother wants to always love on her child and forgive her child, and it takes a very strong person to be able to do the RIGHT thing by her child. The right thing is not always the easy thing. A can of whoop mixed with right amount of sugar is my idea of a great mom.....she's not scared to be a great parent and do the right thing, all the while reassuring her child/children that they're so loved."

Do any of your kids show any interest in music?

"Rowan (9) did his first audition the other day, and he'll be involved in a campaign for international literacy this summer which will benefit Warchild Canada. The kids all play instruments, piano, drums, bass, guitar, they sing and write as well. I love how much the arts connect us to the humanitarian in us all. The greatest gift Raine and I have had in our careers is the opportunity to see great people doing great things for others, and people overcoming challenges through great programs....people finding dignity and validation through the consciousness and generosity of others. I hope that our children will be able to make that strong link as well through music and the arts. There are many currencies in life, and I feel that the arts allow us to be able become in touch with more currencies than money."

Do you and Raine plan to do any projects together?

"We have not put a tour together as of yet. My dream would be that we have a single together soon that makes for a great platform as a duo. Then tour. But for now, we do the odd appearance together, a lot of fund raising shows privately for Warchild etc.

It's a lot of fun playing with Raine. I feel like we are one body when we play, it's a no-brainer. It's also a very entertaining and believe it or not, funny show. I love what playing with me brings out of my husband. He gets rather FEISTY!"

What projects are you working on and where can we see your work next?

"I am always writing. Lately I have a song out there that Christina Aguilera is featured on of Pitbull's called Feel This Moment. It is a big hit around the world at the moment, so it is keeping me busy getting into other projects. I also co-wrote Josh Groban's Brave which I just love.

I like writing on urban projects a lot, and the song I did on Drake's album called Over My Dead Body, which I sang and wrote with him and his producer "40" has allowed for me to once again diversify my spectrum of musical genres."

Do you know a wonderful mom who deserves to be recognized? Nominate her today at www.momoftheyear.ca.

(photo source: Tara Whitney)

Helen Mirren Was Not Amused

2013-05-06T13:37:46Z

Is there anything more spectacular than having Dame Helen Mirren (67) swear at you - while dressed as The Queen?

A troupe of drummers outside the John Gielgud Theatre found out firsthand on Saturday when they got a royal telling-off - thanks to Mirren.

According to The London Telegraph, the actress was on stage in the award-winning play The Audience portraying Queen Elizabeth II, when a group of drummers made so much noise outside the theatre that it was getting hard to ignore.

What's a Dame to do? Address them of course - in full costume, complete with a tiara:

"I was so upset from struggling through [a] scene...that I literally walked straight off stage, straight up the stairs and straight out the stage door and banged my way through the crowd who were watching and said "stop, you've got to stop right now" - only I might have used stronger language than that. I felt rotten, but on the other hand they were destroying our performance so something had to be done." Mirren told the paper.

Mirren also said that she used some colourful language, not befitting a Queen:

"I'm afraid there were a few 'thespian' words used, they got a very stern royal ticking off, but I have to say they were very sweet and they stopped immediately."

The drummers were there to promote the "As One in the Park" festival for gay and transgender people set to take place later in May. Mark McKenzie, who organized the drummers' parade, had this to say:

"Not much shocks you on the gay scene. But seeing Helen Mirren dressed as The Queen cussing and swearing and making you stop your parade - that's a new one."

All's well that ends well however. The drummers stopped and Mirren told The London Telegraph that she would like to track them down and invite them to see the play, referring to the drummers as "fellow performers."

But the last words must belong to Mirren's co-star, David Wright who plays Prime Minister David Cameron. He joined Mirren outside when she told off the drummers and later tweeted:

"You should have seen Helen. Honestly. It was breathtaking."

Can you imagine???

Reese Witherspoon's Arrest Video!

2013-05-03T00:53:44Z

Reese Witherspoon's arrest video has surfaced on TMZ and what can I say? I enjoyed watching it!

Witherspoon has issued an apology and admitted to having one too many glasses of wine. That's pretty clear, because you'd have to be pretty drunk to mouth off to an officer when he is just doing his job.

Until now, I thought the "Don't you know who I AM?" line was the best. But the Academy-Award winner can be heard saying typical things you'd hear in movies such as:

"I'm an American citizen... I'm allowed to stand on American ground!"

and

"You're saying I'm obstructing your justice?"

Since she's an actress, Witherspoon naturally used her acting skills by telling the officer she was pregnant and had to use the rest room. She has since admitted she NOT pregnant.

I totally get her wanting to stand by her man, but there are times when you just make matters so much worse for all concerned. THIS was one of those times.

But you don't have to take my word for it. Take her husband's. At the end of the video after Witherspoon is handcuffed and put into the cruiser, Jim Toth says to the officer:

"I'm sorry. I had nothing to do with that."

Yup.

Check it out below and tell me what you think. Did seeing this video change

your opinion of this whole situation?

Kris Kross Rapper Chris Kelly - Dead at 34

2013-05-02T02:55:09Z

Chris Kelly, one half of the 90's boy-rapper band Kris Kross was found "unresponsive" in his Atlanta home and pronounced dead after 8pm yesterday.

So far, no further details have been released.

You may remember this band from the early 1990s as two cute boy rappers who wore their clothes backwards..

Along with Chris "Daddy Mac" Smith, Kelly was discovered at a mall as a thirteen year-old by music mogul Jermaine Dupri.

In 1992, the duo became famous after releasing Kris Kross' multi-platinum album Totally Krossed Out. That album spawned the hit "Jump" - arguably the duo's most famous song.

Kris Kross made some recordings since 1992, but they were never again able to repeat the level of success of that first album.

Chris Kelly's most recent public performance was earlier this year when Kris Kross performed at the 20th anniversary party for Jermaine Dupri's So So Def label.

Sad news!

Hot Docs Interview: "Blood Brother"

2013-05-01T22:57:20Z

Winner of the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award for US Documentary at Sundance, Blood Brother is a deeply moving film about how one person with steely determination and limitless love truly can make a difference in the lives of others.

The film tells the story of Rocky Braat who decided to go to India on a journey of self-discovery. In what proves to be a life-transforming encounter, he visited a care centre for women and children living with HIV and AIDS. Despite never really liking children, Braat returns home to Pittsburgh announcing he'll be moving to India to work at the centre.

His best friend and director Steve Hoover is perplexed by his decision and decides to follow Rocky on his journey. The film chronicles that journey back to India, with Hoover discovering a very different story than the one he expected, leaving the lives of the two men and the children changed forever.

Steve Hoover went to India twice and spent three years making the film, the proceeds from which go to help the children that Rocky cares for in India. I spoke with Hoover while he was in town for the film's Canadian Premiere at the Hot Docs Film Festival.

What story did you start out filming and how did that change?

"From the get-go, I wanted it to be about Rocky just because he was sort of my connection to everything that was going on. I did want to talk about our friendship and it's something I wanted to share with people. It did turn out to be a lot different than I intended because I didn't know what would happen in India and I didn't know how I would react to India either. It changed again after the first trip because I had an idea but I think I left even more confused because of the dramatic things that happened."

How did the whole experience change you as both as filmmaker and as person?

"As a filmmaker, all my work before was to sell stuff or to make people look cool and just pushing product basically. So I feel like in a lot of ways it was the first real thing I had done. Not that I'm condemning what I've done before and I'm still making commercials but it just helped me to realize that I need this to be a part of my life - where I use film making to help people. It impacted my work a lot in that way. In my life in general, I feel like in a lot of ways it helped me to get out of my bubble. I had traveled the word before this but never to a place like this. I used to always say I feel like I need to get perspective on what is happening here and I feel like that did a lot."

Are you surprised by the reaction people have had to the film, especially after winning at Sundance?

"I always tell people that I don't know what it's like to watch the film for the first time so I don't fully get it. I know what I experienced and lived through and how much it affected me. But I also had this feeling while making the film, that I don't know if I can really communicate what I experienced, but I'll try my best. It is definitely a surprise and very encouraging."

Despite the dire circumstances these HIV-positive kids are in, you still managed to portray their hopefulness and joy of life. How did you achieve that?

"That's just a result of who they were. More often that not, the kids were happy, smiling and filled with joy. Every now and then they'd be sad or emotional. That was interesting to see too, because Rocky was very therapeutic in trying to talk to them and sit down off in the corner trying to talk to the kids, trying to draw them out."

What was the reaction of the kids when you showed them the film in December?

"It was great. Great to see them laugh. But even on the difficult stuff [in the movie] they said that it while was very difficult and hard [to watch], they were very grateful for the film, for the experience, and for being a part of it."

You've known Rocky for a long time. What did you learn about him during filming that you didn't know before?

"I always knew Rocky was giving but I didn't know the depth or how relentless he was. I actually didn't realize how intensely committed he actually was. When I was in those situations, I was ready to check out and give up but he wouldn''t stop and kept pushing on."

Blood Brother's next screening is on Friday, May 3 at 9:30 pm at the Isabel Bader Theatre. For tickets please visit the Hot Docs Festival online box office.

Hot Docs Interview: "Remote Area Medical"

2013-04-26T23:28:44Z

It's the middle of the night. Hundreds of people have traveled for days to wait in line for basic medical treatment from a Remote Area Medical clinic (RAM). Many huddle in pop-up tents and some sleep on the ground. Some have never been to the dentist. Others are in desperate need of glasses. Most are poor and have no medical coverage or easy access to doctors.

This is not Africa, Guatemala or a remote part of the Amazon.

This is Bristol, Tennessee.

There are 44 million Americans who do not have medical coverage, leaving many of them to rely on pop-up clinics like RAM for their basic medical needs. RAM was founded by Stan Brock thirty years ago to help provide medical care to remote parts of the world. Yet today, RAM focuses 60% of its efforts towards helping people in the United States.

"We cut back on places like Guatemala, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Africa...simply because we're overwhelmed with the need here. Welcome to America." says Brock in the documentary feature Remote Area Medical which has its international premiere tomorrow at the Hot Docs Festival in Toronto.

The powerful documentary tells the story of a three-day clinic in Bristol, which was held a mere 115 miles from RAM headquarters. Volunteer doctors, nurses and support workers joined forces to deliver basic health care to hundreds who otherwise would have none. It's a very eye-opening and thought-provoking film, especially for my fellow Canadians who enjoy universal health care.

Remote Area Medical is directed by Jeff Reichert and Farihah Zaman who were inspired to make the documentary after volunteering at a RAM clinic in Kentucky. Their goal with the film is to get behind the statistics on the news and to show the human cost of the healthcare debate.

I had a chance to ask Farihah Zaman about the film.

As a Canadian, access to universal health care is something I almost take for granted. So it was very eye-opening and sad to see what some of our US neighbours are going through to obtain basic medical care. What is the main message you would like people to take away from your film?

"First of all, we hope that people start to understand the deeper ramifications of living without care for years, sometimes decades on end, many of which came as a surprise to Jeff and I when we first volunteered at a Remote Area Medical clinic years ago. It goes far beyond physical pain, it can affect your ability to get job, to take care of your family, to feel good about yourself - health is life!

On an even more basic level, however, we'd like people to simply acknowledge the depth of need, to talk about health care differently as a result of seeing this film. Health care is a right, not a privilege."

Why did you think the story about RAM was an important story to tell at this time?

"Sometimes we are asked if the people represented in the film will be fine now that Obamacare has passed. While Obamacare is a step in the right direction, it doesn't cover vision, it doesn't cover dental, and it doesn't benefit the many US citizens who have no idea how to access the system.

So this really is an incredibly important time to keep the conversation about the failings of American health care alive, rather than grow complacent in the face of a small step forward.

Also as countries in Europe like Spain and the UK start to consider moving to a privatized or partially privatized system with the US health care system as a model, it is important to us to share the the consequences of our system."

Making this movie was a real communal experience where you enlisted your friends and family to help film it. Tell me about that.

"Many documentaries, particularly those with the kind of budgetary restraints that we had with Remote Area Medical, are made with a small crew of three - director, cinematographer, and sound recordist - over a long period of time.

In our case, however, we were filming an event with thousands of people over a very short period of time, so the size of our crew had to increase in order to allow us to capture both the breadth and depth. We had a crew of about twenty people, many of whom were filmmakers we know and have worked with before, and some of whom are family. Jeff and I got married shortly before shooting, which added to the feeling that this was a labor of love."

What I found interesting was that despite being desperate for medical treatment and waiting for days in cold weather, people were very peaceful and patient as they waited their turn. No one turned on each other. What (if any) moments or situations did you find surprising during filming?

"More than the fact that people remained calm in the face of such frustrating conditions and, frankly, the injustice that led to them, we were surprised that, for the most part, when people did grow impatient they were generally far more reasonable and articulate about it than we ever imagined.

We were also surprised by the relationship between the patients and the local volunteers, who would frequently recognize each other as friends or neighbors. The border between patient and clinic was far more porous than we anticipated."

Your film doesn't focus on the solutions but on the people and the volunteers who help them. Why did you decide to frame the story that way?

"This is a question we've been hearing more of in preparation for our Toronto screening, and I think it's because people who have grown up in a country with the benefit of universal health care tend to understand that to be without it is simply unacceptable.

Jeff and I chose to focus on the most basic workings of the clinic and its patients not only in order to focus on and honor a community of people who often feel overlooked by the rest of society, but because when it comes to American attitudes we should start at square one. We need people and in particular politicians to change their thinking from "How can we cover more people?"to "How can we possibly allow people to live like this?"

Without a public that believes health care is a human rights rather than a political issue, such a revolution of thought would be impossible."

Remote Area Medical screens on:

Sunday, April 28th at 9:30 (Bloor Cinema)

Tuesday, April 30th at 11:00 am (Isabel Bader Theatre)

Saturday, May 4th at 4:00 pm (Scotiabank Theatre Toronto 3)

For tickets, please visit the Hot Docs Festival online box office.

Gwyneth Paltrow - No Underwear? No Problem!

2013-04-25T21:00:24Z

Gwyneth Paltrow, aka People Magazine's "Most Beautiful Woman", attended the premiere of her movie Iron Man 3 and revealed quite a bit of herself.

The 40 year-old showed up on the red carpet of El Capitan Theatre wearing a floor-length Antonio Berardi gown and seemed to forget to wear any underwear. The result? She revealed a view of her naked side bum for everyone in attendance.

Of course, this was not an accident. The design of the dress has sheer side panelling which doesn't allow for any panties to be worn. She chose the dress knowing this and also knowing that it would create maximum impact. And let's face it, she works out five times a week with celeb-fitness guru Tracey Anderson, so Paltrow has the body to pull this off.

I actually don't love the dress though. It's okay but it's got too much going on. I don't think the green accented sleeves work and I don't like seeing the seam on the sheer side panels.

Quite obviously, not many people are talking about Iron Man 3 premiere today, even though it scored a $13.2 million opening day overeas. What they're talking about instead is Paltrow's side-boob and side-bum.

Way to upstage your movie, Gwynnie!

What are your thoughts about her dress?