A tribute to comedians that have passed away before their prime and Spellbound

• This week Peter talked about comedians that he feels could have accomplished so much more if they were still alive to this day. John Candy, John Belushi, Phil Hartman and Chris Farley are four individuals that have left us with a legacy of films to their credit. Films such as Planes, Trains and Automobiles and Animal House have left an indelible mark and are often cited as influencing comedies today. Each of these individuals all have a strong background in improvisational comedy be it from Second City or Saturday Night Live and it's through this experience that their comedic skills have been honed to create some of the funniest films ever made. The world of comedy has not been the same since but will live on through the classics they've left behind.



• The documentary Spellbound follows the lives of 8 kids as they end up in the finals of the national spelling bee. If watching a film where kids try to spell words they will probably never use in their life sounds like entertainment to you, then by all means, you have to see this film. The film does provide us with a glimpse into each of the competitors lives and that's where the film really shines. Unfortunately, we are also privy to the competitive nature that our neighbors south of the border are so driven by, think Olympics. And let me warn you now, in this film we also are witness to possibly the most annoying child in the world, Harry. But, that's just my opinion. The Academy felt this film was worth a nomination, and you know, they just don't give those things away.

Peter gives us his list of 'Date Movies' and a couple of reviews from Jenn

• This week Peter gave us a list of films that he felt were 'Date Movies'. Would you bring a date to these films?
  Last Night About a Boy Sense and Sensibility Bridget Jones's Diary Exotica Some Kind of Wonderful Planes, Trains and Automobiles The Purple Rose of Cairo (hands down the greatest film ever made) His Girl Friday A Room With A View Much Ado About Nothing Bollywood Hollywood All of Me When Harry Met Sally Back to the Future Big Contact Mrs. Brown The obvious additions include: Four Weddings and a Funeral and Moulin Rouge! I left them off because I have spoken of them far too often of the show.



• World traveller, movie enthusiast and fantastic co-host, Jennifer Pak provided us with a couple reviews of the films Nanook of the North and The 2880 Film Blitz.
  
  Nanook of the North (1922) by Robert Flaherty This 1922 box office hit kicked off this years First Peoples' Festival in Montreal. I got a chance yesterday (June 11) to see it and it was quite the experience. This documentary classic follows Nanook and his family on their day-to-day survival. From killing seals weighing two tons each, and fishing, to building an igloo in an hour, this documentary is a must see. The experience is enhanced by Gabriel Thibaudeau's musical score performed live by talented singers and a pianist at the Cinematique Quebecoise. This film caused a bit of controversy on the filmmaker's treatment of Nanook, since after the filmming, Nanook su ffered various other hardships and died a premature death.
  
  The 2880 Film Blitz (2003) The Canadian Independent Film Caucus-Documentary Organization of Canada (CIFC-DOC) ran their first annual Film Blitz on the weekend of May 30 and June 1. Fifteen teams of filmmakers (of all ranks, from CEGEP students to seasoned pros) are given 48 hours to make a film. This year's theme was the concept of "fleeting time" and the colour "blue". Only 12 teams made the deadline but their film could still be voted on for the audience favorite. The films ranged from very personal and philosophical, to funny and plain quirky. One team from Toronto (who named themselves the SARS team) did a musical number in personifying SARS. Another funny one was by a team did an outstanding film on a blue pen exploding on a young man who was a slave to time. The computer animation for that one was quite stunning considering the short timespan they had. Of course, as all amateur films go, there were many techni cal glitches and bad sound and the event wasn't running smoothly and dragged on all night. (I didn't stay for the announcement of the winners since it dragged on for five hours. I've been keeping an eye out for the winners on the Montreal Mirror. But for those who are curious go check out the CIFC-DOC Web site.) But for the most part it was an amazing event complete with a filmmaker ranting on stage and got booed off. It made for an amazing evening at the cozy Caberet du Plateau. And all of this for the affordable price of $5!
  
  Thanks Jenn, we miss you.