Film Archives - Page 2 of 3

Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood tackles the ethics of altering history

Written on September 9, 2019. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

When I heard the new Quentin Tarantino movie was about the Manson Family, a radicalized cult, and their 1969 murder of American actress Sharon Tate, I was concerned. The writer-director is known for delighting in gore, and I feared the film would glorify the crimes and their perpetrators. However,...

What the evolution of coming-of-age movies means for representation

Written on July 8, 2019. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

North American filmmakers have been trying to capture the quintessential coming-of-age experience since the rise of the teen comedy genre in the 1980s. However, the so-called average teen in most of these classics has been white, male, middle- or upper-class, and straight—until now. Early coming-of-age...

Columbus is a quiet, captivating debut

Written on November 16, 2017. Posted in Arts.

Academic-turned-filmmaker, Kogonada quietly reflects on the inscrutability of life in his feature-length debut titled Columbus. What else can we expect from an academic in Hollywood? The resulting movie is a meandering reflection on architecture and its role in the lives of the film’s two leads, John...

Living through a lens

Written on November 3, 2017. Posted in Arts.

In his final year of university, John Fleming is patiently taking a shot at his dream of becoming a filmmaker. “You want to find your passion, and if you [can] make a living off it, then that’s your career. That’s what people should do, in my opinion,” Fleming, ArtSci ’18, said. Despite his love...

Loving Vincent is a stunning visual achievement

Written on October 16, 2017. Posted in Arts.

After creating more than 860 oil paintings over the span of eight years, Vincent van Gogh died an unknown painter from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. To even begin to unwrap the many layers of this complex artist is difficult. To make a film about his death is nearly impossible. Yet, Loving Vincent...

Kingston Canadian Film Festival

Written on March 10, 2017. Posted in Arts.

For the past 16 years, the Kingston Canadian Film Festival (KCFF) has been showcasing a dynamic program of Canadian films. This year was no different as the festival screened a robust lineup of the year’s favourite feature films and shorts, not to mention being hosted by Canadian rockers, Mother Mother. Since...

Review: Where the Universe Sings

Written on February 14, 2017. Posted in Arts.

When I walked through the familiar doors of The Screening Room’s theatre, I wasn’t expecting to be the youngest person in the room by at least 30 years. In the midst of this mature crowd, I took my seat for the film we’d all gathered to witness, Where the Universe Sings: The Spiritual Journey of Lawren...

Queer film fest leaves our reviewers 'reeling'

Written on February 10, 2017. Posted in Arts.

“It’s time to get OUT!” screams the Reelout Queer Film Festival. In its 18th installment, the festival brought nothing short of groundbreaking films to the Kingston community last week. Originally established in 2000 by OPIRG, Reelout is a collective arts project that seeks to celebrate gender and...

A cliché preview of Focus Film Festival

Written on January 24, 2017. Posted in Arts.

In only three days, one of the most anticipated events for student filmmakers will reel into Grant Hall. Focus Film Festival’s gala and screening, “It’s a Cliché for a Reason”, features a wide array of films shot and edited by student artists. This year, 11 teams of filmmakers were tasked with...

TIFF ‘16 to feature Queen’s team and Kingston native

Written on September 9, 2016. Posted in Arts.

In the film industry, September is one of the most important months of the year. As the season turns, thousands of filmmakers, celebrities, movie-lovers and critics flock to Ontario’s capital for the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). TIFF is known for celebrating independent productions...

Removing pro-life and pro-choice from abortion debates

Written on March 24, 2016. Posted in Arts.

There are few subjects as divisive as abortion. On one side, pro-life activists seek to protect human life in all its stages. On the other, pro-choice advocates promote abortion accessibility and a woman’s right to choose. At least, that’s the simple version. It’s a controversy made murkier by politics,...

Students struggle to access Isabel

Written on March 24, 2016. Posted in News.

Students attempting to use spaces at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts often face large fees — at times hundreds of dollars — despite the centre’s mandate to enhance students’ skills in the arts. The Isabel was intended as a learning space to foster the creativity of students in fine...

Indigenous filmmaker tells her family’s complex history

Written on March 24, 2016. Posted in Arts.

From a mockumentary to fictional revenge fantasy to a personal documentary, no two films by Indigenous filmmaker Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers are alike. Tailfeathers’ films were screened on campus in the first event of the “Conversations in Indigenous Arts” series. The series addressed questions from...

Two films win big at Kingston’s annual Focus Film Festival

Written on February 2, 2016. Posted in Arts.

This past Thursday evening, audiences were treated to a dazzling spectacle of cinematic achievement as 15 diverse films competed at the 13th annual Focus Film Festival. The festival, which took place at Grant Hall, is a student-run, not-for profit guerrilla filmmaking competition that provides Queen’s...

The Room: the worst movie of all time

Written on January 26, 2016. Posted in Lifestyle.

When you attend a live screening of The Room, you embark on a communal journey through the wholly unapologetic and self-indulgent brainchild of Tommy Wiseau. This is a participatory experience. There will be inside jokes that you will learn and accept — with some of them literally and dangerously...

Remembering Alan Rickman

Written on January 19, 2016. Posted in Lifestyle.

Alan Rickman’s death shook the world last Thursday morning. Within hours, social media was filled with tributes to the late actor from friends and fans alike. For many of us, Rickman is known for his iconic portrayal of Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter franchise. Yet, his work that spanned...

The Franchise Awakens

Written on January 8, 2016. Posted in Lifestyle.

It would take a very cosmic force to get me to see a movie more than once in theatres. The dark side of ticket prices has held power over my student budget for too long. But this Christmas, all bets were off. The newest instalment of the Star Wars saga was coming to town — The Force Awakens. As a...

Give art a chance

Written on March 20, 2015. Posted in Opinions.

Ciarán Meyer, ArtSci ‘15 There are a ton of phenomenal film and theatre opportunities coming out of Queen’s these days — but it’s up to students to get involved and value the arts community. As a film major at Queen’s, I’ve been heavily invested in the film scene here in Kingston over the past four...

Get uncomfortable

Written on March 6, 2015. Posted in Editorials.

When we shy away from things that make us uncomfortable, we don’t give them the attention they deserve. I was very disturbed when I watched Once Were Warriors — a film about a Maori family’s struggles with poverty and domestic violence in New Zealand. It put a bad feeling in my stomach thinking about...

Queer film festival comes to Kingston

Written on January 30, 2015. Posted in Arts.

Exploring the relationships, struggles and joys of young people who are discovering their sexuality for the first time, the Reelout Queer Film Festival comes back to Kingston this month with a selection of 18 independent films. “The Reelout Film Festival is about raising the profile and the visibility...

Film dives into a world of water controversy

Written on November 7, 2014. Posted in Arts.

Out of all the forces in the world, water is the most coveted and awe-inspiring of them all. It’s the relationship between mankind and water that the aesthetically stunning 2013 documentary Watermark: Trajectories explores. The documentary, directed by Canadian Edward Burtynsky and Jennifer Baichwal,...

Big city opportunity close to home

Written on February 28, 2014. Posted in Arts.

The Kingston Canadian Film Festival (KCFF) is back, and students are becoming more important to it than ever. The festival serves as an example of Kingston’s thriving arts community while doubling as a way for students to get involved and gain valuable insight into a difficult industry. “Essentially,...

12 Years a Slave stands apart

Written on February 4, 2014. Posted in Arts.

12 Years a Slave is a true-to-life tale of human endurance made all the more remarkable for the circumstances in which it occurred: the slave trade of 19th-century America. Adapted for the screen by writer John Ridley and Shame director Steve McQueen from Solomon Northup’s 1853 memoir of the same...

Renting nostalgia

Written on February 4, 2014. Posted in Lifestyle.

The first time I walked in to Classic Video, I was overwhelmed. I hadn’t been to a movie rental store since the Blockbuster near my house had closed down and I wasn’t used to such a large selection. Jaela Baxter, ConEd ’14, who has worked at Classic Video since high school, said that the store has...

Looking through a lens of self-discovery

Written on January 24, 2014. Posted in Arts.

Doing what you love is a journey of self-discovery, something Michael Kenney, ArtSci ’08, found through filmmaking. Kenney’s film Playing it Straight was voted as a Festival Favourite at the 2013 Cinema Diverse! Palm Springs Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. It will be playing at the Reelout Film and...

Film with a focus

Written on January 14, 2014. Posted in Arts.

A topic, a camera and 72 hours. This is the premise behind the Focus Film Festival, a Queen’s-based event that was started 11 years ago. Since then, it has grown exponentially. “This is actually the biggest festival that we’ve had,” said Eva Otlewski, one of the festival co-directors. “We have 14...

Exploring art life

Written on November 15, 2013. Posted in Arts.

Life’s challenges can be a source of fulfillment and even success, as two Queen’s alumni express in this soon-to-be-released documentary. The Scene: An Exploration of Music in Toronto was edited and produced by Andrew Smyth, ArtSci ’10, and directed by Josh Jensen, ArtSci ’07. It’s an up close and...

Glitter and gore

Written on October 29, 2013. Posted in Lifestyle.

This past Friday night, I lost my virginity to the Rocky Horror Picture Show along with Janet and Brad. I had never felt more normal. It was one of the most liberating and horrifying movies I had ever seen. Rocky Horror is a British musical film adaptation of the original theatre play of the same...

Long weekend watches

Written on October 10, 2013. Posted in Arts.

Eight films currently in theatres to see over the long Thanksgiving weekend.

Inspiration from abroad

Written on October 1, 2013. Posted in Arts.

One year makes all the difference. This is especially true for Ryan Woods, ArtSci ’14, who’s settling back into life at Queen’s. He ignored his parents’ pleas to return home for the summer and instead decided to explore the fast-paced world of the film and television industry in London, following...

Tag: Film

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