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The childhood trips with my family I remember the most were our annual summer outings to Cape Cod. One of the things that this provided me was access to American cable television which our family did not have back home. We were still with our old antenna, picking up signals and hoping for the best. Cable would only come to our household at the start of the millennium. One of the blocks of television that I watched in the afternoon was the PBS hour of kids programming.

One of the most anticipated movies of the year, the sequel with the promise of a few musical numbers, is Joker: Folie À Deux starring Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck (Joker) and Lady Gaga as Harleen Quinzel (Harley Quinn). After watching the trailer multiple times, there are some interesting elements at play that are reminiscent of musicals like La La Land and All That Jazz. Fear not, I say, because to tide you over until the October release date we have Vera Drew’s The People’s Joker arriving in select cities and theatres. It will be playing in Montreal at Cinema Du Parc on April 28th at 9 PM. 

RIDM is back with its usual programming of eclectic and dynamic documentaries from all around the world. Celebrating its 26th edition, RIDM stands by its mission of creating a platform for underrepresented voices, authentic expression and coming together, hence the origin of their French name “rencontres” or meetings. With such a diverse lineup, every individual is able to curate an experience of their own. Whether it's selecting films that speak directly to their own lived experiences or discovering something completely new to them, RIDM allows attendees to thread their own stories through viewership. 

This year has been interesting for films in the sense that it has been “the year of the epic” – without exception, the most critically and commercially successful films in 2023 have been grand in every sense of the word. The Holdovers is different. By contrast, it’s a tightly focused and tightly cast film that’s driven by the characters and the exploration of their emotional depths.

Traditionally, the summer is a season of escapism, blockbusters, and franchises in the movie industry. Oppenheimer, heavy in dialogue, tone, and subject matter is this summer’s exception to the rule. The father of the A-Bomb gets the big-screen treatment in this prestige film about one of the most important events in human history that has taken summer cinema by storm.

Cineplex recently posted some Mother's Day movie suggestions now in theaters, one of them being Beau is Afraid. I couldn't help but feel a certain dread at the idea of Ari Aster's latest film being recommended for mothers and sons. Don’t get me wrong, Beau is Afraid, is a vast spectacle of a film that succeeds as being one of Aster's most complex robust works as a director, almost hitting the three hour mark.

Since we just passed the halfway mark for Funding Drive, we thought it’s only fair to share the support we’ve been getting from the CJLO fam, with the CJLO fam! You’ve shown up in a big way and got us past several of our set goals to date.

Funding Drive runs until October 31st, so you still have time to keep donating!

As promised, here’s a list of show-specific donation incentives. 
Superconnected
DJ: Francella Fiallos
>$30: thank you on-air, song dedication
$50: personal playlist
$100: playlist + hand-sewn pouch
$250: co-host + knitted accessory 

During the final week of the Fantasia Film Festival, I fortunately got the last two days of the festival off to get in some final film viewings. I also managed to make time to get to a screening of Everything, Everywhere, All at Once and Nope (IMAX); two films that I highly recommend checking out in theaters for the best experience.

It’s been a good two years since the Fantasia Film Festival had the opportunity to showcase the premier genre film festival to an audience on the big screen, having a limited opportunity last year with the gradual reopening of the theaters. I had some time to catch some theater screenings that played well with the audience, which only proves that the audience is the heart and core of the festival. It was also great to see some familiar faces and audience members who haven’t seen each other in a while due to the pandemic.

In an era of streaming infinite content on numerous platforms and being instantaneously entertained with a click of the finger, Memoria is one of those concrete in-movie-theater experiences.

Action, adventure, comedy, and a little bit of romance were mixed to create the movie The Lost City. Let’s not forget about the light presence of romance we could feel between the main characters, the novelist Loretta (Sandra Bullock) and her cover model Alan (Channing Tatum).