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Hamilton Spectator
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Lights, camera, action in Jackson Square food court
What do they do in a mall food court at night? Sometimes they make movies. Jackson Square opened its food court this month to the psychological drama 'Pocket Mirror.' The film follows the story of Maisie, who believes her cat has been replaced with a doppelganger. She hires a detective to determine the truth and finds out more about her life than she bargained for. Near Burger King in the empty food court at about midnight on April 9, Sofia Banzhaf acts in a scene where she talks to her private investigator, actor Dylan Roberts, who is off camera. The crew of 'Pocket Mirror' during a night shoot at Jackson Square this month. From left: writer-director Adrian Murray, producers Sennah Yee and Priscilla Galvez and first assistant director Matt Moreland. The film is a psychological drama about a woman who gets more than she bargained for when she hires a detective to investigate whether her cat was replaced with a doppelganger. Banzhaf was in Nicolas Cage's 2023 film 'Dream Scenario,' which shot in Burlington and was also in the TV show 'Bitten.' Roberts had a role in the Robin Williams' comedy 'Death to Smoochy' (2002), which was shot in Hamilton. About a dozen crew members mill around under the watchful eyes of two mall security guards. One crew member, first assistant director Matt Moreland, from Hamilton, stands out because he is wearing cow-print pants. Another scene is shot of Roberts talking to Banzhaf, who is off camera. During filming, producers Priscilla Galvez and Sennah Yee hear a sound that is not supposed to be there. They call one of the guards over and he says it is probably coming from a machine being used by a cleaner in a nearby hallway. The problem is solved and shooting continues. A break is called for, but all will be back at work at 1 a.m. Producer Sennah Yee looks through a monitor during the filming of 'Pocket Mirror.' Film scenes were shot in the deserted food court of Jackson Square around midnight on April 9. 'Pocket Mirror' is the brainchild of writer and director Adrian Murray, who won best director for his film 'Retrograde' at the 2023 Canadian Film Festival. That film was about a neurotic woman who persistently fights a traffic ticket she received while helping her new roommate move in. CBC Arts named Murray one of the 17 great Canadian directors to watch in 2017 after his first feature, a crime drama called 'Withdrawn.' Murray said 'Pocket Mirror' evolved from his thoughts about a man going to the police to tell them his dog wasn't his dog anymore. It morphed into the idea of a cat and he spent about eight months writing it. It is also based on feelings felt during the pandemic, his father losing his hearing and having memories of songs. 'I'm emphasizing what it's like to live in a world that's changing before our eyes and changing faster than we can keep up with,' Murray said. 'What's it like to be afraid of this new artificial world while simultaneously being comforted by it.' 'Pocket Mirror' is produced by Fantom Ogi Films, run by Galvez and Yee. Producers in their own right, their joint company is named for Galvez's pet dog and Yee's cat. The budget is $1.1 million and the production received funding from Telefilm last year. Vortex Media is the Canadian distributor, but the plan is to put the movie in film festivals to find an international distributor. The movie also features Maziyar Khatam as Maisie's boyfriend, Nima. The production spent two days shooting at Jackson Square during an 18-day shooting schedule and wrapped up April 14. Other locations included the Pearle Hotel and Spa in Burlington. This is the third feature for Murray and Yee (they are partners in film and life) and the second that involves Galvez. She was a producer on 'Retrograde.' 'That was really a great partnership, so we said 'Let's do it again,'' Galvez said. They were already feeling the pangs of postproduction blues. This was Moreland's first time working with this production team, though he had worked with Galvez. He has worked on more than 20 holiday movies and the Oscar-winning 'Women Talking.' Murray has garnered a reputation as a minimalist director — lots of long takes — and Moreland said that has been a first for him in filmmaking. He said the experience was 'really fun' and 'really interesting.'
Boston Globe
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Magic candies and midlife crises: A look at this year's Oscar-nominated animated shorts
Advertisement Let's start with the animated shorts. Keep in mind that animated does not always mean 'for children.' In fact, at least two of these films are too graphic for kids. Leave them at home. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up A still from "Yuck!" ShortsTV 'Yuck!' Loïc Espuche's short lives up to its title. A bunch of voyeuristic little kids roam around a beach resort watching people make out. They find the act disgusting, but that doesn't stop them from watching lovers play tonsil hockey. The nosy pests know when folks are about to kiss because the participants' lips glow a painfully bright fuchsia color and obnoxious music starts playing. This affliction happens to an old married couple, horny teenagers, and even two closeted male soccer players who, of course, don't get to complete their kiss. Meanwhile, a boy named Léo realizes that, when he stares at one of the girls in their kiss-haters group, his lips start lighting up as well. He tries to hide this telltale sign, only to discover that the object of his affection is glowing up as well. Then the proceedings get weird. This short is supposed to be charming, but all I could ask myself was, 'How old ARE these kids?' They looked about 9. They should have called this one 'Death to Smoochy,' but forget what I think! Its simplicity makes it my pick to win the Oscar. (In French, with subtitles) (★★) Advertisement A still from "In the Shadow of the Cypress." ShortsTV 'In the Shadow of the Cypress' If the Academy favors symbolism over simplicity, this silent Iranian short by Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani might win instead. Instead of the proverbial elephant in the room, a father and daughter must deal with a literal whale on the beach. The father suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of a terrifying boat accident. The effects have finally taken their toll on his daughter, whose attempt to leave is thwarted by a beached whale. As the two try to help, the father's condition gets worse. Though the film ultimately becomes repetitious, it does a credible job of evoking what it feels like to have a PTSD attack. (I speak from experience.) The animation is intense and often harrowing as it jumps between the terror of the father and the helplessness his daughter feels. (★★★) 'Magic Candies' A lonely Japanese kid named Dong-Dong goes to a store to find marbles, but ends up buying sweets that look like marbles. The proprietor tells him they are 'magic candies,' which are also known by their adult name: 'mind-altering drugs.' Just kidding! However, Dong-Dong does hallucinate whenever he eats one. Side effects include a hilarious chat with the living-room sofa ('Please tell your Dad to stop farting on me!,' the couch pleads), a conversation with his dog, and a moment of unspoken understanding between father and son. There's also a bittersweet interaction with Dong-Dong's grandmother, who yells at him from The Great Beyond, and a peaceful moment of communing with nature. Director Daisuke Nishio's colors are as loud as Dong Dong's nana, and the animation is bouncy and cheerful. This short is the most fun and my favorite of the five. (In Japanese, with subtitles) (★★★) Advertisement A still from "Wander to Wonder." ShortsTV 'Wander to Wonder' I cop to admiring the sheer visual grotesquerie of Nina Gantz's English-language short. But this tale of a children's show that goes horribly awry is so unpleasant I'm surprised the prudes at the Academy nominated it. When Uncle Gilly, the creator and host of the titular show suddenly dies, his three animated characters continue to make warped videotaped programs for an audience that probably isn't watching. Meanwhile, Uncle Gilly decomposes behind them as they starve (the gigantic flies that buzz through much of the short are a nice, garish touch). One member of the trio performs Hamlet soliloquys while exposing himself. And that's the tame part of this short! Alas, none of it made a lick of sense to me and just felt weird for weird's sake. If that's your cup of tea, drink up. (★★) A still from "Beautiful Men." ShortsTV 'Beautiful Men' Another short featuring a trio. This one's about three balding, middle-aged Dutch brothers: Steven, Bart, and Koen, who travel to Istanbul in 2021 to get hair transplants. Unfortunately, Steven accidentally books only one transplant and struggles to break the bad news to his siblings. Director Nicolas Keppens gives his characters a litany of midlife crisis-inducing issues besides their hairlines. The title is clearly a snarky one. These guys are realistically pudgy and wrinkled. Koen wears Elton John-style glasses and can't do two push-ups. Bart, who is worried about a lump in his testicles, spends 75 percent of this short full-frontal nude. And Steven's hair loss is probably due to worrying. The relationship between Bart and the other two is also fraught with unspoken grudges. As a middle-aged guy with brothers, this one kind of spoke to me. I enjoyed how it took a sledgehammer to male vanity. Like last year's Advertisement Odie Henderson is the Boston Globe's film critic.
Buzz Feed
28-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
21 Movies That Weren't Super Successful At The Box Office, But Are Beyond Beloved Now
In a viral thread, redditor u/OkWar3191 asked, " What's a movie that bombed at the box office but was actually good?" And y'all, there are no lies detected here. Fox Searchlight Pictures So with that in mind, here are just a few of the most popular responses shared: 1. It's a Wonderful Life (1946) "This movie is probably the biggest example of this. It was an absolute flop at the box office. It almost killed the studio that made it. At one point, there was some debate about ownership of it because nobody wanted it, so TV networks could air it without paying anyone. That's when it started getting shown on TV constantly around Christmas, and it gained its status as one of the best Christmas movies of all time." — u/diiejso 2. Clue (1985) "Given its current reputation, it's hard to believe it didn't even make its budget back." — u/MrQuizzles 3. Death to Smoochy (2002) "It's one of my favorite dark comedies ever conceived. It didn't do well at the box office and was panned by critics despite having an extraordinary cast: Ed Norton, Robin Williams, Jon Stewart, Danny DeVito, Catherine Keener, Harvey Fierstein, Danny Woodburn, and Michael Rispoli. I think it's absolutely brilliant, and everyone delivers an incredible performance, especially Norton and Williams." — u/LewisEFurr 4. The Shawshank Redemption (1994) "It notoriously bombed at the box office but went on to receive critical acclaim." — u/TooSpicyforyoWifey You can watch the original trailer for the film here: View this video on YouTube 5. The Thing (1982) "One of my all-time-favorite horror movies! I understand it's regularly taught in film schools, not just for the practical effects but for the paranoia that was central to the story. You never knew, even at the very end, who was genuinely human and who was an imitation." — u/PianoManGidley You can watch the original trailer for the film here: 6. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) "For the classic film that it is, the original didn't do well at the box office." — u/justmoochin 7. Matilda (1996) "Absolute 10/10 movie. Danny DeVito as the dad was a magnificent casting choice." — u/Redqueenhypo You can watch the original trailer for the film here: 8. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) "It did a modest box office and recouped its budget, but it didn't make much profit. It was nominated for 10 Academy Awards (including Best Picture and Best Director) and was critically acclaimed, with a great cast. Explanation for poor box office was that it was out around the same time as Elf, in November/December of 2003. It was also released after the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, which had done well that summer. People may not have had the appetite for another maritime film, especially one without the humor and fantastical escapism of Pirates. And why didn't those 10 nominations turn into awards? Because it had the misfortune to compete against The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, which won 11 awards that year. Some serious bad luck and poor timing are the reasons so many people have never heard of this masterpiece." — u/Hamilton_Spector 9. The Princess Bride (1987) "They didn't know how to market it. Is it a fantasy film? Is it an action film? Is it a comedy? Is it for kids? All the reasons it became a classic are the same reasons they couldn't get people into the theaters to see it." — u/GardenGnomeOfEden You can watch the original trailer for the film here: 10. Galaxy Quest (1999) "The victim of poor marketing. The marketing team decided that 'a goofy comedy for kids' was the right way to sell it, when in reality, it was semiserious comedy aimed at adults that just happened to be kid friendly." — u/eaglescout1984 You can watch the original trailer for the film here: 11. The Big Lebowski (1998) "So, I heard it didn't do so well in that's just, like, my opinion, man." — u/DragonflyScared813 You can watch the original trailer for the film here: 12. Treasure Planet (2002) "For me, it's a contender for the best animated movie ever. Up there with Iron Giant." — u/usafa_rocks 13. Hook (1991) "It was considered a flop at the box office and has 29% on Rotten Tomatoes, but I will always love that movie." — u/theDeuce You can watch the original trailer for the film here: "It didn't do well at the box office, but I love the shit out of it. I mean, who WOULDN'T, with Sean Connery voicing Draco and Dennis Quaid as a knight?" — u/KnockMeYourLobes 15. Stranger Than Fiction (2006) "It's such an underrated movie, with fantastic performances from both Will Farrell and Emma Thompson. I guess it didn't totally bomb, but worldwide, it barely made back its production budget." — u/ElijahatCarmel 16. Equilibrium (2002) "I enjoyed it as much as The Matrix, but it's unfortunate that it just didn't make any money." — u/sadowsentry You can watch the original trailer for the film here: 17. Waterworld (1995) "I fucking loved it. Don't get all the hate for it. It's Mad Max on boats." — u/Phenomenon101 You can watch the original trailer for the film here: View this video on YouTube 18. Children of Men (2006) Universal / © Universal / Courtesy Everett Collection BOX OFFICE: $70,455,770 BUDGET: $76,000,000 "It made $70,000,000 at the box office on a $76,000,000 budget, but was nominated for a bunch of awards (and won several, too) and has held up." — u/georgey_porgey You can watch the original trailer for the film here: View this video on YouTube 19. Lucky Number Slevin (2006) The Weinstein Co. LLC / The Weinstein Co. LLC / Courtesy Everett Collection BOX OFFICE: $55,495,466 BUDGET: $27,000,000 "Beautiful sets, great writing, moment-in-time cast — it's one of my favorite movies, and nobody has ever heard of it." — u/BergsEyeView You can watch the original trailer for the film here: View this video on YouTube 20. The Nice Guys (2016) Warner Bros. / © Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection BOX OFFICE: $62,788,218 BUDGET: $50,000,000 "It is often referred to as an unfortunate flop. I love this movie. Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe have great chemistry. I would have killed for a sequel." — u/Ruddose You can watch the original trailer for the film here: View this video on YouTube And finally: 21. The Last Duel (2021) © 20th Century Studios / Courtesy Everett Collection BOX OFFICE: $30,552,111 BUDGET: $100,000,000 "It failed so hard, it was kind of a meme, but that movie was great!" — u/W8sB4D8s You can watch the original trailer for the film here: View this video on YouTube You've read their picks, but now it's your turn! What's a movie that did "meh" at the box office but you truly love? Share in the comments below! Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity. H/T: r/AskReddit. Watch Once Upon A Time In Londongrad from BuzzFeed Studios, a new true crime docuseries based on the explosive BuzzFeed News investigation, now streaming on Peacock. Peacock
