Well blow me down
I still have deep issues with the Globe and Mail. But this? This is awesome. Particularly the last line.
After the interminable spoon-feeding of American war stories and great moments past to Canada's long-suffering movie watchers, director and actor Paul Gross deserves our gratitude and our business for his achievement in telling the story of Canadian heroism and sacrifice during the First World War. For once, Canadians have an opportunity to celebrate their own history and one of their own stories. We should flock to the theatres to see Passchendaele.
Some critics - perhaps trained to expect of Hollywood filmmakers' epic American histories entwined with love confection, and of Canadian filmmakers' earnest, accurate but low budget docudramas - don't quite know what to make of Mr. Gross's film.
Mr. Gross spent years working to raise the money to bring the film to the large screen. In doing so, he was inspired by accounts of the war shared by his own grandfather. That he succeeded is an exceptional accomplishment. The same can be said for the film. It has harrowing battle scenes unlike anything ever staged for a Canadian film, scenes that are a trademark of a Hollywood production. But for once the actors are wearing Canadian uniforms and are bringing to life a moment of Canada's storied war history.
Passchendaele also depicts life during the period. Not Alberta posing as the American West, but unabashedly Canada. And there is a love story. Again, that's what Americans do, and it is what makes American entertainment so popular. And yet Mr. Gross's film eschews waving the Canadian Red Ensign in the way that many U.S. films do the Stars and Stripes. No wonder some critics are baffled.
But if they go to see it, Canadians filmgoers will not be confused. What Mr. Gross has done is create a sweeping, epic film that presents a great moment from Canada's past in an intelligent way but in a way that will appeal broadly to Canadians. It is a fine achievement, and whether or not it earns a Genie Award or an Oscar, it should earn Mr. Gross the Order of Canada.
But what makes this particularly amusing requires a little memory test: Can you remember which daily publication gave the film its worst review when at TIFF? Oh yeah, the Globe and Mail. It makes that second paragraph all the more hilarious.
After the interminable spoon-feeding of American war stories and great moments past to Canada's long-suffering movie watchers, director and actor Paul Gross deserves our gratitude and our business for his achievement in telling the story of Canadian heroism and sacrifice during the First World War. For once, Canadians have an opportunity to celebrate their own history and one of their own stories. We should flock to the theatres to see Passchendaele.
Some critics - perhaps trained to expect of Hollywood filmmakers' epic American histories entwined with love confection, and of Canadian filmmakers' earnest, accurate but low budget docudramas - don't quite know what to make of Mr. Gross's film.
Mr. Gross spent years working to raise the money to bring the film to the large screen. In doing so, he was inspired by accounts of the war shared by his own grandfather. That he succeeded is an exceptional accomplishment. The same can be said for the film. It has harrowing battle scenes unlike anything ever staged for a Canadian film, scenes that are a trademark of a Hollywood production. But for once the actors are wearing Canadian uniforms and are bringing to life a moment of Canada's storied war history.
Passchendaele also depicts life during the period. Not Alberta posing as the American West, but unabashedly Canada. And there is a love story. Again, that's what Americans do, and it is what makes American entertainment so popular. And yet Mr. Gross's film eschews waving the Canadian Red Ensign in the way that many U.S. films do the Stars and Stripes. No wonder some critics are baffled.
But if they go to see it, Canadians filmgoers will not be confused. What Mr. Gross has done is create a sweeping, epic film that presents a great moment from Canada's past in an intelligent way but in a way that will appeal broadly to Canadians. It is a fine achievement, and whether or not it earns a Genie Award or an Oscar, it should earn Mr. Gross the Order of Canada.
But what makes this particularly amusing requires a little memory test: Can you remember which daily publication gave the film its worst review when at TIFF? Oh yeah, the Globe and Mail. It makes that second paragraph all the more hilarious.