Category Archives: Film

08.23.14
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The Five Must See Movies of August 22 – 28, 2014

LandHoIn the month of September, Cinecenta has a treat for film lovers of both old and new. Movies such as Ghostbusters, X-Men: Days of Future Past, Obvious Child, Neighbors, Edge of Tomorrow, Maleficent, and Lawrence of Arabia will delight all at the little theatre located at the University of Victoria campus.

Cinecenta will also be celebrating their 5th Latin America and Spanish film week with movies from such filmmakers as Rodrigo H. Vila, Juan Carlos Maneglia, Shula Erenberg, and Cesc Gay.

Meanwhile, at The Fritz (a theatre located on Salt Spring Island) will offer what every sci-fi fan want. On Agusut 27th and 28th at 7pm, they will be showing Doctor Who, series 8 premiere episode “Deep Breath.”

The Vic Theatre will be showing Gareth Edward’s Godzilla on Saturday, August 30th for a low $5 admission. Film starts at 7pm.

Please check media for local showtimes, ratings and admission rates.

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07.04.14
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The Lesson Learned in A Tale of Samurai Cooking, A Movie Review

No foodie or historian should miss out in learning about the history of Japanese cooking in Bushi No Kondate (A Tale Of Samurai Cooking A True Love Story). Despite it being deceptive film set during the early part of the Edo period (1603-1867) of Japan, the tale being presented is more than just about the budding romance that’s being stirred up.

The political upheaval that’s happening in the Kaga Domain — a huge tract of land owned by a Shogun — is the social climate that this film’s many characters have to struggle to eke out their life in. The civil war that occurred between two Shogun brothers, and its subsequent influence upon the people who live in this region was a spark to the Kaga Disturbance that this movie chronicles.

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07.02.14
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Looking for that Message in the Bottle in The Lunchbox, A Movie Review

July 1-3, 2014

The Vic Theatre
#106 Nootka Court
808 Douglas Street
Victoria, BC

The Lunchbox is a very honest film about the trials and tribulations of two individuals struggling through life in Mumbai (Bombay), India. When Ila (Nimrat Kaur), a housewife struggling to keep her happiness afloat, and Saajan Fernandes (Irrfan Khan), a claims adjuster feeling uncertain for his future, discover each other, the feelings they develop in their correspondence helps them live through difficult times. Interestingly, the way they meet is through a special lunch delivery service.

Unlike the traditional lunch boxes that kids take to school in North America or delivery services in Japan, where bikes with huge square-shaped containers are used, the “take-out” system is different in India. Segmented cylindrical containers (known as tiffins) contain a hot food item (typically cooked fresh that morning) in each part, and it’s delivered in a cloth bag to the office worker. Instead of going out to some diner, they can hit the lunch room. When a city is as huge as Mumbai, just how this delivery system can continue without error has to be asked and the answer is simply that all containers are marked with a unique code to insure the food goes to the right office building, desk and person.

But once in a while, a mistake can happen.

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06.21.14
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Victoria’s Foodie Friday Recap with The Race for the Golden Scallop

Victoria 2nd Annual Foodie Film Festival
June 20-23

The Oak Bay Beach Hotel‘s fabulous Chef Ian Rennie prepared a delectable taste-testing extravaganza with mini fried fish cakes that was very tangy to the senses and some excellently made mini-portions of halibut and fries (accented perfectly with cilantro). Both are to die for. These were not fries, but frites! These thinly slices morsels had all the right soft and crispy textures to define a fried potato. And the fish was fresher than catching it out of the ocean yourself.

These morsels helped kickstart the later evening of Victoria Film Festival’s Annual Foodie Film Fest. The first film offered was Jadoo: Kings of Curry, and one festive film monger couldn’t want and previewed it through VoD for a teaser for what’s to come. With this show now into its second year, this summer program is definitely going to be a delightful annual event.

Today, three more films (none of them sold out at time of press) and mouth-watering foodie delights will soon be offered. If last night was any indication, yes, even the Two Hungry Blokes may need a third stomach to handle everything that’s offered. Sadly, even we need a break but will return to look at the final day of the festivities.

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06.17.14
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Victoria’s 2nd Annual Foodie Film Festival, Jadoo, Kings of Curry

84min

David Foster Foundation Theatre
Oak Bay Beach Hotel

June 20 at 5:30pm

The Simpsons can learn a thing or two about how to repair old familial wounds in Jadoo: Kings of Curry. When a feud splits two brothers — two professional chefs — and their respective families apart, just what will it take to bring them back together? A marriage.

Shalini (Amara Karan) and Mark (Sleepy Hollow’s Tom Mison) are in love and Shalini’s hope is to have a large wedding that both her dad, Raja (Harish Patel), and uncle, Jagi (Kulvinder Ghir), can cook together. But when they are accusing each other of treachery, just exactly what they are angry at each other for is as mysterious as the country that they hail from: India.

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06.07.14
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Victoria’s 2nd Annual Foodie Film Festival, Zone Pro Site: The Movable Feast

145min

David Foster Foundation Theatre
Oak Bay Beach Hotel

Saturday • June 21 at 5:00pm

Plenty of hilarity and nostalgia can be found in a theatrical culinary odyssey that looks at the “catering” business in Taiwan.
 
Zone Pro Site: The Movable Feast shows how a good nostalgic soundtrack can highlight the silliness that’s found in this film, and when this film has a zaniness of a classic Stephen Chow movie, perhaps Taiwanese director Chen Yu-hsun (陳玉勳) should pair up with him to show what two well respected visionaries can do. The only difference is that Chow has recognition outside of China. He’s known internationally for films like Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle. 
 

Their two styles are similar as both filmmakers have a perchance for creating the absurd. Yu-Hsun may not be as well known outside of his home country, and as long as word of mouth continues to praise Zone Pro Site, he may start to get recognition on this side of the Pacific.

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