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James Gartler

STAGE

Sins of the Father

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L’Opéra de Montréal’s FAUST offers two Canadian tenors the opportunity for some father/son bonding

by James Gartler
19.05.2012

“Everybody wants to – when they get to a certain age – go back and do the things they didn’t have time to do, you know?” begins Antoine Bélanger.  Nearby, his father Guy Bélanger nods and smiles in agreement.  “Youth”, he adds, ““is energy and beauty…and it’s a dream for him.”  They speak of course [...]

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STAGE

Still A Beauty

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The classic love story returns in a spirited touring production

by James Gartler
28.04.2012

Last year, I asked The Lion King to tell the rest of its Broadway friends to swing by Montreal for a visit. Looks like they listened, as the NETworks production of Beauty and the Beast has waltzed into town, bringing with it much of the magic and romance of the Academy Award-winning Disney classic…if little [...]

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SCREEN

Art Across Time

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Sampling three offerings from FIFA’s 30th Edition

by James Gartler
15.03.2012

For a festival that’s been around for three decades, it’s alarming how little street cred FIFA seems to have.  You just don’t hear people in coffee shops discussing their anticipation over it the way they do when Fantasia rolls around in the fall.  Perhaps to combat this, the International Festival of Films on Art has [...]

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EVENTS

Animations and Attitudes

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Previewing AmérAsia's Artist Talk on Animation with filmmaker Jonathan Ng

by James Gartler
09.03.2012

As the AmérAsia Film Festival enters into its final weekend of screenings, a special panel tonight will bring the discussion back to the painstaking process called “animation” and the artists who remain captivated by its endless possibilities.  Among those attending will be local filmmaker/visionary Jonathan Ng, who offers ROVER a glimpse of what the evening has [...]

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FILM

Assorted Overseas Offerings

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A look at this year’s AmérAsia Film Festival

by James Gartler
03.03.2012

Who knew the first two weekends in March could make for such a wild ride?  For the third year running, the AmérAsia Film Festival is continuing its mission of taking audiences on a journey through the world of Asian cinema, and this year’s program offers several memorable trips sure to stay with you long after [...]

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STAGE

History Made at the Majestic

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A look at the family of artists behind Phantom of the Opera’s phenomenal success on Broadway

by James Gartler
11.02.2012

Last fall, two twenty-something New Yorkers waiting by a stage door for a glimpse of Bernadette Peters struck up a conversation about the current crop of shows on Broadway.  “Phantom’s definitely going to be closed within five years, no question,” one remarked to the other, who nodded emphatically in return, “oh for sure – it’s [...]

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FILM

Road to Nowhere

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Chris Paine's documentary spins its wheels detailing the Revenge of the Electric Car

by James Gartler
28.01.2012

There was once a time when oil companies, politicians and car manufacturers wanted any notion of a mainstream electric vehicle dead and buried.  Director Chris Paine chronicled it in his popular 2006 documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? and is now determined to declare the tides have turned with the release of his latest, Revenge [...]

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STAGE

That Fuzzy Feeling

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Reviewing Broadway’s beloved puppet show, Avenue Q

by James Gartler
17.12.2011

With the holiday season finally in full swing, many Montrealers are driving down to the Big Apple for a little slice of yuletide escapism.  If taking in a musical is at the top of your itinerary, Rover’s got you covered with this look at one of Broadway’s best…the beloved Avenue Q.

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FILM

Spreading the Love

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Inspiring documentary reveals the man behind Elmo’s upbeat attitude

by James Gartler
07.12.2011

It’s amazing to think that Kevin Clash has been able to walk down the street anonymously, considering he’s been entertaining children worldwide for the past 27 years. “I’m a black man, I’m six feet tall (and) they would never think that I perform this little red monster,” he remarks in Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey, [...]

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STAGE

Naughty Bits and Pieces

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REVIEW: Despite shortcomings, Tim Rice's Toronto-based Chess: The Musical still thrills in places

by James Gartler
05.10.2011

Montreal may be a city overflowing with options when it comes to art and entertainment, but sometimes you just have to see what else is out there. To that end, this intrepid Rover reporter traveled to neighbouring Toronto to take in the sights, beginning with Chess: The Musical, fresh from a ten-month run in the [...]

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THEATRE

A to Zzzzzzzz

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The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee spells it out at Mainline Theatre

by James Gartler
14.09.2011

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee delivers exactly what it promises – an hour and 45 minute-long competition between a group of oddball kids who count the dictionary as their closest friend. Whether or not you consider that a fun evening of entertainment wholly depends on how much you love musical theatre and enjoy [...]

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THEATRE

Roaring Good Time

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The Lion King – an evening of unforgettable entertainment.

by James Gartler
20.08.2011

As the sun slowly rises on-stage to the sound of Buyi Zama’s Rafiki belting out “Circle of Life”, it’s impossible not to get a warm, tingly feeling – the kind that blends waves of nostalgia with the thrill of knowing you’re in for an unforgettable evening of entertainment. The Lion King delivers just that.

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EVENTS

Questions for Kevin

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Is Kevin Smith really retiring from filmmaking?

by James Gartler
14.08.2011

Kevin Smith has a lot to answer for.  If it wasn’t bad enough that he backed out of his planned Fantasia appearance last month, he’s also claiming the time has nearly come to retire from filmmaking altogether.  Tonight, at a screening of his controversial (and penultimate?) oeuvre Red State, Silent Bob’s fans will be expecting [...]

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THEATRE

Schwartz’s Secret Ingredients

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A look behind the musical before the final bows

by James Gartler
07.08.2011

A plate of smoked meat, two pieces of rye bread and a slice of pickle.  For over eighty years, Schwartz’s Deli has made it look so easy, but as Schwartz’s The Musical attests, it takes a delicate balance of ingredients to make a real crowd-pleaser. 

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FESTIVAL CITY

Freak le Screen

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The Fantasia film festival rolls into its final week on a wild wave of mutilation

by James Gartler
03.08.2011

There’s only week left to go before the 15th edition of Fantasia wraps up, but take heart moviegoers: it’s been an interesting ride so far, hasn’t it? Indeed, this year’s festival has brought its fair share of both pleasure and pain to audiences, but you really can’t expect anything less than the freaky and fantastical [...]

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