Posts by author:

James Gartler

Nothin’ But A Good Time

Rock of Ages tears up Theatre St-Denis

by James Gartler
01.03.2013

Following on the heels of Broadway Across America’s touring productions of Mary Poppins and Billy Elliot comes a wild, raunchy trip back to a time when men with mullets ruled the land. The days of neon and hairspray. Days…you aren’t likely to remember if you’re younger than twenty-three. Still, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone [...]

[...]

STAGE

Best Foot Forward?

Touring production of Billy Elliot delivers serious moves but proves oddly unmoving

by James Gartler
11.01.2013

Only the coldest of hearts would be immune to the plight of a young boy struggling to study ballet in a hyper-masculine, lower-income, politically charged environment. At least, that’s what Billy Elliot is counting on. Much of the success of the 2000 film and 2005 West End production is due to its ability to draw [...]

[...]

FILM

Courage and Confinement

Image+Nation explores homophobia from the inside out

by James Gartler
28.11.2012

You’d think twenty-five years into Montreal’s Image+Nation film festival, there’d be nothing but good news to report on the human rights front regarding the LGBT communities of the world. While there has certainly been progress, an alarming number of people still live in fear of simply being honest about who they are. With that in [...]

[...]

STAGE

Jolly Holiday with Mary

Mary Poppins pays a visit to Place Des Arts

by James Gartler
24.11.2012

If ever a musical were to be described as comfort food, this would be the one. For those who grew up with Julie Andrews’ Mary Poppins as their personal nanny on chilly Saturday afternoons, singing along to “Spoonful of Sugar” basically comes as second nature. Appropriate then that the stage version of the story has [...]

[...]

FESTIVAL CITY

Horror & Heartbreak

Excision and Beast unleash anguish at Fantasia 2012

by James Gartler
09.08.2012

Fantasia audiences are used to seeing blood splatter across the screen. In fact, they’ve come to expect it. For a film to really impress, it must go beyond bodily fluids to explore the kinds of deep psychological wounds most film festivals would consider taboo. This year’s program delivered two such offerings, overflowing with despair and inner darkness…with just a hint of blood thrown in for good measure.

[...]

FESTIVAL CITY

Last Laughs

Mario Cantone, The Nasty Show, Joel McHale and Wayne Brady at Just For Laughs

by James Gartler
28.07.2012

As far as 30th Anniversary celebrations go, this one’s been pretty wild. We’ve seen SNL correspondent Stefon report on the Montreal club scene, the Muppets – The Muppets! – pay tribute to our beloved mascot Youpi, and favourites like Aziz Ansari and Key & Peele leave crowds in stitches. If you haven’t had a chance [...]

[...]

FESTIVAL CITY

Sky(walker)’s The Limit

16th Annual Fantasia Film Fest Preview

by James Gartler
19.07.2012

Tonight at 10pm, Club 1234 will play host to a rowdy crowd of cinephiles with diverse tastes. Though some will speak of their passion for Asian cinema while others declare their love for horror films and documentaries, all will be celebrating the 16th year of Fantasia – the beloved Film Festival that unites moviegoers for twenty-two days of unbridled excitement.

[...]

FESTIVAL CITY

Epic Delight …or Disaster?

Discussing Comedy, Calories and Constipation with JFL's Epic Meal Time

by James Gartler
17.07.2012

As far as bizarre press conferences go, this one took the cake. The six members of Epic Meal Time – leader Harley Morenstein, Mooky Gwopson, Prince Atari, Cousin Dave, Tyler Lemco and Muscles Glasses – began by declaring they “have no idea what this is,” and then proceeded to smoosh a variety of foods together [...]

[...]

FESTIVAL CITY

Super Mario

The Sex and the City star talks Just For Laughs, Anderson Cooper, Liza Minnelli and the ladies of The View

by James Gartler
11.07.2012

It’s been said that behind every successful woman in Hollywood stands a gay man. Comedian Mario Cantone, however, has stood proudly alongside some of the most famous women in the biz. As Anthony Marentino on Sex and the City, he guided Kristin Davis’ Charlotte through a failed marriage and pregnancy woes with a sharp wit [...]

[...]

FESTIVAL CITY

Muppets Take Montreal

How Just For Laughs landed the world’s most famous felt-faced & furry Funnymen

by James Gartler
06.07.2012

Amidst a summer of highly-anticipated concerts, circus acts and comedy shows, one particular event stands out as a true once-in-a-lifetime, can’t-miss-it experience: Jim Henson’s Muppets at Just For Laughs. On July 26th, the beloved stars of television and film will make a rare public appearance, hosting two family-friendly comedy galas back-to-back. It’s quite the feather [...]

[...]

FESTIVAL CITY

Cutting to the Chase

Walter J Lyng talks Knife Fights, celebrity assaults and other assorted fun at Fringe

by James Gartler
18.06.2012

The Fringe Festival is overrun with performers furiously handing out flyers to promote their shows. Comedian Walter J Lyng, however, has taken to brandishing weaponry in the hopes of drawing potential investors to his one-man act, Pitching Knife Fight, in which he breaks down plans for a new hit film…and its 22 eventual sequels. ROVER [...]

[...]

DANCE

Alive and Kicking

Riverdance returns for a rousing final engagement at Place Des Arts

by James Gartler
09.06.2012

It’s a little strange to be saying goodbye to something you thought had already left ten years ago. Still, Montrealers turned out in droves this week to bid Riverdance farewell, as it stopped by for two performances at Place Des Arts on the last leg of its (supposedly) final North American tour – proof that [...]

[...]

STAGE

Sins of the Father

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 [...]

[...]

STAGE

Still A Beauty

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 [...]

[...]

SCREEN

Art Across Time

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 [...]

[...]