Veteran Quebec director Erik Canuel, best known for his box office hit Bon Cop, Bad Cop, has died. He was 63.

Canuel died on June 15 in Montreal after complications from secondary plasma cell leukemia, according to Montreal-based communications firm Annexe. He was first diagnosed with multiple myeloma seven years ago.

“Erik Canuel left an unforgettable mark on the film and television industry both in Quebec and across Canada. His breakout, crossover hit Bon Cop, Bad Cop remains not just a Canadian favorite, but a groundbreaking benchmark in bilingual film,” Directors Guild of Canada president Warren P. Sonoda said in a statement.

The Quebec bilingual buddy movie Bon Cop, Bad Cop, directed by Canuel and starring Patrick Huard and Colm Feore, earned the Golden Reel Award as the highest-grossing Canadian movie of 2006 and broke Canadian box office records by grossing $10.3 million at the local multiplex.

His other French-language movie credits included his...

The Toronto Film Festival has unveiled its lineup for the Industry Selects program of films beyond the official fest lineup and available for worldwide acquisition as each gets an in-person screening for film buyers and industry execs.

Leading the selection is director James Marsh’s Dance First, a biopic with Gabriel Byrne playing the literary giant Samuel Beckett and Sandrine Bonnaire, Maxine Peake, Aidan Gillen and Fionn O’Shea also starring; and director Neil Burger’s Inheritance, a thriller that has a woman played by Phoebe Dynevor learning her father Sam (Rhys Ifans) was once a spy, which puts her at the center of an international conspiracy.

Also picked for market screenings in Toronto is Jimmy Warden’s Borderline, set in 1996 Los Angeles and starring Eric Dane, Ray Nicholson and Samara Weaving as a pop star taken hostage; The Home, a horror pic from Purge series creator James DeMonaco, and starring...

Fest also announces Connections, Microsessions, and Spotlight sessions.

TIFF has announced the Industry Selects acquisition titles available to buyers during the festival, a 12-strong roster featuring new work from James Marsh, Rebecca Snow, and Neil Burger.

Gabriel Byrne plays literary giant Samuel Beckett in Marsh’s Dance First alongside Sandrine Bonnaire, Maxine Peake, Aidan Gillen, and Fionn O’Shea. Film Constellation represents worldwide rights and the film will close San Sebastian.

Phoebe Dynevor stars with Rhys Ifans for Burger in Inheritance, a thriller about a woman who uncovers her father’s espionage past. CAA Media Finance handles sales.

Snow (Cheating Hitler:...

Prime Video announced The Kids in the Hall is set to premiere on May 13 followed by the companion docuseries The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks on May 20.

More premiere dates and a slew of new Canadian originals were also revealed during the Prime Video Presents Canada showcase event in Toronto on Wednesday.

Here’s a breakdown of what’s ahead:

The Sticky is a half-hour series revolving around Ruth Clarke, a tough, supremely competent, middle-aged Canadian maple syrup farmer who’s had it with being hemmed in by the polite, bureaucratic conventions native to her country’s identity — especially now that Canada’s bureaucracy is threatening to take away everything she loves: her farm, her comatose husband and her right to freedom.

With the help of Remy Bouchard, a pint-sized local blockhead, and Mike Byrne, an aging low-level mobster, Ruth changes her fate — and transforms the future of her...

Brooklyn Nine-Nine‘s first-ever international remake has released a trailer… and it’s not sitting well with the cast of the original.

The promo for the French-language Escouade 99 dropped on Thursday, and B99 star Melissa Fumero was among the first to give her two cents on it.

More from TVLineAndy Samberg: Brooklyn Nine-Nine Faces Big 'Challenge' Moving ForwardDream Roles for Cancelled Shows' Stars: Dex's New Stumptown Lover, Batwoman's Next Baddie and MoreBrooklyn Nine-Nine to Scrap All Episodes Written for Season 8, Terry Crews Says: 'We Have to Start Over'

“This is like peeking through another dimension,” Sgt. Amy Santiago’s portrayer said on Twitter.

2020 continues, as a first trailer for the Quebec remake of Brooklyn Nine-Nine has now been released. Yes, you read all of those words correctly. Do not adjust your screen.

Escouade 99 (Squad 99 in English) really does appear to be a near shot-for-shot remake of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, with its original cast replaced by the likes of Mickaël Gouin, Bianca Gervais, Mylène Mackay, Widemir Normil and Guy Jodoin. The Quebec version was directed by Patrick Huard (Bon Cop Bad Cop) and it follows “a group of endearing and out of the ordinary detectives who fight crime at Escouade 99 in Quebec City.”

Quebec broadcast company Quebecor Content purchased the rights to the Andy Samberg-led comedy series last year, and this is the first time that the team behind Brooklyn Nine-Nine have authorized an adaptation of outside of the U.S., according to HuffPo. So, from next month, the often shamelessly weird and predominantly...

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is to be remade by French-Canadian broadcaster Quebecor Content – marking the first international version of the Andy Samberg-fronted comedy.

Quebecor Content has struck a formats deal with NBCUniversal International Formats with ComediHa! producing in Quebec City.

The single camera comedy, which follows a group of talented but carefree detectives, was created by Dan Goor and Michael Schur and produced by Universal Television, Fremulon, Dr. Goor Productions and 3 Arts Entertainment. The French-language remake comes after the show was renewed for a second season on its new home NBC.

Taxi 0-22’s Patrick Huard is to direct the local version, which will start production this summer. Casting will be announced later, as will which Quebecor Content the show will air on.

“This first international adaptation of the series Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a perfect fit with our mandate of producing and broadcasting distinctive content, and reaffirms Quebecor Content’s...

Canadian film and television producer Kevin Tierney died on Saturday in Montreal after a battle with cancer. He was 67.

Actor Jacob Tierney, Kevin’s son, announced the news on Instagram saying, “My dad, the amazing Kevin Tierney, left us this morning at 4:15. My sister, mom and I were all there.”

Tierney was best known for the 2006 buddy movie Bon Cop, Bad Cop starring Patrick Huard and Colm Feore. The bilingual film went on to win numerous awards and became the highest grossing Canadian movie of all time domestically.

In addition to Bon Cop, Bad Cop, Tierney also wrote and directed the bilingual comedy French Immersion in 2011. He collaborated with his son Jacob on Twist starring Nick Stahl and The Trotsky starring Jay Baruchel. His other film credits include Serveuses demandées and Love and Savagery.

On the TV side, he produced Lionel Chetwynd’s Varian’s War starring William Hurt...

Veteran Canadian film producer Kevin Tierney died Saturday after a long battle with cancer. He was 67.

"My dad, the amazing Kevin Tierney, left us this morning at 4:15. My sister, mom and I were all there," Canadian actor and film director Jacob Tierney said on his <a href="http:// https://www.instagram.com/p/Bir7hNplkWp/?hl=en&taken-by=jacob.tierney" target="_blank">Instagram account</a> following his father's death in Montreal.

Tierney produced <em>Bon Cop, Bad Cop</em>, the top-grossing Canadian theatrical release of all time domestically. The 2006 bilingual English- and French-language buddy movie starring Patrick Huard and Colm Feore received the Golden Reel Award at the Genie Awards that same year.

Born in Montré...

Veteran Canadian film producer Kevin Tierney died Saturday after a long battle with cancer. He was 67.

"My dad, the amazing Kevin Tierney, left us this morning at 4:15. My sister, mom and I were all there," Canadian actor and film director Jacob Tierney said on his Instagram account following his father's death in Montreal.

Tierney produced Bon Cop, Bad Cop, the top-grossing Canadian theatrical release of all time domestically. The 2006 bilingual English- and French-language buddy movie starring Patrick Huard and Colm Feore received the Golden Reel Award at the Genie Awards that same year.

Born...

Beef up for Canada's 150th birthday with these movies set north of the border!Beef up for Canada's 150th birthday with these movies set north of the border!Zachary Dent6/30/2017 10:01:00 Am

Canada Day only comes once a year and what better way to appreciate this northern paradise than with a movie that takes place within our borders. After all the eating, drinking, barbecuing, and partying, it's nice to kick back, relax, and take in a Canadian classic. We've got a list of some pretty great ones! So take a gander below and check out a few movies that take place close to home.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Based on Canadian Bryan Lee O'Malley's popular graphic novel series, director Edgar Wright condensed a seven-part saga into one epic, Toronto-set film. From notable places like Casa Loma, concert venues like Lee's Palace, and famous intersections like Bloor and...

What to see on the long weekend!What to see on the long weekend!Jenny Bullough5/19/2017 4:32:00 Pm In most of Canada, this weekend marks Victoria Day, the first long weekend of the summer and the unofficial kickoff to the season of patios, barbeques, and cottages. It’s a perfect time to enjoy the great outdoors, and it’s also a perfect opportunity to get caught up on movies! Cineplex theatres are open on the holiday Monday, and if the weather where you are is less than ideal for flipping burgers or enjoying cold beverages, it’s a great time to relax and unwind while you watch a new movie on the big screen. If you plan to head to the theatre this weekend, here are our recommendations! If you’re bringing family Beauty and the Beast If you haven’t yet seen this live-action remake of the classic Oscar-winning animated Disney film,...

Snatched, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and Bon Cop, Bad Cop 2 make Tanner's What to Watch weekend previewSnatched, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and Bon Cop, Bad Cop 2 make Tanner's What to Watch weekend previewTanner Zipchen5/12/2017 2:28:00 Pm

This weekend in theatres, we have Snatched, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and Bon Cop, Bad Cop 2!

Just in time for Mother's Day, Goldie Hawn and Amy Schumer star as mother and daughter in the new comedy Snatched! The duo decide to head down to South America on a little bonding trip and things don't exactly go as planned. Fun fact: this marks Goldie Hawn's return to the big screen after a 15 year hiatus. What a great movie to check out this weekend with that special mom in your life!

Guy Ritchie (Snatch, RocknRolla) returns to the directing chair with his version of King Arthur: Legend of the Sword.

The Boys are Back: Colm Feore and Patrick Huard talk Bon Cop Bad Cop 2The Boys are Back: Colm Feore and Patrick Huard talk Bon Cop Bad Cop 2Marni Weisz - Editor, Cineplex Magazine5/10/2017 10:01:00 Am

If you’ve seen the highest-grossing movie in Canadian history, 2006’s bilingual comedy Bon Cop Bad Cop, chances are you live in Quebec where the film earned more than $11-million of its $12.5-million domestic take, and where Canadian films do much better than they do in the rest of the country.

As the film’s sequel, Bon Cop Bad Cop 2, hits theatres this month, star Colm Feore makes an impassioned case for Anglo-Canadians to jump on board.

“What many Canadians don’t understand is that they’ve already paid for this movie, they’ve already bought a ticket,” Feore argues enthusiastically over the phone from Montreal where he and his Bon Cop co-star,...

Colm Feore and Patrick Huard talk Bon Cop Bad Cop 2Colm Feore and Patrick Huard talk Bon Cop Bad Cop 2Adriana Floridia5/9/2017 10:38:00 Am

Our favourite Canadian buddy cop duo are back for Bon Cop Bad Cop 2!

One of the most successful Canadian comedy films ever made, the excitement is high for the return of Colm Feore and Patrick Huard in this anticipated sequel. It has been eleven years since the two were onscreen together as an English and French speaking duo who were brought together to solve a murder that took place on the Quebec-Ontario border.

This time around, the pair have to take on a car theft ring, that looks like it'll take them to new territories. We can't wait to see how it all plays out when Bon Cop Bad Cop 2 hits theatres on May 12th. Watch our interview with stars Feore and Huard below,...

Quiz: From Bon Cop Bad Cop 2 to The Other Guys, how well do you know these buddy cop movies?Quiz: From Bon Cop Bad Cop 2 to The Other Guys, how well do you know these buddy cop movies?Zachary Dent5/8/2017 10:00:00 Am

  Buddy Cop Movies

Test your knowledge of these buddy cop movies!

 

Bon Cop Bad Cop 2 opens May 12th which means Officer Ward (Colm Feore) and Officer Bouchard (Patrick Huard) are back! It's been eight years since they met in a spectacular way on the Quebec/Ontario border. The two men have remained friends, but time takes its toll and they have not spoken in almost a year. In this chapter Ward and Bouchard must face an important car theft ring that turns out to be a lot more than they bargained for. This sequal has been long overdue and we can't for these two...

Baywatch, Alien: Covenant, Snatched and more movies you need to watch this MayBaywatch, Alien: Covenant, Snatched and more movies you need to watch this MayAdriana Floridia5/3/2017 10:23:00 Am

Blockbuster season is officially upon us, and we must say, it's going to be a great one.

With May comes Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which is already getting stellar reviews and frankly looks like it will (somehow) be better than the first. Then we have some great comedies in Snatched and Baywatch, some horror with Alien: Covenant, and some Canadian power with Bon Cop Bad Cop 2. We're breaking down all of May's releases for you below!

10 movies you need to watch in May:

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Release Date: May 5th, 2017

For Fans of: Chris Pratt, Superheroes, Fun

See it With: Friends and Family

See it In: IMAX 3D Nobody expected the first Guardians of the Galaxy...

Colm Feore and Patrick Huard reunite in the Exclusive new trailer for Bon Cop Bad Cop 2Colm Feore and Patrick Huard reunite in the Exclusive new trailer for Bon Cop Bad Cop 2Adriana Floridia4/6/2017 2:59:00 Pm

In the highly anticipated sequel, David Bouchard (Patrick Huard) and Martin Ward (Colm Feore) are once again forced to work together. This time, the Quebec investigator is under Ward’s command, since Ward is now a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer. The unlikely duo has the mission of dismantling a stolen car ring, which in fact fronts for something much, much more sinister. Through their experiences, Bouchard and Ward discover that the enemies are not always whom you think. They also realize that as time goes by, some things change, while others stay exactly the same.

Check out the Exclusive new trailer for Bon Cop Bad Cop 2 below and see the film...

This weekend New Yorkers will have a change to dive into a selection of the best recent Canadian cinema thanks to a showcase created by Tiff and Telefilm Canada appropriately called "See the North." On April 1, 2 and 3 2016, audiences at the IFC Center in New York City will be treated to this curated program of Canada’s finest creative talent, with directors in attendance for intros and Q+A’s.

The series includes the most recent work my Oscar-nominated filmmaker Philippe Falardeau ("Monsieur Lazhar"), an Lgbt-themed debut, and a drama starring Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood.

Here is the full lineup:

"Closet Monster" – Ontario/Newfoundland

A film by Stephen Dunn

Starring Connor Jessup, Aaron Abrams, Joanne Kelly, Aliocha Schneider, Sofia Banzhaf, Jack Fulton, Mary Walsh, Isabella Rossellini

Rt: 90min

U.S. Distributor: Strand Releasing

Screening: 4/1 at 9:30pm with intro and Q + A from director Stephen Dunn

Canada Goose Award for Best Canadian Feature Film, 2015 Toronto International Film Festival

An East Coast teenager and aspiring special-effects makeup artist (Connor Jessup, Blackbird, 2012 Tiff Rising Star) struggles with both his sexuality and his fear of his macho father, in this imaginative twist on the coming-of-age tale from first-time feature director Stephen Dunn.

"The Demons" (Les démons) – Quebec

A film by Philippe Lesage

Starring: Edouard Tremblay-Grenier, Pier-Luc Funk, Pascale Buissière

Rt: 118min

Sales Agent: FunFilm Distribution

Screening: 4/2 at 9:30pm with intro and Q + A with director Philippe Lesage

While Montreal is in the throes of a string of kidnappings targeting young boys, 10-year-old Felix is finishing his school year in the seemingly quiet suburb where he lives. A sensitive boy with a vivid imagination, Felix is afraid of everything. Little by little, his imaginary demons begin to mirror those of the increasingly disturbing world around him.

"Into the Fores" – British Columbia/Ontario

A film by Patricia Rozema

Starring Ellen Page, Evan Rachel Wood, Max Minghella, Callum Keith Rennie, Michael Eklund, Wendy Crewson

Rt: 101min

U.S. Distributor: A24 Films

Screening: 4/1 at 7:00pm with intro and Q + A from director Patricia Rozema

Two sisters (Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood) struggle to survive in a remote country house after a continent-wide power outage, in this gripping apocalyptic drama by one of Canada’s most celebrated filmmakers.

"My Internship in Canda" (Guibord s'en va-t-en guerre) – Quebec

A film by Philippe Falardeau

Starring Patrick Huard, Irdens Exantus, Clémence Dufresne-Deslières and Suzanne Clément

Produced by Luc Déry, Kim Mccraw

Rt: 108min

Sales Agent: Film Distribution

Screening: 4/2 at 7:00pm with intro and Q+A from director Philippe Falardeau

Guibord is an independent Member of Parliament representing a vast county in Northern Quebec who unwillingly finds himself in the awkward position of determining whether Canada will go to war. Accompanied by his wife, daughter and Souverain (Sovereign) Pascal, an idealistic intern from Haiti, Guibord travels across his district in order to consult his constituents and face his own conscience. This film is a sharp political satire in which politicians, citizens and lobbyists go head-to-head while tearing democracy to shreds.

"Our Loved Ones" (Les Êtres Chers) – Quebec

A film by Anne Émond

Starring: Maxim Gaudette, Karelle Tremblay, Valérie Cadieux, Mickaël Gouin

Rt: 102min

Sales Agent: Wide Management

Screening: 4/3 at 7:00pm with intro and Q+A from director Anne Émond

The story begins in 1978 in a small town on the Lower St.-Lawrence where the Leblanc family is rocked by the tragic death of Guy, found dead in the basement of the family home. For many years, the real cause of his death is hidden from certain members of the family, his son David among them. David starts his own family with his wife Marie and lovingly raises his children, Laurence and Frédéric, but deep down he still carries with him a kind of unhappiness. Our Loved Ones is a film of filial love, family secrets, redemption and inherited fate. Featuring 2015 Tiff Rising Star Karelle Tremblay.

"Sleeping Giant" (Le géant endormi) – Ontario

A film by Andrew Cividino

Starring: Jackson Martin, Nick Serino, Reece Moffett, David Disher, Erika Brodzky, Katelyn McKerracher, Lorraine Philp

Rt: 90min

U.S. Distributor: FilmBuff

Screening: 4/3 at 9:30pm with intro and Q+A from director Andrew Cividino

City of Toronto Award for Best Canadian First Feature Film, 2015 Toronto International Film Festival

Spending his summer vacation on rugged Lake Superior, teenager Adam befriends Riley and Nate, smart-aleck cousins who pass their ample free time with pranks, vandalism and reckless cliff jumping. The revelation of a hurtful secret sets in motion a series of irreversible events that test the bonds of friendship and change the boys forever.

The Vancouver International Film Festival has announced its most anticipated films in the Gala and Special Presentation categories. The films selected represent a true showcase of international cinema, while highlighting homegrown talent in the world's largest showcase of Canadian films during the 34th annual festival running from September 24th to October 9th.

John Crowley's "Brooklyn" starts the festival off in the Opening Night Gala spot. Marc Abraham's "I Saw the Light" holds the Closing Night Gala position with a feature on the life of country star Hank Williams. The film was produced by Vancouver's Bron Studios. Canadian productions remain a crucial part of the festival, Philippe Falardeau's "My Internship in Canada" will open the Canadian Images program, while Patricia Rozema's "Into the Forest" will occupy the BC Spotlight Awards Gala spot.

In 2015, Vancouver audiences will be exposed to 355 films from 70 countries. With 32 World Premieres, 33 North American Premieres and 53 Canadian Premieres, this year's festival promises to be a feast for Canadian film lovers.

The full line-up and ticket are available at viff.org. Here are some highlights:

Opening Gala "Brooklyn" (John Crowley, U.K/Ireland/Canada)

Lured from Ireland by the American Dream, Eilis (Saoirse Ronan) instead lands in a hardscrabble reality of cramped boarding houses and grungy dancehalls. As homesickness grips her, she's also torn between two admirers (Domhnall Gleeson and Emory Cohen). With Nick Hornby scripting, John Crowley crafts a stirring 50s-era immigration tale that also serves as an exhilarating profile of female empowerment.

Closing Gala "I Saw the Light" (Marc Abraham,USA) Having played gods and monsters with aplomb, Tom Hiddleston takes centre stage as country music legend/renegade Hank Williams. In turns as rambunctious as a barn dance and as reflective as a ballad, Marc Abraham's film chronicles Williams' rapid ascent to stardom and the tragedy of a career cut short by substance abuse. Laid to rest at only 29, Williams left behind a truly remarkable body of work. Handling the singing chores himself, Hiddleston does the man—and his music—proud.

Canadian Images Opening Film My Internship in Canada (Philippe Falardeau, Canada)

Philippe Falardeau ("Monsieur Lazhar") returns with an energetic, laugh-out-loud political comedy that couldn't be more timely. Steve Guibord (Patrick Huard, brilliant) is an independent Quebec MP traveling to his northern riding with a new Haitian intern. Soon after finding themselves caught in the crossfire of activists, miners, truckers, politicians and aboriginal groups, it turns out that Guibord somehow holds the decisive vote in a national debate that will decide whether Canada will go to war in the Middle East! The fabulous Suzanne Clément co-stars.

BC Spotlight Awards Gala "Into the Forest" (Patricia Rozema, Canada)

The BC coastal forest is in all its glory as a father and his two daughters drive off to their remote and idyllic getaway home. They have little sense at first of the growing apocalypse that they are leaving in their wake. It will come to them. Ellen Page, Evan Rachel Wood, Max Minghella, Callum Keith Rennie and Michael Eklund star in this Patricia Rozema-directed adaptation of Jean Hegland's novel.

Spotlight Gala "Beeba Boys" (Deepa Mehta, Canada/India)

Mix propulsive bhangra beats, blazing Ak-47s, bespoke suits, solicitous mothers and copious cocaine, and you have the heady, volatile cocktail that is Deepa Mehta's latest film, an explosive clash of culture and crime. Jeet Johar (Indian star Randeep Hooda) and his young, charismatic Sikh crew vie to take over the Vancouver drug and arms trade in this all-out action/drama. Blood is spilled, heads are cracked, hearts are broken and family bonds are pushed to the brink.

Special Presentations "Arabian Nights" ("Miguel Gomes," Portugal)

Miguel Gomes' ("Tabu," "Our Beloved Month of August") astonishing three-volume, six-hour epic draws inspiration from the tales of Scheherazade (here played by Crista Alfaiate) and once again uses a fascinating combination of reality and fiction to comment on Portugal's past, present and future.

"Dheepan" (Jacques Audiard, France)

Jacques Audiard's ("A Prophet," "Rust and Bone") latest dramatic inquiry into life on society's margins is an alternately gripping and tender love story about the eponymous former Tamil fighter (Antonythasan Jesuthasan) and his improvised family, who exchange war in Sri Lanka for violence of another kind in Paris.

"High-Rise" (Ben Wheatley, U.K)

Ben Wheatley's bold adaptation of Jg Ballard's novel takes no prisoners. This scorching satire on class, hedonism and depravity in an imploding luxury apartment building is an even more apocalyptic class polemic than "Snowpiercer". Throw in exquisitely unsettling turns from Tom Hiddleston and Jeremy Irons, a string quartet cover of Abba's 1975 hit "Sos," an orgy or two and spice with cannibalism, and you have a tour de force of astonishing architectural ambition.

"Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words" (Stig Björkman, Sweden ), Canadian Premiere

Casablanca , Notorious, Voyage to Italy... That Ingrid Bergman, three-time Oscar winner, is one of filmdom's all-time greats is inarguable. Narrated by Swedish (and now Hollywood) star Alicia Vikander, Stig Björkman's intimate exploration of Bergman's personal and professional life benefits immensely from the cooperation of Bergman's daughter Isabella Rossellini, who allowed him access to never-before-seen private footage, notes, letters, diaries and interviews. The result is a rich and multicolored portrait of this extraordinary human being—in her own words.

"Louder Than Bombs" (Joachim Trier, U.S.A/France)

When a war photographer (Isabelle Huppert) dies on assignment, her husband (Gabriel Byrne) struggles to mount a retrospective while dealing with his grieving sons (Jesse Eisenberg, Devin Druid) and her combative colleague (David Strathairn). Joachim Trier ("Oslo, 31st August") poses tough questions about family, marital responsibility and balancing one's calling and kin.

"Room" (Lenny Abrahamson, Ireland, Canada, U.K)

Directed by Lenny Abrahamson and based on the best-selling Man Booker Prize-nominated novel by Irish-Canadian author Emma Donoghue, this is the story of five-year old Jack, who lives in an 11-by-11-foot room with his mother. Since it's all he's ever known, Jack believes that only "Room" and the things it contains (including himself and Ma) are real. Then reality intrudes and Jack's life is turned on its head... A remarkable and disturbing work.

"A Tale of Three Cities" (Mabel Cheung, Hong Kong/China)

A rousingly entertaining movie romance, this historical drama tells the deeply moving story of kung fu superstar Jackie Chan's parents. Both grew up in China's tumultuous 20th century, swept by war, revolution and resistance. When charismatic customs officer Fang (Lau Ching-wan) meets impoverished young widow Chen (Tang Wei), an unbreakable bond is forged. Together, their love endures through extraordinary adventures, as they head towards a future in Hong Kong.

"This Changes Everything" (Avi Lewis, Canada)

Naomi Klein ("Shock Doctrine") has risen to prominence around the world as one of Canada's most forceful and relevant public intellectuals. Her cogent call to direct action has inspired youth, helped chart roadmaps for social progressives and environmentalists, and yet worried those who believe that her critique of capitalism plays into the hands of right wingers who think climate change is a socialist plot. Join us, Naomi Klein and director Avi Lewis for this special presentation of "This Changes Everything."

"Youth" (Paolo Sorrentino, Italy/France/Switzerland/U.K)

Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel and Rachel Weisz anchor Paolo Sorrentino's gorgeous follow-up to The Great Beauty. Fred (Caine), a retired composer, and friend Mick (Keitel), a film director, are sojourning in a stunning Swiss alpine spa. Surrounded by bodies old and young, supple and sagging, they reconsider their pasts–while Sorrentino choreographs the action with exquisite control.

Canadian Images Special Presentations "Hyena Road" (Paul Gross, Canada)

In Paul Gross' film, ripped from the headlines, a sniper, who has never allowed himself to think of his targets as human, becomes implicated in the life of one of them. An intelligence officer, who has never contemplated killing, becomes the engine of a plot to kill. A legendary Mujahideen warrior, who had put war behind him, is now deeply involved. Three different men, three different worlds, three different conflicts, yet all stand at the intersection of modern warfare.

"Remember" (Atom Egoyan, Canada)

Atom Egoyan returns with a completely original take on the darkest chapter of horror in the last century. Christopher Plummer plays a man who's looking for the person who might be responsible for wiping out his family, as he strains to seize the evanescent memories of long-ago brutality. The all-star cast includes Henry Czerny, Martin Landau and Bruno Ganz. Benjamin August's screenplay will keep you guessing until the very end.

Chicago – One of the odd unexplainable quirks of human existence is the shaping, variations and thoughts of our inner being. The physicality in the structure of the grey matter of the brain, with the slightest imperfection, can make the difference in a lifetime of behavior and perspective. Sometimes it can work out, and sometimes different consequences are created or destroyed, like the story of Diane Després in “Mommy.”

Rating: 4.0/5.0

This is an amazing story, based on a true incident, involving the Canadian mental health system. Diane “Die” Després raised a mentally maladjusted son, who was institutionalized with severe hyperactivity disorder, until his ejection from the system forced her to make a decision. At 15, a mother and child reunion takes place, a last ditch attempt to socialize her difficult boy. The story that writer/director Xavier Dolan fashions is about the value of fellow travelers and the freedom of looking at things differently.

CBS is putting John Leguizamo in the driver’s seat.

The Emmy winner has been tapped to star in Taxi-22, a single-camera comedy pilot based on a popular French Canadian series, our sister site Deadline reports.

As the title suggests, Leguizamo will play a New York City cab driver — and a “politically incorrect” one at that.

If this project sounds familiar to you, it’s because the late James Gandolfini had been trying to develop it for years, originally at HBO. At one time, the Sopranos actor was even loosely attached to star in it.

Taxi-22 will be executive-produced by Dennis Erdman,...

Mommy Roadside Attractions Reviewed for Shockya by Harvey Karten. Data-based on Rotten Tomatoes. Grade: B+ Director: Xavier Dolan Screenwriter: Xavier Dolan Cast: Anne Dorval, Suzanne Clement, Antoine Olivier Pilon, Patrick Huard Screened at: Review 1, NYC, 10/22/14 Opens: January 23, 2015 How surprising that Xavier Dolan is not better known here in the States! Born in Montreal in 1989, he directed and acted in his first feature, the semi-autobiographical “I Killed My Mother” (about the contempt that a boy has for his mother in no small part for the bread crumbs that appeared regularly on her lips) when he was only twenty years old. Now at the age of twenty-five [ Read More ]

The post Mommy Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.

A radiant tale of courage, love and friendship, here’s your first look at director Xavier Dolan’s Mommy.

A feisty widowed single mom finds herself burdened with the full-time custody of her unpredictable 15-year-old Adhd son. As they struggle to make ends meet, Kyla, the peculiar new neighbor across the street, offers her help. Together, they find a new sense of balance, and hope is regained.

From the director of I Killed My Mother, Mommy stars Anne Dorval, Antoine-Olivier Pilon, Suzanne Clement, Alexandre Goyette, and Patrick Huard.

So how do Nolan’s two films differ?

“There are several parallel lines to be drawn between my first movie and Mommy. But only on the surface.”

“As far as I’m concerned, from direction to tone, acting style to visuals, those two films are two different planets. One unfolds through the eyes of a whimsical teenager, the other contemplates a mother’s hardships.

Critics and scholars often refer to young, accomplished Québécois filmmaker Xavier Dolan as the “enfant terrible” of French-Canadian cinema. This moniker is likely not because Dolan is breaking the rules and conventions of filmmaking though, because for the most part, he is not. Instead, it could be due to how his stories focus on actual enfant terribles, fussy and privileged kids going through issues of sexuality, identity and self-worth.

Dolan is far from the Godard of modern Québécois cinema, but more akin to Truffaut, full of freewheeling energy and insight and throttled by character rather than concept. Just 25 years old, the director is already making one good or interesting film a year and in 2014, he has just given us his most accomplished feature yet, Cannes favorite Mommy, which features the most terrible enfant in any film from recent memory.

That obnoxious and self-serving but charming teenager, Steve (Antonie-Olivier Pilon), is...

Exclusive: Xavier Dolan’s competition entry has triggered a wave of preemptive business in the run-up to its world premiere on the Croisette.

Deals have closed with Diaphana for France, ABC Cinemien for Benelux and Pictures Dept for Japan.

Séville International vp of international sales Anick Poirier has also licensed the drama to Lev Films (Shani) for Israel, Alambique for Portugal and Kurmaca for Turkey.

A deal is understood to be close in South Korea. “Once people see the film I expect offers to come in,” said Poirier.

Mommy follows a widow living alone with her violent son who sees a glimmer of hope when a mysterious female neighbour establishes herself in the household.

Anne Dorval, Antoine-Olivier Pilon, Suzanne Clément, Alexandre Goyette and Patrick Huard star.

Welcome back to Cannes Check, In Contention's annual preview of the films in Competition at next month's Cannes Film Festival, which kicks off on May 14. Taking on different selections every day, we'll be examining what they're about, who's involved and what their chances are of snagging an award from Jane Campion's jury. Next up, from the youngest director in the lineup: Xavier Dolan's "Mommy." The director: Xavier Dolan (Canadian, 25 years old). "At last" isn't the typical response when a 25-year-old director makes it into the Cannes Competition, but a number of people -- not least Dolan himself -- would say that it's about time. Since winning top honors at Directors' Fortnight, aged just 20, with his semi-autobiographical debut feature "I Killed My Mother," the precocious Québécois child actor turned filmmaker has been on the fast track to the auteur A-list. "Mommy" is his fifth feature, and his fourth to...

CBS‘ single-camera comedy pilot Taxi-22 is being put on hold because of problems casting the lead. The project, which had been shepherded by the late James Gandolfini, is a one-lead show, with the casting of the central character considered crucial to its success. CBS brass liked the script and gave the pilot the best shot possible by giving it an early pickup in mid-January. (Taxi-22 was actually the first CBS pilot to be greenlighted this season aside from the How I Met Your Mother spinoff). In the end, after a slew of offers, the role couldn’t be cast on time for next fall but CBS plans to keep at it, rolling the pilot to the next development cycle. An adaptation of the hit French Canadian single-camera comedy created by and starring top Canadian comedian Patrick Huard, Taxi-22 is about a misanthropic and politically incorrect NYC cab driver in the vein of Archie Bunker.

Another sappy movie about a lovable man-child who finds out he's fathered 533 kids via sperm donations? Oh, but this time it's French

Stop me if you've heard this one before: a feckless yet lovable man-child (José Garcia) finds out he's fathered 533 kids via sperm donations he made 20 years ago. Although he's fighting in court to maintain his anonymity, he can't resist surreptitiously meeting some of the children he sired, thereby discovering hitherto unsuspected wells of paternal feeling. Yes, it's the same sappy-sweet plot as director Ken Scott's 2011 French-Canadian movie Starbuck, which was recently remade (by Scott himself) into Vince Vaughn vehicle Delivery Man, using a story probably inspired by the 2010 documentary Donor Unknown (still the most interesting take on the raw material). The only major difference with Fonzy, which cleaves slavishly to Scott's template, is that it's set in France. Watch all of them back to back and it's...

CBS kicked off its pilot pickup season today with a order to Taxi-22, a single-camera comedy that had been shepherded by the late James Gandolfini. CBS bought the project, with Gandolfini on board to executive produce, in early June, just two weeks before the Emmy-winning actor’s tragic death. Taxi-22, an adaptation of the hit French Canadian single-camera comedy, had been a passion project for Gandolfini, who first developed it at HBO where his Attaboy banner had a deal. The project went through three incarnations at the pay cable network with different writers and Gandolfini loosely attached to play the lead at one point. When the project, about a misanthropic and politically incorrect NYC cab driver in the vein of Archie Bunker, was sold to CBS in June, there was no writer attached, with Gandolfini executive producing alongside Dennis Erdman and Clark Peterson, the original series’ creator/star, top Canadian comedian Patrick Huard,...

Hollywood loves mining other countries and languages for material. This week, one popular Quebecois movie is getting the English-language treatment. With Delivery Man, writer-director Ken Scott has remade his 2011 French-language film Starbuck.

Starbuck’s 40-soemthing slacker played by Patrick Huard gets a Hollywood makeover to become Vince Vaughn inDelivery Man. Vaughn stars as David, a man who has just discovered that he has fathered 533 children thanks to a mix-up at the fertility clinic he donated to twenty years earlier. When 142 of his children file a lawsuit to reveal the identity of their father, David must decide whether he wants to step up and announce that he is the father. Cobie Smulders co-stars as David’s police officer girlfriend and Chris Pratt is along for the ride as his buddy Brett.

There’s been a long line of French films that have been remade in English to varying degrees of success.

Chicago – Has Vince Vaughn peaked?

Since hit films like “Swingers” and “Wedding Crashers,” critical flops like “Couples Retreat” and “The Dilemma” have shown he’s fighting an uphill battle to find redemption. While “Delivery Man” isn’t his re-breakout role, it does show you a lesser-seen side: his drama instead of his comedy.

Rating: 2.0/5.0

The problem is “Delivery Man” is supposed to be funny. Inspired by the 2011 Canadian hit comedy “Starbuck” – in which Patrick Huard plays David Wozniak in the French version of this film – “Delivery Man” fails as a comedy where “Starbuck” succeeds. While you’ll be disappointed if you’re expecting another “Swingers”-like comedy from Vince Vaughn, you’ll be surprised to see his softer, paternal and caregiver side instead of his trademark party manboy.

Read Adam Fendelman’s full review of “Delivery Man”.

“Delivery Man” is rated “PG-13” and “Starbuck” is rated “R,” by the way,...

From the moment Ken Scott’s French-language Starbuck was released in Canadian cinemas in 2011, the consensus was that, given its high-concept nature, a Hollywood remake was inevitable. In turn, Canuck critics and moviegoers alike indulged in fantasy casting concerning who would fill Quebec star Patrick Huard’s schlubby shoes as the hard-luck David Wozniak in this goodnatured yarn about fatherhood and responsibility. Odds are, the name Vince Vaughn didn’t feature on many ballots....

The instant problem when a new remake is released is the inevitable comparisons to the original film. I had never watched Starbuck in its entirety, but knew more than enough about it when it was announced that original co-writer/director Ken Scott would be remaking the French-Canadian film in English. But that begs the question: would it really be necessary to examine the original work before watching the new one, or would it be more appropriate to watch the new film on its own first? In the case of Delivery Man, it may have been better to not watch the original first.

David Wozniak (Vince Vaughn) is a bit of a loser. He delivers meat for his family’s butcher shop, he owes $80,000 to shady characters, and his girlfriend Emma (Cobie Smulders) is pregnant. If that wasn’t bad enough, David finds out that a mix-up with sperm donations he...

The Americanization of Fertility: Scott’s Sterile Remake a Stale Venture

With Delivery Man, which is a remake of his 2011 French Canadian hit, Starbuck, director Ken Scott joins an elite group of filmmakers, such as Michael Haneke and George Sluizer, who have taken on the responsibility of directing English language remakes of their own prolific titles. Though these carbon copies, while even from the same authorial voices, are often subpar when compared to the first film, it often seems a protective and intriguing gesture. But even for those unfamiliar with Scott’s first film, which was just as ridiculous but managed to muster a reasonable amount of hangdog charm to coast by, there’s an unmistakable taste of canned inspiration at the center here, a tired formula that lazily regurgitates itself into the ill-fitting dress of the Hollywood star system.

David Wozniak (Vince Vaughn) is one of those loveable underachievers...

What would motivate any filmmaker to make a film that ends up being a success and then immediately turn around to make that same exact movie again with a different cast? It's always seemed like a very strange move to me, and I had the same questions about Ken Scott remaking his 2011 film "Starbuck" as the upcoming Vince Vaughn movie "Delivery Man." It also seemed like an odd decision to cast Vaughn in the role, as the slacker charisma of Patrick Huard is almost completely different than the manic giant that Vaughn normally plays. I was curious to talk to...

I took a flight out for 1 night from Lexington Kentucky to Los Angeles to cover the red carpet premiere of DreamWorks Pictures' Delivery Man, where we managed to catch up with stars Vince Vaughn, Cobie Smulders, co-writer Martin Petit, producer Andre Roulou, executive producer Scott Mednick and more. Fans were packing in to watch celebs come in for the screening at the El Capitan Theater, which took place on November 3rd, 2013. Delivery Man is a remake of the 2011 film called Starbuck, starring Patrick Huard, and has the original film's co-writers Ken Scott and Martin Petit on board, with Scott directing once again. From the feedback we got, the feel is that both cast and filmmakers are invested emotionally in this project, which is always a good sign, and from the videos we've seen, come November 22nd, 2013, Delivery Man should deliver laughs and heartwarming moments alike.

Foreign films that resonate with their native audiences and then find international acclaim don't always make it to the United States thanks to a belief by domestic distributors that Americans hate subtitles. They're not entirely wrong, but in the case of films like Ken Scott's Starbuck, you really wish they'd at least give the film a chance to find itself an audience before remaking it with an American star, like say, I don't know, Vince Vaughn, and then renaming it, and I'm just spitballing here, Delivery Man. While I wish that was just a random star and movie title snatched from mid-air, it's not. That's the remake of Starbuck that's already completed and set for a November release date. At least it has Ken Scott, the director of the original helming it, but it's hard to imagine the remake finding as perfect a lead in Vaughn as Scott did...

Check out what's new to rent and own this week on the various streaming services such as cable On Demand, Amazon, iTunes, Vudu and Netflix. Cable On Demand: Same-day-as-disc releases, older titles and pretheatrical exclusives for rent, priced from $3-$10, in 24- or 48-hour periods Trance (director Danny Boyle's modern film noir; James McAvoy, Vincent Cassel, Rosario Dawson; rated R) Ginger & Rosa (drama; Elle Fanning, Alice Englert; rated PG-13) Starbuck (comedy; Patrick Huard, Julie LeBreton; rated R) Drinking Buddies (comedy; Olivia Wilde, Anna Kendrick; premieres 7/25 on On Demand before theaters; rated R) Hell Baby (comedy; Leslie Bibb, Rob Corddry; premieres 7/25 on On Demand before theaters; rated R) Scenic Route (thriller; Josh Duhamel, Dan Fogler...

Read More...

What you likely already know is that later this year, Vince Vaughn will star in "Delivery Man," his latest mix of comedy of drama that co-stars Chris Pratt, Cobie Smulders and more. What you might not know is that the movie is a remake, based on the 2011 smash hit Quebecois film "Starbuck." And if you want to see what Vaughn is up against, we've got a treat for you today. But first, let's rewind. The original film starred Patrick Huard in the Vaughn role, as a 42 year old with nothing in way of the responsibility who discovers that a sperm bank screw-up has made him the father of 533 children. He makes the decision to track down the children he's fathered and the result is a movie that packed 'em in theaters up north, with critics also embracing the crowd pleasing hit. Ken Scott directed "Starbuck"—and the remake as well...

Moviefone's Top DVD of the Week

"Ginger & Rosa"

What's It About? Sally Potter's ("Orlando") film follows two inseparable teenage girls, Ginger (Elle Fanning) and Rosa (Alice Englert) during the onset of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1960s London. While Ginger's interests lie in protests and poetry, Rosa's are different, including Ginger's father (Alessandro Nivola).

Why We're In: While Fanning steals the film with a strong and powerful performance, "Ginger & Rosa" also has a largely talented cast including Annette Bening, Oliver Platt, Christina Hendricks, and Timothy Spall. Potter's film is both a moving, coming-of-age story as well as a detailed look at the politics and tension of the era.

Moviefone's Top Blu-ray of the Week

"Pieta"

What's It About? From South Korean filmmaker Kim Ki-duk, ("Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring"), "Pieta" is both a brutal and heartfelt story of an isolated, merciless loan shark who violently threatens his borrowers for payback money.

“Starbuck,” the Canadian comedy that’s garnered fans both in and outside the Great White North, is coming to DVD July 23. The film, written and directed by Ken Scott and starring Patrick Huard, tells the story of a slacker who realizes he’s got hundreds of of children: “David Wozniak (Patrick Huard) may not be the ideal father figure, but his journey to becoming a (re)productive member of society has won over critics and audiences in the heartwarming comedy Starbuck, the original movie that inspired DreamWorks’ upcoming “Delivery Man,” arriving in theaters this November starring Vince Vaughn and Chris Pratt. A 42-year-old lovable but perpetual screw-up, Wozniak finally decides to take [ Read More ]

The post Win a Starbuck DVD Via ShockYa’s Twitter Giveaway appeared first on Shockya.com.

DVD Release Date: July 23, 2013

Price: DVD $24.98

Studio: Entertainment One

Patrick Huard is Starbuck.

The independent comedy film Starbuck is the French-language comedy-drama film that inspired the upcoming DreamWorks movie The Delivery Man starring Vince Vaughn and Chris Pratt and due in theaters this fall.

David Wosniak (Patrick Huard), a 42-year-old lovable but perpetual screw-up, has finally decided to take control of his life when he learns some eye-popping news. Having been a habitual sperm donor in his youth, he discovers that he’s the biological father of 533 children, 142 of whom are trying to force the fertility clinic to reveal the true identity of the prolific donor code-named “Starbuck.” As Wosniak sets out to unearth the identities of his offspring, this man who anyone would describe as incapable of raising a child, learns even more about himself—and some of it is quite remarkable!

A hit in its native France and across Europe,...

Have you ever wondered how you would feed over 500 people for a get-together such as the Fourth of July? Well, if you happen to be in the same predicament as the main character from “Delivery Man,” perhaps you need to take a look at this cool infographic, which has come out just in time for your Fourth of July celebrations. Check it out below the post. “Delivery Man” is the American remake of “Starbuck,” a comedy starring Patrick Huard that took Canada by storm. The remake stars Vince Vaughn in the title role, a man who has realized he has fathered tons of children from his sperm donations, all [ Read More ]

The post Delivery Man Celebrates the Fourth with Trailer and Patriotic Infographic appeared first on Shockya.com.

Exclusive: In an early buy for this coming development cycle, CBS has given a script commitment to Taxi-22, an adaptation of the hit French Canadian single-camera comedy, with James Gandolfini attached to executive produce through his Attaboy Prods. For the past three years, the project was set at HBO where Attaboy has a deal. It went through three incarnations with different writers and Gandolfini loosely attached to play the lead at one point. Search is now underway for a new writer to write the CBS version, which is being produced by CBS TV Studios. There are no plans for Gandolfini to star in the show, which centers on a NYC cab driver who is politically incorrect in the vein of Archie Bunker. Gandolfini is executive producing with his managers Nancy Sanders and Mark Armstrong, Dennis Erdman, Clark Peterson, as well as the original series’ creator/star, top Canadian comedian Patrick Huard,...

Starbuck is a likeable comedy based on the premise that your past can catch up to you in unexpected ways. It tells the story of David Wozniak (Patrick Huard), an immature 42-year-old adolescent with no ambition, a pregnant girlfriend, and a choice collection of vintage American T-Shirts. With $80,000 in gambling debt and a career as a delivery driver for his dad’s meat company, a job he’s not even very good at, David has good reason to believe he might not be the best candidate for fatherhood. The story begins when David is told that all those donations he’d made two decades earlier to his local sperm bank have resulted in 533 live births and now 142 of those offspring have filed class-action to have the man responsible for their existence identified. He’s currently known only by the pseudonym he provided at the clinic: Starbuck. David gets files on...

Too much of anything is not good, except maybe it can be. Starbuck is a lighthearted comedy that explores a fresh take about the serious side of what it means to be a father through the lens of someone totally unprepared not just for one child, but for 143 of them.

David Wozniak (Patrick Huard) is a perpetual screwball who has never managed to make the right choices in life. In his forties, working as a delivery driver for his father's butchery, with thugs shaking him down for $80,000 in unpaid debts, David learns of his girlfriend's pregnancy. At the same time, he is confronted by a lawyer with some surprising news.

The lawyer represents a fertility clinic where, during his twenties, David was the most prolific donor, having made deposits over 600 times. It's explained that he has very high-quality sperm, and the doctor who operated the clinic was a little crazy...

Patrick Huard stars as David Wozniak, a 42-year old lovable but perpetual screw up who finally decides to take control of his life. A habitual sperm donor in his youth, he discovers that he’s the biological father of 533 children, 142 of whom are trying to force the fertility clinic to reveal the true identity of the prolific donor code-named Starbuck.

Produced by André Rouleau, the film also stars Julie Le Breton, as David’s long suffering girlfriend who suddenly finds herself pregnant and understandably reluctant to share parenthood with the unreliable David, and Antoine Bertrand, David’s longtime friend, Paul, an attorney who takes on his case while trying to disabuse him of the joys of parenthood.

The new French comedy Starbuck opens in St. Louis on April 19th at Plaza Frontenac.

Wamg invites you to enter to win a pass (good for 2) to the screening of Starbuck onThursday, April...

The Canadian comedy “Starbuck” is making a big splash in America and not only has the film been highlighted in Entertainment Weekly’s “Must List,” but the film’s screening list is expanding! Visit the official site to find out if “Starbuck” is coming to a theater near you! “Starbuck” stars Patrick Huard as a man who realizes the offspring of his sperm donations are looking for him: “Patrick Huard stars as David Wozniak, a 42-year old lovable but perpetual screw up who finally decides to take control of his life. A habitual sperm donor in his youth, he discovers that he’s the biological father of 533 children, 142 of whom are [ Read More ]

The post Starbuck Highlighted On Entertainment Weekly appeared first on Shockya.com.

It’s been a solid year for the independent comedy. Where the sub-genre used to just get by on its quirkiness and mimic a style often overrated by Wes Anderson, this new batch seems to get that just being generally simple will be enough. Case in point: Starbuck. Ken Scott and Martin Petit have scripted a fun, well-crafted comedy, with Scott’s directing being focused more on storytelling rather than how many quirks can they fit into their picture. The film is headlined by Patrick Huard, who gives an absolutely great performance as David Wozniak, a man who has fathered 533 children. Huard plays David reserved, not indulging overly comedic and comes [ Read More ]

The post Exclusive Interview: Ken Scott and Patrick Huard Talk Starbuck appeared first on Shockya.com.