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Showing posts with the label Stephen McHattie

Review: Dreamland (2020)

No one in Canada makes movies quite like Bruce McDonald. He dabbles in genre fare, but puts his own unique spin on it. Why? As he said in our interview: the stories have been told, so why not tell them a little differently? That's my Cliff's Notes version of what he said, by the way. His latest, Dreamland, is very much an art film disguised as a crime movie. It's got gangsters and hitmen, a morally ambiguous hero who tries to do the right thing, human trafficking... all the makings of a gritty crime tale. But it also has vampires, takes place in a magical... ish... kingdom, and doesn't make a lot of sense outside the context of the story being told. Oh, and two of the characters look alike, which is a key component to how the story unfolds. Dreamland is a perfect title for this movie. The whole thing looks, feels and works according to a dream structure. Like I said; it makes perfect sense while watching it. View it as linear, traditional feature film and it d...

The Bruce McDonald interview and Dreamland

Did you hear our interview with Canadian director Bruce McDonald on the mighty Radio NL 610 AM Kamloops last night? You did? Good! But guess what? We've got even more of that conversation for you on this, the latest podcast From The Basement! That's right, we've got almost 15 minutes of Jason's conversation with Bruce, where he discusses his latest movie, Dreamland, working with the likes of Stephen McHattie, Henry Rollins and Juliette Lewis, and how he likes to bend genres to his own unique form of storytelling. There's also discussions on dreams, vampires, his career, and Jazz. How does all that fit together? Stick with us! And stay tuned, as Jason and Shawn put Dreamland on the chopping block, and determine if this trippy thriller is worth your VOD dollar when it hits June 5. The Basement Boys also discuss what they're watching to pass the social-distancing time, so your viewing choices are easier. It's a damn fine half hour of entertainment y...

Bruce McDonald takes us to Dreamland

It's a special night for From The Basement, as Jason and Shawn welcome Canadian filmmaking legend Bruce McDonald to the show when they take to the Radio NL 610 AM airwaves at 6:05 tonight. McDonald has made classics like Roadkill, Highway 61, Hard Core Logo and Pontypool. Now he's ready to unleash his latest flick, Dreamland, on audiences. And he's going to talk all about it, and working with the likes of Henry Rollins and Juliette Lewis, this evening. Then Jason and Shawn put Dreamland on the chopping block, and weigh in on a movie that isn't their usual pint of ale. What do The Basement Boys think? Stick with us! And stick around, as The Basement Boys suggest other streaming options to keep yourself entertained while the world slowly returns to some kind of normal... if normal really is such a thing. You can hear it all after the six o'clock news via the 610 AM dial and the player to your right.

Hard Core Logo, Pontypool director Bruce McDonald turns The Basement into a Dreamland

I'm gonna come right out and say it, when it comes to Canadian film, director Bruce McDonald is a legend. He's worked in movies and TV for almost 40 years, and crafted such classics as Roadkill, Highway 61, Hard Core Logo and Pontypool. He works within genre films, while subverting our expectations of them. And he has something to say, in an entertaining way. Bruce is about to unleash his latest feature, Dreamland, on audiences, and he and I had a great chat about that movie, filmmaking, Jazz music, vampires and many other things. That's right, Bruce McDonald is in The Basement, folks, and Shawn and I couldn't be more excited. You'll hear my conversation with Bruce NEXT FRIDAY, May 29, only on Radio NL 610 AM Kamloops. And we'll have a review of Dreamland -- which stars Stephen McHattie, Henry Rollins and Juliette Lewis -- in time for the movie's release on Digital and On Demand June 5. Stick with us!

Henry Rollins and Juliette Lewis enter Bruce McDonald's Dreamland

Hard Core Logo and Pontypool are two of the best Canadian movies ever made. That's a fact! So we in The Basement are stoked to share with you the trailer for director Bruce McDonald's latest. Dreamland stars Henry Rollins, Juliette Lewis and acting icon Stephen McHattie in a trippy tale of a grotesque crime boss who hires a hitman to bring him the finger of a fading, drug-addicted jazz musician. This has to be seen to be believed, so check out the trailer now: We'll be reviewing this one in time for its June 5 Digital and DVD release, and have McDonald lined up for an interview as well. Can't wait to see it! What say you, Basement Dwellers? Source: Uncork'd Entertainment

Jason versus Haunter

Everybody likes a good ghost story, right? Well, how about a story where pretty much everyone is a ghost? That's the premise behind Cube and Splice director Vincenzo Natali 's Haunter . Original, yes. Any good? Stick with me. The ghost of a teenager who died years ago reaches out to the land of the living in order to save someone from suffering her same fate.