“I just got a puppy this past weekend. It is a Bernese Mountain Dog/Black Lab mix, from it’s paws I can tell it’s going to be big; at least that’s what I thought before I saw the sheer magnitude of the dog being given the limelight this weekend at The Civic. ‘Clifford the Big Red Dog’ is huuuuge. And although the critics on Rotten Tomatoes don’t agree, the audience score of 94% begs to differ. Clifford’s heart is proportionate to his size. If those cold cynical critics can’t see it, let them discuss Kant or Hegel while the rest of us go adventuring with Emily Elisabeth, her fun and impulsive uncle, and Clifford through the Big Apple.
On the flip side, the critically lauded ‘Spencer’ follows Kirsten Stewart as Princess Di well into the long-since-grown-cold marriage to Prince Charles.Though rumours of affairs and a divorce abound, peace is ordained for the Christmas festivities at the Queen’s Sandringham Estate. There’s eating and drinking, shooting and hunting. Diana knows the game. But this year, things will be profoundly different. ‘Spencer’ is an imagining of what might have happened during those few fateful days. Directed by Pablo Larraín, director of the resurrected Civic Theatre’s first Thursday night film on the new digital system, ‘No’ in 2012 and more recently, the biographic drama about another tragic female ‘royal’ figure, ‘Jackie’, in 2016 (also shown at The Civic). I am most intrigued to watch the unique internal nature of Kirsten’s acting style applied to Princess Di. Check it out with me on Sat, Sun or Tues.
Supported in part by archives of Nelson’s Sports Museum/Touchstones, ‘Trophy Town’, a documentary narrated by Ray Ferraro, is the untold epic story of the Trail Smoke Eaters, a rag-tag team of amateurs who went on to defeat the world’s most daunting adversaries on the biggest stage against the greatest odds! This classic David and Goliath story is set in the remote, mountainous, mining community of Trail, BC. The Smoke Eaters, a team in the rough and tumble Western Hockey League, win the opportunity to play for Canada in the World Hockey Championships – not once, but twice!! And on both occasions, the team faced off with dangerous opponents, in 1938 against the Germans in Berlin before the start of the second World War, and 23 years later against the Soviet Union, during the darkest days of the Cold War, when the world was on the edge of nuclear apocalypse. Along the way they made headlines, dazzling the Europeans with their mix of athletic prowess and swagger, winning international respect and fans by the thousands who packed rinks to behold the star power of these exotic Canadians. ‘Trophy Town’ plays on Weds. Dec 1st and again as a 4pm matinee on Thurs. Dec 2nd.
People so loved ‘Hosla Rahk’ that South Asian Film Club is back for a second Punjabi film a week and a half later. Last time the story was set in Vancouver, this time out with ‘Paani Ch Madhaani’ we head to London, England not Ontario. The story is about a flop singer Gulli and his group who focus on shortcuts (jugaad) for gaining success. Only one of their new members, Sohnim, outshines the group. In frustration, the group finally buys a lottery ticket and to their luck they actually win it but unfortunately they lose the ticket. They all start searching the streets of London for the missing lottery ticket, finally to learn the lesson that hard work pays and the easy shortcuts “jugaad” do not.
As for dinner pairings for the week’s offerings may I suggest, kibble, Yorkshire pudding, a spaghetti feast from The Colander and a nice biryani.
After your meal, I’ll see you at The Civic.”- Jason Asbell, Programming Director
