July 1st is Canada Day, a day when we can come together as a country to celebrate our national pride, drink some beer, bbq some food and shoot fireworks into the sky.
But let this also be a day when we celebrate the Canadian Film industry with both films made IN Canada and ABOUT Canada.
So, films made in Canada, I've been down this road before. We DO have a film industry with talent to spare. We've made some really good films, and some bad.
MEN WITH BROOMS, starring Paul Gross was both made here and about here, specifically curling. Not a great topic, not one most people would go to see at the movies, but very Canadian. It did okay at the box office, I would say mostly due to Paul Gross being in it as well as Canadian legend Leslie Neilson. Both actors were household names at the time, at least for enough people to get this movie made. I've seen the film, it's okay, but it's about curling and that bores me. It was a comedy, which at least it had that going for it.
Paul Gross made another film, a comedy/western called GUNLESS, but it did less well at theaters, but at least it made it to the Cineplex. It was a commercial film that did okay and the only really notable face in it was Gross, but by that time I think his cache was fading a bit.
Other Canadian made films worth noting are EASTERN PROMISES, VIDEODROME and SCANNERS, which all have their fans, but release was limited originally. They do better on the home and streaming markets, most especially the horror/sci fi ones.
Now I won't digress on more Canadian made films, as I have done so in the past but you can Google them and find out more about our homegrown product.
Then there are films made about Canada and two of note come to mind; STRANGE BREW about Canadian beer and CANADIAN BACON about America invading Canada.
Both are comedies, one silly and the other dark. Both have merit and are a lot of fun, most especially CANADIAN BACON. One of the few fiction films by Michael Moore and truthfully a scathing satire about Canada/America relations, which in light of the current political climate seems apt. If you haven't seen it, do it. You won't regret it.
Lastly, let me discuss Canadian talent in Hollywood. Many have gone there, knowing that if they want both fame and fortune, they have to go Hollywood. James Cameron had his father move there because he knew he would never have the career he wanted in Canada.
Actors abound; Jim Carrey, Michael J. Fox, Evangeline Lilly, Pamela Anderson, Ryan Reynolds, Brendan Fraser (though he was actually born in Indianapolis to Canadian parents and raised partially in Canada, most notably attending Upper Canada College - we still claim him as ours) and of course, the ubiquitous William Shatner (Shatner for Governer General). But these are just a few of our notable names that now grace American films and they rarely come home to work, unless it's on a movie shoot that happens to film in Canada.
These fine and talented folks have certainly made a name for themselves. I am proud they are from my home country, sad that they had to leave to achieve their dreams, even sadder that they do nothing to help the industry in their country of origin.
But, this isn't about "complaining" or finding fault. This post is about being proud of a country with so much talent that the world needs us as much as we need the world.
So, please, Google search for Canadian films, watch them and tell all your friends, family, co-workers, strangers at the coffee shop, everyone you come across. Tell them we have our own industry and IT'S AWESOME!
Thanks for listening.
HAPPY CANADA DAY (and Happy 4th of July to my American family, friends and followers!)