Darkstar Pictures just released the official poster and trailer for their film ‘Jumbo’, which premiered at Sundance in 2020. Jeanne, a shy young girl, works the graveyard shift as a cleaner at an amusement park and lives at home with her mother. Jeanne enjoys tinkering around with wires, light bulbs and spare parts, while creating miniature versions of theme park rides. During her late-night shift, Jeanne begins spending intimate time with the new Tilt-A-Whirl ride that she decides to call Jumbo.
‘Jumbo’ Trailer
The concept is really interesting and it will explore relationships in different ways. Writer-director Zoé Wittock stumbled upon an article describing the story of Olympic gold winner in archery, Erika Labrie, who got married to the Eiffel Tower in 2004. There is a condition called, “Objectum sexual” that is what she apparently suffered from.
‘Jumbo’ Production Stills
“Jumbo” explores the unknown. Theme park rides are tied to childhood, so Whittock takes that innocence and decides to challenge it. It highlights female identity and sexuality through a coming of age story. ‘Jumbo’ will be opening in virtual cinemas on February 19th and releasing on VOD/DVD March 16th.
After So Many Daysis a documentary that will take you on tour, with a newly married singer/songwriter duo, Jim Hanft and Samantha Yonack. They decided to embark on a tour, to play one show a day, every day, for a year. It is a concept that not many people have even come close to attempting, but they wanted to see how everything would play out. Jim and Samantha’s love of music, their creativity and determination sent them on a journey that changed them forever.
The film has been an official selection at more than 30 film festivals worldwide and has just been released today, along with a companion album “Songs from After So Many Days”. It is incredibly candid, as they film each other and their experiences, travelling to different cities and performing for everyone. Samantha felt really grateful for this experience and how interacting with their audience has been affected by the pandemic, “At a time where we can’t tour and we can’t physically be there in front of people, we’re hoping that this film can do that in place of us doing that. So it’s kind of touring for us at the moment which is nice.” The film festival circuit has been incredibly rewarding for both Jim and Samantha, they truly appreciated sharing their music and their journey with the world.
Photo Courtesy of Gravitas Ventures
Jim and Samantha travelled to 14 different countries. There were so many beautiful moments and it was lovely to see the reception to their music on a global scale. One moment that popped into Jim’s head, was when they performed at a memory care facility. “We went in there and we learned a couple of songs, some old timey songs, to kind of bring some of that musical spirit in there.” It has been said that people who suffer from Alzheimer’s are able to piece some memories together through music because a memory can be tied to a song, which at some point in their lives evoked an emotion. “Seeing some people who were kind of suffering, hearing the music, light up and start to dance, that was really moving.” Something as simple as playing a song, triggers a memory, and that is what makes music so incredible.
Photo Courtesy of Gravitas Ventures
The beauty of this documentary is that it is a 2-in-1 tour for the audience. Not only do you have a front row seat to their show but the behind the scenes of their day-to-day process. An entire year of travelling, performing and meeting new people, is definitely exciting but it can also be exhausting. It is such a well rounded piece. You really get to know Jim and Samantha so well. Their personalities fill the screen and their passion for their craft is truly inspiring.
After So Many Days is a wonderful documentary because it takes the viewer into a space where creativity and art is a necessity. This film speaks to creative minds and the hearts of determined individuals who want to pursue their dream. Jim and Samantha’s journey will uplift anyone who has been struggling with their process. The power of music demands to be felt in this documentary and it’s a great feeling.
Jack Settipane is an actor and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. He has been acting since the age of 4 and has been producing many short films, as well as writing his own. Jack made his first short film at the age of 11 and is constantly looking for new people to work with. He has a large following on Instagram and is very influential on social media platforms.
Settipane is currently on the festival circuit with his short film Tick, which has won a couple of awards this season. Jack shot the film completely by himself and he had control over every take, “It was really unique to not have anyone else on set. There was no pressure, no rush, which allowed me to have complete creative control.” Settipane read a script based on Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart”, reworked it, modernized it and changed the ending for the concept of Tick.
Settipane also got involved working on the film Last Call starring John Malkovich and directed by Steven Bernstein. The film had struggled to find its footing and it did not get finished until 6 years after it was shot. “I shared some out of the box approaches with Steven, which led to him asking me to take the helm as producer. I worked day and night for a year to find solutions the many financial and legal predicaments the film was in and to also find a distributor” Last Call should be released in 2021.
Social media seems to play such a huge part in everyone’s lives and Settipane utilizes his wide reach on each platform to find unique influencers that are also filmmakers. He has worked with many influencers internationally in order to create some wonderful short films. “It’s rare to find people who blew up in social media but are really down to Earth people and are phenomenal human beings. Gilbert Sosa, Tavo Betancourt, and Nashua Aguilar stand out as those rare individuals.”Settipane believes that networking through human interaction is much easier than networking over social media.
When asked about his upcoming projects, Settipane is currently working with a 16 year old, named Felix Lavelle from Australia. “He made a short film that we ended up picking up and weare aiming to take it through the festival circuit.” Settipane also has a couple of pilots in the works and is ramping up his acting resume. His first love was acting and he would love to get back into it.
This morning I woke up to find out, that I was nominated by Film: Uncharted EIF for a Liebster Award. I am truly grateful for the time you have taken to read my reviews and am honoured by the nomination!
Without further ado, the official rules of the competition are as follows:
Thank the nominator in your award post.
Place the award logo somewhere on your blog.
You must state up to 11 facts about yourself.
Complete the questions that your nominator provided.
Nominate as many bloggers as you’d like (11 is the maximum).
Ask your nominees a series of questions (11 is the maximum).
Facts
I consider myself a full Italian, even though I was born and raised in Canada.
I was a musical theatre junkie growing up and I even starred in stage plays.
I went to a Regional Arts Program in high school for Theatre.
I have been to Las Vegas and New York over 4 times now.
I am an only child.
I am an arachnophobe.
The Aviator (2004) was the very first film that made me fall in love with everything that goes into making a film.
I have attended TIFF for the past seven years and each year is better than the last.
My favourite dish to make is Risotto, love mixing it up a bit.
I fractured my nose when I was 4 and now it’s crooked but you can’t really tell, only I can, which is somehow worse.
Michael Jackson’s Thriller music video still haunts me until this day.
Questions:
1. If you could have dinner with anyone from history, who would it be?
I would love to have dinner with Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin because they represent two, very different eras, in the industry and I would love to find out how they coped with the politics during their given period.
2. What would be on the gag reel of your life?
I have fallen way too many times. I think falling of a skateboard or a bike would most definitely be on there. I also think falling from the top bunk bed while playing hide and seek would also be on there for a gag reel.
3. Which fictional character would be the most boring to meet in real life?
I think Harry Potter would be boring in real life. I mean, without all the Voldermort drama, he really is just a dude who does magic and he can’t do magic in front of muggles (assuming I am one), so really, is he all that he’s cracked up to be?
4. If you could read minds, whose would you want to read?
I would love to read Martin Scorsese’s mind. He’s a walking encyclopedia of film knowledge and I think it would be fun to hear his actual thoughts while watching other movies.
5. What problem or situation did TV / movies make you think would be common, but when you grew up you found out it wasn’t?
I think house parties were the biggest myth, I was so disappointed when I got to high school, to find out that it’s mainly just sitting around and talking. It’s actually more awkward than anything they painted it out to be.
6. Do you judge a book by its cover?
I think everyone does at first but then they do attempt to get to know others and that’s what changes their perception of them. Rumours and gossip also tends to ruin the perception as well. I personally don’t, I like to look at things on my own terms and try to assess things from the inside out.
7. What wastes the most time in your day to day life?
Twitter, I’m looking at you.
8. What’s the one food you could never bring yourself to eat?
I have stayed away from horseradish my whole life because I hate the smell.
9. If your life as a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?
Vanessa Carlton – A Thousand Miles
Thunderstruck – AC/DC
Independent Women Part. 1 – Destiny’s Child
Love Shack – The B-52s
Giulia – DJ Lhasa
Gloria – Laura Branigan
Pour Some Sugar On Me – Def Leppard
10. What terrible movie do you love?
Since Adam Sandler is universally hated for some reason, I’m going to go with Billy Madison (1995), that movie is a classic and I love it so much.
11. If you had to live in a different country, what would it be?
After nearly a decade, since Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was released in 2003, there has been confirmation from Disney that there will be, not one reboot, but TWO reboots, of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. One is a stand-alone film in the Pirates franchise and it is not considered a sequel, reboot or spin-off. Margot Robbie is set to star and Birds of Prey screenwriter Christina Hodson, is set to write the screenplay. The other film, is in fact, a spin-off, which was rumoured as a Disney+ series. It has a $100 million budget and is headed by Chernobyl creator, Craig Mazin and Ted Elliot (who wrote for the previous Pirate franchise), in order to take it in a fresh direction.
Here is the thing, Pirates of the Caribbean is one of the most solid, live action, Disney adventure films, that they have in their library. The women in the franchise, have always elevated the story, especially Pirate King Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley). The others that come to mind, are Anamaria (Zoe Saldana), Tia Dalma or Calypso (Naomie Harris), Angelica (Penélope Cruz) and Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario). They have all made their mark on screen, there have been women at the forefront, in each of the Pirates films, so to make two spin-offs, that are female led, discredits the work these women put into their roles.
Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann
Zoe Saldana as Anamaria
Naomi Harris as Tia Dalma/Calypso
Penélope Cruz as Angelica
Kaya Scodelario as Carina Smyth
It is a franchise that cannot function without Captain Jack Sparrow, Elizabeth Swann or Will Turner and I will stand by that. After having a marathon of the five films myself. I can honestly say, that whatever Disney attempts to do with these female led reboots, they will never come close to what they had almost 20 years ago. The way Disney makes their films now, is completely different than how they made them 20 years ago and that’s not necessarily a good thing. Their storytelling has changed and it seems that they cannot create a darker atmosphere for their films anymore. It is always light hearted fun and the characterizations are at surface value.
While watching The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), I felt an instant wave of nostalgia and I was surprised, that I watched this as a young child because the film is scary. It has this dark, eerie, ghost story feel to it, from the very beginning. Verbinski managed to hook you within the very first scene and make you want to learn all about Pirate mythology. The story is pretty haunting for a young child to watch, as the curse makes Pirates, who are aboard the Black Pearl, change into skeletons when there is a full moon. The special effects were so well done, it still blows my mind to this day, that everything was smoothly rendered. It was not a film for young children, whatsoever, but it is still in the Disney library.
Courtesy of Disney, (left) Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom
Dead Man’s Chest (2006) is my favourite out of the entire saga. It takes all we have learned from the first instalment and amplified it by 100. The action sequences, side deals and manipulation, made a great impression on so many people. The CGI for Davy Jones was exceptional and Bill Nighy gave a solid performance. Jones and his whole crew, were horrific sea creatures and it was so well done. Each movement that was rendered, felt so lifelike and authentic, that it still gives me nightmares. The battles between ships were also elevated and the design for ‘The Flying Dutchman’ was perfect. Not only was this a perfect sequel, but it had one of the best cliffhangers of the decade.
Courtesy of Disney, (left) David Bailie, Mackenzie Crook, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley
It bumped the stakes going into the third instalment At World’s End (2007) and kept us waiting for an entire year. The score is probably Hans Zimmer’s best Pirate score to date because of the heart thumping undertones, that he used throughout for Davy Jones’ theme. It was really effective and it did not overpower the classic Pirates theme. Heading into the third one, Captain Jack Sparrow is in the depths of Davy Jones’ locker. While Will, Elizabeth and the rest of the crew head to Tia Dalma’s, to find out Commodore Barbossa is still alive. Everyone wants to save Jack and bring him back, but they need to travel to the ends of the world to go save him.
Courtesy of Disney, (left) Geoffrey Rush, Keira Knightley, Johnny Depp
At World’s End is such an exciting final instalment to the trilogy because it explores all the Pirate Lords, who hold one of the nine pieces. The Pirate mythology is so well thought out and presented in Singapore. Everyone is pretty much a Pirate in this film, including former Commodore James Norrington. Lord Cutler Beckett also became a fantastic villain with the East India Trading Company because he wanted to abolish piracy forever. We are also introduced to the Brethren Court in Singapore with Captain Sao Feng (Chow Yun Fat), who is the Pirate Lord of the South China Sea. There were so many big players and moving pieces in this, which made for one of the most exhilarating third acts for a third instalment.
Gore Verbinski’s trilogy was so well written because they had a clear plan from the start. You could see the foreshadowing and where the story was going to go after each film. That is how you set up a trilogy. There was always anticipation for the next film because of how invested you became in these characters. The most impressive character arc, in this whole trilogy is Elizabeth Swann’s, she broke free from her role as Governor’s daughter, learned how to deal with pirates and the high seas, leading her to eventually become a Pirate Lord! Talk about amazing character development. If you really look at this trilogy, the focus may have been on Captain Jack Sparrow, but the underdog in all this, that truly stole the spotlight was Elizabeth Swann because you do grow to love her.
Courtesy of Disney, (front) Keira Knightley
The trilogy is perfect on it’s own. So when Disney pressed for a fourth instalment with On Stranger Tides (2011), nearly five years later, directed by Rob Marshall, it felt like it was an afterthought. At the end of the third one, they did allude to the fountain of youth and that Captain Jack wanted to travel there. They did leave it open ended but the only flaw in this film, was that Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann did not return with Jack. Instead we are introduced to Angelica (Penélope Cruz), who felt like a mirror of Jack, which was very fun to play with. It was also a Blow (2001) reunion for Cruz and Depp.
Courtesy of Disney, (left) Johnny Depp and Penélope Cruz
In this journey, Captain Jack Sparrow loses his first mate Gibbs and has a run in with King George the Second, who insists that he should guide him on an expedition to the fountain of youth. We then see that Commodore Barbossa has joined the British navy and will join Jack. His old flame Angelica, has been impersonating him this whole time and Jack finds out that she is the daughter, of the infamous Captain Blackbeard (Ian McShane) who uses voodoo magic and wields the ‘Mythical Sword of Triton’ to control his ship, the ‘Queen Anne’s Revenge’.
It was a fun movie and they did want to see, if they could make a side journey, without Will and Elizabeth but it just seemed empty without them. It is always great to explore different characters like Syrena (Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey), who was the first mermaid that we had seen in the franchise and to see various Pirates from mythology. It wasn’t the strongest Pirates film but we did get to know Jack a bit more, even though the writing for him in this one was weaker than the previous instalments.
The final and fifth instalment in the Pirates trilogy, was Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017), directed by Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, which takes place six years after the fourth film. Will and Elizabeth return to save the franchise. It is now thirteen years after At World’s End and their son, Henry Turner is now aboard ‘The Flying Dutchman’ with his father. Apparently he knows of a way, to break the curse, that binds his father to the ship and needs to seek out Captain Jack Sparrow for help. In order to help his father, he needs the ‘Trident of Poseidon’ and ventures to ‘The Devil’s Triangle’.
Courtesy of Disney, (left) Kaya Scodelario, Johnny Depp and Brenton Thwaites
All the big players come back and we are introduced to yet, another Pirate, Captain Armando Salazar (Javier Bardem), who is the undead Captain of the ‘Silent Mary’. Henry somehow joins the British Navy, in order to find the Devil’s Triangle and runs into Salazar. He then has a message for Jack Sparrow, that he is, in fact, going after him. Carina is on trial for being a witch, but is simply a young astronomer and horologist, who makes a quick escape and runs into Jack. It is a bit convoluted but the one thing the Pirates franchise does well, is develop their characters enough to make you like them.
Loose ends are definitely tied up, as the Turner family is reunited, Barbossa finds his long lost daughter and Jack is reunited with his crew, his ship and his love for adventure on the high seas. It was possibly the only way to end this franchise on a high note, while still leaving a little bit of mystery in the post credit scene, with the connection that Davy Jones and Will Turner share.
Courtesy of Disney, (left) Orlando Bloom and Lewis McGowan
The Pirates franchise as a whole, is a fantastic adventure franchise, when you see how they handle their characters. The original trilogy is done so well, that it definitely can make you forget the final two instalments. It is such a great franchise and I think a reboot, spin-off or even a sequel is not the greatest idea because the momentum is gone. It will always be treasured and I think developing new, original, adventure films with women at the forefront is the better way to go. We all know that everyone will be comparing these reboots to its predecessor and that’s harmful for female led films.
Disney has changed drastically and has only been focusing on remaking the films they already have in their library. Yes, you can perceive it as making content for a new generation but I was raised on their older classics and I loved them just as much. Like many other films that shouldn’t be touched, this is one of them because I personally think it is too soon to flip this script and not have the original cast present because they are the ones that made it iconic. I highly recommend giving these films a rewatch because they do hold up years later.
Courtesy of Disney, Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow
Candid Cinema 