Onscreen adventures
This past year, I followed a honey gatherer up Macedonian hills, watched a recording session with a legendary jazz singer, witnessed the political turmoil within Denmark’s parliament, and traveled throughout Canada to the strains of Handel’s music. All these adventures happened while I lounged on the living room sofa. A favorite pastime for my husband…
‘Cool, clean, compelling’ film festival moves online for 11th iteration
It may have Manitoba’s capital in its name, but anyone anywhere will be able to attend this year’s Winnipeg Real to Reel Film Festival as it moves online for 2021. The 11th annual festival, which bills itself as cool, clean and compelling, takes place Sunday, Feb. 14 to Sunday, Feb. 28. It will feature more…
The allure of horror films
Halloween is a few weeks away, and I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to watch some horror movies to get into the spirit. I just stopped and re-read that first sentence and I can’t help feeling like a deviant. This is Canadian Mennonite after all, a magazine in which you’re more likely…
The movies that have shaped us
The coronavirus pandemic has shut down concert venues and sports stadiums. Even movie theatres have locked their doors. Over the past several months, many people have found themselves stuck at home with more free time and a new Netflix subscription. Six Mennonites talk about the films that have been formative in their lives: Mackenzie Nicolle…
Watch: Quarantine viewing ideas
Looking for a movie to watch? Sue Sorensen has some suggestions for you. Sorensen, an English professor at Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg, is featured in a series of five short videos CMU posted to its YouTube channel earlier this month. Each video features a film that Sorensen recommends watching, particularly in light of the…
My favourite films of 2019
For various reasons, I watched fewer films in 2019 than in any of the previous five years. In general, the films listed below are not as strong as films on previous lists. In the end, though, there were enough good films to make a Top 15 list. Here’s my list, counting down—with a reminder that…
The power of film
“Watching great films is a very spiritual experience for me,” says Paul Plett. “It hits a tuning fork in [my] heart and my whole soul reverberates.” The 30-year-old, who attends Home Street Mennonite Church in Winnipeg, is not only an avid film watcher but makes films himself. He recently completed work on Northern Folk, a…
