In a perfect convergence of timing, content, purpose, and sponsorship support, Reel Alternatives Huntsville is celebrating National Canadian Film Day AND relaunching their film studies scholarship program with the screening of the acclaimed Canadian film, I Like Movies, on April 17th at the Algonquin Theatre.
Written and directed by Chandler Levack, a Toronto-based filmmaker who hails from Burlington, Ontario, I Like Movies tells the story of a high school student in the early 2000s who is obsessed with becoming a filmmaker. This semi-autobiographical film, which transports us to the days of video stores and one youth’s burgeoning cinephilia, is the perfect screening to use as a platform to relaunch Reel Alternatives’ scholarship program which supports local students interested in film and other related studies, as well as budding directors and cinematographers in Huntsville and Lake of Bays.
To this end, Huntsville High School students are being invited to attend the screening of I Like Movies at half price ($5). Students will be able to take advantage of this offer with a special code when booking online on the Algonquin Theatre site.
“I Like Movies is a film that everyone will enjoy and relate to regardless of age, but it’s one we think will resonate with students who are at that point in their lives where they’re anxious to pursue their dreams and figure out what their life’s path forward is, whatever that may be,” says Dan Watson, president of the non-profit film group. “Plus it’s very funny as well as heartfelt and thought-provoking.”
And who better to sponsor this film about a budding filmmaker than long-time Huntsville resident, Oliver Ward, a well know local filmmaker and videographer who runs @oliwoodfilms and has documented his travels all over the world.
“Living in Huntsville, where the beauty of nature meets the art of filmmaking, is a dream come true for me and any filmmaker seeking inspiration and creativity,” says Ward. I’m looking forward to the stories that will be created from the next generation of filmmakers.”
Opening with an easy contender for most hilariously (intentionally) inept parody of A Christmas Carol ever made, I Like Movies is a smart, humourous, and ornery exploration of adolescent trauma and early onset cinephilia. Socially awkward 17-year-old Lawrence Kweller, played by Isaiah Lehtinen, is self-absorbed and movie-obsessed. Fully convinced he can earn thousands of dollars to achieve his dream of attending film school at NYU, he gets a part-time job at a video store. There, the older store manager takes him under her wing. Meanwhile, Lawrence sabotages every high school relationship he has with his narcissistic film snobbery. Faced with the impending reality of university life, Lawrence must change his ways.
Levack and her collaborators have created a touching and very recognizable world driven by empathy. As infuriating as Lawrence can be, the film sticks with him as he bounces from one small but impactful disaster to the next. We find ourselves rooting for him — not to realize his fantasies, but to engage with his reality. I Like Movies is also blessed with an excellent cast, led by Lehtinen, Percy Hynes White as Lawrence’s longtime buddy, Romina D’Ugo as Lawrence’s video store boss, and the ever-versatile Krista Bridges as Lawrence’s resilient mother.
To learn more about the film and Reel Alternatives’ scholarship opportunities or to book tickets, visit reelalternativeshuntsville.ca.
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