“…Let me root, root, root for The Blue Jays, if they don’t win it’s a shame”

Tried something a little different after five shows. It was such a lovely day here in Toronto that staying cooped up in a diner wouldn’t do. So we put on our caps and jerseys, and headed on down to the Toronto Blue Jays game to record our show during batting practice. I can’t say that I’m going to make a habit of it or anything, but it was certainly a fun experiment.

I want to put up a bit of an apology in advance, because I realize in hindsight that this discussion was less about me asking questions of my guests and more me just making points and having them agree or disagree. Sorry about that, next time I’ll map things out a bit more carefully.

My guests this week are two dear friends that make my work days that much more endurable. As it happens, they themselves are also accomplished podcasters who host The Mind Reels – a show that brings in some badass guests! So when you’re done here, be sure to go over to their site and give a few of their shows a listen.

To recap the concept of this offshoot – expect to see these episodes turning up once a month. My intention is for them to be a bit more raw (there are almost no cuts in this conversation), a bit shorter, with no rules, and less of a pecking order on who sits down at the table.

Enjoy!

I’ll readily admit that in some respects our conversation about the blockbuster of 2012 (so far) might feel like a day late, what with the film already playing for ten days in North America. Hopefully though, you aren’t Avenger’d out just yet. If so, I’m sorry to add to the white noise – most of the rest of this summer’s shows should happen in a more timely fashion.

I hope y’all got your fill of nourishment during the three Hot Docs episodes, because it’s nothing but calorie laden popcorn from now until September.

Here’s what’s in store in episode fifty-eight…

Runtime

Up for Discussion

1. Introduction

More behind the scenes info on this episode can be found on Twitter by searching out #matm58

You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS

Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening.

Enjoy!

I’m really going to miss talking with directors, producers, and stars about the films they make…think I can arrange something with Joss Whedon for Matineecast 58? In wrapping up the audio component of my Hot Docs coverage, I sat down with the team behind a film that really stood out for me. It dared to do things a little bit differently, and tell a slightly familiar story in an unfamiliar way.

Here’s a glimpse at what they have done…

You might be able to hear some weariness in my voice with this discussion being recorded on the final day.

Here’s what’s in store in part three…

Runtime

Up for Discussion

My WAITING ROOM discussion with director Pete Nicks and producer Bill Hirsch.

If you’re interested in getting a look at THE WAITING ROOM, or all of the other wonderful media content Pete and Bill have created for the project, the website can be found here.

You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS

Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening.

Enjoy!

Seriously folks – I love getting into new music. Even if it’s not brand-spankin’ new (which it never is), just the fact that it’s new to me will mean that it’ll be chiming through my big doofy headphones on repeat for weeks. So getting to soak up a documentary *and* getting into a new soul singer at the same time? Heaven.

What’s even better is when the film’s director takes the time to sit down and talk about it with you…even if it does take five or ten minutes to find him at the agreed-upon meeting place.

Here’s what’s in store in part two…

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Up for Discussion

My CHARLES BRADLEY: SOUL OF AMERICA discussion with director Poull Brien.

If you’re interested in seeing SOUL OF AMERICA at Hot Docs, showtimes and ticket info can be found here. The film’s website with info about screenings is this-a-way More of Charles Bradley’s music can be found here.

You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS

Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening.

Enjoy!

Saturday night found me in the middle of a conversation I was highly anticipating – namely with the talent behind my favorite doc of the festival so far, and the fascinating man the film is about.

The director telling the story is Neil Berkeley, whose film BEAUTY IS EMBARRASSING had its first Hot Docs showing last night. The man at the centre of the story is Wayne White, and he is every bit as engaging in person as he is within the scope of the film.

The two men were nice enough to chat with me on Markham Street on a balmy evening

Here’s what’s in store in part one…

Runtime

Up for Discussion

My BEAUTY IS EMBARRASSING discussion with director Neil and star Wayne White.

If you’re interested in seeing BEAUTY IS EMBARRASSING at Hot Docs, showtimes and ticket info can be found here. The film’s website with info about screenings is over yonder. More of Wayne’s artwork can be found here.

You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS

Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening.

Enjoy!

As much as I love talking to new guests – and a new one will be in the hot seat for episode fifty-eight – I get a little extra boost when my friends stop by. What’s more, it’s probably fitting that today’s guest became a closer friend after one or two podcasts.

In an amusing twist, we warn folks about how spoilerific we are going to get regarding CABIN IN THE WOODS, and then proceed to not get all that spoilerific. I guess that’s what happens when a film’s crux is unveiled the way it is for this particular film.

One last note, the schedule as you have become used to it is about to be thrown for a loop as the Hot Docs festival approaches. There will be podcasting content in that time, but it will be more focused on festival events. The regular format will return in three weeks’ time, and then resume it’s every-other-week schedule going forward into the summer.

Here’s what’s in store in episode fifty-seven…

Runtime

Up for Discussion

1. Introduction

More behind the scenes info on this episode can be found on Twitter by searching out #matm57

You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS

Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening.

Enjoy!

DJ M.A.D Hatter here spinning your requests until the sun comes up. This one goes out to a cat named Simon who wrote in from London say “I don’t hear enough about TV on your show – Why don’t you do something about that?”

Simon’s right of course, there isn’t much discussion of TV on this website or the podcast, and that’s mostly because I find TV to be such a difficult medium to critique. They tell stories in such a different manner, and said stories play differently depending on the circumstances the viewer sees the show. So perhaps the conversation shouldn’t be about what we watch, so much as it is how we watch it.

My guests this week are two people I’m lucky to know. They are both great friends; so much so that they both agreed to gather together and talk for this podcast with very little notice when illness ravaged my original guests. So while I have already said to them face to face, I wish to say it again here: Beth, Steve, you’re the cat’s pyjamas.

To recap the concept of this offshoot – expect to see these episodes turning up once a month. My intention is for them to be a bit more raw (there are almost no cuts in this conversation), a bit shorter, with no rules, and less of a pecking order on who sits down at the table.

Enjoy!

For the second week in a row, I bring you an episode live from Casa del Hatter (though thankfully this time, both the guest and I are much more awake).

I’ve been looking forward to bringing this particular guest in for some time now as he has been a great source of support for me over the last seven or eight months. It’s always great to have people around that are that encouraging…and even greater when they are people you work with every day.

There isn’t a whole lot of analysis this week, just a whole lot of two dudes geeking out over a cool movie. However, with the topic at hand I don’t think I would have wanted it any other way.

Here’s what’s in store in episode fifty-six…

Runtime

Up for Discussion

1. Introduction

More behind the scenes info on this episode can be found on Twitter by searching out #matm56

You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS

Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening.

Enjoy!

When I started doing this podcast, and decided that a bi-weekly schedule was what I wanted to roll with, I saw it coming with a certain advantage. See, I enjoy editing the raw conversation: I believe that giving it a once over gives the whole thing a certain finesse. So the schedule seemed to write itself: record one week, edit and post the next week.

Every once in a while though, a movie comes along that I want to talk about instantly – thus a recording/editing weekend presents itself. When such occasions arise, I like to record on Friday night or Saturday morning, then edit and post on Sunday.

With episode 55 though, we decided to do things differently. For this show, we recorded Sunday morning and I edited and posted through most of Sunday afternoon…one. long. marathon.

If I ever allude to doing it all in one day again – put a bullet in my kneecap. Don’t just wing me: land it.

The good news though is that this episode features a great friend sitting shotgun, bringing a lot of laughs with her at an ungodly hour, and discussing one of this year’s most hotly anticipated films.

Here’s what’s in store in episode fifty-five…

Runtime

Up for Discussion

1. Introduction

You can subscribe to the Matineecast via iTunes or RSS

Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening.

Enjoy!

My attention has turned to yet another film festival…but this one won’t be offering me any new titles. Quite the opposite actually.

There are two curiosities that occur within this episode. For starters, it’s probably The Matineecast where yours truly speaks the least of all the ones recorded to date. For seconds, I have to smile at the irony of how two silent film lovers are so very chatty.

My guests this week are Shirley Hughes and Chris Edwards from the upcoming Toronto Silent Film Festival. Their fourth annual effort of spreading the love of silent cinema across this fair city begins in just ten days, so as a novice to the genre I thought I’d sit down with them to get the scoop on their love of the format and what to expect.

To recap the concept of this offshoot – expect to see these episodes turning up once a month. My intention is for them to be a bit more raw (there are almost no cuts in this conversation), a bit shorter, with no rules, and less of a pecking order on who sits down at the table.

This episode does run a little bit long, clocking in closer to the runtime of a regular Matineecast than an IBD episode. However, in seeing how passionate both Shirley and Chris were to talk silent cinema, I couldn’t bring myself to cut them short at any turn.

If you’re close to Toronto, consider coming out to one of these truly unique events as part of the Toronto Silent Film Festival.

Enjoy!