The Pitch (Jan 29 – Feb 4)

January 27, 2016
Alex Magnin
Events, Pitch

Best Picture anyone? A stacked program of contenders this week at The Civic!

Weekend & Tuesday main feature
They’re playing over the weekend run, but that’s just because Thursday quality cannot be contained to a single day. Spotlight (rated 14A), up for 6 Academy Awards including best picture and director, splits with Brooklyn (rated PG), up for 3 Awards including best picture and actress.

Monday
Corb Lund, in person, presents the documentary, The Smalls: Forever Is a Long Time. The film follows the iconic Western Canadian Metal/Punk/Country band that formed in 1989 Edmonton on their reunion tour, 13 years after the band disbanded for reasons unknown. Bassist Corb Lund, singer Mike Caldwell, guitarist Dug Bevans, and drummer Terry Johnson’s short, but sweet tour starts where it began in Alberta. Being an Edmonton boy myself, seeing them again at the Spirit Bar this past November transported me back to my time just entering high school where The Smalls influenced a whole group of us to take up instruments and piss the hell out of parents from the basements of numerous a home. If you still have one from the day, don your Smalls T-shirt for a popcorn on me.

First Performance on Screen event of 2016
From the Royal Opera House in London, Damiano Michieletto directs a new production of Mascagni’s greatest opera, Cavalleria Rusticana, a tragic tale of forsaken love and jealous revenge. Also part of the program, Damiano Michieletto directs a new production of Leoncavallo’s thrilling tragic opera of a violent jealousy, Pagliacci.

Thursday Film
And to finish the week off, what the heck, let’s throw in one more best pic nominee, Room (rated PG), up for 4 awards including, best pic, director and actress, screens this Thursday and will also be playing again on Feb. 18 for those who missed it.

Put those slow cookers to work; you will want to dine and dash to hit all the goodies this week at The Civic.

Next week: A full week of Kung Fu Panada 3 for the Family Day long weekend.

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