Browsing “Talking To Tourists”

On a quest to re-define the evening hours of the last Wednesday of each month, the Whistler Arts Council has unveiled the line-up for the Monthly Movie Series. It may not change your life forever, but for the next six months the diverse and inspiring movie series line-up will give you the perfect reason to get out and go old-school with your movie viewing, popcorn and all.

Showing on the big screen at Millennium Place, the 2013 Monthly Movie Series features independent films that cover a wide range of topics and genres.

“You cannot see these in the commercial movie theatres and they are currently not available online or at rental shops,” says WAC’s Executive Director Doti Niedermayer. “With these hard-to-find titles, it’s worth taking in the whole series.”

To make the most of the series, WAC is offering a six-film “punch card” for $36. With this card one person can see all six films, or the card holder can bring five friends to one film in the series, on any other combination that adds up to six. The cards are for sale anytime at the Millennium Place box office.

Individual film tickets are $8 at the door. Movies start at 7 pm sharp, but moviegoers are advised to arrive early as individual tickets are available only at the box office on the night of the screening.

The concession stand will be open and the popcorn machine will be hard at work. Millennium Place will stay open for 30 minutes after each screening for moviegoers to hang out, critique and discuss.

Monthly Movie Overview

Please Note: Because of unforeseen circumstances (such as films being pulled out of theatrical release), this movie calendar is subject to change.

January

Bully
Directed by Lee Hirsch
Wednesday, January 30th – 7:00pm
Rating: PG 13
Running time: 1hr 34min

Bully (originally titled The Bully Project) is a 2011 documentary film about bullying in U.S. schools. Directed by Sundance and Emmy-award winning filmmaker, Lee Hirsch, Bully is a beautifully cinematic, character-driven documentary. At its heart are those with huge stakes in this issue whose stories each represent a different facet of America’s bullying crisis. The film interweaves the narratives of five students who face bullying on a daily basis. Stories include two families who have lost children to suicide and a mother awaiting the fate of her 14-year-old daughter who has been incarcerated after bringing a gun on her school bus. With an intimate glimpse into homes, classrooms, cafeterias and principals’ offices, the film offers insight into the often cruel world of the lives of bullied children.

Watch the trailer here at the official site: http://www.bullymovie.ca/#/TRAILER

February

Searching for Sugar Man
Directed by Malik Bendjelloul
Wednesday, February 27th – 7:00pm
Rating: PG 13
Running time: 1hr 25min

Searching for Sugar Man tells the incredible true story of Rodriguez, the greatest ’70s rock icon who never was. Discovered in a Detroit bar in the late ’60s by two celebrated producers struck by his soulful melodies and prophetic lyrics, they recorded an album which they believed would secure his reputation as the greatest recording artist of his generation. Unfortunately the album bombed and the singer disappeared, amid rumours of a gruesome on-stage suicide. A bootleg recording found its way into apartheid South Africa and, over the next two decades, the singer became a phenomenon. The film follows the story of two South African fans who set out to find out what really happened to their hero. Their investigation leads them to a story more extraordinary than any of the existing myths about the artist known as Rodriguez. — (C) Sony Pictures Classics

Watch the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL5TffdOQ7g

March

Ai WeiWei – Never Sorry

Directed by Alison Klayman
Wednesday, March 27th – 7:00pm
Rating: PG 13
Running time: 1hr 31min

Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry is the first feature-length film about the internationally renowned Chinese artist and activist, Ai Weiwei. In recent years, Ai has garnered international attention as much for his ambitious artwork as his political provocations. From 2008 to 2010, Beijing-based journalist and filmmaker Alison Klayman gained unprecedented access to Ai Weiwei. Klayman documented Ai’s artistic process in preparation for major museum exhibitions, his intimate exchanges with family members and his increasingly public clashes with the Chinese government. Klayman’s detailed portrait of the artist provides a nuanced exploration of contemporary China and one of its most compelling public figures. — (C) IFC

Watch the trailer here at the official site: http://aiweiweineversorry.com/

April

Bones Brigade

Directed by Stacy Peralta
Wednesday, April 24th – 7:00pm
Rating: NR
Running time: 1hr 30min

Today skateboarding is omnipresent. Take a walk down any street in any town, and you are destined to see someone riding a skateboard. Well, it wasn’t always like that. In the early ’80s, skateboarding was fading away until Stacy Peralta brought a profoundly talented group of outsiders together and dubbed them the Bones Brigade. This documentary chronicles their epic rise, using awesome archival footage and moving first-person accounts from Brigade members Steve Caballero, Tommy Guerrero, Tony Hawk, Mike McGill, Lance Mountain, and Rodney Mullen, among others. Through passion, drive, creativity, and a surprising sense of teamwork, they revitalized the sport and influenced generations to come. BONES BRIGADE will blow the minds of anyone who grew up emulating these guys, but it also resonates for anyone who ever found a family or a purpose in an unexpected place.

Watch the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIIaJRlr6-Q
Official Site: http://bonesbrigade.com/preorder/

May

The House I Live In

Directed by Eugene Jarecki
Wednesday, May 29th – 7:00pm
Rating: PG 13
Running time: 1hr 50min

Director Eugene Jarecki’s documentary explores the risks that prohibition poses to freedom, and the tragedy of addicts being treated as criminals. In the four decades since the War on Drugs commenced, over 45 million addicts have been arrested – and for each one jailed, another family is destroyed. Meanwhile, the prisons in America are growing overcrowded with non-violent criminals, and illegal drugs are still being sold in schoolyards. By examining just where it all went wrong, Jarecki reveals that a solution is possible if we can just find it in ourselves to be compassionate, and see past the decades of paranoia and propaganda. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Watch the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0atL1HSwi8

June

The Island President

Directed by Eugene Jarecki
Wednesday, June 26th – 7:00pm
Rating: PG 13
Running time: 1hr 50min

The Island President is the story of President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives, a man confronting a problem greater than any other world leader has ever faced – the literal survival of his country and everyone in it. After bringing democracy to the Maldives after thirty years of despotic rule, Nasheed is now faced with an even greater challenge: as one of the most low-lying countries in the world, a rise of three feet in sea level would submerge the 1200 islands of the Maldives enough to make them uninhabitable. A classic David and Goliath tale, The Island President captures Nasheed’s first year in office, culminating in his trip to the Copenhagen Climate Summit in 2009 where the film provides a rare and unprecedented glimpse of the political horse-trading that goes on between world leaders at such a top-level global assembly. Despite the modest size of his country, Mohamed Nasheed has become one of the leading international voices for urgent action on climate change. — (C) Samuel Goldwyn

Watch the trailer here at the official site: http://theislandpresident.com/  

Name/ Scott Bly

Where are you from/ Seattle

What are you doing in Whistler/ My cousin, Benji Farrow, is a pro snowboarder on the TTR Tour.  He was in Whistler doing a photo shoot for one of his sponsors.  We came up to see him, ski Blackcomb, play at the kid’s park in the Village and enjoy Whistler!

l to r - Benji Farrow, Nate Dogg, Kent

What has been the most awesome thing you’ve done in Whistler/ There is no way to limit this to ONE thing.  I have done some amazing mountain biking, scared myself silly skiing Couloir Extreme at Blackcomb, competed in the GranFondo Whistler last September and discovered the most amazing crepes at the Crepe Montagne on Main Street.

What is the most awesome thing you’ve seen in Whistler/ Witnessing my wife, Dawn, and son, Nate (aka Nate Dogg, age 5), fall in love with Whistler.  It is such a cool feeling to see the smiles on their faces while in Whistler.  Seeing the excitement on Nate Dogg’s face while riding Excalibur Gondola and Chair was pretty epic as well.

Photo l to r: Roy, Austen, Tyler, Sarah, Mike & Sean

Name / Tyler Yang

Where are you from? / Abbotsford, British Columbia

What are you doing in Whistler? / My grandpa, Roy, had planned an amazing trip to Whistler to go zip-lining for the day. He only told me about it a few days before and I could barely wait. It was something I have always wanted to do!

What has been the most awesome thing you’ve done in Whistler? / The most awesome thing I did in Whistler was definitely the zip-lining itself; after all it was our main reason for heading up to Whistler. I am quite afraid of heights, but I did it and it was one of the best experiences ever! I recommend anybody, and everybody, to go up and try it for themselves. I can not wait to go back and do the Eagle Tour!

What is the most awesome thing you’ve seen in Whistler? / The most awesome thing I saw in Whistler would have to be the view from the treetops while on the Ziptrek tour. However, I am always blown away by the serene beauty and overall atmosphere of Whistler Village; it puts you completely at ease.

Pictured in photo (left to right): Roy, Austen, Myself, Sarah, Mike & Sean.

Every week we’ll hear from one or two of Whistler’s tourists about what they were up to while they were in town and what they think is awesome about Whistler.

Names / Steve & Maraget Durkee with dog Sally

Sally introduced herself to me while I was waiting for my friends to get cash before we hit the Whistler Farmer’s Market.  This friendly chocolate lab owns a lovely couple named Steve and Margaret Durkee.  The Durkees are second home-owners here in Whistler and knew on a sunny Sunday afternoon, the Farmer’s Market was the place to be.

Where are you from? / Seattle, Washington

What are you doing in Whistler? / We came up for the weekend.  We own a home here and try to get up here to enjoy it at least once a month.

What has been the most awesome thing you’ve done in Whistler? / Skiing Couloir Extreme on Blackcomb Mountain. – Margaret

What is the most awesome thing you’ve seen in Whistler? / We love the views of Fitzsimmon’s Creek below the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola. The walk around Lost Lake is very scenic when you can look back at the mountains. The walk along River of Golden Dreams towards Green Lake is also really beautiful.

Thanks for chatting with me Durkee Family!

Every week we’ll hear from one or two of Whistler’s tourists about what they were up to while they were in town and what they think is awesome about Whistler.

Brenda and Roger Glassco

I spotted this friendly couple with their heads bent over a Whistler Village map as they tried to puzzle out how to get from Village 8 Cinemas over to the Whistler Library. When I asked why they were going to the library they replied they had heard it was a really beautiful building. And, it is. Here’s their story.

Names | Roger and Brenda Glassco

Where are you from? | Ajax, Ontario

What are you doing in Whistler? | Our son graduated from the University of British Columbia’s Kelowna campus with degrees in History and Political Science so we were in Kelowna first. After we finish visiting Whistler we’ll be on our way to a wedding in Vancouver.

What has been the most awesome thing you’ve done in Whistler? | We rented some cruiser bikes and rode around the Valley Trail.  The cedars around the golf course are huge! They must be around 500 years old. It was just beautiful.

What has been the most awesome thing you’ve seen in Whistler? | We went up the mountain to check out the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola. The panoramic vista, especially to the north, was amazing. Also, the depth of snow was incredible…way over our heads. It was really something to see.

Thanks for chatting with me Glassco Family!