I Like Movies

I loved this little Canadian-made film! It's a great nerd-coming-of-age story. Even though I'm way older than any of the characters in this movie, it still somehow connected with me on the emotional level numerous times. The script is great and the acting is excellent, performed by a well-cast ensemble group. Isaiah Lehtinen did a great job in the lead. I now have a huge crush on Romina D'Ugo! The washed-out suburban no-name locations were a perfect fit for that particular story. Writer-Director Chandler Levack has a great future ahead of her. I would recommend this film to anyone who loves movies!

I can't say enough good things about this movie! It's a charming, heart-breaking coming-of-age story that will make film lovers everywhere laugh with recognition. And I love how specific and true it is to its Southern Ontario setting. A masterpiece.

Anyone who says the protagonist is unlikeable, just doesn't get it. He's flawed and human and it's delightful to watch him learn the errors of his ways and grow as a person.

Director Chandler Levack is in full control of her story, period details are spot on and the acting is superb.

This is one of the best Canadian films I have ever seen hands down.

I found this quirky film a gem. It's authentic, not pretentious.

The main character is wonderfully portrayed - he's lovable, insufferable, a brat, rude - everything that a teenager can be. His relationships with his friends, co-workers and teachers were so real and not contrived a la Hollywood.

Sometimes it goes over the top. Sometimes it's hilarious. It's about the love of movies and teenage dreams of being the next great director.

I give it an 8 because it does have a Canadian feel (a positive thing for me) and it's never boring. I'll remember it the next time I go through Aldershot!

The ending has a happy resolution - our star is growing up!

In excellent, low-key '90s-based rites-of-passage dramedy "I Like Movies" quirky (to almost 'on the spectrum' level) cinephile teen nerd Isaiah Lehtinen (off-the-scale good) dreams of NYU film school from his nondescript Canadian high school while being painfully condascending to those around him (like pal Percy Hynes White & mum Krista Bridges) before rather idolising Romina D'Ugo, his manager at the video-store job that he loves. Debut writer (and director) Chandler Levack EXCELS with his authentic script of genuine characters - all terrifically performed to give it the feel of "Clerks", but more 'real'. Stars should be born from this wonderful gem.

It's a Canadian comedy-drama set in 2003, primarily in Burlington, Ontario, with a few scenes at the end in Ottawa. It follows a teenager in the last year of high school obsessed with Saturday Night Live and commercial movies but is socially inept.

Lawrence Kweller (Isaiah Lehtinen) is a pudgy, smart-mouthed teenager who attends a large high school in Burlington, Ontario (a suburb of Hamilton, Ontario, on the Toronto side). He lives with his single mom (Krista Bridges); his father's absence is explained partway through the film. His best friend, Matt (Percy Hynes White), and Lawrence spend every Saturday night (Rejection Night) watching Saturday Night Live. They've agreed to produce the school's yearend memory movie but have trouble getting started and get in trouble with their teacher (Anand Rajaram). Nevertheless, Lawrence dreams of getting into the film program at New York University, despite the cost being far beyond his family's means.

The film follows Lawrence's efforts to make money for university by working at the local outlet of a big-chain video store. He becomes enamored with his manager, Alana (Romina D'Ugo), who is attractive but pushing age 30. His friendship with Matt changes because of his work schedule and Matt's decision with an accomplished female classmate (Eden Cupid), who is an experienced film editor. The film climaxes with a crisis at the video store and Lawrence's ultimate post-secondary decision.

"I like Movies" was more drama and less comedy than I expected. The dialogue was well-done, and Lawrence's personality was a teenager with whom you could develop a real love-hate relationship. Isaiah Lehtinen, Krista Bridges, and Romina D'Ugo were excellent. Eden Cupid was outstanding in a minor role. However, I found the film's ending too facile to be believable and the film's opening a bit jarring. The core storyline was good, though Lawrence was more naive about university than someone knowing the details of NYU's film program would be.