Paint Cans (1994) User Reviews

What a missed opportunity

[rgcustomer · 5/10 · 1 February 2010]

Here we have a film that, at first glance, should be the perfect film for me, someone who detests the taxpayer (and satellite/cable) money thrown at Canadian filmmakers, just to get back a lot of stunningly bad films.

But, wouldn't you know, it was funded in part by NFB, CBC, City, and Rogers. Too many cooks. And too many of them should be the target of this satire. Not a good sign.

So we get a trudgingly slow film about how an art movie gets made mostly because the film funder wants to get laid.

This may be how a lot of films get made for all I know. But it completely ignores other significant problems in Canadian cinema, such as Canadian-content rules for broadcasters, the funding of make-work projects for Canadian filmmakers, and the notorious film classification boards that pretend to protect us from dangerous film. Art film isn't Canada's problem. It's assembly-line filler film, and a deep deep shame of Canada such that few Canadian films are actually set here, preferring to pretend (badly) to be some generic US city.

So, while the film did have a few laugh-out-loud moments, it was mostly a boring waste of time. Frankly, I don't understand the ending either, but that may be because I was so bored that I didn't care.

This subject is ripe for another go.

Finding fault: a love.

[coffecrack · 2 February 2001]

After reading a users comments on this Canadian film, I feel a reply and a defense, is needed. I don't think the only other (so far) reviewer is skilled much in the way of sideways thought, as s/he asked the question of what the WW2 footage is about. Maybe s/he couldn't see the connection between Wick's father (who flew in the airforce for Canada) and the events of Wick's life (when something negative is happening the film shows the dropping of bombs or the death of a plane. Likewise, when something good is happening, a plane flying free is shown.)

I understand that some people can't be happy unless they are complaining, or finding fault in something that they couldn't possibly create. Why this is, I have no idea. But I encourage you to see this comical and witty film and form your own ideas, and post them.

It are these types of films that make me proud to be Canadian.

Thank you Paul Donovan

UGH!

[Wizard-8 · 1/10 · 17 November 1998]

What a horrible, horrible movie! If this is typical of what government-sponsored Canadian filmmakers do, then I think we should cut off funding to the film industry. It's supposed to be a spoof of the Canadian film industry, but of course it has no fangs or a sense of humor. What the hell do those inserts of WW II stock footage mean? Why does the movie have such a dull, dreary look? Why the hell does the movie end with the main character staring into the camera at an angle? Where's the laughs? Where's the satire? It's easy to see why this movie (to my knowledge) never got a theatrical release or even a video distributor. To think my tax dollars supports this crap - I'm outraged! And it's movies like this which make me ashamed to be Canadian.

Metaphores

[patrick-dusome · 10/10 · 20 April 2003]

This movie was really good. In the typical Canadian indie movie style it has a bleak and dark look and somewhat melodramatic. The movie opens with a WWII footage which acts as a metaphore for the whole movie and its conflicts. This movie has an all star cast for an indie film. Also since this is a Canadian film as soon as the movie gets dull out comes the typical nude scene. Thats not a bad thing but it was pointless. Still this movie is great for its heavy use of metaphores, almost every visual image relates to something else. For instance the last scene with him looking at the camera in his apartment hallway with the angled camera. This sumerizes the whole movie in that one shot. Its a great commantary of the film agency in Canada. It takes some getting used to, to like the film but once you get the visuals and the metaphores then the movies becomes an instant favourate.

A brilliant satire

[Herman-3 · 10 January 1999]

I think Paint Cans is a brilliant satire on the Canadian film industry. It has all the conniving, dark humour and reality of making a film in Canada with limited funds and "meta-ideas".