With its scenic coastline, praises, and mountains, along with cosmopolitan cities like Vancouver and Montreal, Canada is the epitome of urban energy and topographical diversity. It’s of no surprise then that influences from cultures such as England and France have been represented in so many of its best-known films. Be warned: the following films that depict Canada in all its glory might just make you feel like you want to catch the next flight out to this most wonderful country.
Les Boys
The Internet allows us to explore what Canada has to offer in numerous ways, whether it’s streaming live hockey games, ordering a Tim Horton’s meal, or playing at a Canadian $1 minimum deposit mobile casino. However, few things say Canada like this first movie on our list. The comedy from 1997 is about a small-time hockey team that can only save their coach’s tavern be beating a Mob team on the ice. The film evokes the atmosphere of such Quebec cities as Longueuil and Montréal and it demonstrates the significant role that hockey plays in Canadian culture. Not content with that, Les Boys and its three sequels are regarded as the most successful film series that came out of Canada.
Anne of Green Gables
The miniseries from 1985 set in fictional Avonlea was an adaption of the ‘Anne’ stories by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Avonlea was a lobster fishing and farming community on Prince Edward Island. Metal Follows plays the young protagonist who is mistakenly sent to live with the Cuthbert siblings by her orphanage. While they were expecting a boy to join them and help them on their farm, Anne helped them immensely. The series, which was enormously popular, spawned further adventures in 1987, 2000, and 2008. Then there ware 130 hours of the Road to Avonlea series in 1989-96. The films and books have seen thousands of fans pay a visit to PEI.
Gunless
The 2010 comedy-western from William Phillips plays with the reputation of Canadians of being friendly and polite. The Montana Kid discovers this when, after his arrival in a small Canadian Rockies town, none of the locals will enter into a gunfight with him. Along with sending up Canadian traits, Gunless celebrates the country’s diverse landscapes. The film’s producer was inspired to make the film after coming across a desert-like valley in Okanagan County, British Columbia.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Shot entirely in Toronto, this action-comedy from Edgar Wright explores the city’s unassuming hipness. Based on Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novel series, the story revolves around a bass guitarist who sets out to win the heart of his dream girl by defeating each of her seven ex-boyfriends. Rather than highlighting the obvious landmarks, such as the CN Tower, the film shows just how Canadian it is by focusing on shots that mean something to the city’s young residents like the Second Cup coffee shop, Toronto Public Library, Pizza Pizza, and Casa Loma.
One Week
One Week from filmmaker Michael McGowan spends so much time with Canadian scenery that it almost seems like a character in the story. The comedy-drama centres around Ben Taylor (Joshua Jackson) who explores Canada on his motorcycle after being diagnosed with cancer. Making his way from Toronto to Vancouver Island, he makes stops at numerous famous Canadian spots on his journey, such as the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel and Sudbury’s Big Nickel. The settings include Alberta and British Columbia to less-familiar locations like Minden, Ontario. With a Tim Hortons’ cup thrown in for good measure, the film couldn’t be any more Canadian.
There’s no doubt that there are some very talented filmmakers in Canada, and with top film schools here, including one of the best in the world, we can only expect this list to grow.
Comments are closed.