Amulette Garneau Movies

This Canadian French language parody was universally panned by critics. The resulting controversy concerned questions of indiscriminate government funding of such obviously terrible material. Written by Francois Camirand and Pierre Plante, who also made his directorial debut with the film. The story centers on dopey, dull-witted Fredo who has inherited his late uncle's shipping company. Con artist Angelo is his racquetball partner. Angelo has doggedly been trying to convince Fredo that he is a famous film producer so Fredo will invest in his latest film. This sets Fredo to dreaming about films and these daydreams comprise the basis of the parody sketches that attempt to make fun of such genres as martial arts films, gangsters flicks, sexy Italian romances, and one scene where the filmmakers combine The Piano with Crocodile Dundee. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Continuing a saga that began with his previous, 1978 film, Vautours director Jean-Claude Labrecque returns with the French Canadian, Louis Pelletier (Gilbert Sicotte) and puts him in the context of the growing separatist movement in the late 1960s in Quebec. At that time, supporters of an independent Quebec began to consolidate their power under the Parti Québecois -- and the story of Louis and his wife Claudette (Anne-Marie Provencher) are meant to illustrate this watershed in Quebec's history. As the film begins, Claudette and Louis are about to get married -- and their wedding day significantly coincides with preparations for the visit of Queen Elizabeth II. Years later, they are well-established in Montreal and are enjoying visits from their family -- and then their lives start to deteriorate. Louis is suddenly out of work, and as he faces the difficulties of finding another job -- and of living precariously -- he becomes more radical, less accepting of the status quo. Although Labrecque's Années de Rêves is of excellent quality in all departments, the downbeat second half of the film and the subtly anti-separatist stance will not play equally well to all audiences. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

The Plouffe Family, aka Les Plouffe, is a Canadian assault to the kidneys directed by Quebec's "critic's darling" Gilles Carle. The film covers seven years (1938 through 1945) in the lives of the French/Canadian Plouffe clan. Emile Genest is the one "name" player in this phlegmatic character study. Like to try this one on for size? Be warned: it runs (or crawls) 180 minutes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Two women and a transvestite gay man cross paths in this French Canadian drama. The transvestite is preparing for a drag-queen beauty pageant, and has decided to present himself as Cleopatra. Of the two women, one was just fired from her waitressing job and seeks to go back to work at the nightclub where the beauty pageant is to be held. The other woman's mother has just won one million food stamps. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

This disturbing drama is based on a real incident that occurred in Quebec during 1970. It is the story of the Liberation Front of Quebec took hostages, and the provincial government called for martial law resulting in the arrest of 450 people who were taken in and imprisoned without warrants and for no apparent reason. Much of the film centers on the cruelty inflicted upon these victims. Mental torture was one of the techniques employed. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This award-winning film reveals the conflicts in the lives of three French Canadian men in a hunting party. One of the men, the least successful with women, is not physically up to the trip; he is overweight and drinks too much. He tries to mask his embarrassment with humor and is generally a good sport. Another, who brought his young son along, slows up their progress by conducting an affair with a waitress. The last, and least sensitive of the group, also has a fling with a waitress. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide