My Winnipeg

My pick for the best film of 2008, My Winnipeg is one of Guy Maddin’s finest features to date. There’s something to this examination of nostalgia and our collectively skewed memories that is really touching. It’s such a seamless film, half-documentary, half-fantasy that has such an upbeat perspective as well as great comic moments offset by remarkably poignant ones. I try and watch this movie every couple of months just to cheer me up.

I find it fascinating how it mixes Maddin’s fondness for 20s style filmmaking with Ann Savage’s iconic film noir status and a more conventional, educational style of documentary. Much different from Tales From the Gimli Hospital, Careful, Brand Upon the Brain! or Archangel, My Winnipeg is a very distinctive chapter in Maddin’s oeuvre, although there’s no second guessing the identity behind all of these masterpieces.

What’d you think?

I want to move to Winnipeg

I am moving to Winnipeg.

I think My Winnipeg is still easily his best film with Saddest Music and Brand Upon Brain closely behind. Also my favorite movie of 2008.

I’m in Winnipeg.

See you in September, Casey.

why would you ever want to come here? lol

School, to be honest. I live in Vancouver and U of M has a pretty neat looking film program that is a third the price of VFS, plus the rent is ridiculously cheaper.

It does have a great film program. And Guy Maddin teaches courses there too.

Exactly. Him and George Toles.

Cool. Bring all your long undies though. You’ll need em!

To be honest?
I hated this movie.
I couldn’t stand the first 10 minutes, and I really am not into the 20’s style film making.
I thought it looked a little “art student”.

Huh. I don’t really know what to say, but if you don’t like it, you don’t like it. Maddin is certainly not for everyone, and My Winnipeg is arguably his most accessible, kind of a litmus test for the rest of his films.

I think it is his best work also. It was actually the first Maddin film I saw but it prompted me to seek out everything he has done. I love Brand Upon the Brain but I honestly think Heart of the World is my runner-up favourite.

My Winnipeg sucked balls. Waste of time.

So far I would consider My Winnipeg to be Guy Maddin’s best film. I agree with Chris Kundsen that It’s right up there with Brand Upon The Brain. The Saddest Music In The World isn’t one of my favorires.

“My Winnipeg” is brilliant. Guy Maddin combines the best of Bruce Conner with the best of Raul Ruiz and comes up with something stranger than either. It’s a hilarious and deeply subversive take on “documentary” filmmaking and who notion of autobiography.

Those unwilling to deal with it are very sad cases indeed.