Year of the Carnivore
Encyclopedia
Year of the Carnivore is a 2009
Canadian romantic comedy
about a grocery store detective with a crush on a boy who rejects her because she has too little sexual experience.
Year of the Carnivore is Sook-Yin Lee's
feature directorial debut and it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival
as a Canada First selection.
The promotional poster was designed by Chester Brown
, with whom Lee has remained close friends after their four-year relationship ended in 1996.
Exclaim Magazine's Robert Bell wrote:
"Those that do get it will find much to laugh about...Lee has crafted a film of undeniable uniqueness that, aptly enough, seems exactly like the sort of thing she would make, which may be used as an insult by some and a high compliment by others."
CTV Movie reviewer Richard Crouse gave it a 4/5 stars: "Sammy’s search for meaning in her life is heartfelt and compelling. Milioti leads the strong cast in a performance that radiates vulnerability and humor."
Melora Koepke of Montreal's The Hour Magazine wrote: "Lee's inimitable film/sex sensibilities make Year of the Carnivore as hot, humiliating and hilarious as any coming-of-age love story ought to be."
Adrian Mack of The Georgia Straight wrote: "What finally makes Carnivore so charming is the almost defiant way it zigzags all over the map. It’s not conventional, but it signifies a certain confidence coming from behind the camera."
Toronto Sun.com Meaghen Bent wrote, "Beautifully shot, clever and funny. Year of the Carnivore is a Canadian film that makes other Canadian films jealous."
The film has been met with some negative reviews in the media. The Globe and Mail's Rick Groen gave it 1/4 stars saying "Year of the Carnivore: A sex comedy that is neither sexy nor funny."
Now Magazine reviewer Susan G. Cole dismissed YOTC with a 2/5 star review: "the tone of Year Of The Carnivore is so off-putting...very little charm...not funny."
TIFF 2009, Eye Weekly reviewer Chandler Levack in a 2/5 star review wrote: "While Lee understands the complexities of sex and related identity crises in females, Milioti’s realistic performance doesn’t enhance the filmmaker’s fall-flat setups and confused attempts at comedy." Then, in a subsequent review on its 2010 theatrical release, she revised it to 3/5 stars: "...subtly hilarious performances...a flair for sight gags. And to Lee’s credit, the film wears its sincerity on its sleeve, giving the lovable outcasts more layers than usually seen in a sex comedy."
Twitch Film reviewer Todd Brown wrote: "Milioti is absolutely superb in this film, a role that should prove to be a star-making one for her." And says of the film, "...possessed of a remarkably clear voice and distinct vision, one that will surely just become sharper as Lee continues through her career. May it be a long one."
Toronto Star reviewer Peter Howell praised the film writing that lead actress, "Milioti never loses touch with the audience. Neither does writer/director Lee...she’s able to get in touch with the needs of a nerdy naïf."
2009 in film
The year 2009 saw the release of many films. Seven made the top 50 list of highest-grossing films, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that as of this year, their Best Picture category would consist of ten nominees, rather than five .- Highest-grossing films :Please note...
Canadian romantic comedy
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
about a grocery store detective with a crush on a boy who rejects her because she has too little sexual experience.
Year of the Carnivore is Sook-Yin Lee's
Sook-Yin Lee
Sook-Yin Lee is a Canadian musician, filmmaker, actress and media personality.-Background:Lee grew up in a Vancouver suburb, the second-oldest daughter of immigrants. She was raised as a devout Roman Catholic. Her father was a post-World War II orphan from Hong Kong, her mother an escapee from...
feature directorial debut and it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
as a Canada First selection.
Cast
- Cristin MiliotiCristin MiliotiCristin Milioti is an American actress who has worked primarily in Broadway theatre. She is the 2010 star of That Face.-Biography:...
as Sammy Smalls - Mark RendallMark RendallMark Rendall is a Canadian actor, perhaps best known for starring in the title role of the 2004 film, Childstar, as well as Mick in Season 1 of the Canadian television drama series ReGenesis. He played Bastian Bux in the TV series, Tales from the Neverending Story, and the title character in The...
as Eugene - Will SassoWill SassoWilliam "Will" Sasso is a Canadian comedian and actor. He is most notable for his membership in the recurring cast of comedians on the American sketch comedy series MADtv, spending five seasons on the show.-Early life:...
as DirkDirkA dirk is a short thrusting dagger, sometimes a cut-down sword blade mounted on a dagger hilt rather than a knife blade. It was historically used as a personal weapon for officers engaged in naval hand-to-hand combat during the Age of Sail.-Etymology:... - Ali Liebert as Sylvia
- Sheila McCarthySheila McCarthySheila McCarthy is a Canadian film, stage, television actress, and singer. She is one of the most honoured actors in Canada, having won two Genie Awards , two Gemini Awards , and two Dora Awards among multiple nominations. As of 2007, she can be seen on the Canadian television series Little...
as Mrs. Smalls - Kevin McDonaldKevin McDonaldKevin Hamilton McDonald is a Canadian comedian and actor, known as a member of the Canadian sketch comedy group The Kids in the Hall.-Early life:...
as Mr. Smalls - Patrick GilmorePatrick Gilmore (actor)Patrick Gilmore is a Canadian actor best known for playing the role of Dale Volker in the science fiction series Stargate Universe. He has also been seen in other science fiction shows such as Battlestar Galactica and Eureka, as well as playing Trennan in Riese...
as Todd - Luke CamilleriLuke CamilleriLuke Camilleri is a Canadian actor.He is a graduate of the Studio 58 acting program at Langara College in Vancouver.As an actor, he has primarily been cast in guest starring roles in Canadian and American television series and miniseries, including Supernatural, The Andromeda Strain, and Caprica...
as Jie
The promotional poster was designed by Chester Brown
Chester Brown
Chester William David Brown , is an award-winning, best-selling Canadian alternative cartoonist and, since 2008, the Libertarian Party of Canada's candidate for the riding of Trinity-Spadina in Toronto, Canada....
, with whom Lee has remained close friends after their four-year relationship ended in 1996.
Reception
Upon its release in Canada, Year of the Carnivore has received mostly positive yet polarized reviews.Exclaim Magazine's Robert Bell wrote:
"Those that do get it will find much to laugh about...Lee has crafted a film of undeniable uniqueness that, aptly enough, seems exactly like the sort of thing she would make, which may be used as an insult by some and a high compliment by others."
CTV Movie reviewer Richard Crouse gave it a 4/5 stars: "Sammy’s search for meaning in her life is heartfelt and compelling. Milioti leads the strong cast in a performance that radiates vulnerability and humor."
Melora Koepke of Montreal's The Hour Magazine wrote: "Lee's inimitable film/sex sensibilities make Year of the Carnivore as hot, humiliating and hilarious as any coming-of-age love story ought to be."
Adrian Mack of The Georgia Straight wrote: "What finally makes Carnivore so charming is the almost defiant way it zigzags all over the map. It’s not conventional, but it signifies a certain confidence coming from behind the camera."
Toronto Sun.com Meaghen Bent wrote, "Beautifully shot, clever and funny. Year of the Carnivore is a Canadian film that makes other Canadian films jealous."
The film has been met with some negative reviews in the media. The Globe and Mail's Rick Groen gave it 1/4 stars saying "Year of the Carnivore: A sex comedy that is neither sexy nor funny."
Now Magazine reviewer Susan G. Cole dismissed YOTC with a 2/5 star review: "the tone of Year Of The Carnivore is so off-putting...very little charm...not funny."
TIFF 2009, Eye Weekly reviewer Chandler Levack in a 2/5 star review wrote: "While Lee understands the complexities of sex and related identity crises in females, Milioti’s realistic performance doesn’t enhance the filmmaker’s fall-flat setups and confused attempts at comedy." Then, in a subsequent review on its 2010 theatrical release, she revised it to 3/5 stars: "...subtly hilarious performances...a flair for sight gags. And to Lee’s credit, the film wears its sincerity on its sleeve, giving the lovable outcasts more layers than usually seen in a sex comedy."
Twitch Film reviewer Todd Brown wrote: "Milioti is absolutely superb in this film, a role that should prove to be a star-making one for her." And says of the film, "...possessed of a remarkably clear voice and distinct vision, one that will surely just become sharper as Lee continues through her career. May it be a long one."
Toronto Star reviewer Peter Howell praised the film writing that lead actress, "Milioti never loses touch with the audience. Neither does writer/director Lee...she’s able to get in touch with the needs of a nerdy naïf."
External links
- Year of the Carnivore at Twitch FilmTwitch FilmTwitch Film, also known simply as Twitch, is an English language Canadian website featuring news and reviews of mainly international, independent and cult films. The website was founded in 2004 by Todd Brown, a cinephile with personal interests in arthouse and grindhouse cinema...
- Year of the Carnivore at The Globe and MailThe Globe and MailThe Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
- Year of the Carnivore at Exclaim!Exclaim!Exclaim! is a monthly Canadian music magazine that features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with special focus on Canadian and cutting-edge artists...