I Like Movies is a witty, coming-of-age drama by writer and director Chandler Levack’s. This Canadian comedy-drama film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2022 under the Discovery section.
Inspired by Chandler Levack’s experiences working at a video store as a teenager, this film is a love letter to Canada and its cinephile culture of the early 2000s. It follows the life of 17-year-old high schooler Lawrence Kweller, played by Canadian actor Isaiah Lehtinen, who gets a job at the local video store, Sequels.
Socially inept, Lawrence’s only friend at school is Matt, played by Percy Hynes White. Despite being best friends, Lawrence’s inability to filter his thoughts and speak anything that comes to mind sometimes irks Matt. When Lawrence gets a job as a video store clerk, their friendship becomes even more strained as Lawrence becomes self-involved and obsesses over movies.
As his high school graduation comes closer, Lawrence dreams of studying filmmaking. But before graduation, the school puts him and Matt in charge of making their year’s graduation video. When Lawrence fails to put work into the project, Matt has no choice but to seek help from their fellow classmate, Lauren. Lawrence disapproves of this addition, thus creating a rift between the friends.
As Lawrence fails to work on it, Matt invites their fellow classmate, Lauren, but Lawrence disapproves of this addition, creating a rift between the friends. Meanwhile, his fraught relationship with his mother and unstable family situation lead to Lawrence developing a complex relationship with his boss, Alana, played by Romina D’Ugo, who incidentally despises the movie industry.
This endearing coming-of-age comedy-drama was praised for Isaiah Lehtinen’s performance and Levack’s ability to create a narrative that is perfectly period-specific. Upon its wider release, the movie was named one of the 23 Best Canadian comedy films ever made by The Globe and Mail.
The film also won several awards at the Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards 2022 for Best Actor in a Canadian Film, Best Screenplay for a Canadian Film, Best Supporting Actor in a Canadian Film, and Best Canadian Film.
Where Was I Like Movies Filmed?
‘I Like Movies’ was primarily filmed around different parts of the Greater Toronto Area in 2020 under COVID-19 mandates. By luck, executive producer Victoria Lean discovered a vacant Blockbuster Video store in Owen Sound, Ontario.
The production was able to get time-specific props, such as old computers, shelves, and DVDs, from that store and used them to recreate the interior set for the sequel video store in the movie.
The Greater Toronto Area or GTA is part of the Canadian province of Ontario and includes the City of Toronto along with the municipalities of Durham, Halton, Peel, and York. Here is a list of some famous Toronto landmarks:
Casa Loma
Casa Loma is a historic house museum and a popular Toronto landmark situated in midtown Toronto. Built by architect E. J. Lennox in 1911 for Canadian financier and Soldier Henry Pellatt, the house is known for its unique Gothic architecture and has become a popular venue for weddings and a location for movies and television shoots like X-Men, Goosebumps, Ready or Not, and Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World.
Gooderham Building
The Gooderham Building in Toronto is an office building located in the city’s financial district. Its trademark red-break exterior set a precedent for other prominent flatiron buildings (buildings that are built like a flatiron). Designed by architect David Roberts Jr., the Gooderham Building was named after its owner, William Gooderham, the son of Gooderham and Wort’s founder.
Yonge-Dundas Square
The Yonge-Dundas Square in downtown Toronto is a space designated as an event space and an open public space. What is known for being a unique focal point of Toronto, the square hosts a wide range of events, concerts, receptions, and celebrations that appeal to tourists and residents alike.
The Distillery Historic District
The Distillery Historic District is a pedestrian-only district that housed a large whiskey distiller and other 19th-century buildings. It is a popular attraction because of its cobblestone streets, galleries, and hip restaurants and bars.
The Cathedral Church of St. James
The Cathedral Church of St. James is an Anglican cathedral that was established in 1797 and is considered the oldest congregation in the city of Toronto. The cathedral has been designated as a heritage site by Heritage Toronto.
