PRIME D: Matt Johnson. Canada. 75 min. Sep 10, 4:45 pm Hot Docs Cinema Sep 11, 5:45 pm Scotiabank 12 Sep 17, 10 am Scotiabank 8. Rating: NNNN
In the revamp of their web series, Johnson and Jay McCarrol’s dim-bulb alter egos crash the Santa Claus Parade with their own float, piss off Star Wars fans and sneak a film into the Sundance Film Festival called – nudge, nudge – Operation Avalanche.
That’s what we see in the three episodes showing at TIFF, a sampler of the duo’s antic and lop-sided publicity attempts to land a show at the Rivoli. Their fictional characters bounce in and out of the real world, bumping up against unsuspecting bystanders in narratives that are as flimsy as papier mâché but winningly delirious.
It’s goofy, frothy fun, but what really warms you up is how the whole thing is lathered with affection for 90s hallmarks like Home Alone and the Ninja Turtles and Toronto’s cultural scene.
