About Us

Moonrise Movies was started in answer to requests from my friends and acquaintances to keep them informed of good films coming out on DVD and sources for acquiring them. Many of them live in rural areas where the only option is renting or purchasing online - but they had no idea how to go about doing this. Others felt intimidated by the numbers - the thousands of titles retailers, critics and other information sites have on their shelves or in their databases. What my friends wanted was someone to sift through all those new releases each week and make some recommendations they could respect. Moonrise Movies is the result.

My name is Angela Pressburger and I'm a refugee from a British film establishment family. I fell in love with Canada's west coast when invited to Vancouver to introduce some of my dad's revered classics, which include those perennial late night TV favourites, The Red Shoes and Black Narcissus as well as the newly re-released A Matter of Life and Death (Stairway to Heaven in the US). For more information on the films of Emeric Pressburger go to: www.powell-pressburger.org, an independently run fan site, which I often use myself.

Although I've tried really hard to escape, the film world always seems to exert its spell on me. In the UK, I read scripts for most of the major studios. In Atlantic Canada, I founded an alternative movie exhibition circuit, Atlantic ICE (Atlantic Independent Cinema Exhibitors) — my first attempt at sharing my movie taste with others — and launched an association to support the interests of local film producers. Before moving west, I represented the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television on the East Coast, started the International Perspectives program at the Atlantic Film Festival, and organized the first Shambhala International Film Festival.

Then my sons began to get involved in the business. Andrew produced Trainspotting and went on to further glories like 28 Days Later. Kevin, not to be outdone, managed to scoop an Oscar® for Best Documentary Feature for One Day in September and went on to direct Touching the Void. So film seems to be both my future and my inheritance.

Since migrating to the Wet Coast, I've been an international program consultant for the Vancouver International Film Festival, and have spoken at a number of festivals and screenings in both Canada and the U.S. I've made my taste public by serving as a juror for both the Vancouver and the Seattle international film festivals, as well as for the National Film Board of Canada. "Home" is currently a hand-hewn log house in coastal British Columbia, a short ferry ride from Vancouver.

Several years ago, I founded a film society screening DVDs in the small rural community where I live. It was such a success, I was encouraged to co-author a "how to" book inspired by that experience. It's called Show It in Public! You can visit the website and order the book at: www.showamovie.ca.

Testimonials

"Moonrise Moviews is one the best movie guides on the Web. It gives me informed comments and reviews of all genres of interesting films and videos, not just the usual Hollwood hits. It's also a great source of links to sellers and renters."
Stan Fox, Victoria, BC
Former Chairman of the Department of Film at York University, Toronto, ON

"Thanks so much for Moonrise Movies! It's very good. I appreciate your well thought out reviews and hidden treasures."
Dan Meade, Halifax, Nova Scotia

"We really appreciate the verve and substance of your website."
Frank Ryan, Boston, MA

"This looks like a great service. Brilliant inspiration. How do I sign up?"
Margaret, Halifax, Nova Scotia

"We just perused your web site and it's just what we want."
Paul and Jenny Warwick, Seattle, WA

"We have been enjoying—and using—Moonrise Movies. I hope you will continue to include a wide range of films that have/reflect some aspect of enlightened view."
Jay, Portland, OR