Countdown to YYZ

1972 - Top 10 Favorite Films (6-10)

2009-06-07T22:06:00.000-07:00

6. Sleuth

7. The Poseidon Adventure

8. Aguirre, The Wrath of God

9. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoise

10. The Ruling Class

1971 - Favorite Films

2009-06-07T21:46:00.000-07:00

Just my Top 10.
1. The French Connection

2. Shaft

3. The Omega Man

4. Straw Dogs

5. Frenzy

6. Walkabout

7. A Clockwork Orange

8. Fiddler on the Roof

9. Klute

10. Murmur of the Heart

1971 - Straw Dogs

2009-06-07T21:20:00.000-07:00

I saw Straw Dogs a couple of years ago. I have really only seen Dustin Hoffman films from the 80's on, so it was a little jarring seeing him in a non comedic role. The film is so nervewracking in the building up of the tension almost from the first frame. You know a trainwreck is coming but you can't turn away.

David (Dustin Hoffman), a young American professor, moves to a house in the English countryside with his young wife Amy (Susan George). One of the major reasons that they moved to England was fear of violence in the United States related to the civil rights movement. Unfortunately, they find their new home to be far worse when the local hooligans set their eyes on Amy and take a strong disliking to the rather meek David. The threat of physical violence becomes reality when Amy is raped and David finds himself in the middle of a serious local dispute. David is forced to either find some courage quickly, or turn tail and flee.

Another opinion:

"You have to understand, first of all, that the movie ends with maybe 20 minutes of unrestrained bloodletting, during which people are scalded with boiling whisky, have their feet blown off by shotguns, are clubbed to death and (in one case) nearly decapitated by a bear trap. The violence is the movie's reason for existing; it is the element that is being sold, and in today's movie market, It should sell well. But does Peckinpah pay his dues before the last 20 minutes? Does he keep us feeling we can trust him? I don't think so.

The most offensive thing about the movie is its hypocrisy; it is totally committed to the pornography of violence, but lays on the moral outrage with a shovel. The perfect criticism of "Straw Dogs" already has been made. It is "The Wild Bunch." - Roger Ebert

New Change of Plan

2009-06-07T21:16:00.000-07:00

It's pretty obvious that I don't have the discipline or the patients to do a top 10 for every year since I was born, other than simply put out a list. That would likely take me about 10 years at the rate that I'm going. So instead of doing 10, I just do favorites. How many depend on my mood at the time.

1971: 9th - Klute

2009-05-10T21:33:00.000-07:00

Klute tracks Bree Daniels (Jane Fonda), a Manhattan prostitute and aspiring actress in search of herself. Small-town private eye John Klute (Donald Sutherland) arrives in Manhattan to find that Bree is the only lead in the disappearance of his good friend Tom Gruneman. Bree turns tricks for cash and a need for emotional freedom, wishing to remain unattached and in control. However, as she becomes involved in Klute's search and realizes she too is in danger.

Jane Fonda is the biggest reason to see this role. The film is not explicit in showing her profession, but by her words, her movements, and her actions, you know as much as you need to on how hard her life is. The thriller aspects of the film are okay, not great. The ending is a little ambiguous if you aren't paying attention. While Sutherland is good at portraying a detective that becomes emotionally involved with his case, it's still Fonda's film.

Jane Fonda won an Oscar for Best Actress for her role in "Klute." The film was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay.

Another opinion:

"Intelligence. I suppose that's the word. In "Klute" you don't have two attractive acting vacuums reciting speeches at each other. With Fonda and Sutherland, you have actors who understand and sympathize with their characters, and you have a vehicle worthy of that sort of intelligence. So the fact that the thriller stuff doesn't always work isn't so important. " - Roger Ebert

1971: 10th - Murmur of the Heart

2009-05-10T20:44:00.000-07:00

Murmur of the Heart (Le souffle au coeur) was written and directed by Louise Malle. The film tells a coming of age story about a 14-year-old boy who is growing up in bourgeois surroundings in France. At the beginning, the film shows the adventures of the boy in the school and his first sexual experience at a brothel. When the boy is found to have a heart murmur after a bout of scarlet fever, he goes with his mother to a sanatorium, where a series of circumstances lead to a sexual encounter.
The film definitely deals with several taboo topics at the time but with a humor, that while disarming, still causes one to reflect on what has happened. This is a film that gives you rich characters that actually 'think' before acting, instead of the horny slobs that we get in "Porky's." And while most will cringe at the movie's theme of incest, it's presented in a way not simply to exploit, but instead mutes its harshness. I appreciated that the film neither talked down to me and hit me over the head with the "message", nor was it an irresponsible "glamorizing" of the subject.
As is the case with independent films today, even though this movie premiered in 1971 at Cannes, it was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars in 1973.
Other opinions:

"We have it on no less an authority than Leo Tolstoy that all happy families are the same, but each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. I am not quite sure, however, that Count Tolstoy had in mind a family like the one we meet in "Murmur of the Heart," Louis Malle's warm, human, very funny movie about incest. You will agree that this family, at least, is happy in its own way." - Roger Ebert

" Film is quintessentially French in its look at the awakening outlooks and sex imbroglios of a 14-year-old boy who likes to pass himself off as 15. Louis Malle lavishes insight, perhaps personal reminiscences, and unflagging rightness in atmosphere, character and observation to make this a richly comic, touching and incisive portrait of a young man in the French provincial city of Dijon in 1954. (Benoit) Ferreux has the vulnerability, warmth and witty outlook that give his young protagonist a human and recognizable quality. His mother is excellently drawn by (Lea) Massari, whose need for freedom will not allow her to give way to a demanding suitor. All others are excellent." - Variety

Favorites by Year

2009-05-10T20:17:00.000-07:00

Just to get me back working on this till I think of something else. I'm list my top 10 favorite films per year since I was born. These are not necessarily the best films of each year, but my favorites, for one reason or another. They are movies that I've seen and impacted me in some way. So first up will be 1971.

Back to Work

2009-04-27T00:13:00.000-07:00

I am planning to start posting to this blog again. With what, I'm not exactly sure. Things have changed significantly for me since my last post. I no longer work for a movie theatre chain, but instead work for the government. But my love for movies is still the same. I'm just don't have the easy access to films anymore. But regardless, updates must come. Stay tuned....

Friday, September 6

2007-09-15T19:31:00.000-07:00

Fados - 6 pm at The Ryerson (85 min.)

TIFF synopsis: Legendary filmmaker Carlos Saura’s many cinematic depictions of music and dance from various areas of Ibero-America have enriched the scope of the musical documentary. His work expresses not only sound and movement but also the evolving story and culture of the place the music was born. Fados, his engaging recent endeavour to map the social history of a genre, follows in the tradition of Flamenco and Tango, completing his lyrical trilogy exploring three of the nineteenth century’s most enduring urban musical traditions.

Fado, a type of music that can be traced back to eighteen-twenties Portugal, was introduced to Saura through the films of Amália Rodrigues. She described it in a song as “Love, jealousy / ash and fire / pain and sin. / All this exists / All this is sad. / All this is fado.” Saura traces fado’s humble beginnings in the slums of Lisbon to its changing modern-day manifestations, showing how this mournful music has informed modern Portuguese culture.

Fado is often linked to the Portuguese word saudade, a term that may lack an equivalent in any other language and that refers to a complex longing linked to home. With a series of musical vignettes and his trademark use of mirrors, lights, coloured screens and shadow play, Saura takes us on a journey through the narrative arc of fado, depicting its various styles and permutations as it absorbs Brazilian and African influences. Fado is not merely music – it’s a melding of cultures, customs and sounds.

Featuring legendary singers like Carlos do Carmo, who along with Rodrigues reshaped fado after the sixties, and new voices from performers like Mariza, Saura pays homage to the fadistas, or fado musicians, of past and present. Fados also features performances by celebrated contemporary artists Camané, Caetano Veloso, Lila Downs and Chico Buarque. Replete with dance performances, footage of Portugal’s revolutionary times and clips from Rodrigues’s Lisbon films, Fados evokes the melancholy roots of this music, bringing us closer to the vibrant cultures of the Iberian Peninsula and Latin America.

I would have chosen this film because of the director. He has focused on different dances in his previous movies and I thought it would be interesting on an educational level.

Review: By John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter

The latest of Carlos Saura's romanticized cultural time capsules, "Fados," is as rich as its predecessors, an elegant setting for the shimmering, melancholy music of Portugal (by way of Spain). Seductive and beautifully made, it could be the date movie of the year for performing-arts fans.Sticking with the presentation style used in "Flamenco," Saura presents a string of self-contained episodes, uninterrupted by host or narrator, blocked out on a soundstage with wall-sized scrims and mirrors usually providing the sole decoration. In addition to the shadow play and reflections these backdrops allow, the director also projects vintage film clips of influential singers against them, offering today's performers a couple of chances to pay direct homage to their forebears. On other occasions, artists are interacting with themselves -- as with a troupe of dancers whose graceful, fabric-draped movements are duplicated onscreen from a constantly changing perspective, resulting in an old-country take on Busby Berkeley kaleidoscopism.The tone of fado is generally described as mournful, but these languid songs can also be proud, whether of romantic and artistic prowess (one woman recalls an all-night dancefloor battle with a rival for her lover's heart, boasting that she was the victor at dawn) or of the intimately-known streets of a singer's hometown. Though the styles overlap -- as demonstrated in a bewitching male/female duet near the end -- the music's tone is rarely as theatrically impassioned as flamenco; rather, it's gently fluid and bittersweet. The musicians showcased range from current sensations like Portuguese beauty Mariza to surprise guest Caetano Veloso, for whom fado is only a small part of a wide stylistic repertoire. They typically take the stage one or two at a time, supported by a few instrumentalists or accompanying dancers, whose choreography appears to mix folk styles with more modern ones. Predictably, the performances are uniformly strong, and lest the material threaten to grow homogenous, Saura punctuates it with numbers like a surprisingly at-home feeling hip-hop tribute, a political sprechstimme segment set against footage of political rallies, and a group scene, presented as if in a cafe, where the crowd takes turns standing to sing. Saura ends the picture gracefully with a long crane shot that takes in the offstage crew before letting us stare straight into the camera itself -- seeing what many of the singers saw, as they sang to a lens and convinced us it was a long-lost friend or unfaithful lover.

Persepolis - 9:30 at The Elgin Theatre (95 min.)

I admit that I used to be a snob when it comes to animation. If it's an anime, it better be from Japan. If it's traditional, it better be Disney or Dreamworks. Les Triplettes de Belleville changed my way of thinking in 2003. The animation in that French film was different that I was accustomed to, but at the end of the day, it was the storytelling that was the key. So as long as a film had that, the animation quality was secondary. Which is why this film was so appealing to me.

Tiff synopsis: Persepolis is the much-anticipated animated adaptation of Marjane Satrapi’s acclaimed series of autobiographical graphic novels. Satrapi’s darkly humorous take on her experiences as a spirited young Muslim woman coming of age in Tehran – during the rule of the Shah, the Islamic Revolution and the gruelling Iran-Iraq War – makes for a bracingly original story.

We follow the misadventures of Marjane (Gabrielle Lopes and Chiara Mastroianni) from mischievous little girl in Iran to rebellious teenager finding first love amid decadent anarchists at a snooty French school in Vienna. The film then charts the young woman’s heavy-hearted return to Iran, and finally her emigration to Paris. Marjane’s story presents the bloody history of her homeland over the last quarter century in microcosm: the Communists in her family fought against the Shah only to be persecuted even more harshly by the Islamists who took his place. If the film sounds brutal, it maintains a refreshing levity as each gritty, haunting real-world event is balanced with a flight of fancy. These come courtesy of Persepolis’s charming animation style – bold, graphic, simple yet forcefully stylized.

Life in Iran politicizes the highly impressionable Marjane at a young age, but her primary activity becomes the search for her own identity. Surrounded by turmoil and oppression, Marjane still struggles with more intangible tensions and dilemmas women everywhere will understand, such as the conflict between a warm and open home life and the harsh outside world, or the question of what to say out loud versus what to keep to oneself.

Some of the funniest moments in the film come from the Islamic authorities’ demonization of American popular culture, as when Marjane’s teachers decry her Nike shoes as “punk.” What stays with you most, however, is Marjane’s intensely close relationship to her mother (Catherine Deneuve), father (Simon Abkarian) and grandmother (Danielle Darrieux) – who always smells good because she tucks jasmine into her brassiere every morning. Directed by Satrapi herself, along with fellow comics artist Vincent Paronnaud, the film manages not only to be faithful to the much-loved books, but to create from them a daring cinematic experience.

Review: By Lisa Neelson, Variety

Any stragglers still unconvinced that animation can be an exciting medium for both adults and kids will run out of arguments in the face of "Persepolis." Like the four-volume series of graphic novels on which it's based, this autobiographical tour de force is completely accessible and art of a very high order. First-person tale of congenitally rebellious Marjane Satrapi, who was 8 years old when the Islamic Revolution transformed her native Teheran, boasts a bold lyricism spanning great joy and immense sorrow. In both concept and execution, hand-drawn toon is a winner. Sony Classics will release an English-dubbed version Stateside.

France-based Satrapi, who co-directed with fellow illustrator Vincent Paronnaud, is a sterling example of what good advice "Write (and draw) what you know" can be in gifted hands. Pic's specificity is what renders it universal.From Baltimore to Beijing, anybody who ever had a family, a government and/or aspirations for personal happiness should be able to relate.
Narrative, which starts in 1978 and continues into the 1990s, could have been just another coming-of-age tale, but Satrapi and Paronnaud navigate their sharp melding of form and content with assurance. Result zips along with considerable humor, much of it self-deprecating, interspersed with darker material.

Animation perfectly translates Satrapi's deceptively simple black and white drawings. Much like Art Spiegelman's anthropomorphic cats and mice vis-a-vis the history of the Shoah in "Maus," Satrapi's expressive, pleasingly pared down style lends itself to the pleasures of everyday life as well as the horrors of war and state repression. Original books used only stark black and white; shades of gray and evocative backgrounds are added for the screen, along with subtle patches of color in select settings.

Made entirely in France, three-year project required the skills of Gaul's last working animation tracers (armed with felt-tip pens) and looks terrific on a budget of $8.1 million.

Protag's voiceover is woven into highly visual tale, with a dynamite cast voicing the main characters. (Satrapi works in French, so that is what the whole population of Teheran speaks.)
Adorable, spirited Marjane (Gabrielle Lopes) is an only child, raised with love and encouraged in her singularity and independence by educated, intellectual parents Tadji (Catherine Deneuve) and Ebi (Simon Abkarian). Feisty Marjane couldn't be closer to her wise, indomitable grandmother (magnificently voiced by vet Danielle Darrieux), whose frank blend of classy and earthy is irresistible. The Satrapi family values creativity, decency, personal courage and, as often as possible, a good time.

At pic's outset, the Shah's days are numbered. There is great excitement in the Satrapi household whose occupants trust that the people of Iran, having had their fill of dictatorship, will usher in a new era of freedom and prosperity. But they would be wrong.

Young Marjane watches her familiar secular existence morph into theocratic lunacy, with headscarves mandatory and repressive idiocy the order of the day. Still a child, she goes on speaking out, with trouble never far behind. Friends and relatives are imprisoned or worse. Iraq starts an eight-year war and the knee-jerk culture of martyrdom takes hold with a vengeance.
But despite Khomeini, Marjane and her friends show off their contraband Bee Gees and ABBA records and buy bootleg cassettes peddled as if they were heroin.

Knowing they can't tame their daughter's outspoken nature and fearing for her safety, Marjane's parents send her to Vienna, solo, at age 14. (As a teen and adult, Marjane is splendidly voiced by Chiara Mastroianni.)

The roller coaster of Marjane's life is just getting started. People, as well as countries, have to learn the hard way what works and what doesn't.
In decrying conformity and totalitarianism, intelligent toon demonstrates how ideology perverts human nature. Pic champions integrity and resistance and shows that even smarter-than-average people sometimes do dumb things.

These characters smoke like chimneys, but only an ayatollah would mandate an R-rating based on animated individuals "inhaling" pen and ink smoke. They also blow off steam thanks to Iron Maiden, Bruce Lee and, in one of toon's best set pieces, the "Rocky" theme "Eye of the Tiger."
Marjane's intellectual fantasies include chats with God and Karl Marx perched in the heavens. The growth spurt during which Marjane's limbs and features hatch like recalcitrant Silly Putty is a visual highlight.

Thoughtful score provides spot-on accompaniment to everything from pointless death to first love. So far, Gena Rowlands has been announced as the English-lingo voice of the garndmother and Deneuve is slated to reprise her role in Yank dub.

The Mother of All Tears - Midnight at The Ryerson (98 min.)

Dario Argento is a legendary Italian horror filmmaker. His most acclaimed work occured in the late 70's and early 80's. He made films that young American teeanager secretly searched for at the local video stores. His daughter is an infamous actress, known more for her tatoos and her sensuality than her acting. If that wasn't enough to get me to go, it's the opening night of Midnight Madness. There is no better crowd to see a film with than the MM crowd. After each show, you will be convinced that you saw a fun film. Days later, you may come to your senses and realize it was really crap, but the point is that you had fun at the time.

Tiff synopsis: A screeching monkey chases damsel in distress Asia Argento. Crazed supermodel witches perform the dance of death in a cursed mansion. Exorcist Udo Kier is overwhelmed by an outbreak of madness. And of course… there is blood. Welcome to one of the most highly anticipated events in horror fandom – The Mother of Tears, Dario Argento’s finale to The Three Mothers trilogy that started with Suspiria and Inferno.

An urn discovered in a grave is turned over to the Rome museum, where Sarah Mandy (Asia Argento) is studying art restoration. And so is the dark cabbalistic prophecy of the Second Age of Witches set into motion. With the seal of the urn broken, the powers of Mater Lachrymarum, the Mother of Tears, the cruellest and most beautiful of the fabled witches known as the Three Mothers - are restored. Soon, Sarah’s colleague (Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni from Opera) meets a gory death at the hands of demons unleashed from the urn, and havoc explodes in the streets of Rome as a wave of suicide and violent crime heralds the dark priestess’s rebirth. Pursued by the witches who descend upon the city to pay homage to their queen, Sarah is aided by the ghost of her mother (Daria Nicolodi, Asia’s actual mother), a white witch. As Rome burns, the key to breaking the supernatural chaos presents itself in the form of a powerful book.

A testament to Argento’s heritage of horror, The Mother of Tears reunites many of his past collaborators including, obviously, his actress daughter and her mother Nicolodi, special-effects illusionist Sergio Stivaletti and maestro Claudio Simonetti from the Italian prog- rock band Goblin. References to the previous instalments circle through the richly atmospheric plot, complete with bizarre turns of nightmare logic and sexual frenzy.

After the film finished shooting, internet gossip suggested that the director had to trim the gore, but rest assured, the grue is thick and plentiful. After all, an Argento film devoid of grisly baroque set pieces would be like a pizza without toppings. The Mother of Tears is further proof that Argento is an alchemist who doesn’t hesitate to throw the audience into his surreal, phantasmagorical world.

Review: By Dennis Harvey, Variety

It has taken Dario Argento nearly three decades to complete his "Three Mothers" horror trilogy commenced by 1977's "Suspiria" -- his first, best and most widely popular post-giallo effort -- and 1980's visually striking if muddled "Inferno." Whether viewers will think "Mother of Tears: The Third Mother" was worth the wait depends on if they are willing to settle for laughs over chills: This hectic pileup of supernatural nonsense is a treasure trove of seemingly unintentional hilarity. Although lacking helmer's usual aesthetic panache, this "Mother" is a cheesy, breathless future camp classic. Theatrical sales look spotty; majority aud awaits via DVD.

A priest is puzzled by a 19th century coffin and medieval urn found secretly buried behind a church in un-consecrated ground. He sends the urn to a museum in Rome where archeology/art restoration intern Sarah (Asia Argento) and a colleague (Coralina Cataldi Tassoni) unseal the odd, symbol-covered box, discovering a dagger and three pagan-talisman statuettes.
While Sarah looks for a reference book, demons materialize and tear her friend apart. Spying the bloody aftermath, Sarah flees, pursued by a vexing little monkey.
Police are baffled by the crime and Sarah's describing "three deformed people and a monkey" as the killers. Meanwhile, Rome experiences an explosion of suicides, murders and senseless violence. (One daft detail here is that despite such highly publicized violence, background citizens go about their daily business as usual.)

During patches of clumsy explication between myriad hyperventilating action scenes, experts tell Sarah the opened urn released Mater Lacrimarum aka "mother of tears," last survivor of three ancient witches.

Once that lady's on the loose (though thesp Moran Atias doesn't get much screentime), umpteen witchy women plane, train, and drive to Rome to herald the coming "second age of witches." They cackle and stalk Sarah, looking like couture models at a club's Goth dress-up night.
Turns out orphaned Sarah is the daughter of a powerful white witch who died vanishing "Inferno's" Mother #2. Now good mom (Daria Nicolodi) guides Sarah from the spirit world, urging her to develop her own nascent occult powers and combat the biggest Mother of them all.
After much bloodshed and hocus-pocus, the witch proves ludicrously easy to vanquish -- pretty much on the level of Dorothy Gale dumping a bucket of plain old water to "melt" her own witchy nemesis.

Never much inclined toward plot credibility, clarity, playable dialogue, or rescuing his actors from hapless "cry for help" perfs, Argento really throws in the towel here. Result is so hard to take seriously that even the graphic gore incites laughs, since it only caps situations already absurd in conceit and execution. Pic has exactly one good shock; otherwise it's just amusingly foolish.

Adding to the fun are the "Omen"-esque satanic choral bombast of Claudio Simonetti's score, some low-grade CGI effects, and many gratuitous breast shots.

It's fortunate thesp Asia Argento has proven her ability in films for other directors, because if she only appeared in her dad's films, she'd be considered one of the worst actresses ever to land starring roles through nepotism. (Probably the last good lead perf in an Argento film was Jessica Harper's in "Suspiria.") To be fair, everyone here is made to look ridiculous by the tin-ear English dialogue and irrational character behaviors.

In other words, the perfect Midnight Madness movie!!!

Coming Up

2007-09-14T23:31:00.000-07:00

Stupidity and selfishness caused me to miss this year's Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF 2007). But I don't think it should prevent me from having to cover it.

At this point, the festival is basically over. Most of the people have left, except the diehards. There is still the closing night film on Saturday, but the closing film hasn't been stellar in any of the year's I've gone.

I've picked out the schedule that I would have picked had I gone. And since I'm picking films mostly at the Ryerson, I'm confident that I would have gotten tickets regardless of what box I landed in at the lottery.

I'm going to start presenting those films. With pictures, YouTube trailers, interviews and possibly reviews (from the Trades).

2004

2007-08-26T09:51:00.000-07:00

At this point, I've developed an ability to look for more than just the popular film. I'm looking for movies that challenge me on some level.

5. Motorcycle Diaries

I can't say I knew anything about Che Guevera and after this film, I'm still not sure I can say I know much about him. But the situation, the ideas, the ordeal, those I can certainly relate to. "The Motorcycle Diaries" tells the story of an 8,000 mile trip by motorcycle, raft, truck and foot, from Argentina to Peru, undertaken in 1952 by Ernesto Guevara de la Serna and his friend Alberto Granado. Since I haven't studied his life, his legend doesn't hold much sway over me. What did affect me was the sweeping cinematography and the story of two men searching for who they are and what they are to be.

4. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

I'm sure this was a tricky proposition. For those people who like their stories told in a clear, linear way, this film isn't for you. I enjoy films that force me to pay attention. "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" imagines a scientific procedure that can obliterate whole fields of memory -- so that, for example, Clementine can forget that she ever met Joel, let alone fell in love with him. "Is there any danger of brain damage?" the inventor of the process is asked. "Well," he allows, in his most kindly voice, "technically speaking, the procedure is brain damage." Joel, in revenge mode, decides to do the same thing, but mid-process decides that he doesn't want to go through with it. The movie is very romantic and basically boils down to the idea that memories, regardless of good or bad, are important and make us who we are.

3. Sideways

Sideways is about two men reaching middle age with not much to show but disappointment, embark on a week long road trip through California's wine country, just as one is about to take a trip down the aisle. The journey is heartfelt, funny, ridiculous, tragic and romantic. A simple four person tale that has all the richness that the wine country has to offer. The acting is superb all around and is essential to you wanting to continue the journey. There is no action or real pratfalls in the film. It's about the personalities of the characters and the damage that's been done to them. Paul Giamatti holds the compulsively depressive Miles up to the light for inspection at every possible angle, making what could have been a tiresome bore into a loser one can still root and hope for. The chance to turn around a life with no hope is appealing.

2. Crash

I had to wait two hours in the RUSH line for this film at Toronto. I didn't know anything about the movie or the director. But the cast.....wow! Sandra Bullock, Matt Dillon, Don Cheadle, Brendan Fraser and Terrance Howard. There wasn't any other film that evening that appealed to me. I got in with no problems and watched the film. In silence, save for a few gasps. Loved the film. Was moved by the film. When the movie came out a year later, the critics came out. "Oh, another film about racism. Just what we need." It was a polarizing film. You either loved it, or hated it. Nothing wrong with that. That's what movies can do and it's healthy to spur debate. What I hated was those that disliked the film began namecalling those that did. "Simple minded." To me, the movie succeeds as a moving reflection of social alienation and paranoia. Does it give a solution? No, but why does it have to? The movie presumes that most people feel prejudice and resentment against members of other groups, and observes the consequences of those feelings. It was a powerful film for me not because it told me something I didn't know, but because it introduced characters that I could identify with, care for and understand.

1. Hotel Rwanda

2004 was a banner year for Don Cheadle. This film was one that I picked up once I was at the festival. The buzz had been very good for it, so I decided to check it out. I then had to try to get all of my friends to see it. The film embarassed me that I knew nothing about the tragedy. I read about sports and movies. Everything else was blinded to me. This movie awakened me to the real world. A world where madness can easily take control. I now keep up with national/world news so that I can stay abrest of what's going on. Don Cheadle stars in the true-life story of Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager who housed over a thousand Tutsis refugees during their struggle against the Hutu militia in Rwanda. The real Paul Rusesabagina and his wife were there at the screening and hearing their accounts only added to the impact of this film.
You were witnessing pure evil. Not Hollywood fiction. "You don't believe that you can kill them all?" "Why not? We are halfway there already." In 1994 in Rwanda, a million members of the Tutsi tribe were killed by members of the Hutu tribe in a massacre that took place while the world looked away. We were more interested in the OJ trial. The film succeeds as a riveting drama by showing how in the face of evil, good people can still maintain their righteousness.

The real Paul Rusesabinga speaks.

2003

2007-07-30T22:40:00.000-07:00

5. City of God

This film came out of nowhere at the festival. There was so much buzz going out about it that I made it into a screening. Wow!!! This ended up being the film that made me start ACTIVELY seeking out foreign films on any subject when I made my lists up. Before, for me to seek it out, a foreign film had to be one of three types - martial arts, horror, action.
The story begins with the early stages of the City of God, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (in the 1960's) showing where many of the problems stem from- the extreme poverty, overcrowding etc. Here, in the early stages of the favela, we meet our main characters, along with the supporting cast. The story revolves mainly around two characters living in the favela, Rocket and Lil Ze, and how they take two different paths through life. Rocket's dream is to become a photographer and to escape the City of God while Lil Ze becomes a powerful gang leader and drug dealer.
There is a lot style to how Fernando Meirelles shot the film and you become invested in Rocket's fate.

4. Seabiscuit

Never much cared for horse racing. I have ridden a horse and didn't feel my life was missing anything if I never did it again. But I do love underdog stories. Seabiscuit is an ultimate underdog story that makes it impossible for you to not root for the horse.
The story of `Seabiscuit' is actually the tale of four long shots: Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges), a wealthy self-made man and natural salesmen who's suffered both personal and financial loss through the Depression, Tom Smith (Chris Cooper), an aging horse trainer unsure of his place in the world with the ending of the frontier, Red Pollard (Tobey Maguire), a short-tempered jockey with various handicaps against him, and Seabiscuit, an undersized mustang whose been mistreated his whole life.
The final race is so well shot and scored that any time it's on TV, I will stop what I'm doing to watch it.

3. Love Actually

This was the first film I ever saw in digital. The film wasn't ready so they brought it in on disc. I'm still in disbelief that this film didn't do better at the box office over the holidays. I know the R rating hurt it. But this was the perfect feel good romantic holiday movie. Despite the clearly fantastic story lines, I like the characters, and the amazing A-list cast does a great job. I loved all the storylines (eight) and would not have minded spending more time with them.

2. LOTR: The Return of the King

The finale to what ended up being the best trilogy on film of all time. The 7 hours of film that leads up to the Return of the King is only precursor though, when you sit and watch this film. It's just plain brilliance. Everything about the film is wonderful. Return of the King dispatches its characters to their destinies with a grand and eloquent confidence. In a way new to the trilogy, the emotional momentum surges along with the physical action. After early ambivalence over his responsibility for the Ring, Frodo grows into the job; after long dodging his royal inheritance, Aragorn finally rises to the occasion; Sam, especially, emerges as a three-dimensional character of intense devotion to Frodo even after he has been tricked by the Iago-like Gollum and exiled by his closest friend; and the ineffectual Hobbits Pippin and Merry take on some size, figuratively if not literally. A tremendous achievement.

1. Spellbound

Where "City of God" got me invested in foreign films, "Spellbound" got me invested in documentaries. I don't know how they did it, but they made me sweat in a film about a spelling bee. The eight kids they focus on are all interesting, and they spend just enough time on them before heading to Washington D.C. that we are invested in them. Now I admit, part of the tension once they get there may be because I couldn't even begin to spell ANY of the words they are given. So I have no idea whether they are spelling them correctly or not. I have to wait for that dang bell to sound.

2002

2007-07-30T21:33:00.000-07:00

Can't say that 2002 is much better than 2001. Add in the fact that I skipped the 2001 TIFF and my choices are rather lean.

5. Brotherhood of the Wolf

I stumbled upon this film by chance and was greatly rewarded. It was my first hint that France can produce more than light comedy. The film is mostly mood and atmosphere but it handles it well and entraces the viewer into it. In 1765 something was stalking the mountains of south-western France. A 'beast' that pounced on humans and animals with terrible ferocity. Indeed they beast became so notorious that the King of France dispatched envoys to find out what was happening and to kill the creature. By the end, the Beast of Gevaudan had killed over 100 people, to this day, no one is entirely sure what it was, wolf? hyena? or something supernatural?
The king sends two men to find out. And the battle begins. It's a period costume horror martial-arts werewolf movie and surprisingly all those pieces work together provided you don't concentrate too hard. And it's got Monica Bellucci. God bless the French.

4. LOTR: Two Towers

The first film just whetted the appetite. This film improved on the original and left us impatient for the conclusion. Gollum will go down in movie history as the first truly memorable CGI character (sorry, JarJar) to interact with actors. It's a great performance by Andy Serkis. The opening scene of The Two Towers provides an outstanding, yet very brief, taste of action, cinematography, and special effects, only to be matched (and far surpassed) in the final hour of the film. The stunning events of the third hour of The Two Towers are undoubtedly the centerpiece of the film, and while the first two hours serve finely as story development, they primarily build anticipation for the final hour, which mostly depicts the battle of Helm's Deep. More than anything else, the first two hours merely tease and torment the patient audience. But even though there may not be much action in the first half, it's the time taken to develop the characters that allows us so much investment once the battle begins. All three movies ran 3 hours and I applaud New Line for having the faith in both Jackson, to pull it off, and the audience, to want to sit through it.

3. Rabbit Proof Fence

Director Phillip Noyce had a stong festival in 2002. He brought to the festival "The Quiet American" and "Rabbit Proof Fence."

This is the true story of Molly Craig, a young black Australian girl who leads her younger sister and cousin in an escape from an official government camp, set up as part of an official government policy to train them as domestic workers and integrate them into white society. With grit and determination Molly guides the girls on an epic journey, one step ahead of the authorities, over 1,500 miles of Australia's outback in search of the rabbit-proof fence that bisects the continent and will lead them home. These three girls are part of what is referred to today as the 'Stolen Generations.' The performances by amateur actors Evelyn Sampi, Tianna Sansbury, and Laura Monaghan (who had never seen a film before let alone acted in one) are authentic and heartbreakingly affecting. The real Molly is shown over the closing credits. YouTube has a short documentary on the shooting of a scene of the film.

2. Spirited Away

I had heard of Hayao Miyazaki but never bothered to find any of his films. My misconception about Asian animation was that it couldn't be as good as Disney films. I went to see Spirited Away at Toronto only because my first option at that time had fallen through. I was fortunate as this film opened my mind to what storytelling can do. I had no idea where the story was going or how it was going to end, I was just along for the ride.
The story centres around Chihiro, a young girl about to move into a new place and who feels insecure about the new environment she will be living in. These fears become a part of her encounter with a strange abandoned amusement park that she and her parents find when they reach a dead end in their car. At the park they find that their is a stall that is seemingly open, with glorious displays of mouth watering food. There are no people about but Chihiros parents decide to gorge themselves on this bounty and pay later. As Chihioro explores she comes across a strange boy who warns her to get out before dark. It is too late however, because as night falls, ghosts are awakened, and then by the time she gets back to her parents they are turned into pigs. She then finds that the route she came from is gone and she is now trapped in this place, her only allie being the boy she met earlier. She is told to get a job at the centre piece of the park, a bath house run by Yubaba, an evil power mad witch. This is a bath house for the spirits and Chihiro has to find a job there before she is found and turned into an animal herself, then unable to save her parents.

1. Signs

The film is commercial and emotionally manipulative but I don't care. The final confrontation where all the clues come in to focus, "Swing away", still resonates every time I watch it. Of course the clues are much more obvious after multiple viewings, but it doesn't diminish the power of the ending and the fun that's had throughout. There seems to be a lot of backlash at M. Night Shyamalan lately. The one I find funniest is that he is "insulting" the audience with his surprise endings because he thinks he smarter than us. No, he's entertaining us. Not all of his films have worked, but when they do, like this one, there are few who are better at keeping things tense to an almost unbearable degree, with no action. In "Signs", other than a brief glimpse of the alien on video, we don't see the creature until the last five minutes of the movie. Yet you are in constant worry throughout the entire movie and you're not even sure if it really is a 'monster' movie. The acting is superb.

2001

2007-07-30T01:47:00.000-07:00

2001 was a drop off from 2000. It didn't seem to be as many films that amazed me.

5. Gosford Park

There are so many characters here that one spends a good deal of time trying to sort out who's related to whom, what the pecking order is downstairs, etc. But with a steller cast and Robert Altman at the helm, we know that we will learn what we need to by the end. Oh, and there's a murder mystery too. The film is an update of Jean Renoir's 1939 film LE REGLE DU JEU, in which wealthy relatives of an aristocrat come to a shooting party at a country home. Here, because of the obviously strained relationships between the host and his family has been less than amicable, it serves as a springboard where everyone's worst behavior and heretofore concealed feelings towards each other really come forth with an undertone of mean-spirited cruelty just brimming below the surface, while the servants act as non-entities when in their employers' presence but occasionally break into. The characters are so many but so well played, that I had to watch again just to see what I missed.

4. A Beautiful Mind

I had absolutely no interest in seeing this film. Math, madness...not interested. But despite this, I found myself in the theatre one day. I found myself pulled into another kind of story, a powerful, emotional story of how one man learned to battle his own demons and dazzle the world."A Beautiful Mind", based on the novel by Sylvia Nasar, is the story of John Forbes Nash Jr., the genius mathematician, whose life suddenly takes a turn for the worse when he is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. After fierce battles with his inner self, he overcomes this and returns to win the Nobel Prize in 1994 for his breakthrough game theory in economics that he had been working on during his years in Princeton University in the 1950s. Since I knew nothing about the real Nash, I had no idea where the movie was taking me and got lost in the story and the wonderful acting.

3. LOTR: Fellowship of the Ring

I really can't say that I was a fan of the Tolkein novels. In fact, I couldn't make it through them. They gave me a headache. But when I saw the trailer for the first time, I knew that this was going to be special. If I was running New Line, I'm not sure I would have given the director of "Heavenly Creatures", "Dead Alive" and "The Frightners", the keys to this franchise. The world would have missed out. The film was engrossing from the prologue to the end and I never felt a need to look at my watch. It was like being a kid again, remembering how in awe I was when seeing "Star Wars" for the first time.

2. Amelie

You'll either fall in love with this film or you'll be driven insane. Personally, I was one who fell in love with it and with Audrey Tautou. Amelie is about a strange young woman whose life is nothing special, but it gets better when she's helping other people feel wonderful. But when Amelie finds a man in whom she has an interest, she finds that she can only play games with him from a distance. When the time comes to approach him, she can't. The film never takes itself seriously and is a lot of fun. Audrey Tautou could not be overemphasized for her importance in portraying Amelie. The film wouldn't work without her impish charm.

1. Traffic

A dazzlingly complex film, `Traffic' takes a hard, unflinching look at the so-called `war on drugs' that is perfectly clear and uncompromising. Director Steven Soderbergh takes the various viewpoints of the drug culture -- the users, the dealers, the police, and the politicians -- and weaves their differing stories together into a single story that is both deep in its ideas but very simple to understand. His loose hand-held style lends the film an extremely spontaneous realistic tone, but the modifications of color amplify the drama. Each storyline has its own distinct look that accentuates the emotions underlining the film. The cast and the acting is top notch. Soderbergh had a banner year in 2001 with this and "Erin Brokovich". Traffic is a film that has to sink in, when you start to think about it it just gets better and better.

2000

2007-07-30T00:53:00.000-07:00

5. Chocolat.

This was the film that introduced me to the great Juliette Binoche. A light hearted comedy drama with a social message that didn't seem to be hitting you over the head with. Set in France in the late 1950s, Lansquenet is a village resistant to change. When a woman with her young daughter in tow arrive, nothing could be a greater threat to the status quo.
She opens a chocolate shop and has an uncanny ability to pick out the perfect type for each visitor. Incredibly charming film.

4. Magnolia

I saw this film at the first Butt-numb-athon in Austin. I was amazed as Paul Thomas Anderson's ability to weave in the multiple storylines that seem to have little in common and then bring them all together. The cast is great and there are many actors, Tom Cruise included, that play against their normal type. Aimee Mann's songs are haunting. But it was definitely not for everyone. My mom HATED it. "Why are frogs falling from the sky?"

3. Almost Famous

I started college wanting to be a journalist. This film certainly fueled that belief. This was the film where I discovered that Cameron Crowe has a knack for picking the perfect music for his films. Not that it started here. Going back, I discovered it's been there from his first film. Music and the love for it is what drives this film along. The performances are all first rate too. There are no villans, simply real people.

2. The Hurricane

At Toronto in 1999, I stumbled into a screening for this film. All I knew about it was that it starred Denzel Washington and it was about a boxer. I left the screening moved and wanting more. Even before the movie started, there was a buzz at the Elgin. The real Hurricane Carter spoke before the film of his trials and about his first meeting with Denzel. They were having dinner at a resteraunt. The dinner started with two people, Denzel and Carter. By the end of the meal, there was only one, The Hurricane. Denzel picked up on how Carter spoke that quickly, "and I loved it," Carter said. The movie was a powerful story of how a man stays strong, but still needs friends and love. Iwas absorbed throughout.

1. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

This was the reason I went to Toronto this year, just to see this movie. The movie didn't disappoint. It was beautiful visually. It had a tragic, compelling story. And the martial arts were pretty good too. I've loved Michelle Yeoh since Police Story 3 and Chow Yun Fat since Hardboiled. The RUSH line for the Gala wrapped around the entire building. It was crazy. It was the only time I've ever been able to sit on the lower level for a Gala.

Everybody loves Lists

2007-07-30T00:51:00.000-07:00

Since I'm waiting for more TIFF films to be announced (mainly the final two Midnight Madness films) and I've seem to have a posting itch, I'm reaching back to the past.

My top 5 films each year since 2000. These are my favorites, not necessarily the ones I think are the best made, just that I enjoyed them the most. I picked 2000, b/c this coincides with my first trip to Toronto in 1999. Three of the films that I saw at that festival made my list for 2000 (when they were released stateside).

Margot at the Wedding

2007-07-29T01:40:00.000-07:00

Margot at the Wedding by Noah Baumbach will be part of the Special Presentations program.

After learning of her sister Pauline's (Jennifer Jason Leigh) plans to get married, Margot (Nicole Kidman) and her son leave New York City for the country in order to pay her a visit. Less than impressed by her sister's new fiancé (Jack Black), Margot's unabashed honesty compels the entire family to unleash their true feelings, forcibly coming to terms with the dysfunctional yet indispensable relationships that surround them.

I really liked Baumbach's last film, "The Squid and the Whale." The trailer looks fun and Jack Black appears to be playing an actual human being.

Into the Wild

2007-07-29T01:28:00.000-07:00

Into the Wild by Sean Penn will be part of the Special Presentations program.

INTO THE WILD is based on a true story and the bestselling book by Jon Krakauer. After graduating from Emory University in 1992, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch) abandons his possessions, gave his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhiked to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Along the way, Christopher encounters a series of characters that shape his life.

Interested to see Sean Penn at Toronto.

In the Valley of Elah

2007-07-29T01:15:00.001-07:00

In the Valley of Elah by Paul Haggis is part of the Special Presentations program.

The film the story of a young soldier who goes missing upon returning to the U.S. from Iraq. When his war veteran father (Tommy Lee Jones) and his mother (Susan Sarandon) begin questioning the circumstances surrounding their son's mysterious disappearance, they embark on a journey to piece together their son's final days, enlisting the help of a police detective (Charlize Theron) to aid in the investigation.

I'll admit that I'm a big Paul Haggis fan. That seems to put me in the minority on most "geek" film sites. I've never understood the animosity that some have for "Crash", a film that I thought deserved it's Academy Award. I liked Million $ Baby, Letters from Iwo Jima, Flags from our Fathers, Casino Royale, all of which he helped in the screenwriting. Hell, he even wrote for Walker, Texas Ranger. How can anyone argue with the greatness of Chuck Norris?

Trailer looks good to me.

I'm Not There

2007-07-29T01:05:00.000-07:00

I'm Not There by Todd Haynes is part of the Special Presentations program.

Formerly going by the title of "I'm Not There: Suppositions on a Film Concerning Dylan", this is a film about the life of Bob Dylan. The film follows seven characters, each embodying a different aspect of Dylan's life story and music. It's the first biographical feature project to secure the approval of the pop culture icon. The film is about the life of Bob Dylan's early days as a struggling folksinger, the rise to the forefront of the early-'60s folk scene, the controversial switch to rock, the motorcycle accident and the subsequent retreat from public view, and the latter-day de-emphasis of recording and concentration on the concert series known as the Never Ending Tour. Sounes somehow has uncovered some new information in that oft-scanned showbiz legend, mostly about Dylan's childhood and his jealously guarded family life. Some of it actually provides further insight into his songs, particularly those about his wife, Sara (Charlotte Gainsbourg). Sounes also blows the lid off Dylan's heretofore unknown 1986 marriage to one of his backup singers. Each story expresses an aspect of Dylan's mercurial personality and each story is to be filmed differently, in a style appropriate to its theme: Woody - an 11-year-old black boy, always on the run; Robbie - a womanizing performer, always on the road; Jude (Cate Blanchett) - the young androgynous rock star; John/Jack (Christian Bale) - a folk idol who reinvents himself as an evangelist; Billy (Richard Gere) - the famous outlaw, miraculously alive but growing old.

Not sure about this one as I'm not a huge Dylan fan. But it's got a standout cast and a really good director (Far from Heaven, Velvet Goldmine) that has me at least curious. There's a clip of the film on YouTube that let's you see some of the style the film is being shot in.

Atonement

2007-07-29T00:49:00.000-07:00

Atonement by Joe Wright will play as part of the Special Presentations program.

Based on the award-winning novel by Ian McEwan, ATONEMENT reunites director Joe Wright (PRIDE AND PREJUDICE) and actor Keira Knightley for another classic British romance - one that spans several decades. Thirteen-year-old fledgling writer Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan) irrevocably changes the course of several lives when she accuses Robbie Turner (James McAvoy of THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND), the man who loves her older sister Cecilia (Knightley), of a rape that he did not commit.

McAvoy was a big hit of last year's festival, appearing in three films (Last King, Penelope, Starter for 10). The film looks to be a solid dramtic weepy.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

2007-07-27T01:53:00.000-07:00

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford by Andrew Dominik is part of the Special Presentations program.

The film film that delves into the private life and public exploits of America's most notorious outlaw. As the charismatic and unpredictable Jesse James (Brad Pitt) plans his next great robbery, he wages war on his enemies, who are trying to collect the reward money and glory riding on his capture. But the greatest threat to his life may ultimately come from those he trusts the most.

This is the second film Dominik has directed. His first was "Chopper" which starred Eric Bana.

Theatre Venues

2007-07-25T21:21:00.000-07:00

Last year I posted the theatre venues and seat counts in a post labeled "Things to Remember."

I don't know about you, but my memory is not that stellar. So as I continued to post, those venues sunk further and further down.

This year, I've included them up top as a sidebar column so that they are always available and noticeable. What an idea!!! Brilliant!!!

Wish I had thought of it. That honor goes to the MIDNIGHT SCREENINGS blog. And Blutz is doing me one better. He is including map links to every venue as well as the ticket offices as well. So check out his blog for that an more.

As far as the venues go:

Roy Thomson Hall - host the GALA screenings. That's it. You get to see the stars show up on the red carpet, say a few words before the show and that's it. ZERO chance for a Q&A.

Elgin Theatre - also has a seperate ticket package. Also has ZERO chance for a Q&A. Also has the most psychotically committed ushers to seeking out those trying to take pictures of the stars in the theatre.

Ryerson Theatre - always has a solid lineup of films. The GALA screenings typically have their second screening here the next morning. Q&A are expected just about anytime except for the 9am shows. Stars gotta sleep. Has been the host of the Midnight Madness program since the Uptown was torn down.

Varsity Theatres - a more eccletic mix. Will have a few higher profile films screen in theatre #8. Q&A are plentiful here.

Cumberland Theatres - not going to find many films with mainstream stars here. Haven't experienced any Q&A there either, but I'd figure they probably do happen.

Paramount Theatres - the only theatre that is not within a block or two of a subway stop. You HAVE to give yourself time to get there, unless you are going to spurge on a taxi. Q&A happen frequently. So I have to pick the films wisely and give myself time both before and after.

I have not been to screenings at Jackman Hall, the Royal Ontario Museum and only one at the Isabel Badel Theatre.

Again, seat count is a huge determinate in your quest to get tickets for a film. The Ryerson is ALWAYS the safest choice that you will get tickets b/c of its 1209 seat capacity.

Why not the Elgin since it has 1500? TIFF sells seperate packages for the 6 and 9 pm shows for the Elgin. This dwindles down the available tickets for sale. How many do they sale? Who knows, but surely they sell at least 500, which means at most 1,000 are now available.

Realize that the Ryerson and the Elgin will typically play films with either stars or directors that more of the public has heard of, so there can be more demand, which could hurt your chances.

But I still like my chances at getting tickets for a 6 pm show at the Ryerson over a 6pm show at Varsity 1.

In fact, the past two years, you would have seen a great festival if you did nothing but book films that show at the Ryerson. But what fun would that be? You have to have the thrill of leaving one screening and having only 10 min. to get a mile up Yonge for the next one.

One piece of advice for lovers of Midnight Madness. Forget about 9:30 Galas.

Unless you get lucky enough to pick the rare GALA that is 90 min. or less, you won't be able to get over to the Ryerson in time for the midnight screening.
1)The distance between locations is substantial and will take at least 10 min. by subway, if your lucky and in good running shape.
2) And this is true of most venues. If you're expecting your 9:30 pm Gala to start on time, your fooling yourself. It's not a blight on the festival, just the further the day progresses, the more things naturally start to run behind. Especially at Galas, where the stars have to stop for interviews all the way down the red carpet. Running behind, I have found, has actually been more of a blessing as it's allowed me to get from venue to venue without feeling like I'm going to keel over once I sit down.

Planning for TIFF Pt. 1 - Lodging

2007-07-25T00:39:00.000-07:00

Lodging needs to be the first priority b/c where you stay can determine how much of the festival you can partake in.

First factors to consider.
1) Traveling party. Are you alone or are you going with someone? This determines your budget and what size room you need. If you are alone, as I have been, you know you are footing the entire bill, so your choices narrow. Going with others helps you to split the price, so you can afford more.
2)Location, location, location. Yonge St. should be the focus. Varsity, Ryerson and Elgin theatres are all located off Yonge. The most high profile films play at these venues. You can go as far north as Bloor and as far south as King. You can go as far west as Bay St. and as far east as Jarvis. If you find a place in this box, you are within either a) walking distance of or b) a subway stop of every TIFF venue. This is key. You may want to catch a nap between films, or go take a shower, etc. You can't do that if you are staying outside this box.

Next: What type of festivalgoer are you?
a) Want to see as many movies as possible?
b) Want to see as many stars as possible?
c) Want to see some film, some stars and what Toronto has to offer?

If a) then you really don't need a fancy place. You just need a bed to sleep (at most 8 hours), a drawer to throw your T-shirts and shorts in and a shower to get yourself going.
If b) then you do want a fancy place where you might see that stars brewing in the lobby, plus you'll need a private restroom, big closet to hang up your best clothes, and room service for any last minute items.
If c) you need a standard hotel room with a hotel desk that knows where the popular places to visit are and maybe host a tour to Niagra Falls.

If you are a b) then check the TIFF website under Plan your stay and Festival Hotels. These are the hotels that will typically have industry people staying at them. They are also the hotels that are very expensive. So plan on dishing out plenty. Your paying for status.

a) and c) can search the same way, which is as follows.

1) If you are determined to stay in a hotel, start looking as early as you can. Check Yahoo Travel, hotels.com, orbitz.com, etc. Check at least once a week in each by typing in your planned days of travel. Specials show up all the time and without notice. They will vanish just as quickly. Twice I've been able to book rooms at hotels on Yonge for $75 CAD a night that normally go for $135. When you see something that seems too good to pass up, read the fineprint, then reserve it. I normally am booked for TIFF by December.

2) Don't shy away from B&B's. There are tons of B&B's in Toronto. At least 20 that are within the box that I talked about above. Tripadvisor.com is a good source for B&Bs. You can usually find rooms from $60-90. You will have shared bathrooms. You probably won't have a TV. But the bed will be comfortable. Again, if you are there to see movies, a B&B is perfect b/c you're not planning on spending much time in the room. I've never had to wait on using a restroom, b/c my timetable will be different from the normal tourist that are staying there. Most even provide breakfast, where you can bond with the fellow guest.....or not.

I've always been somewhat nomadic in that I've never stayed in one place twice. But that is mostly because I'm always looking for the best deal. There really hasn't been a place that I've stayed at that I wouldn't go again. The rooms have always fit or exceeded my needs.
Places I've stayed.
1999 - Hotel Shelby (Clarion) - two far north east to be of much use.
2000 - Days Inn (on Carlton Street) - central perfect location, College TTC stop.
2002 - Victoria Inn - too far south. Below King St.
2003 - Bond Place - got a great deal on a room, under $90, and have never seen it anywhere near that price range again. Location is great, right by Eaton Centre.
2004 - Courtyard by Marriot. One block north of Days Inn. Centrally located.
2005 - House on McGill - My first venture into a B&B. Never bumped into anyone. Nice and quiet. Perfect location a block away from the Ryerson. Made friends with the house cat.
2006 - Les Amis B&B - On the other side of the street from McGill. Block away from Ryerson. Owner made breakfast every morning. Comfortable bed.
2007 - Days Inn. This will be the first year that I return to a previous location. A block further away from Ryerson than the B&Bs. But the $75 CAD a night price was too good to pass up. Essentially what I was paying at the B&Bs but I get my own restroom and two beds.

A L'Interieur

2007-07-25T00:22:00.000-07:00

À l'intérieur by Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo is screening Saturday, Sept. 15 as part of the Midnight Madness program.

C. Geddes describes the film as "Four months after the tragic car accident that claimed the life of her husband, the very pregnant Sarah (Alysson Paradis, sister of French pop idol Vanessa Paradis) is relaxing alone in her suburban house on Christmas Eve, waiting for her mother to take her to the hospital where her doctor will induce labour. The silent night is broken by a knock on the door as a woman (Betty Blue’s Beatrice Dalle) calmly asks to use the phone. Immediately suspicious, Sarah refuses to let the stranger in and calls the police, who find no trace of the woman when they arrive. When they depart, Sarah locks the door, unwittingly trapping herself in a jealous maternal struggle for the survival of the new life within her belly. Sarah must fight back against a scissor-wielding madwoman hell-bent on taking one thing away from her…

A nice calm bloody terror to end the festival with. Variety.com says it's "for those who like their blood by the barrelful". Perfect.

Dai-nipponjin

2007-07-24T23:58:00.000-07:00

Dai-nipponjin by Hitoshi Matumoto is screening Friday, Sept. 14 as part of the Midnight Madness program.

C. Geddes describes the film as " Daisato lives a mundane life in a rundown house tagged with insulting and obscenity-riddled graffiti. This middle-aged slacker seems a puzzling subject to be followed by the documentary crew that films his banal daily routine. That is, until he prepares for his “job.” As bolts of electricity rip through the sky, Daisato is transformed into a stocky giant several storeys high, sporting tight purple briefs, tattoos and an Eraserhead-style hairdo. In his hand is a big stick – for beating the crap out of monsters.

Welcome to the world of Dainipponjin (which translates as “The Great Japanese”), a sixth-generation superhero defending Japan from outlandish “baddies,” as Daisato calls them. These ridiculous villains include the freak with the comb-over hairdo who pulls down skyscrapers with elastic arms or the revolting beast that lets rip stink clouds equaling the smell of twenty thousand human feces chased by a dash of horny suitor.

Surrounded by mystical tradition and ceremony, his predecessors were national champions feted with parades and cheering fans. Today, Daisato’s battles are broadcast late at night to diminishing ratings. He has become the scapegoat of New Japan, whose citizens bitterly complain about the noise and destruction of property he causes. Daisato has his own problems, including an agent insistent on branding him with sponsor advertisements, an Alzheimer-afflicted grandfather who transforms into a giant in dirty underwear and an ex-wife and daughter who are embarrassed by his often cowardly exploits.

This film reminds me of "Zebraman", a movie with the focus more on humor than on action. I loved Zebraman.Variety.com from the screening at Cannes said the film is "tears down the face funny." Good enough for me.

Flash Point

2007-07-24T13:00:00.000-07:00

Flash Point by Wilson Yip will play Wednesday, Sept. 12 as part of the Midnight Madness program.

Geddes descibes the film as "Hot-headed cop Jun (Donnie Yen), whose punch-drunk brand of justice earns constant reprimands from his superiors, is after drug-dealing brothers Archer (Ray Lui), Tony (Collin Chou from Matrix Reloaded) and Tiger (Yu Xing from Kung Fu Hustle). Undercover cop Wilson (Louis Koo, from Election) infiltrates the gang and gains its trust. When his cover is blown, the resulting battle leaves him crippled. Archer is snared by the lawmen, but the day before his trial, Tiger vows to wipe out the only witness – Wilson – setting off an unforgettable series of high-octane chases and fisticuffs."

The film is from the same director and action choreographer from 2005 great SPL. Donnie Yen (Hero, Blade 2, Iron Monkey) has always been a favorite of mine. The film looks to be boncrunchingly violet. Awesome.

The Devil's Chair

2007-07-24T12:48:00.000-07:00

The Devil's Chair by Adam Mason will be screening Tuesday, Sept. 11 as part of the Midnight Madness program.

Geddes describes the film as " With a pocketful of drugs, Nick West (Andrew Howard) takes out his girlfriend Sammy (Polly Brown), for a shag and a good time. When they explore an abandoned asylum, the discovery of a bizarre device – a cross between an electric chair and sadistic fetish machine – transforms drugged-out bliss into agony and despair. After Sammy is brutally assaulted and murdered by unseen forces, Nick becomes the number-one suspect.
So begins British horror director Adam Mason’s gore-fest The Devil’s Chair, a dark and terrifying journey to the meeting place between insanity and the supernatural.

Years pass and Nick, who had been locked up in a mental hospital, is released into the care of eminent psychiatrist Dr. Willard (David Gant), who is hell-bent on exposing the truth behind the killing. Accompanied by Dr. Willard and several of his students, Nick returns to the scene of the crime. However, the decrepit asylum hides a blood-drenched secret. With Dr. Willard’s team in mortal danger, their only hope is the clinically insane Nick.

Chained by memories of the horrifying event and the conflicting version of reality engendered by his psychiatric treatment, Nick is forced to fight the forces of pure darkness to save the team and prove his innocence. Events build to a brutal, gut-wrenching climax where nothing is what it seems, but everyone is ripe for slaughter."

Having watch the trailer, I have no idea where this movie is going. Which will probably be part of the fun.

Stuck

2007-07-24T12:44:00.000-07:00

Stuck by Stuart Gordon will be showing on Monday, Sept. 10 as part of the Midnight Madness program.

Geddes describes the film as "Brandi (Mena Suvari) is a compassionate young retirement-home caregiver in line for a promotion. Tom (Stephen Rea) is a victim of the downsized economy, out-of-work and newly homeless. Their worlds crash together when Brandi, driving home from a club after too many drinks and pills, accidentally hits Tom, the impact smashing his body head-first through her car’s windshield.

With Tom lodged in broken glass, the panicked Brandi drives home and locks the car in her garage. She pleads with Tom, conscious and in severe shock, to stay calm, promising to take him to a hospital. That is, until she realizes her fate is tied to that of her victim: if discovered, this “accident” will extinguish her bright future. Blocking the image of the bloody, broken Tom from her mind, Brandi waits for him to die so she and her drug-dealer boyfriend can dispose of the body. Realizing her plan, Tom knows he must escape if he wants to survive. "

The fact that a situation like this really happened nearby in Fort Worth is just insane. What went through her mind. Film reminds me of "Misery" just much more twisted, which is what you should expect from Stuart Gordon.

Vexille

2007-07-24T12:31:00.000-07:00

Vexille by Fumihiko Sori will be showing on Sunday, Sept. 9 as part of the Midnight Madness.

Can't have MM without an anime.

Geddes describes the film as " 2077: for ten years, Japan has isolated itself from the rest of the world, opposing a United Nations treaty restricting areas of advanced research in biotechnology. At the behest of Japanese mega-corporation Daiwa, who monopolize the global market in industrial robotic technology, the country’s borders have been closed and a sophisticated magnetic shield has blocked communication and satellite surveillance. Life in Japan has become a mystery.

Following the discovery of a “human” limb with flesh replaced by a form of bio-metal, S.W.O.R.D., a United States Special Forces unit that polices treaty violations, is dispatched to infiltrate Japan. The unit, which is led by female commander Vexille, teams with an underground rebel force in Tokyo. The revelation of Japan’s new reality shakes Vexille, as she witnesses the destruction of both land and citizenry by Daiwa and the monstrous Jags, whirling, metallic android cyclones (reminiscent of Dune’s sandworms) that seek out and devour any form of metal in their path.

Sori directed the non-animated "Ping Pong" which was a film that I thought was hilarious as well as heartfelt. The previews for the film look to be fun.

Diary of the Dead

2007-07-24T12:19:00.000-07:00

Diary of the Dead by George A. Romero will play Saturday, Sept. 8 as part of the Midnight Madness program.

With two films yet to be named, Colin Geddes has already done MM fans an act of kidness that could never be repaid. George A. Romero and Stuart Gordon - two LEGENDS of the horror genre. Wow!!!

Geddes describes Romero's latest as "Jason (Joshua Close) and a small crew of college students are in the Pennsylvania woods shooting a low-budget mummy flick for their film-school project. Their faux frights are replaced with real ones when news reports indicate that the dead are returning to life. In shock and disbelief, the group embarks on a journey back to the safety and security of their homes. Meanwhile, the government first denies, then promises to quell the crisis, but they don’t succeed; technology fails and communication with the rest of the world becomes impossible. Driving an old Winnebago past burning cars and shambling corpses, the crew soon learn that there is no escape from the plague of the living dead, nor is there any real home for them anymore. Attacked by ravenous walking corpses at every turn, Jason obsessively films the madness, an unflinching eye in the midst of chaos, even as his friends die around him."

I remember seeing "Night of the Living Dead" on TV when I was young and being spooked out the rest of the evening. "Dawn of the Dead" was a masterpiece. I'm glad he's back in control of the genre that he brought to life. Fangoria TV did a good preview of the film that has shown up on You Tube.

Frontieres

2007-07-24T12:11:00.000-07:00

Frontieres by Xavier Gens will be showing Friday, Sept. 7 as part of the Midnight Madness program.

MM director Colin Geddes describes the films as "As Paris’s banlieues burn due to riots protesting the election triumph of an extreme right-wing party, a group of youths use the chaos as cover for smash-and-grab robberies. For Yasmina (?), the money is an escape from the slums she has known all her life. With the police on their tail, her gang splits up, planning to meet at an inn near the Luxembourg border. Arriving at their destination, they encounter their hosts, the Von Geisler clan, who seem to be stuck in time: a jackbooted patriarch, his savagely flirtatious daughters and his thuggish sons. Revealing themselves as neo-Nazi fanatics, they see Yasmina as a fresh bloodline for their fascistic fantasy of starting a new Aryan brotherhood. Her friends find themselves trapped in a grim abattoir as Yasmina fights against the Von Geisler’s invitation to become “one of the family” in their twisted Gothic household."

Gens next film will be "Hitman" whose trailer most people saw on "Live Free or Die Hard." The French just seem to be able to do bloody horror better than us. Definitely the perfect film to keep us sleep deprived festivalgoers awake at night.

Midnight Madness

2007-07-23T21:46:00.000-07:00

Damn you, Colin Geddes. Just when I thought I was out, you pull me back in.

Eight of the ten Midnight Madness titles were announced today. They all sound interesting and appealing to me. Damn it.

Midnight Madness has always been a Catch-22 for me. Do I really want to see the movie? Cause if I do, it'll be REALLY hard to get up at 8:30 am in the morning to hit the early show the next day. The movie will get out around 2 a.m. Then you have to wind down b/c you're hyped about what you saw. Volver shows at 9 a.m. Guess I'm getting four hours of sleep tonight.

And it's not just the films that Geddes programs, and he knows it. It's the crowd. The group of crazies that go to the midnight screenings are critical to the success of the films. There have been countless films that I LOVED at the Midnight Madness that I would never want to see again. But that's not to say they are all lightweight films. Ong Bak, Gozu, Ju-on, Haute Tension, Undead, Bubba Ho-Tep, SPL, Kontroll, Zebraman, The Host, Black Sheep and Severancen are all films I encouraged others to seek out. That's not even mentioning "Borat", which remains the only MM film that I couldn't get tickets to.

Usually, there's at least one film that I know I'm not interested in. Most of the time it's a documentary. I just can't get myself up for a documentary, no matter the subject, at midnight.

I can get up for blood, sex, gore, Takashi Miike, monsters, and kung fu. Which is what Colin always supplies.

So far he's eight for eight this year. There's no documentary so far for me to catch up on my sleep. That means less sleep for me during the festival. Why, Colin, why.

Shake Hands with the Devil

2007-07-23T21:29:00.000-07:00

Shake Hands with the Devil by Roger Spottiswoode will be part of the Special Presentations program.

Based on Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire's award-winning book of the same name, the film tells the story of a Canadian commander torn between his duty and his conscience when he finds himself an eyewitness to hell on earth. Dispatched to Rwanda in 1993 to oversee a fragile cease-fire, Dallaire finds peace agreements between the rebels to be on shaky ground - agreements that end with a secret but long-planned genocide campaign.

At the 2004, I was fortunate enough to see Hotel Rwanda. After the film, I found that there was a documentary playing at the festival about the man on whom Nick Nolte's character was based. It was a powerful documentary about how a man struggled to come back from such attrocities and integrate back into society.

Eastern Promises

2007-07-23T21:19:00.000-07:00

Eastern Promises by David Cronenberg will be a Gala Presentation.

EASTERN PROMISES follows the mysterious and ruthless Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen), a Russian gangster tied to one of London's most notorious organized crime families. His carefully maintained existence is shaken when he crosses paths with Anna (Naomi Watts), an innocent midwife who accidentally uncovers potential evidence against the family. This sets into motion a harrowing chain of murder, deceit, and retribution, with Nikolai at the apex of it all.

Cronenberg's films (Videodrome, Crash, Dead Ringers, The Dead Zone) are always great, but his reuniting with Viggo is the big draw for me. I loved History of Violence and was surprised that it didn't play better. The film also has the always slimy Vincent Cassal as well.

Days of Darkness

2007-07-23T21:13:00.000-07:00

Days of Darkness by Denys Arcand will be a Gala Presentation.

Jean-Marc (Marc Labrèche) wrestles with the quiet frustrations of his mundane modern-day life. In his dreams, Jean-Marc is a successful author, a star of the stage and screen, a knight in shining armor who has women falling at his feet and into his bed. But in reality he is a nobody - a clock-punching civil servant, insignificant to his workaholic wife, a failed father and closet smoker. Stuck between his dreamland and reality, Jean-Marc's struggles to find the place where he truly belongs.

I've been a fan of Arcand's since Barbarian Invasions. I had to go back and find the beginning of the tale "The Decline of the American Empire." He did a great job of portraying a family that didn't know how to communicate.

Reservation Road

2007-07-23T21:01:00.000-07:00

Reservation Road by Terry George is part of the Special Presentations program.

A compelling tale about the lure of revenge and the power of redemption, the drama revolves around two fathers whose families and lives tragically converge with the death of a child in a car accident. In the aftermath, Ethan, the grieving father (Joaquin Phoenix) and Dwight, the man who hit the child, (Mark Ruffalo) each react in unexpected ways as their families struggle to cope and an emotional reckoning looms.The film also stars Jennifer Connelly and Mira Sorvino.

Terry George directed one of my favorite films, Hotel Rwanda, so I'm interested to see what he does with another emotional drama.

Nightwatching

2007-07-23T20:52:00.000-07:00

Nightwatching by Peter Greenaway is part of the Special Presentations program.

The year 1642 marks the turning point in the life of the famous Dutch painter, Rembrandt, transforming him from a wealthy respected celebrity into a discredited pauper. At the insistence of his pregnant wife Saskia, Rembrandt has reluctantly agreed to paint the Amsterdam Musketeer Militia in a group portrait, a portrait that would become his most celebrated painting - The Nightwatch. Going about his work, Rembrandt discovers that there is conspiracy afoot after a man is shot dead during routine musket practice. Determined to bring these conspiracies to light, the artist builds his accusation meticulously in the form of the commissioned painting itself, simultaneously uncovering a seamy and hypocritical side to Dutch Society in the Golden Age.

Peter Greenaway (The Cook, the Theif, His Wife & Her Lover, Pillow Book, Prospero's Book) is a director whose films are not ones that I've always enjoyed, but I certainly could never take my eyes off them.

The Brave One

2007-07-23T20:43:00.000-07:00

The Brave One by Neil Jordan will be part of the Special Presentations program.

New York radio host Erica Bain has a life that she loves and a fiancé she adores - and it all is taken away when a brutal attack leaves Erica badly wounded and her fiancé dead. Unable to move past the tragedy, Erica begins prowling the city streets at night to track down the men she holds responsible. Her dark pursuit of justice catches the public's attention, and New York is riveted by her anonymous exploits. But with the NYPD desperate to find the culprit and a dogged police detective hot on her trail, she must decide whether her quest for revenge is truly the right path, or if she is indeed becoming the very thing she is trying to stop.

This is a mainstream movie that will be released during the festival on September 14. It stars Jodie Foster and Terrance Howard and is directed by Jordan (Crying Game, Interview with a Vampire, The Good Thief), so it should be solid. But if it conflicts with something else, I'll pass b/c I know I'll be able to see it when I get home.

Michael Clayton

2007-07-23T16:16:00.000-07:00

Michael Clayton by Tony Gilroy will be a Gala Presentation at TIFF 2007.

Michael Clayton (George Clooney) is an in-house "fixer" at one of the largest corporate law firms in New York. A former criminal prosecutor, Clayton takes care of Kenner, Bach & Ledeen's dirtiest work at the behest of the firm's co-founder Marty Bach (Sydney Pollack). Though burned out and hardly content with his job as a fixer, his divorce, a failed business venture and mounting debt have left Clayton inextricably tied to the firm. At U/North, meanwhile, the career of litigator Karen Crowder (Tilda Swinton) rests on the multi-million dollar settlement of a class action suit that Clayton's firm is leading to a seemingly successful conclusion. But when Kenner Bach's brilliant and guilt-ridden attorney Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson) sabotages the U/North case, Clayton faces the biggest challenge of his career and his life.

I love courtroom dramas. George Clooney has, lately, picked very interesting projects. It's still shocking to see how great he is and remember him from Facts of Life. This is Tony Gilroy's directorial debut. He wrote the screenplays for all three "Bourne" films as well as "Devil's Advocate."

Romulus, My Father

2007-07-23T16:09:00.000-07:00

Romulus, My Father is the directorial debut of actor Richard Roxburgh (Moulin Rouge, The Silence). It is part of the Special Presentations program.

ROMULUS, MY FATHER is based on Raimond Gaita's critically acclaimed memoir. It tells the story of Romulus, his beautiful wife, Christina, and their struggle in the face of great adversity to bring up their son, Raimond. It is the tale of a boy trying to balance a universe described by his deeply moral father, against the experience of heartbreaking absence and neglect from a depressive mother. It is, ultimately, a story of impossible love that celebrates the unbreakable bond between father and son.

The film has a great cast with Eric Bana and Franka Potente.

Honeydripper

2007-07-23T15:29:00.000-07:00

Honeydripper is directed by John Sayles and is part of the Special Presentations program.

From its website. - 1950. Rural Alabama. Cotton harvest. It's a make-or-break weekend for the Honeydripper Lounge and its owner, piano player Tyrone "Pine Top" Purvis. Deep in debt to the liquor man, the chicken man, and the landlord, Tyrone is desperate to lure the young cotton pickers and local Army base recruits into his juke joint, away from Touissant’s, the rival joint across the way.

After laying off his regular talent, blues singer Bertha Mae, Tyrone announces to his sidekick Maceo that he has hired the famous electric guitar player, Guitar Sam, for a special one night only gig:pack em in and save the club.

On the day of the show, the train arrives and Guitar Sam is no where to be found. Tyrone is forced to take drastic action. He makes a deal with Sheriff Pugh to release Sonny, the kid who hopped off a freight car here in Harmony, and turned up in the club claiming he could play the guitar as well as any Guitar Sam.

Tyrone cleans Sonny up and launches a last ditch scheme to pass off the young guitar picker as Guitar Sam just long enough to cut the lights and run off with cash box. When Sonny takes the stage and launches into his first scalding electric licks, Tyrone will learn if it’s lights out for the Honeydripper or if his luck has changed: he might just be another man saved by rock n' roll.

I'll admit there was a time when I would get John Sayles mixed up with Walter Salles (Motorcycle Diaries). But I still enjoyed Sayles' last film, Silver City. I really enjoyed Lone Star. So I'm interested in this film. Plus I'm sure it will have good music. This scene was found on You Tube.

Under the Same Moon

2007-07-23T01:57:00.001-07:00

Under the Same Moon by Patricia Riggen is part of the Contemporary World Cinema. It received a standing ovation at its premiere at Sundance.

Hoping to make a better life for herself and her son Carlitos ,Rosario crossed the border illegally four years ago and now works in Los Angeles as a cleaning lady. Carlitos, 9, yearns to be with his mom but still lives in Mexico with his grandmother. When grandmother passes away, Carlitos, who has no way to contact his mom, decides to head to the U.S. to find her.

Film has a supporting role by America Ferrera of Ugly Betty fame. The film looks manipulatively uplifting, but with all the tragedy films that I'm sure to be seeing, I might not mind the manipulation.

Secret Sunshine

2007-07-23T01:41:00.000-07:00

Secret Sunshine by Chang-dong Lee is part of the Contemporary World Cinema program.

Sin-ae moves with her son Jun to Miryang, the town where her dead husband was born. As she tries to come to herself and set out on new foundations, another tragic event overturns her life.

This film has Kang-ho Song in it. He is watchable in everything he's been in. And he has been in some of my favorite South Korean films (The Host, Memories of Murder, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance).

Mourning Forest

2007-07-23T01:35:00.000-07:00

Mourning Forest by Naomi Kawase is in the Contemporary World Cinema program. The film won the 2007 Grand Prix prize at Cannes.

A caregiver at a small retirement home takes one of her patients for drive to the country, but the two wind up stranded in a forest where they embark on an exhausting and enlightening two-day journey.

Iska's Journey

2007-07-23T01:02:00.000-07:00

Iska's Journey by Hungarian director Csaba Bollock plays in the Contemporary World Cinema program.

In her dirt-poor village in the Zsil River valley, Iska, 12 years old, works in terrible conditions scavenging metal, coal and anything else of value from the rubble. When she returns home penniless after daring to dicker with a buyer, her resourcefulness is rewarded with a sound beating. Deciding she's better off on her own, Iska leaves home and begins to drift, soon finding herself ensnared in an orphanage system. There she is interrogated for possible signs of physical abuse by her parents, she replies: "They don’t beat me every day". She then sets out on her first voyage from her small town to the Black Sea, where she becomes the victim of human trafficking, meeting on her path other children in the same situation yet determined to escape their harsh destiny.

Sounds like it will be very much a downer film, but one that might be powerful. Seems to fall in the vein of the great 'Lilya-4-ever."

Home Song Stories

2007-07-23T00:41:00.000-07:00

Home Song Stories is the story of Rose (Joan Chen), a glamorous Shanghai nightclub singer, who struggles to survive in seventies Australia with two young children. Based on writer/director Tony Ayres' own life, this is an epic tale of mothers and sons, mothers and daughters, unrequited love, betrayal and secrets. The film plays in the Contemporary World Cinema program.

I've liked Joan Chen since "Twin Peaks". I like stories where characters may be "out of their element." Variety gave it a strong review as it played in Berling.

Caramel

2007-07-22T13:08:00.000-07:00

Caramel by Nadine Labaki is a story of five Lebanese women who gather in a Beirut beauty salon to gossip about the days events. Layal (Nadine Labaki) works in a beauty salon in Beirut along with 3 other women. Each one has a problem: Layal has a relationship with a married man, Nisrine who is no more a virgin, will soon be married, Rima is lesbian and Jamal is worried about getting old. Rose, a tailor with a shop next to the salon, is an old lady who devoted her life to take care of her older sister, have found her first love.

It's sounds like a female version of "The Barbershop," which was entertaining to me. Also, "Offsides" - an Iranian film that played at the festival last year had a similar strategy that I enjoyed. The setups were completely different, however. In 'Offsides" you had several Iranian females trying to sneak into a soccer game only to get caught. Once you got past this setup, the film was basically the caught teenagers talking about various issues that face them in their society. For me that was fascinating, learning about other cultures through simple casual conversation. So I have a feeling that Caramel may provide the same opportunity. This is Ms. Labaki's first film and it debut in Cannes. It is part of the Contemporary World Cinema series at the TIFF.

The Banishment

2007-07-22T12:55:00.000-07:00

The Banishment is an eerie tale of one family's relocation from an industrial city to the remote birthplace of husband and father Alex . Konstantin Lavronenko who portrays Alex won Best Actor at Cannes 2007 and became the first Russian actor to win the award. The film by Russian Andrei Zvyagintsev is his first since his heralded debut, The Return.

The Orphanage

2007-07-22T12:45:00.000-07:00

The Orphanage by Juan Antonio Bayona is part of the Vangard series. Guillermo del Toro (PAN'S LABYRINTH) produces the film about a woman's return to the abandoned orphanage where she grew up and her conviction that something long-hidden and terrible is lurking inside. The Spanish film looks to offer up scares similar to "The Others". I'm curious that this is part of the Vangard series and not the Midnight Madness. A good scary movie is always fun to watch so I'll see where this falls on the schedule.

Control

2007-07-20T13:18:00.000-07:00

Control is the debut film of Anton Corbijn and plays in the Vangard program at TIFF. Based on a true story, the film tells a profile of Ian Curtis (Sam Riley), the enigmatic singer of Joy Division, a band in Manchester, whose personal, professional, and romantic troubles led him to commit suicide at the age of 23.
Now this sounds an awful lot like Kurt Cobain to me, and in fact Corbijn directed a video for Nirvana. So this doesn't interest me at the outset, but Corbijn has got some solid actors, including Samantha Morton, to be in the film. This makes it a toss up for me.

The film played at Cannes to generally positive reviews. The film is shot in black & white.

Les Chansons d'amour

2007-07-20T13:02:00.000-07:00

Les Chansons d'amour (Love Songs) by Christophe Honore is part of the Vangard series at TIFF. The film tells of Julie and Ismael attempt to reignite the spark between them by inviting a third person, Alice, into their bed - and singing about it - in this romantic drama musical. But when tragedy strikes, everyone and everything is left at loose ends.

I've always liked musicals, although this one is supposed to keep things pretty dramatic. It's also French, meaning I won't understand it beyond the subtitles.

The film debut in Cannes and stars the delectible Ludvine Sagnier.

Le Voyage du Ballon Rouge

2007-07-19T13:37:00.000-07:00

I remember seeing "The Red Balloon" by Albert Lamorisse at a kid's film festival a decade ago. It was a short film about a boy who finds a red balloon that follows him everywhere. The film had no dialogue that I can remember, but it was the visuals of that balloon in various locations that remain in my mind.

This remake by Hou Hsiao-hsien, I'm assuming, is an expansion of the original, especially since the original ran only 34 minutes. Add in the fact that he has Juliette Binoche in his cast, and I'm expecting a different film, but with the balloon still playing a striking visual. The film has already played at Cannes and will be playing in the Masters program. The basic summary of the film is:

Juliette Binoche portrays a mom who with her puppet shows, the classes she teaches and the two children, Simon and Louise, that she has been raising alone since their father left, she hasn't got a minute to herself. To help her, she takes in a young Taiwanese babysitter, Song Fang, who is a student at Paris University. On his way home from school, Simon, who is 7 years old, leads her through the streets and cafés of his neighborhood. Soon, Song Fang and Simon share an imaginary world: a strange red balloon follows them, even in the exhibition space of the Musée d'Orsay. While Juliette is caught up in a court case involving her tenant downstairs, who refuses to leave, every day, Son Fang becomes more important in her life. In the end, it is Song Fang's Asian perspective that helps Juliette get to grips with her life.

I really enjoyed Hou Hsiao-hsien's last film "Three Times" which had two actors portraying different characters in three time periods. Juliette Binoche is another actress, like Cate Blanchett, that I seek out movies she's in. She has such incredible range and never seems to get pigeon holed into portraying similar characters.

I'm sure this will be a film for viewers with patience. I don't expect there to be a lot of action or dramatic fireworks. It be a film, like the balloon in the title, that you just have to float along with.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age

2007-07-19T13:12:00.000-07:00

It's not often that there are sequels to period dramas, much less trilogies (as has been discussed with this). In order for it to have success, they must have a solid story to tell. Elizabeth: The Golden Age brings back the cast and director of "Elizabeth" which was nominated for seven Academy Awards in 1999. TIFF describes the film as:

ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE finds Queen Elizabeth I (Academy Award(TM)-winner Cate Blanchett) facing bloodlust for her throne and familial betrayal. Growing keenly aware of the changing religious and political tides of late 16th century Europe, Elizabeth finds her rule openly challenged by the Spanish King Philip II (Jordi Molla) - with his powerful army and sea-dominating armada -determined to restore England to Catholicism. Preparing to go to war to defend her empire, Elizabeth struggles to balance ancient royal duties with an unexpected vulnerability in her love for Raleigh. But he remains forbidden for a queen who has sworn body and soul to her country. Unable and unwilling to pursue her love, Elizabeth encourages her favorite lady-in-waiting, Bess (Abbie Cornish), to befriend Raleigh to keep him near. But this strategy forces Elizabeth to observe their growing intimacy. As she charts her course abroad, her trusted advisor, Sir Francis Walsingham (Academy Award(TM)-winner Geoffrey Rush), continues his masterful puppetry of Elizabeth's court at home - and her campaign to solidify absolute power. Through an intricate spy network, Walsingham uncovers an assassination plot that could topple the throne. But as he unmasks traitors that may include Elizabeth's own cousin Mary Stuart (Samantha Morton), he unknowingly sets England up for destruction.

"Elizabeth" was one of the first period films that got me into independent film. While the production values were in no way "independent", the subject matter was. But I was enthralled all the way through. It had a certain "Godfather" vibe to it, with Cate playing "Michael" and Geoffrey Rush as the consiglieri. This was also the film that established Cate Blanchett as an actress to watch for. Any film that has her in the cast, I will go see because I know that she will give a great performance. She also doesn't tend to star in bad "paycheck" movies.

The Golden Age is definitely a film that should have award season in mind. The trailer looks fantastic. The film will be a Gala screening.

Alexandra

2007-07-18T23:25:00.000-07:00

Alexandra is the lastest film by Alexander Sokurov. It will be shown as part of the Masters program. It tells the story of a woman who travels to visit her grandson, a Russian officer stationed in the Republic of Chechnya.

Now, am I really interested in seeing this. No, I'll be heading the other way. Sokurov is a well known Russian filmmaker who specializes in avant-garde and independent films.

The only film I have seen of his is "Russian Ark". It was nominated for the Golden Palm at Cannes. It won the vision award at Toronto. It was shot in one continuous take on the fourth try at the Russian State Hermitage Museum. So, obviously, it was filmed in a day. Critics raved about it. A review like the one below, convinced me to see it.

Told in one fluid shot, a tale which floats like a dreamlike journey through the majestic spaces of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, engaging real and imagined characters from Russian and European history. The nameless protagonist, a 19th-century French diplomat, guides the audience through a lost, sumptuous dream that was the Enlightenment period. The film, staged among some of the Western Art tradition's greatest masterpieces, climaxes in a pageant of color, motion, and music. For Sokurov, the Hermitage--home to generations of Romonovs and repository of so much Russian history--is the ark of the Russian soul, guarding it affectionately until the world sees better days.

I don't know how I made it through the film. While beautifully shot, and you have to give him credit for attempting a one shot film, it bored me to tears. If there was a gripping narrative to the film, it shot over my head. Since it was one take, the camera is constantly moving, but I could never gather a sense of where it was going or "merciful God" when it was going to end. The review above claims it was a "sumptuous dream". If I had that dream, I might never be able to sleep again. It did peak my interest to go the Hermitage if I ever travel to Russia.

Fans of Sokurov, line up for this film. I will be heading the opposite direction. Below is clip from "Alexandra." Hope you either speak Russian or at least can read French.

No Country for Old Men

2007-07-18T23:02:00.000-07:00

After focusing on comedy in their last two films (The Ladykillers, Intolerable Cruelty), the Coen brothers are back to drama in a brutal way.

The film, based on a novel by Cormac McCarthy, follows Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), a man out hunting near the Rio Grande who comes across a drug deal gone sour — leaving behind a cache of heroin, two million dollars and several bodies. When two more men end up murdered, the local sheriff (Tommy Lee Jones) realizes Moss and his wife need protection. Things turn dangerous when various men, ranging from ruthless freelancers to ex-Special Forces members, turn up to find out the truth and destroy all evidence.

The Coen Brothers' (Joel, Ethan) first film was the critically acclaimed "Blood Simple" back in 1984. I didn't become a fan until "Raising Arizona", three years later. Their ability to mix dark drama with comedy always pulled me in. "Miller's Crossing", "Fargo", "Big Lebowski" and "O Brother, Where art Thou?" are among my all time favorites.

Most of the reviews coming out of Cannes (where it had its debut) were very positive. The film will be playing as a Special Presentation at TIFF. It appears that Nov. 21 will be it's release date.

Fugitive Pieces

2007-07-18T22:27:00.000-07:00

The opening film of the festival is typically directed by a Canadian filmmaker and this year is no exception. TIFF describes the film as:

FUGITIVE PIECES (directed by Jeremy Podeswa) tells the story of Jakob Beer (Stephen Dillane), a man whose life is haunted by his childhood experiences during the Second World War. As a child in Poland he is orphaned during wartime then saved by a compassionate, Greek archeologist. He then spends the rest of his life trying to come to terms with the losses he has endured. Through his writing, and then through the discovery of true love, Jakob is given the opportunity to free himself from the legacy of his past.

I'm guessing that Rade Sherbedgia (pictured above) portrays the archeologist.

Podeswa's film "The Five Senses" was the opener at my first festival in 1999. Lately, it appears that he has been focusing on TV directing episodes of (John from Cincinnati, The Riches, The L Word, Queer as Folk, Six Feet Under, Nip/Tuck, Rome, Carnivale) among others.

The film is based on a novel by Anne Michaels which won the Orange Prize in 1997. The Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction is awarded annually for the best original full-length novel by a female author of any nationality, written in English and published in the UK in the preceding year.

The films start rolling in..

2007-07-18T22:09:00.000-07:00

TIFF has already announced 50+ films, and most of them sound interesting in some capacity (story, cast, director). I've never seen a film in the Wavelengths category, nor have I seen one in the Canada First category (though I've seen films by Canadian directors, just in different sections). Primarily my choices come from Galas, Masters, Special Presentations, Contemporary World Cinema and Midnight Madness. So I'm predictible. It's worked for me. Maybe this year I'll look outside the box.

But anyway...

I'm going to try and start listing some of the more interesting films to me that have been announced. Hopefully, this will help make my decisions easier when it comes to deciding day on August 29. If I was talented, I could add pictures and trailers for the films, but alas, you're lucky I'm know how to type. Technology hurts my brain, but I'll try to learn as I go along.

Festival 2007

2007-07-17T21:47:00.000-07:00

Hotel reservations. Check.

Plane tickets. Check.

Festival tickets. Check.

Guess I'm as caught up as I can be.

This will be my eighth year going to the festival (out of nine). So I think I've gotten about as experienced as I can in planning ahead. Beyond getting lucky and finding someone to go with me (helps split the hotel cost), I look for the bargains that I can find.

Hotels - After hitting the Bed & Breakfast scene the past two years, I'm back at a hotel on Yonge St. The key is to keep searching the various travel sites (Yahoo Travel, hotels.com, orbitz, etc.) at least twice a month to check on your dates. This year I found a room at the Days Inn (where I've stayed before) that was on special in Nov. 06. The room was $75 CAD per night. This is what I was paying at the B&B, but now I have my own restroom, a TV, perfect. Plus the room normally goes for $126 CAD. You have to start early when searching for bargains, and when you find one, pounce.

Airfare - Typically, it's actually better to wait. You can getter better deals, the closer you get. But I'm not patient. Basically, I come up with a price that I'm willing to pay and once I find a flight that meets it, I dive in. I don't do Priceline.com, once was enough. Eight hour trip from Dallas with a three hour layover was enough. I look for any roundtrip under $300.

Festival tickets - It's the festival pass all the way for me. If you are going with others, the 30 coupon book (no longer available) was good b/c you could get multiple tickets for shows. But since I'm alone, book the Festival. I tried the Gala passes one year and that was a waste. Yes, you can see the stars enter, but....there are no Q&A afterward, ever. I can see any of the Gala shows I want to see, the next morning (usually at the Ryerson). And not only that, there are occasionally Q&A's then.

I'm excited to start seeing the lineup start to grow.

Volver

2006-10-11T12:44:00.000-07:00

Volver - 9:30 a.m. - Ryerson Theatre, 9/9

I'll admit that I'm late to the Pedro Almodovar party. I first heard of him as a teenager in the late 80s but all I heard was that "sex" was associated with him. While as a teenager that may have been tempting, the fact that the movies were subtitled was more persuasive to keep me away. 20 years and three TIFFs later, I "get" foreign films. But when looking through the program guide to decide what to see, I was having problems. I didn't "know" anyone that wasn't involved with martial art films. Till I saw a name I had heard of.....Almodovar. So I saw "Talk to Her" and have been hooked ever since.

Volver was one of the few films that I did not get tickets to with my pre-order. But it was one that I was NOT going to miss for several reasons. 1) It's an Almodovar film. 2) It's a return to "lighter" fare of his earlier works. 3) Penelope Cruz, whom I adore even if she must have had a mental burp when she was briefly involved with Tom Cruise. 4) The film won best screenplay and best actress (for Cruz) at Cannes 2006. So I got up at 5:30 a.m. and waited in line for the RUSH tickets.

Volver, which translate to "To Return", is about two sisters who are dealing with, in different ways, the death of their parents in a fire three years earlier. The film opens with the sisters tending to the graves of their parents in the countryside. Upon returning home, we learn that Raimunda (Cruz) is married to an unemployed laborer with a daughter from a different man, and works as a chef to keep the family together. Sole (Lola Duenas) operates an illegal hairdresser parlor out of her apartment and has not been lucky in love. It is Sole who is the first to be visited by their departed mother. Complications ensue when mom decides to move in with Sole. Then, because Almodovar can't help himself, there is a murder, a coverup, secrets from loved ones are revealed, and old wounds are healed. All in nice tidy package.

The film stays relatively breezy in its tone despite the weightier subject matters that pop up. And the film moves briskly along as well. Cruz is the standout and the camera loves her. Her steely determination to keep things together as everything around her falls apart is the crux of the audiences support. Duenas is also solid as the sister who never questions "how" her mother has returned, but is simply thankful that it has happened. The film is about motherhood and how family draws its strenght from it. The movie will obviously play well b/c of the director and its star's name value. But it could reach a wider audience since the "controversy" factor, which Almodovar films typically have, is really non-existant.

Slowly finishing up the TIFF

2006-09-19T19:26:00.000-07:00

There simply wasn't enough time to really do full reviews of each movie while I was up at the festival. Most of the time I would only have 45 min. online at a time. Not enough time for a slow witted guy like me, so I did brief summaries. I'm now going back and finishing up. I've gone back to the first two days in which I actually did full reviews and added pictures and links. There are links to trailers of the films in the titles of the reviews. You should notice them underlined. Click on it and you can see the trailer. Of course, if the title is not underlined, it means there is not a trailer yet. I'm slowly finishing it up. Sometime in October sounds nice. The festival was great this year, not as good as 2005, but still very good.

Saturday, Sept. 16

2006-09-17T09:43:00.000-07:00

10 am - Times and Winds - Varsity 3
Incredibly slow moving Turkish film about three youngsters and their interactions with their families. Not much happened, not much reason to see again.

Noon - Day Night Day Night - Varsity 4
Low budget tale of a young woman who has decided to be a suicide bomber and her last days on the planet. Woman is taken to a hotel where she is isolated only to be greated periodically by masked men and quizzed. Eventually she is dropped of in Times Square. Film is INCREDIBLY nerve wracking once she gets to her target. Does she go through with it? Is it successful? Does the bomb work? Really good film that looked to be shot on a single hand held camera.

2:45 pm - The Last Winter - Varsity 4
Billed as a horror movie, the horror elements don't really show until the last 10 minutes and then, they don't make sense. Film works more as a claustrophobic drama set in Alaska where a oil mining team is isolated from everyone. When one of the crew goes crazy, paranoia is unleashed. Good film, but definitely would not satisfy horror fans.

4:45 pm - Resue Dawn - Varsity 8
Film tells the tale of Dieter Dengler's escape from a POW camp in Vietnam before the war actually began. This is the second movie that director Werner Herzog has done on the subject. He did a documentary a decade before. Christian Bale stars as Dengler and he and Steve Zahn, as another prisoner, add humor to a rather bleak tale of survival.

7:30 pm - Outsourced - Varsity 8
Cute, crowdpleasing comedy of telemarketer Todd who is sent to India to set up a call center for his company since they can pay them less. Todd cannot leave India until the center is able to meet certain goals which means he must train the locals to speak more "American". Typical culture clash film but with heart. Not great but fun to sit through on video.

Midnight - Sheitan - Ryerson
Four college kids meet up with a girl at a dance club and head out to her place in the wilderness. Horror ensues. Like "Hostel" in that none of the characters are really likeable, therefore when the terror comes, there is really no one to root for.Vincent Cassal is incredibly over the top in his portrayal of Jacob, the antagonist.

I'm done. 43 films in 10 days. I'll try to type longer reviews once I get home.

Friday, Sept. 15

2006-09-17T09:38:00.000-07:00

3 pm - Seraphim Falls - Elgin
Old fashioned western of a man (Pierce Brosnon) being chased by another (Liam Neeson) through the wilds and only slowly do we understand the motivation for the chase. Film is shot in a beautiful location and Bronson does a good job with limited dialogue at showing his character's struggle to survive even though he has demons from the past. But the film pace is very slow and as a result, butts start shifting in the seats.

6 pm - When the Levees Break - Ryerson
Spike Lee's documentary on New Orleans before/after Katrina is told in four parts. Powerful documentatry that does show both sides although it's definitely slanted as it should be. This has already been shown on HBO.

Thursday, Sept. 14

2006-09-16T19:00:00.000-07:00

Noon - Alatriste - Paramount 1
Based on Arturo Pérez-Reverte's best-selling series of novels of the legendary Captain Diego Alatriste (Viggo Mortensen), the films shows how his life takes a turn when a fellow soldier falls in battle; his final wish is for Alatriste to watch over his son, Iñigo. The film is epic in scope and sometimes certain storylines seem to disappear only to reappear later. Still the film is well acted and has plenty of action and political intrigue.

3 pm - The Fountain - Ryerson
Essentially a love story told in three time periods with Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz playing the doomed lovers. All involve Jackman's character trying to keep his love going with Weisz's. Film is beautifully shot and well acted, but.... is not for everyone. The story moves back and forth and the final storyline, set well in the future is minimalist at best.

5:30 pm - Blindsight - Varsity 3
In India, children who are born blind are outcasts, because it is believed they are being punished by God for sinning in a past life. Incredible documentary focuses on six students being led by a blind mountain climber on a expedition up Mount Everest. The tension is incredibly high during this film and very much a life affirming film.

9 pm - Exiled - Elgin
Johnny To's latest film To spins the tale of the traitor Wo, who has decided to quit his criminal life and wants to live quietly with his family. His story is tied to that of the other hit men - and former buddies - who have come to Macau to kill him/save him. Resolved to take him down, but also willing to negotiate a sort of gentlemen's agreement, they grant Wo another day of life and help him find one last job to provide for his future widow and newborn baby. Film is ridiculously violent, but in a crowdpleasing way. The film's humor and heart were surprising. The funnest film of the festival.

Midnight - Severance - Ryerson
Second funnest film of the festival. "Deliverance" meets "The Office" with "Shaun of the Dead" sensibilities. The sales division of international arms company Palisade Defence is "rewarded" with a corporate retreat at a chalet in forests of Hungary. When the road to the retreat is "blocked", they go for it on foot. They find a lodge in shambles and eventually that they are not alone in the woods. The film is VERY bloody, but VERY funny.

Wednesday, Sept. 13

2006-09-15T15:16:00.000-07:00

9:30 am - Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing - Ryerson
Great documentary that tells of the groups exploits from Natalie's famous putdown of Bush in London till the present day. Films shows the group dynamic and how they developed songs for their latest album. It also shows how they dealt with the backlash both personally and professionaly. Great music, humor and personality.

11:45 am - Pan's Labyrinth - Varsity 8
In 1944, Ofélia is forced to move into her stepfather's home, now that her motheris about to give birth. She hates her new life and her new father, the tyrannical Captain Vidal who is intent on snuffing out the rebel forces. Ofélia finds an ally in Mercedes, Vidal's servant, who is secretly helping the rebels. She also discovers a labyrinth near the house and meets its grotesquely fawnlike keeper, Pan, who gives her three dangerous tasks to complete. The movie is really does not depend on the fantasy world to give it life. The tension and suspense comes from the real evil that is Capt. Vidal. Wonderfully told tale that is dependant on our sympathies with Ofelia.

3 pm - The Namesake - Elgin Theatre
Mira Nair's adaption of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jhumpa LahiriAshoke's novel. Film tells the tale of Ashoke Ganguli and his wife, Ashima (Tabu), who seek a new life in the United States. Previews made it seem that the film is mostly about their son's (played by Kal Penn) struggles to maintain his heritage while prefering his new roots (American). But it is really a story about the parents. Their sacrifice and their hopes and dreams through their children. Film has an epic feel to it. Kal's son is arrogant for so much of the film that I never developed any sympathy for him. The emotional center was his mother Ashima. Film dragged at times, but is still moving.

6 pm - Starter for 10 - Ryerson
Coming of age tale in Britain of Brian Jackson. Brian's goal in life is to learn as much as possible. He also dreams of being on a quiz show. Both become possible as Brian attends an upper-class British university. But this all gets derailed as he falls in love. Cute story with a twist in the "big match" that you don't normally see. James McAvoy has been in three films at the TIFF and has shown that he has the prescence to be a star.

9:30 pm - Black Book - Roy Thomson Hall
Paul Verhoeven return to his native Netherlands for a film about a young Jewish woman's attempts to help the resistance during World War II. The film was plenty of action, double crosses, sex and comedy to keep the audience revited to the screen for its length. Not really a film to make you "think" as much as a "popcorn" film.

Tuesday, Sept. 12

2006-09-15T15:00:00.000-07:00

10:15 pm - The Last King of Scotland - Paramount 2
The movie tells the fictional tale of Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy), a Scottish doctor who meets Ugandan dictator Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker) while working at a Ugandan clinic. Garrigan becomes Amin's personal doctor and slowly opens his eyes to the atrocities being committed. Well told tale although Garrigan doesn't come across as particularly bright. Whitaker is fantastic as Amin.

3 pm - Catch a Fire - Ryerson
Phillip Noyce's latest film tells the real life story of Patrick Chamusso, a refinery foreman who eventually joins the liberation army. He is falsely accused of a bombing by a police chief played by Tim Robbins. When the brutal interrogation leads to his wife being beaten, Chamusso decides to take action. Well told tale about a dormant personality being awakened into action by outside forces. Derek Luke gives a terrific performance as Chamusso.

6 pm - Quelques Jours en Septembre (A Few Days in September) - Ryerson.
Juliette Binoche plays a government agent sent to reunite two children with their father, Elliot (a spy on the run). The spy thriller doesn't have much thrill to it. It's more of a character piece between Binoche and the two kids, who had never met before. It tries to throw Sept. 11 into the background but doesn't succeed in its attempt.

9 pm - Mon Mellier Ami - Roy Thomson Hall
At a dinner gathering, art dealer Francois is shocked to learn that no one at the table considers him a friend. Once more, they don't believe him capable of having a friend. So sets the story in motion as Francois, led by a charming taxi driver, seeks to learn how to find his BEST friend. Slight tale, but charmingly played comedy.

Midnight - Trapped Ashes - Ryerson
Horror film that tries to bring back the "Tales from the Crypt" type storytelling. A group of strangers on a studio tour get trapped inside a horror set. The driver believes the only way out is to tell you innermost horror story. So four stories with varying comedic success are told. None of the tales are scary, but some do have comedy that works. Low budget, straight to video.

Monday, Sept. 11

2006-09-12T10:23:00.000-07:00

Never Say Goodbye - 9 am - Paramount 13

Incredibly popular Bollywood picture about two married couples who have members that end up having an affair. The film is over three hours long, but didn't seem to drag much. The music was catchy and the peformances charasmatic. Dev was the only character that didn't seem to build much sympathy from the audience. The film was beautifully shot. It was intersesting the dialogue. It was a mixture of Hindi and English, most of the time within the same sentence. The film has already become the most popular Bollywood film in North American history as it has played in Indian theatres across the country.

Stranger than Fiction - 12:30 pm - Ryerson

Great film that was just as funny and as heartfelt as the trailer make it look. If certain theatres at home do not clean up with this movie, then it will be something the theatre did wrong. People expecting to see a comedy in the vain of Will Ferrell's "Talledega nights" or "Anchorman" will be greatly disappointed. This is Ferrell's best ACTING. He's simply an everyman. The comedy comes out of his reactions, not the physical comedy he's known for. He garners such sympathy that it creates genuine tension as the film progresses and his inevitable date with death approaches.

10 Item or less - 3:30 - Elgin Theatre

The actors had not seen the film yet. Film is a small film about an actor (Morgan Freeman) doing research on managing a run down grocery store and the relationship he develops with a cashier (Paz Vega) there. It's a mostly two person, dialogue driven film in which not much happens. But because the two characters have such personality, you don't mind spending the time with them. Can't see this being a commercially successful film, but it's a good one to spend a couple of hours with at home on the couch with.

Fay Grim - 6 pm - Ryerson

Sequel to Hal Hartley's "Henry Fool." This film hard to describe because it throws so many genres together and see if they mix. It's shot digitally, so it almost look like a documentary at times. It throws comedy, espionage, drama and action in as well. And a lot of exposition. The story centers around Henry Fool's wife Fay Grim who gets drawn into a web of political intrigue when her husband's memoirs suddenly are wanted by government's across the globe. The acting is spot on, but it is certainly not a film for everyone as my head did feel at times it would explode trying to keep up with everything.

Sunday, 9/10

2006-09-12T10:14:00.000-07:00

Shortbus - 9 pm - Ryerson

Definitely not a film for everyone. A brutally frank comedy/drama about young 20-somethings trying to figure out their relationships in New York. The film is earmarked for NC-17 before the credits really get going, with its explicit sex. But after the credits, the film's shock value either goes away or we forget about it and instead become involved in the characters lives and decisions.

Black Sheep - Midnight - Ryerson

There are 40 million sheep in New Zealand. And they're pissed off. Broadly played comedy/horror mixture for the most part delivers. It's never scary, but certainly throws in the blood. There is something just funny/wrong about seeing sheep attack humans with a thirst for blood. Also throw in the dynamic that if you are bit, you will become a were-sheep and you have a film that save for some slow stretches early, is an definite for any midnight program.

Minor irritations

2006-09-11T18:31:00.000-07:00

Just a few things, comments that have irritated me during this great festival.

1) I was standing in the holdout line for the Gala screening of 'Babel.' A couple in front of me was having an animated discussion with one of the volunteers. The source of anger. Wording on the ticket. You see, if you buy a Gala package, you will have something to the effect of "Priority" on the ticket. For those who buy the single tickets, they say "Best Seat Available." But it really means best seat available in the 2nd or 3rd balconies, not the floor. The woman was arguing that "Best seat available" should mean she should be able to wait until the last minute and then choose empty seats on the floor. "They used to let us do that." She really hated that those who were lucky enough to get RUSH tickets, got to go to the floor seats. "There is a huge difference in terms of seeing the film on the floor (the best) and seeing it in the balconies. We want to be able to see the stars. This is RUINING our festival experience. It makes it not worth our time to hire a babysitter." Aaarrghh.
a) There is such a HUGE difference between the floor and the balconies that the stars ALWAYS are seated in the 2nd balcony. Not the floor.
b) There is probably a reason they don't want a mass of people hanging by the doors are the off chance that floor seats MIGHT be availabe. And since the RUSH tickets are given out until during the opening comments, they MIGHT just want to make sure everyone is seated quickly. The fact that they did it in the past shouldn't matter. They're not doing it now, adjust. It normally takes only one idiot to screw it up for the rest of us, and that's probably what happened.
c) I've gotten better pictures from the second/third balconies than from the first. The angle is better. If it's not, buy yourself a camera that's not cheap ass.
d) Buy the GALA package, you get floor seats.
e) If it's really not worth it, keep your ass at home and let REAL movie lovers get the tickets. It should be 1) about seeing the MOVIE and 2) about the whole festival experience of being in the house with the stars. Any bitching is sour grapes.

2) I saw "Shortbus" on Sunday night. There is ZERO chance this film will play at my theatre. That's because within the first two minutes of the film, before even the credits, it's going to land an NC-17.

The MPAA and exhibitors across the country have so messed up the NC-17 that it is worthless now. Most exhibitors refuse to play NC-17 movies. What idiots we are. We should embrace the NC-17. We should want more filmakers to make film NC-17. Remeber NC-17 does not mean pornography. There's still the X. It does mean adult. It does mean NO ONE under 17. How is this not being embraced?

What's one of the keys to the TIFF? No one under 18 is allowed into any of the screening, except the kiddie films. That means NO crying babies, NO gigly teenagers running back and forth doing their mating ritual of girls running to the bathroom together, with the boys following, NO kids running up and down the aisle, NO wondering what the hell is that parent bringing their kids to see THIS movie. How is this, the NC-17, not a win-win for the director and the exhibitors. Serious minded adult films, ones that don't even have explicit sex/violence, could apply for the NC-17 just so that kids could be kept out. And as far as kids sneaking in, an NC-17 makes our job easier. For an R rated film, they could be with an adult 21 yrs or older, but with an NC-17, if we catch them, they're gone.

Somehow, the MPAA and exhibitors either need to create a new rating, or claim back the NC-17. The moviegoing experience could only benefit.

I'll be brief

2006-09-10T17:18:00.000-07:00

I'm going to try and write up longer reviews, including Q&A, later, but I'm falling too far behind.

Volver - Ryerson - 9:30 am - 9/9

The most packed 9:30 am show I've ever seen at the fest. Toronto loves it some Almodovar.
The story opens with two sisters attending the grave of their mother who died in a fire with their father. While in town, they visit their crazed aunt who believes their mother is taking care of her. Raimunda, played by Penelope Cruz, has a daughter and an unemployed husband and is struggling to make ends meet. The other sister, Sole, operates a illegal hair salon out of her house, unlucky in love. One day Sole is startled to hear a noise coming from the trunk of her car, when she investigates, she finds her mother. So begins the drama, comedy, suspense that is Volver. The movie was wonderfully acted and had energy to spare.

Penelope - Ryerson - 12:45 pm - 9/9

The Wilhern family has a curse on it. The next daughter to born to the family will have the nose of a pig. Fortunately for the Wilherns, it seems boys run in the family. Until Penelope. To avoid scandal, the parents fake her death. When they are older, they begin seeking suitors. It seems only a marriage to someone of her equal will break the curse. This is a romantic fable, that the audience just loved. There are definitely some trivial moments and not every star in the cast strikes the right note, but if marketed properly, it could easily be a success.

Fido - Paramount 2 - 3:45 - 9/9

Day of the Dead meets Pleasantville. It's 1950s America and a virus has spread across the globe causing the dead to return to life as flesh eating zombies. Thank goodness for Zombicom. Zombiecom has created a collar that surpresses the zombies hunger desires and allows them to lead productive lives as servants and manual labor. The film was very funny, with some gory moments. The gore is not enough to satiate horror funs, but enough to maybe keep away middle-America.

Indigenes - Varsity 1 - 6:15 pm - 9/9

A "Glory" of sorts for the French colonists in Africa who fought for France during WWII. Well acted and effectively paced story follow four such Africans as the struggle to fit in, survive and get the honor they deserve. The ending is very similar to the ending of "Saving Private Ryan" minus the Private Ryan.

Babel - Roy Thomson Hall - 9:30 pm - 9/9

Four different stories play out with their links only becoming apparent as the film progresses. Well acted, powerfully told film that preaches how "listening" can sometimes be as important as "talking."

The Host

2006-09-10T17:08:00.000-07:00

The Host - Midnight - Ryerson - 9/8

The movie that has broken all sorts of box office records in South Korea. Movie is essentially a monster movie with the main protagonists consisting of a family instead of the army.

Early prologue sees the U.S. govt. dumping toxic chemicals into the Han River. Thus the creature is born. One sunny day at the park is interrupted when the creature decides to take a run through the park causing a stampede of terror. The daughter of a vendor is swept up in the monster's tail and dragged into the river. Song Kang-ho plays Gang-du, the non too bright vendor determined rescuing his daughter after a cell-phone call proves she's still alive. This is made more difficult when the government quarantines all survivors of the attack under the threat of virus contamination.

Movie was very fun with an interesting creature which we get to see early and often. The young girl, in particular, is very good, showing calm and resourcefulness in the face of danger. If only she could have been the rescuer instead of the rescuee. Movie played really well with the audience but did tend to drag in the middle section. Could play well in the States if Magnolia markets the film right.

Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show

2006-09-10T11:35:00.000-07:00

Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show - 9 pm - Ryerson Theatre - 9/8

This was another movie that I was desperately looking to get out of and find another one to see. I'm glad I didn't. Most of the films that I see at the festival are "downers", it was nice to find one and simply laugh. The film is similiar in structure to "The Original Kings of Comedy" and "Blue Collar Comedy Tour." Vince picked four comics and some friends to travel around with him on buses and hit 30 cities in 30 days, playing in various types of venues (mostly smaller). It also tells backstories on each of the comics, how they got started, what they felt after performing, etc. It was a very funny film. Vince Vaughn and the comics were all in attendance and did a Q & A afterwords

Before the screening, Vaugn introduced the film. "I've decided we are not going to show the film tonight. Instead, I'm going to see you a song from the bottom of my heart, and I'm going to need your help in this number so we can reach the heavens with song."
He had been here before with "Clay Pigeons." "And this is really the best festival in that you guys get to come to the shows. I really wish the other festivals would take a cue from that. It's really supposed to be a celebration of film, it means a lot to me that you took the time to come see the film."
They decided to do the "trip" 21 days before they actually began. So they had three weeks to get the equipment, buses, book the venues, etc.
Vaughn met Peter Billingsly and comic Ahmed Ahmed while working on the "Steroid" afterschool special. "I was never that big a fan of stand up comic. I had always found situations to be funnier. The one thing that moved me about all four comics was that they were talking about their lives, experiences that they were having. I found something very appealing in that and that audiences would be able to relate to them. There not just doing gimic jokes.
Someone asked his advice on how to get into the business. "To me, when I started off in the biz, no one said 'Hey, let's go to Hollywood and hit it big.' We went because we weren't very good at doing anything else. Acting was the one thing that I really loved. The focus today is on being "famous", it's about being successful. They're not going to be 'actors, musicians, because they love the craft. They are picking an occupation that will make them 'famous.' You have to really love it. You have to be able to take what's inside you and really express it in an authentic way. And success may come or it may not come, but the important thing is that you are doing something you love and that you HAVE to do it.
There were a couple of shows that they performed that had to be CLEAN. Comic Joe Caparulo said that he did curse once at the show at Notre Dame and then had sweat it out to see if they would get paid. He did say that overall performing "clean" routines in not especially hard, "it just means my sets are shorter."
They would like to tour again, but they would never attempt 30 nights in 30 days again.

The Silence

2006-09-10T11:09:00.000-07:00

The Silence - 5:45 pm - Varsity 8 - 9/8

This movie reminded me of some of the great British crime TV series of the late 90s, early 2000s such as Wire in the Blood and Touching Evil. The biggest difference being that the film was Australian, not British, but it had the same type of atmosphere and look to it.

The film tells the story of a police officer, Richard Roxburgh, who has been taken of active duty following a "situation" and reassigned to work for the police museum. As he is setting up the latest display, he notices a similiarity between several photographs, a woman. When he finds another photograph, this time of the woman's murder, his investigative skills turn back on. He become obsessed with finding out who this woman was and who killed her. As he proceeds, the case takes a personal turn and becomes increasingly dangerous.

I enjoyed the film. It was originally broadcast on Australian TV in two parts and that is how I enjoyed the film, more as TV, than as an actual movie. I got into the characters and would be interested in seeing more about them. The film looked as if it were shot with a digital camera with the different styles, reminding me a little of "Collateral". I did guess the big "secret" before the reveal, but it the main focus of the story was to heal Roxburgh character from his "embarassment" that got him kicked off the active force. There was great chemistry between Roxburgh and his young assistant, Emily Barclay.

The film was shown on Christie Digital and looked very good. I've now seen four films on Digital and they've all looked very solid, great sound and clear picture.

Co-screenwriter Mary Walsh talked about how she got the idea for the story in the Q&A. She was researching a story on horse racing when she discovered that there was a police museum. Someone before had given her a book of old crime scene photos "Evidence". She became fascinating with the photos and the stories that were happening just outside the frame. She then got notes on a Sydney display of photos where the researcher talked about how after spending months and months of looking at these photos, the streets of Sydney came alive with the "ghosts" of the past. So that's where the idea began.
The producer said that there were two versions of the film made. The two part TV version and the film. "Cate Shortland is a wonderful director at establishing atmosphere, we were fortunate that she agreed to come on board. I was also interested in this story as it delved into the male psyche. His inability to talk about violent things from the past.
Only three or four of the photographs were real crime scene photographs, the rest were recreated in a big shoot before the film began.

Time and Climates

2006-09-09T09:12:00.000-07:00

At last year's festival, there was a fim called 3-Iron by Ki-duk Kim. It was getting rave reviews and I had an opportunity to go see it, but then passed. So when I heard he had another film this year, I wasn't going to miss the opportunity.

Time, 12:15 pm - Paramount 3, 9/8
Apparently there is a big obsession with plastic surgery in South Korea, where a study estimated that 50% of women in their 20s had been under the knife. The film opens with a cringing credit sequence showing several plastic surgeries actually being performed. The film centers around Se-heui (Park Ji-yeon) and her boyfriend Ji-woo (Ha Jeong-woo). Se-heui is jealous of her boyfriend eyeing other womenand feels inadequate with her "same boring old face," certain that he will leave her soon. Ji-woo is perplexed at why she can't understand that he is just "looking" but is in love with her. The next day Se-heui has disappeared. Her cell phone has been disconnected, her apartment empty. There is no goodbye note, nothing to tell Ji-woo what has happened. As the months go by, Ji-woo tries to get back in the dating scene but can't seem to forget his "lost" love. He bumps into a woman whose face is covered in bandages while on a ferry boat, senses a connection only to lose her soon after. Months later, Ji-woo falls for a waitress at the coffee shop whose name is Sae-heui, very close to his onetime g.f.'s. He then receives a note with "I love you" scribbled on it, and signed "Se-heui." Despite many clues, Ji-woo is slow on the uptake. When all is revealed, the story has one more twist in it.

This film was great. The story moved along quickly and the acting was well done. You could feel sympathy, but also pity for Se-heui in her plan to win back her boyfriend. Unfortunately, she didn't think it through before acting. Does she want Ji-woo to long for her old self or fall for the new one? This is a certainty for art houses across the country but won't play on a broader scale.

Climates, 3 pm - Ryerson, 9/8

First miss of the festival. This is a story about a couple, Nuri and Bahar, who while on vacation decide to call it quits. Nuri, who broke off the relationship, has second thoughts and looks to see if reconciliation is possible.

I knew I was in trouble in the pre-credit sequence. It last about 6 minutes, feels like 20. It has maybe two lines of dialogue, the rest of it focusing on two extended cuts of Bahar's face. Actress Ebru Ceylan does a wonderful job of expressing her character's realization that their relationship is over. The scene is of her watching her husband take photographs of ruins. You can see her go from humor, to boredom, to happiness, to sadness and finally to anger. I'm sure this was the point, but it seemed to go on too long. The director uses this approach throughout the movie. The movie is only 98 min., but seems like over two hours, b/c there is only 45 min. of actual substance. Once the couple breaks up, the rest of the movie is scene through the male Nuri's eyes. Sorry, but Nuri was the least interesting character. I kept wanting to know what was happening to Bahar, the only one with any seeming passion. I stayed till the end just to be sure Bahar was not idiotic enough to take Nuri back.

The Lives of Others and Borat

2006-09-08T17:06:00.000-07:00

The Lives of Others - 9 pm - Elgin Theatre, 9/7

Sometimes you just luck into movies. "The Lives of Others" was a second choice selection of mine. The first choice was "The Bothersome Man". When I went to pick up my tickets on Thursday, I noticed that "The Bothersome Man" was still available so I picked it up. I was excited to get my 1st pick back. I only chose "The Lives of Others" b/c it was playing at the Elgin, a large seating capacity. As the day progressed, I began reading more and more about "Lives" and eventually came to the decision that I should again reverse course and go back to my second choice. So I did.

The director/writer, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, and star, Ulrich Muehe, were in attendance. From the Q&A:

This is a very personal film for me and for those involved. It was an emotional rollercoaster when I was writing the screenplay because on one day I would meet with people whose lives were destroyed by these secret police, the Stasi; and then the next day I would meet the people who had done these very things and hear their side. It was important to me to get a feeling for both sides. That work payed off because this story then attracted the staff and actors who wanted to be a part of this and for this story to be told.
For example, the property master was someone who during the time that this movie was set, had expressed discontent at living in the GDR at that time. One of the people he told it to was an informer which led to him being arrested and being placed for two years in a Stasi prison, subjected to several of the interrogations and humiliations that you see in this film. For him it was very important that this story be told. His contribution was going to be that he didn't want to recreate or rebuild any of the equipment that was used in the past. Instead he went to museums and other places and found the real things. All bugs, tape recorders, etc. in the film are the real things.
He said without Ulrich Muehe's involvement the film wouldn't have gotten made. "Great actors are the real producers of movies. They decide what gets done. For doing it he had to confront demons of his past. He was under tight survellience since high school b/c the Statsi knew he would be big.

The film is set in 1984, in East Germany where the Stasi's and its informers goal is to know everything about the lives of others to make sure there is no dissent for the government. Capt. Wiesler is a chief interrogator and devoted officer who will go 12 straight hours with a suspect if that's what it takes to break him. When Wiesler and his boss, Lt.-Col. Grubitz go to the latest play by George Dreyman, who is one of the few "trusted" writers left in the GDR, Wiesler gets a sneaky feeling. He feels that Dreyman isn't all he's made out to be. Soon he is put in charge of bugging the man's house and its subsequent survelliance. Higher ups in the government want Dreyman exposed as a dissident. As the story plays out, Wiesler basically holds Dreyman's future in his hands.

The acting is great and you can see Wiesler's struggle as his ideals slowly get blurred by his fascination with the writer. There is geniune suspense in wondering how the twists and political motivations will play out, despite the fact that there is no real action in the film. The film was a wonderful surprise.

The film WILL play in the U.S. if for no other reason than it is being distributed by Sony Pictures Classic. They know how to market a film. I don't, however, believe it's going to play beyond the art houses. It will have to get nominated for an Academy Award, if not win it, before I can see it playing at local cinemas. Still this is one to remember come award season.

As for "Borat", I was completely unsuccesful in my attempt to get tickets to the screening. As far as the RUSH line goes, ONLY 4 people got in. So if you were not in line at 5 p.m., you were out of luck. I did get pictures of Borat's crazy arrival. He came in on a mule driven carriage. There was only one problem. The mule was IN the carriage with him. Instead four hefty peasant women were pulling him in. We were not told our bad luck about tickets till 12:30 am. Also, from all I've heard, the screening ended up being canceled due to projector problems. Still, it sounds like Borat did his best to keep the audience entertained as did audience member Michael Moore. The experience still would have been wild. The show has been moved to tonight at midnight at The Elgin. The Elgin actually seats more people, but there is no way that I'm missing "The Host."

The Wind that Shakes the Barley

2006-09-07T22:07:00.000-07:00

6 pm - Ryerson. Cillian Murphy in attendance. The Wind that Shakes the Barley.

The Palm D'Or winner at Cannes. The story of two brothers whose fight for an independent Ireland eventually leads them in opposite directions. Highlights of Q&A with Cillian Murphy

When asked what it was like to work for Ken Loach. "Any actor worth his/her salt would give their right arm to work with Ken. His method which is often confused as something else. What he does is set up an environment for actors whereby there is no such thing as marks, or lighting setups. The camera is invariarably very far away with a long lens so it feels like a very private experience. Pure is the word I would use to describe it.
People get confused and think that there isn't a script. There is a very strong script that Paul Laverty has written, but we're just not privy to it as actors. As a result, what that lends itself to is a performance that is honest. That is not premeditated or intellectualized. You can't rely on tricks. It's terrifying and exhilierating in equal proportions.
The film played very well in both Ireland and the U.K. There was some backlash in papers in Britain, but the reviews were good.
He did a lot of reading in preparation for the film. Ernie O'Malley (sp?) was one specifically he read on since he was a doctor and got involved in the fight for independence.
The script is set. Paul and Ken know where the characters are and where their going, but there is a certain amount of freedom to express yourself. For example, there may be a scene that is completely lit so you have the freedom to go here or there and not be restricted by lighting setups. But we don't contribute to the story other as actors portraying the parts.

The movie was extremely well acted and moving. I liked that the characters' motivations/actions were not easily figured out. Nor were they completely likeable. We get to see both sides of the argument toward the peace treaty. I did have trouble in the beggining of the film with the heavy accents, but as the film progresses, I was able to understand. The film did seem to run a little long. Thanks to its kudos at Cannes, it should do well at arthouses, but I doubt it will go wider than that.

The Magic Flute

2006-09-07T14:07:00.000-07:00

2 pm - Elgin Theatre, 9/7

Let me get a few things out of the way.
1) I work at a movie theatre. Huge chain. So when I review a movie, I'll sometimes be looking at it from a perspective of "will it play."
2) I am not an opera person. I am not a Mozart fan. That's not to say I'm against either, but I'm certainly not an expert on them either.

Kenneth Branagh was not in attendance. The movie was actually premiering in two places almost similtaneously. In Toronto, and in a famous opera house in Venice. He did tape a nice introduction that played before the film. The film was presented on Christie Digital and looked great. Roger Lanser, the cinematographer, was in attendance.

This film was in the TIFF lineup as part of its celebration for the 250th anniversary of Mozart. The libretto of the famous Mozart opera was adapted into english by Stephen Fry.

A soldier, Tamino, is brought back from death by three field nurses. When he regains his senses, he is sent on a mission by the queen to rescue her daughter who has been kidnapped by the enemy. Tamino is sent with the comedic sidekick, Papageno, on this dangerous mission. But when Tamino falls in love at first sight, his mission becomes secondary.

The film is a visual feast of computer animation and set design. It opens up with a spectacular opening sequence with no dialogue. The story was, at times, hard to follow for a novice like me. The english translation helped add comedy to several of the songs. Benjamin Jay Davis as Papageno was the standout for me. He added life and comedy to every scene he was in, as the unlucky in love, bird lover.It was very well done and I'm glad a saw it. I can't, however, see it playing wide at home. It is very specialized. Once the opera gets going in full force, you're either going to love it or it will drive you mad. For me, the singing was so melodic, it actually was too relaxing. I had to prod myself not to fall asleep in the middle. But for those looking to take a chance on an opera, this is a great introduction to get your feet wet.

Back to my second home

2006-09-06T20:03:00.000-07:00

I've made it back to Toronto. This is my seventh year of attending the TIFF in the past eight years. Took me awhile to find a place to do the update. My favorite two internet spots are no longer in business. But there are still plenty of internet cafes up Yonge St.

Made some last minute purchases online. Hope they pay off.

Gameplan for Day 1.

1)Wake up in time for what will probably be the only time I make it to breakfast at the B&B.

2) Go pick up my tickets. See if by chance there are tickets for "Borat".

3) Magic Flute - 2pm

4) Wait in line at Ryerson for box office to open at 5 pm and see if there are tickets to "Borat".

5) Wind Shakes the Barley - 6 pm

6) Bothersome Man - 9 pm

7) If still have not secured tickets to "Borat", wait in the RUSH line to all hope is lost.

It's not that I think "Borat" is going to be THE movie of the festival. It's the experience. Seeing "Borat" with the Midnight Madness crowd will be a blast.

Single Ticket Madness

2006-09-06T05:04:00.000-07:00

Oh, the joys of the opening hour of single ticket sales.

I was up at 5:45 a.m. CST so that I could be ready to go online at 6 am to start buying tickets. I had my list already prepared as I was heading straight to certain locations on the schedule. All I needed was an access point. I tried. And tried. And tried. And tried. ACESSS. Who hoo.

Filled out my schedule. Awesome, everything except "Borat" was available. Hit Continue. ERROR. Noooooooo. I was almost there. Start over. Tried to get access. Tried again. And again. ACCESS.

I finally got completely through by 6:50 a.m. By that point, several of the movies which WERE available, were no longer available.

Here's the key to the online system that I figured out at the end. (Sorry, I was slow on the uptake this morning). If you get an error message AFTER you are into the selection process, DO NOT close the window. Simply hit the back arrow. It should take you to your previous page. Try to continue from there. If I had followed this process, I would have gotten my other two movies.

As it is, I have added the following films.
Galas for "Babel" and "Black Book".
Pervert's Guide to Cinema on Sat. at 12:15 p.m. will take the place of "King and Clown"
Outsourced on Sat. 16.

I'm still rushing both "Borat" and "Volver".

Now I've got five hours till my flight. There's no way I'll be able to go back to sleep. Hope everyone has success in their ticket searching today.

Let the Games Begin

2006-09-03T21:31:00.000-07:00

I got my confirmation email at 9:36 p.m. Sunday. I was, needless to say, stressing out all afternoon. Again, I had faith in TIFF, I was worried about FedEx. "Maybe it didn't get delivered." Looking at the list on the confirmation, my fears about my box # were realized.

I read that someone dropped their packet off at 9:15 a.m. on Friday and was placed in box #17. My tracking # said mine was dropped off at 10:30 a.m. The winning box was #22. I was positive that my package was in somewhere between 20-24. It must have been 20 or 21. Despite this, I still got most of my choices, simply more #2s than in the past. Again, picking films in big auditoriums helps. Now it's time for the real fun. The haphazard fun of filling in the gaps to your schedule and determining how many RUSH lines to hang out in. Here's my list.

Thursday, Sept. 7
2 p.m. - The Magic Flute (can't say I'm a huge Mozart fan, but I trust Kenneth Branagh)
6 p.m. - The Wind that Shakes the Barley (Cannes winner)
9 p.m. - The Lives of Others (2nd choice to Bothersome Man)

I knew there was a possibility of not getting "Bothersome Man" b/c it was in two theatres, both in smaller auditoriums. I also did not get the midnight opener, "Borat". I will go to the Rush Line after the 9 film is over. There's no reason not to wait in a Rush Line for a midnight, even if you get there only an hour before. Either I get in, or I get to go to sleep early.

Friday, Sept. 8
5:45 pm - The Silence
9 pm - Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show (2nd choice)
Midnight - The Host (the film I'm looking most forward to seeing)

I did not get "Time" at 12:15 pm nor did I get "Evening with Michael Moore." If I don't get into "Borat" the night before, then I should have no problem getting up early and heading to the Paramount to pick up films for the morning and afternoon.

Saturday, Sept. 9
12:30 pm - King and the Clown
3:45 pm - Fido
9 pm - End of the Line
Midnight - All the Boys Love Mandy Lane

The fact that I did not get "Volver" at 9:30 a.m. at The Ryerson convinces me I must have been in box 20-21. The 9:30 ams at The Ryerson do not typically sell out. It's too early and The Ryerson seats 1200. There's the possibility that they sell out the bottom first and then decide later whether or not to open the balcony. Regardless, this will be an easy decision to RUSH for as I can't believe everyone will wake up early on Saturday to get to the show. I also did not get "Stranger than Fiction" but that's not a huge surprise. Not having a 6 p.m. show will force me to a) find another show b) wait the Rush Line for the gala of "Babel".

Sunday, Sept. 10
9:30 am - A Good Year
1:30 pm - Never Say Goodbye
9 pm - Shortbus (2nd choice)
Midnight - Black Sheep

Why was TIFF so cruel that they scheduled the 2nd show of "Babel" at 11:30 a.m. Normally they schedule the galas second show so that both can be seen. "A Good Year" gets out at 11:28 a.m., "Babel" starts at 11:30 a.m. Physically impossible to make both. Arrrghh. The big gap in the day is so I can watch the Dallas Cowboy game. I picked the gala b/c a) I like Bollywood movies. b) When it's over I'm within minutes of several sports bars. What I didn't count on was that "Never Say Goodbye" was over 3 hours long.

Monday, Sept. 11
Noon - For Your Consideration
3:30 pm - 10 Items or Less
6 pm - Fay Grim
9 pm - Mon Colonel (2nd choice)
Midnight - The abandoned

Pretty good set here. Didn't get "Little Children".

Tuesday, Sept. 12
11:15 am - Indigenes
6 pm - Quelques jours en Septembre
9 pm - Mon Meilleur Ami
Midnight - Trapped Ashes

I did not get either of my afternoon choices (Shortbus (which I got as a 2nd choice on Sunday) or Catch a Fire), but it may turn out to be a blessing. Due to the Program Guide not arriving till Thursday morning, there were several films that I forgot about when choosing. I'm going to try and get into several shows at The Paramount (D.O.A.P. (love controversy) and Renaissance (cool looking animation).

Wednesday, Sept. 13
11:45 am - Pan's Labyrinth
3 pm - the Namesake
6 pm - Starter for Ten
9:30 pm - Bugmaster

No problems with Wed.

Thursday, Sept. 14
Noon - Alatriste (this hour was tough as "Breaking & Entering", "Black Book" and "Alatriste" all started at Noon)
3 pm - The Fountain
6 pm - The Caiman (2nd choice)
Midnight - Severance

I didn't get either of my 9 pm choices (Pervert's Guide to Cinema, Jade Warrior). My complaint about Sunday's 2nd showing of the galas goes double for today. Both films "Breaking & Entering" and "Black Book" start at the SAME time. Why couldn't one of them been at 9:30 a.m.?

Friday, Sept. 15
12:15 pm - Infamous
3 pm - Seraphim Falls
6 pm - Kabul Express
9 pm - The Postmodern Life of My Aunt

Will probably skip "Infamous" and find something else. Unless I hear great things about it, I think I would have a hard time not nitpicking how it compares to "Capote."

Saturday, Sept. 16
9:30 am - Exiled
Noon - The Banquet
2:30 pm - The Last Winter
4:45 pm - Rescue Dawn
6:30 pm - Amazing Grace (This should have been a 2nd choice to "Rescue Dawn", not "Outsourced". I can't see both.)
Midnight - Sheitan

So despite being at the bottom of the lottery I still got 37 films, pretty good. And what fun would the festival be if you didn't have to work a little.

Lodging choices

2006-09-01T13:08:00.000-07:00

This will be the seventh year that I've attended the TIFF and the seventh year that I am staying at a different place.

1999 - Howard Johnson
2000 - Days Inn
2002 - Hotel Victoria
2003 - Bond Place
2004 - Courtyard by Marriott
2005 - House on McGill
2006 - Les Amis B&B

That's not a negative on any of the places I've stayed (they've all been nice), I guess I just a nomad. All of the places, save for the 1st year when I stayed off Sherbourne, have been located off Yonge St. It's been nice b/c I can either walk or take the subway to all the venues in a rather quick fashion.

Since the Uptown closed and the Ryerson took it's place, I've stayed at different Bed & Breakfasts right near the Ryerson. I had never stayed in a B&B before Toronto, never really would have considered one. But they've been exactly what I needed.

1) If you are a true "mad" festivalgoer and are planning on seeing countless movies a day, do you really need an extravagant room. How long are you really going to be there? For me, it's at MOST 9 hours, and 8 of those is sleep. I don't need a pool or a restaurant/bar. I need a bed, a shower and a alarm clock.

2) Location, location, location. All these B&B are located a block north or east of the Ryerson. Typically I've tried to see the 9:30 a.m. shows (the galas from the previous day). By being only a block away, I can wake up at 9 a.m., hop in the shower, get dressed and get over to the theatre in plenty of time. These location also help since I frequently partake of the Midnight Madness shows which are also at the Ryerson. I'm in my bed asleep within 15 min. after the film.

One year I stayed at the Hotel Victoria which was located on Yonge, south of King St. I was a wonderful room and the service was fine. But each morning, I had to wake up extra early, b/c I was so far away from the venues (Uptown was still around at this time). Plus when the midnight movies got out (after the subway had stopped), it was a long walk back.

3) Convenience. B&Bs are typically not mamonth structures. Usually two stories, maybe three. So if you do have to run back and pick up something you forgot, going up a flight of stairs takes much less time than waiting on an elevator to take you to floor 22.

Just wondering what strategies other festivalgoers use when selecting where they are going to stay.

Love those tracking numbers

2006-09-01T12:58:00.000-07:00

According to the FedEx website and my trusty tracking number, my order was deliverd to TIFF at 10:30 a.m. Not sure if that's CST or EST, either way it's on time. Whew.. that part of the agonizing is over.

Now it's lottery time. I've read that box #22 out of 40 was chosen in the lottery. Therefore those people in box #21 are hating life, b/c their order will be filled in last. Last year there were 48 boxes.

At first I was pretty excited to hear that #22 was the number. I figured that since mine didn't arrive until late Friday morning, surely mine would be in a box late 20s or early 30s. Not so fast Mr. Optimistic. I've also read that someone who turned in their order at 9:15 a.m. was in box #17. A later festivalgoer turned his in at 11:30 a.m. and was in box #29. Soooooo, there's still an outside chance that I could be in that ever popular box #21.

I'll know by Sunday what I've got. I'm not worried. Regardless of where in the lottery I am, I am at least IN the lottery. Most of my choices were in auditoriums with high seat counts which should help as well. I hope everyone that had their packages delayed were able to still get them out on time.

Since my package was delayed in customs at Memphis, I was PRAYING that the return trip did not go back to Memphis, especially with the storms hitting that area. It didn't, it went to Indianapolis.

Again here's hoping that fate takes us all into consideration and gives everyone their 1st choices.

Nothing left but the wait

2006-08-31T09:36:00.000-07:00

Yea, the package arrived this morning at 10:15 a.m. Of course, this was a day late, but what can you do. The selections went right back out at 10:45 a.m. Hopefully, this will get it back to the TIFF in time for the lottery. Their instructions say that you have to send it out by 5 p.m. on Thursday to insure that it gets there. So I should be safe. But customs has me worried after yesterday.

I got the Festival pass which lets you choose 50 films. I chose 45. I only chose 9 am shows on the two Saturdays and Sunday. There may be GREAT films showing in the 9 am hour, but they can just be a beating. It's like college.

In your freshman year, you chose classes that start at 8am. "Why not, I had to go to high school by then. No problem." It takes one semester for you to realize that you NEVER schedule 8am classes unless there is NO other choice. It's just physically impossible for you to have any degree of alertness that early in the morning when your staying out past midnight.

So I know better than to schedule too many 9 a.m.s. Instead noon is a good start to the day.

Once I receive notification of which films I got, I'll post.

Hope everyone else is having a fun time picking their films and good luck on the lottery.

Out of Town Service

2006-08-30T15:33:00.000-07:00

Customs, what you gonna do.

I'm not getting my package today containing my festival pass, program guide, schedule and order form. It's stuck in Memphis, TN in customs. Who knows, FedEX certainly doesn't, if I'll get it tomorrow. I have to have my films picked, put it back in the return FedEx package and send it off, no later than 5 p.m. Thursday, to get in the lottery. It's all in doubt. But I'm much calmer now than 3 hours ago.

1) At least it's not just me. Selfish, I know, but it does make me at least feel like God is not punishing me specifically. According to my call to TIFF box office, customs has held back several of the OOTS packages.

2) Thanks to the improved website, I've already got my choices made and printed. Although since I have time, I'll go back and tinker.

3) With the multiple setbacks to loyal TIFF festivalgoers, I'm confident that TIFF will help us out in some way should the package not arrive in time to be sent back out. I feel bad that I can't remember her name (TIFF staffer that answered my panicked call), but she was much more empathetic and calming than the FedEx employee I got when tracking my package. "We can't control what customs does, it's not our fault." Fine I get that, I just want to know if there is a timetable. "We don't control customs." Okay. Thank you, FedEx.

Last year was the first year I was able to get to 40 films during my stay. The previous years would be between 28-35. The key is to get your ass up when the alarm clock goes off, and quit whining about needing 10 more min. of sleep. You can sleep when the festival is over. There is no way I'll ever be able to see all 50 films that my pass would allow. That means you avg. 5 films a day. Body just can't take it. But I will see over 40 again this year. The key is to ALWAYS see at least 4 films a day. I've seen six in a day several times, but normally it will mean the next day I'll see 3 b/c I'm sleeping in till 2 p.m. So I'm going to try and cut down and see 6 maybe once.

The other thing that has improved about the TIFF in the OOTS (out of town service) is thanks to technology. In the past, you would send your choices in, but would have no idea what movies you got, till you arrived in Toronto and picked up your package.

Now, as soon as the draw is done and the selections are entered, you will receive an email saying what films you got. So you know going in, what plan you will have to take. For ex., in 2004, I knew I didn't get tickets to "Crash", so I already had my gameplan of when to get to the theatre, what book to bring, what food to get, etc. No scrambling, no fuss.

Hope everyone else is having better success with their OOTS.

Less panic, still miffed

2006-08-30T13:39:00.000-07:00

Talked to the TIFF box office and it seems a lot of the out-of-town packages were held up at customs. I now have a tracking number that let me know that it's IN TRANSIT.....to Memphis, TN. Not quite Dallas, TX where I need it to be. Again, I've basically got my movies picked out, but I have to get the form shipped back by tomorrow afternoon to make if for the lottery. If you don't make the lottery, you're SOL. And now, if there was customs problems getting here, might there be customs problems getting back? Aaarrgghhh.

I remember the good old days when we faxed our sheet in. Of course, even then there was the fear of "What if they didn't get the fax?" What if they lost my second page?" Can they read it? I'm sure it was nightmare for the TIFF staff.

This current way is still the best way to do it. No muss, no fuss. Customs just messed up the fun. I hate having to wait and wonder when it's going to arrive. Just like to have the program book in my hand and read about all the films that I have absolutely NO inclination to see.

The TIFFer who answered my call was very nice and helpful, so points to her. But that's not a surprise b/c the volunteers are typically very friendly.

PANIC!!!!

2006-08-30T13:26:00.000-07:00

It is now 3:20 p.m. CST and FedEx has yet to drop anything off. I just need the form to send back in. It's never gotten here this late. Arrrrggghhh.

Sense of nervousness setting in

2006-08-30T08:40:00.000-07:00

I always get the "Out of town" package, b/c I'm in Dallas. It's almost like Christmas when the truck pulls up with the new book and schedule and I get to rip it open and start making my picks.

Usually, the package is here before I wake up. It's supposed to be delivered by 10:30 a.m. It has always been early. This year, it's still not here.

I'm trying not to panic. I've already done my research on the website. I have a set plan already in place. But it's not here. It's so cruel. 10:45 and no package.

I check the email confirmation to make sure the address is correct. Yes. Make sure I paid for OOTS. Yes. Make sure the thing says by 10:30 a.m. Yes. Aaaargghhh.

I'm not good at patience, but it's not time to panic yet.

Things to remember when devising your film schedule

2006-08-27T23:52:00.000-07:00

On Crunchy Squirrel's blog, http://www.crunchytiff.blogspot.com/ there is a three part discussion on how to pick your films for the TIFF. I have a few pointers on other things you should consider.

1) Theatre Size

This is probably the biggest determining factor to whether or not you will get your first choice when it comes to the lottery. Here are the seat counts that I remember from last year's screening guide.

Jackman Hall - 198
Cumberland Theatres - 1 - 213, 2 - 288, 3 - 319, 4 - 164.
Isabel Bader - 452
Royal Ontario Museum - 312
Ryerson Theatre - 1209
Varsity Theatres - 1 - 202, 2 - 226, 3 - 235, 4 - 161, 5 - 126, 6 - 125, 7 - 138, 8 - 580
Elgin Theatre - 1500
Roy Thomson Hall - 2600 (this is for normal performances, quite a few seats are not available for screenings b/c of the sight lines)
Paramount Theatres - I do not know the seat counts, but they are at least 300.

If there is a movie that you are dying to see, for ex. "Sideways", and you are trying to decide which of the two showing you try and pick. Show 1 - Cumberland 3. Show 2 - Ryerson. You have a better chance of getting your selection with a bigger house.

Remember that The Elgin Theatre & RTH have a certain percentage already taken due to the gala passes that are sold.

2) Time & Distance

Rarely are you going to be so fortunate that all your films for the day are at one location. As a result, you have to properly plan your time from one theatre to the next. All the theatres, save the Paramount / Ryerson, are within a block or two of a subway stop. The Paramount is the farthest walk (it normally takes me 10-15 min. from Osgoode). You should give yourself at LEAST 30 min. to get from the Paramount to any other location. The quickest trip for me is from the Ryerson to the Elgin.

3) Star gazer or Film lover

Why are you at the TIFF? Is it a) to see stars or b) is it all about the movies?
a) The stars are not going to arrive at the theatre more than 30 min. before showtimes. Most times it seems it's 5-10 before. Don't kill yourself trying to get to a spot hours in advance.
b) The main Galas are split into 6 p.m. shows and 9 p.m. The 6 p.m. will show the next morning at 9 a.m., the 9 p.m. will show at noon. (approx.) Instead of paying the high cost for the galas, you can save $ and see it the next day. These shows are rarely sold out b/c they are so early in the day. Do not expect to see anyone of note at the 9 a.m. shows. By the noon screenings, you may get to hear from the director.

4) How's your stomach?

Ask yourself how long you can go without food. The Cumberland, Varsity and Paramount are normal movie theatres with the typical concession stands. The Elgin and RTH have a few items (candies, water) for sale. The Ryerson and the Isabel Bader theatre have no concessions.

5) Try Midnight madness

The midnight madness crowds are a blast. They can make mediocre films into cult classics. But pick and choose your films. There is a huge drawback to going to all the films. First, they start to run together. Second, the more midnights you go to, the harder it will be to get up the next day for an early screening.

Have fun. The schedule will be out Tuesday.

Movies that I'm looking forward to - 2006

2006-08-27T01:02:00.000-07:00

I've already got tickets to one film - the Gala for "Never Say Goodbye". This was the only Gala I bought for and it was strategic. Sorry, I can't help it. I'm from Dallas, so I'm a Dallas Cowboy fan. The NFL season opens during the first Sunday of the festival and I have to stop down to watch the game. The game against Jacksonville is at 4 p.m. The Gala is at 1:30 p.m. I love Bollywood movies, plus since it's at the Roy Thomson Hall, when it's over, I will be within walking distance of the sports bars with time to get a table for the game.

Otherwise, I'm open for anything. I've noticed that I typically like most of the films that play at The Ryerson, so I'll be looking at films that play there that I've not heard of, and will give those more weight when choosing.

The following are some that I'm looking forward to: (in no particular order)
Babel
Bobby
Borat
Election 1 & 2
For Your Consideration
Kabul Express
Pan's Labyrinth
The Bothersome Man
The Host
Volver
Severance
Fay Grim
The Banquet

Can't wait. Less than two weeks away.

Growing/Learning as a Festival veteran

2006-08-27T00:46:00.000-07:00

I stumbled onto the Toronto International Film Festival as a default in 1999. I went to South by Southwest in 1998 and thought...eehh. So I was looking for a festival to get me out of the state. I chose Telluride. Unfortunately, in my procrastination, it was sold out and booked up. Toronto was the next festival happening so I left.

1999 was a mixed bag. While the thrill of being out of the States (although now Toronto feels like an extension of home) was there, my movie selection left a lot to be desired. I got the 30 film pass and basically chose films that had American actors that I knew.

2000 was all about "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." I HAD to see that film, knew it would be playing at the Festival. So I bought both 6 & 9 Gala passes and a 10 coupon book. At least here, most of my movies were already chosen for me. But foreign films still meant subtitles, and unless there were martial arts, count me out. I also thought I had friends going with me, but they canceled at the last minute. Downer, came back early.

2001 - skipped. Events turned out to be much bigger than the festival that year.

2002 - 2005. I know and love foreign films. I actually know foreign directors/actors to look for. Thus my selections have steadily improved each year to where now, there is usually only one/two films that I hate myself for seeing. I've gotten Festival Passes (50) the last four years. Last year was the first year I was able to get to 40 films. You have to be disciplined to do so. When the alarm clock rings, get up. I did go to all of the midnight madness shows and was left wanting on half of them. This year I plan to scout the midnights the same as I do the other films. If you avoid a midnight, then a 9 a.m. the next day is doable. See a midnight and you're probably looking at Noon for a first show.

Evil Aliens

2006-07-09T00:19:00.000-07:00

Saturday @ Midnight – Evil Aliens. This is a movie that will make me have second thoughts on my gameplan.
In most cases, if I stay to see the midnight film, then there is a 90% chance I will sleep through the 9 a.m. movie the next day. Typically the 9 a.m. movies are high quality films, but if the midnight film is fun enough, it's worth it. This one wasn't.
A midnight film only. Very low budget, poor acting, throw whatever you can at the wall and see what sticks type of film. A film crew for a "Hard Copy" type TV show heads out to an Irish island to investigate the report of a local that she has been impregnated by aliens. The local has three "Deliverance" type brothers who come in handy once the aliens return in a foul mood. The movie is just an excuse to find creative, and at times funny ways to kill both humans and aliens. The aliens are men with alien helmets on. None of it played seriously. Which is why it could work as a midnight movie with an audience full of college kids. Regular shows, with an attendance of 10, will hear crickets chirping. It has been bought by Lion’s Gate so it may actually end up in theatres at some point. Nowhere near as good as “High Tension”, but would definitely pull in the same crowd, no one. The only advantage this one has is that it is in English. But anyone looking for the humor or originality of “Shaun of the Dead” will be sadly disappointed. The helmers weren’t shooting that high.

Saint Martyrs of the Damned

2006-07-09T00:16:00.000-07:00

Saturday @ 9:15 p.m. – Saint Martyrs of the Damned. - Plays out as an intriging X-Files/Twilight Zone episode. . Flavien Juste is an orphan who has grown up into Weekly World News styled tabloid reporter. He is sent to investigate a small town that has an abnormally high number of missing persons, with the supernatural being the expected cause. He is sent his best friend, the publications’ photographer, to bring back a whopper of a story with the goal of restoring some class and funds the ailing publication. It takes less than 1 hour in town before they encounter an abandoned and creepy gas-station, a lodge run by two extremely odd twin sisters (who share the same name), a steakhouse in which the owner serves the customers in lingerie and an effective jump scare or two in the form of a ethereal corpse bride. Oh and the photographer along with the car go missing too. Flavien’s only hope of figuring things out, and not being assaulted or arrested, lie either in a young man with Downs Syndrome or an attractive young woman who appears to be at odds with the rest of the town. Film is very good at laying on the atmosphere and suspense. There are lots of "cat jumps from behind the bed" moments as well. My only question is the ending where a character does something that simply does not make sense to me. It is the first film for Canadian Vincenzo Natali and is certainly more ambitious than anything coming out in Hollywood (Cry Wolf, Venom) or the next film I saw.

World's Fastest Indian

2006-07-09T00:13:00.000-07:00

Saturday @ 6:00 p.m. – World’s Fastest Indian. Film was released by Magnolia Pictures (Mark Cuban's company) in the US. Roger Donaldson directs Anthony Hopkins in the true story of Burt Munro, at the age of 62, on his fish-out-of-water tour across the US onto Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats to try and set a land-speed record on his vintage Indian motorcycle. He still holds a world record for speed on a motorcycle. Donaldson knows the subject well as he filmed a documentary on Munro in 1971.The film is pure formula and certainly has plenty of “hokey” moments. Fortunately, the film has Anthony Hopkins at the head, and he wins over the viewer with a disarming performance marked by modesty and the curious little laugh with which he inflects many of his more important lines. His skill makes us see that Burt is so open to life and its possibilities that all manner of people immediately spark to him and help him out. There is nothing in the film that will interest younger viewers, but nothing that parents should disapprove either. It’s simply a tale that older audiences will appreciate more and should leave the theatre inspired. Another film that I think would have played well at Valley View had the marketing gone better.

Linda, Linda, Linda

2006-07-09T00:03:00.000-07:00

Saturday @ 3:00 p.m. – Linda, Linda, Linda - Another filler movie. Movie tells of a group of four girls in Hong Kong who are desperately trying to learn a song (the title) before a school talent show. They are a week away and problems keep arising. The lead guitarist breaks her hand then the lead singer walks out. The story at times is slow moving but does a good job of establishing the personalities of each of the girls and the film rallies mightily in the final act, working up genuine suspense as to whether our heroines are even going to make it to their maiden gig, before letting them unleash a climactic barrage of three-chord fury. "Sun" is especially funny as the Korean transfer student who is recruited to be the new lead singer. Even the title song is catchy, at least the chorus is, otherwise the song is hilarious. "Like a rat, we all need love?" Oookay. Can't see this one making it overseas to the arthouse circuit, but was a cute film, nonetheless.

L' Enfer

2006-07-08T23:42:00.000-07:00

Saturday @ 12:15 p.m. – L’Enfer (Hell). Went to see this film for two reasons: a) the director, b) Emmanuelle Beart. I was really hoping she would be there, but alas, no. The director and the other two sister were there. This is the second film for director Danis Tanovic, his first “No Man’s Land” won an Oscar for best foreign language film. Film introduces sisters Sophie, Celine and Anne, who have drifted apart since a traumatic childhood incident that ended with the girls' father committing suicide and their mother rendered mute and consigned to a wheelchair. One is an insomniac, one worries that her husband is cheating on her, and the youngest is having an affair with a married professor. Story builds up suspense by showing us glimpses of the event, but not fully till toward the end. At that point, all the behavior before is more understandable. But before that the director makes the audience work and try to unravel it ourselves. Each of the sisters is damaged in a different way, and whether or not they can rise above it, is very much in doubt. Very well acted, but definitely a somber picture that, like every film I've seen so far, is for discriminating adults. Picture will be marketed on both the director's name and that of one of the sisters, the delictible Emmanuelle Beart, an incredibly popular French actress whom most American's will only know as the love interest of Tom Cruise in the first Mission Impossible. The music also does a great job of setting and keeping the mood. Strictly art house. I'm not sure I remember it coming out in Dallas.

Director Danis Tanovic said the film was his homage to Polish filmaker Krzysztof Kieslowski. "Hell" was the second of a planned trilogy, (Heaven, Purgatory) that Kieslowski had planned to make. When he died, other filmakers have stepped in to complete the films. "Heaven" was directed by Tom Tykwer and was in the 2003 TIFF.

Shopgirl

2006-07-08T23:38:00.000-07:00

Friday @ 9:00 p.m. – Shopgirl. Based on a Steve Martin novella, Claire Danes is Mirabelle, who has arrived in Los Angeles from Vermont hoping to start a new life as an artist, but for the time being she spends her days working in the quiet glove department at Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills. Potential relief on the lonely hearts front finally arrives in the form of not one but two very different individuals: terminally awkward Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman), a certified loser of an amplifier salesman and budding font artist whose idea of a romantic first date is sitting outside Universal CityWalk and just staring at all the bright signs. Second, Ray Porter (SteveMartin), a wealthy logistician who shows up at Mirabelle's glove counter one day with the intention of wining and dining her in style. Despite Ray's repeated warnings that he's not looking for anything serious, Mirabelle puts considerable stock in their May-December romance even though it's only a matter of time before her heart gets broken.
Any scene with Jason is funny, he basically steals the film, but he is not the focus. Instead it's on the Martin/Danes relationship and how it seems doomed from the beginning but Mirabelle won’t give up. The acting is top notch with Martin playing a character much different than what we are accustomed too. This is another film that is really an adult film. I can't see young adults having the patience to stick through the middle portion of this film in which Danes really shines, but which is really melodramatic. There is also some narration from Martin in three parts of the film which seem unnecessary. Smart audiences don’t need it. BVD obviously had no idea what to do with this film. It got very little push and went to the art houses, despite having marketable actors in the lead roles. This film would have done well at Valley View, but it never had a chance to make it here due to BVD's distribution plan.