TIFF Riffs

Drive

2011-09-27T19:00:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Ryan Gosling plays a stunt driver by day, getaway driver by night in this gory crime thriller that won Best Direction in Cannes.

Ramblings:
This is one more of those films where the story is too short to fill in the 90 minutes required so they do a lot of shots of the main protagonist's face just driving somewhere. It was a bit irritating at first but once I was captured by the story, it didn't bother me much anymore and I just went with it.

The story is a bit thin, the bloody scenes are quite gory, and I'm not sure that Ryan Gosling gave us enough to have us believe he'd go to so much trouble for a woman and her son. But I'm glad I saw it and would recommend it as a genre film -- whatever that means.

Afghan Luke

2011-09-24T21:30:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Nick Stahl plays a reporter on the Afghan war who finds out more than he is allowed to report.

Ramblings:
Excellent cast, excellent story -- and it is not all wrapped up at the end. "Your current enemy is just your future ally" is a quote lifted from B.H. Liddell Hart in Thoughts on War: "For the enemy of to-day is the customer of tomorrow, and often the ally of the future."

Afghanistan is not a neat war. This is not a neat movie. Lots of loose ends left to ponder after the film is over.

Albert Nobbs

2011-09-24T19:00:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Glenn Close co-wrote and stars in this adaptation of the play about a nineteenth-century Irishwoman who disguises herself as a man and works as a butler for twenty years.

Ramblings:
A bit ponderous. It's difficult to feel much emotion about an emotionless protagonist. Yes, she plays the part well, but to what end?

Romeo Onze

2011-09-24T16:00:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Very slow movie with a not very interesting character and depressing story.

Ramblings:
Too many threads in the plot made this meandering film not too engrossing. Lots of pregnant pauses when you were wishing they'd just get on with it. Very unappealing main character. Dreary story.

Guilt

2011-09-24T12:00:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Guilt is a social drama chronicling the disarray of two teenage boys who must live with the moral aftermath of a homicide they committed one wild night.

Ramblings:

Donovan's Echo

2011-09-24T10:00:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Rambling story with a fabricated plot about a man who seems to be seeing the future.
Ramblings:
Not much more to say. No characters worth caring about. Very convoluted plot.

Moneyball

2011-09-23T22:00:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, the Oakland Athletics’ general manager whose unorthodox approach to fielding a team had a major impact on the game.

Ramblings:

Starbuck

2011-09-23T19:00:00.000-04:00

In brief:
A middle-aged slacker (Patrick Huard) is informed that the sperm he once donated has fathered no less than 533 children, many of whom are now suing the clinic to meet their maker.

Ramblings:
As the director said, "This is more a film about fatherhood than about sperm donations." Excellent cast. Excellent story.

Boy

2011-09-23T12:30:00.000-04:00

In brief:
New Zealand film with an excellent young lead about young boy growing up with no adult role models and those that appear are more child-like than adult. Good story.
Ramblings:
Director's own story.

YouTube Trailer

Colour of the Ocean

2011-09-16T21:00:00.000-04:00

In brief:
German/Spanish film about African refugees seeking asylum in Spain. Excellent cast and story ... though not necessarily a happy one.

Ramblings:
Story kept you interested to the end. With a non-predictable ending.

God Bless America

2011-09-16T18:30:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Man gets tired of American hate/right wing and starts on a killing spree.

Ramblings:
It is a superb absurdist movie. So good. Totally improper and offensive but oh, so funny. Not all will agree. But I would not have missed it for anything. About our image & celebrity worshipping culture.

My 30^th film of this festival.

Pro & Con Reviews:
Good review and more about the film at Movie City News.
Contrary review that takes the plot way too seriously at Film Authority.

From the Q & A:
Bobcat Goldthwait introduces the movie.
Why the script was written.
About the actress, Tara Lynne Barr & screenwriter Diablo Cody.
Any problems with clearances for locations or music?
About fame and the love of it.
Are you a happy person?
How much time for rehearsing?
Why no politics in the movie?
Are there any scenes missing in the movie?

The Woman in the Fifth

2011-09-16T15:30:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Ethan Hawke as an American writer moves to Paris to be closer to his daughter who finds himself falling immediately on hard times. Especially since his wife doesn't want him anywhere near.

Ramblings:
I'm not sure Ethan Hawke even know what was happening in the plot. Kristin Scott Thomas is wasted as a "ghost' -- or is she. By the end we don't really know and we don't really care.

Machine Gun Preacher

2011-09-16T12:01:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Gerard Butler plays a motorcycle guy who goes to Africa to help kids. He uses a gun to do the work. A bit over the top but it is a true story and you can get caught up in it by the end if you let yourself.

Kid with a Bike

2011-09-15T19:45:00.001-04:00

In brief:
French film with an excellent young actor in the lead role about a boy who won't believe his father abandoned him ... and so he looks for acceptance in all the wrong places and with the wrong people and in the wrong ways.

Ramblings:
Spell-binding actor plays main role. Brother French directors.

Lovely Molly

2011-09-15T17:15:00.001-04:00

In brief:
Horror flick by director of The Blair Witch Project with more money this time.
Ramblings:
Possibly I missed something. But why did she bury the girl? And who was possessing her? And why should we care?

Dull, dreary, dark, and dismal film.

I'm Carolyn Parker: The Good, the Mad, and the Beautiful

2011-09-15T15:00:00.001-04:00

In brief:
Jonathan Demme documentary about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Six years in the life of a survivor.

Superclasico

2011-09-15T12:30:00.002-04:00

In brief:
Danish man and son go to Buenes Aires to reconnect with wife/mother who ran off with Argentinian footballer.

Ramblings:
Hilarious. Surprising plot twists. Incredible cast - both Argentinian & Danish. Great music. Great culture.

James doesn't agree with me about this one. Scroll to the bottom. But perhaps this showed up in my list in a better position -- where I was ready to suspend my disbelief and just go along with the silly story. Co-incidences don't bother me that much. After all, it's only a movie -- not real life.

The Student

2011-09-14T21:00:00.001-04:00

In brief:
Ponderous film about student politics and the academic system in Argentina. "You had to be there." But who would want to be?

Life Without Principle

2011-09-14T15:30:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Hong Kong movie with complicated plot and interweaving storylines about the money system. Flashbacks are hard to follow.

Peace, Love & Misunderstanding

2011-09-14T11:00:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Jane Fonda as an aging hippy still living in Woodstock when her daughter comes to visit with her kids. Great story and acting. Will go over well with older crowd and lots of fun for younger audience

Guilty

2011-09-13T21:00:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Vincent Garenq’s disturbing drama investigates the corrupt judicial system under which Alain Marécaux and his wife Edith were arrested on accusations of pedophilia — horrific acts they never committed- and the years he spent fighting to get out of prison, clear his name and keep his family.

Ramblings:
The decision to re-create the experiences of Alain for this movie doesn't do much to satisfy our interest in the story. Yes, being in jail is hell. Yes, he was innocent. Yes, the system is at fault. But what is going on in the rest of the world to bring about the final judgement? We're not let into that. Reminded me a bit about "Hurricane," where we knew he was not guilty but we were also party to the people who were trying to prove it. Much more satisfying.

Killer Joe

2011-09-13T15:00:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Emile Hirsch plays a desperate Texas debtor who plots to kill his mother, with help of his family (Thomas Haden Church, Gina Gershon). They hire a crooked cop (Matthew McConaughey) to do the job, but Killer Joe asks for their teenage daughter (Juno Temple) as a "retainer."

Ramblings:
Funny/absurdist movie (?) that will be too gory and harsh for most people. Lots of blood and lots of uncomfortable situations.

The Oranges

2011-09-13T12:01:00.001-04:00

In brief:
Great story, great cast. American movie about an older man falling for a younger neighbour. Well told, though it might be a bit risque for some.

Death for Sale

2011-09-12T20:30:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Belgian/French/Morrocan movie about three young men growing up in Morocco and their encounters with the seamy side of life. A bit too gory and in the end not much more than a depressing story.

Twixt

2011-09-12T14:00:00.001-04:00

In brief:
Inspired by the gothic horror of Edgar Allen Poe, Coppola's latest tells the tale of a burnt-out mystery writer (Val Kilmer) who gets mixed up in murder and evil in a California town.

Ramblings:
Using every device at his disposal, Francis Ford Coppola makes a dismal and dreary film with no discernible plot. Val Kilmer wanders through the 3-D portions which are a waste of our time. Totally forgettable.

Rampart

2011-09-12T11:00:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Woody Harrelson as a dirty cop, balancing a home life with two ex-wives as he becomes embroiled in a scandal.
Ramblings:
Mixed responses to this movie. In the end, I found it a bit heavy-handed and Woody's acting a bit over the top. Others think Woody should get an Oscar.

Miss Bala

2011-09-11T21:15:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Young woman goes to party with friend. Party is raided. Girl decides (?) to enter the Miss Baja/Bala beauty contest. It's fixed. She's kidnapped, tortured and raped. How did it end? Don't remember. Don't care.
Ramblings:
In Spanish. Dreary, depressing movie about drug and gun culture in Baja California, Mexico.

11 Flowers

2011-09-11T18:15:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Chinese movie. Although the kids are great actors, the story is a bit dense and not many people will identify

Death of a Superhero

2011-09-11T15:15:00.001-04:00

In brief:
Irish film with a great lead actor and interesting other characters. Story about a boy with cancer and how he deals with it. Better than Gus Van Sant's Restless.

Take This Waltz

2011-09-11T12:01:00.001-04:00

In brief:
Sarah Polley's second movie. This time she wrote it too. (Too bad for us.)

Ramblings:
All over the place. Did Sarah Polley have no point of view. Many disjointed scenes. Did Michele Williams know what movie she was in? Did Seth Rogen have any lines to learn?

Apparently this is not an autobiographical film although Sarah Polley did leave her husband for someone else and is having a baby with the new husband. What was that scene with the Leonard Cohen song all about?

At the Q & A, it was apparent that Sarah Polley has no opinion on monogamy, polygamy, or fidelity. In a newspaper review she said that sometimes Michelle Williams knew more about her character than Sarah did herself. It showed. But she let Michelle Williams drift. Too bad for Michele -- after her stunning portrayal in last year's Blue Valentine.

The cinematography was excellent. Toronto has never looked better. And the art direction was over the top.

From the Q & A:
Photo: Director Sarah Polley, Cast members, Luke Kirby, Sarah Silverman, Seth Rogen.

Seth Rogen & Sarah Silverman opinionate about Toronto.
More about Toronto from Luke Kirby & Sarah & Seth.
Sarah Polley doesn't answer question about monogamy.

For a good review that says it better, check out James McNally's at Toronto Screen Shots.

Headhunters

2011-09-10T21:45:00.003-04:00

In brief:
Thriller based on a Jo Nesbø book. Jo Nesbø is a best-selling Norwegian author who also writes the Harry Hole detective series. He won't let them make films of those books because he doesn't want them to hijack his character. He let them make this film and all his proceeds go to help literacy. (He has been compared to Stig Larssen but there's no comparison. Nesbø's characters are better and his plots more devious.)

Photo: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau & Aksel Hennie in the lobby after the film.

Ramblings:
OK. You have to suspend your disbelief. But it is an action thriller. Lots of fun. Great story.

There are more twists in this film than the usual and a few coincidences that might be a bit much but it's fun anyway and it keeps you guessing. This is a movie made in grand Hollywood style with lots of action.

Don't miss it. (Will probably be remade by Hollywood.)

The Cat Vanishes

2011-09-10T19:30:00.000-04:00

In brief:
When Beatriz picks up her husband Luis from the sanatorium, she is not quite sure if she should believe his psychiatrist’s pronouncement that he is fully cured. An Argentinian movie part of the City to City series.

Ramblings:
Simplistic story has the audience not sure if Luis is cured either. But we don't really care since he's not a very personable character. At the Q & A the director told us he got the cat to "act" angry by putting a dog off camera. Most of the actors sleep-walked through the movie. The "surprise" ending is not so much of a surprise. Was supposed to be an attempt at a movie in the "thriller" genre. Not very convincing.

Goon

2011-09-10T15:00:00.001-04:00

In brief:
Doug Glatt is a bouncer who becomes a hockey enforcer in this "true" story based on the life of Doug Smith, a hockey enforcer who achieved minor-league fame.

Ramblings:

Photo: Kim Coates signing autographs after the screening.

This is a great Canadian film, even though the main character is an American bouncer, played wonderfully by Seann William Scott. Most of the action takes place in Canada and the scenes on the rink are action-packed. Excellent supporting cast includes Jay Baruchel, Kim Coates, Allison Pill, Eugene Levy, Marc-André Grondin, Liev Schreiber and many more.

Anyone who loves hockey will love the action, noise, and behind the scenes shenanigans. Anyone who doesn't love hockey will be taken in by the simple story of a simple man trying to find acceptance. Just don't over think the violence in our national sport too much. Co-written by Jay Baruchel.

Not bad review in Variety tells more of the story.

A stage full at the Ryerson Theatre after the screening. (Doug Smith at extreme left.)

Into the Abyss

2011-09-10T12:01:00.003-04:00

In brief:
Another Werner Herzog documentary, this one looking at capital punishment.

Ramblings:
It's always interesting to see what Werner Herzog is up to. His films usually look at life in a way that is slightly atilt. In this one he follows the story of a triple homicide by talking to the victims' family, the people who solved the crime, and the men in prison who committed the murders. Worth seeing but it's difficult to tell what he was trying to prove.

It's obvious he's against capital punishment but his interviews were all over the place. He also takes us into the death chamber but there was a much better doc on capital punishment at Hot Docs a couple of years ago: At the Death House Door. (Check the comment. Thanks, James.)

Summer Games

2011-09-09T20:45:00.000-04:00

In brief: An Italian family go to a campground for the summer and learn more about themselves.

Ramblings: Dreary, dark, and dysfunctional film. Dysfunctional families are not much fun to watch. The sadism practiced by the children was a bit over-the-top. The director searched far and wide to find the kids (non-actors) who appeared in the film and apparently, according to him, the children were protected from what was seen on film by being told it was a "game" they were taking part in. Not sure I'd want my kids to be taking part in this game.

Interestingly, the audience seemed to be more put out by the apparent cruelty to a dog (those were rubber stones, we were told) than to what the children were doing to each other. Autobiographical? So what?

Beauty

2011-09-09T17:30:00.000-04:00

In brief:
South African movie about a repressed homosexual who stalks a younger man.

Ramblings: What's the deal with all these movies that show people driving in cars to add to the length of the film? This is the first one I noticed it in. But it also shows up in lots of movies at the festival(s) this year. Don't the scriptwriters have enough script to make the 90 minutes? Some even go further by making some parts of the film slow-motion to stretch the time. I was thoroughly bored with it during this film.

I found the premise a bit dreary. This was more a film about a stalker. Change the sex of the love object to a young woman and it would have been more obvious. Very violent and very angry and not at all satisfying as a film. The director said in the Q & A that the violent rape of the young man would in all probability never be reported.

This was the first of many dark, dreary, and depressing films I saw at the festival that I will mark with the DDD icon.

From Up on Poppy Hill

2011-09-09T13:00:00.003-04:00

In brief:
Japanese anime animated story taking place in Tokyo as it prepares for the 1964 Olympic games. What part of the city will be renewed? What part of the city will stay?

Ramblings:
I chose this one blind when I went to the box office to fill a hole in my schedule. If I had known it was animated I would not have chosen it but it was actually quite a fun movie with a simple story that had a sweet ending.

Lost in Paradise

2011-09-09T10:00:00.002-04:00

In brief:
Vietnamese film about hustlers and prostitutes and the people who love them.

Ramblings:
Charismatic actors. A story of people. "You don't pick your sexual persuasion but you do choose how to live your life." Excellent cinematography shows off the new Saigon. Not a subject for everyone. Main characters are a prostitute and a male hustler. Well worth seeing. Hope it gets North American distribution.

Restless

2011-09-08T07:18:00.002-04:00

In brief:
Gus Van Sant movie on the themes of coping with death and dying. Starring Mia Wasikowska & Dennis Hopper's son, Henry Hopper.

Ramblings:
Excellent chemistry between the leads. Music track a bit too obvious. Gus Van Sant has done better.

Photo taken at the Q & A shows (Left to Right) Director Gus Van Sant, Producer Bryce Dallas Howard, Actor Mia Wasikowska, Scripwriter Jason Lew. (Click for a larger version.)

Good review at New York Times.

Film Circuit Summary 2010

2010-10-29T17:12:00.017-04:00

OK, gang. Here is what I think of the thirty-nine films I saw in September.

You can download a three-page summary if you want a print version. Links go to a description if available. You can also scroll down the page to see my initial reaction to the film and, in some cases, listen to some of the Q & A from the directors.

YES: Movies that should go over well with our audience:

The Way: By Emilio Esteves and starring his father, Martin Sheen. Excellent. Very moving about walkers on the Trail of Pilgrims in Spain. (Would have been good to show with Sticky Fingers a Quebecois movie with Roy Dupuis ... a hilarious farce ... which was at Sudbury last year. But it’s on DVD already.) Emilio's movie was touching and had well-defined and not necessarily archetypical characters. A bit heavy-handed on the religion at the end.
Rabbit Hole: Nicole Kidman produced this incredibly engrossing and believable film about a young couple dealing with the death of their son. The story is told in scenes that reveal a little bit more about each of the characters and how they handle stress. Based on a stage play with a screenplay written by the playwright. Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart are superb. The ending scenes are beautifully shot and a perfect resolution for both main characters.
Buried: This has already opened but it will not likely make it to Owen Sound. I can’t quite figure if it’s worth putting here or not but this is a movie unlike any other you’ve ever seen. How can a movie that takes place inside a box have the most inventive cinematography? When you build several versions of the box as the director did for this one. Ryan Reynolds is outstanding as the buried truck driver in Iraq. It was impossible to take a breath as the story was told in real time. As the final minutes unfold, there was a hush in the audience. Not for the claustrophobic.
Blue Valentine: Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams are outstanding as a couple in a rocky marriage. Flashbacks show them in happier times. Well-acted and thoroughly riveting portrayals. It might open here but I doubt it. It has more of an indie feel.
Three: German film from the directory of “Run, Lola, Run.” This film might or might not work for our audience. Hard to tell. Could be too long but it was never boring. Excellent story. Well-acted and believable. A husband and wife have an affair with the same man and keep it a secret from each other. Lots of laughs and lots of twists in the story keep the audience guessing.
High Cost of Living: Not your ordinary movie. Zach Braff and Isabelle Blais are outstanding in this film about a car accident that brings them together: he, a drug dealer in Montreal, she, eight months pregnant with a neglectful husband. It won’t open in Owen Sound. Guaranteed.
Even the Rain: Spanish film shot in Bolivia. The plot: It is early in 2000 during the protests in Bolivia in response to the the government’s decision to privatize the water company. A filmmaker is making a film about Columbus’s first voyage to the New World. Sounds complicated. But it isn’t. Very captivating story, this film makes parallels between the film makers’ use of extras for their movie, the water company’s treatment of the peasants, and exploitations past and present.
Armadillo: Great photography and great access to what goes on in Afghanistan, this documentary about a group of Danish soldiers is unflinching in its portrayal of a seemingly unwinnable conflict. Hard to believe it was a documentary because its story arc seems “written."
Repeaters: By the director of Cole. A glorious premise: the same day keeps repeating itself until the three main characters “get it right.” It falters a bit in the middle when there are just a few too many repetitive days that don’t further the plot that much and Richard de Klerk hasn’t quite thrown off enough of his Cole persona to be believed as the out-of-control psychopath — but the final scenes are enough to forgive these lapses.
Conviction: I’m surprised it hasn’t shown up here yet. “Based on the inspirational life of Betty Anne Waters, Conviction tells the story of the unstoppable love between a brother and sister and the lengths to which one woman will go to save her family.” And it works. With Hilary Swank as star (& producer). This film didn’t get as good reviews as I would have expected. Minnie Driver is good in it too. Perhaps a bit pedantic at the end but I still bought into the (true) story for the entire movie.
Route Irish: Another Ken Loach winner. But then, I have always loved all of his movies. Excellent characters. Engrossing story. I could even figure out when the story was in flashback. Bitter ending.
What a way to finish the 35 films in Toronto.
Small Town Murder Songs: I have to admit that I slept through part of this film and had to watch it from the front row — not ideal conditions; however, what I saw were earnest characterizations by the actors. I would like to see it again in a more comfortable screening position. Jackie Burroughs is wonderful in one of her last film performances. Music by Bruce Peninsula. Would do well with our audience and we might even be able to convince the director to come to the screening. Filmed in Hanover and Listowel.
Addendum afer second (complete) screening:
As I said, it's much better sitting a bit farther back and you have to be awake for the whole movie to get the plot. We had it at our OS Reel Festival in January 2011 and it was well worth seeing, though not your traditional story-telling movie. Use of locale was evident -- it was meant to be set in Canada and didn't pretend to be elsewhere.

MAYBE: Movies that might not go over well for one reason or another:

Behind Blue Skies: ... a bit dense ... a coming of age story ... long but not unwatchable. Swedish film that started out as a coming-of-age movie and became something more. Apparently based on a true scandal that happened in the seventies in Sweden. Crimes and misdemeanors in cottage country.
Amazon Falls: Canadian. Perhaps could have been “Sunset Boulevard” but was just shy of the mark. Quite interesting story but the actors didn’t have time to develop their characters and left us with a flat performance. Unnecessary and extraneous plot bits. Plagues of Job visited on an aging actress in Hollywood. I kept waiting for the actress to say “I’m ready for you now, Mr. de Mille.”
Beginners: Director didn’t tell enough of the story to help us understand the plot. Flashbacks disconnected. The actions goes back and forth in time enough to make your head spin. I had no idea that some of the scenes were flashbacks to childhood till it was too late to care. Disorienting. Apparently the director based this on his own life but he assumed we knew more than he was willing to tell us.
Cool It: Documentary about global warming that was produced/funded by the subject of the movie. A bit disingenuous. Thought provoking film that was badly advertised and misrepresented as a movie which took exception with An Inconvenient Truth and global warming — viz., the title — but was no such thing.
Potiche: I loved it but I’m not sure our audience would agree. Potiche is the French word for “vase” ... or in the case of a “femme potich” we would label it a “trophy wife.” That’s what this film is about and if you like Francois Ozon’s films you’ll love this one. It’s told in his trademark stylized way. But the best thing in the film is Catherine Deneuve as the trophy wife and if you love her, you’ll also love this film. The story might seem to be a light comedy but there is a feminist streak which keeps it from being overly frothy. Lots of laughs and Deneuve is excellent eye-candy throughout.
Bang Bang Club: Canadian film that’s not terrible but there is too much story. Characters that look too much alike. Supposedly many of the extras are re- creating what they did during the civil war in South Africa before the end of apartheid. More time was spent on the re-creations than on character development so that, in the end, it’s impossible to connect with any of the main characters. The story of how it was made is a good story too. Unfortunately you need the producer there to tell it because it’s not up on the screen.
Whistleblower: Canadian film that is the harrowing (true) story about sex trafficking in post-war Bosnia and the UN peace-keeper who brought the story of UN officers’ part in it. For some reason, it’s not as engaging as it might have been. Rachel Weisz doesn’t engender any sympathy but comes off as an earnest and bull-headed protagonist.
Casino Jack: Kevin Spacey is great in this role but the complicated back room deals are not that interesting to watch -- unless you're addicted to TV Shows like "The Apprentice" or "Survivor."

NO: Movies that are not suitable for one reason or another:

Guest: ... too obscure. Documentary with its moments. A documentary not for everyone. Gave us portrait(s) of people who would not ordinarily be given a chance to talk. Certain scenes were head- scratch inducing but it was fascinating when it showed ordinary people doing ordinary things talking about their lives.
Stone: has already opened to mediocre/poor reviews. I agree. Excellent actors in search of a plausible script. Each actor seemed to be in his or her own movie. No connection between them. Robert De Niro phoned in his part.
The Conspirator: Much like watching Madame Tussaud’s waxworks come to life. About Lincoln’s assassination plotters. Pedantic script. Re-creation of what happened after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Waxworks actors quoting “authentic" lines from history. Good for schools perhaps, though the kids would be bored to tears no doubt.
SUPER: So good. Totally improper and offensive but oh, so funny. Superhero with a wrench. Not your normal super-hero but someone who decides to take the law into his own hands, using a tool he finds at hand. Later he is joined by an equally psycho partner. Rain Wilson (of Six Feet Under fame) and Ellen Page are perfectly cast. Not for the squeamish, however.
Outside the Law: Historical but too earnest. Billed as “sweeping, dramatic and grand in scale” this film tries to be everything to everyone but characterizations are lost in the action which overtakes them. Another of the many recreations of true events at this festival that struggle to put a human face on history and end up burying the people in the stereotypical roles.
Little White Lies: French version of The Big Chill had too many characters and too many intertwining stories in a two-hour-long film. Too long and might have been better if some of the stories could have been omitted — especially the unbelievable gay story- line which seemed to be included just for laughs.
Heartbeats: Second film by Xavier Dolan of I Killed My Mother. He didn’t have enough script to fill up the full hour and a half so he shot a lot of the scenes in slow-motion to make them last a bit longer. Boring characters who are full of themselves. Like his earlier movie, this one is tedious to sit through — although it does have a satisfying ending.
Amigo: This is the story of the American takeover of the Philippines around 1900. Amateur actors and professionals interact in stagey scenes. John Sayles was proud to tell us that many of the extras were able to re-create the farming duties of the past because they still knew how to do it. Verisimilitude does not always make for great movies.
Blessed Events: She has a one-night stand on New Year’s Eve and when she runs into the man again and tells him that she’s pregnant he decides he should marry her. Boring story. Unappealing characters. A waste of time. (The second worst movie in my collection.)
Cave of Forgotten Dreams: I don’t imagine we could get a 3-D movie and without 3-D this isn’t a movie worth seeing but in 3-D it is absolutely mesmerizing. Looks at drawings in the Chauvet- Pont-d’Arc cave, created more than thirty thousand years ago. Since no one except archeologists are allowed in, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the drawings on the curved walls of the cave — made all the more real by the 3-D cinematography.
Kaboom: Billed as “outrageously over-the-top” this film went right over my head. I can’t remember too much of the complicated plot and won’t spend much time trying to think back on it.
Black Ocean: The story of three sailorstaking part in nuclear tests over the Pacific Ocean in 1972, this film is too long and too boring with too many long pauses of uninteresting silence. The sailors were supposed to be questioning what they were doing but I didn’t see it.
Jaloux: "This tight psychological thriller was improvised during its sixteen-day shoot by Demers and his cast” according to the write-up on the TIFF website. Unfortunately the director did the editing himself and makes a mess of a good story. He might have had a better movie if he’d left some of the improvisations on the cutting room floor.

NOT LIKELY: Movies that will probably open wide anyway (or have already):

The King's Speech: Oscar contender. Opening in November. True story of King George VI overcoming stuttering with the help of an Australian Henry Higgins. Absolutely compelling and flawless performances by Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush.
Easy A: Super movie. Already come and gone from Owen Sound. Perfectly plotted, acted, and designed. Even the opening credits were uniquely handled as were the closing credits. Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci as the parents were superb.
127 Hours: James Franco is magnificent. True story holds your attention even though you know the outcome. Parts almost unwatchable. Should get an award of some kind. Danny Boyle gives us a gripping story and James Franco gives us a believable role. We know what’s going to happen but that doesn’t mean we’re not held in suspense. Perhaps it’s horrendous to watch but it only lasts for one-tenth the time it happened in real life. True story well-told.

Casino Jack

2010-09-20T19:00:00.011-04:00

In brief:
Kevin Spacey is great in this role but the complicated back room deals are not that interesting to watch.

Ramblings:
Might be of interest to those who are addicted to TV shows like "The Apprentice."

Small Town Murder Songs

2010-09-20T15:00:00.048-04:00

Ed Gass-Donnelly

In brief:
I have to admit that I slept through part of this film and had to watch it from the front row -- not ideal conditions; however, what I saw were earnest characterizations by well-meaning actors with a tepid story. I would like to see it again in a more comfortable screening position. Jackie Burroughs is wonderful in one of her last film performances. Music by Bruce Peninsula.

Q & A with director, Ed Gass-Donnelly.

The way it was filmed.
The use of scripture.
Where did the idea come from?
The Mennonite setting.
The radio playing in the soundtrack.
The casting.

Addendum afer second (complete) screening:

As I said, it's much better sitting a bit farther back and you have to be awake for the whole movie to get the plot. We had it at our OS Reel Festival in January and it was well worth seeing, though not your traditional story-telling movie. Use of locale was evident -- it was meant to be set in Canada and didn't pretend to be elsewhere.

Route Irish

2010-09-18T15:00:00.004-04:00

In brief:
Another Ken Loach winner. Excellent characters. Engrossing story. I could even figure out when the story was in flashback. Bitter ending.

Ramblings:

Conviction

2010-09-18T12:00:00.005-04:00

In brief:
"Based on the inspirational life of Betty Anne Waters, Conviction tells the story of the unstoppable love between a brother and sister and the lengths to which one woman will go to save her family." And it works.
Ramblings:

Repeaters

2010-09-18T09:30:00.018-04:00

In brief:
Glorious premise: the same day keeps repeating itself until the three main characters "get it right." It falters a bit in the middle when there are just a few too many repetitive days that don't further the plot that much and Richard de Klerk hasn't quite thrown off enough of his "Cole" persona to be believed as the out of control psychopath -- but the final scenes are enough to forgive these lapses.
Ramblings:

Armadillo

2010-09-17T20:15:00.006-04:00

In brief:
Great photography and great access to what goes on in Afghanistan, this documentary about a group of Danish soldiers is unflinching in its portrayal of a seemingly unwinnable conflict.

Ramblings:

Whistleblower

2010-09-17T18:00:00.016-04:00

In brief:
This is a harrowing story about sex trafficking in post-war Bosnia and the UN peace-keeper who brought the story of UN officers' part in it. For some reason, it's not as engaging as it might have been. Rachel Weisz doesn't engender any sympathy but comes off as an earnest and bull-headed protagonist.
Ramblings:

Even the Rain

2010-09-17T15:00:00.033-04:00

Producer Juan Gordon

In brief:
It is early in 2000 during the protests in Bolivia in response to the the government’s decision to privatize the water company. A filmmaker is making a film about Columbus's first voyage to the New World. His actors and non-actors are caught up in both events.

Sounds complicated. But it isn't.

Very captivating story, this film makes parallels between the film makers' use of extras for their movie, the water company's treatment of the peasants, and exploitations past and present.

Q & A with producer Juan Gordon:
How did the scriptwriters collaborate?
Did the people of Cochabamba influence the script?
Did you have problems with the politicians currently in Cochobamba?
How did you cast the non-actors?
Weren't you afraid of exploiting the extras and actors?
What is the current situation vis a vis privatization of water distribution?

Jaloux

2010-09-17T12:15:00.012-04:00

In brief:
"This tight psychological thriller was improvised during its sixteen-day shoot by Demers and his cast" according to the write-up on the TIFF website. Unfortunately the director did the editing himself and makes a mess of a good story. He might have had a better movie if he'd left some of the improvisations on the cutting room floor.
Ramblings:

High Cost of Living

2010-09-17T09:30:00.013-04:00

Director Deborah Chow

In brief:
Zach Braff and Isabelle Blais are outstanding in this film about a car accident that brings them together: he, a drug dealer in Montreal, she, eight months pregnant with a neglectful husband.

Q & A with director Deborah Chow:
Was that the original scripted ending?
Do you find it easier or more difficult to direct a script you wrote?
Can you tell us about the body makeup for Isabelle Blais?
Locations used in Montréal.
At what point did Telefilm get involved?
How did you pay the bills during the five years of pre-production?
What is your next project?
Will this film be at any other festivals?
Can you talk about the weather problems of filming in February?
What are your influences?
How was TIFF convinced since you finished it two weeks ago?

L.A. Zombie

2010-09-16T21:45:00.013-04:00

In brief:
Might have been better if they hadn't taken out the porn scenes. Certainly wasn't worth the 63 minutes spent at this year's festival.

Bruce LaBruce with producers.

Ramblings:
This is the version of the film that was banned at an Australian film festival ... but this was the soft-core version which we saw at TIFF. Not sure why. It's just a badly-made movie with lots of leaps in the action and bad continuity. I think there was one main character played by Francois Sagat, but his makeup kept changing. I'm not sure if there was more than one predatory gay zombie or several.

Three

2010-09-16T18:00:00.008-04:00

In brief:
Excellent story. Well-acted and believable. A husband and wife have an affair with the same man and keep it a secret from each other. Lots of laughs and lots of twists in the story keep the audience guessing.
Ramblings:

Black Ocean

2010-09-16T15:00:00.007-04:00

In brief:
The story of three sailors taking part in nuclear tests over the Pacific Ocean in 1972, this film is too long and too uninteresting.

Ramblings:

Blue Valentine

2010-09-16T12:00:00.015-04:00

Ryan Gosling & Director/Writer Derek Cianfrance

In brief: Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams are outstanding as a couple in a rocky marriage. Flashbacks show them in happier times. Well-acted and thoroughly riveting portrayals.

Q & A with director Derek Cianfrance & Ryan Gosling:
How much of the script was written and how much improvised?
How was it edited since there was so much improvisation?
Where did the story come from?
What was the inspiration for using the Grizzly Bears music?
How close was the final film to the original vision?
Audience member admires Ryan's singing.

Bang Bang Club

2010-09-16T09:00:00.013-04:00

In brief:
Too much story. Characters that look too much alike. Supposedly many of the extras are re-creating what they did during the civil war in South Africa before the end of apartheid. More time was spent on the re-creations than on character development so that, in the end, it's impossible to connect with any of them.

Q & A with director Steven Silver:
Why is this story relevant to you?
How was the story optioned and the process? How did being a documentarian help?
When to shoot and when to help?
What happened to the child?
How was it for the South African actors to revisit these events?
How do you balance your South African and Canadian identity?

Kaboom

2010-09-15T21:15:00.010-04:00

Director Gregg Araki, TIFF staff,
actor Thomas Dekker

In brief: Billed as "outrageously over-the-top" this film went right over my head. I can't remember too much of the complicated plot and won't spend much time trying to think back on it.
Ramblings:

Cave of Forgotten Dreams

2010-09-15T17:00:00.007-04:00

In brief: Well worth seeing in 3-D. Absolutely mesmerizing look at drawings in the Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc cave, created more than thirty thousand years ago. Since no one except archeologists are allowed in, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the drawings on the curved walls of the cave -- made all the more real by the 3-D cinematography.

Ramblings:

Blessed Events

2010-09-15T14:45:00.003-04:00

In brief:
She has a one-night stand on New Year's Eve and when she runs into the man again and tells him that she's pregnant he decides he should marry her. Boring story. Unappealing characters. A waste of time.

Ramblings:

Buried

2010-09-15T12:30:00.004-04:00

In brief:

How can a movie that takes place inside a box have the most inventive cinematography? When you build several versions of the box as the director did for this one.

Ryan Reynolds is outstanding as the buried truck driver in Iraq. It was impossible to take a breath as the story was told in real time.

As the final minutes unfold, there was a hush in the audience. Not for the claustrophobic.

Potiche

2010-09-15T09:30:00.003-04:00

In brief:
Potiche is the French word for "vase" ... or in the case of a "femme potich" we would label it a "trophy wife." That's what this film is about and if you like Francois Ozon's films you'll love this one. It's told in his trademark stylized way. But the best thing in the film is Catherine Deneuve as the trophy wife and if you love her, you'll also love this film. The story might seem to be a light comedy but there is a feminist streak which keeps it from being overly frothy. Lots of laughs and Deneuve is excellent eye-candy throughout.

Ramblings:

Amigo

2010-09-14T22:30:00.007-04:00

Director John Sayles

In brief:
This is the story of the American takeover of the Philippines around 1900. Amateur actors and professionals interact in stagey scenes. John Sayles was proud to tell us that many of the extras were able to re-create the farming duties of the past because they still knew how to do it. Verisimilitude does not always make for great movies.

Q & A with director John Sayles:
How was the script developed?
What was different about shooting and editing digital with the Red Camera versus film?
Was the phrase "hearts and minds" contemporary? And lots more background history.
Were the Filipino actors professional? And more about language difficulties.
How did you get American actors and extras?

Heartbeats

2010-09-14T18:45:00.002-04:00

In brief:

Xavier Dolan didn't have enough script to fill up the full hour and a half so he shot a lot of the scenes in slow-motion to make them last a bit longer. Boring characters who are full of themselves. Like his earlier movie, this one is tedious to sit through -- although it does have a satisfying ending.

Ramblings:

Rabbit Hole

2010-09-14T14:30:00.011-04:00

In brief:
Incredibly engrossing and believable film about a young couple dealing with the death of their son. The story is told in scenes that reveal a little bit more about each of the characters and how they handle stress as it goes along. Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart are superb. The ending scenes are beautifully shot and a perfect resolution for both main characters.

Director John Cameron Mitchell, Scripwriter David Lindsay-Abaire,
and actors Miles Teller, Aaron Eckhart, Nicole Kidman.

Ramblings:
"Rabbit Hole" won Broadway's Tony Award for Best Play, and the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Screenplay written by the playwright David Lindsay-Abaire who also wrote "Shrek, the Musical" and "SpiderMan 4." Nicole Kidman bought the script and her company produced it. Who would have imagined this as the next film for the director of "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" and "Shortbus."
Q & A with cast & crew:
Plot: Did Howard do it?
How did Nicole chose John Cameron Mitchell?
Audience member predicts Oscar.
How was the casting done?
How did the actors balance the grief and humour? Nicole answers. Aaron shrugs.

Little White Lies

2010-09-13T22:00:00.010-04:00

In brief:
French version of "The Big Chill" had too many characters and too many intertwining stories in this two-hour-long film. Too long and might have been better if some of the stories could have been omitted -- especially the unbelievable gay story-line which seemed to be included just for laughs.

Ramblings:

127 Hours

2010-09-13T15:00:00.012-04:00

Danny Boyle

In brief:
Danny Boyle gives us a gripping story and James Franco gives us a believable role. We know what's going to happen but that doesn't mean we're not held in suspense. Perhaps it's horrendous to watch but it only lasts for one-tenth the time it happened in real life. True story well-told.

Q & A with director Danny Boyle:
How true were the video messages?
How and where was it filmed?
How did you choose James Franco?
How do you film something that really happened?
How did you work with the editor?
Was the storm sequence real or added by the scriptwriter?

Outside the Law

2010-09-13T12:00:00.020-04:00

In brief:
Billed as "sweeping, dramatic and grand in scale" this film tries to be everything to everyone but characterizations are lost in the action which overtakes them. Another of the many recreations of true events at this festival that struggle to put a human face on history and end up burying the people in the stereotypical roles.

Ramblings:

SUPER

2010-09-13T09:30:00.013-04:00

In brief:
Not your normal super-hero but someone who decides to take the law into his own hands, using a tool he finds at hand. Later he is joined by an equally psycho partner. Rain Wilson (of Six Feet Under fame) and Ellen Page are perfectly cast. Not for the squeamish, however.

Ramblings:

Cool It

2010-09-12T18:45:00.002-04:00

In brief:
Thought provoking film followed by a half-hour Q & A with the subject of the movie. Badly advertised and misrepresented as a movie which took exception with "An Inconvenient Truth" and global warming -- viz. the title -- but was no such thing.

Ramblings:

Beginners

2010-09-12T15:00:00.008-04:00

In brief:
The actions goes back and forth in time enough to make your head spin. I had no idea that some of the scenes were flashbacks to childhood till it was too late to care. Disorienting.

Ramblings:
Apparently the director based this on his own life but he assumed we knew more than he was willing to tell us.

The Conspirator

2010-09-12T12:00:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Pedantic script. Re-creation of what happened after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Waxworks actors quoting "authentic" lines from history. Good for schools perhaps, though the kids would be bored to tears no doubt.

Ramblings:

Easy A

2010-09-12T09:30:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Perfectly plotted, acted, and designed. Even the opening credits were uniquely handled as were the closing credits.

Ramblings:
Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci as the parents were superb.

Amazon Falls

2010-09-11T17:00:00.012-04:00

Amazon Falls Q & A

In brief:
Quite interesting story but the actors didn't have time to develop their characters and left us with a flat performance. Unnecessary and extraneous plot bits. Plagues of Job visited on an aging actress in Hollywood.

Ramblings:
I kept waiting for the actress to say "I'm ready for you now, Mr. de Mille."

By the way, it was mainly shot in BC with second unit picking up the Hollywood scenery. Very cleverly edited.

Stone

2010-09-11T14:30:00.002-04:00

In brief:
Excellent actors in search of a plausible script. Each actor seemed to be in his or her own movie. No connection between them. Robert De Niro phoned in his part.

Ramblings:

The King's Speech

2010-09-11T12:00:00.004-04:00

Director Tom Hooper, Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush

In brief:
True story of King George VI overcoming stuttering with the help of an Australian Henry Higgins. Absolutely compelling and flawless performances by Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush.

Ramblings:

Behind Blue Skies

2010-09-11T09:15:00.004-04:00

Actors Bill Skarsgard, Peter Dalle

In brief:
Swedish film that started out as a coming-of-age movie and became something more. Apparently based on a true scandal that happened in the seventies in Sweden.

Crimes and misdemeanors in cottage country.

Ramblings:

Guest

2010-09-10T20:30:00.006-04:00

Director, José Luis Guerin

In brief:
A documentary not for everyone. Gave us portrait(s) of people who would not ordinarily be given a chance to talk. Certain scenes were head-scratch inducing but it was fascinating when it showed ordinary people doing ordinary things talking about their lives.

Ramblings:

The Way

2010-09-10T15:30:00.015-04:00

Director Emilio Esteves & Martin Sheen

In brief:
Touching movie with well-defined and not necessarily archetypical characters. A bit heavy-handed on the religion at the end.

Ramblings:

Part of the Q & A with Emilio Esteves and Martin Sheen.

Cinéfest Schedule

2010-09-06T16:33:00.003-04:00

I've gone through the Cinéfest list and here are the films I'm planning to see:

Monday, September 20

1:00 PM to 2:39 PM Soul Kitchen 1h39
3:00 PM to 4:15 PM Small Town Murder Songs 1h15
7:00 PM to 8:48 PM Casino Jack 1h48
9:30 PM to 11:27 PM Love Ranch 1h57

Tuesday, September 21

12:00 PM to 1:35 PM Life with Murder 1h35
2:30 PM to 4:06 PM Now & Forever 1h36
7:00 PM to 8:53 PM Made in Dagenham 1h53
9:30 PM to 11:10 PM Disappearance of Alice Creed 1h40

Wednesday, September 22

12:00 PM to 1:43 PM Winter in Wartime 1h43
2:30 PM to 4:18 PM Inside Job 1h48
7:00 PM to 8:31 PM Jack Goes Boating 1h31
9:30 PM to 11:39 PM Another Year 2h09

Thursday, September 23

3:30 PM to 5:07 PM Fathers & Sons 1h37
8:00 PM to 9:30 PM Howl 1h30

Friday, September 20

12:30 PM to 2:22 PM My Afternoons with Marguerite 1h52
7:00 PM to 8:47 PM Piché: Entre Ciel et Terre 1h47
9:30 PM to 10:48 PM Trigger 1h18

Results of the TIFF Draw for tickets

2010-08-31T11:33:00.012-04:00

My list came back from TIFF and I lucked out. Here are the films I got:

Friday, September 10

3:30 PM to 5:50 PM The Way WG 2h20
8:30 PM to 10:43 PM Guest AMC4 2h13

Saturday, September 11

9:15 AM to 11:06 AM Behind Blue Skies AMC4 1h51
12:00 PM to 1:41 PM The King's Speech RY 1h41
2:30 PM to 4:15 PM Stone V8 1h45
5:00 PM to 6:20 PM Amazon Falls AMC 10 1h20

Sunday, September 12

9:30 AM to 11:03 AM Easy A IB 1h33
12:00 PM to 2:02 PM The Conspirator RY 2h02
3:00 PM to 4:44 PM Beginners RY 1h44
6:45 PM to 8:15 PM Cool It AMC9 1h30

Monday, September 13

12:00 PM to 2:17 PM Outside the Law V8 2h17
3:00 PM to 4:34 PM 127 Hours RY 1h34
6:00 PM to 8:30 PM TIFF Blog Meetup
10:00 PM to 12:24 AM (9/14) Little White Lies SB1 2h34

Tuesday, September 14

6:45 PM to 8:27 PM Heartbeats V8 1h42
9:30 PM to 11:08 PM Good Neighbours V8 1h38

Wednesday, September 15

9:30 AM to 11:13 AM Potiche V8 1h43
12:30 PM to 2:05 PM Buried V8 1h35
2:45 PM to 4:16 PM Blessed Events AMC3 1h31
5:00 PM to 6:35 PM Cave of Forgotten Dreams AMC7 1h35
9:15 PM to 10:41 PM Kaboom RY 1h26

Thursday, September 16

9:00 AM to 10:46 AM Bang Bang Club V8 1h46
12:00 PM to 1:53 PM Blue Valentine V8 1h53
3:00 PM to 4:27 PM Black Ocean AMC3 1h27
9:45 PM to 10:48 PM L.A. Zombie LB2 1h03

Friday, September 17

9:30 AM to 11:02 AM High Cost of Living LB2 1h32
12:15 PM to 1:49 PM Jaloux V7 1h34
3:00 PM to 4:44 PM Even the Rain LB1 1h44
6:00 PM to 7:40 PM Whistleblower LB1 1h40
8:15 PM to 9:55 PM Armadillo SB3 1h40

Saturday, September 18

9:30 AM to 10:55 AM Repeaters AMC3 1h25
12:00 PM to 1:46 PM Conviction RY 1h46
3:00 PM to 4:50 PM Route Irish RY 1h50

Preparing for TIFF and Cinefest

2010-08-19T11:31:00.003-04:00

I'm going through the TIFF and Cinéfest websites and I've found out about the films to come.
I'm also summarizing and short-listing at my iWeb website.

Check it out if you want to preview what we may be watching this September at the two film festivals.

Film Circuit Summary 2009

2009-10-12T22:50:00.023-04:00

OK, gang. Here is what I think of the fifty films I saw at TIFF and Cinefest ... and a few this summer too and my recommendations for Gallery Night at the Movies and the Owen Sound Reel Film Festival this year.

You can download a three-page summary if you want a print version. Links go to the description on the TIFF or Cinefest website if available. You can also scroll down the page to see my initial reaction to the film.

YES: Movies that should go over well with our audience:

Sticky Fingers: Quebecois movie filmed in South America (standing in for Spain) about a gang of bank robbers who are trying to retrieve the money from a bank heist by traveling a pilgrim's route in Spain. Hilarity ensues. Reminds one of the "Carry On" movies.
Mid-August Lunch: Subtitled Italian movie about a man looking after his aged mother who comes on hard times and agrees to look after a couple of other aged ladies for a weekend to pay his debts. Stunning cast, story, and situations. Very funny and touching take on old age.
Cairo Time: Good choice. We already have this for October.
An Education: Intriguing story of a late-twenties young man's romance of a sixteen-year-old girl in the early sixties and the scandal that ensues. The lead reminded people of Audrey Hepburn. I found the last half hour (where all the ends of the plot are tied up) rather predictable and some people might be put off by the age difference.
Creation: Story of Charles Darwin wrestling with whether he should publish his theory of the Origin of Species at the same time as he is coming to terms with the death of his daughter. Great stock footage, good story, excellent acting. Slow pace seemed just right.
The Waiting City: A young Australian couple go to Kolkata, India to get their adopted child from a Mother Teresa orphanage but things drag on and they are forced to confront secrets and habits in their lives while waiting for the adoption to be finalized. This perfect movie with a wonderful story arc was my thirty-third of TIFF. After this, I decided I'd had enough and went home for the weekend.
Videocracy:Impecible documentary about our celebrity culture using Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi's media empire as an example. Made by a Swedish director who was allowed incredible access to the lives of the rich and famous and those who make them rich and famous. A bit scary, actually.
Cole: The director and lead actor actually lived in the town of Lytton, BC while making this film and it shows up in the film. Story of a small-town young man who wants to be a writer going to a creative writing class and finding a soulmate in a fellow student who lives a more privileged life. The contrast creates some of the drama. Excellent Canadian film by the director who also gave us "Emile."
Jean Charles: UK/Brazilian film about the young electrician, Jean Charles de Menezes, a young Brazilian immigrant to London who was misidentified as a terrorist and fatally shot by police. Some of the actors in the film play themselves in this re-creation of the life of this young man. Even though you know how it ends, there's still enough suspense in the film to make the ending a shock.
Capitalism: A Love Story: Michael Moore does it again, this time by telling us about the lengths to which greedy corporations will go. It can't miss, but it may show up in Owen Sound anyway.
The Joneses: David Duchovny and Demi Moore head this family of trend setters with a purpose: to make the neighbours emulate them. Amazingly simple story that shines a mirror on our consumer culture. Witty script and fun to watch -- but I wish it had ended thirty seconds earlier to prevent the dumb ending.
How to Fold a Flag: Documentary made by the people who showed "Gunner Palace" at an earlier TIFF. Follows the lives of several Iraq War veterans.
Triage: Colin Farrell is the star of this movie and does a fabulous job. He's helped along the way by a great supporting cast: Christopher Lee (who says he had more lines in this move than all his earlier movies combined), and Paz Vega. I don't know why more is said about the fact that Farrell lost forty pounds to play the part then that his acting is superb.
Colony: Documentary about the loss of bees in colonies all over North America and the effect it's having on beekeepers. Great real people. Not for monthly movie but great as the one documentary at our winter film festival.
V.O.S.: Based on a stage play, this Spanish movie is definitely a film. Actors stay in character as the camera moves back to show the film being made then zooms back in on the action. The fourth wall comes down ... and so does the fifth wall. Unique movie.
Huacho: Grim movie about the grim life of a peasant family in Chile. Each character becomes the main protaginist in the separate chapters of the movie and we learn their secrets and how they cope with their meager existence. Not for monthly movie but great as one film at our winter film festival.
The Young Victoria: Not a lot happens but it's fun to see the costumes and life in the court of Victoria. You know they're going to get together in the end but Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend are fun to watch, but it's a bit hard to believe that she was so naive.
Welcome: This was not at either film festival but it should have been. It takes place in France where refugees gather to try to find their way across borders. However, it's a crime for French citizens to aid these people. A young Kurdish man decides the only way to get to England to join up with his girl friend is to swim the channel and a swimming instructor with marital problems who tries to teach him about the futility of his quest.

YES: Movies I didn't think were all that great but would probably play well with Film Circuit audiences:

Get Low: Robert Duvall and Bill Murray are stellar in this movie about a hermit in Tennessee who decides he wants to arrange his funeral party before he dies. I found the ending a bit tedious since it was telegraphed in the early scenes and not so much of a surprise, but it's a great story nontheless.
Micmacs: If you liked Jean-Pierre Jeunet's "Amelie" you'll love this one. Very clever sets, situations, and camera-work with the kind of unique characters that populated Jeunet's earlier movie. The audience was rolling in the aisles, though it was a bit too cute for me. Should go over well in Owen Sound.
A Serious Man: It's the Coen brothers so many people will love this one but I didn't think it was as clever or funny as their previous offerings. Got great critical reviews. Absolutely perfect re-creation of life in the sixties but some of the humour went way over my head.
Bright Star: We have this for November. Many people will love it.
Broken Embraces: Not as good as his previous films. I didn't feel there was that much chemistry between people who were supposed to be in love and the plot was so complicated that it was a rush to tie up all the loose ends in the last act.

MAYBE: Movies that I rated highly that might not go over well because of risqué topics or too much violence:

Excited: It's about premature ejaculation but the characters are unique and cleverly written and acted. Lots of fun if the subject doesn't bother you -- and even has a deeper point.
Eyes Wide Open: Intriguing look at life in conservative Jerusalem about a butcher who has an affair with a young man who comes to work for him. Almost a documenteary. Great acting.
High Life: Based on a stage play about a group of misfit robbers who decide to rob an ATM -- takes place at a time when ATMs were first introduced. Violence and language might put some people off but it's a perfectly acted and written movie -- and it's hard to believe this was a stage play. It's a perfect movie.
J'ai tué ma mère: Because it's the Canadian entry in the Oscars, this movie might be worth programming. But be aware that by the middle of the story many people might become irritated with the main character's actions; however, it's worth staying till the end when all will probably be forgiven.
A Single Man: Another sixties movie impeccibly staged. It's more about relationships and grief then about gay life and if people can see that, they'll be taken in by Colin Firth's extraordinary acting. Some unique movie techniques also help tell the story. Directed by designer Tom Ford.
Puck Hogs: Is it a mockumentary when it's about the making of a documentary? Absolutely hilarious movie about a small-town hockey team trying to win a championship. Great stock characters -- and some entirely unique ones too. The off-putting part of this is the gratuitous sex-scene in a car that doesn't do enough to further the plot.
Three Blind Mice: About three Australian sailors and the night before they're shipped out to the Gulf. Great acting. Some people left the movie early because of the preponderance of the F-word.
25 Carat: Along the lines of "Lock, Stock, and Smoking Barrel," this Spanish movie was made for a million Euros in six weeks. Great acting, though the characters and situations might be too gritty for some. Some plot turns are also a bit overly violent but that didn't detract from the enjoyment for me.

NO: Movies I would recommend we just pass over:

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee: Another love story with couples without much chemistry between them. The women's roles are spectacularly written and acted -- the men are cardboard cutouts that even excellent actors couldn't bring to life.
The Men Who Stare at Goats: This will probably open wide anyway but it's a great and funny film along the lines of "Catch 22." Anti-war flick, anyone?
The Band that Wouldn't Die: Great. Great. Great. Unfortunately it was made for ESPN-TV and broadcast on October 13^th. This is an absolutely spectacular documentary. It's hard to believe it wasn't made up. About the Baltimore Colts marching band which didn't stop performing in 1984 when the team left town and continued performing till Baltimore got a new football team in 1996. You absolutely don't have to be a football or sports fan to love this movie.
Humpday: Perhaps, but not really. About a couple of guys who decide to enter a porn-making contest by filming the two of them having sex.
Cooking with Stella: This is absolutely brilliant at the beginning but they ran away from me in the last half hour when the plot turns fantastic and the Indian cops are made to look Keystone.
The Happiest Girl in the World: Slow, meandering story that looks as if it was made up as they went along.
The House of Branching Love: Not as funny to me as the film-makers thought it was. About a breaking up relationship that doesn't break up after all. More mean-spirited than funny.
I Am Love: Yes, it's operatic. But that's not enough for me to want to see it. And it has one of my favourite actors, Tilda Swinton, speaking Italian. Although the art direction is superb, the cinematography is dreadful and the film could use some drastic editing to remove extraneous shots.
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus: Even Heath Ledger couldn't save this one. Part Monty Python, cartoon, and drama -- it's not good Monty Python, it's not a good cartoon, and it's not a good drama.
Independencia: Black and white obscurist drama.
The Last Days of Emma Blank: Based on a stage play, this film is a bit too absurd when brought to film.
Leaves of Grass: I have real mixed feelings about this one and was not sure where to put it. I loved Edward Norton and all the other characters, but some of the violent plot twists were too graphic and pointless for me.
Life During Wartime: Todd Solondz movie about a pedophile getting out of jail.
Police, Adjective: Another Roumanian movie going nowhere -- it could have been a lot shorter to come to the same conclusion.
Same Same but Different: Bland true story starring beautiful vapid people.
The Search: Pointless Chinese movie that can't decide if it's a documentary or a starring role for the director.
The Time that Remains: Pointless United Kingdom/Italy/Belgium/France movie that can't decide if it's a documentary or a starring role for the director.
Vincere: Brilliantly operatic Italian movie about Mussolini's other wife. I enjoyed it, but it's not for us.
Year of the Carnivore: Sorry, tedious people.
Je Me Souviens: Couldn't make it to the end. Boring story. Difficult to follow with sub-titles. (And when you fall asleep.)
Détour: Sorry, I didn't believe the actors portraying these roles and I didn't believe the plot twists either. Might have made a better play.
The Coca-Cola Case: Good, but long documentary that doesn't say anything new.
Unmistaken Child: OK. It's a bit interesting, but not too many people will be intrigued by the story of the search for the re-incarnation of a Buddhist lama.
Like You Know it All: A bit too in. Also gratuitous rape scene does nothing to make the main character any more endearing.

OK. That's it for now ... hope you find it interesting. Feel free to leave comments and criticisms.

Another 17 Films to Think About

2009-09-29T11:42:00.007-04:00

Below I have listed the seventeen films I saw at Cinefest in Sudbury. Some I may have changed my mind about, but here is how they came out immediately after viewing.

Perhaps I was too hard on Bright Star. Most everyone else who saw it thought it was great, but when I sighed at the end and Sandra said to me, "You sighed because it was so wonderful?" I replied, "No, I sighed because I'm tired and glad it's over." It was so slow and I had no love for any of the characters. They were all tedious people.

Glad I saw these nine:
Sticky Fingers, Excited, J'ai Tué Ma Mère, Mid-August Lunch, Puck Hogs, Humpday, Cairo Time, Three Blind Mice, Unmistaken Child.

So so two:
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, The Coca-Cola Case.

I wouldn't recommend these four:
Year of the Carnivore, Je Me Souviens, Bright Star, Détour.

Sticky Fingers

2009-09-25T19:00:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Roy Dupuis and his gang pull a heist then lose the money and try to get it back. Lots of fun.

Ramblings:
Plot twists are a bit over-the-top, but that can't spoil the overall fun. Great characters. Reminds me a bit of the British Ealing comedies.

Excited

2009-09-25T16:00:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Bruce Sweeney does it again. Splendid acting and well-developed plot. Perhaps a bit racy, but then it was about premature ejaculation.

Ramblings:
Characters were very believable. Close, but no one went over the top. Recommended.

Year of the Carnivore

2009-09-25T13:30:00.002-04:00

In brief:
Did she make it up as she went along? Interesting lead character and actor but plot was not much fun.

Ramblings:
Is it any worse or better when the men are forced into sex by a woman?

Je Me Souviens

2009-09-25T12:00:00.001-04:00

In brief:
About strikers and communism and other things. Wordy script. No reason to see this one. I left before the end.

Ramblings:
I talked to others who said it got worse.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

2009-09-24T21:30:00.001-04:00

In brief:
Great visuals ... plot meandered ... just so/so.

Ramblings:
Heath Ledger didn't save this one.

Bright Star

2009-09-24T19:00:00.003-04:00

In brief:
Like watching paint dry.

Ramblings:
No redeeming features.

J'ai Tué Ma Mère

2009-09-24T16:00:00.000-04:00

In brief:
I was getting a little tired of the characters about three-quarters of the way through, but it was worth sticking it out to the ending which paid off and saved the movie.

Ramblings:
Canada's Oscar nominee. Lead actor was also the director and writer. Twenty-one years old. Incredible talent. The closeups shot the wrong way bugged me to no end. You give the actors room .... on the side they're looking.

Mid-August Dinner

2009-09-24T14:00:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Absolutely wonderful Italian story of a mother and son and their "new" friends. The actors are perfect and believable.

Ramblings:
One of my favorites of the festival.

Puck Hogs

2009-09-24T12:00:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Very funny docu-drama about a hockey team in a small town. Well worth seeing, though a bit racy.

Ramblings:
The actors are standouts. It never goes too far over the top for this kind of mocumentary -- but it does come close every once in a while.

Humpday

2009-09-23T21:30:00.002-04:00

In brief:
Story about macho-posturing that was saved by excellent acting by the two leads.

Ramblings:
What could have been merely funny was also touching. Difficult to describe without giving away a lot of the plot. Not many people in the audience. A pity for them. It was not quite as advertised -- but much more.

Detour

2009-09-23T14:30:00.002-04:00

In brief:
A Woody Herman look-alike has an adventure that is more than he bargained for.

Ramblings:
Interesting story idea that goes too far in the graphic violence and is spoiled by over-the-top acting by two of the leads. I don't think the director or actors were always on the same page -- is this a comedy or a thriller -- I don't think they could decide and they sometimes seemed as if they were acting in different movies.

Plot twist(s) were obvious but badly executed. What could have been funny was not.

The Coca-Cola Case

2009-09-23T12:00:00.000-04:00

In brief:
Interesting documentary about Coke's union busting in Colombia is very much like any other doc about corporate greed.

Ramblings:
NFB was a partner in producing this. CEO of Coke makes as much in one hour as a Colombian worker could make in two years.

Cairo Time

2009-09-22T20:00:00.001-04:00

In brief:
Excellent love story told almost effortlessly. Couldn't imagine anyone else than Patricia Clarkson doing this one.

Ramblings:
Long Q & A after the film added to the experience. This one works at all levels. Great cinematography, acting, story. Well worth seeing.

Three Blind Mice

2009-09-22T14:30:00.002-04:00

In brief:
Well-done film about sailors and "today's navy," though set in Australia could have happened anywhere.

Ramblings:
Some people left early because of the preponderance of the f-word. Was actually at last year's TIFF but I missed it then.

Multi-layered and many stories told but it never seems overly complicated. Excellent acting, editing. Documentary style cinematography adds to the realism.

Unmistaken Child

2009-09-22T12:00:00.001-04:00

In brief:
Close up look at the belief in re-incarnation in Buddhist culture that occasionally lacks focus but in the end reveals a mysterious world.

Ramblings:
It's difficult to imagine the weight on the shoulders of a two-year-old boy. The adults seem to be so deep in their beliefs. Another one from last year's TIFF where I missed it. Great look at village life. Wish I'd seen this before my trip to the Himalayas this summer.

An Education

2009-09-21T21:30:00.004-04:00

In brief:
I followed this one and loved the characters till about a half hour from the end. Then it fell kind of flat as they tied up the plot loose ends.

Ramblings:
At the end, this just seemed like a typical love story movie with all the loose ends tied up in a bow. Absolutely loved the main character. I heard someone remark "She looks like Audrey Hepburn." Perhaps, but she certainly showed maturity beyond her supposed age. Not a great movie but a good one.

Creation

2009-09-21T19:00:00.003-04:00

In brief:
One word for this one is "gentle." Not sure why, but I bought into it completely and felt satisfied when it finished.

Ramblings:
Great stock footage added to the story. Were some of the animals animatronics? There was a credit at the end of the movie. Paul Bettany's hairline was a sight to behold as his forehead increased and decreased as the story went back and forth in time.

Well worth seeing.

Comparisons

2009-09-20T21:27:00.003-04:00

After seeing thirty-three films in a row, you can't help but compare them and categorize them. I also am interested in why certain ones affected me one way and others in a different way.

I liked them at first
In a couple of films I felt blind-sided. I would be rooting for the main characters and then they would change inexplicably and end up not being what I had thought they were. This happened in a couple of movies. More comparison below.

Two Movies set in India
Both "The Waiting City" and "Cooking With Stella" were shot in India -- in fact, I saw them one right after the other -- but I had a negative reaction to "Stella," made by a Canadian and absolutely loved "City," made by an Australian.

Now, "Stella" is a comedy and I noticed that none of the comedies I saw at the festival were on my list of favorites. "City" is a human drama which is the type of movie I gravitate toward.

I was willing to laugh at the petty thievery at first, but things that made me uncomfortable were the depiction of the Indian police, the lack of scruples of the Indian staff, the instant change of character of the Indian nanny, the gullibility of the Canadians. I also found it hard to believe the final plot twists which seemed contrived, fantastical, and a strange way to wrap up the story.

Two Movies with Violent Plots
Both "Leaves of Grass" and "High Life" dealt with crime, criminals, and punishment. However, I bought into "High Life" but did not enjoy the last half of "Leaves of Grass."

Was it because the production values were so high ... or was the violence so graphic and thoughtless ... not sure, but I couldn't accept it in "Leaves of Grass." In "High Time" it was just as pointless but the movie was shot with a grittier style and I accepted it more easily. Not sure why.

More comparisons to come.