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With Toronto wrapped up, fall film festival season is underway with some of the biggest and best releasing their lineups this past week. Most include films which are among the ones I saw at festivals earlier this year, including some of my Top Picks.
Of the East Coast festivals I've attended in autumns past, these five are my favorites.
This year's Woodstock Film Festival runs from this coming Wednesday through Sunday, October 1-5, in Woodstock, New York. The lineup includes four films which I highly recommend. Explicit Ills was one of my Top Picks from this year's SXSW Film Festival. Explicit Ills also won that festival's awards for Best Cinematography and Best Narrative Feature. Let The Right One In was one of my Top Picks from the Tribeca Film Festival, where it won Best Narrative Feature. I also saw Secret of the Grain at Tribeca, and Zack and Miri Make a Porno brought down the house at Toronto last month. Both are certainly worth seeing.
The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival takes place from October 13-November 12 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This year's lineup includes Newcastle, another one of my Top Picks from this year's Tribeca Film Festival. This Australian film is winning raves at every festival it plays and will be opening in theaters downunder shortly.
Always bringing out the New York area film lovers community, the Hamptons International Film Festival takes place from October 15-19 on Long Island, New York.
The New Hampshire Film Festival also occupies the weekend of October 16-19 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Finally, the quaint Williamstown Film Festival takes place from October 17-26 in Williamstown, Massachusetts. This year's lineup includes Bart Got A Room, another audience-pleaser which I saw at this year's Tribeca Film Festival.
If you're a film lover and are looking for a sure thing this fall, try to take in any of the above festivals. And bring a camera. Nothing beats the breathtaking colors of autumn as the leaves turn in the Northeast.
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Three of America's most talented young indie film actors, Michael Welch (Twilight), Aaron Himelstein (Fast Food Nation), and Mae Whitman (Hope Floats), are appearing onstage in Stephen Karam's controversial play Speech & Debate. Under the direction of Daniel Henning, the actors perform Thursdays through Sundays at The Blank Theatre in West Hollywood. I was present at Opening Night, Thursday, September 18, and returned the following evening for an encore.
Besides being a hilarious and exciting night of theater, this is an exceptional opportunity to see these budding movie stars together in a live setting. The three grew up as friends. Welch and Himelstein have worked many times before, including the CBS-TV hit Joan of Arcadia and the recent All the Boys Love Mandy Lane and Remember the Daze. Welch first worked with Whitman at the age of 11 as a Buddhist monk on CBS' Chicago Hope.
The play has been very well-received. "The performances are uniformly strong (all three actors have extensive television and film resumes), but the standout is Michael Welch as Howie (an openly gay student). His expressions and tone are pitch perfect and underplayed. As a result, his character comes off as genuine and engaging rather than stereotypical," said Ariana Mufson on CurtainUp.com. "Mae Whitman is a powerful presence as Diwata, especially when she blogs online through her video cam with musical musings...Aaron Himelstein rounds out the cast as Solomon, and some of the best scenes are between him and Welch, with overlapping dialogue and an easy rapport that makes them fun to watch."
I highly recommend taking advantage of this rare opportunity while you can. Fortunately, for those unable to make the trip (or for those who have and enjoyed it as much as I did), all of America will have the chance to see this play soon, albeit in a slightly different form. I was told after the Opening Night show that Overture Films has picked up the rights to turn Speech & Debate into a movie. Here are some pictures I shot at the Opening Night afterparty.
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Michael Welch and friend Ryanne
Aaron Himelstein & Mae Whitman
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On Monday, September 8, I attended the World Premiere of The Narrows at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival. The event took place at the brand new AMC Theatre at Yonge and Dundas.
It's a very intriguing and captivating film about brotherhood, family, and loyalty. Sophia Bush and Kevin Zegers drive the narrative, while Vincent D'Onofrio steals every scene he's in and provides most of the lighthearted moments in an otherwise violent, tension-filled story.
The gritty setting of Brooklyn, New York is another character in itself. Since Zegers plays a photographer, and a lot of the movie focuses on that, it has a great look. There are some exciting visuals such as the use of black & white stills, freeze-frame, and fast motion. The highlight is the third act, filled with twists and turns that are totally unexpected, and some stunning reveals that made the audience gasp.
The screening was followed by a lengthy, in-depth Q&A with cast members Sophia Bush (Kathy Popovich) and Kevin Zegers (Mike Manadoro). Star Vincent D'Onofrio could not attend, but director François Velle read a text message he sent to the audience.
Earlier we posted some pictures. Here, in two parts, is the entire Q&A.
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Actor Michael Welch (Twilight) has been involved with the charitable organization Kids With A Cause since 1999.
"The members behind Kids With A Cause are young performers in the entertainment industry who recognize, even at young ages, that it is never too early or too late to give back to the children in their communities and to the children of the world," said founder Linda Finnegan.
"Kids With A Cause was founded by in September 1999 to teach the principles and practices of philanthropy to today's youth," according to the organization's website. "Through unique and interactive programs, Kids With A Cause inspires children and teens to become caring and compassionate individuals and encourages them to continue their philanthropic efforts into their adult years."
Here, in his own unique, funny way, actor Michael Welch shows kids some ways they can chip in to help save the environment.
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On Tuesday, September 9, I attended the World Premiere of Lymelife at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival. I chose the film as one of my Top Picks from this year's festival. Lymelife also won the prize of the International Critics (FIPRESCI Prize) for Discovery.
Here are some pictures I shot at the exciting Q&A after the screening, which was truly a family affair with the brothers Martini and Culkin in attendance. Derick Martini directed the film, which he and his brother Steven wrote and edited together. Steven also composed the music and produced. They were joined by cast members Rory and Kieran Culkin.
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(L to R) Rory Culkin, Kieran Culkin, Steven Martini, and Derick Martini
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The Toronto International Film Festival hosted the World Premiere of Fifty Dead Men Walking on Wednesday, September 10 in a glitzy gala screening at the glamorous Roy Thomson Hall. Directed by Kari Skogland, with an all-star cast featuring Ben Kingsley, Jim Sturgess, Kevin Zegers, Nathalie Press, and Rose McGowan, the highly anticipated and very controversial film is based on the true story of IRA infiltrator Martin McGartland during "the Troubles" which plagued Northern Ireland in the 1980s. Unfortunately, it was not as pleasant an experience as I'd hoped. There were three major problems, all involving the sound in the hall and on the screen.
First, the venue itself was not a movie theater. It's a 2800-seat concert hall and was not set up properly for a film. There was a great deal of echo, and the bass of the soundtrack and dialogue often canceled each other out.
To add to that, the sound mix on the film itself left a lot to be desired. I love music and great soundtracks as much if not more than most people, but it was so loud at times that the audience couldn't hear much dialogue at all. I don't know if it was just because of the venue acoustics or the film's sound mix itself or both, but there were entire segments of the film where the dialogue was completely drowned out by the soundtrack.
Finally, when one could hear the dialogue, the accents were so thick and heavy that it was extremely difficult to understand. Between the acoustics, the sound mix, the dialects, and the slang I could barely make out about a third of the dialogue. For approximately the first hour I couldn't follow one complete conversation, combining the three elements I just mentioned. Now, I attend many films and have seen plenty of movies with thick Irish accents but this one went far beyond any I've seen. Subtitles are definitely needed.
Certainly I'm not alone in my opinions. Variety's review is only 475 words and almost half is about the plot itself -- a bit too much, in my opinion. Only about 250 words make up the actual review of the film. I'm not used to reviewing reviews, but I generally dislike Variety's because they usually reveal too much. That said, although this one has a few spoilers, as usual, it may help in this case since the film is so confusing at first. Some audience members near me went through most of the film not knowing who was on which side, and the review does point that out. They also do acknowledge the language challenges.
The ScreenDaily review devotes even less time to talking about the film and more about the plot. But they also comment on the heavy use of music. I do agree with both reviews, though, for the most part.
I don't know how many people walked out but in my section there were dozens. I've also been told that a reporter for Entertainment Weekly left the hall (for the reasons I mentioned). Fifty Dead Men Walking Out seems more appropriate. I've never walked out on a film, ever. I've seen over 500 films just since the start of 2006 at about 30 festivals, and have seen some pretty bad ones, but this was the first time I wanted to leave. I resisted the urge, though, and am glad I did because the exciting second hour of the film was definitely worth waiting for, and the action becomes more important than the dialogue at that point anyway.
I'm fairly certain Fifty Dead Men Walking will find a US distributor if it hasn't already. Sources close to the film told me that a deal may be announced soon. It definitely deserves a wide release but only if it's subtitled. Otherwise I cannot recommend seeing it except for diehard fans of the cast members, those who know the story well, or those who have the ability to understand the thickest Irish accents.
I just wish I could have understood more of it. Between the physical setup of the venue, the mix on the film itself, and the dialect, it was quite hard to understand most of the dialogue. Hopefully I'll be able to see it again and give it a positive review but, for now, I simply cannot write about this film properly because I just missed too much to judge it fairly. As much as I love the body of work of these actors, unfortunately, I could not select it as one of my Top Picks from the festival. I might have if I could hear what they were saying.
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On Tuesday, September 9, I attended the North American Premiere of Adoration at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival. This is classic filmmaking at its best. What we see onscreen vs. what is in our heads -- the spaces we fill with our own thoughts -- are artfully juggled by Egoyan and the result is simply a masterpiece. The moment the credits began to roll I wanted to see the film again.
Earlier, I posted my review.
The screening was followed by a lengthy, in-depth Q&A with writer/director/co-producer Atom Egoyan. I caught up with star Devon Bostick later that evening.
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Writer/director/co-producer Atom Egoyan
Lead actor Devon Bostick
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Adoration is, at its heart, a coming-of-age story. It's about that time of self-discovery when the question "who am I?" becomes an obsession. But what makes this film so startlingly refreshing is that it also has a classic structure rarely seen in contemporary cinema. The viewer is never quite sure whether or not the images onscreen are real or imagined. Think of a chess game where each move prompts you to replay the entire game in your head. Such is the experience of watching Adoration, brilliantly conceived and executed by writer/director/co-producer Atom Egoyan.
Egoyan is a legend in his adopted country of Canada with dozens of awards and nominations to his credit (1997's The Sweet Hereafter earned him Oscar noms for writing and directing). The mere mention of his name widens the eyes of citizens north of the border, as I learned here at the Toronto International Film Festival, where I attended the film's North American Premiere (it debuted at Cannes, where it was nominated for the prestigious Palm D'Or). Locals hold him to a very high standard. For me, I prefer going in cold, knowing as little as possible about a film. Similarly, I won't reveal much about the story here -- I abhor spoilers.
After losing his parents under questionable circumstances, Simon (Devon Bostick) is reluctantly being raised by his Uncle Tom (Scott Speedman). Simon's memories of his mother Rachel (Rachel Blanchard), an accomplished violinist, and father Sami (Noam Jenkins) are shrouded in mystery. Enter Simon's teacher Sabine (Arsinée Khanjian), who might be able to help Simon unlock the secrets that are the key to his youthful confusion. What follows is a brain teaser which takes great concentration. The wheels are always turning, and the viewer is constantly challenged to figure out exactly what is real or perceived, and by whom.
The look of the film enhances the mystery inherent in the story. The use of single-point lighting allows shadows to fall upon already-obscure settings. Music is essential to the plot and, as such, Rachel's violin virtuosity is extended to a string soundtrack that is as haunting as the film itself. Paul Sarossy's cinematography is cleverly integrated with composer Mychael Danna's soundtrack, with tracking shots set to music as a visual ballet. Editor Susan Shipton had a tall order working with Egoyan to craft a virtual puzzle in which nothing is at it seems.
Speedman ably plays the father figure who isn't quite ready to take on the task of raising a teen but does so out of loyalty to his late sister. Khanjian's Sabine is simply chilling and central to the power of the film. Blanchard is a joy to watch -- simply an angel onscreen (and shot that way, to boot) -- and Jenkins successfully remains an enigmatic personality throughout. But, most of all, this is Bostick's film to carry on his young shoulders. Appearing in almost every scene, it's his curiosity and angst which drive Adoration, and it's our empathy for him (weren't we all Simon once?) that gives the film its heart and soul. Bostick is one of Canada's most prolific young actors (he co-starred in Citizen Duane, one of my Top Picks from the 2006 festival) and will hopefully be introduced to a wider audience if this film gets the distribution it deserves.
The moment the credits began to roll I wanted to see Adoration again. If there were back-to-back screenings I would have remained in my seat. This is the first film in recent memory which has had that effect on me. There's nothing more exciting and intriguing than a film that plays with space and time, where perception matters more than anything else. What we see onscreen vs. what is in our heads -- the spaces we fill with our own thoughts -- are artfully juggled by Egoyan and the result is simply a masterpiece.
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On Monday, September 8, I attended the World Premiere of Uncertainty at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival.
Scott McGehee and David Siegel, who co-directed, wrote, and produced the film, were joined by cast members Lynn Collins (Kate) and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Bobby) for an in-depth Q&A following the screening. Here are some pictures I shot.
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Collins, Gordon-Levitt, & McGehee (L)
Gordon-Levitt, McGehee, & Siegel (R)
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The 2008 Toronto International Film Festival has come to an exciting conclusion and I've returned home to take stock of my experience there. As in previous years, and as I do following every film festival (30 since the start of 2006), this wrapup will conclude with my list of Top Picks.
This year I attended a total of 25 screenings. Only 10 were American (including one US/UK co-production). The other 15 films were from outside the US, including nine with subtitles. The other six represented other English-speaking countries -- two from host country Canada, one from the UK, one Canada/UK co-production, one from Australia, and one Ireland/Sweden co-production. The one from Canada/UK, Fifty Dead Men Walking, wasn't subtitled but should have been. There was one documentary -- It Might Get Loud.
Please keep in mind that there were a lot of enjoyable films -- only a few were disappointing. Most I'd recommend and some I'd even see again. But these are the best of the best -- the films that I'd not only recommend, but also see again and buy the DVD. I chose eight, listed below.
I also give a qualified recommendation to It Might Get Loud (USA), the documentary featuring Jimmy Page, The Edge, and Jack White. If you don't know who these people are, skip to the next section. If you do know these names, and the sound of their music excites you, this film is a must-see.
Here is my list of Top Picks from the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival. Countries of origin are listed in parentheses.
(in alphabetical order)
Acolytes (Australia)
Adoration (Canada)
The Country Teacher (Czech Republic/Germany//France)
Krabat (Germany)
Lymelife (USA)
Patrik, Age 1.5 (Sweden)
Pride and Glory (USA)
Winds of September (Taiwan)
There were two films on my list which went on to win jury awards. Lymelife won the prize of the International Critics (FIPRESCI Prize) for Discovery. In the City of Toronto-Citytv Award for Best Canadian Feature Film category, Adoration received a Special Citation.
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On Monday, September 8, I attended the World Premiere of The Narrows at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival. It's a very intriguing and captivating film about brotherhood, family, and loyalty. Sophia Bush and Kevin Zegers drive the narrative, while Vincent D'Onofrio steals every scene he's in and provides most of the lighthearted moments in an otherwise violent, tension-filled story.
The gritty setting of Brooklyn, New York is another character in itself. Since Zegers plays a photographer, and a lot of the movie focuses on that, it has a great look. There are some exciting visuals such as the use of black & white stills, freeze-frame, and fast motion. The highlight is the third act, filled with twists and turns that are totally unexpected, and some stunning reveals that made the audience gasp.
The screening was followed by a lengthy, in-depth Q&A with cast members Sophia Bush (Kathy Popovich) and Kevin Zegers (Mike Manadoro). Star Vincent D'Onofrio could not attend, but director François Velle read a text message he sent to the audience.
Here are some pictures I shot of Kevin Zegers and Sophia Bush.
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On Saturday, September 6, I attended the World Premiere of Middle of Nowhere at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival.
Here are some pictures I shot at the exciting Q&A which followed the screening, at which director John Stockwell was joined by cast members Susan Sarandon (Rhonda Berry), Anton Yelchin (Dorian Spitz), Eva Amurri (Grace), Willa Holland (Taylor), and Justin Chatwin (Ben Pretzler).
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(L to R) Cast members Anton Yelchin, Eva Amurri, Susan Sarandon, Justin Chatwin, and Willa Holland
Director John Stockwell
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On Friday, September 5, I attended the World Premiere of It Might Get Loud at the Toronto International Film Festival. The event took place at the Ryerson Auditorium.
A Q&A session followed the screening. Participating were (L to R) Jack White, Jimmy Page, The Edge, producers Thomas Tull and Lesley Chilcott, and director Davis Guggenheim.
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The 33rd edition of the Toronto International Film Festival officially comes to a close today and I've just returned back home in Philadelphia. Impressive films among the final five I saw following my last article included a wonderful coming-of-age film from Taiwan, Winds of September, and the World Premiere of the highly anticipated and very controversial Fifty Dead Men Walking, based on the true story of IRA infiltrator Martin McGartland during "the Troubles" which plagued Northern Ireland in the 1980s.
Overall, the experience ended on a positive note. The first few days were a bit disappointing, as I awaited those "wow" films which make these festivals worth the trip. There wasn't much to (literally) write home about. That all changed midweek when, as I reported earlier, I began seeing one great film after another. By the end of the festival I came away feeling that a few gems will emerge from Toronto 2008 and stand among the best I've seen in the past few years.
While I had precious little time to blog while in Toronto, let alone post the hundreds of pictures and videos I shot, rest assured that in the coming days I'll be selecting and reviewing my Top Picks as well as the aforementioned visual material. First priority is to upload the entire six-minute Q&A with Jimmy Page, The Edge, and Jack White following the World Premiere of It Might Get Loud. Stand by for that.
Posted by phileysmiley at 01:41 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
4:35 PM
My experience here at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival kicked into high gear the past couple of days. The last time we chatted I was on my way to see Dioses. That was Sunday night. Since then I caught four films on Monday, Tuesday was another five-film day, and I just returned from the first of three films today -- that makes 21 and means there are just four films to go before I head back home.
Up until Monday, the experience had been slightly disappointing. I was waiting for some fives. You see, I have a rough five point scale which helps me track which films I'll eventually choose as Top Picks for which I'll write reviews. A five means I can't wait to buy the DVD, four means I'd see it again, three means I'd recommend it to others, two means I was disappointed and really don't recommend it, and one means you should stay away from this movie at all costs.
Fortunately there haven't been any ones, and Burn After Reading, which I wrote about earlier, has been the only film I rated a two. There have been several threes and fours. But it's the fives that excite me, and they're finally showing up.
I actually just saw three films in a row which I gave top ratings to: Pride and Glory, Lymelife, and Adoration. Also looking good are Acolytes, Patrik, Age 1.5 (one of the big audience favorites so far), and a couple of films I mentioned earlier. Until I get a chance to write about them in depth, please check the links for synopses, casts, directors, and other details.
Most of these films don't have distribution yet -- these were almost all World Premieres and had never been seen before -- but a few do. The rest will get picked up here or after the festival, I'm sure, and it's likely you'll be able to see all these films at a theater near you in the next year or so. In the meantime, they'll likely show up at other festivals and some of you may have the opportunity to enjoy them as much as I have. Still a bunch more to see, though...
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7:14 PM
I've seen seven more films since we last spoke early yesterday morning, so you can imagine why there's been a slight gap on this blog. Five yesterday, two so far today, and another in about an hour so I haven't had nearly as much time as I'd hoped to report on the goings-on here. Needless to say, Toronto 2008 is shaping up to be another winner.
There was at least one big disappointment yesterday. While I never expected Burn After Reading to equal the Coen Brothers' No Country For Old Men, which debuted here last year, I certainly had high hopes for it. It was definitely one of this festival's hottest tickets. But if Focus Features was hoping for a bounce for the film's Friday theatrical opening based on buzz out of Toronto I'm not sure they're going to get it. But, heck, how could any film live up to the hype that comes with being the defending Academy Award winners' next film? I wouldn't call it Oscar-worthy but the starpower will certainly get butts into the seats. It's a nice popcorn movie.
John Stockwell's Middle of Nowhere and Deadgirl, billed as "this year's Mandy Lane," definitely lived up to my expectations. I'll have more to say about those films as time allows.
But the one thing I live for (at festivals, at any rate) is a film which exceeds my expectations. And I already had pretty high ones going into Krabat as it is, being the latest from German director Marco Kreutzpaintner. He helmed Trade, one of my favorite festival films of the past two years, so this one was eagerly anticipated. This was a true epic -- think Harry Potter done by Hitchcock. Krabat wowed me, and even though this was the World Premiere, it's one of the few films here which already has distribution -- with 20th Century Fox of Germany. Yup, they own the US rights...go figure. So you can expect to be able to see it sometime soon.
Nine down, 16 to go. Gotta jet.
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3:35 PM
Hello from Toronto! I'm actually sitting on the Toronto Express shuttle taking me from the airport to my hotel. They actually have power outlets at each seat so that I can blog a bit, bumps and potholes willing. I'll try to report live whenever I can this year as I'll have my laptop with me at all times, as opposed to hoping I have time in my room at the end of the day to sit and write a more formal article.
This is the first year I flew -- I've driven previously. I didn't mind the 10 hour drive that much. But with gas prices being what they are I decided to (literally) wing it. Let's see -- 50 minutes vs. 10 hours. Hmmm...
The flight was actually early arriving in Toronto. Breezed through Customs, got my bag, made the bus in seconds flat.
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12:16 AM
Before I was rudely interrupted by a dead battery due to a non-functioning power outlet, I was on the bus headed to my hotel. Been there done that. Checked in, literally threw some stuff on the bed and ran right back out so I could pick up my festival materials at the new Festival Office at Toronto Life Square. The good news is, it's within walking distance -- a couple blocks south. The better news, my first film is at the Ryerson Auditorium exactly halfway between here and there. The bad news is, there are long lines snaking around the block at both locations. I ran the risk of missing my first film.
Thanks to the overwhelming kindness and generosity of the Festival Staff, all was accomplished, albeit with much sweat and breathlessness. So...on to the show and my reason for being here.
I just returned from seeing my first two films, both at the Ryerson Auditorium, both World Premieres. Me and Orson Welles is the latest from Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Fast Food Nation). Linklater led a Q&A afterward with stars Claire Danes, Zac Efron, and Christian McKay. Danes had a few My So-Called Life fans in the audience ("wow, I was only 13," Danes protested) and even the staid film festival crowd was broken up by squeals at the sight of mega-teen-idol Efron. I shot the Q&A and hope to post those pictures as soon as I can. The film is a brilliantly original period piece set in 1937, based on true events in the life of the legendary artist Orson Welles and his brief association with a 15-year-old (17 in the film) aspiring actor.
That was followed up by Davis Guggenheim's It Might Get Loud, a documentary featuring legendary Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, U2's The Edge, and Jack White of White Stripes fame. All were present for a lengthy Q&A -- I caught some of it on video.
It's quite rare for any film to receive a standing ovation at a festival, let alone this vaunted one here in Toronto. The audience cheered as though at a rock concert, which was quite appropriate as they were applauding the careers and onscreen performances of Page, The Edge, and White as much as the film itself. More on both films to follow.
Tomorrow is my first full day here, and full it is -- five films, beginning at the historic Elgin Theatre with Burn After Reading. This is one of those Oscar hopefuls which is opening in theatres soon anyway (this Friday, in fact) but many of the cast and crew are expected to attend, including directors Joel and Ethan Coen, along with cast members George Clooney, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, Richard Jenkins, and Brad Pitt.
Hopefully there will be a break between films to blog. If not, pray for me. It's gonna be a long day.
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As I mentioned yesterday, many of the films I'll be seeing here at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival will undoubtedly be unexpected surprises from which my Top Picks may emerge. That's been my experience in past years. Just because one recognizes the director or cast or the film has Hollywood hype and Oscar buzz surrounding it doesn't necessarily mean it's a gem, and vice versa. Here are five more hopefuls to add to my list of confirmed films I posted yesterday.
Links take you to the official site, where you can read as much or as little as you like about them. I don't like to post spoilers, and prefer to write about them afterward.
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Deadgirl -- Directed by Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel, starring Shiloh Fernandez, Noah Segan, Michael Bowen, Candice Accola. Screening in the "Midnight Madness" section, said to be this year's All the Boys Love Mandy Lane. Segan is one of the stars of Still Green, one of my Top Picks of the past few years. Check my blog for pictures of him from the film's screening at the 2007 Fort Lauderdale Film Festival.
Dioses -- Directed by Josué Méndez, starring Maricielo Effio, Sergio Gjurinovic, Anahí de Cárdenas, Edgar Saba, Cristina Salleses. A Peru/Argentina/France/Germany co-production set in Peru. International cinema always makes up a big part of my schedule. Lists of my Top Picks from previous festivals have often been dominated by foreign films. They've been some of my favorites over the past few years.
Uncertainty -- Directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lynn Collins, Assumpta Serna, Olivia Thirlby. Gordon-Levitt attended the 2007 SXSW Film Festival for the World Premiere of his film The Lookout. In addition to my review and pictures from the Q&A, afterparty, and press conference, a short video I put up on YouTube has close to 20,000 views. Olivia Thirlby has been ubiquitous at recent festivals -- she was present for the World Premiere of Snow Angels at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, again at another screening of the same film in Brooklyn, New York in May, 2007, and then at the World Premiere of Juno at last year's Toronto Film Festival. Reviews of these films and pictures of this fantastic actress are also posted elsewhere on this blog. For indie fans, Gordon-Levitt and Thirlby are icons.
Adoration -- Directed by Atom Egoyan, starring Arsinée Khanjian, Scott Speedman, Rachel Blanchard, Noam Jenkins, Devon Bostick. One of many Canadian entries on my list. Bostick attended the 2006 festival for the World Premiere of Citizen Duane, one of my Top Picks from that year. He's one of the most prolific young actors in Canada.
Linha de Passe -- Directed by Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas, starring Sandra Corveloni, Vinícius de Oliveira, Joião Baldasserini, José Geraldo Rodrigues, Kaíque de Jesus Santos. From Brazil, in Portuguese. Salles also directed 2004's The Motorcycle Diaries.
Posted by phileysmiley at 03:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The 2008 Toronto International Film Festival officially kicks off tomorrow. As usual, the excitement level could not possible be amped up any more than it is, as this is the event at which all the major Hollywood studios trot out their Oscar hopefuls. In fact, Toronto has become the de facto kickoff of Academy Awards season.
For this reporter, though, it's not about that at all. As readers of this blog know, my interest is almost exclusively in independent and foreign films and, while I always see a few of the "big name" movies in Toronto, my schedule is mostly filled with those little gems from outside Hollywood that might emerge from the pack (as Juno did last year, for example).
In 2006 and 2007 I saw over 50 films. While many are chosen ahead of time, about 2/3 of the films I end up seeing are always last minute additions or simply chosen from a list of available titles to fill gaps in my schedule. Yet, each year, a good deal of my Top Picks once the festival is over come from that group of unplanned surprises.
As of today I have a list of 25 confirmed films for which I have high hopes. Here are 10 of them, keeping in mind that there's a very good chance some of my Top Picks from this year's festival won't come from this group at all.
Links will take you to the film's details and synopsis at the official festival site, which say much more than I ever could not having seen these films. I'd rather write about them afterward than predict what I might see. A number of these I've written about extensively here on this blog over the past couple of years from casting through filming and post-production.
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Pride and Glory -- Directed by Gavin O'Connor, starring Colin Farrell, Edward Norton, Jon Voight, Noah Emmerich, Jennifer Ehle.
Fifty Dead Men Walking -- Directed by Kari Skogland, starring Ben Kingsley, Jim Sturgess, Kevin Zegers, Nathalie Press, Rose McGowan.
Easy Virtue -- Directed by Stephan Elliott, starring Jessica Biel, Colin Firth, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Barnes, Kimberly Nixon, Katherine Parkinson.
Zack and Miri Make a Porno -- Directed by Kevin Smith, starring Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Craig Robinson, Jason Mewes, Traci Lords.
Burn After Reading -- Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, starring George Clooney, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, Richard Jenkins, Brad Pitt.
Me and Orson Welles -- Directed by Richard Linklater, starring Ben Chaplin, Claire Danes, Zac Efron, Zoe Kazan, Christian McKay.
Middle of Nowhere -- Directed by John Stockwell, starring Susan Sarandon, Eva Amurri, Anton Yelchin, Justin Chatwin, Willa Holland.
Lymelife -- Directed by Derick Martini, starring Alec Baldwin, Kieran Culkin, Rory Culkin, Jill Hennessy, Timothy Hutton, Cynthia Nixon, Emma Roberts.
It Might Get Loud -- Directed by Davis Guggenheim, starring The Edge, Jimmy Page, Jack White.
The Narrows -- Directed by Francois A. Veelle, starring Kevin Zegers, Vincent D'Onofrio, Sophia Bush, Eddie Cahill, Titus Welliver, Monica Keena.
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That's just the tip of the iceberg, of course. I'll post more as time allows. I'm not sure if I'll see over 25 films again but it's a good start.
Posted by phileysmiley at 05:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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