This film, written and directed by Robert Eggers, got a lot of attention when it played at Sundance earlier this year. I saw it and the attention is warranted.
Set in New England during the time of the Puritans, a family of two adults and four children are exiled from the local village and sent into the forest to survive on their own. At a most basic level, this may be beyond their skills to survive but they quickly realize that there is another presence in the woods, a presence that is interested in them for its own reasons.
It's a horror film driven by dread rather than gore, although it is prepared to go there when it has to. Atmosphere is augmented through some excellent cinematography and the soundtrack by Mark Korven, a mix of choral pieces and other music that is quite unsettling.
On leaving the theatre, my thought was that this may end up being one of the best films I would see in 2015 (a feeling that was borne out in the remaining days of TIFF). Highly recommended.
2015/09/23
The Clan and The Club
Over the years, I've seen some excellent films from South America, in particular from Argentina and Chile. That continued with a pair of films in 2015.
From the former came "The Clan", set in the years after military rule in Argentina and based on a true story. A family commits a series of kidnappings over a period of a few years but instead of releasing its victims after the ransom is paid, they kill the hostage.
The key to the film is the character of the father, excellently played by Guillermo Francello. He's a manipulative SOB who has turned his family into accomplices as well as emotional hostages themselves. It's a chilling performance.
From Chile comes "The Club", a film about a group of excommunicated priests living in a communal house as penance for precious sins. When a new arrival is accused by an outsider of sexual abuse (and who subsequently commits suicide), it sets in motion a series of events that put their ordered world at risk.
The tone of the film was interesting. It's a mix of black comedy, but the director is careful at not simply turning the defrocked priests into lovable rogues. A very good ensemble cast work with him to maintain this tone. It ends in a very dark place and I know that several members of the audience were not prepared to go there, but I thought it was very well done.
Both recommended.
From the former came "The Clan", set in the years after military rule in Argentina and based on a true story. A family commits a series of kidnappings over a period of a few years but instead of releasing its victims after the ransom is paid, they kill the hostage.
The key to the film is the character of the father, excellently played by Guillermo Francello. He's a manipulative SOB who has turned his family into accomplices as well as emotional hostages themselves. It's a chilling performance.
From Chile comes "The Club", a film about a group of excommunicated priests living in a communal house as penance for precious sins. When a new arrival is accused by an outsider of sexual abuse (and who subsequently commits suicide), it sets in motion a series of events that put their ordered world at risk.
The tone of the film was interesting. It's a mix of black comedy, but the director is careful at not simply turning the defrocked priests into lovable rogues. A very good ensemble cast work with him to maintain this tone. It ends in a very dark place and I know that several members of the audience were not prepared to go there, but I thought it was very well done.
Both recommended.
2015/09/19
Our Brand is Crisis
Two rival teams of political hacks (one led by Sandra Bullock; the other by Billy Bob Thornton) from the U.S. are higher to manage competing teams during a presidential campaign in Bolivia.
Ostensibly a comedy, it didn't appear to be willing to go as dark as it wanted to be, mostly with respect to Bullock's character "Calamity" Jane Bodine (there's no attempt to make Thornton's character positive and he probably had a lot more fun with his part than she did with hers).
This was one of those films that the rest of the audience liked a lot more than I did. Political satire has been done a lot better in other films or on television. Wait for it to show up on free TV or a streaming service you've already paid for.
Ostensibly a comedy, it didn't appear to be willing to go as dark as it wanted to be, mostly with respect to Bullock's character "Calamity" Jane Bodine (there's no attempt to make Thornton's character positive and he probably had a lot more fun with his part than she did with hers).
This was one of those films that the rest of the audience liked a lot more than I did. Political satire has been done a lot better in other films or on television. Wait for it to show up on free TV or a streaming service you've already paid for.
Horizon
A quiet documentary on the modern Icelandic landscape painter Georg Gudni. It's a lovely film contrasting the stark beauty of the Icelandic countryside in film with Gudni's canvases, which have an atmospheric quality and were constructed from the meticulous application of layers of oil paint. Most of his work contained a horizon line of some kind, but the transition between land and sea or air is incredibly subtle.
Gudni died at the age of 50 in 2011 (this is revealed in the doc, but no cause of death is provided). For us, there was a slight coincidence in that 2011 was the year that Sherri and I went to Iceland and I'm sure we saw his work when we visited the National Gallery in Reykjavik.
Beautiful.
Gudni died at the age of 50 in 2011 (this is revealed in the doc, but no cause of death is provided). For us, there was a slight coincidence in that 2011 was the year that Sherri and I went to Iceland and I'm sure we saw his work when we visited the National Gallery in Reykjavik.
Beautiful.
2015/09/18
2015/09/17
The Forbidden Room
Guy Maddin and Evan Johnson's "The Forbidden Room" is a two-hour audio-visual defibrillator of a movie, a relentless series of loosely connected scenes in the style of old silent and early sound films.
Maddin's work has always played with genre from this time period in cinema history and this piece extends his use of inter-titles, over-the-top acting and surrealistic story-telling by adding rapid-fire editing and visual effects to suggest you're watching old nitrate films that are deteriorating as the film stock moves through the projector.
It's exhausting and exhilarating in equal measure and unlike anything else that I've seen at TIFF this year. Definitely not for everyone, but the experience is worth it. Should be seen on a big screen.
Maddin's work has always played with genre from this time period in cinema history and this piece extends his use of inter-titles, over-the-top acting and surrealistic story-telling by adding rapid-fire editing and visual effects to suggest you're watching old nitrate films that are deteriorating as the film stock moves through the projector.
It's exhausting and exhilarating in equal measure and unlike anything else that I've seen at TIFF this year. Definitely not for everyone, but the experience is worth it. Should be seen on a big screen.
2015/09/16
Anomalisa
A motivational speaker lands in Cincinnati to give a talk and finds his world is upended when he meets a call centre attendant who has come for his presentation.
What set this apart for me was an interesting script from Charlie Kaufman (the writer of "Adaptation" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"), a strong principal cast in David Thewlis, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Tom Noonan, and the fact that it was an animated film using puppets.
To say more risks taking away some of the surprises of the film. It's a charming, somewhat bittersweet romance, which didn't try to stretch things too far (an ailment of a few too many films this week). Recommended.
They announced this morning that they had signed a distribution deal for the film, so it will appear in theatres sometime over the next year or so. Look for it.
What set this apart for me was an interesting script from Charlie Kaufman (the writer of "Adaptation" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"), a strong principal cast in David Thewlis, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Tom Noonan, and the fact that it was an animated film using puppets.
To say more risks taking away some of the surprises of the film. It's a charming, somewhat bittersweet romance, which didn't try to stretch things too far (an ailment of a few too many films this week). Recommended.
They announced this morning that they had signed a distribution deal for the film, so it will appear in theatres sometime over the next year or so. Look for it.
Anomalisa
A motivational speaker lands in Cincinnati to give a talk and finds his world is upended when he meets a call centre attendant who has come for his presentation.
What set this apart for me was an interesting script from Charlie Kaufman (the writer of "Adaptation" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"), a strong principal cast in David Thewlis, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Tom Noonan, and the fact that it was an animated film using puppets.
To say more risks taking away some of the surprises of the film. It's a charming, somewhat bittersweet romance, which didn't try to stretch things too far (an ailment of a few too many films this week). Recommended.
They announced this morning that they had signed a distribution deal for the film, so it will appear in theatres sometime over the next year or so. Look for it.
What set this apart for me was an interesting script from Charlie Kaufman (the writer of "Adaptation" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"), a strong principal cast in David Thewlis, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Tom Noonan, and the fact that it was an animated film using puppets.
To say more risks taking away some of the surprises of the film. It's a charming, somewhat bittersweet romance, which didn't try to stretch things too far (an ailment of a few too many films this week). Recommended.
They announced this morning that they had signed a distribution deal for the film, so it will appear in theatres sometime over the next year or so. Look for it.
Schneider vs Bax
Started this morning's marathon with a Dutch film about two contract killers who eventually discover that they've been set up to kill each other.
There's lots to recommend it -- the main location is an isolated cabin in the middle of a wetland area, the acting is uniformly good and the script is fine, but I left it with a feeling that it needed to be a lot tighter than it actually was. It felt like it needed to be pitched somewhere between a black comedy and farce and it couldn't quite get there.
If this shows up on a streaming service, it'd be worth some of your time; otherwise, no.
There's lots to recommend it -- the main location is an isolated cabin in the middle of a wetland area, the acting is uniformly good and the script is fine, but I left it with a feeling that it needed to be a lot tighter than it actually was. It felt like it needed to be pitched somewhere between a black comedy and farce and it couldn't quite get there.
If this shows up on a streaming service, it'd be worth some of your time; otherwise, no.
2015/09/15
The Music of Strangers: Yo Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble
The Silk Road Ensemble is a musical mosaic, a coming together of artists from different cultures and musical traditions who have collectively decided to make something together that is greater than the sum of its parts. The cellist Yo Yo Ma is the most prominent public face of the group, although many of the other principals have established careers within their own communities.
"The Music of Strangers" looks at the ensemble and focuses on about half a dozen of the performers and tells their stories both within and outside the group. It's a vibrant, entertaining documentary full of the relentless optimism of Ma as well as introducing people to some of the others, notably the Chinese musician Wu Man and Christina Gado from the Galicia region of Spain. We see the ensemble in rehearsal and in performance, along with other scenes of their lives.
A thoroughly entertaining doc, with a theatrical release confirmed for 2016.
"The Music of Strangers" looks at the ensemble and focuses on about half a dozen of the performers and tells their stories both within and outside the group. It's a vibrant, entertaining documentary full of the relentless optimism of Ma as well as introducing people to some of the others, notably the Chinese musician Wu Man and Christina Gado from the Galicia region of Spain. We see the ensemble in rehearsal and in performance, along with other scenes of their lives.
A thoroughly entertaining doc, with a theatrical release confirmed for 2016.
High-Rise
An long-overdue adaptation of one of JG Ballard's better-known novels, the film presents the collapse of an ecosystem represented by the denizens of a massive, somewhat self-sufficient apartment building. Failure of the building's infrastructure precipitates a pitched battle between the classes inside its brutalist walls.
It's taken about 30 years to bring an adaptation to completion. Over the years, many have been tagged to do it and the ideas of the novel have been transplanted to other works, but the prize goes to Ben Wheatley for finally bringing it to the screen.
I've enjoyed Wheatley's previous films at TIFF, notably "Kill List" and "A Field in England", and thought he would be prepared to go in some interesting directions with this. I haven't read the novel, so I came to it reasonably fresh.
The design and music are very much in keeping with the 1970's of the novel (it was published in 1975). Brutalist architecture actually predates this period, but persisted into that time.
Each class is represented, with Luke Evans as a filmmaker who precipitates some of the chaos on the upper floors, Tom Hiddleston as a doctor who embraces it and Jeremy Irons as the Architect who designed the complex and in doing so, sowed the seeds of his own destruction.
It's a big, loud and chaotic dog's breakfast of a film whose ideas never really come together in a satisfying package. If there is a fault, it's with the screenplay, which doesn't get a handle on the story or where to take it.
Disappointing.
It's taken about 30 years to bring an adaptation to completion. Over the years, many have been tagged to do it and the ideas of the novel have been transplanted to other works, but the prize goes to Ben Wheatley for finally bringing it to the screen.
I've enjoyed Wheatley's previous films at TIFF, notably "Kill List" and "A Field in England", and thought he would be prepared to go in some interesting directions with this. I haven't read the novel, so I came to it reasonably fresh.
The design and music are very much in keeping with the 1970's of the novel (it was published in 1975). Brutalist architecture actually predates this period, but persisted into that time.
Each class is represented, with Luke Evans as a filmmaker who precipitates some of the chaos on the upper floors, Tom Hiddleston as a doctor who embraces it and Jeremy Irons as the Architect who designed the complex and in doing so, sowed the seeds of his own destruction.
It's a big, loud and chaotic dog's breakfast of a film whose ideas never really come together in a satisfying package. If there is a fault, it's with the screenplay, which doesn't get a handle on the story or where to take it.
Disappointing.
2015/09/14
Heart of a Dog
A meditation by the musician Laurie Anderson on story-telling and coming to terms with mortality, mainly through the life of dog Lolabelle but also through the loss of her mother and her partner Lou Reed, although his passing is handled In a much more oblique manner than the other two. Through it, she articulates her faith as a Buddhist.
There's a beautiful selection of home movies, animations, stock footage and scenes shot expressly for the film. Many of the segments are manipulated in some way and it's tied together by Anderson's lilting narration, full of ironic pauses.
As a long-time fan of her music and performance, the documentary covered all the bases. I think there is something here to entertain someone less familiar with her work.
The film was shot for HBO, but it looks like it will have some kind of theatrical release in Canada.
Recommended.
There's a beautiful selection of home movies, animations, stock footage and scenes shot expressly for the film. Many of the segments are manipulated in some way and it's tied together by Anderson's lilting narration, full of ironic pauses.
As a long-time fan of her music and performance, the documentary covered all the bases. I think there is something here to entertain someone less familiar with her work.
The film was shot for HBO, but it looks like it will have some kind of theatrical release in Canada.
Recommended.
Kill Your Friends
A first feature from Owen Harris, "Kill Your Friends" is about the rise of an A&R ("artists and repertoire") manager for an independent record label in the UK in the 90's. His sole motivation is to succeed through the destruction of others and this blackly comic flick proceeds to show you the depths he will descend to in his quest.
We know this because he (played by Nicholas Hoult) provides a near constant voice-over (if there was any more narration, it could have been a radio play).
It [the film] wants to be a lot more transgressive than it is actually is. Totally, I think they were looking for something between Richard III and Trainspotting. Unfortunately, Hout's Stelfox becomes tedious pretty quickly and it just never reaches the heights (or the depths) it so clearly desired.
The film is remarkable for the quality of its soundtrack, which starts with Blur and Oasis and cuts a swath through the top Britpop acts of the time. The author of the novel and screenplay (John Niven) was an A&R man at the time and it appears he was able to call in some favours.
We know this because he (played by Nicholas Hoult) provides a near constant voice-over (if there was any more narration, it could have been a radio play).
It [the film] wants to be a lot more transgressive than it is actually is. Totally, I think they were looking for something between Richard III and Trainspotting. Unfortunately, Hout's Stelfox becomes tedious pretty quickly and it just never reaches the heights (or the depths) it so clearly desired.
The film is remarkable for the quality of its soundtrack, which starts with Blur and Oasis and cuts a swath through the top Britpop acts of the time. The author of the novel and screenplay (John Niven) was an A&R man at the time and it appears he was able to call in some favours.
2015/09/13
The Danish Girl
Amazingly, this was the first TIFF screening I've ever seen at Roy Thomson Hall (normally they don't have films open to regular patrons that I'm interested in seeing). This year" I'm going to two here. A week from today, it will be "Vertigo".
The film focuses on the life of a painter and transgender pioneer, Einar Wegener, who adopted a persona as a model for his wife which led to his transition and tragic death when surgery to construct a vagina went wrong (Lili Elbe, as she was known at the end of her life, died in the early part of the 20th century).
The attention at the screening went to Tom Hooper, the director, and Eddie Redmayne for his performance as Wegener/Elbe. One of Hooper's previous films, "The King's Speech", saw its meteoric rise begin at TIFF and this film shares a similar style and attention to detail. It's a sumptuous film to look at. Redmayne provides a strong performance as the transitioning artist but my feeling was that it was Alicia Vikander as the wife who was the real emotional centre of the film. She gave it a spark that I think it needed to raise it up to another level.
The walk from the Lightbox to RTH is an obstacle course of advertising and promotion, from iced tea to Visa cards to cars. It's probably more concentrated here than anywhere else at TIFF and in an event devoted to the business and selling of film is saying something.
The film focuses on the life of a painter and transgender pioneer, Einar Wegener, who adopted a persona as a model for his wife which led to his transition and tragic death when surgery to construct a vagina went wrong (Lili Elbe, as she was known at the end of her life, died in the early part of the 20th century).
The attention at the screening went to Tom Hooper, the director, and Eddie Redmayne for his performance as Wegener/Elbe. One of Hooper's previous films, "The King's Speech", saw its meteoric rise begin at TIFF and this film shares a similar style and attention to detail. It's a sumptuous film to look at. Redmayne provides a strong performance as the transitioning artist but my feeling was that it was Alicia Vikander as the wife who was the real emotional centre of the film. She gave it a spark that I think it needed to raise it up to another level.
The walk from the Lightbox to RTH is an obstacle course of advertising and promotion, from iced tea to Visa cards to cars. It's probably more concentrated here than anywhere else at TIFF and in an event devoted to the business and selling of film is saying something.
Endorphine
Three women named Simone at different stages of their lives -- a theoretical physicist, a multi-media artist moonlighting as a parking lot attendant and a teenage student -- discover that their lives are starting to intersect over time, with events, memories and incidents echoing between them.
The director, André Turpin, has created a world that folds in on itself. His background as a DP also leads to some interesting visual tricks to pique the viewer's interest. An intricately plotted puzzle of a movie which would benefit from repeated viewing.
Recommended.
The director, André Turpin, has created a world that folds in on itself. His background as a DP also leads to some interesting visual tricks to pique the viewer's interest. An intricately plotted puzzle of a movie which would benefit from repeated viewing.
Recommended.
Paparazzi
Not sure what they're waiting for (either a film just ending or a film to come this afternoon), but there may be stars involved.
Sunday morning 8:30 am
2015/09/12
My Big Night
The cinematic equivalent of a paella, cooked by a demented chef. Aside from zombies and alien attacks, there is very little which did not find its way into the mix.
A New Year's Eve special is being taped for broadcast... In October. Several references are made to the taping lasting several days with no apparent end in sight. Outside the studio, an angry mob is trying to disrupt the proceedings, angered by a mass layoff triggered by the show's producer. Inside, there are battles brewing between the married hosts, between the star of the show and his son and an upstart pop singer and his libido. And there's an assassin trying to get his revenge on the star. And, there's so much more.
It's a film that constantly threatens to go off the rails, but somehow manages to keep moving forward. Would have made a good Midnight Madness film, but somehow ended up in one of the other programs. Good fun.
A New Year's Eve special is being taped for broadcast... In October. Several references are made to the taping lasting several days with no apparent end in sight. Outside the studio, an angry mob is trying to disrupt the proceedings, angered by a mass layoff triggered by the show's producer. Inside, there are battles brewing between the married hosts, between the star of the show and his son and an upstart pop singer and his libido. And there's an assassin trying to get his revenge on the star. And, there's so much more.
It's a film that constantly threatens to go off the rails, but somehow manages to keep moving forward. Would have made a good Midnight Madness film, but somehow ended up in one of the other programs. Good fun.
Hitchcock / Truffaut
Based on the seminal book detailing an extended interview of Alfred Hitchcock and François Truffaut in the mid-60's, the film adds clips from films by each directors and commentary from directors such as David Fincher, Martin Scorsese, Wes Anderson, Peter Bogdanovich and others to reflect on Hitchcock's style, methods and innovations and his impact on their own work.
It's an engaging look at two artists with very different styles and admiration for each others' work, serving as an effective lure for the book of the interview.
A significant part of the film is focussed on "Vertigo", timely given the special screening of that film at the end of this year's TIFF, with a live performance of the soundtrack by the TSO.
It's an engaging look at two artists with very different styles and admiration for each others' work, serving as an effective lure for the book of the interview.
A significant part of the film is focussed on "Vertigo", timely given the special screening of that film at the end of this year's TIFF, with a live performance of the soundtrack by the TSO.
Spear
Directed by Stephen Page, the Bangarra Dance Theatre of Australia combines traditional (Australian) aboriginal and contemporary dance in an abstract, yet evocative, depiction of the aboriginal experience.
Beautifully choreographed, shot and edited.
Recommended.
Beautifully choreographed, shot and edited.
Recommended.
Where To Invade Next
Michael Moore's latest starts with the premise of deciding who the U.S. can invade next in a fight it can win and becomes a tour of mostly European countries with strong social democratic traditions and policies that are much more humane than the conquering nation provides, including generous leave policies (Italy), school nutrition programs (France), education (Finland and Slovenia) and women's rights (Iceland and Tunisia, the only non-European country represented).
There's much to be said about these policies along with questions about why they aren't more present in the U.S. or, to a lesser extent, in Canada. That said, the film rarely moves beyond a superficial examination of these ideas and tries to make its points by juxtaposing the scenes in Europe with news footage of class and racial struggle in the States. There were only a few scenes where the discussion went deeper than that -- notably in Portugal with its liberal drug laws and Norway with its prison system that is focussed on rehabilitation rather than punishment. In both cases, the underlying theme presented was one of human dignity and respect. To me, it felt like they should have reduced the number of countries and explored those ideas further.
Through it all, Michael Moore plays the naive American abroad, which becomes wearing over the length of a feature film. Given the episodic structure of the film, it could easily be chopped up into short TV or YouTube segments without consequence.
Although not without its charms, it's a film that mostly preaches to the choir.
During the Q&A, they distributed application forms for the free Slovenian university system and invited the audience to a free "people's" after party down the street. I wasn't able to check it out, as I had a film right after his.
There's much to be said about these policies along with questions about why they aren't more present in the U.S. or, to a lesser extent, in Canada. That said, the film rarely moves beyond a superficial examination of these ideas and tries to make its points by juxtaposing the scenes in Europe with news footage of class and racial struggle in the States. There were only a few scenes where the discussion went deeper than that -- notably in Portugal with its liberal drug laws and Norway with its prison system that is focussed on rehabilitation rather than punishment. In both cases, the underlying theme presented was one of human dignity and respect. To me, it felt like they should have reduced the number of countries and explored those ideas further.
Through it all, Michael Moore plays the naive American abroad, which becomes wearing over the length of a feature film. Given the episodic structure of the film, it could easily be chopped up into short TV or YouTube segments without consequence.
Although not without its charms, it's a film that mostly preaches to the choir.
During the Q&A, they distributed application forms for the free Slovenian university system and invited the audience to a free "people's" after party down the street. I wasn't able to check it out, as I had a film right after his.
2015/09/11
Best swag so far
Review coming soon.
Arabian Nights vol. 1
Using the structure of Scherezade's tales, if not the content, Miguel Gomes has reflected the dire economic realities of Portugal in 2013 through a fabulist's lens. Volume 1 (there are two additional volumes screening at TIFF this year) includes some odd juxtapositions (the collapse of a shipbuilder combined with a tale of a battle against a nasty species of invasive wasp), tales of the impact of austerity campaigns on the working class and some striking images, notably a beached whale on the wind-swept Portuguese coast.
It didn't feel that it completely came together (part 1 felt about a half-hour too long), although I would be interested in seeing the other two films eventually.
It didn't feel that it completely came together (part 1 felt about a half-hour too long), although I would be interested in seeing the other two films eventually.
London Road
England's National Theatre adapts their play about the impact of a possible serial killer on a local community in 2006-2007.
The piece is a "verbatim musical" in that the dialogue is based on transcribed interviews with residents and media representatives which has been edited and performed as lyrics. The arrangements are reminiscent of the Steve Reich / Kronos Quartet piece "Different Trains", with frequent starts, stops and repeated phrases. The composers skillfully adapt the cadence of normal speech into song and there are several beautiful transitions from speech to singing.
Even though the production has been opened up to move it from stage to the real world, it still is very much a theatrical production. This isn't a problem, as the performances provide a heightened sense of reality. The "stage-y" quality is part of its charm.
Unfortunately, the ending is a bit mis-handled. They opted for a positive end to the film and it feels like it [the narrative] just evaporates without a clear finish.
An interesting experiment worth seeing.
The piece is a "verbatim musical" in that the dialogue is based on transcribed interviews with residents and media representatives which has been edited and performed as lyrics. The arrangements are reminiscent of the Steve Reich / Kronos Quartet piece "Different Trains", with frequent starts, stops and repeated phrases. The composers skillfully adapt the cadence of normal speech into song and there are several beautiful transitions from speech to singing.
Even though the production has been opened up to move it from stage to the real world, it still is very much a theatrical production. This isn't a problem, as the performances provide a heightened sense of reality. The "stage-y" quality is part of its charm.
Unfortunately, the ending is a bit mis-handled. They opted for a positive end to the film and it feels like it [the narrative] just evaporates without a clear finish.
An interesting experiment worth seeing.
2015/09/10
Taking shape
First up this year is part 1 of a three-part interpretation of "The Arabian Nights".
Ready for launch
This is the second year that they've turned King Street into a car-free space and people are starting to move off the sidewalks. A stage will arrive soon and there will be live music for the next few days.
Needless to say, traffic in the vicinity of King and John is chaotic as hell. Getting between theatres will be its usual challenge, but as long as there are relatively clear sidewalks, functioning subways and available BikeShare wheels, it will all be good!
2015/09/01
On the Horizon
TIFF15 is just over a week away and plans are well underway for this year's cinematic pilgrimage, #40 for the folks on King Street and #30 for me.
After scouring the catalogue last week, I made my choices yesterday and the tickets will be waiting for me on Labour Day, with the first film scheduled for 6 pm on the 10th.
So what does the week hold? I've tried to select from each of the separate programs on the schedule and I think I'm only missing two of them -- the shorts program and the Kids program, to be exact. There are films from every continent except for the Antarctic and several languages.
As usual, I will try to capture some of my impressions of the films and sights in the festival, getting a (necessary) break from electioneering on either side of the 49th parallel. There will be time for that once I come out the other side on Sept 20th.
After scouring the catalogue last week, I made my choices yesterday and the tickets will be waiting for me on Labour Day, with the first film scheduled for 6 pm on the 10th.
So what does the week hold? I've tried to select from each of the separate programs on the schedule and I think I'm only missing two of them -- the shorts program and the Kids program, to be exact. There are films from every continent except for the Antarctic and several languages.
As usual, I will try to capture some of my impressions of the films and sights in the festival, getting a (necessary) break from electioneering on either side of the 49th parallel. There will be time for that once I come out the other side on Sept 20th.
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