Day 7 - Wed Sep 15
- Due to totally incomprehensible scheduling, there were only two TIFF screenings this morning and I did not get into either. It was probably a godsend, however, as it gave me a chance to sleep in until 8:30 and to get to the gym. I actually have been getting a fair bit of cardio. Yes, once again I can be seen running through the streets of Toronto, from theatre to theatre, carrying heavy weights, i.e. my computer bag, my lunch and beverages and my purse. At the same time, though, I am feasting on chocolate and sweets (and some good stuff too - I'm making sure I'm getting my veggies and proteins). But the workout this morning and the sauna was quite refreshing. The yoga last night was even more beneficial in working out the stiffness that had already set into my muscles and it gave me the opportunity to still my mind from the recent over-stimulation of the brain and emotions.
Henry's Crimehttp://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2010/henryscrime
Malcolm Venville, USA After serving three years in prison for a bank robbery he did not commit, an amiable but aimless man decides to rob the bank for real. His plan involves infiltrating a local theatre company, but his scheme gets complicated when he falls for the company’s lead actress. | ContemplationsFor reasons that I will explain later, I really, really wanted to like this film starring Keanu Reeves, James Caan and Vera Farmiga. And it is a perfectly fine little genre-defying film. Part bank robbery story, part romance and part study of the human condition, it doesn't really excel in any of these areas. The film just doesn't feel like it knows what it wants to be and that left me a little lost.
So why did I want to love this movie? Well, despite being the second screening of the movie, director Malcolm Venville as well as Keanu Reeves and a very, very pregnant Vera Farmiga (I'm surprised she was allowed on a plane) fielded questions after the screening. Their effort was really appreciated, especially since Robert Redford had failed to do the same for his movie. As you folks know, over the years, I have seen a lot of celeb actors at TIFF and I really try not to succumb to being starstruck. But when Keanu Reeves walked out onto that stage, I could not take my eyes off him. This surprised me more than anyone because I am not a fan at all. I've always found his performances a little one-dimensional, and he's just not my type. But, in person, whoa, hold me back, man. He exudes an amazing charisma and energy, and he is incredibly articulate and engaging - he is the type of person that has what Simon Cowell would call the "it" factor. And he is much better looking in person. So I understand now why he keeps getting cast in things, but it's sooooo unfortunate that his qualities don't really come through on screen, in my opinion. Of course there were lots of Keanu fans in the audience, the gays and the girls, and he won my heart even more when he made the effort to come to the edge of the stage and sign autographs. He doesn't need to be doing that at this point in his career, but he did it anyway. How utterly endearing. |
The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Townhttp://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2010/promisethemakingofda
Thom Zimny, USA The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town takes us into the studio with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band for the recording of their fourth album. Grammy and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Thom Zimny has collaborated with Springsteen on this documentary, gaining access to never before seen footage shot between 1976-1978, capturing home rehearsals and recording sessions that allow us to see Springsteen’s creative process at work. | ContemplationsWe woman always have that one defining love that transitions us from a girl to a woman. And mine just happened to be with Bruce Springsteen. I always loved the Born to Run album, but it was not until I saw Springsteen live that I was swept off my feet at an impressionable young age. And I saw him in concert repeatedly over a number of years. So this music documentary, like all music docs, was high on my list of must-sees at the fest.
Springsteen was also interviewed as part of the Mavericks series at TIFF, but believe it not, I passed on the interview so I could teach my yoga classes. I figured I'd seen him enough times in his heyday and at his most beautiful, so I would leave it at that. Okay, so I was hoping that he would show up at the screening, but he didn't. One of the reasons I love music, art or dance docs is because I am truly fascinated by the creative process and this film provided great insights into the artistic mind and ethic. But I also learned some interesting facts. First of all, I had no clue that after Born to Run, Springsteen was embroiled in an intense legal battle with his manager. The musician wanted to get control back of his music and he was willing to lose everything to do so, and he almost did. He ended up several million dollars in debt, his band mates barely survived the long lull between albums and at times, it looked like he might never record again. But he was persistent, won the legal case and even managed to maintain a cordial relationship with his former manager. So, Darkness on the Edge of Town was made the way he wanted it to be made and that included recording about 70 songs and selecting ten titles for the album. Springsteen deliberately dropped a host of songs that he thought might be too commercial and which might end up defining him as an artist. One of the E Street Band members said that Bruce was one of the best pop song writers of his day, but no one realizes it because he didn't record the pop stuff or sell it. And to call Springsteen a perfectionist is an understatement, but today he laughs at himself and at the intensity of his youth. One of the more interesting stories about the album is about my most cherished rock anthem, Because the Night. It never made it onto the album because he was not able to finish it - he felt he didn't have it in him to do the love song justice. But a raw version ended up in Patti Smith's hands and she completed the classic and recorded it. It was her only commercial hit. The documentary moves between period footage and current interviews and forgoes playing entire songs from the album. Instead, the album outtakes are woven together to create a soundtrack. As a working class hero, Springsteen's poetic soul is profound and his contemplations on life will have me thinking for a long time. |
Octoberhttp://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2010/october
Diego Vega & Daniel Vega, Peru/Venezuela/Spain Money-lender Clemente only knows how to relate to others through transactions. His life is turned upside down when someone leaves him a baby in a basket. A client, Sofia, steps in to help tend to the baby and Clemente is faced with new possibilities during Lima's October celebration of the Lord of Miracles. | ContemplationsOctober is a movie that is filled with small moments and small miracles. It follows the life of a pawnbroker in Lima, Peru who suddenly finds himself saddled with an infant. It's quietly amusing and some of the characters quite touching - others not so much. I have never understood why someone would pay to have sex with a really unattractive hooker. Wouldn't you want to get the best deal for your money?
Anyway, this was a nice "filler" movie, but I'm afraid October most likely will not make it to even the repertory cinemas in North America. |
Route Irishhttp://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2010/routeirish
Ken Loach, UK/Belgium/Italy/France/Spain A British solider who worked with a security firm in Iraq attends the funeral of his best friend, killed on the notorious Baghdad highway Route Irish. Receiving an envelope containing his friend's cellphone with a video recording of a massacre of Iraqi civilians, he sets out to avenge his friend's memory. | ContemplationsWhat? Another war movie? So what of it? It was directed by Ken Loach.
Loach's movies are hard-hitting on multi levels. His characters fill the screen and are often human time bombs waiting to explode. And that means there's lots of anger...and lots of screaming. His movies are loud and you feel like you've just been to a rock concert after leaving the theatre. His subject matter is always relevant, always looking to remind us that we need to act. So his stories cut you off at the knees AND go for the jugular - you don't stand a chance. So why is someone who spends so much of their life in search of serenity and peace of mind so attracted to such confrontational movies? Well, I don't read the papers or watch the news and I count on filmmakers like Loach to bring important issues to my attention. And I have complete trust in him to show me the different angles of any given subject matter. This time around, Loach and longtime screenwriting collaborator Paul Laverty tackle the issue of mercenaries in Iraq. Loach and Laverty provided further insights in the Q&A and there were some really good questions from the audience (and that's not always the case). The filmmakers brought to light that the use of mercenaries cloaks the fact that countries are still at war even after declaring that they're done, i.e. when a soldier is killed in Iraq, they become a hero and it's all over the news. When a mercenary (most often ex-military) is killed, it's totally swept under the rug - we never hear about it. Loach and Laverty received strong applause when they waxed on about the Iraqi war being an illegal one that needs to be dealt with by an international tribunal dealing with war crimes. And they got a good laugh when they mentioned their surprise at the audience's reaction to a scene where torture was being used - we laughed (apparently Brit audiences didn't), but I think it's because we really appreciated the irony of the moment. You'll just have to see the movie to see what I mean. Tomorrow, I'll be seeing this prolific duo interviewed as part of the Mavericks presentations. It's sure to be riveting. |