2009 Toronto International Film Festival
A Little Something For Everyone at TIFF
By: Mark Favermann - Sep 14, 2009
Filmmakers have been susceptible to the problems of cash-flow and limited resources. Investment in new film ventures, always pretty tricky, has now become qualifiedly spiky with thorns and thistles wrapped around deals, promises that cannot be kept, and potential fat cat investors who have disappeared like the Cheshire Cat's smile. That said, the show must go on, and Toronto is certainly one of the biggest film shows on earth.
Toronto is the largest cities and the center of commerce and industry in Canada. For ten days each September, it becomes the International Capitol of Film. For this week and a half, it is the cinematic center of the universe.
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is the celebration of all things that we love about the movies: the stars, directors, excitement of the premiere, independent Davids in a Goliath film world, Hollywood blockbusters, provocative documentaries (docs), folks who grind out a picture almost every year like the Coen Brothers, individuals who have worked eight or nine years to present a small, but at times eloquent, movie like Icelandic director Dagur Kari. There is the buzz of the unexpected, excitement of visual and verbal opportunity and intersection of world and popular cultures. You find it all at TIFF.
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is the celebration of all things that we love about the movies: the stars, directors, excitement of the premiere, independent Davids in a Goliath film world, Hollywood blockbusters, provocative documentaries (docs), folks who grind out a picture almost every year like the Coen Brothers, individuals who have worked eight or nine years to present a small, but at times eloquent, movie like Icelandic director Dagur Kari. There is the buzz of the unexpected, excitement of visual and verbal opportunity and intersection of world and popular cultures. You find it all at TIFF.
This year's TIFF which ran from September 11 to September 19, had the same energy and expectation that have long characterized the festival. The Toronto organizing committee tweaks the programming and the process including a ticket lottery each year to make the event run smoothly and gracefully.
While the industry, filmmakers, movie distributors, schedulers, the press, etc., can watch films 24 hours a day at special locations, the public sees selected films at set locations scheduled throughout the 10 days. There is more than a sprinkling of major and lesser stars, directors, and producers. This is where films are made into viable financial artistic successes or not. Star power can translate into lots of cash, or not. This year it seemed to be a festival of dreams, crashes, deals, and duds.
While the industry, filmmakers, movie distributors, schedulers, the press, etc., can watch films 24 hours a day at special locations, the public sees selected films at set locations scheduled throughout the 10 days. There is more than a sprinkling of major and lesser stars, directors, and producers. This is where films are made into viable financial artistic successes or not. Star power can translate into lots of cash, or not. This year it seemed to be a festival of dreams, crashes, deals, and duds.
Personally, as a ticket paying movie lover, I took in seven films during two and half days. I also saw in person Michael Caine, Michael Douglas, Matt Damon and Aidan Quinn. Other stars were about like George Clooney, Michael Moore (yes, actor/documentarian Michael Moore), etc. I just did not see them.
I did ride on a plane with Matt Damon's mother and the political scientist Howard Zinn on their way to see Damon's The Informant premiere. By the way, many films like The Informant have their international or North American premiere at TIFF and are soon placed in general distribution immediately after the festival.
Others' viewing are stretched to even a year or more after the event. Some are never seen again. The arbitrariness of the film world makes many good, if not great, films never distributed, virtually never seen. The ingredients in success are iffy at best. What causes the Buzz? What causes traction? Who will actually want to see the film? It is all a bit like the visual art world of galleries, museums, and collectors, but not.
This is big business decided upon by different levels of movie industry players including distributors, schedulers, and financiers, not to mention pre-release, and festival audience reception and critics.
I did ride on a plane with Matt Damon's mother and the political scientist Howard Zinn on their way to see Damon's The Informant premiere. By the way, many films like The Informant have their international or North American premiere at TIFF and are soon placed in general distribution immediately after the festival.
Others' viewing are stretched to even a year or more after the event. Some are never seen again. The arbitrariness of the film world makes many good, if not great, films never distributed, virtually never seen. The ingredients in success are iffy at best. What causes the Buzz? What causes traction? Who will actually want to see the film? It is all a bit like the visual art world of galleries, museums, and collectors, but not.
This is big business decided upon by different levels of movie industry players including distributors, schedulers, and financiers, not to mention pre-release, and festival audience reception and critics.
Two films from TIFF 2008 never seemed to get out of the blocks. A wonderful French musical fantasy film, Beauborg 1936, got great audience response in Toronto, but was devastated by criticism in the The New York Times. Another fantasy film, starring Peter O'Toole in a great supporting role performance, Dean Stanley, seemed to just vanish. That film even encouraged me to buy a very expensive bottle of dessert wine. Oh well.
Giving a report card to the seven films that I saw, the grades were all over the place. A solid "A" went to the Columbian/Spanish film Rabia. This the story of the unpleasant Latin American immigrant experience in contemporary Spain. Filmed primarily in a Baroque. Spanish mansion with the house as a major "actor" in the film. It tells the story of two South American immigrants, a beautiful young woman and a tough young man, working hard to better their lives. Things go wrong and never seem to get better.The cinematography is great as is much of the acting. There are performances by actors that are simply magnificent. This film should be shown, but who knows?
Australian diva director Jane Campion's mannered and somewhat precious Keats in love film Bright Star deserves a "B"as it is pretty but too thin in storyline.The French documentary Irene deserves an "F" as the director must of had a friend on the jury to allow this dribble to even be shown. This amateur attempt at reading a diary of a spousal suicide almost 40 years later made watching paint dry seem interesting and uplifting in comparison.
Michael Caine's vigilante pensioner Harry Brown in a tough housing estate in London is a bit Dirty Harry with a Cockney accent. It gets a "B+" for bravado. Michael Douglas' Solitary Man will have a commercial run, but is a flawed film about an ethically imbalanced 60-something, successful player on a downward spiral.The film is clever and at times funny and hip. It deserves a B-/ C+.
The Good Heart with Brian Cox and Paul Dano in great roles and performances includes supporting actors and animals in superb performances as well. Cox eats the scenery and has most of the best lines. The problem with the film is the too pat ending. Director/writer Dagur Kari took 9 years to make the film. Grade: "A- / B+." This film may get some art house traction. The seventh film starring Aidan Quinn and the beautiful Connie Nielsen, A Shine of Rainbows, was a heart-wrenching Canadian/Irish children's film that included an orphan boy, an orphan seal, a dying, beautiful adoptive mother/wife, a taciturn fisherman adoptive father/grieving husband and raw Irish sea island. This film should be shown on the Hallmark Channel. Grade: B-. A good cry could be had by all.
Michael Caine's vigilante pensioner Harry Brown in a tough housing estate in London is a bit Dirty Harry with a Cockney accent. It gets a "B+" for bravado. Michael Douglas' Solitary Man will have a commercial run, but is a flawed film about an ethically imbalanced 60-something, successful player on a downward spiral.The film is clever and at times funny and hip. It deserves a B-/ C+.
The Good Heart with Brian Cox and Paul Dano in great roles and performances includes supporting actors and animals in superb performances as well. Cox eats the scenery and has most of the best lines. The problem with the film is the too pat ending. Director/writer Dagur Kari took 9 years to make the film. Grade: "A- / B+." This film may get some art house traction. The seventh film starring Aidan Quinn and the beautiful Connie Nielsen, A Shine of Rainbows, was a heart-wrenching Canadian/Irish children's film that included an orphan boy, an orphan seal, a dying, beautiful adoptive mother/wife, a taciturn fisherman adoptive father/grieving husband and raw Irish sea island. This film should be shown on the Hallmark Channel. Grade: B-. A good cry could be had by all.
There was real Buzz for the Oprah Winfree produced Precious about an obese, black, young woman who seems to have everything going against her. Real life husband and wife Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly play Mr. and Mrs. Charles Darwin in the controversial Creation. A lot of Buzz for this one.
There were also a number of vampire films. Vampires seem to be in the air since Wall Street's blood-sucking and bloodletting of the recession. Michael Moore's Capitalism shouted from the roof tops about the broken system. It is already in commercial run. The Coen Brothers film, A Serious Man was taken seriously as their films always are.
Matt Damon's film The Informant premiered and the next week was showing in commercial theatres. George Clooney had two films: The Men Who Stare At Goats and Up in the Air. Both have major box office and Oscar potential. Werner Herzog's remake of the 1992 classic The Bad Lieutenant with Nicholas Cage reprising the role of the corrupt cop, played earlier by Harvey Kaitel, has received a lot of Buzz.
There were also a number of vampire films. Vampires seem to be in the air since Wall Street's blood-sucking and bloodletting of the recession. Michael Moore's Capitalism shouted from the roof tops about the broken system. It is already in commercial run. The Coen Brothers film, A Serious Man was taken seriously as their films always are.
Matt Damon's film The Informant premiered and the next week was showing in commercial theatres. George Clooney had two films: The Men Who Stare At Goats and Up in the Air. Both have major box office and Oscar potential. Werner Herzog's remake of the 1992 classic The Bad Lieutenant with Nicholas Cage reprising the role of the corrupt cop, played earlier by Harvey Kaitel, has received a lot of Buzz.
Will there be a Slumdog Millionaire with its 8 Oscars this year? It is doubtful, but hope springs eternal in filmland. The Toronto International Film Festival is a place of dreams and nightmares. This year's recession has added greater angst and nervousness. Every year, Toronto is a great place to get lost in the dark.