The Toronto International Film Festival can, at times, be trying to navigate. Occasionally, your enthusiastic anticipation is met with fury; fury that is best summed up by a peer’s facebook status:
"(ENTER NAME HERE) wants to punch TIFF in the face."
However, it is this very tangled web of ‘how to’ that escalates excitement – and if you know ‘how to’ how to – then all the mad rushing, line ups, scheduling and so forth can be forgiven and, in a slight sadomasochist way, desired.
So to make things easier on those of you who are new to TIFF, here’s a mélange of films that we feel you will enjoy and also give you a taste of the range offered in this insanely huge festival that battles Cannes for top film fest. From where we sit, it’s undeniably better as you, and I, and your mom get to be some of the first audiences in the world to preview films; a luxury that industry driven Cannes can not provide.
ACNE
REVANCHE
AMERICAN SWING
CONTROL ALT DELETE
PARIS NOT FRANCE
ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO
New York, I Love You
BURN AFTER READING
Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist
Rachel Getting Married
Linha De Passe
L’Empriente De L’Ange
Happy Go Lucky
The Wrestler
Gigantic
JOIN US TONIGHT – 9PM ONWARDS! SKY YARD with SKYY VODKA!
GOODBYE SUMMER!
Heavy drama, gritty street, quasi porn, intelligent documentary, and romance; here is a list of films to check out – some with a lot of buzz and A-lister casts, and others that are under the radar but worthy of your attention.
Presenting the Shedoesthecity Sweet Sixteen: big studio movies, foreign gems, homegrown humour, and provocative docs – here’s our variety for you:
ACNE
A thirteen year old boy in Uruguay passes the time having sexual encounters with older women at brothels while his parents battle through divorce, but really just wants a kiss. Young actor, Alejandro Tocar, is being compared to Heather Matarazzo’s nerdy and raging character in WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE.
AMERICAN SWING
Cocaine, disco, Studio 54 – the summer of ’77 in New York City was pulsating – a time ‘after Woodstock…before safe sex’. Plato’s Retreat was the hot spot for swingers who would dance (naked), hot tub (naked), and then walk into the backroom where they were greated by a statuesque like orgy with dozens of couples doing it. Clap your hands together – now imagine that sound in every direction.
BURN AFTER READING
The most buzzed about film is surely the Coen brothers new quirky comedy with Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Frances McDormand and John Malkovich. SO FAMOUS I CAN’T EVEN HANDLE IT!
CONTROL ALT DELETE
A very humorous and demented Canadian film about the panic stricken months leading up to Y2K. Lewis Henderson, an overweight and over-horny computer programmer looses his sh*t when his addiction to internet porn escalates to physically fucking hard drives. A drill, bubble wrap, lubricant and thrusting…and you felt ashamed about redtube.com
LINHA DE PASSE
Director Walter Salles (MOTORCYCLE DIARIES, CENTRAL STATION) has paired with Director Daniewla Thomas (FOREIGN LAND, MIDNIGHT) to create a hard hitting film about a family of four brothers struggling to rise above political oppression in the city slums of Brazil. Casting real people and avoiding sensationalism, this film is being acclaimed as a well-crafted powerful masterpiece.
L’EMPREINTE DE L’ANGE
Like SINGLE WHITE FEMALE – but between two mothers – this suspenseful French drama grows intense when unhealthy dynamics interfere between families and maternal instincts that take charge in fiercely protective ways.
GIGANTIC
Two of our favourite indie actors Paul Dano (LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE and THERE WILL BE BLOOD) and big eyed boho, Zooey Deschanel star in a quirky love story that begins in a mattress store.
HAPPY GO LUCKY
From Director Mike Leigh comes a somewhat indie style BRIDGET JONES DIARY. Poppy (Sally Hawkins) is an awkward, easy to please school teacher in London. Stumbling into romance and falling into LOL embarrassing situations, you will no doubt find a place in your heart for this endearing happy go lucky character.
NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU
Did you fall for PARIS JE T’AIME? Similar to that exquisite masterpiece, NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU uses thirteen directors and an entourage of our favourite actors to shoot a series of overlapping love stories. Kevin Bacon, Orlando Bloom, Chris Cooper, Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson – come on now!
NICK AND NORAH’S INFINITE PLAYLIST
Indie rock teen comedy starring Michael Cera (ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, JUNO). In an attempt to find the joint in NYC where legendary band is playing – these teens fall into an assortment of weird mix-ups and poignant rights of passage…as teen years are so loaded with. Good tunes and awkward adolescence – bless.
PARIS, NOT FRANCE
Adria Petty, notable writer for NYLON and the daughter or Tom Petty (although she’d rather be judged on her own accord) got up close and personal with Paris Hilton over the course of a year. In this documentary, Petty looks at the woman behind the magazine covers and trashy TV shows, while also examining the societal shift in that more people relate to this skinny blonde hotel heiress than the great city! (Have we had enough or are we curious for more?)
RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
Anne Hathaway may just get an Oscar nod for this performance. Hathaway plays Kym – the younger sister who takes a break from rehab to attend the wedding of her older and more ‘together’ sister Rachel (played by Rosemarie DeWitt). Heavy and full of drama mixed with hilarious one liners and a terrific achievement in casting. Felt very BIG CHILL to me, but family versus friends. Excellent.
REVANCHE
A secret relationship between a Ukranian prostitute and her pimp’s empathetic employee lead them to dire acts in order to escape a hardened lifestyle controlled by mobsters. Desperate, passionate and nerve wracking; edge of your seat panic intertwined with lusty sex scenes.
SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK
Directorial debut of highly acclaimed screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (ADAPTATION, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND), with a STELLAR cast including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samantha Morton, Michelle Williams, Emily Watson…to name a few!! Hoffman plays a theatre director who turns everything around him into a play. Pairing the creative intelligence of Hoffman and Kaufman is bound to be a remarkable film that will challenge you.
THE WRESTLER
In 2002 Mickey Rourke was at TIFF for that cracked out film about crystal meth – SPUN. Following the midnight madness screening, he went to the Bovine Sex Club after party and allegedly dropped his drawers. Now he returns as "The Ram," an aging fighter that hits the dark underground blood lust scene to regain notoriety and self esteem. People are whispering "Oscar," and also heralding co-stars Evan Rachel Wood and Marisa Tomei for rich performances. Directed by Darren Aronofsy (REQUIEM FOR A DREAM), this film will certainly pack a punch and make you quiver.
ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO
Directed by Kevin Smith (CLERKS, MALLRATS, CHASING AMY) and starring Seth Rogen (KNOCKED UP, SUPERBAD) – this film about two friends deciding to make porn to earn some extra cash will be dirty and fuuuuunnnny. Another cult classic?
Right now, you can purchase advance ticket packages at the box offices at Manulife Centre and Toronto Life Square
Once you purchase a package (for instance of ten tickets) you can then scan through the schedule and fill out a VERY ELABORATE form detailing your first and second picks. No guarantees, but the sooner you get on this – the better your chances of scooping the films you want. On Sept 1, you will receive an e-mail that will indicate what you’ve been slotted with, and from there – you go back to the box office to claim your allotted tickets. Phew.
OR
Wait until Sept 3, when an enormous line up will form at 5AM for all tickets to go on sale (so if you only want to go to a couple, this is what you could do).
OR
If you are lazy, or the advance tickets for the film(s) you wanted to see are not available, you can then purchase SAME DAY TICKETS starting at 7AM. These can be purchased online, by phone at 416-968-FILM, toll-free at 1-877-968-FILM or in person at the Festival Box Office at Manulife Centre, the Festival Box Office at Toronto Life Square, or the Festival Box Office at Roy Thomson Hall.
OR
For last minute spontaneous decisions, every screening has a RUSH line and there are typically seats available, sometimes a lot – sometimes none. For popular screenings at hot times – you will want to go an hour in a half in advance.
Moving onto a couple noteworthy things this weekend, if you aren’t lapping up Labour Day weekend next to a campfire with a bottle of Baileys:
Moving onto a couple noteworthy things this weekend, if you aren’t lapping up Labour Day weekend next to a campfire with a bottle of Baileys:
TONIGHT
TEMPTATION THURSDAY ON THE ROOF! Well, the Sky Yard!
Shedoesthecity is having an end of the summer party at The Drake tonight on the SKY YARD patio – woot woot! Join us after 9PM, complimentary SKYY Vodka cocktails to those of you who arrive early!
1150 Queen St. West
Rockin’ out for Racks
Who doesn’t want to rock out for racks? In its second year, Rockin’ out for Racks will be busting a move down at Stones Place, raising money for the Weekend to End Breast Cancer. With all the big ticketed ($$$) fundraisers around, this is a $10 at the door way to collectively raise a lot of cash in one fun evening.
Head West with your friends and rock out with your rack out.
More info on Rockin’ out for Racks:
shedoesthecity.com/rockin_out_for_racks
1255 Queen St. West
FRIDAY
CALVIN HARRIS @ CIRCA
Billed as “a cult producer-slash-singer-slash-bedroom-knob-twiddler who can make the banging-est of pop-dance tunes out of bugger-all kit has been going down a storm wherever he goes.”
This electro badass who hails from Scotland will be packing CIRCA – luckily we have two tix for giveaway. Just hit reply if you want one – and say I WANT IT. Winner will be selected randomly by midnight.
Take a listen: http://www.myspace.com/calvinharristv
New album – I CREATED DISCO is in stores now.
To read Robyn’s sassy write up on Calvin, about sweating on the dancefloor in the last days of summer, or something like that:
http://www.shedoesthecity.com/nightlife
126 John Street
SATURDAY
SHAKE A TAIL AT CLINTON’S
Let me see you shake a tail feather at Clinton’s this Saturday. The best old school music to dance around in vintage dresses too.
Get in the mood with today’s video: http://www.shedoesthecity.com
693 Bloor St West
$5
SUNDAY
P.S. KENSINGTON
Get out and enjoy the street festivities while it’s still kind of warm out.
The key to this weekend is to do whatever you can that spells s-u-m-m-e-r and get yourself in gear for ten days of late night bar service starting Sept 4.
Sigh, I know some of you hardcore’s think Sept 22 marks the beginning of fall, but let’s be honest. I feel the von trap family sang it best:
There’s a sad sort of clanging from the clock in the hall
And the bells in the steeple too
And up in the nursery an absurd little bird
Is popping out to say “cuckoo”
Cuckoo, cuckoo.
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night!
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