tiff '09 in review

Photo from "The Road" by director John Hillcoat based on pullitzer prize winning Cormac McCarthy novel.

For me, this year the festival got off to a rocky start. My good film : bad film ratio was not going well for the first few days and I started feeling that my cavalier attitude in picking films was going to bite me in the tuccus. I didn’t get to see “A Serious Man” and as a devotee of the Coen Brothers, I’ll just have to wait until October 16th and live with that. There are other films I wish I could’ve seen but as any festival veteran will tell you, it’s more often about what you can fit into the schedule than what you want (or can) see. I skipped two morning screenings which I have no regrets about and in the final tally saw 24 films. (The same number of screenings my brother saw who did NOT take the week off as I did.) I’m aware it sounds crazy, but I have a 3 per day limit and adhere to that as a rule and space them out intelligently.

My suggested trifecta of films, recommended for sleepless nights are: “Colony,” “Collapse,” and “The Road” in that order if you can…but I did it backwards.

For your convenience, I’ve noted North American release dates when known.

The Happiest Girl In The World – Netherlands/Romania
My first (and likely last) Romanian film is a small idea mixed with terrible editing & pacing but especially bad blocking that made this a mess of a film (unless you love looking at the back of people's heads or people who wander into frame and stare at the camera). What's more boring than waiting on a TV commercial set? Watching someone else do it... from an obscured point of view no less. In a film about some people shooting a TV commercial, it’s disappointing to see more professionalism in the crew on screen than the one that shot the film you’re watching. The film has a moment or two that are worthwhile but you feel like you deserve so much more reward for what you've waited through.

Cracks – UK / Ireland
Sir Ridley Scott was playing the proud father in the audience along with star Eva Green for Jordan Scott's debut feature. Beautiful cinematography aside, you might need to have a female perspective to enjoy this fully.

Daybreakers – Australia / US – Regular release date: January 8, 2010
We (finally) have a winner! 5 years in the making, This fun and surprisingly well written (and executed) fresh take on vampire mythology was worth going to bed at 3am for. Willem Dafoe and Sam Neill came with the directors to present it to a very enthusiastic midnight crowd.

The Informant! - US - Regular release date: September 18, 2009
Even though this film's out in regular theaters at the end of the festival week, I was delighted to see this at the Elgin with director Steven Soderbergh presenting, doing his very best to look like Moby. Lots of fun and probably more relatable to those who have compulsive liars in their lives. And besides, now that the festival’s over… I’m going into hibernation mode when it comes to films in cinemas.

Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel - CAN
Certainly a long documentary that could've benefitted from a tighter edit, but interesting nonetheless. To the delight and surprise of the audience, 82 year old Hef was there and even offered a Q&A.

La Soga - Dominican Republic/US
La Dudd. Took a chance, regretted it. And this is what I get for not trying harder to get “A Serious Man” tickets. (I did try though)

How To Fold A Flag - US
A follow-up to "Gunner Palace" which offers a look at the lives of four young Iraq vets. Powerful. Heartache. Glimmer of hope at end.

The Men Who Stare At Goats – US – Regular release date: November 6, 2009
The opening tag says that the parts of this story that are true you wouldn't believe. Fair warning for this fun romp that is a poke in the third eye of the new age devotees as well as a smile, wink and gentle nod of approval. How much of a satire it is, we may never know.

Valhalla Rising – Denmark / UK
Vikings, huh? An overly meditative yet often brutally violent, aimless, walk through the Scottish wilderness with a mute, one-eyed psychopathic killing machine. Good cinematography but I think I fell asleep in their somewhere. Also worth noting the director had the title of the film before a story or anything else, and no particular interest in real Vikings or their history. And the blood splatters were unconvincing too.

Get Low - US
Late in the game I made a swap and was glad I did. A simple yet intriguing tale of regret based on a true story. Veteran actors all around make easy work for this first time director. Robert Duvall is perfectly cast as a cantankerous old hermit and Bill Murray adds the right amount of levity at each turn. Duvall would appear in my next film, “The Road” as well.

The Road - US - regular release date: November 25, 2009
You may never take a square meal or hot bath for granted again. And if you spend too much time dwelling on what the breakdown of society will look like, you might not sleep soundly either. This hauntingly realistic and uncomplicated nightmarish post-apocalyptic tale is chilling half the time for what you see, and the other half for what you imagine to be around the next corner. A great examination of (in)human nature and unbreakable family bonds. I'm glad I haven't yet read Cormac McCarthy's book, but it just got pushed to the top of my next-to-read list. And on a personal note, my favourite of this year's festival.

Chloe - CAN/US
It always imbues my heart with glowing civic pride to see Toronto on the big screen but this time our fair city isn't doubling for another town. Also, not too shabby a film either. A twist here and there and an unexpectedly ultra-fiery scene too.

Collapse - US
Say what you want about Michael Ruppert (former LAPD officer, radical thinker, or economic alarmist) but his very articulate foreshadowing of dark days ahead of us aren’t easy to shake or dimiss. But whatever your viewpoints are, his suggestions of how to prepare for what’s coming are good advice in any event and his warnings are to be ignored at our own peril. Side note: Documentarian Chris Smith ("American Movie" and "The Yes Men") put the finishing touches to this film just hours before bringing it the festival.

Youth In Revolt – US – regular release date: Oct. 30, 2009
I had a perpetual smile on my face and some laugh out loud moments to boot. This teenage story of love and rebellion is brimming with charm.

The Invention of Lying – US – regular release date: Oct 2, 2009
Definitely lesser than the sum of its parts. A few fun bits and ideas in this upside-down universe mixed with a slew of cameos can't really save this comedy that aims to have deeper meaning and misses. I should’ve known better but I had a spot to fill and this is sometimes how the festival goes.

Cell 211 - Spain / France
I took an aisle seat to make a hasty retreat if the film failed to grab me in the first half hour. I needn't have bothered. Riveting and uncompromising from the get go. No happy ending for this Spanish prison flick that keeps you on the edge of your seat. My happiest surprise of the festival.

Mother – South Korea
What a mother would do to protect her son and in this case, prove his innocence is explored to the extreme in this gripping mystery from Bong Joon-ho, director of “The Host.” Much to the delight of some overly excited teens, he was in town to present the film.

High Life - CAN
A morphine-infused heist flick that shoots up first and asks questions later. Fun and worthwhile.

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans - US
The title is long for legal distinction only. I was on the fence about this the whole festival and ultimately didn't care for it much... or maybe that's just how I felt about the protagonist. Some interesting moments but on the whole it doesn't work as a crime drama or comedy which it seems stuck in between. Just maybe weird enough to become a cult favourite but not one I feel a need to revisit.

Baaria - Italy
To appreciate it fully, familiarity with Sicilian history is a must. Without that, it's still a gorgeous film of countless vignettes over the course of one Sicilian's lifetime that you can't take your eyes off and surprisingly abrupt editing for a film running over two and a half hours. A truly rare film fest opportunity as I doubt this will find distribution locally.

Last Ride - Australia
And the award for father of the year goes to... NOT THIS GUY. A dark tale that should be shown to any teenage ingrate who's actually got decent parents. Carefully considered moments and a strong performance from Hugo Weaving.

Perrier's Bounty – Ireland / UK
I really enjoyed this director's previous offering, "A Film With Me In It," at last year's TIFF. It was one of those undiscovered gems and a delightful black comedy. I was pleased to have this to look forward to at the end of a long week and it didn't disappoint. Nothing Earth-shattering but a solid follow-up nonetheless that leaves me looking forward to his next.

Colony - Ireland
The recent, massive drop in the bee population is mysterious and troubling, but even moreso when you learn how integral bees are to our food supply and just how it all works. The plight of the American bee keeper is a very serious problem for agriculture (and all of us) whether you realize it or not. And after this fascinating documentary, you'll likely know a lot more than you did and you'll wish there was an easy solution. I rearranged my TIFF schedule considerably to see this and was very glad I did.

The Imaginariun of Dr. Parnassus – CAN/UK – regular release date: December 25, 2009
I was quite surprised that director Terry Gilliam was still around for the last day of the festival for a Q&A. This film is nothing less than what you'd expect from the unrestrained mind of Gilliam. Those who felt “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen” was right up their alley would no doubt enjoy this, but it’s not likely what the mainstream audiences are looking for. I consider that a good thing for art’s sake. It’s a bit muddled in the beginning, harder to explain than it is to follow yet one can’t help think that a second viewing is necessary to appreciate all the textured elements of the fable. The untimely passing of Heath Ledger as the lead in the film forced them to go down some different paths that Gilliam suggests made it stronger overall, and fit eerily well.