September Events

Lang Lang – Sept 26
He was on fire again in recital with a full house at Roy Thomson Hall. Sporting a little bling on his lapel, Lang Lang's delivery was uniformly flawless, his interpretation utterly compelling and his flamboyant style infectious. He opened the show with Schubert and moved onto Bartok following intermission. I was mesmerized. We heard lot of Debussy then ended with Chopin's Polonaise. Magic! He even stuck around after the show to sign CDs but I'm sure he's not shaking hands anymore like he did with me in Ottawa last year. (Incredibly soft)

Mid-Autumn Spectacular – Sept 27
The Divine Performing Arts show was...well, spectacular. It was a series of discrete tales, often drawn from legends, and introduced by two bilingual and charming MCs. Mongolian Bowl Dance was a delicate exercise in balance and the Drummers of the Tang Court vigorously lead us into intermission. The show included a multitude of exquisite costumes and full backdrop that provided supplementary images that often morphed into the action on stage. A visual delight. A new show will be staged Jan 8-14, 2009.

Toronto International Film Festival - Sept 4-13/08
I'll remember the 33rd annual TIFF as The Year of the Close Up, with more than half my selections displaying intimate moments with the characters. Well...that, and all the pirates in the audience yelling "aaarrrrg" when the anti-piracy message flashed on the screen prior to each film. (you had to be there)

Most of my 15 films were great, with a couple sinking to the bottom of the list by default and one abysmal stinker. Regret missing? The Wrestler, Slumdog Millionaire and It Might Get Loud, but I'll catch them when they are released later in the year.

(below - Q&A for Religuous with Bill Maher and Larry Charles)

Did You Know? Toronto Film & Television Office issued
3,437 location filming permits in 2007.

Film Festival - Sept

Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)

RocknRolla - d. Guy Ritchie
Absurd, awesome, brutal, convoluted, edgy, gritty, hysterical, loud, raw, sexy, stylish, surprising, wicked, yes. Fantastic! It didn't hurt that Guy was on hand to introduce the film. A great kick off to TIFF 2008.

Me and Orson Welles - d. Richard Linklater
Lovely behind the scenes tribute to one week in New York's theatrical history when Orson Welles boldly staged Julius Caesar in modern dress. Christian McKay delivers a near-perfect voice match developed in Rosebud, his one-man tribute to Welles. I couldn't take my eyes off him when he was on screen. But it was Zak Efron the girls wanted to see at the Q&A. Claire Danes did a fine job as the upwardly mobile assistant who understands at a young age what she needs to do to further her career. (Wink)

Every Little Step - d. James D. Stern/Adam Del Deo
Another behind the scenes story, this time it's the restaging of A Chorus Line in 2006. Complete with archival audio of the original interviews that stimulated the creative juices of choreographer Michael Bennett plus clips from the original production in 1976. We follow the real auditions whittle down from thousands of hopefuls through to final callbacks. The story was a personal and compelling human tale of perseverance. The audience leapt to their feet and whistled as the directors, original dancers (including Donna McKechnie!) and new dancers took their bows at the end of the screen credits.

Religulous - d. Larry Charles w/Bill Maher
After seeing the interview with a bit of the work-in-progress last year, I was comitted to attending the opening that was originally scheduled in time for Easter 2008. Bill, Larry and a small crew travelled around the world asking a few honest questions about faith and received some surprising answers. Maher proves again, that if you give people enough rope they'll likely hang themselves with it. There were so many laughs at our screening, much of the secondary humour was missed. He's just a guy who's trying to understand. Q&A provided a platform for an impromptu rant about the US election campaign. We were also reminded that, despite the results, the production was created with the respect of a curious and doubting mind.

Examined Life - d. Astra Taylor
"Really, we should love garbage," enthuses Slavoj Zizek and I don't know how he did it, but I got a lump in my throat. There is so much musing on humanity in this 87 minute gem that I can't wait to read the transcripts that Taylor plans to publish from the hours of interviews. She brought together "a virtual who's who of contemporary thought" - Cornel West (in the back of a cab), Avital Ronell, Peter Singer (window gazing along 5th Avenue), Swame Anthony Appiah, Martha Nussbaum, Micheal Hardt (rowing a boat!) and of course Zizek examining our societal/cultural relationship to the environment. Thought provoking philosophical material for an early Sunday morning!

Picasso & Braque Go to the Movies - d. Arne Glimcher

I'm certainly familiar with Picasso but did not know that one of his most influential contemporaries was Georges Braque. They were friends at a time when advances in both photography and aviation had captured the public imagination. This excited awareness lead the young painters to reach for new methods of expression such as Cubism. The one-hour film contained fabulous archival footage from the earliest days in film and was followed by a panel discussion with (below, from left): filmmaker, Glimcher; artist and filmmaker Julian Schnabel; and artist Chuck Close. It was surprising to learn that Schnabel used his own two fingers – opening and closing – to create the blinking affect in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. All three confessed a preference for low tech approaches and solutions.

The People Speak - d. Howard Zinn, Anthony Arnove, Chris Moore
Panel discussion and 20 minute sneak peak into the work-in-progress. Famous faces have been raising their voices in theatres across America to recreate many brave messages from the past, as assembled in Zinn's million-seller book, A People's History of the United States. The overarching human truth is that changes in our society originate with many small voices coming together to form one powerful and united force. It was a hopeful message that the appreciative audience embraced.

New York, I Love You - d. various
A series of postcards written and directed by New Yorkers and non-New Yorkers that pay tribute to the Big Apple. From the franchise that brought us Paris, je t'aime a couple of years ago. As a work-in-progress, at the moment many stories were intertwined and a singular gem stood alone: Eli Wallach and Cloris Leachman as a senior couple shuffling and yammering their way to an anniversary lunch. Precious. Ethan Hawke was also a surprise highlight.

Ashes of Time, Redux - d. Wong Kar Wai
I didn't see the original 1992 release so can't compare, but I enjoyed this visual extravaganza that showcased a ponderous action/love story. The audience cheered when the man himself appeared on stage following an absence at the Festival of 11 years when he was here to talk about the intriguing Happy Together.

The Hurt Locker - d. Katherine Bigelow

Taut, testosterone-filled portrayal of a US bomb-diffusion squad in Iraq with many surprises...such as my audience's gasps when things and people were blown up. Didn't you see that coming? Bitter truths and human suffering -> just what I'd expect from a story depicting war. Unrelenting realism that perfectly suits the subject matter. Right up there with Black Hawk Down for leaving your palate full of dry, desert dust long after the credits stop rolling.

Three Blind Mice - d. Matthew Newton *****

This film impressed me very much at the screening and still stands as the most moving and memorable of the week. The director (who also acted) nailed the inner turmoil and external manifestations that the three sailors experienced during a 24-hour shore leave in Sydney, Australia. Marvelously naturalist performances, snappy dialogue, bold action and timely tight shots (filmed by a documentary cinematographer in doc style) all contrived to produce a complete sympathy with the three lead characters. Details about the early warning of trouble aren't revealed until deep into the second-half and when it happened, several members of my audience felt the need to leave. This is the kind of straight-up, raw humanity that reduces me to tears and shatters me for days. And, it did.

Krabat - d. Marco Kreuzpaintner

With opening credits to rival the Harry Potter series, I had high hopes for this fairy tale from the Sprockets section of TIFF. The dark, pestilent 1646 era and sinister atmosphere were evocatively rendered and I was particularly enamoured of the cloaked boys shape-shaping into ravens and soaring around the neighbouring forest. Great performances and suitably grimy costumes, too. But, the story was thin, with repetitive complications and a resolution that was just too simplistic. And, too scary for young kids.

Uncertainty - d. Scott McGehee/David Siegel

A young couple tries to decide whether to attend a Fourth of July dinner at her parents' home in Brooklyn or take off to Manhattan for some fun. Following the toss of a coin, we are treated to the engaging concept of both scenarios (and their consequences) being played out. The girl was far more pretty than talented and her lack of credibility was distracting. The two writer/director/producers – who didn’t show up for Q&A – may have been trying too hard to cram everything into a story that should have been kept simple, since the premise was already complicated enough.

Birdsong - d. A. Serra

I should not have believed the NOW Magazine review that praised this abysmal monstrosity. After checking at the box office all week, I lined up for a Rush ticket for this “hot, sold out” screening. At least half the audience escaped during this 98 minute yawn. Filmed in black and white, the story follows the Three Wise Men through the desert on their way to reach baby Jesus. Dialogue is almost non-existent and action (such as it is) takes place in real time with the robed figures plodding across the desert for ages at a time. They appear to be lost, but any humour about their differing opinions is lost as I retreat back into my restful state. I watched the final 10 minutes with my eyes closed and didn’t miss a thing. What did the director have to say for himself? I don’t know…I didn’t hang around for Q&A. Why waste more of my time?

El Greco - d. Iannis Smaragdis

So glad that I dragged myself out for a Rush ticket early on Saturday morning. The film was rich and colourful, the director was charming and the lead actor Nick Ashdon (right) who portrayed the passionate and talented Domenikos Theotokopoulos (El Greco) was also on hand to answer questions. Yes, a director can use a balcony scene to advance a love story without referencing Romeo and Juliet (I had to ask!) Then I headed to the Bata Shoe Museum to see the exhibit of many paintings and costumes from the film. A very civilized end to a wonderful week!