Christine Estima

In the spring of 2004, 21-year-old Lara Roxx left her hometown of Montreal and headed to L.A to try to make tons of cash in the adult entertainment industry. Within two months of working in this industry she contracted the most virulent form of HIV while performing sex in front of the camera. Inside Lara Roxx, a documentary premiering at this year’s Hot Docs film festival in Toronto, is about the adult movie industry and its impact on a young life.

Live, Biffy Clyro sound exactly like their records. This is a trip, and worth mentioning, because their latest effort Only Revolutions is a blind and fearless leap into that monoaural 14th Floor Records sound that mummifies budgetrock ethos with their golden gospel.

There are approximately 300 films being screened over a 10 day period during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, and just scrolling absentmindedly through the schedule at TIFF.net is more than just a little overwhelming. What to see? What looks good? And what looks like an utter train wreck?

Tiesto, known as the world’s number one DJ, who has toured the globe several times over and is probably more ubiquitous than Michael Jackson, could never play a concert in a venue like Massey Hall or Air Canada Centre. Trance beats and seats bolted to the floor are not conducive to an effective club vibe.

Anyone who is familiar with director/writer/activist Michael Moore‘s documentary film style is probably well aware of what he is for and what he is against. Luckily for the sake of Capitalism: A Love Story, Moore hasn’t forgotten what he’s against either and this doc is meticulously focussed on portraying the excesses and greed of the uber-rich and the banks that led to the stock market collapse.

Two films concerning the life and times of legendary French fashion designer Coco Chanel are being released this year. While one focuses on her mid-career affair with composer Igor Stravinsky, Coco Avant Chanel, however, centres on her early struggle, fighting tooth and nail to make a life for herself independently in a time when a woman’s security came either from marriage or prostitution.

Critically-acclaimed stars and over-exposed starlets have descended on Hollywood North for the largest public film festival in the world, and the hype surrounding this year’s TIFF selections is in full force. From another political thriller from George Clooney (Men Who Stare At Goats), and Jennifer’s Body, a Megan Fox vehicle which adds to the commercial-tweenification of horror films, to Mariah Carey’s Oscar-buzz performance in Precious, there are in fact too many must-see films for this one reviewer to see. But there are some rather quiet TIFF selections, not concerned at all with hype, which undoubtedly very few film critics will bother reviewing. That’s where I come in!

Imagine zombies have taken over small town Ontario. More specifically, English-language zombies. And the only way to prevent yourself from becoming one of them is to speak French.

Oh, the Quebecois are going to love this movie.

Woody Allen has been changing up his niche/trademark film style lately. Match Point and Vicky Christina Barcelona were departures his classics like Scenes From A Mall, Manhattan, and Annie Hall. Less quirky relationship-driven narratives and more about life-or-death situations that change your destiny forever.

When Renee Zellweger first caught our attention, she was making decent film choices – Empire Records, Jerry Maguire, Chicago, and of course Bridget Jones Diary. But lately she’s been making odd rom-com choices (Down With Love, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason) that have me questioning her Oscar win. New In Town would be her latest effort in making us believe she’s a comedic actress with impeccable timing.