Highlights on the list of stars and filmmakers include Clint Eastwood, Aaron Eckhart, Danny Boyle, Robert Redford, Jim Broadbent, Werner Herzog, Michael Winterbottom, Errol Morris, Woody Harrelson, Scott Speedman, David Schwimmer, Rosamund Pike, John Cameron Mitchell, Keanu Reeves, and Helen Mirren, just to name a few.

TIFF 2010 runs from September 9 to 19. For more information visit www.tiff.net, and scroll down for the full list of attendees.

Actors A to C:
Aamir Khan, Aaron Eckhart, Aaron Poole, Abigail Breslin, Adelaide Clemens, Adrienne Ciuffo, AJ Bowen, Alessandro Nivola, Alex Russell, Alexander Gammal, Alexandra Chowaniec, Allie MacDonald, Amanda Plummer, Amber Heard, Amy Grey, Amy Madigan, Amy Ryan, Anamaria Marinca, Andrea Riseborough, Anna Hopkins, Anna Mae Routledge, Andy Sparacino, April Telek, Aqib Khan, Ari Cohen, Audrey Mars, Barry Pepper, Belén Rueda, Bill Gates, Bill Murray, Bill Pullman, Bjorn Lomborg, Blake Lively, Bob Hoskins, Bruce Greenwood, Bruce Springsteen, Carey Lovelace, Carey Mulligan, Carla Sacks, Carrie Ng, Catherine Deneuve, Catherine Keener, Char Davies, Charlotte Rampling, Christopher C.J. Wallace, Christopher Plummer, Cindy Nelson, Clive Owen, Colin Firth, Connor Paolo, Craig Roberts, Cyril Dugovic

Actors D to G:
Danielle Harris, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Dave Lawrence, David Suzuki, David Timoner, Dominic Cooper, Doro Bachrach, Dwight Yoakam, Edward Norton, Ellen Page, Emily Hampshire, Emma Roberts, Emma Stone, Emmanuel Bilodeau, Erwin Strauss, Evan Sneider, Fisher Stevens, Francesca Gasteen, Freida Pinto, Garrett Dillahunt, Gemma Arterton, Geoffrey Canada, Geoffrey Rush, George Rush, Georgina Haig, Glenn Howerton, Guerilla Girls

Actors H to L:
Hallie Switzer, Harvey Keitel, Helen Mirren, Hilary Swank, Irène Jacob, Isabelle Blais, Jackson Rathbone, Jake Johnson, James Caan, James Franco, Jason Jones, Javier Bardem, Jay Baruchel, Jennifer Connelly, Jeon Do-yeon, Jeremy Renner, Jill Hennessy, Jim Broadbent, Joe Swanberg, John Brolin, John Ortiz, Jon Hamm, Jon Lovitz, Jonathan Baldock, John Legend, Josh Hartnett, Josh Lucas, Juan Diego Botto, Julian Richings, Julie Bilson Ahlberg, Juno Temple, Kailey Swanson, Kat Dennings, Kat Germain, Keanu Reeves, Keir Gilchrist, Kelly Preston, Kevin Spacey, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Kristin Scott Thomas, L.J. Benet, Lambert Wilson, Laura Dern, Lee Jung-jae, Lee Pace, Lesley Chilcott, Lesley Manville, Liana Liberato, Liv Tyler, Ludivine Sagnier

Actors M to R:
Macha Grenon, Malin Akerman, Maria Bello, Marion Cotillard, Martha Wilson, Martin Sheen, Martina Gusman, Mary Steenburgen, Matt Damon, Maya Hawke, Megan Fox, Melanie Laurent, Michael Angarano, Michael C. Hall, Michael Moore, Michael Pena, Michael Sheen, Mickey Rourke, Milla Jovovich, Minnie Driver, Miranda Richardson, Molly Parker, Morgan Davidoff, Nadia Litz, Natalie Portman, Nicole Kidman, Noah Reid, Oliver Ackland, Olivia Newton-John, Olivier Barthelemy, Om Puri, Paolo Costanzo, Patrick Labbé, Paul Giamatti, Paul J. Spence, Penn Badgley, Philomène Bilodeau, Pierre Bergé,

Actors R to Z:
Rachel Weisz, Rachelle Lefevre, Rainn Wilson, Ray Winstone, Rebecca Hall, Rebecca Hill, Reece Thompson, Rick Miller, Robert De Niro, Robert James, Roberta Cairney, Romain Duris, Ron Hynes, Ron Perlman, Ronnie Fridthjof, Rosamund Pike, Ross Clark, Ruth Charney, Ruth Sheen, Ryan Gosling, Ryan Kwanten, Ryan Phillippe, Ryan Reynolds, Sally Hawkins, Sam Rockwell, Sara Stockman, Sarah Kolasky, Sarah Peter, Sarah Silverman, Scott Speedman, Seán Cullen, Shannon Woodward, Stephen Eric McIntyre, Stephen Root, Temuera Morrison, Terra Hazelton, Thomas Haden Church, TJ Power, Tracy Lawrence, Uma Thurman, Valentina Berisa, Vera Farmiga, Vincent Cassel, Will Ferrell, William B. Davis, William H. Macy, Woody Harrelson, Xiao Min, Yasmin Paige, Zach Braff, Zach Galifianakis, Zak Santiago.

Filmmakers A to C:
Aamir Bashir, Aaron Phelan, Abe Sylvia, Achero Mañas, Adam Wingard, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Álex de la Iglesia, Alex Gibney, Amos Gitai, Andrew Lau, Andrucha Waddington, Andy De Emmony, Anna Boden, Anne Emond, Antoine Bourges, Anurag Kashyap, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Atom Egoyan, Avi Nesher, Barr Gilmore, Barry Blaustein, Belmin Soylemez, Ben Affleck, Ben C. Lucas, Ben Stassen, Benoit Jacquot, Boo Junfeng, Brad Anderson, Brandon Cronenberg, Brian D. Johnson, Bruce LaBruce, Bruce McDonald, Callum Cooper, Cam Woykin, Carl Bessai, Carla Susanto, Caroline Monnet, Catherine Breillat, Catherine Martin, Charles Ferguson, Charlotte Sachs Bostrup, Chris Chong Chan Fui & Yasuhiro Morinaga, Chris Kraus, Christophe Nick, Thomas Bornot, Clint Eastwood

Filmmakers D to F:
Dan Popa, Dan Rush, Daniel Cockburn, Daniel Espinosa, Daniel Hendler, Danis Goulet, Danny Boyle, Darragh McDonald, Darren Aronofsky, David M. Rosenthal, David Schwimmer, Davis Guggenheim, Deborah Chow, Delfina Castagnino, Denis Côté, Denis Villeneuve, Derek Cianfrance, Djo Tunda Wa Munga, Dominic Angerame, Douglas Gordon, Dustin Lance Black, Ed Gass-Donnelly, Emilio Estevez, Emmanuel Shirinian & Russell Bennett, Emre Sahin, Eran Riklis, Eric Lartigau, Eriko Sonoda, Errol Morris, Ezra Holland, Federico Veiroj, Fernando Trueba, Javier Mariscal, Tono Errando, Firas Momani, François Ozon, Frederick Wiseman

Filmmakers G to J:
Gabriel Range, Gareth Edwards, George Hickenlooper, Gilles Paquet Brenner, Greg Atkins, Guillaume Canet, Guillem Morales, Guy Maddin, Guy Moshe, Hans Olson, Helga Fanderl, Ian Sharp, Iciar Bollain, Im Sang-Soo, Ingrid Veninger, Isaac Cravit, Isabelle Stever, J. Clay Tweel, Jacob Tierney, James Andean & Francois Xavier Saint-Pierre, James Benning, James Gunn, James Wan, Janus Metz, Jeff Barnaby, Jem Cohen, Jerome Sable, Jim Mickle, Joe LoBianco, Jody Shapiro, John Bolton, John Cameron Mitchell, John Carpenter, John Curran, John Gray, John Madden, John Price, John Sayles, John Turturro, Jonathan Nossiter, Jonathan Sobol, José Luis Guerin, Juanita Wilson, Julian Schnabel, Julien Carbon, Julio Hernández Cordón, Justin Chadwick, Justin Lerner

Filmmakers K to M:
Katrin Bowen, Kaveh Nabatian, Kazik Radwanski, Kelly Reichardt, Ken Loach, Kevan Funk, Kevin Jerome Everson, Khalo Matabane, Kim Longinotto, Kiran Rao, Kire Paputts, Koen Mortier, Ky Nam Le Duc, Larysa Kondracki, Laura Israel, Leon Ford, Linda Hoaglund, Liz Van Allen Cairns, Laurent Courtiaud, Louis Bélanger, Louise Alston, Lucien Castaing-Taylor, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Madison Brookshire, Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, Malcolm Venville, Manuel Martin Cuenca, Marie-Josee Saint-Pierre, Marion Hänsel, Mark Hartley, Mark Romanek, Martin Sokol, Matt Reeves, Max Winkler, Michael Dowse, Michael McGowan, Michael Nyman, Michael Rowe, Michael Snow, Michael Vass, Michelangelo Frammartino, Mike Goldbach, Mike Leigh, Mike Mills, Milcho Manchevski, Mitch Glazer

Filmmakers N to Y:
Nadia Litz, Nathaniel Dorsky, Nick Fox Gieg, Nicolás Pereda, Nigel Cole, Oliver Husain, Oliver Schmitz, Ondi Timoner, Özlem Sulak, Pablo Trapero, Pasquale Scimeca, Patricio Guzmán, Pelin Esmer, Perry Bard, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Pierre Thoretton, Rachid Bouchareb, Rebecca Meyers, Reha Erdem, Richard Ayoade, Richard Bowen, Richard J. Lewis, Risteard Ó Domhnaill, Robert Redford, Rodrigo Cortés, Romain Gavras, Rowan Joffe, Ryan Fleck, Ryan Redford, Sara St. Onge, Sarah Bouyain, Sarah McCarthy, Saverio Constanzo, Seren Yüce, Sergei Loznitsa, Shawn Ku, Sion Sono, Sophie Fiennes, Sophie Goyette, Stefano Incerti, Stefano Pasetto, Stephen Frears, Steve Nash, Steven Silver, Sturla Gunnarsson, Susanne Bier, Tao Gu, Tayfun Pirselimoglu, Terry Miles, Theodore Ushev, Theron Patterson, Thom Andersen, Thom Zimny, Tom Hooper, Tom Tykwer, Tomonari Nishikawa, Tony Goldwyn, Trevor Anderson, Vincent Biron, Vincent Gallo, Vincent Grenier, Wang Bing, Werner Herzog, Will Gluck, William D. MacGillivray, Woody Allen, Wuershan, Xavier Dolan, Yoel Meranda.

Noah Reid as Farley in Score: A Hockey Musical

During a special press conference at the Hockey Hall of Fame last week, TIFF CEO and director Piers Handling and co-director Cameron Bailey announced that Michael McGowan‘s Score: A Hockey Musical will make its world premier as the opening night gala film for this year’s 35th annual festival.

The film stars newcomer Noah Reid as the very sheltered Farley, a teenager with an uncommon ability on the ice who finds himself propelled to overnight stardom when he’s discovered at the local rink. For his hippy-dippy parents, it’s almost a nightmare though, and Farley has to learn the rules of the ice if he really wants to stay in the limelight.

Score: A Hockey Musical co-stars Allie MacDonald as Farley’s best friend, and potential love interest, while Olivia Newton-John and singer/songwriter Marc Jordan play Farley’s unique parents. The film also stars Stephen McHattie, John Pyper-Ferguson, Brandon Firla, and features cameos by the likes of Nelly Furtado, George Stroumboulopoulos, Hawksley Workman, John McDermott, Evan Solomon, Steve Kouleas, Walter Gretzky, and Theo Fleury.

The film includes a total of 19 original songs by McGowan, performed by the Barenaked Ladies, Amy Sky and Marc Jordan, Olivia Newton-John, and Hawksley Workman, who also contributed to five of the tracks.

For McGowan, who both wrote and directed the musical comedy, this marks his third film to premier at TIFF; he previously debuted One Week at TIFF in 2008, and Saint Ralph in 2004.

This year’s festival also comes with a small gift for film fans since the event has been extended by one day, running a total of eleven days from September 9th to 19th.

For more information, stay tuned to The GATE, and head over to tiff.net/thefestival for tickets, or call 1-877-968-FILM.

Photo Gallery:

Bell Lightbox

For the 2010 TIFF, the festival also announced a number of updates and changes for tickets, including a brand new box office on King Street West, which opens on August 24.

Among the changes for this year, the festival has announced that World and North American premieres will now be considered Premium Screenings, with red carpet events added to multiple venues.

Additionally, the festival has added a new ticket package called “The Canadian Pack” which will expose film lovers to five new Canadian films. All festival ticket packages put together by TIFF programmers will also include a voucher to catch a free screening at TIFF’s Bell Lightbox, which is set to open later this year.

Maybe the best news though? The festival will run an additional day this year, kicking off on September 9 and closing on September 19.

For the 16th year, TIFF will host Gala Presentations, and the Opening and Closing night films at Roy Thomson Hall, while other film presentations will be held at the Visa Screening Room at the Elgin Theatre, AMC 24 at Yonge & Dundas, Cineplex Odeon Varsity Cinemas, the Isabel Bader Theatre at Victoria College, the Winter Garden Theatre, Jackman Hall at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Ryerson Theatre at Ryerson University, the Scotiabank Theatre, and select screenings at TIFF Bell Lightbox.

Visa cardholders have until July 11 to buy ticket packages through the phone at 416-968-FILM (or toll-free at 1-877-968-FILM), online at tiff.net/festival, or in-person at the TIFF Box Office at 2 Carlton Street. Regular ticket package sales, for cash and debit, begins on July 12.

Starting on August 24, when the official film schedule becomes available and advance ticket sales begin for My Choice Packs, the festival’s new box office will open at 363 King Street West. Single tickets go on sale starting on September 3.

More detailed information follows below, and check back in to The GATE for ongoing coverage of the 2010 TIFF.

BOX OFFICE HOURS OF OPERATION

TIFF Box Office (until August 20)
2 Carlton Street
West Mezzanine level
Monday to Friday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Closed August 2

Festival Box Office at 363 King Street West (opens August 24)
August 24: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
August 25 through September 1: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
September 2 through 3: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
September 4 through 8: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
September 9 through 18: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
September 19: 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.

PRICING SAMPLES*

50-Film Pack – $524.00
25-Film Daytime Pack – $202.00
Student One-Day Pass – $19.69

TIFF CHOICE PACKS**

The Canadian Pack (5 Films) – $80.00
Midnight Madness Pack (10 Films) – $157.00
Sampler Pack (3 Films) – $69.00
Double Date Gala Pack (2 Films, 8 tickets) – $299.00
Closing Night Film & Cocktail – $180.00

SINGLE TICKETS (available as of September 3)

Regular Public Screenings: $19.69
Premium Public Screenings: $38.27

* Prices exclude taxes and fees.
** Packages include a TIFF Bell Lightbox Voucher

Julia Voth, Erin Cummings and America Olivo in Bitch Slap

During last year’s festival, actresses Erin Cummings, America Olivo, and Canadian Julia Voth–who walked the red carpet for their indie cult film, Bitch Slap–were “blown away” by the overwhelming response from fans.

Months later, with the film released on a 2-disc special edition dubbed Bitch Slap: Stacked Edition, fans are still talking about Bitch Slap and what makes the sexploitation action film so much fun.

Here’s what the actresses had to say about making the film, why they got involved, and where the whole process took them.

W. Andrew Powell
“What made you want to get involved in Bitch Slap?”

Erin Cummings
“The common theme is just the strong, iconic female characters; superheroes, if you will. Each of us represents a different aspect of feminine power, and so for me, being able to portray a character who was not only strong and could do these amazing fight scenes, and if I do say so myself, very lovely sex scenes, but was incredibly intelligent. There was just something that that really made me go, wow, this is not your classic, I’m being exploited exploitation film. As a woman, I went, you know what, this role isn’t going to come along any time soon, I better take it while I got it.”

Julia Voth
“It was like it was written for me. I feel so blessed that it was offered to me… it has been an amazing journey and an amazing ride. I just feel so blessed.”

America Olivo
“We all had a similar story, and there’s longer versions… and it does start out with being presented with a project, meeting the directors and producers… that were interested in us as the leads, doing an interesting thing called Bitch Slap. And I think all of that put together was a little disconcerting up front, but when you know who’s behind it; the creators of Hercules [The Legendary Journeys] and Xena [Warrior Princess], and director Rik Jacobsen, and to see their body of work in the past… it was a really friendly environment.”

Andrew
“What did it take to film some of the scenes? Did you have to form a friendship to make them work, considering they’re so intimate and intense?”

Julia
“I think that we bonded right away. We really formed a close friendship. I love these two girls dearly. We really became this family.”

“Some of the scenes Erin and I had were pretty intense, so you have to have a trust…”

America
“And respect.”

Erin
“And communication.”

Julia
“Exactly. We talked about it before — nothing is off limits — we gave each other the okay to go there and just do it. You need to have the communication, the trust, and the respect for each other to make something like this work. When you’re working so closely with each other and it’s a very intense shoot and it’s every day…”

Erin
“And we also made a committment to each other to not be the diva… at the end of the day we were all at the same level. That automatically created an environement of, you know what, it’s the three of us. There’s no star of the film. It’s the three of us together and we had an amazing supporting cast that’s just as integral as we are.”

Bitch Slap: Stacked Edition is available on DVD and Blu-ray, and includes 2 director commentaries, plus a number of special features, including: Building a Better B-Movie, Kinki’s Guide to Sexual Harassment in the Workplace, Stripping is a Feminist Act, Bitch Slap 101, promos, and deleted scenes.

Visit www.bitchslapmovie.com for more on the film.

Photo courtesy of E1 Entertainment.

Ruba Nadda on the set of 'Cairo Time'

At this year’s event, one of my highlights was the opportunity to interview writer and director Ruba Nadda, who was at the festival for her latest feature film, Cairo Time, which stars Patricia Clarkson and Alexander Siddig in a drama about a married woman who finds love with another man on vacation.

This was actually not my first interview with Nadda, a filmmaker I met over eight years ago when she was just beginning to make a name for herself with films like Damascus Nights, Slut, and Laila.

Sitting down with her at the restaurant in the Intercontinental hotel near Yorkville, I chatted with her about the filmmaking process, how she got her two stars involved, and generally what it feels like to bring her film to audiences after three years of work. Here’s what she had to say about her new film, which opens in Canada today, October 9.

Watch the interview:
]]> http://www.thegate.ca/front-page/05583/ruba-nadda-on-her-new-film-cairo-time/feed/ 0 http://www.thegate.ca/front-page/05361/tiff-gallery-the-men-who-stare-at-goats-press-conference/ http://www.thegate.ca/front-page/05361/tiff-gallery-the-men-who-stare-at-goats-press-conference/#comments Sun, 13 Sep 2009 04:36:32 +0000 W. Andrew Powell http://www.thegate.ca/?p=5361 George Clooney and Ewan McGregor arrived at the Toronto International Film Festival press conference for their new film, The Men Who Stare at Goats.]]>

Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor, and George Clooney

Joining the duo on the stage were actor Jeff Bridges, director Grant Heslov, author Jon Ronson, and screenplay writer Peter Straughan, but to be honest, the focus was clearly on Clooney, thanks at least in part to numerous questions directed at the star.

The satirical comedy is set to be released on November 6, 2009, and follows Clooney and McGregor’s characters as they investigate the U.S. military’s plans to deploy soldiers with paranormal abilities.

Here are a few pictures from the event, possibly to get your heart aflutter as well:
]]> http://www.thegate.ca/front-page/05361/tiff-gallery-the-men-who-stare-at-goats-press-conference/feed/ 0 http://www.thegate.ca/reviews/films/05351/tiff-09-capsule-reviews-including-an-education-cairo-time-bright-star/ http://www.thegate.ca/reviews/films/05351/tiff-09-capsule-reviews-including-an-education-cairo-time-bright-star/#comments Sat, 12 Sep 2009 21:55:50 +0000 Christine Estima http://www.thegate.ca/?p=5351 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!]]>

Patricia Clarkson and Alexander Siddig in Cairo Time

An Education, dir Lone Sherfig, with Carey Mulligan, Alfred Molina, Peter Saarsgard, Rosamund Pike, Dominic Cooper

Behind The Scenes: Nick Hornby, who wrote the screenplay, is also responsible for About A Boy, Slam, Fever Pitch and High Fidelity. If you’ve read any of these novels, you know he specializes in coming-of-age youth stories. An Education is no different. Insert predictability factor here.

Story: Carey Mulligan plays Jenny, a cello-playing, Parisian-obsessed Catholic school girl in 1961 Twickenham who meets a suave, cavalier, high-rolling older man (played by Peter Saarsgard) and begins to experience all the adult pleasures of haute-couture, fine dining, extravagant holidays and London’s high society, putting her school work and future university education in peril. As their relationship progresses, secrets are revealed and yadda yadda yadda.

Reality: After viewers get over the fact that this film feels like a reunion of the Keira Knightley co-stars (Mulligan, Rosamund Pike, Dominic Cooper), you’ll probably enjoy Mulligan’s breakthrough performance which is loaded with heart but reigned in with a solid resolve. However, the film follows a formula from Act 1 to denouement, and it’s hard to feel the high stakes, if any, involved.

Verdict: Only if you’re looking to kill a few hours.

Cairo Time, dir Ruba Nadda, with Patricia Clarkson, Alexander Siddig, Tom McCamus

Behind The Scenes: Although shot entirely in Egypt, this is a Canadian funded and produced film. Some may recognize Canadian actor Tom McCamus from several of his roles in the films of Atom Egoyan. Many will recognize British-raised Alexander Siddig from his 7-year-stint on Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (then billed as Siddig El Fadil), but also from his more prominent roles in Hollywood blockbusters such as Syriana and Kingdom of Heaven.

Story: Juliette (Clarkson) is in Cairo to visit her husband who has been away for many months on a UN mission, but due to conflicts is unavailable, and sends his colleague and trusted friend Tareq (Siddig) to keep her company and show her around. Cultural clashes and mutual understanding blossom into a friendship, and then something more.

Reality: What’s fascinating here is the non-sexuality of this transnational love affair. There’s no heated passion, not even any forbidden hand-holding or kisses. Director Nadda has crafted a story that shows not all love-affairs are based on sex. This is one of emotion and quiet respect. The city of Cairo is as much a character here as the people involved. The Nile, the Pyramids, the hooka bars, the bustling markets, and the jewellery shops all have their significant roles to play. And the colourful Cairo city-scape adds a high-gloss sheen to a film already loaded with substance.

Verdict: Don’t miss it!

Cooking With Stella, dir Dilip Mehta, with Don McKellar, Seema Biswas, Lisa Ray

Behind The Scenes: written by Canadian Deepa Mehta, infamous for her Water-Earth-Fire trilogy and Bollywood/Hollywood, she is reunited with Lisa Ray who starred in several of those films, and Seema Biswas who gave a memorable performance in Water.

Story: Set in the Canadian embassy compound in Delhi, India, McKellar and Ray play Michael and Maya, transferred to live in the compound from Toronto. Maya is an embassy official and brings home the bacon, while Michael is a stay-at-home Dad and former chef still indulging in his love affair with food. Stella (Biswas) is their scheming maid who uses every opportunity to skin off the top and profit from her less-than-saavy Canadian employers. But when Michael asks her to teach him the intricacies of Indian cookery, a sacred teacher-student relationship is formed – a relationship that could crumble when the new nanny threatens to expose Stella and all her scheming.

Reality: It’s dangerous territory to make a film where the Indians are treacherous, selfish, hucksters and the white people are innocent hard-working victims. But this film feels less like a comment on thievery in India and more like a light-hearted screwball comedy. We root for the hilarious thieves, and yet still root for the dizzy-headed victims. Those looking to engage in a love-affair with food, à la Chocolat or Julie & Julia, will be somewhat disappointed as the cooking scenes are very few and lack passion or emphasis. Which begs the question, why is even this called Cooking with Stella?

Verdict: Skip it.

Bright Star, dir Jane Campion, with Abbie Cornish Ben Whishaw

Behind The Scenes: Those already familiar with director Jane Campion’s work, such as 1993′s Oscar-sweeping The Piano, know they can expect a sumptuous, ornate film of colour and beauty. She’s cast fellow Australian Abbie Cornish, who last made waves as a junkie in Candy, opposite Heath Ledger in one of his final performances, and Ben Whishaw who made his mark as serial killer Grenouille in Perfume. Based on their published letters, this film explores the famous love affair between canonized Romantic poet John Keats and his neighbour Fanny Brawne in 1813′s Hampstead Heath. It makes good employ of Keats’ actual poetry, and is named after the poem written for and about Brawne.

Story: Keats (Whishaw) is a penniless poet struggling to sell even 20 copies of his book, and Brawne (Cornish) is his headstrong neighbour with a flair for creating striking fashions and putting bothersome men in their place with her clever wit. Brawne doesn’t think much of Keats as a person or poet until she learns of his delicate care of his dying brother Tom, another victim to the TB epidemic, and offers compassion and solace in his hour of mourning. They fall in love slowly and tenderly, through brief encounters and an ardent exchange of letters, but Keats lack of fortune prevents them from marrying. Then Keats’ health begins to fail, and things begin to look grave.

Reality: Campion shows love here as a very subtle thing, seen in elongated glances, butterflies dancing in the air, slight brushes of hands, the wind billowing up a curtain, or quiet knocks on a shared wall. Tree tops and flowered-laden meadows and wet marshes are all put to good use here, as Campion uses natural light and colour and scenery to pepper her film. So it’s surprising when the sexual tension seems to just gallop off the screen. Romantic poetry suddenly becomes something sizzling and fervent. Abbie Cornish does not disappoint, her performance is gut-wrenching and achingly bittersweet, while Ben Whishaw makes every gesture and emotion seem effortless.

Verdict: Don’t miss it, even if you’re on your TB death bed!!

The Wild Hunt, dir Alexandre Franchi, with Mark Antony Krupa, Ricky Mabe

Behind The Scenes: Set and filmed entirely at Duché de Bicolline, a role-playing venue near Shawinigan, Quebec. Mark Antony Krupa also co-wrote the script.

Story: Erik (Mabe) goes searching for his estranged girlfriend at a Medieval re-enactment camp where his brother Bjorn (Krupa) is also participating in the role-playing “Wild Hunt:” the Celts battling the Vikings in a weekend-long extravaganza. Sporting flounced dressed, fat steel swords, Norse horned-hats, and Medieval armour that puts Braveheart to shame, Erik and Bjorn set out into the forest on a quest to save the Princess girlfriend from the evil King she has left Erik for. Without breaking character and always dressing accordingly, of course. But mirroring the ancient Norse myths and legends this film is based on, the battle re-enactment and real life are about to get very bloody and deadly for this group of geeky boys who bruise easily.

Reality: Forgiving the fact that Krupa looks eerily like Don Henley, this film offers moments of sheer geekdom-hilarity and brutal violence that don’t mesh as well as they could have, Krupa, although in a supporting role, is the shining beacon of this film, fanatically-obsessed with leading the Vikings to victory, and always sporting an awesome blonde wig. His performance is a blend humour with humility, but he’s not enough to save this all-over-the-place modern retelling, that by Act 3, has confused you so much, you’ve stopped caring.

Verdict: Skip it.

Broken Embraces, dir Pedro Almodovar, with Penelope Cruz, Lluis Homar

Behind the Scenes: Almodovar has always used his films as homages to his of-the-moment muses and the process of filmmaking itself, and Broken Embraces is no different, this time worshipping the goddess that is Penelope Cruz, who starred in previous TIFF entry Volver. Almodovar also makes tongue-in-cheek references to his previous film Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios (1988). Keep an eye out for Rossy de Palma, star of Mujeres… who makes a cameo.

Story: Henry Caine (Homar) is a blind screenwriter who is paid a cryptic visit by the son of his former producer, Ernesto Martel. Their very brief encounter brings a flood of memories back to Caine: the film he never finished editing, the star of the film Lena (Penelope Cruz) whom he fell in love with, her unhappy marriage with Martel, and the tragedy that ended their affair and took his sight. Caine’s agent Judit (Blanca Portillo) and her son Diego (Tamar Novas) get drawn into the drama when the truth about their relationship is revealed as well. As Caine relives the experience of filming the ill-fated movie, the movie within the movie unfolds before him. Confused yet? Join the club.

Reality: Almodovar is a master of the sexual psychological thriller, utilizing all elements in equal forceful measure – voice-overs, flashbacks, spooky soundtrack music and blatant sexuality. Unfortunately, this genre of film died out after 1993′s Sliver, along with Sharon Stone’s career. Several times throughout this movie-within-a-movie thriller, the characters can be quoted as saying, “This kind of stuff only happens in a movie!” Very true, all the tropes of a predictable thriller are here – forbidden lovers killed, jealous husbands, the “he’s-really-your-father” revelation, a film-within-a-film scenario, and the big confession in the end where everyone’s secrets are exposed. This film works better satirizing the genre than actually as a serious addition to it. Many scenes are laughably histrionic, feel dated, and in many ways underestimate the intelligence of the audience. The only benefit from sitting through this 120+ minutes wank-fest is getting to see Penelope Cruz’s mesmerizing face in every scene. I may be a straight woman, but I could watch her strut her stuff on the silver screen happily for days. So creating an ode to her here is understandable. But after La Mala Educacion, Almodovar should have called it a day.

Verdict: Skip it.

Megan Fox on the red carpet for Jennifer's Body

Select members of the cast, including Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Simmons, Josh Emerson, Valerie Tian, and Adam Brody were on hand as well, in addition to producer Jason Reitman and his father, Ivan Reitman.

Check out the gallery of photos below from the red carpet:
]]> http://www.thegate.ca/front-page/05337/tiff-gallery-jennifers-body-red-carpet/feed/ 0 http://www.thegate.ca/front-page/05326/tiff-gallery-creation-red-carpet/ http://www.thegate.ca/front-page/05326/tiff-gallery-creation-red-carpet/#comments Sat, 12 Sep 2009 04:07:47 +0000 W. Andrew Powell http://www.thegate.ca/?p=5326 Jon Amiel's film Creation, about the life of Charles Darwin, opened the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival with a gala red carpet event at Roy Thomson Hall. On hand to walk the carpet were stars Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany, not to mention the great-great-grandson of Darwin, Randal Keynes.]]>

Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany on the red carpet for Creation

Check out photos below from the red carpet event:
]]> http://www.thegate.ca/front-page/05326/tiff-gallery-creation-red-carpet/feed/ 0 http://www.thegate.ca/front-page/06088/a-tour-inside-tiffs-bell-lightbox/ http://www.thegate.ca/front-page/06088/a-tour-inside-tiffs-bell-lightbox/#comments Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:20:19 +0000 W. Andrew Powell http://www.thegate.ca/?p=6088

A preliminary design of Bell Lightbox

I’m not talking about a film or anything else quite as ephemeral though. The preview I glimpsed is all concrete, glass and steel, but in the next year it will undergo a transformation to become the year-round home for the Toronto International Film Festival.

Yes, my little sneak peek was actually a tour of the soon-to-be-completed Bell Lightbox.

Currently under construction at the corner of King Street and John Street in downtown Toronto, Bell Lightbox is the result of years of work and planning, bringing together the TIFF offices inside a multi-use space that includes exhibition halls, theatres, and education areas.

Supported by the Canadian and Ontario governments, a number of companies, and situated on land that was donated by filmmaker Ivan Reitman and his sisters Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels, not to mention the Daniels Corporation, Bell Lightbox will be a state-of-the-art facility that I personally can’t wait to see completed.

While the video below will give you an early glimpse into the halls of the impressive space, there are a lot of notable extras worth mentioning.

For one thing, the theatres in the space are all constructed using a “box within a box system” that isolates each room from outside noise. Bell Lightbox artistic director Noah Cowan, who led the tour of the building, suggested this system would give theatre-goers “among the most pristine viewing experiences one can actually have in a cinema.”

Also notable is the fact that TIFF’s Lightbox will be open 364 days a year. “The day that we’re most likely to be closed,” Cowan joked, is not Christmas or even Boxing Day, “[it is] the day after the Film Fest. For cleanup.” Although he also said the theatres will likely be dark one morning and afternoon weekly – probably Mondays.

The other great news for local film fans is the fact that Bell Lightbox also has space on the first floor for large exhibits which, prior to this, have not existed in Toronto. A great example of that is the fact that the Tim Burton exhibit, which is currently on display at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, will be at Lightbox starting November 2010.

It is also interesting to note that the entire building will be wired for video, for both capture and broadcast, and on a different note, the fifth floor will house the Canadian Film Heritage Gallery, a brand new space that will give people a new opportunity to explore Canada’s film history.

Currently, TIFF plans to have Bell Lightbox officially open for October of 2010, but Cowan noted that as long as there are no construction delays, we can expect to see a few events taking place within the building during the 2010 TIFF.

You can find out more about Bell Lightbox at www.belllightbox.ca.

Watch some highlights from the tour:
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