TIFF Review: EASY A

Written by Bert V. Royal

Directed by Will Gluck

Starring Emma Stone, Penn Badgley, Amanda Bynes and Thomas Haden Church

Olive: I used to be invisible. If Google Earth were a guy, he couldn’t find me if I were a ten-storey building.

What Ojai, California, high school student, Olive Penderghast, has to go through in director, Will Gluck’s EASY A to get her “A” cannot be described as anything remotely close to easy. That said, sitting back and watching everything she has to go through is one of the easiest things you’ll ever have to do. Not only does Glick make it easy for us to enjoy his second feature film, he makes sure we learn a thing or two while we’re in the midst of losing ourselves in hysterical laughter. Did I mention this is a teen comedy?

We are first introduced to Olive on her webcam. The lovely Emma Stone stares directly at us as Olive and tells us flat out that we are about to hear her side of a story, which she insists to us is in fact the right side of the story. She proceeds to tell us in incremental chapters about how one lie she told to her best friend in a bathroom about how she lost her virginity to a college boy over the weekend, spiraled out of control and ruined her life. She has a face you want to believe but we have no reason to trust her really. It is Stone’s conviction that ultimately sells it though; she is a sharp, young lady but her vulnerability is never disregarded and I can’t think of any reason why she would make any of this up.

EASY A is easily one of the funniest films I’ve seen all year. The entire ensemble, from Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci as Olive’s ultra-open-minded parents to Thomas Haden Church as Olive’s favourite teacher, are hilarious and seem to be having the best of times in their roles. Essentially, the whole thing is infectious and leaves a lasting impression because it goes beyond the sharp, witty dialogue we’ve come to expect in any teen comedy effort to show us that intelligence and growth are not yet lost on the young.

TIFF'D: Tuesday, September 14

There was a moment when I was sitting in the Bell Lightbox theatre this morning watching John Cameron Mitchell's RABBIT HOLE when I was somewhat overcome with emotion.  The film itself accomplished this a number of times but this particular moment was when I realized just how fortunate I am to be having the TIFF experience that I am.  I had never been to the Bell Lightbox theatre before.  I love John Cameron Mitchell and was very excited to see the film. (Side note: I love him more now that I've seen RABBIT HOLE.) And as if that wasn't enough, my day was only going to get better.

I didn't love the mad sprint I had to manage from the theatre to the Intercontinental hotel for my interview with HEARTBEATS director, Xavier Dolan, but I made it right on time.  Unfortunately for me, this meant I was still somewhat flustered from my walk in the hot sun.  The interview didn't go as well as I had hoped.  I started by telling him that I was a big admirer and very happy to be interviewing him.  I was very nervous.  He was thankful but when I started asking questions, he was somewhat skeptical.  I think he's had a hard time with the press because of the critical reception of HEARTBEATS.  I thought that if I expressed how much I loved it, we would just share in that but it was almost as though he was expecting the worst.  HEARTBEATS is screening as I write this and screens again tomorrow.  I urge you to see it.  It is a beautiful, touching exploration of the spectrum of places our hearts and minds go when we are in love or perhaps when we just think we are.  It's as insightful as it is whimsical.  And as for Dolan, I think he has the potential to be one of the greatest filmmakers Canada has ever seen.

Next up, waiting for the BURIED roundtables.  There was an only an hour between interviews so there was no point in going anywhere.  Besides, while I waited, Freida Pinto stood and waited for the elevators right in front of me.  Then she said hello's to Zach Braff.  Jay Baruchel and Jacob Tierney were around.  Oh, and Paul Giamatti strolled past me and muttered the word, "Buried" to himself a couple of times when he read it on a sign on a door.  The BURIED was to be my last of the festival, barring any last minute surprises.  The one I just had was iffy but I had had a coffee and was ready for more.  When Ryan Reynolds was introduced to the five journalists at the table, he shook everyone's hand and when he got to mine, he said, "Hi, I'm Ryan."  I nearly died.  Seriously?  He just told me who he was as if I didn't know?  I watch a lot of films I ordinarily might not just to see that face and now he was sitting a few feet away from me.  He was joined by the director of BURIED, Rodrigo Cortes and the two of them got along like great buddies.  They were both jokers, bantering back and forth while reminiscing about the difficult BURIED shoot.  I got a couple of good questions in and met some great people at the table too.  It was by far the easiest roundtable I had.  Odd because it was also the one I was most nervous for.  Actually, I think I was more nervous for Dolan.  My crush on him is a lot more realistic.  (Don't miss the Black Sheep BURIED review, just click.)

I then was privy to a screening of Derek Cianfrance's BLUE VALENTINE, a heart wrenching look at a marriage on the brink of death.  With such a devastating indie plot like this, you could not ask for a couple than Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams.  I have some small issues with the film.  I can't see it playing wide because it is just too painful for that big an audience but the sheer brilliance of the performances are reason enough to see this film for anyone who has the nerve to see it.  It's a very sharp look at how noble intentions fail but it can be a little bleak at times.

I am at home now.  The gods were good to me a little more as they delivered the first season of GLEE, available today on DVD and Blu-ray, to me today so I can zone out for a bit.  And by gods, I mean the good people at 20th Century Fox.  The only thing that sucked about my day, I have come down with a cold.  I'm going to rest now and there are just movies from here on in so the load just got a lot lighter.

I just hope I didn't give this cold to Ryan ...

Oh, and in case you missed it, here is my BLACK SWAN review, as retweeted by Blockbuster Canada.  Nothing wrong with that.

TIFF BITS: Tuesday, September 14

Today is a very big day for me at TIFF and Day 6 starts rather soon so I can't chat long.  I have John Cameron Mitchell's RABBIT HOLE at 9:00 at the Bell Lightbox theatre, followed by interviews with Xavier Dolan, the Quebec writer/star/director of LES AMOURS IMAGINAIRES and Rodrigo Cortes and Ryan Reynolds, the director and star of BURIED (click title for review).  The latter has its big show tonight at Ryerson theatre while the former is today's only TIFF Bit.

LES AMOURS IMAGINAIRES
Varsity - 6:45
I first fell in love with Dolan's work with his heartbreaking J'AI TUE MA MERE (I KILLED MY MOTHER).  His latest was written while he was at TIFF with his first last year and now, just one year later, he has returned with a lovely film that also made its premiere at Cannes.  HEARTBEATS, as it is known in English, follows two friends, a guy and a girl, as they both fall for the same guy.  The direct translation of the title means the imaginary loves and Dolan's sensitive and charming film explores the places we go to in our hearts and minds when we are falling down that inexplicable road called love.  It was truly enchanting and I urge you to see it.

Last night's big gala was for Darren Aronofsky's BLACK SWAN.  Be sure to not miss the Black Sheep 5-star review!

Happy TIFF!

TIFF Review: BLACK SWAN

Written by Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz and John J. McLaughlin

Directed by Darren Aronofsky

Starring Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey and Winona Ryder

Thomas Leroy: Perfection is not just about control. It is also about letting go.

From my understanding, to be a true ballerina, one must always strive for perfection. Your toes, your torso, your lines must be just so. If you’re serious about ballet, you might be lucky enough to join a company. Only a select few get to be company soloists though. And so, lightly prancing about beneath the stage at any given ballet, you will find dozens of girls all striving toward an unattainable goal - some starving themselves and some hoping the soloist will take a bad fall and need replacing at the last second. It’s a microcosm, ripe with potential for drama and madness, making it the perfect setting for Darren Aronofsky’s latest, BLACK SWAN.

At the film’s start, a single spotlight rises on two feet, tightly wound in the tiniest of slippers. They begin to dance and as they land one after the other, we can see how delicate ballet is and how tortuous it must be to make it look that good. When the camera pulls away to reveal that these feet do in fact belong to Natalie Portman, it is clear just how much grace she will bring to this film. And by the time a beastly creature makes itself known to this frightened dancer, it is clear that Aronofsky is about to, yet again, give us something unlike anything else he’s done.

Portman is Nina, a dancer with the New York City Ballet who has just been cast as the Swan Princess in the upcoming production of “Swan Lake”. To do so in exactly the manner her director (Vincent Cassel) demands, she must embody the spirit of both the white and the black swan. Yes, the thematic conflict for this character is obvious at this point but Aronofsky tells it with complex visual style that jetés between jarring and captivating. And Portman, who has reportedly been in dance lessons since she was a toddler, knows the pressure of the dancer. She is to tightly wound that by the time her dark side begins to show its face, we are just as ready to release as she is. It certainly doesn’t help matters that her mother (Barbara Hershey) pressures her to succeed, a new dancer (Mila Kunis) wants her spot and the soloist she replaced (Winona Ryder) wants her just plain gone.

BLACK SWAN is as theatrical and as dramatic as any ballet that I’ve seen performed on stage. Aronofsky directs but, from behind the camera, he dances alongside the dancers as if he was part of the choreography, forming some hybrid of dance and film that begs repeat performances. It also warrants a resounding standing ovation.

TIFF'D: Monday, September 13

I might have withdrawn a little today from TIFF.  I began the day with Quebec filmmaker, Xavier Dolan's LES AMOURS IMAGINAIRES.  It was completely enchanting and nothing at all like Dolan's first feature, J'AI TUE MA MERE, which I will be watching again tonight in anticipation for my interview with him tomorrow.  Is it alright if I finish my interview by asking him out?  Is that crossing a line?

After my movie, I had just enough time to freshen up and head back to the Intercontinental Hotel for a roundtable interview with MIRAL director, Julian Schnabel.  There was no table though so that was a little odd.  He was very well-spoken, engaging man but I didn't really participate in the exchange.  I listened really because the backdrop of the film, the Israel/Palestine conflict, is not something I know enough about.  His perspective cleared up a great deal of my concerns about the film but also raised more questions.  I'm still on the fence as to whether I thought the film was a great success or not.

Past that, I canned both of my other movies for the day.  I had laundry to do!  And to be fair, I had to prepare for my interviews tomorrow and write tomorrow's review, BLACK SWAN.  The Darren Aronofsky film has its gala North American premiere this evening and be sure to get my take on it tomorrow morning.

Now, I'm going for drinks.  A bunch of other great film enthusiasts and writers I know will be getting together for a little mid-festival exchange and I have about two hours to kill before I need to get back to watch my movie.

Tomorrow is a much busier day.  I'll have a lot more for you.  15 more films to go!

TIFF BITS: Monday, September 13

I decided that I had to cut back on my day today.  I am feeling much better this morning than yesterday but that does not mean I need to keep making life harder for myself.  I have decided to scale back from three movies to two.  I figured maybe I would get some writing in, maybe do some laundry.  It is TIFF Day 5 and I am running out of clean socks!

Tonight's big galas and special presentations are pretty impressive.  Get a ticket to BLACK SWAN if you can.  It is the best thing I've seen at the festival thus far. Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila
Kunis and director, Darren Aronofsky, are expected to attend.  I've not seen the other three but they are definitely hot tickets.  You've got RABBIT HOLE, directed by John Cameron Mitchell and starring Nicole Kidman.  French director, Francoi Ozon's POTICHE, starring Catherine Deneuve is at Roy Thompson Hall tonight.  And then that leaves Mike Leigh's ANOTHER YEAR at the Elgin.

I will be leaving shortly to see Xavier Dolan's HEARTBEATS and then I have an interview with Julian Schnabel.  I am finishing my screening day with Tom Tykwer's THREE so it should be an interesting day all around.  What about your day, you say ...

EVERYTHING MUST GO
Winter Garden Theatre - 4:30
Whenever a comedian plays something serious, it is always a big deal.  Will Ferrell chose this film because he just really liked the script, not because he was trying to do something intentionally dramatic for street cred, or so he said when I met with him the other day.  Here he plays a guy who loses his job because he is an alcoholic only to come home to find all his junk strewn across his lawn. His wife has left and the doors have been locked.  It is a great tale of redemption and Ferrell's performance is solid.

MIRAL
Ryerson Theatre - 6:00
Julian Schnabel is a hybrid of a conceptual artist and a film director.  Every frame always looks like a painting and here he decides to take a creative look at the Israel/Palestine conflict.  It is a decidedly political film but it also has a reassuring sensitivity to it, likely due to the nature of the story.  It follows a few strong Palestinian women who have been affected by the conflict in ways that they never imagined.  It does at times feel more about the cause than the characters but it is still an engaging and delicate experience.

LET ME IN
Ryerson Theatre - 9:00
Matt Reeves, the director of CLOVERFIELD, could not possible come away from directing this film as a winner.  Adapted from the Swedish film, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, this American remake is so loyal to the original, it is eerie but that won't matter.  Fans of the first film are loyal so it doesn't matter whether Reeves is successful or not, it shouldn't have been done.  I enjoyed his take but that being said, his take is the same as the first one, only now In English so North American audiences don't have to read the movie.  He did a good job but will that matter?

ALSO PLAYING AND RECOMMENDED

127 HOURS
Danny Boyle
Ryerson Theatre - 3:00

COOL IT
Ondi Timoner
AMC - 2:15

Also, don't miss my brand new TIFF review for BURIED, starring Ryan Reynolds.  I cannot wait to be sitting across a table from him.  I will try to stay seated calmly but I cannot guarantee this.

Happy TIFF!

TIFF Review: BURIED

Written by Chris Sparling

Directed by Rodrigo Cortes

Starring Ryan Reynolds

(Click here to read an interview with Ryan Reynolds)

I suspect claustrophobia likely affects more people than actually realize it. Feeling trapped without any real means of escape, either physically or metaphorically, is certainly something we can all agree is unpleasant at the least. In extreme cases, your breath gets short and quick; you begin to feel dizzy and flush. You are likely to pass out from the sheer intensity of it all. If you have yet to go through a claustrophobic episode, fear not. Director Rodrigo Cortes has made a movie just for you.

BURIED is ninety-five, uninterrupted minutes stuck in a cramped wooden box somewhere under the ground in Iraq, with only a Zippo lighter and cell phone for light, communication and a potential salvation. Now, if you’ve got to be buried alive, you couldn’t ask for better company than Ryan Reynolds. Naturally, nobody wants to see an actor as likable and handsome as Reynolds perish like this, so the urgency is elevated just by his being cast. He can’t get by on looks and charisma alone though. The premise itself demands that Reynolds push himself as an actor in a way that I don’t think he has ever had to in his entire career. Fortunately, Reynolds gets the fear, the desperation and the hope just right to keep us trapped in that box with him the whole time. For his sake, I hope Reynolds isn’t actually claustrophobic. If he wasn’t beforehand, I suspect he might be now.

In case you’re wondering how he got in the box to begin with, allow me to clarify some. Reynolds plays a contract truck driver in Iraq mistaken for a soldier and kidnapped for ransom. He spends most of his time in the box calling anyone who might be able to get him out and pleading with his captors. The somewhat damning undertone about America and the Iraq war could have been buried a little deeper within the subtext but Cortes pulls off a pretty impressive feat with this hard sell. Ninety-five minutes in a box with Ryan Reynolds? I wouldn’t say no.

TIFF'D: Sunday, September 12

So I'm completely spent at the moment.  I'm not complaining but all this running around, not eating and not sleeping is somehow draining me.  Crazy.  I was exhausted when I got up this morning.  I slowly made my way over to see Julian Schnabel's MIRAL.  I will be interviewing the director tomorrow and I'm happy to say I enjoyed the film.  It is sensitive and political, an interesting combination for sure.  Up town after that to speak with the fascinating Bjorn Lomberg, the man at the center of one of the festival's more buzzed about documentaries, COOL IT, followed by a great chat with the director, Ondi Timoner.  When I left there, I was going to catch Dustin Lance Black's WHAT'S WRONG WITH VIRGINIA but instead my red carpet request was approved to attend the YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER North American premiere.  I was instantly freaked out at the prospect of meeting Woody Allen.  When it was over, I ended up not meeting him.  I almost didn't even see him as he was ushered into the theatre.  I'm not sure he was even taking questions really.  What has he not already been asked anyway.  I almost got to speak with Josh Brolin and Freida Pinto but they too were whisked into the theatre before reaching me.  I did however get to speak with Sir Anthony Hopkins.  He described working with Allen as the highlight of his life.  He was thrilled to work with him apparently and describes him as delightful.  He was a pleasure to speak with.

It was still lovely to be a few feet away from an icon like Woody Allen.  I had one wish for this festival and that was to meet Woody Allen.  Seeing him pass by me and hearing his voice trail off as he entered the theatre is still pretty darn good.

Be sure to come back tomorrow for Black Sheep's review of the Ryan Reynolds vehicle, BURIED.

Oh, by the way, the videos are still not working.  I'm not sure they will make it back during the festival.  I will keep trying though.

TIFF BITS: Sunday, September 12

It's Sunday morning, Day 4 of TIFF.  I'm a little sleepy and I need a hug but that's OK.  I have coffee for the former and may just hug a total stranger by the end of the day, who knows.  It could be considered fitting given that this evening is the North American premiere of Woody Allen's YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER.  I will be requesting a spot on the red carpet for that one so keep your fingers crossed for me.  This year, you have to stick around for both premieres if you get a red carpet spot.  If I do get it, that means I have to stay for the world premiere of Clint Eastwood's HEREAFTER, starring Matt Damon.  Life could be worse, I guess.

Today is also the opening day for TIFF's Bell Lightbox theatre.  I will be definitely heading over there at the end of my screening day to check that out.  TIFF has a whole big block party planned so if you're in the fine city of Toronto, you should head on down to King Street and John Street.  There are free movies playing all day and special musical guests throughout as well.  I haven't looked outside my window yet but if it is nice out there, head on out!

And if you're looking for movies to pay for today, why don't you check these one's out ...

127 HOURS
Visa Screening Room - 6:00
I accidentally caught this film yesterday when one of my other screenings was pushed back.  I had heard that Danny Boyle's follow-up to his Oscar winning phenomenon, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, was really intense - paramedics had to be called to a screening at the Telluride festival just last week. 127 HOURS tells the story of Aaron Ralsten, a moutain climber who gets caught between a rock and hard place for oh about 127 hours or so.  Jmes Franco stars and, much like Ryan Reynolds in BURIED (coming up later in the week), he has to command out attention in a cramped spot the whole time.  I like this one better than that Slumdog movie but be warned, there are some harder moments in the film.

COOL IT
AMC - 6:45
This Maple Pictures documentary snuck into the festival a little later than most of the films but instead of going unnoticed, it has caused quite a stir.  Director Ondi Timoner presents his subject, Bjorn Lomberg, an infamous figure in the debate over climate change.  I can most certainly understand the controversy; it is a very challenging film to watch.  Lomberg asserts a rather contrary view on how the world should be confronting our environmental woes but Timoner provides him the goods to make his approach seem credible.  The trouble is it goes against everything we've been programmed to think all this time.  I am interviewing director and subject today and I'm very curious to hear what they have to say.

ALSO PLAYING AND RECOMMENDED

THE TOWN
(click for review)
Visa Screening Room - 11:00 AM

MADE IN DAGENHAM
Varsity - 9:30 AM

I am off now for my first screening of the day, Julian Schnabel's MIRAL, featuring Freida Pinto.  I have an interview with the French director/artist tomorrow afternoon!  In the meantime, don't miss Black Sheep's TIFF review for YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER, just below.

Happy TIFF!

TIFF Review: YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER

Written and Directed by Woody Allen

Starring Josh Brolin, Naomi Watts, Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins and Freida Pinto

Helena: I will not be alone. I will find love. I can rest assured.

If you’re watching an ensemble comedy where one man can’t stop obsessing about his attractive neighbour, where his wife can’t control her lust for her new boss, and where her father meanwhile won’t accept his looming death, trading in his wife of 30 years for a younger model, sending said former wife into the reassuring arms of a psychic, there’s a good chance you’re watching a Woody Allen film. There is a familiarity about Allen’s latest, YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER, that makes you feel instantly at home and keeps you comfortable throughout. The trouble with comfort though is that it doesn’t really bring anything we haven’t seen already, begging the question, why are we here yet again?

Comfort is ordinarily the enemy in an Allen movie. After all, if you’ve reached a place in your life or relationship where you actually feel comfortable, then there must be something terribly wrong. That said, how often do you meet Allen characters whose lives are all settled and lovely? The case here is no different. Set in London, every major character in this premise is at a place in their lives where they each feel unfulfilled and is longing for that next big something that will enter their lives and give them what they’ve always longed for – happiness. This being a Woody Allen film, I would not hold my breath if I were them. Still, Allen almost seems to be delighting in toying with them and his delight is certainly infectious. He may be exploring the same issues he has been for years now but in all fairness, these are the same issues most of us grapple with for all of our lives too. It doesn’t seem right to chastise Allen for not having understood love after so long. It’s not like I do either.

Allen opens and closes YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER with the same rendition of “When You Wish Upon a Star”. He may be allowing all of the little extensions of himself run amok with their fictional lives on screen but he almost seems to be suggesting that all of their issues stem from a desire for something more, that inherently negates what they all already have. Even the title itself promises that one day our wishes will be fulfilled but it also implies simultaneously that they can’t be right now as we have yet to meet this stranger. Perhaps it would be better if we got to know the strangers that are already in our lives; perhaps then we could want them there all the time instead of just when we’re at our best or worst. Maybe if we did, we might be finally able to get comfortable ourselves.

TIFF'D: Saturday, September 11

My apologies folks.  Technical difficulties prevent me from posting a video about my third day at TIFF.  It was a good day.  I woke up feeling refreshed despite only getting about five hours sleep.  I was in the best of spirits when I got to the mandatory morning screening of EVERYTHING MUST GO.  I say mandatory because I was interviewing the director and the star this afternoon.  That would be Dan Rush and Will Ferrell.  But first I had to interview director, Nigel Cole.  Cole is at TIFF with MADE IN DAGENHAM, a great film I wrote up earlier today.  Ferrell was not as tall as I thought he would be and you can he is very happy with this film and his performance, as he should be.  It was Rush's first roundtable interview ever apparently and Cole was a very warm and spirited chat.  I was supposed to see a Japanese film and an Indian film this evening but both of those somehow ran into problems.  I'm hearing there was some issue at Roy Thompson Hall that put all this trouble in motion but my screening of NORWEGIAN WOOD was postponed for two hours and moved to another theatre and then my 8:00 public screening of DHOBI GHAT, an incredibly difficult ticket to get ahold of, was postponed for and hour and a half!  Fortunately, an additional press screening of Danny Boyle's 127 HOURS was added around the same time as NORWEGIAN WOOD so I caught that (it also started late).  But I could not wait an hour and a half for the second film.  I had to come home to argue with my computer for an hour now about why it just won't upload my perfectly good video.  My poor friend, Arun, who went through the trouble of getting these tickets for us, is only now getting into the theatre.  If a press screening gets canned, I'm not happy but I can deal.  If I had an interview attached to it, I know it will be rescheduled.  But when the public gets sided like this, it just isn't fair.  The festival is offering refunds on the tickets, from what I understand, if you didn't want to wait and I know some things cannot be helped.  It's a big festival and a lot can go wrong.  They are doing their best and that is appreciated.  Still, I would hope that every person who waited for that public screening tonight got a voucher for another ticket.  It doesn't even have to be a festival ticket.  They could use it for screenings at Bell Lightbox for their upcoming Essential Cinema series.  Just a little something, y'know.  Thank God nothing was screening after DHOBI GHAT.

All that to say I can't get my video to upload.  Sorry.  Bell Lightbox opens tomorrow and I can't wait to see.  I need sleep first though.  Good night.

ps. if i am able to upload the video, i will.

TIFF BITS: Saturday, September 11

Another day, another birthday.  Today, I want to give a big birthday shout out to my friend, Trista.  She is an editor extraordinaire who also just happens to just be a great person.  Not that I want to divert too much traffic from my site but in the interest of spreading the love, check out her site, Toronto Film Scene, for more excellent TIFF coverage.

Another day also means more TIFF Bits from Black Sheep to make your TIFF experience that much easier.  I have to get a move on as I need to catch the new Will Ferrell film this morning, EVERYTHING MUST GO, directed by Dan Rush.  This is because I am interviewing them both this afternoon.  I am also interviewing Nigel Cole this afternoon.  Cole directed the delightful MADE IN DAGENHAM and I think that would be the perfect segue to move into today's TIFF Bits ...

MADE IN DAGENHAM

Visa Screening Room - 6:00

It plays light but it packs a big punch.  In 1968, a group of 187 female workers at a Ford car plant in Dagenham, decided to strike for equal pay and by the time they got through with their struggle, they had changed the world.  It is the true story of how equality acts were ushered in across the world in many countries and Cole tells it perfectly.  Sally Hawkins stars ... and shines.

IT'S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY

Ryerson - 9:00

From Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, the genius directors behind HALF NELSON, comes this new mental ward comedy featuring Zach Galifianakis.  I caught this last night and I cannot tell you what a disappointment it was.  Not only is it mostly unfunny but it is also fairly misguided.  A mental hospital is not a place to come of age.

THE KING'S SPEECH

Ryerson - 12:00

If you missed this film at it's gala premiere last night, check it out today if you can get your hands on tickets.  I loved this Colin Firth film and you need to see it.   Click for my review from yesterday.

TRUST

Visa Screening Room - 11:00

David Schwimmer directed this film about a 14-year-old girl who gets involved a much older man on the internet.  Catherine Keener and Clive Owen star as her parents and this is another case where I am warning you to steer clear.  Schwimmer brought nothing new to this important subject but did pull out every cliche he could think of.  Shame.

TIFF is presenting the big gala premiere of Ben Affleck's THE TOWN tonight at Roy Thompson Hall. The Black Sheep review is just below.  The Robert Redford film, THE CONSPIRATOR, which I have not seen, also premieres tonight.  And finally, Philip Seymour Hoffman is in conversation tonight.

Oh, and I just noticed, EASY A is playing.  Hilarious.  Don't miss it.  Seriously, so funny.

Speaking of funny, I must get ready for Will Ferrell now.

Have a great day!

TIFF Review: THE TOWN

Written by Peter Craig, Ben Affleck and Aaron Stockard

Directed by Ben Affleck

Starring Ben Affleck, Jon Hamm, Rebecca Hall and Jeremy Renner

By now, we all know that Ben Affleck is from Boston. His first film as director, GONE BABY GONE, is set there and he has now returned home for his second feature, THE TOWN. The titular town in question is Charlestown, a town in Boston that has seen more bank robberies than apparently any other in the world. Personally, I would think twice about even opening a bank there with statistics like that, but people need their money and other people need to steal it. In THE TOWN, Affleck gives us a delicate, albeit straightforward, balance between these people.

There is nothing particularly new and exciting about the premise. A group of four “townies”, including director himself, Affleck, and new “It” boy, Jeremy Renner, hold up a local bank and take the bank manager (Rebecca Hall) hostage. Affleck stalks her a little afterward to make sure she doesn’t know anything that the FBI can use to find them, but then something unexpected happens; he falls for her. It isn’t really unexpected for us but rather for him. All he’s known his whole life is crime; even his father (Chris Cooper) is doing time and proud of it. I think what he didn’t expect was that he might want something else from life, something more stable and meaningful – something that you actually can’t steal but rather have to earn.

Affleck is quickly becoming a more relevant persona as a director than as an actor, but it is his lead performance in THE TOWN that anchors the film. The supporting cast, including Jon Hamm without a cigarette hanging out of his mouth all the time, is stellar, but Affleck is the big winner here. He may not have found a way to inspire insight from his work as a filmmaker just yet but he knows how to control the story, command the audience’s attention and, most importantly, keep us entertained. My money says he is going to continue to grow on this path. I just won’t be putting that money in any townie bank any time soon.

TIFF'D: Friday, September 10

Hey and welcome to the first ever Black Sheep Reviews video blog.  Each day during TIFF, or at least each day that doesn't end with me passed out and forgotten in some theatre somewhere, I will be posting a video blog about my day at the Toronto International Film Festival.  No sense in writing anything really past that.  I'll just let myself do the talking instead ...

TIFF BITS: Friday, September 10

Today marks two very important things.  The first important thing about today is that it is my friend, Christopher's birthday.  I wish I could be spending it with him but he is far and there is the whole matter of the second important things about today that is getting in the way.  Today marks the first full day of screenings at TIFF.  So, I wish you well, Christopher, but duty calls.

The duty I am referring to specifically is my obligation to attend the a screening of Darren Aronofsky's BLACK SWAN this morning.  I could not be more excited about that.  Hopefully, it lives up to my expectations.  Past that, I am interviewing the director of BIUTIFUL, Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu today. I'm a wee bit nervous for this given that he is such a prolific director; this is the man who gave us AMORES PERROS and BABEL after all.  As if that weren't enough, I am also interviewing the film's star, Javier Bardem, the Academy Award winning actor of NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. Be sure to check out my TIFF'd video blog this evening for a full recap.

Now, as for you all, here's what you can expect at TIFF today.  Tonight's big galas are for Tom Hooper's THE KING'S SPEECH and David Schwimmer's TRUST, starring Catherine Keener and Clive Owen.  My full review for THE KING'S SPEECH is posted below and I am only seeing TRUST tomorrow morning so I can't really help you out there.  I can make these suggestions though:

BIUTIFUL

Winter Garden Theatre - 8:00

It isn't always easy to interview people when you don't like their movie.  Fortunately for me, I thoroughly enjoyed this Spanish language film.  Like most of Inarritu's work, it focuses on death and the kinds of perspective it gives you on your life.  Bardem is brilliant in the film and it lives up to its mispelled name in terms of aesthetics.  Both director and star are expected to attend this North American premiere.

I'M STILL HERE

Varsity Theatre - 10:00

I'm going to have to sleep on this one before I make up my full mind about it.  This is the Joaquin Phoenix documentary about his quitting acting and becoming a hip hop recording artist, as lensed by brother-in-law, Casey Affleck.  This documentary could be a hoax but the beauty of it is that you can never be sure as to whether it is or not.  It is vulgar, offensive, uncomfortable and oddly enlightening on the subjects of celebrity, ego and opportunity.  It will be released in theatres soon but check it out at TIFF if you get a chance.

Don't forget to check Black Sheep back at the end of the day for TIFF'd, a video blog about how the whole day went.  Please note that yesterday's TIFF'd had to come down due to some issues I was having with it.  They have been worked out though and video blogging commences again, if that's possible, today!

Bon cinema and happy TIFF!

TIFF Review: THE KING'S SPEECH

Written by David Seidler

Directed by Tom Hooper

Starring Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter

There is no official poster for this film yet.

King George VI: Waiting for me to commence a conversation, one can wait a rather long wait.

When a king speaks, he must command attention. Though the British monarchy may be more iconography than anything else at this point in history, people will still look to their royal leader for guidance and reassurance in times of woe and doubt. That’s a lot of pressure for someone who may never have wanted to assume the responsibility to begin with. Unfortunately for King George VI, his birthright meant he did not have any choice in the matter. It’s not that he didn’t think he could do it; it’s just that he wasn’t confidant enough to think anyone would care to have him.

Forget the king; when director Tom Hooper speaks, he has my full attention. After his impressive first feature last year, THE DAMNED UNITED, Hooper continues his journey in regal fashion with THE KING’S SPEECH and delivers the goods right from the start. Colin Firth, who could easily garner another Oscar nod with his heartbreaking work here, is the Duke of York. It is 1925 and he is about to address the nation. The tension builds and by the time he gets to the podium, every ear in the land appears to be waiting to hear what he has to say. At first, there is nothing. What follows that awkwardness is a disjointed, passionless address that he stammers all the way through. It may not be as epic a global failure as modern day technology allows but enough people were listening to make it seem like a public collapse that he might never recover from.

He almost didn’t. King George VI went through many speech therapists before landing on Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). Logue helps George break down the years of subtle abuse one suffers as the son of a king to see that his speech impediment is the result of isolation and lack of confidence, not something particularly physical. Their banter is at times hilarious and at others quite intense. Their immense combined talent, along with supporting turns from Helena Bonham Carter and Guy Pearce, give THE KING’S SPEECH even more depth and flourish than Hooper already has. Together, they created a film that will certainly resonate long after it’s said what it has to say.

Black Sheep @ TIFF 2010

For the past couple of weeks, the Toronto International Film Festival has been looming over my head.  I've been making lists and schedules and spreadsheets just to make sure I don't miss anything.  As the days have been getting closer, the pressure has been mounting.  Am I seeing enough movies? Have I written enough reviews?  Do I have enough interviews booked?  TIFF to me was like this giant vortex of film that was sucking my entire life into it but I don't like getting pulled into anything unless I'm good and ready to go.  Last night, I got there.  Today is the first day of TIFF and instead of being a nervous wreck, I am a very happy guy.  I am ready to take whatever it wants to give me because whatever that is, is certainly going to be incredible.

Well, most of it will be anyway.  I don't want to poo poo this festival right off the bat but they bring it upon themselves when they decide to program embarrassments like SCORE: A HOCKEY MUSICAL as the opening night gala screening.  There will be no TIFF Bits today as there are only a handful of other screenings on the opening day but instead, I do have a full review of this painful Michael McGowan picture.  

If you will excuse me, I need to get to my first screening: COOL IT, a documentary about that pesky environmental problem we seem to be having.  Don't miss my first TIFF'd video piece at the end of the day.  Happy TIFFing!

TIFF Review: SCORE: A HOCKEY MUSICAL

Written and Directed by Michael McGowan

Starring Noah Reid, Allie McDoanald and Olivia Newton-John

Canada is a different country after this year’s Olympic games in Vancouver. Its sense of pride was rediscovered through a collective rallying behind its many talented athletes. And one sport brought the country together like no other – hockey. In 2008, director Michael McGowan did something similar to enhance Canadian pride, albeit on a much smaller level, when he released his last film, ONE WEEK, a cross country road trip that showed how majestic Canada’s countryside truly is. And so it would stand to reason that combining McGowan’s filmmaking efforts with hockey itself should amount to a film that would resonate in the hearts of Canadians. Instead, SCORE: A HOCKEY MUSICAL reminds everyone why Canada isn’t famous for its movies.

Noah Reid, a homegrown Canadian from Toronto, where the film takes place, plays Farley Gordon, a 17-year-old with enormous hockey potential that has yet to be tapped. Personally, I never saw any of this supposed prowess on screen but his buddies sure think he’s got the goods. He is such an amazing force on the ice that he inspires his teammates to burst into song in celebration. You might think that hockey and musicals don’t really go together but after seeing SCORE, you will actually know for a fact that they don’t. That isn’t fair though. Perhaps if McGowan had bothered really pushing the skills on either the musical or the hockey front, it would have worked. Instead though, he treats us to some barely passable hockey playing, some fairly grating singing and some just plain pathetic attempts at dancing. If a director isn’t going to bother pushing anyone to excel, why should anyone bother showing up for his amateur effort?

Being home-schooled by pacifists (Olivia Newton-John and Marc Jordan, looking more annoyed to be there than I was), Farley has limited experience with team sports and somehow managed to miss that fighting is almost an integral part of playing hockey with a team. Farley must figure out who he is in a world that is pulling him in so many indiscernible directions at once. Unfortunately for him, he has to warble his way through some pretty nauseating lyricism to get there. Fortunately for us, it only takes him ninety minutes to get there. Damn overtime.

Black Sheep @ TIFF 2010

After three years of trying, I can very happily say that I am bringing Black Sheep Reviews to the Toronto International Film Festival ... officially!  I've been before but only with limited access, my not being an actual member of the accredited press.  Each year, my coverage has gotten wider and this year, with a little help from the great people at Movie Entertainment magazine, Black Sheep will be covering TIFF like never before!  That is to say, I am fully accredited and will be floating in and out of movies from all over the world and interviews with some of the most celebrated filmmakers of my time.  I said a little help before but I wouldn't have this opportunity without Movie Entertainment magazine and I intend to do right by them by covering as much as possible and likely sleeping very little.

Each day of TIFF, I will post two features on Black Sheep Reviews, or at least I'll try to.  First thing in the morning, you can have some TIFF BITS with your morning coffee.  I will let you know what major films are premiering that day, my personal screening suggestions for the day and there will be one full review daily as well.  And if there's anything else exciting happening that day, I will let you know that too.  Then, at the end of the day, assuming I'm still standing, I will post a video diary of what my day was like - what I saw, who I saw, maybe what I ate for lunch.  It won't be fancy and hopefully it will not be a full on disaster.  That feature will be called TIFF'd, inspired by my brother who says nerds add the "'d" to the end of nouns often.  I thought it was cute so I'm rolling with it.  Aren't nerds adorable?  Nerd'd.

That said, I am going to do my best.  If I miss a post here and there, hopefully you will forgive.  I am but one man here.  Speaking of which, check this photo out ...

Here are the Top 10 films I am most excited to catch and cover this year at TIFF:

127 HOURS

Directed by Danny Boyle

Starring James Franco

BIUTIFUL

Directed by Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu

Starring Javier Bardem

BLACK SWAN

Directed by Darren Aronofsky

Starring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis and Vincent Cassel

BLUE VALENTINE

Directed by Derek Cianfrance

Starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams

BURIED

Directed by Rodrigo Cortes

Starring Ryan Reynolds and a Zippo

HEARTBEATS (LES AMOURS IMAGINAIRES)

Directed by Xavier Dolan

Starring Xavier Dolan, Niels Schneider and Monia Chokri

IT'S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY

Directed by Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden

Starring Zach Galifianakis

THE KING'S SPEECH

Directed by Tom Hooper

Starring Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush

NEVER LET ME GO

Directed by Mark Romanek

Starring Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley

RABBIT HOLE

Directed by John Cameron Mitchell

Starring Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhardt

YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER

Directed by Woody Allen

Starring Naomi Watts, Josh Brolin and Freida Pinto

Did I say 10?  Is that 11?  There are just too many!  I can't limit myself to such small numbers.  I will be screening somewhere between 30 and 40 films in the next 11 days and I've already banked nine or ten before the whole thing even started.  I'm telling you .. I'm going to need to stare at a wall after this is all done for a little while, just to refocus my vision.

I will be tweeting throughout the festival too about anything of interest I overhear or see.  Be sure to follow Black Sheep on Twitter if you aren't already.  Click here to follow.  If you're in the city and enjoyed something you saw, let me know.  Or maybe you want me to ask some hot celebrity a question for you if I happen to be interviewing them.  Just message me!  That said, if you're asking for Ryan Reynolds' phone number, you're dreaming if you think I'm not going to keep it for myself.

And there go my chances of getting an interview with Ryan Reynolds. Nah, that's not true.  I'm interviewing him on Tuesday!!

I hope you enjoy Black Sheep @ TIFF 2010.

I know I will.

For more information on TIFF, visit tiff.net.