TIFF 09 Recap Part 3

Youth in Revolt

While on vacation with his mother (Jean Smart) and her latest deadbeat boyfriend (Zach Galifianakis), cynical teenager Nick Twisp (Michael Cera), meets the girl of his dreams, Sheeni Saunders (Portia Doubleday). Unfortunately for Nick, the distance between where he and Sheeni each live is a huge road block in their budding relationship. The only remedy is for Nick to get kicked out of his mother’s house and be sent to live with his father (Steve Buscemi). In order for this plan to work an upstanding individual like Nick will be required to do some truly bad deeds. Luckily for Nick, Francois Dillinger (Michael Cera) is an expert at creating havoc. As Francois sets Nick’s plan into motion, Nick is forced to deal with the unexpected consequences.

As Francois Dillinger, Michael Cera finally gets a chance to break away from his usual awkward teenager role. Yes, as Nick, Cera is still doing the same deadpan teenager role we are all use to, but most of the memorable moments in the film come courtesy of Francois. Youth in Revolt is a far more entertaining teen comedy than Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist. Granted Sheeni, is not as well rounded a female character at Kat Denning’s Nora was in that film. Still, Youth in Revolt greatest asset is its wonderful supporting cast (e.g. Smart, Galifianakis, Buscemi, Fred Willard, Adhir Kalvan, Justin Long, Ray Liotta, etc.). Besides providing some great laugh out loud moments, the supporting cast also help to keep the comedic pace moving briskly. I also liked how the breezy script allowed Miguel Arteta to incorporate a few stylistic touches, such as animation, into the film. Arteta wisely does not overwhelm the film with it, but it never feels out of place when it is included. While Youth in Revolt may not bring too much new to the coming-of-age genre, it does have enough comedic moments to satisfy for a few hours.

B+




Bitch Slap

In Rick Jacobson’s homage to 70’s sexploitation movies, Bitch Slap, three buxom femme fatales set out to steal 200 million dollars from a criminal kingpin. At first everyone role in the heist is clearly defined. Hel (Erin Cummings) is the brains of the operation, Trixie (Julia Voth) is the bait, and Camero (America Olivo) is the muscle. As plans begin to spiral out of control, and secrets are revealed, the women roles are blurred and allegiances are question. It quickly becomes clear to all that the women need to fear each other just as much as they fear the kingpin.

If you enjoy Russ Meyer’s movies, or any cheesy sexploitation flick for that matter, chances are good that you will be entertained by Bitch Slap. The movie is tongue-in-cheek from beginning to end with some inspired cameos (e.g. Kevin Sorbo, Lucy Lawless, Renée O’Connor, etc). The one major flaw with Bitch Slap is that it gets fairly repetitive after a while. There is only so many girl-on-girl slow motion fight scenes, witty references for female genitalia, and over-the-top action sequences a person can take. As a result of all the excess, the movie takes far too long to get to the big twist (which you see coming in the first twenty minutes). Jacobson and crew have so much fun playing things up that they left out the most important aspect of the original 70’s genre…the moral subtext. Frankly the cheesy, and often horrific, moral lesson is what made the Russ Meyer’s movies so entertaining. With the exception of the one dimwitted cop, and even he is a stretch, there is no character is truly corrupted by the women. Bitch Slap does have many enjoyable moments but ultimately it does not hold a candle to the 70’s sexploitation movies that it is honoring.

C




Ajami

The conflicts between Israeli’s and Palestinians have been widely documented on a global scale but rarely do we see what goes on daily in average neighborhoods. Ajami looks at how the lives seemingly separate individuals are intertwined. There is the story of a family who must pay for one uncle’s heroic act. Another story looks at an Arab who wants to live in Israel. There is also the story of the cop who is desperate to find his missing brother. To give any more of the plot away would be a great disservice to the film.

Ajami is a film very much in the same vein as City of God as provide a unique look at a world that few of us really know about. Not only does Ajami show what life is like for Arabs living in Israel, but also the constant conflict between religion and honor. One of the shocking things about Ajami is how the structure and rules are said to be in God’s name, yet all it seems to do is breed more criminal activity. Of course the cultural conflicts are present as well, but directors Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani care more about the human element rather than the historical debate. Ajami does not make any grand political statements, nor does it choose side. Instead it provides a fascinating, and at times heartbreaking, look at how corruption and violence can ruin communities no matter where in the world you are.

A




Micmacs (Micmac à tire-larigot)

Bazil’s (Dany Boon) life is turned upside down after a drive-by-shooting leaves a bullet lodged in his head. Homeless, and aimlessly roaming the streets of Paris, Bazil stumble upon an eccentric cast of characters who invite him to join their makeshift family. With the help of his newfound friends, Bazil devises a scheme to get revenge on the two weapons manufacturers that have caused him a lifetime of distress.

Second runner-up for the festival’s people choice award, which was on by Precious, Micmacs is truly a crowd-pleaser. Jean-Pierre Jeunet brings his whimsical imagination that he has displayed in numerous films, including Delicatessen and Amelie, to the caper movie genre. Despite the subject matter, Jeunet is not really interested in making a grand political statement. Micmac’s main goal is to entertain and, as far as screwball comedies go, it succeeds on several levels. The romantic subtext is nowhere near as engaging as Amelie but, to be honest, it really only plays a minor role in the story. The real fun of Micmacs is watching Dany Boon’s physical comedic timing. Boon’s performance helps Micmac’s achieve the Chuck Jones level of insanity that it strives for. Micmacs may not have the emotional resonance of some of Jeunet’s other films, but the film had me laughing more than any other film I have seen so far this year.

A+

Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet held a very entertaining Q & A after the screening.




Vengeance

After his daughter, Irene (Sylvie Testud), is seriously injured, and Irene’s husband and children killed, restaurant owner Frank Costello (Johnny Hallyday) is determined to find the people responsible. Leaving France for the foreign land of Hong Kong, Frank enlists a trio of hitmen (Anthony Wong, Lam Suet and Lam Ka-Tung) to assist him in the search. As Frank and the hitmen trek forward it becomes clear that both sides are keeping secrets. One secret in particular may not only jeopardize the partnership, but Frank’s life as well

Although Vengeance is director’s Johnnie To’s first English language film, his trademark “bullet ballet” is still intact. While I am a big fan of some of To’s previous works I found Vengeance to be a huge disappointment. Part of the problem is that the story falls apart halfway mark when one major twist is revealed. When To introduces a Memento-style subplot it ends up stifling the whole production. Pretty much everything after that becomes pointless, this is especially apparent in the shootout at the trash yard. Many of the shootout scenes, normally To’s strong point, feel lifeless as a result of the inept plot. Sure there a few nice stylistic touches but nothing we have not seen To do better elsewhere. Vengeance would have been better served to leave the twist out completely. Without it, To would not have to use lame plot devices, such as resorting to “divine intervention”, in order to keep the story moving. Vengeance is misguided on many levels and will leave you frustrated more than anything else.

D




Le Refuge (The Refuge)

Mousse (Isabelle Carre) and Louis (Melvill Poupaud) have just received their latest stash of heroin and plan for a night of drug induced ecstasy. This results in Mousse waking up in the hospital days later, after going into a coma, and she is told that Louis has died from an overdose. If that was not shocking enough, Mousee also finds out that she is pregnant. Deciding to keep the baby that is growing inside her, Mousse retreats to a quiet home in the countryside to live life in peace. Things get complicated for Mousse when Louis’ brother, Paul (Louis-Ronan Choisy), pays her an unexpected visit and feelings start to develop.

Francois Ozon’s latest film, Le Refuge, is a film that is almost too subtle for its own good. The set up of Le Refuge leads you to think that you about to witness a gut-wrenching drama, when the film is actual a quiet meditation on isolation and sexuality. The connection between Mousse and Paul is built up slowly and rarely goes the path you think it will. A lot of the tension that arises between the two is more a result of Paul’s physical resemblance to Louis more than anything else. Le Refuge felt like a much somber version of The Swimming Pool in several ways, partly because of the themes Ozon is playing with. While not as strong as that film, Le Refuge does have many interesting elements going for it. Just do not go into the film expecting any grand moments as the whole film is rather anti-climatic.

C


The Ape (Apan)


Krister (Olle Sarri) wakes up the bathroom floor one morning. He is not sure how he got there or why there is blood on him. Disoriented, and extremely late for work, Krister frantically get ready for another day as a driving instructor. As he goes about his day, it soon becomes clear that Krister’s life is about to change forever.

The brilliance of The Ape does not reveal itself immediately; to be honest I was not fond of the film upon first viewing. Yet I could not stop thinking about it after the screening was over. The more played certain scenes over in my head, the more it became apparent how brilliantly deceptive the film actually is. Despite its conventional appearance The Ape is anything but that; which is why the film is both frustrating to watch, and upon reflection, immensely rewarding. After the opening scene, you expect that the full mystery to be revealed, when the truth is director Jesper Ganslandt is not interested in the mystery at all he only cares about the present. While certain answers are given, the film is really about how Krister copes with the events that happened before we (the viewer) started following him. The relatively calmness Krister exudes for most of the day, coupled with some of the choices he make, is what really makes this film chilling. While The Ape is not the easiest film to sit through but it definitely warrants repeat viewing to truly grasp how good it actually is.

A


A Gun to the Head

Trevor (Tvgh Runyan) has left his criminal ways behind him and is now living the typical suburban life with his wife Grace (Marnie Robinson). One night, while out getting wine for a dinner party Grace is hosting, Trevor gets a call from his troublemaking cousin Darren (Paul Anthony). Although he really should get back to his dinner party, Trevor just cannot pass up the temptation of one quick beer with his cousin. Soon enough Trevor finds himself in middle of a dispute between Darren and local a drug dealer, Sam (Hrothgar Mathews). This not only puts Trevor’s life at risk but his wife’s as well.

Although Blaine Thurier is more known for his musical talents (he plays keyboard in The New Pornographers) he shows a lot of promise as a director. His third feature is an enjoyable dark comedy that manages to find fresh laughs in rather familiar territory. The premise is nothing you have not seen numerous times before; but the performances from the cast, especially Anthony and Mathews, are what really keep your interested. The actors do a good job of finding the right comedic rhythm for the dialogue. Some of the funniest moments arrive in the dinner party scenes when Grace’s boss tries valiantly to convince to Grace into partake in a threesome. Frankly, you may never look at Japanese culture the same way again. Although the film is enjoyable for the most part it does lag a bit towards the end. The darker toned ending does not quite fit with the overall picture.

B –

Director Blaine Thurier and cast members Marnie Robinson, Hrothgar Mathews, Benjamin Ayres held a Q & A after the screening.


If I Knew What You Said (Dinig Sana Kita)

Nina (Zoe Sandejas) is the lead singer of a rock band but cannot seem to keep out of trouble. Facing expulsion from school Nina has no choice but to attend an experimental camp that combines hearing impaired students with regular students. It is at the camp where Nina meets Kiko (Romalito Mallari), a deaf student with a passion for dance. Despite the emotional baggage they both are carrying a genuine friendship is formed between Nina and Kiko. Unfortunately their bond will be put to the test as their individual lives start to spiral out of control.

At first glance Mike Sandejas’s film looks like it might be just another “after school special”-style film about acceptance. Yet as the film progresses you realize that there is much more going on than you initially expected. Sandejas creates realistic and well-rounded characters in Nina and Kiko. Zoe Sandejas and Romalito Mallari provide strong performances to make the characters believable. If I Knew What You Said does tug at your heart a few times but it never over does it. There are rarely any moments in the film that feel false or forced. Granted the film wraps up a little too sweet for my liking, but really that was a minor complaint as the rest of the film had me hooked far more than I ever expected it would.

Director Mike Sandeja, Zoe Sandejas and Romalito Mallari held a Q & A after the screening.

A-/B+




Life During Wartime

In Life During Wartime, director Todd Solondz revisits many of the characters that he brought to life so vividly in Welcome to the Dollhouse and Happiness years earlier (14 and 11 years respectively). After once being married to a pedophile, Bill (Ciarán Hinds), Trish (Allison Janney) is happy that she has finally found herself a normal guy, Harvey (Michael Lerner). Trish and Harvey plan to marry but things are complicated when Bill is released from jail. Meanwhile Trish’s sister Joy (Shirley Henderson) and her husband, Allen (Michael K. Williams), are having problems due to Allen’s immoral habits. As Joy takes a solo trip to reconnect with her family she is haunted by the ghost of a lover past. Both Trish and Joy must figure out if it is better to forgive or to forget.

Life During Wartime is like warmed over comfort food in many ways. You really do not need it but it satisfies for a brief time before you are hungry again. As a big fan of Solondz’s previous films I had no problem with the fact that he used a completely new cast for each role. Yet since it had been so long since I saw both Dollhouse and Happiness it did take a while for me to reconnect with the characters. While I liked the casting (Janny, Henderson, William, Charlotte Rambling, and Paul Rubens are good in their given roles) I could not help but wonder what the original actors (especially from Happiness) would have done with this material. I think that is one of the main things that hinders the film overall. Happiness was such a good movie that it really did not warrant a sequel. Todd Solondz trademark dark humor is still intact but somehow the film seems to play things much safer than his previous films. Solondz doe raise some interesting questions on the lengths of human forgiveness but ultimately he has covered this theme better elsewhere. At the end of the day Life During Wartime made me want to rent Happiness again more than anything else.

B-/C+


The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

After making a bet with Mr. Nick (Tom Waits), who is more commonly known as the devil, Dr. Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) wins the gift of immortality. Several years later Mr. Nick and Dr. Parnassus make another bet that would ultimately save the life of Parnassus’ one true love. Unfortunately for Dr. Parnassus this bet comes at a grave price as he is forced to give up his first born child, Valentina (Lily Cole), to Mr. Nick upon her 16th birthday. Now on the eve of Valentina’s sweet sixteen, Dr. Parnassus and Mr. Nick decide to make another bet that may either save Valentina or damn her forever. The bet is simple, Dr. Parnassus must convert five souls through is mystical “Imaginarium” travelling show before Mr. Nick converts five souls. Dr. Parnassus knows that the devil always has a trick up his sleeve, which is why his randomly meeting with Tony (Health Ledger) is so intriguing. Is Tony a gift from above? Or is Dr. Parnassus taking his biggest risk yet?

It has been well documented that this film features the final performance of Heath Ledger. It is also no surprise to hear that Colin Farrell, Johnny Depp, and Jude Law were asked to fill in for Health in certain scenes. What may come as a shock is how seamlessly the injection of the new actors is. Since most of the non-imaginarium scenes were shot prior to Health’s death, Farrell and crew were only needed for the fantasy sequence. Once you see the film, the limitless possibilities of the Imaginarium will make perfect sense. The two performances that probably deserver the most praise are that of Christopher Plummer and Tom Waits. Sure Health is charming as ever, but it is Plummer and Wait who really make this film a treat. Waits in particular does a great job as the devil, you can see how easily a man like Dr. Parnassus could be swayed by his deceitful charm. Director Terry Gilliam does a good job at keeping the film grounded in reality despite all of its fantastical moments. This film is far better than his last two works, The Brothers Grimm and Tideland, though not as strong as some of his earlier films. The one major flaw with the film is the Imaginarium scenes with Farrell in the third act. I found the whole sequence from the children’s benefit up to the stairs chase just went on far too long. The film needs a little tighter editing near the end. Still, despite the somber events surrounding the film, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is an enjoyable ride that is a fitting final chapter to Health Ledger’s canon of work.

B

Terry Gilliam introduced the film and held an engaging Q & A after the screening

TIFF 09 Recap Part 2

The Road

Based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy, John Hillcoat’s The Road is bleak look at a world on the brink. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, a father (Viggo Mortensen) and son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) struggle to survive by any means necessary. As duo travel aimlessly day to day, they encounter various individuals (Robert Duvall, Michael K. Williams, etc) that will ultimately blur the lines between good and evil even further.

As weird as it may sound, I always find stories about the decay of society fascinating. The Road is a very bleak film that reminded me of Fernando Meirelles’ Blindness in many ways, though The Road is not nearly as graphic and the overall execution of is far better. The interesting thing about this film is that it does not care what caused the world to get to the point that it is at. The real focus is on the theme of family; and the lengths that people will go through to protect the ones they love. There is also an underlying question of whether childhood innocence can exist in such a horrific world? There are times in the film where Smit-McPhee’s character comes off a little too naïve for my liking. Especially if you take into account all that he has experienced up to this point. Having not read the source material I cannot say whether the character was orignianlly written this way or if it was more a result of Hillcoat’s direction. The real strength of the film is found in the casting. Viggo Mortensen is very good in the lead role; he has the right mixture of vulnerability and jadedness needed for the role. I also really liked the supporting performances of Duvall and Williams. Though I wish Molly Parker and Guy Pearce were given more to do. I understand their character’s roles are minor but, with actors of their talent, it would have been great to see them play some of the darker roles in the film. While it did not blow me away like other post-apocalyptic films have, say Children of Men for example, The Road did hold my interest the throughout.

B

Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee introduced the film both decked out in gear supporting my beloved Montreal Canadiens, which obviously did not sit well with the many Toronto Maple Leaf fans in the audience. Viggo and Kodi had a few funny back and forth moments with audience as a result.




The Joneses

The arrival of Kate (Demi Moore) and Mike Jones (David Duchovny), along with their kids Jenn (Amber Heard) and Micks (Ben Hollingsworth), in an upscale suburban neighborhood causes quite a stir amongst the residents. Living in a lavishe house, with all the cutting edge clothing and gadgets you can imagine, the Joneses quickly become the toast of the town. Everyone, especially neighbors Larry (Gary Cole) and Summer (Glenne Headley), becomes obsessed with emulating Joneses lifestyle. Despite their seemingly perfect exterior, the Joneses may not be the ideal family they appear to be.

The Joneses is one of those films that work best if you go in not knowing too much. Although writer/director Derrick Borte creates a brilliant premise, he unfortunately fumbles with the overall delivery. The film wants to be both a satire on consumerism and a romantic comedy, the latter of which is what ultimately hurts the film. Since Borte must continually keep the romantic subtext flowing, The Joneses never reaches the biting satirical level that it really should. This is a shame since both Cole and Headley steal every scene they are in. The odd thing about The Joneses is that the film itself plays like one long product placement commercial. Maybe this is Borte’s way of emphasizing how easily it is for us to be swayed by marketing. Still, it is tough to take Duchovny’s speech, on our constant obsession with things, seriously when every other moment you are being shown the latest Audi vehicles. If Borte had gone for a more cutting satire The Joneses could have easily been one of the better films of the year. As it stands, you will leave The Joneses slightly disappointed and with a desire to buy something.

C+


The Warrior and the Wolf (Lang Zai Jilang)

Adapted from of a short story by Japanese writer Yashushi Inoue The Warrior and The Wolf takes place during the Era of the Warring States (i.e. before the unification of China). When General Zhange Anliang (Tou Chung-hua) is wounded in battle Lu (Joe Odagiri), a soldier who is opposed to murder, is forced to take over command. As the harsh winter blocks the path home, Lu and his men are forced to take refuge in a mysterious village. While in the village Lu meets, and eventually falls for, a beautiful woman (Maggie Q) who has secrets of her own. Unbeknownst to Lu, his relationship with this woman will change his life forever.

Although I am sure that the original source material is a captivating story, as a film, The Warrior and the Wolf is a mess. The pacing is extremely slow and, surprisingly, nothing is really fleshed out. The film constantly feels like chunks of essential points (e.g. history, timelines, etc.) are missing. Events happen in this film that make no sense whatsoever, this is especially noticeable when looking at the arc between Odagiri and Q. Lu is a passive man, yet turns into an uncontrollable animal at the sight of a half naked Maggie Q. While you can argue that he has not seen a woman in years, due to the war, you never really get a sense at how long he has actually been gone. Also, similar to Kelin, there is the whole “Taming of the Shrew” through rape angle that occurs. Yet unlike Kelin, The Warrior and the Wolf never really shows those moments where you actually believe Q’s character would fall in love with Lu. The woman just professes her love for him one day and then brings up the whole “curse” element to the tale. While I will not provide spoilers, I will merely say that such a central part of the story should not come out of left field over an hour into the film. I will not even bother to mention the ridiculous third act of the film that pretty much throws everything from the first two acts out the window.

D





The Loved Ones

Winner of the first ever Midnight Madness award, for favourite Midnight Madness feature, The Loved Ones is an entertaining horror flick that achieves so much by doing so little. Six months after being involved in an accident that killed his father, Brent Mitchell (Xavier Sameul) is still riddled with guilt. Wearing a razorblade at the end of chain, Brent routinely cuts himself in an attempt to deal with the pain. After an argument with his mother, and on the eve of the school prom, Brent decides to go for walk to clear his head. Unfortunately for Brent, he is unknowingly about to have a night that he will never forget.

I am hesitant to divulge too much about the plot has you really should go in knowing as little as possible. While many will cite Carrie as a comparison, I think The Loved Ones is more along the lines of films such as Misery. Director Sean Byrne script manages to provide fully realized characters in a rather short pace of time. He also finds a way to connect seemingly meaningless events (i.e. the best friend story arc) to the bigger picture. Unlike recent horror films, especially the Saw franchise and the “strangers in my house” revivals, The Loved Ones finds its chills in the simplest of places. In an age where death and torture in movies are done on such an elaborate scale, Byrne uses everyday devices (e.g. forks, kettles, hammers, etc.) to maximum effect. A lot of credit must also go to Robin McLeavy and John Brumpton who, as Lola and Eric respectively, create two of the most memorable horror characters in recent years. Their performances, especially Brumpton’s, are so subtle at times that you cannot help but be both disturbed and entertained at the same time.

A-/B+

Sean Byrne held a Q &A after the screening


Partir (Leaving)

Suzanne (Kristen Scott Thomas) has decided after years of being a devoted stay-at-home wife to Samuel (Yvan Attal), and mother to their children, that she wants to go back to work as a physiotherapist. Samuel agrees to build Suzanne her own consulting room in the backyard. Before long Suzanne strikes up a friendship with Ivan (Sergi Lopez), a contractor who is working on the room, and unexpected feelings develop.

Partir follows a string of other recent films (e.g. Cloud 9, and The Other Man to a certain extent) that look at the themes of women abandoning their families in the pursuit of passion. What I always find interesting about these films is how different events play out when the woman is the one who commits adultery. In all of these films the woman leaves to be with her lover and expects the family to accept her decision no questions asked. Unlike some of the other films I mentioned, Director Catherin Corsini’s film tries to take the easy way out by turning the husband into the villain. This helps her show that Suzanne ultimately made the right decision. The problem with this is that Samuel only becomes vindictive after Suzanne tells him that she has been cheating on him. Frankly I do not think any husband, or wife for that matter, is going to be fine with their spouse coming home to cook dinner before running out to spend the night with their new lover. Call me old fashioned but I just do not see it happening. Now I do not condone Samuel’s actions towards the end of the film, as they are beyond redeemable. Still, other moments such as Samuel cutting Suzanne off from his bank account is not as vile as Corsini tries to make us believe. Despite some issues I had with a few of the plot devices, Kristen Scott Thomas is the reason why this film stays a float. She gives another great performance that almost comes close to rivaling her work in I’ve Loved You So Long. Partir has its flaws but it will definitely stir up debate afterwards.

B-

Director Catherin Corsini held a revealing Q &A where she admitted that she and Thomas had many battles on the set. Although they are ultimately had similar visions for the story, the disagreed on some of the choices being made (i.e. Thomas wanted her character to have more interaction with the children, etc.)



Still to come: The Ape, Youth in Revolt, Bitch Slap, Life During Wartime, Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, If I Knew What You Said, Ajami, etc.

TIFF 09 Recap Part 1

TIFF is done for another year and, although I am still recovering, here is the first wave of mini-reviews for the films I saw. I will repost these reviews with more details closer to when they are released in theaters.

Like You Know It All (Jal Aljido Motamyunseo)

Filmmaker Ku Kyung-nam (Kim Tae-woo) is a critical darling yet he still has not made a commercially successful movie. The general public just cannot seem to make sense of any of his films. When Ku is invited to serve on the jury at a music and film festival, he sees it as a great honor. Yet once on the jury it quickly becomes apparent that reviewing movies is the last thing on Ku’s mind. When Ku is not sleeping through films, or skipping them completely, he is out catching up with old friends and getting into drunken conversations about life. Yet wherever Ku goes trouble seems to follow. Is it possible to have commercial success when you are not even understood in your private life?

Similar to his main character, Ku, director Hong Sang-soo cannot seem to make up his mind on what he wants this film to really be about. He wants defy typical convention by exerting his right to throw several different ideas into the same melting pot. As a result, Sang-soo rarely takes a stand on anything of real significance. Like You Know It All really finds it groove at the beginning as satirical element, regarding the pretentiousness of film festival, is spot on. The problem is that the film gets silly after that. This is due to the various contradictions in the film. Ku prides himself on freedom but constantly craves conformity. This is most evident in his interactions with a former college flame. Ku’s longing for his old flame to be his soul mate is yet another misguided attempt for acceptance. A good chunk of the film focuses on Ku being a callous womanizer who repeatedly puts the moves on his friends’ wives, and leaves drunk-girls in vulnerable positions for others to take advantage of. Yet Ku tries to play the victim in all of this claiming that a soul mate would cure his self absorbed ways. Ku’s constant flip-flopping goes from comical to annoying fairly fast. Since neither Ku, nor Sang-soo, seem to have any really concrete arguments to make, Like You Know It All ends up being much ado about nothing

C -


Cleanflix

What do you do when your religious beliefs conflict with your entertainment choices? Well if you are Mormon, and live in Utah, the answer is simple…you find a workaround. After the prophet declares a ban on viewing R-rated movies, a number of video editing companies, such as Clean Flicks and Flick’s Club, start popping up. Clean Flicks specialized in taking R-rated movies, like The Matrix, and illegally editing out all of the violent and graphic content. They would then turn around and sell the edited version to the masses. This eventually led to a war of words in both the media and in the courts, between the companies that edited videos and the Directors Guild of America. As the media attention grew one man, Daniel Thompson, unwittingly became the face off the whole Clean Flicks industry. Problems arise when it is revealed that Daniel may not quite be the wholesome Mormon he appeared to be.

While Cleanflix takes a firm stance on censorship it does provide a fair look at the ideology of edited movie companies. I also liked how the film provides insight into the Mormon community without making them look like freaks. Directors Andrew James and Joshua Ligairi, who are Mormons, show that the Mormon community is made up of well meaning individuals who are interested in pop zeitgeist just like everyone else. The problem is that they do not see the inherent contradictions with using companies such as Clean Flicks. They are essentially breaking one religious law in order to obey another. One of the funny things about the whole debate is that Hollywood already provides edited movies for television and airplanes, yet they refuse to release them for sale to the general public. Which is perplexing considering that there is clearly major demand for them in Utah and other places across America. It seems like a huge financial windfall that Hollywood is passing up. The one complaint some may have with this documentary is that Daniel Thompson’s story takes up a large amount of the second half of the film. Personally I found Daniel an interesting subject to follow as his lust for media attention provides the documentary with some of its funniest, as well as most disturbing, moments. He is a walking contradiction that perfectly encapsulates the religious versus consumerist debate that is one of the underlying themes of the film.

A

Andrew James and Joshua Ligairi held a Q&A after the screening.


Antichrist

After the suffering the tragic loss of their infant son, a couple (William Dafoe, Charlotte Gainsbourg) attempt to mend the wounds the death has opened. The husband (Dafoe), who is a psychologist, believes that the best cure for his wife’s grief is to confront one of her deepest fears. It seems that the wife (Gainsboug) is having reoccurring nightmares about the woods near their cottage in Eden. At Eden the couple quickly realizes that facing ones fears may not quite be the medicine they were hoping for.

Lars Von Tier’s nightmare look at the stereotype of the sexes is, if nothing else, a film that will stick with you long after you see it. Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing is up to the individual viewer. This is not the type of film that you really need to see at 9 o’clock on a Saturday morning, but such is the way the TIFF schedule goes. The much publicized graphic scenes are indeed hard to watch and not easy to forget. Yet I found that those particular scenes were more distracting than anything else. Those moments actually ruined everything that was so wonderfully set up in the first section of the film. Antichrist is visually stunning at times; and raises a lot of interesting questions about the dispositions of both men and women. The theme of nature being Satan’s playground is fascinating. I really liked how Von Tier interprets the whole Garden of Eden story and juxtaposes it with the history of burning pagan women for being witches. He also looks at the idea of a woman’s pleasure being a punishable offense. Unfortunately all these great ideas are overshadowed by the excessive later half of Antichrist which almost borders on torture-porn. When reflecting on the film you automatically think back to “the wheel” and other gruesome moments, instead of how wonderful Charlotte Gainsbourg’s performance is. While Antichrist is destined to be the subject of many film school papers for years to come; it is just not as strong, or as focused, as Von Tier’s previous works. The concept is great and the performances are good, but overall I would say this one is a rental.

On a side note, this film, oddly enough, reminded me of the Canadian film Lost Song that played at TIFF 08. That film was also about a couple that go to their cabin in the woods, but this time it was an attempt to cure the wife’s postpartum depression. It would be interesting to watch both that and Antichrist back-to-back one day.

C




Year of the Carnivore

Sammy Smalls (Cristin Milioti) works as an undercover security guard at a local grocery store. When she is not catching shoplifters in the act for her boss (Will Sasso), she is pining over the neighbourhood busker, Eugene (Mark Rendall). After a night of passion, Sammy is shocked to learn that Eugene no longer wants a relationship with her due to her poor performance in bed. Since Eugene refuses to help Sammy improve her sexual technique, Sammy sets out to gain sexual experience by any means necessary.

After directing a few short films and starring in the controversial film, Shortbus, Sook-Yin Lee makes her directorial feature length debut with Year of the Carnivore. The film is a funny and thought provoking look at human connection and the loneliness that we all have…especially married couples. Although sex is the catalyst for the story, it is rarely shown as pleasurable. Heck, even Eugene has a bored look on his face while taking part in a threesome. Sook-Yin wants to show what hinders our sexual encounters the most is both our inhibitions and our lack of true connection. Society spends so much time talking about sex, selling sex, and looking to have sex; yet in reality people rarely act on their impulses. One of the notable aspects about Year of the Carnivore is how every marriage in the film is in trouble. Whether it is the young couple with twin babies or the couple who have been together for 25 years, they have all lost both the passion in the bedroom and the basic art of communication. Sure these themes may not be new, but Lee makes them fresh again with her smartly written script that is both comical and charming. Besides Lee, a lot of the films success is due to the hilarious performance by Cristin Milioti in the role of Sammy. Milioti, who has great physical comedic timing, convincingly conveys both Sammy’s quirky awkwardness and her womanly awakening while avoiding the realm of farce. Year of the Carnivore could have easily been a formulaic romantic comedy but instead it turned out to be one of the festival’s pleasant surprises.

B+

Sook-yin Lee, Mark Rendall and a few other cast members held a Q&A after the screening.


The Art of the Steal

Dr. Albert Barnes held the largest collection of post-impressionist and early modernist art in the world. Despite the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s best efforts to acquire the pieces, Barnes snubbed the Philadelphia elites and housed the collection in suburb of Merion. Before his death in 1951, Barnes made a will to ensure that the collection stayed out of the hands of the Museum and others who wished to profit off the works. Barnes wanted the collection to remain an educational tool for serious students of art and not the casual tourist. Barnes was able to hold off the dollar eyed vultures when he was alive, but once Barnes passed away things changed. Even his iron clad will started to show some cracks...

Don Argott’s documentary was easily one of my favourite films at the festival this year. The story unfolds like a murder mystery complete with a full list of suspects. Argott details step by step how money rules the bottom line of everything. It was the catalyst that forced many Philadelphia politicians and corporations commit crime of stealing Barnes’ collection. The Art of the Steal forces you to question if something as strong as a person’s will can be violated, what say do you really have in any part of your life? The most startling aspect of this documentary is how matter of fact some people, such as the Governor and the Attorney General, are when openly talking about how they essentially blackmailed institutions such as the of Lincon University. The funny thing is both men act like it was just business as usual. It is this type of mentality that is so chilling. The taking over of the Barnes collection was as epic as major corporate merges. Many of the key players not only hid key information from the public but also used public money to essentially commit the crime. It is truly fascinating to see how the Barnes’ collection has ended up becoming everything Barnes objected to when he was alive. The Art of the Steal will make you look at art, politics, education, and the law in a whole new light.

A+

Don Argott and crew held a Q & A session


Kelin

Taking place in 2nd Century A.D., Kelin (Gulsharat Zhubayeva) has two suitors vying for her hand in marriage. Unfortunately her true love, Mergyen (Kuandyk Kystykbaev), cannot afford to pay the same dowry to Kelin’s father that Baktashi (Erzan Nurymbet) can. Although Kelin is reluctant to become Baktashi’s wife at first, she starts to develop genuine feelings for him after a while. Kelin’s blossoming love for Baktashi is soon tested once Mergyen reappears into her life determined to win her back at all cost.

Ermek Tursunov’s film has no dialogue whatsoever which means that it is up to the actors to convey and sustain the story for the 84-minute running time. The cast does a good job rising to the task. Not all the performances are note perfect but they are sufficient enough for the subject matter. Kelin would have been better served with much tighter editing. The film’s pacing is much slower than it really needs to be. Also, there is nothing in the film that really sets you up for the events at the end. Kelin must assume a role for which she has no prior preparation. Tursunov seems to imply that she will rise to the challenge like those before her. Maybe it is a given for those familiar with the history of various cultures within Kazakhstan, but I just did not see how that is possible. The central theme in the film, regarding love and tradition, are nothing new; nor is the overall execution. Kelin is an adequate film but not one that will leave a lasting impression.

C-

Director Ermek Tursunov held a Q & A that turned out to be far more engaging than the actual film.


The Men Who Stare At Goats

After a chance encounter with Lyn Cassidy (George Clooney), journalist Bob Wilton (Ewen McGregor) realizes that he might have come across the juiciest story of his career. Lyn claims to be part of a special military group of super-soldiers trained in the art of mental warfare. They can become invisible, located hidden items, and even make a goat’s heart stop beating through mere thought. Yet after traveling across the Iraq dessert, in search of Lyn’s former unit captain Bill Django (Jeff Bridges), Bob begins to wonder if Lyn’s tales are actually more fiction than fact.

Grant Heslov’s latest feature evoked mixed reactions out of me at various points in the film. There are times when the writing in The Men Who Stare At Goats is truly brilliant. During these moments the dialogue is fast paced and the film hits all the right comedic notes. Unfortunately there are also times when it becomes painfully obvious that there is really no substance to the picture at all. Clearly they had a great concept but just could muster enough material to sustain a whole movie. Many people I spoke with who loved The Men Who Stare At Goats cited the Coen Brothers’ comedies as one of the reasons they enjoyed the film so much. Whereas this was one of the major reasons I found the film disappointing. To me, The Men Who Stare At Goats plays more like a poor man’s Coen Brothers flick. Even Jeff Bridges seems to be phoning in his old Lebowski performance for the film. Several of the running gags, most notably the Jedi and other pop culture references, become stale after hearing them over and over. The casting is great and Heslov allow his actors to really let loose in their roles. Though Heslov needed to rein in the story much more than he does, especially in regards to the ridiculous third act. Again, there are some truly funny segments that almost warrant a mild recommendation for those scenes alone. Yet on the whole, despite the potential it displayed, The Men Who Stare At Goats was ultimately more disappointing than anything else.

C




Good Hair

In Jeff Stilson’s documentary, Good Hair, Chris Rock goes on a mission to try and understand the obsession black women have with “Good Hair.” Whether it is using the harmful chemicals found in a tub of hair relaxer; or spending thousands of dollars on weaves, black women are constantly striving to have European-looking hair. Rock’s journey will not only lead him across America but all the way to India as well. What he finds out along the way is equally hilarious and disturbing.

Good Hair is definitely an eye opening look into the black hair industry. After the film, I discussed many of the points raised with my mom and she was echoing many of the same sentiments that the women in the documentary stated. Generations of women have grown up, and will continue to grow up, longing for “Good Hair.” Rock knows that there is nothing he can do to change this fact, which is why this documentary is more concerned with entertaining than shaking the status quo. Still it would have been nice if Good Hair had added a little historical context in regards to why many cultures covet the European style of hair. Actually it would have been interesting to have a few Europeans provide comments about black hair in general. The only non-blacks featured in the film are of Indian or East Asian decent. Regardless, in the grand scheme of the picture, these are minor quibbles as Rock never intended the film to be a sermonizing tool in the first place. The segments in India are extremely effective in showing how out of hand the hair obsession in North America is. The same can be said for the business side of things, in which the film points out how much money the industry rakes in and who is really benefiting from it. While the film is filled with many great celebrity interviews, Rock really shines when he is interacting with regular folks in the beauty salons/barber shops. Some of the most amusing comments come when the interviewees explain why you cannot touch a black woman’s hair during sex. Good Hair may not strive to be a scathing social critique, but it is still an enjoyable film that is both funny and thought provoking.

B

Chris Rock and model/actress Melyssa Ford held a Q & A session after the screening.




A Serious Man

After last year’s misstep, Burn After Reading, the Coen Brothers find themselves back on track with A Serious Man. Set in Jewish suburbs of Minnesota in 1967, Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg) tries hard to live a good and upstanding Jewish life. Despites his best efforts to a “serious man”, Larry cannot seem to stop this downward spiral he seems to have found himself in. His wife (Sari Lennick) has fallen in love with another man and wants Larry to grant her a religious divorce so she can remarry within the faith. Larry’s children only talk to him when they want money or the television fixed. To make matters worst, Larry’s application for tenure at the University is in jeopardy due to a series of mysterious and damaging letters that have suddenly appeared. Looking for guidance, Larry does what any “serious man” would do…seek counsel from the elusive Rabbi Nachtner (George Wyner).

Due to the underlying bleak tone, and the abrupt ending, A Serious Man is bound to divide audiences. Personally I loved the film, as it was a funny commentary on faith and human nature. Larry does all the right things and his life gets worse by the day; whereas everyone else is committing sinful deeds and seemingly living well. Even the religious leaders, who are the most “serious men” of all, are merely going through the motions. All of the various Rabbis in the picture are quick to provide random stories and rhetoric yet none of them can apply the tales to the actual matter at hand. The performances in this film are fantastic even the bit players provided wonderful moments. Stuhlbarg is by far the standout though. Stuhlbarg brings so much comedic subtly to the role that it is easy to miss upon first glance. As I mentioned before the ending will rub many the wrong way, but I found it rather fitting when looking back at the overall themes of the film.

A




Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire

Winner of the festivals top prize, The Peoples Choice Award, Precious is a film that packs a very heavy punch. It is 1987 in Harlem and Claireece “Precious” Jones (Gabourey Sidibe) is barely sixteen and already pregnant with her second child. Living with her emotionally and physically abusive mother (Mo’Nique), Precious constantly dreams of a better life. Unable to neither read nor write, and facing expulsion from school, Precious is forced to attend the Each One/Teach One alternative school. Can this school provide Precious with a way out of her miserable life? Or was merely cursed from birth?

I am hesitant to heap too much praise on this film for I fear that adding to the buzz Precious has already generated might only speed up the backlash towards the film. Still, I cannot deny that Precious finally cements Lee Daniel’s as a director. He skillfully blends the dark themes with the more accessible moments far better here than he did in either The Woodsman or Shadowboxer. This is not to say that Precious is an easy film to watch. On the contrary, the film is extremely bleak and unrelenting. No matter how many times you tell yourself “her life cannot get any worse”…it does. Daniels smartly incorporates just the right amount of fantasy sequences in the film. This allows him to pull Precious, and the viewer, out of the sewage long enough to take a quick gasp of air before being submerged again. Daniels is wise not to overplay these moments as he keeps the dream sequences somewhat grounded. Regardless of how you feel about the subject matter, there is no denying that the Precious features two of the finest female performances you will see all year. Mo’Nique is simply brilliant as Precious’ abusive mother. She brings so much intensity and emotion to the role that, even though you despise her, you fully understand her motivations. While Mo’Nique will most likely get a lot of award buzz, and rightfully so, newcomer Gabourey Sidibe deserves some as well. Due to the nature of the subject matter, the film really lives and dies on Sidibe’s performance. Thankfully Gabourey rises to the extremely high bar that both Daniel’s and Mo’Nique have set for her. Gabourey Sidibe does such a wonderful job finding that dark uncomfortable place for Precious that you barely notice some of the more well-known cast members in supporting roles. While I highly recommend Precious, you should try and see the film before the hype gets out of control. Precious works best if you go in without any preconceived notions.

A



Still to come: The Road, The Ape, Micmacs, The Loved Ones, Youth in Revolt, Life During Wartime, Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, If I Knew What You Said, etc.