TIFF 2012 – ChickFlicking Picks (Nadia Sandhu)

I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t narrow this list down to just ten. It was just too hard a mission this year-  there are a lot of films that qualify as chick flicks at TIFF 2012, and a lot of them are no doubt coming soon to a theatre near you.  So while we await our bumper crop this fall and winter, Chickflicking has picked a cross-section of films that span our newly established criteria, represent a good cross section of TIFF Programmes, and hopefully strike a good balance between soon to be campaigning for Oscar and perhaps never to be seen outside of the festival circuit again.

Without further ado, these are the chick flicks I would be seeing if I had a spare moment this TIFF.  Can I get a drumroll please?

Pictures and descriptions (italics) from www.tiff.net.

GALAS

A Royal Affair – Historic Scandal? Period Costumes?  Need you ask why?

This sumptuous historical drama from writer-director Nikolaj Arcel (screenwriter of the original version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) chronicles the scandalous love triangle between a queen (Alicia Vikander), her German doctor (Mads Mikkelsen), and the mad King of Denmark (Mikkel Følsgaard).

Love, Marilyn – For the documentary and Marilyn lovers out there (and for some reason there sure are a lot of you Marilyn lovers out there).

Love, Marilyn takes an intimate look into the never-before-seen letters, diaries and notebooks of Marilyn Monroe. Appearing on screen to perform Marilyn’s words are renowned contemporary actresses, including Marisa Tomei, Uma Thurman, and Glenn Close.

MASTERS

Amour – Because love is ageless.

Screen legends Jean-Lous Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva are ineffably moving as an elderly couple facing their own mortality in the Palme d’Or–winning new work by modern master Michael Haneke (The White Ribbon).

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

Anna Karenina – If you have to ask, you should not be watching chick flicks.

Keira Knightley re-teams with director Joe Wright (Atonement) for this visionary adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s classic novel about a society woman torn between loyalty to her husband and the desires of her heart.

 

Ginger and Rosa – Girl Drama 1- The BFF.  This is one special presentation that doesn’t have distribution yet.

As the Cold War meets the sexual revolution in 1960s London, the lifelong friendship of two teenage girls (Elle Fanning, Alice Englert) is shattered by ideological differences and personal betrayals. This new film from director Sally Potter (Orlando) also stars Annette Bening and Christina Hendricks.

 

Imogene – Ladies, I’m sure you can relate.

Kristen Wiig, Annette Bening and Matt Dillon headline this hilarious comedy about a washed-up playwright who, after faking her own suicide as a ploy to get her ex-boyfriend’s attention, winds up remanded to the custody of her wackily dysfunctional family.

To the Wonder – So Terrence Malick made a chick flick eh?

Rachel McAdams, Ben Affleck, Javier Bardem and Olga Kurylenko star in the new film from Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life), about a man who reconnects with a woman from his hometown after his marriage to a European woman falls apart.

DISCOVERY

Blancanieves – A re-imagining of the classic Kirsten Stewart film.

A gorgeous, black-and-white homage to the Golden Age of Europe’s silent cinema, the intoxicating Blancanieves relocates the tale of Snow White to a sweepingly romantic vision of 1920s Spain, where a young girl escapes from her wicked stepmother to find fame as a matador.

The Deflowering of Eva Van End – Who can resist this title (and German exchange students)?

The ugly duckling of a fraught middle-class household has her life turned upside-down by the arrival of a handsome German exchange student, in this caustic, absurdist satire of petit-bourgeois family life from Dutch director Michiel ten Horn. 

CITY TO CITY 

Born to Hate… Destined to Love  – We’ll excuse the title change, because what the world needs right now is an edgy Bollywood Romeo and Juliet.

A love story set amidst political violence in northern India, this romance follows Hindu Parma (Arjun Kapoor) and Muslim Zoya (Parineeti Chopra) as they try to escape the restrictive demands of their families. Better known for glossy entertainments, Bollywood’s Yash Raj studio delivers a surprisingly gritty reflection of the new India.

CONTEMPORARY WORLD CINEMA

3 – Can you really ever go back?

Dissatisfied with his new life (and wife), a man tries to insinuate himself back into the home of the ex-wife and daughter he left ten years before, in this heartwarming and hilarious comedy-drama from Uruguayan director Pablo Stoll Ward (25 Watts, Whisky).

 

All That Matters is Past – Love triangle!

Reunited after years apart, childhood sweethearts William and Janne are forced to confront the dark secrets of their past-and the menacing presence of William’s pathologically jealous brother — in this haunting story from celebrated Norwegian director Sara Johnsen.

A Werewolf Boy – All you need is the love of a good woman.

In this wistful fantasy, a beautiful teenage girl is sent to a country house for her health, where befriends and attempts to civilize a feral boy she discovers on the grounds — but the beast inside him is constantly waiting to burst out.

VANGUARD

Blondie – Girl Drama 2- Family Edition.

When three estranged sisters reunite for their domineering mother’s birthday bash, old wounds open and conflicts rise to the surface, in the powerful and daring new film from Jesper Ganslandt (The Ape).

BONUS PICK!

Jayne Mansfield’s Car – Like sentimental male bonding dramas?  There’s a Bromance for that.

A top-notch cast — including Robert Duvall, Kevin Bacon and John Hurt — star alongside writer-director Billy Bob Thornton in this drama set in 1969 Alabama, about the culture clash between two families — one American, one British-brought together by the death of a loved one.

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Toronto Underground Cinema – Rep Cinema’s Latest Fallen Warrior (Kirk Haviland)

I must start with the fact that I have been very torn about writing this article. With the news now out that the Toronto Underground Cinema will be closing its doors for good on Sunday Sept 16th, my prediction from when the Cumberland went away in May has unfortunately come true: another member of Toronto’s immensely populated Repertory Cinema scene has fallen, and this time it’s personal. The main reason as to why I have struggled with what to say is that the Underground is not merely a cool little place in the heart of the city with tons of history and an awesome vibe – it’s also populated and run by friends.

Opened in 1977 under the tent pole of the Golden Harvest film production company, the Golden Classics cinema as it was then known, highlighted the best in classic Golden Harvest Kung Fu films in a very crowded marketplace on Spadina in the heart of Toronto’s Chinatown. Thriving from the late 70’s through to the early 90’s, the Golden Harvest eventually ran into financial woes and had to close its doors. After another failed attempt that lasted less than a year, the theater languished for 15 years before another attempt to change the house into an experimental film/live performance hall proved unfruitful. Then three young cinema enthusiasts banded together and approached the owner with the idea and concept behind the Toronto Underground Cinema.

From left to right: Charlie Lawton, Nigel Agnew, and Alex Woodside

Under the new management of Charlie Lawton, and Bloor Cinema alumni Alex Woodside and Nigel Agnew the theater re-opened as the newly christened Toronto Underground Cinema. Utilizing fellow former Bloor Cinema employee Peter Kuplowsky to help program and book the films for the theatre, the cinema got off to an auspicious start, documented in The Rep web-series, but quickly grew to prominence due to themed events featuring the likes of directors Kevin Smith and Edgar Wright. When the Bloor was shut down for almost a year for renovations it was the Underground that stepped forward to host event nights like the ‘Dream Date with Freddy Krueger’ in conjunction with Toronto’s Fan Expo. The Underground also became the new home for Rue Morgue Magazine’s Cinemacabre nights, and, in what may have been their most profitable partnership, they hosted the 2011 version of the Toronto After Dark Film Festival.

But sadly the theatre itself had started to show its age; some major issues, which had been skirted for years, needed to be resolved. The guys had known all along that there was work that needed to be done, but convincing the people that matter, the ones with the money, turned out to be a goal that never came to fruition. So after closing in July in hopes of starting the renovations that never happened, the guys have since decided to close the doors and move on. I will truly miss the great times and friends of the Underground, some of the after parties are now legends. I wish the boys all the best in whatever they do next.

That said, the guys have decided to go out on a high and have stacked the last two weeks of the Underground’s existence with some excellent counter-TIFF programming. Starting Sept 6TH the theater will host it’s last Film Festival, with the 2012 version of the Toronto Indie Film Festival, the highlight of which is another chance to watch the excellent My Father and the Man in Black on Sept 13th at 9:15. On Sept 8th at 11:50 pm (yes that’s ten to midnight) the boys will host one last cinematic grindhouse blowout from the crew at Vagrancy Films. If you have never been to a Vagrancy show they are a not to be missed events and this time promises to be no different with the screening of Emanuelle Around the World in 35MM! Then comes the final night blowout on Sept 16th with two 35MM film presentations: 1984’s cult classic, Night of the Comet, and the fitting finisher of The Band’s concert film, The Last Waltz.

So if you have been an avid supporter of the cinema or have never been, there are plenty of reasons to get out there and check out the cinema before it’s too late. Goodnight dear Underground, hopefully your slumber is short lived.

Till Next Time,

Movie Junkie TO

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High School Blu-Ray Review (Kirk Haviland)

High School Blu-Ray Review

Starring Matt Bush, Sean Marquette, Adrien Brody, Colin Hanks, Yeardley Smith, Curtis Armstrong, Mykelti Williamson, Michael Vartan, Adhir Kalyan, Alicia Sixtos and Michael Chiklis

Written by Erik Linthorst, John Stalberg and Stephen Susco

Directed by John Stalberg

The stoner comedy field is a tricky one to master, trying to delicately balance the material for pot smoker and non-pot smoker alike. For every Dazed and Confused and Harold and Kumar there is a plethora of awful attempts to bring “pot culture” to screen through comedy. Out this week from Anchor Bay Entertainment is the Sundance and Toronto After Dark fan favorite from 2010, High School, another film in the same vein, but on which side of the argument will it land?

High School is the story of soon-to-be valedictorian Henry Burke (Bush), who, after taking a hit of the chronic for the first time provided by his childhood friend Breaux (Marquette), must pass a mandatory drug test administered by his school’s maniacal principal (Chiklis). After an embarrassing incident on National Television, Principal Gordon is determined to eradicate drugs from his school by whatever means necessary.  Henry is left with two options: fail and lose his college scholarship, or team up with the unreliable Breaux to find a solution. The pair foolishly decides to steal a high powered ganja from law student-turned-drug-dealer Psycho Ed (Brody) and spike the school’s bake sale brownies, getting the whole school, including faculty and visiting school board members included, completely stoned out of their minds.  After all, if everyone fails—then no one fails. But with Psycho Ed and his henchman closing in and Henry’s overzealous academic rival Sebastion (Kalyan) unravelling their plan in front of them, can the pair succeed and disqualify the test results in the process?

High School succeeds where almost all the other imposters to the pot throne fail. The first third of the film plays more slowly as the character’s background and motivations are explored, but after the boys visit Psycho Ed the film switches into high gear. Acknowledging the ludicrousness of the story, the writers seem to have spent their time developing the characters and thus create roles for people that we can honestly root for.  The premise is a simple one, and yes getting everyone high is particularly funny in its own merit, but acknowledging that their actions are dangerous because of the implications of people not knowing that they are high keeps the movie from getting overly silly. That said, the film is completely pro-marijuana as no character is ever in real trouble and the characters also make sure that is understood loud and clear. Bush and Marquette work well together, their chemistry shining through the screen.  The faculty made up of the likes of Colin Hanks, Yeardley Smith, Curtis Armstrong and an unrecognizable Michael Vartan have some fun moments as they try their hardest to continue acting professional the higher they get – Hanks in particular shines here. Brody’s Psycho Ed, including henchman Paranoid played by Williamson, is never played too heavy as his threats are dispersed with comedic points. There is the obligatory “hot girl that is way out of the geek’s league” storyline with Sixtos that plays out, but fortunately it’s a very minor plot point and does not interfere with the rest of the shenanigans at work. Chiklis in a bad wig is funny enough on its own, but he still manages to portray a hilariously creepy villain for the boys. The background is filled out with fun characters, a great looking school for its setting, and a pretty killer soundtrack to boot.

Sadly the Blu-Ray only comes equipped with a deleted scenes feature and an audio commentary from Director Stalberg. At least there are some additional laughs through the deleted scenes. Also included is the bizarre trailer that really says nothing and sets the completely wrong tone for the film.

Ultimately I feel High School will become recognized as the pot comedy cult classic that I feel it is. The laughs are strong and do not diminish with a second viewing. High School is a strong buy recommendation.

Till Next Time,

Movie Junkie TO

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Donovan’s Echo DVD Review (Kirk Haviland)

Donovan’s Echo DVD Review

Starring Danny Glover, Bruce Greenwood, Natasha Calis, and Sonja Bennett

Written by Jim Cliffe and Melody Krieger

Directed by Jim Cliffe

Out this week, an exclusive release from Anchor Bay Entertainment Canada, is the Canadian production Donovan’s Echo. After a run on the festival circuit that included stops in Calgary and Edmonton, Donovan’s Echo, the Danny Glover semi-supernatural thriller is now available to take home. But is it something you need to buy, rent or pass on?

Set in 1994, Donovan Matheson (Glover) returns home after a 30 year absence to discover events from his past are replaying out with astonishing accuracy. Plagued by the idea of déjà vu, Donovan is convinced his young neighbour Maggie (Calis) and her mother Sarah (Bennett) will be killed on the 30th anniversary of his own wife and daughter’s death. Struggling to unlock the pattern, Donovan tries to convince his brother-in-law, Deputy Police Chief Finnley (Bruce Greenwood), to help prevent a similar tragedy but to no avail. When the facts don’t add up, Donovan’s sanity is questioned and he ends up scaring Maggie and Sarah with his wild antics. But as Finnley digs deeper will he find that Donovan is right and save the girls in time?

Sadly, Donovan’s Echo is a lot more like bad TV melodrama than sci-fi thrill ride. The script is predictable for the most part, with most of the more important parts of the narrative spelled out bluntly so that the audience isn’t confused. I really would have liked a little mystery/confusion, but instead Donovan’s plays it strictly by the numbers. The performances are fine, Glover is solid when not overselling it towards the end, but all of them have done better work before, with Calis currently doing excellent work in The Possession in theaters now. Greenwood is good here but the script has him spouting lines that simply feel awkward. The ending plays out exactly as you would expect, with the suspect in question being obvious from the beginning, and tacks on a goofy “present day” sequence that is laughably bad. Director Cliffe’s script may have been flawed but his eye for detail behind the camera is solid as the setting is quite splendidly realized throughout the film.

The DVD contains little additional material as we get a short behind the scenes featurette, a theatrical trailer and a Director/Producer commentary track. The behind the scenes featurette does little to sell me any more on the film. The disc does seem to have a different audio level between the film presentation and the featurette, but I was seeing this on a test disc and it may be corrected before the final authoring.

In the end Donovan’s Echo didn’t win me over completely but there was enough for me to stick with it through the entire film. Though not enough to allow me to give any more than a mild non-recommend, Donovan’s could be a decent inoffensive rental on a hot September night.

Till Next Time,

Movie Junkie TO

Make sure to keep up with what’s going on at Entertainment Maven by liking our Facebook page and having updates delivered right to your Facebook News Feed. It’s the only way to stay on top of all of our articles with the newest blockbusters and all the upcoming films, festivals and film related events in Toronto.

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Breaking Canadian Film and Television News (Nadia Sandhu)

A new name and a new look for the newly combined Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television Awards Show.

Drumroll please….

The Canadian Screen Awards will replace the Genies and the Geminis.  Nickname pending.  The inaugural edition the new awards show will be hosted by Martin Short on March 3, 2013 and will be broadcast in prime time on the CBC.

Read all about the Canadian Screen Awards here and give us your suggestions for an affectionate monicker in the comments below.

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