Review: Stake Land
The post-apocalyptic sub-genre of horror and sci-fi films are popular amongst filmmakers because it often means being able to tell a story on a tight budget. The world has been razed by some force so there’s no need to put a lot of cash into elaborate set designs; it just has to look demolished. That said, because there are so many entries into the category, it’s important to present an original idea or risk losing the audience. Stake Land adds vampires to the mix, but fails to shake up anything else.
Review: Away from Her (2006)
The 2010 Toronto International Film Festival continued its TIFF for Free retrospective screening series at the new Bell Lightbox with the 2006 critically acclaimed film, Away from Her. The film is based on the Alice Munro short story, “The Bear Came over the Mountain,” and directed and written for the screen by Sarah Polley. Sarah was on hand to introduce the film and take a few questions from the audience.
Review: Neds
The majority of Neds takes place in two locations: school and the streets of Glasgow. Much like director Peter Mullan’s other picture, The Magdalene Sisters, it centres on the tough education of youths who want a better future. Here, the adolescent protagonist receives his instruction in both the classroom and the dangerous neighbourhood in which he grew up. The story follows an innocent young boy’s surprising and gradual transformation from a bright, promising student to a NED – a non-educated delinquent.
Review: Red Nights
Red Nights marks two significant events: a debut and an overdue return. The film is directors Julien Carbon and Laurent Courtiaud’s first feature, having built their careers as screenwriters, most notably for Johnnie To’s thriller Running Out of Time. The long awaited return is that of Hong Kong starlet Carrie Ng, who is famous for her sexy and deadly presence in such films as Naked Killer and Sex and Zen. These occasions blend as the perfect ingredients for an erotic thriller evocative of Dario Argento’s bloody escapades into sex and death.
Review: Beautiful Boy
Several films post-Columbine have dealt with school shootings, depicting the events leading up to the tragedy as well as the incident itself. However, no one has made a significant effort to illustrate the aftermath of a shooting until now. Beautiful Boy portrays the struggles of the shooter’s parents, who are left to deal with the consequences of their son’s actions.
Review: Insidious
There hasn’t been a good, true haunting flick in a while. Most recent releases have been rehashes of ‘70s and ‘80s films, which leaves little room for surprise. The genre has been longing for an injection of originality and it’s finally received a healthy dose. When it was announced the creators of Saw, director James Wan and writer Leigh Whannell, were re-teaming AND joining forces with the producers of Paranormal Activity, genre fans were shivering with anticipation. The consequence of this union is finally ready to be seen and results are far from disappointing. The film’s telling title is Insidious, which is a word used rarely but never more aptly.
Review: Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale
Choosing films to see at TIFF every year can be a challenge. There’s so much to see and so many choices to make. Do I see the one about that city that will tickle my intellect? Or do I see the one about the vampire apocalypse? Or do I see the one about the teenagers trying to find themselves? It’s always so difficult. But when I came across the description for Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale, the decision practically made itself. A Finnish movie about the real Santa Claus being excavated from the ice, only it’s about the real Santa — the demonic one –, it was a no brainer. I was so there. Read more
Review: Black Swan
Regardless of whether you like Black Swan or not, Darren Aronofsky must be applauded for constantly taking a drastically new direction with every new film.
His latest is not the easiest film to watch, but if you’re willing to embrace some beautiful mythology paired with Aronofsky’s often-jarring cinematic style, the film will stand alongside the modern classics that already pepper his back catalogue. Read more
Review: 10 to 11
Watching Pelin Esmer’s, 10 to 11, was the perfect way to end this year’s TIFF experience. Although the film tells a simple story and lacks the kind of action we are accustomed to seeing in Hollywood blockbusters, its character driven nature is what makes the film succeed. The film’s slow pacing is reflective of its protagonist, Mithat, who leads a very particular, organized, and unhurried existence. Secondary to the original lead characters, the beguiling depiction of Istanbul’s current state of constant change makes the film so interesting to watch. Read more
Review: Microphone
I would have hoped it would have taken a truly special film to invite a filmmaker back to the festival after he so soundly flipped TIFF the bird.
Not to colour an entire review with extra-curricular activities, but any proper review of Ahmad Abdalla’s Microphone in the context of this year’s festival must note that he pulled his last film (Heliopolis) out of last year’s festival at the last minute. The film had been scheduled and tickets sold, but Abdalla so objected to the festival’s choice of Tel Aviv for its initial City-to-City program that he yanked his film from the fest’s line-up out of protest days before the start of screenings. Read more
