Seven movies, three days, eight hours of driving, eight hours of sleep. I got back from the Toronto International Film Festival this morning at about 2 a.m. Here's an overview of what I saw:
Friday:
"Clean Flix" - A great documentary about companies, mostly based in the Mormon community, that edit films for violence, sex and other vulgarity. Apparently, their work is in huge demand. Hollywood directors sued many of the major producers for copyright issues (as they well should). The production was excellent - slick editing, fluid story line and real people used as characters of the story.
"How to Fold a Flag"- Another documentary about the Iraq war vets trying to get back to their real lives. Of course, my favorite thing about it was the Buffalo focus. Jon Powers, 2008 congressional hopeful in my district, was followed around as he campaigned. The other men followed, like Mike Goss, a cage fighter, had a bit harder time readjusting. Goss has suicidal tendencies; another was diagnosed with PTSD and lives in a shack down south. Some of the editing was sloppy, I thought, jumping from shot to shot. The flag theme was a bit heavy-handed for my taste, too. It seemed like every other shot was a flag waving in the wind somewhere in the country. Nonetheless, as a whole, the film really moved its audience. The content was heartbreaking and I heard sniffles through the whole thing, especially when they spoke to the mother of a solider that was killed. I thought it was a really appropriate way to spend 9/11.
Saturday:
"Jennifer's Body"- (Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried) It seemed like everyone in the theater thought this movie was hilarious, thrilling, sexy. Not me so much. Fox meets a band, fronted by Adam Brody wearing some ridiculous eyeliner, who turn her into a demon. From then on, she starts eating boys. The premise feels like a horror movie, and it is bloody. Seyfried ably plays Fox's best friend, a nerd with an adorable boyfriend. She tries to save the school from Fox while retaining her friendship. Diablo Cody, who also wrote "Juno," wrote the script, which was story-wise pretty strong. The dialogue, however, was a different story for me. I laughed at very few lines that my group laughed at, mostly because I felt like I was supposed to laugh - and I don't like to be directed toward the funny. Additionally, Ellen Page felt legitimately precocious in "Juno;" Fox's boobs are too big to take her seriously when she tries any word beyond two syllables. I recognize that it's not her fault that she has become such a pin-up, but it just didn't work for me. Also, the movie didn't feel entirely cohesive. Parts were comedy, parts pretty scary but instead of complementing each other, it felt like the sections felt disjointed. Sometimes, it even felt like Seyfried and Fox were acting in different movies - accept when they make out. And that was unnecessary pandering to the men in attendance.
"The Hole"- I would try to review this, but I never saw the end. The fire alarm went off and we were escorted out of the screening. For the most part, it was a typical, tame horror film: Boy is mad at world. He finds a hole of nothingness in his basement with his cute girlie neighbor. Scary stuff happens. But it was in 3-D! I love 3-D! Except when the director "plays with depth" (as they said in the intro of the movie) rather than throw stuff at the audience. Well, maybe "Avatar."
"The Disappearance of Alice Creed"- The movie, another thriller, was from a first-time British director. It's the story of a woman who is kidnapped by two men and what relationships unfold in that triangle. One of the kidnappers is in a love-situation with the woman kidnapped AND the other kidnapper, who is also a dude. The audience laughed when they started fervently kissing. I'm not sure how the director intended that to read, but it was more funny than concerning. It's entertaining, but it could have been tighter as far as time.
Sunday:
"Va, lhalla Rising"- About 40 minutes into the movie, I went to the bathroom. When I left, a bunch of Viking-age Christians were on a boat in the middle of a mist, unable to move and get to the Holy Land. When I came back, they still were on that boat in the mist. What else happened in the movie? Not much. A mute, one-eyed savage disemboweled, beheaded, and otherwise kicked the crap out of many people. He then had some followers. In between all that, he met some Christians and stood on a lot of mountainsides. I'm sure the movie meant something, but I dozed too often to want to think what ti was. However, despite its length and boring subject matter, it had resulted in many jokes. Funny where humor comes from.
"Chloe"- This was my favorite movie of the festival. That doesn't mean it was without flaws, but as far as production value and interest, this was the only one I didn't think about doing something else during. It's a cool story: I got out of "Valhalla Rising" with a fellow AJ and he and I walked many blocks to the theater "Chloe" was debuting in. He already had a ticket, so I got in the rush line and started chatting withe people around me. Another AJ walked by and told me she had a ticket, too. I expressed jealousy. We talked a few more minutes and a man approached us from the street and said to me, "Linda and I would like you to have this," and handed me a Priority-seating ticket to the "Chloe" premiere! Priority means that you can sit on the same level as the movie stars. "Chloe" stars Julianne Moore and Amanda Seyfried, and they were there. I was so excited, but decided to sit in the balcony with my common friends.
The movie was another thriller-type, disguised as a love-triangle film. It's a bit disturbing. Liam Neesen is also in it as Moore's husband, a flirt. She thinks he's cheating on her and hires a high-class prostitute (Seyfried) to test him. Then there's a twist, which I will not reveal, in case it comes to theaters. A warning for the especially moral and faint of heart: There's a lot of nudity and sex in the movie, which isn't my favorite thing to see, but it was pretty classy as far as you can be in those situations. In general, the film was well done, though my film-expert friend would disagree. I enjoyed it, in the context of the other films I saw, which were no where near as well produced and written.
As far as TIFF goes, it is a really good experience. I went in with only two tickets and ended up with seven pretty easily. I got up at 5:30 a.m. every day to wait in the box office line and rushed "Daybreakers" to no avail. I would definitely go again.
