Things To Do This Weekend

ON SCREEN: Tell No One (Ne le dis à personne)

Tell No One (Ne le dis à personne) is a gripping French thriller about a man who receives an email from his wife. The catch? A serial killer murdered her 8 years ago. Is she his wife? Is someone playing a cruel joke on him? What is going on? Travel through this gripping cinematic labyrinth with Alexandre Beck (François Cluzet) as he tries to figure out exactly what is the truth? This movie has starts out as a romantic drama and escalates into a fantastic thriller with one of the best street chases I have seen in a very long time. British actress Kristen Scott Thomas has a wonderful supporting role as Beck's ally. I haven't seen Nathalie Baye on screen in a while, so it was great to see her, even if her screen time is limited.

ON SCREEN: "Religulous"

Comedian Bill Mahr challenges believers of various religions. Mahr was raised Catholic and didn't find out his mother was Jewish until he was thirteen years old. From his perspective, religion causes more problems than it solves. What will you think after seeing this film? How do you think it compares to another film, "For the Bible Tells Me So"?

ON STAGE:
Catch a double bil at the Berkeley Street Theatre with Marcia Johnson's production of "Late"
and Wesley Enoch's "Black Medea".

Presented by Obsidian Theatre Company until October 5th. Click here for details.

AROUND THE CITY: Nuit Blanche (click link for details)
October 4th, 6:52 pm to sunrise


There is a lot to check out, but I'm going to make sure I visit the Toronto Reference Library to experience "Circus of Dreams"

VOTE EARLY!
Why not get out and vote? I have voted at the advance polls for years because I don't want to be out of my riding on election day, and miss my chance to do my civic duty. For more information visit www.elections.ca

Vote for the Arts: Tune in on Saturday, October 4th from 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Tune in to The More the Merrier on Saturday, October 4th from 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm for a discussion about the Arts and the Federal Election. Guests: actor/playwright Bobby Del Rio; Claire Hopkinson, Executive Director of the Toronto Arts Council; Kelsey Matheson, Eastern Regional Director of the First Weekend Club; Kirk Cooper of Film Market Access Publicity.

The More the Merrier (TMTM)
Arts Outreach and Education
Saturdays 1:00 - 2:00pm
Listen Live on CIUT 89.5 FM,www.ciut.fm
Rogers Digital Channel 946 or Star Choice Satellite Channel 826

I hope you will be listening!
Thanks,
donna g

Your Faves at TIFF 08

Yes, my guest from a couple of weeks ago Nick Ashdon of El Greco, did like Slumdog Millionaire. I forgive him because he loves Toronto. Kirk Cooper and I had a wonderful discussion with both Nick and Theo Alexander (also in El Greco) about films and how great Toronto audiences are.

Mark Van de Ven, director of the short film Us Chickens loved the editing in Hunger. I enjoyed what Mark had to say in his own film, and both he and I thought very highly of Denis Villeneuve's award-winning short film, The Next Floor.

As for Kirk Cooper, his favourite film from TIFF is the Turkish film Three Monkeys (Üç maymun). I hope it gets released so that I can have a chance to see what he is talking about. We sometimes, after all, do agree on some films.

Festival-goer and blogger, Heidy M, enjoyed the Korean Western,The Good, the Bad,the Weired (Joheun-nom, Nabbeun-nom, Isanghan-nom). An avid Midnight Madness fan, Heidy also thought Sexykiller kicked butt.

Patrick Age 1.5 was a big hit with The More the Merrier fan, Gord, and Anne enjoyed It Might Get Loud.

donna g’s TIFF 08 Film List and Top Ten Faves

So how did I chose my Top Ten? Emotional response. There are just some films where seeing the title triggers an emotional response and instant images from the film flicker in your head. It was still hard to narrow it down to ten, and I included the short film, Jesus and the Giant in the list because it was such a great pairing with its screening buddy, Medicine for Melancholy, so I guess you could call this my Top Ten and a Half list. The only easy choice was my Number 1 pick, Ramin Bahrani's Good Bye Solo. I love understated films with brilliant performances.

My Number 1 Pick: Good Bye Solo

Souléymane Sy Savané as Solo

1. A Film With Me In It
2. Acné
3. Aide-toi le ciel t'aidera (With a Little Help From Myself)
4. Appaloosa
5. Apron Strings
6. At the Edge of the World
7. Borderline
8. Brabat
9. Brothers Bloom, The
10. Chocolate
11. Control Alt Delete
12. Country Wedding
13. Detroit Metal City
14. El Greco
15. Good Bye Solo**
16. Happy Go Lucky
17. Horn of Plenty (Cuerno de la abundancia)
18. It Might Get Loud
19. JCVD
20. Me and Orson Welles
21. Medicine for Melancholy + Jesus and the Giant
22. Mia et le Migou
23. Patrick Age 1.5
24. Peace Mission
25. Radio Love
26. Rain
27. Return to Hansala (Retorno A Hansala)
28. Slumdog Millionaire
29. Tears for Sale
30. The Stoning of Soraya M.
31. Unmistaken Child
32. Upstream Battle
33. White Night Wedding
34. Youssou Ndour: I Bring What I Love
35. Zack and Miri Make a Porno

I enjoyed almost all of the films I saw this year at TIFF, the exceptions being the really horrible Radio Love, and People's Choice Award winner,Slumdog Millionaire--and even with that one I loved two thirds of the film.

What films did you enjoy at TIFF? Click on Comments and share your picks with the rest of us.

donna g's TIFF 08 Coverage: What I'm Seeing on Day 10 (Saturday, Sept. 13th)

MIA AND THE MIGOU (Mia et le Migou)


HORN OF PLENTY El (Cuerno de la abundancia)


PATRICK AGE 1.5


CHOCOLATE

donna g's TIFF 08 Coverage: Canadian, Eh?

I go to TIFF to see films from around the world, but I love Canadian films and always always make a point of seeing what our talented filmmakers have to offer. Besides, Borderline and Control Alt Delete, I had to see C'est pas moi, je le jure! (It's not me, I swear!) by filmmaker Philippe Falardeau. I've been a fan of Falardeau since seeing his films, La Moitié gauche du frigo (TIFF 02) and Congorama (TIFF 06). He doesn't disappoint in his new film about a ten year old boy dealing with his parents rocky marriage and eventual separation. I have never laughed so much while watching a heartbreaking film.

Falardeau does a fine job of bringing us into little Léon's 1960's suburban world. It's polyester and smoking, nosey neighbour ladies and the Catholic Church, but it's also a world seen through the eyes of a precocious boy with a penchant for breaking and entering and suicide attempts. I love the sound of this movie--not just the innocently funny dialogue, but also the sound of the wind blowing across the cornfields where Léon and his friend Lea play. We know this secret place will soon be bulldozed into more suburban sprawl and this too references the sadness of the inevitable.

We Are Funny!

Synthétiseur (Synthesizer) directed by Sarah Fortin
Recent break up? Slightly depressed? Discover the exotic sights and scenes of your city's subway system, and maybe meet a new love.

Next Floor
I loved everything about this gorgeously photographed, darkly wicked, and sublimely acted commentary on societal excess. Gluttony has never been so well-examined, or so well-scored.

106
Leave it to us Cannuks to make a movie about a jealous senior who takes out her rival 106-year old.

donna g's TIFF 08 Coverage: Day 9 a.k.a Two for Saturday + Sorry, Brothers Bloom

Canadian or Spanish? The choice is yours tomorrow morning.

BORDERLINE

First time director, Lyne Charlebois, shows confidence in this tale of a young woman dealing with her sexual addiction and turning 30. Isabelle Blais is outstanding in the role of Kiki Labrèche. I especially love the shots of Kiki at various ages walking side by side with herself or passing herself on the street. This film is one of those instances where nudity and sexuality are an integral part of the script and not simply for titilating purposes. I've had a crush on Jean-Huges Anglade since Nikita, and it was a welcome treat for me to see him on screen.

Final Screening:
Saturday September 13 12:00PM VARSITY 1

RETURN TO HANSALA (RETORNO A HANSALA This is one of my favourite shots in this film.

In 2002, director Chus Gutierez explored the issue of illegal Moroccans working in Andalusia in her film, Poniente. In this year's Return to Hansala, we get the story of an Andalusian traveling with a young woman to her village to return her brother's body after it was washed up on the Spanish shores. This is a beautiful film in which the characters are humanized by their personal conflicts and mutual understanding. The music by Tao Gutiérrez is a fitting backdrop to this road picture, featuring two lead actors (Farah Hamed and José Luis García Pérez)whose performances brilliant and unaffected.

Final Screening:
Saturday September 13 01:00PM VARSITY 6

THE BROTHERS BLOOM I loved this scene with Rachel Weisz and Adrien Brody, which is why I'm so sorry I forgot to mention it in my post last night.

Despite the weak ending, I enjoyed this con game movie with Weisc, Brody, Mark Ruffalo (the other Bloom brother) and Rinko Kikuchi. Director, Rian Johnson, follows his debut picture (Brick)with this lively, character-driven film that entertained us all yesterday at the packed Ryerson Theatre. Even the actors appeared to be having fun in this stylistic romp.