THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES

The second movie that I saw on Tuesday, September 14th was The Motorcycle Diaries (also known in Spanish as "Diarios de motocicleta") at the Ryerson Theatre, located at Ryerson University. This had one of the longest lineups that I had been in for the festival, and sitting in a lecture hall to watch a movie took me back to University lectures. All that was missing was the pull-down arm to take notes on ;)

This was an excellent movie to watch as part of the Toronto International Film Festival. It examined the journey of two young men traveling through South America; attempting to make this journey before one of the men has their birthday. Their adventure began in Argentina, leading to Chile, Peru and Colombia, and ending in Venezuela at a leper colony in the Amazon. This movie is an adaptation of a journal written by Ernesto "Che" Guevara (Gael Garcia Bernal) when he was 23 years old. He and his friend, Alberto Granado (Rodrigo de la Serna) are typical college students who, seeking fun and adventure before graduation. This movie evolves from a buddy/road movie in which Ernesto and Alberto are looking for women, fun and adventure before they must grow up and have a more serious life; to a foreshadowing of the cause that Che (future leader of the Cuban revolution) will eventually devote his life to.

I found that this movie can easily be appreciated by someone who does not have much knowledge of the action and life of Che Guevara; as the story of how the young man realizes that there is a need to unite within the broad ethnic diversity of Latin America unfolds. The scenery of South America is absolutely breathtaking, and the soundtrack has a local flavour that accentuates the mood of the movie. This was the only subtitled movie that I saw at the Film Festival, and the translation done was superb; as the subtitles even captured the swearing shouted between the two young men.

Overall, I really enjoyed viewing this movie, and am glad that I got to see a "sneak peek" of the movie at the Toronto International Film Festival. I would recommend this movie to anyone.

THE LIMB SALESMAN

I saw The Limb Salesman on Tuesday September 14th at 9 am at the Royal Ontario Museum. I was also the first person in line. I should have known that this was a bad sign. Unfortunately, this was one overly-long, boring movie shot in the outskirts of Guelph in the middle of the winter. It began to feel like the winter (and the movie) would never end.

There was conflict in the characters - and by the end of the movie, I didn't even care! The family patriarch has a little too much interest in his adopted daughter, his biological son fights with him to bring more humane conditions to the mine that is owned by the family, the doctor who arrives to provide limbs is missing his own heart, and a nasty love triangle develops.

By the way, I've made this sound more exciting than it really is. This movie has the feel of a "CBC Sunday night movie" production, complete with uninspired, tinny music (probably stolen from 'The Road to Avonlea'); characters that you really don't end up caring about, and a pretty amatuer set-design and costuming effort. The saving grace is the acting of Jackie Burroughs (famous as "Aunt Hetty" from 'Road to Avonlea') as the semi-crazy aunt who helps Clara (the recipient of the limbs) escape to the doctor (a.k.a. "Limb Salesman"). Jackie Burroughs plays the part of a woman who refuses to accept the desolation of the house she lives in, and makes the most of the life that she has left.

All in all, I will be surprised if this movie makes it into wide-release... it really sucks!!!

BEYOND THE SEA

I had the pleasure of seeing the screening of Beyond the Sea starring Kevin Spacey as Bobby Darin on Sunday, September 12th at 9 AM. The movie had it's gala premiere at Roy Thompson Hall the night before, and then Kevin Spacey hosted a post-movie party. Lo and behold, was I surprised when the TIFF rep announced that the "director and star of Beyond the Sea, Kevin Spacey would like to say hello". Kevin did a brief hello, and announced that he would be back at the end of the movie for a Question and Answer Period.

I knew almost nothing about Bobby Darin (he died in 1973) except that he had recorded such hits as "Mack the Knife" and "Beyond the Sea". I did not know that he was an anti-war activist and that he had suffered from rheumatic fever as a child, that weakened his heart eventually leading to his death. I genuinely cared about the character that Kevin Spacey portrayed, as he was such a convincing portrayal of Bobby Darin.

I will agree with a sentiment posted to www.imdb.com : "Having said that I was very nervous about the success of a film where one guy not only produces, stars in, directs, co-writes but also does his own singing. Well, the guy pulled it off beautifully" -- Kevin wore many hats and has come up with a painstakingly created labour of love that will expose the music and character of Bobby Darin/william Robert Cassato to a whole new generation of movie and music lovers. During the Q and A sesstion, someone asked Kevin Spacey if this was his Copacabana. He laughingly replied "Yes, this is my Copacabana. " I can't wait until this is released to theatres, so I can see it again!

(more info can be found on the following sites: http://www.lgf.com/profile/beyondthesea.php and http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363473/ )

PHIL THE ALIEN

I went to see Phil the Alien on Saturday, September 11th. This charming and very funny movie helped take my mind of off the fact that it was the third anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. This was the freshman debut of write, director and star Rob Stefaniuk, and that man is FUNNY. Sure, the story was a little far fetched, with Phil being taken in by a talking beaver (voiced by SCTV alumnis Joe Flaherty), getting chased by an agent and an assassin (Madame Madame) from the Top Secret American UFO Base located under Niagara Falls; being jailed for intoxication and finding Jesus, which (of course) leads to singing Christian rock with a bar bad while levitating and quoting the gospels. Phil the Alien also features a classic rock tune from Rush and such quintessential Canadian pursuits as drinking, hunting and trapping.

I ended up sitting one row in front of the cast of the movie, and two seats over from Rob Stefaniuk himself. He seemed slightly embarassed during the Question and Answer session after the movie, as if surprised that the audience enjoyed the movie so much. I even earned a commemorative "Phil the Alien" bottle-opener for asking a question. There is no hard release date in Canada or the United States.

I can't wait for this movie to be released in North America.. I wonder how many Americans will think that killer whales and belugas live underneath Niagara Falls?

CHILDSTAR

I attended the 6:30 screening of CHILDSTAR on Friday, September 10th at the VISA Screening Room of the Elgin Theatre. The movie started a little late (hey, it takes a while to get everyone seated, especially when you have Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada in the house) ;)

I have seen some of Don McKellar's earlier work, such as the movie "Last Night" and the TV series "Twitch City"; and I must say that his work gets better with age. He is a comic genius, and this movie makes you care about the customers when you need to care, makes you hate the characters when you need to hate, and makes you laugh at the circumstances that young actors can find themselves in.

There is even a cameo of Alan Thicke playing (shocking!!) the father of the TV show "Family Differences" (which evokes memories of "Growing Pains"). This film is one of the first that has both Hollywood stars (Jennifer Jason Leigh, Eric Stolz) and Canadian favorites (Dave Foley and Don McKellar) who are all equally compelling and convincing in their own ways. The "child star" in question is played excellently by Mark Rendall (Taylor Brandon Burns) who starts the movie as the arrogant, self-absorbed, demanding diva that one would read about in the National Enquirer. By the end of the movie, you actually care about the little jerk, and you hope that he gets to live some of his life as a real person.

I was really impressed by this effort from Don McKellar, and can't wait until it is in wide-release. This was a great movie for me to start my Toronto International Film Festival experience.

My Adventures and Impressions of the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival

This blog will be following my adventures and impressions of the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival.

This ongoing webpage will have the listing of films that I will see, my reviews and comments of the films, and any additional notations that I have made about the films. The Official TIFF webpage is available at http://www.e.bell.ca/filmfest/2004/default.asp .

The movies that I will be viewing are:

CHILDSTAR, starring Don McKellar, Jennifer Jason Leigh (September 10)

PHIL THE ALIEN starring Rob Stefaniuk (September 11)

BEYOND THE SEA starring Kevin Spacey (September 12)

THE LIMB SALESMAN starring Peter Stebbings and Jackie Burroughs (September 14)

THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES starring Gael Garcia Bernal (September 14)

SHARK TALE starring Jack Black and Will Smith (September 14)

THE HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS starring Asia Argento and Marilyn Manson (September 15)

TRAUMA starring Colin Firth and Mena Suvari (September 18).

I will try to update this at least once every day during the Toronto International Film Festival which will run until September 18th, 2004.