News   GLOBAL  |  Apr 02, 2020
A Message to Our Readers
 8.7K     0 
News   GLOBAL  |  Apr 01, 2020
EarthCam Time-Lapse Documents Rafael Viñoly-Designed New Stanford Hospital Construction
 40K     0 
News   GLOBAL  |  Apr 01, 2020
Resort Town
 4.9K     0 

My first experience at TIFF was in 1992 and I’ve gone every year since 2001. Due to a health issue, this will be my last. I’ve enjoyed many great films over the years, but I’ve especially enjoyed the experience of watching a film with an educated, dedicated and motivated audience. I’ve enjoyed conversations with strangers in the theatre or while standing in line – So, what have you seen that’s good? Of course, their ticket buying procedures have always been a nightmare, but those negative aspects fade. As others have posted, we have many great memories – not just of the films, but of the people who made the films and the experience of being there in the theater at that place at that time.
 
I do Midnight Madness every year, picked 7 films this time. I usually try to do 8 or 9 films but I'm getting older, you see. I can't pick my favorate films, but it would be between "Green Room" and "Devil's Candy" - "Hardcore" won The Grolsch People's Choice Midnight Madness Award @ TIFF2015. Favorate moment: Kal Penn (seated in the row behind us with the rest of the cast) reacting to his ultra-violent on-screen death in "Girl in the Photographs". Penn plays a very unlikable charactor, so his imminent demise made the audience very happy, the always likable Penn seemed very uncomfortable with the whole affair!
 
I thought it was consistently good - only one of the 28 movies I saw disappointed. So avoid Every Thing Will Be Fine at all costs. Highlights: Land Of Mine, Where To Invade Next, Hitchcock/Truffaut, Women He's Undressed, The Danish Girl, Spotlight, Maggie's Plan, Sherpa, I Smile Back, Equals, Born To Be Blue, 45 Years, La Belle Saison, The Ardennes & Lolo.
 
I thought this year's line up was much better than last years. I'm not an artsy guy though, and my favourite was SPL 2 @ Midnight Madness. It's a Hong Kong/Thai kung fu cop piece + the rambunctious MM crowd was just great. The Japanese movie An was also fantastic and got me wiping my eyes. Unfortunately I couldn't catch the first or even second showing of the show, I would've loved for some QA with the director and cast.
  • Urban Hymn was not bad; typical adult mentor/"gangster" student with some flaws
  • Right Now, Wrong Then was an ok South Korean rom-com. It was incredibly low budget - they probly used one camera for the whole thing - but had it's funny moments
  • Devil's Candy was great (again, bolstered by the MM crowd) but it had some plot/consistency problems I thought
  • Office was pretty bad. A musical with bad songs, bad story, etc.
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top