TIFF 09 Round Up - Part 4

Half way into TIFF this year, I came to the realization that many of the films I'd seen up to that point have not been what I expected in terms of story/style/genre, ie. The Loved Ones, Jean Charles, and Leslie, My Name is Evil just to name a few.  I suspected that I spent the equivalent of a day and a half with that dumbfounded look on my face watching these while wondering if I was in the right theatre.  I wondered how much of this had to do with me misinterpreting the synopsis I'd been reading?



The Loved Ones - Dir. Sean Byrne

Each year the Midnight Madness program has certain programming mandates, or so it would appear.  MM is usually never without a) some form of zombies, b) something off the wall from Japan, c) wild rollicking Asian martial arts, d) a torture flick, e) some B horror, and f) a couple of flicks that mind f*ck you over to say the least.  These can be combined, duplicated, and/or modified, but you can always expect the above when showing up at Ryerson during the Witching Hour.

From its description in the program book, I expected some B horror in the tradition of Carrie meets Pretty in Pink.  I was expecting a lot of groans for cheesiness factor and laughs and cheers for acts of campy heroicism and/or horror cliches.  Instead what I got was a mostly irrational torture flick was more like the Martyrs meets 80's camp.  While I was engrossed (more so than grossed out), it really was just shock horror for the sake of shock horror and dementia.  I was sitting between Jack and Darrin who in squirmed more for the twisted incest factor than any of the gore itself.  In many ways I guess it was still your standard B horror - lousy acting, story that doesn't entirely make sense, and lots of gore.  I can't say I didn't like it, but ... I'm rather indifferent to it.  I wouldn't recommend oer se, but no need to run away from it either... it's not my type of movie I guess.

SPOILER:  I really feel like it should've ended with them backing up and smacking her in the head. Although it's not the only thing that felt unecessary, it is overall an insane sadistic film like that doesn't need a family reunion for an ending.

2.5/5


Wheat - Dir. Ping He

When I read the synopsis for Wheat I was already wary.  It didn't sound like the type of film I'd enjoy watching after a long day at the office, but Ping He's last film was the Chinese historic epic Warriors of Heaven and Earth which I enjoyed very much.  Where there is the backdrop of war in common between the films, that's were the similarities end.  Where Warriors focus is on the battlefield, Wheat is about the village of women left behind and the two deserter enemy soldiers that stumble into their world one day.

There definitely wasn't enough action in this film to sustain my attention.  It's an interesting look at the characters' complexities and emotions,  they do not live in easy times.  Overall it just seemed like too many people who didn't necessarily like one other but forged alliances all the same based on life's mandates.  I'll admit to nodding off for a bit somewhere in the middle, it really wasn't my kind of movie.

2/5

The Invention of Lying - Dir. Ricky Gervais & Matthew Robinson

Ricky Gervais is always a pleasure to watch and The Invention of Lying is no exception.  He also wrote this film that takes place in a world where the concept of lying does not exist - until Ricky's character stumbles upon it.  This is definitely one of the freshest ideas I've heard come out of Hollywood in a while.  However it does still fall into a few of the Hollywood traps... the cliched romance, and storybook ending.  I also thought that he didn't go far enough given his personality and writing talents, I believe his audience and fans could've taken it.  Extremes that were more outlandish, scandalous, and just pushing the envelope, but no, he plays it safe.  It's still a great movie, very appropriate for a first date, or something to take your mother to (which I did! haha)

3/5

Bitch Slap - Dir. Rick Jacobson

On one hand, Bitch Slap could garner the same comments as The Loved Ones - lousy acting, flimsy story, don't really care what happens to characters, doesn't make much sense... But it's clearly a homage and sexy stripped down love letter to Russ Meyer.  Style, homage, and boobs over substance for sure, but hey, it's not like anyone ever expected different from Russ Meyer himself.  There's nothing really innovative about this movie, but damned if it isn't a great time.  It's like the R rated version of Charlie's Angel 2, you know it's going to be horrible, so down a couple beers first and don't expect to witness cinematic history and you'll have a blast!  The flashbacks may get more and more ridiculous, but take solace in the fact that all the stunts were coordinated by the amazing Zoe Bell, who clearly thought this movie was worthy of her time and effort.  The story just gets more and more ridiculous as it goes along, but so do the relationships between the girls... get my drift?

3.5/5