Back to the 90's - 10 Things I Hate About You and some more recent recomendations

Ok, let's start with rereading that famed Kat Stratford sonnet that made all of our young hearts ache :

I hate the way you talk to me,
And the way you cut your hair.
I hate the way you drive my car.
I hate it when you stare.
I hate your big dumb combat boots,
And the way you read my mind.
I hate you so much it makes me sick.
(It even makes me rhyme.)
I hate the way you’re always right.
I hate it when you lie.
I hate it when you make me laugh—
Even worse when you make me cry.
I hate it when you’re not around, and the fact that you didn’t call.
But mostly I hate the way I don’t hate you—not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.

And a re-watching for those who need it:

10 Things I Hate About You is a contemporary overhaul of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, not being a big fan of the bard I've never read any of his plays outside of what high school forced me to read, therefore I'm not familiar with this one.  I do love the movie though.

I probably adore a larger number of romantic dramas and romcoms than I care to admit, but unlike a the bulk of them, I'm not ashamed to admit my love for this one.  Maybe it's got something to do with how no one conforms to gain love, or that every character is blatantly flawed but it makes them more endearing rather annoying. Also it might have something to do with being told that I look a bit like (an Asian) Julia Stiles and that my high school personality reminded people of Kat Stratford and Stiles herself. I realize 10 Things isn't free of cliches, but it's better than most.

Watching 10 Things set me off on a bit of a romcom kick.  Sure, the two romcoms I followed up with were actually films I had to review for Toronto Film Scene, but my editor did give me a list to pick from and I blatantly chose the romanaces.

One of them was Two Seater Rocket, which screened this past weekend at the European Union Film Festival, Austria's answer to Amelie-esque whimsy.  It was a galant effort, but didn't quite do it for me. It was a bit more reality-based and less forcefully delightful than Michel Gondry's Mood Indigo (a huge disappointment for me earlier this year), but still some ways from winning me over.

What I do recommend is EUFF's opening film Fasten Your Seatbelts, which actually has 2 screenings, so there's still a chance to catch it on Nov 30th. I mention in my review that "Writer and director Ferzan Ozpetek presents us with some familiar characters, but even in this charted territory, the film is still wholly engaging." - examples being mismatched lovers, a wild amorous friend, the flighty aunt, and even a token gay character.  The thing I like best about the latter is that while the character of Fabio is gay and acts like a cliche gay man sometimes, he's not in the film to serve as comic relief, he has a rather sad and endearing back story which I love.

What's also interesting about Fasten Your Seatbelts is the non-linear fashion in which the story is told - events unfold, jump, and loop back.  There are unanswered questions, and we don't always find how certain situations turn out, but Ozpetek has spun these events together in a way so that our not knowing actually gives us hope.  It's the feelings that he invokes through the journey that stay with you, the scenes and dialogue that are treated with a delicacy that makes these otherwise ordinary occurrences memorable.

After completing my reviews, I continued to indulge my girly self with a re-watching of The F Word (aka What If for our friends in the US... what a lackluster alternate title).  I guess the good thing is the film itself is not lackluster, and no matter how many times I watch it, I can always appreciate an ode to the city of Toronto.  The way I feel about The F Word is similar to 10 Things and Fasten Your Seatbelts, the flawed characters that I can love inspite of everything.

I don't recall if I've mentioned on this blog my flip-flopping feelings towards Director Michael Dowse, who also made another film that I love:  It's All Gone Pete Tong.  However his Q&A following the screening of that particular film left me with some feelings of negativity.  The first time I saw The F Word was at Canada's Top 10, it was also followed by a Q&A with Dowse and that was fine (though I didn't ask him a question this time).  So I guess, in short, it's fine.

Watch the film(s), it's always best to focus on the films.

Back to the 90's - The Craft & Pump Up The Volume

In the interest of getting caught up, I'm going to double up on this blog post.  There are some obvious similarities between the two films - both of which feature outcasts who find their voice and find their power... perhaps a little too much power.

For Halloween, TIFF appropriately programmed The Craft, the 1996 film that rocketed goth culture to mainstream popularity (much to the dismay of the true goths perhaps).  There's so much about goth culture that I agree and disagree with to this day, but what interested me most about The Craft wasn't the fashion and eye make-up (tho I am to this day a fan of box purses, heavy mascara, and Urban Decay makeup), it was their take on paganism as both positive and negative, targeting it to a teenage audience.  It wasn't a completely accurate representation of the Wiccan faith, but it blended many elements of real rituals that impressionable young minds may have found it hard to distinguish.

Having been interested in horror, magic, and supernatural things since an early age meant I'd read up on witchcraft long before I saw this movie.  Both the medieval persecutions and the Salem witch trials were familiar territory, I even knew a little bit about modern witchcraft including Gerald Gardner and Aleister Crowley's names (if you're not a Crowley fan, don't get uppity that I mention him in conjunction with Wicca, I'm just referencing what's widely out there, true or not).  Still The Craft was really the first time I'd seen paganism and witchcraft detailed on screen in such a manner, I had grown up more accustomed to stuff like The Witches of Eastwick.

Not long after The Craft there was Practical Magic (1998), a more adult take on magic maybe, but also kind of a crappy movie.  I don't recall too many prominent magic (or magick) films since, horror and fantasy genre flicks aside of course.  One needs to look no further than Queen St. West to know that goth culture has gone back underground, along with it the mainstream's fascination with paganism.

On a related note: The Craft star Fairuza Balk has most recently been involved with a documentary film called Beyond Clueless, which has been doing the festival circuit.  It takes a look at teen movies and their impact on contemporary cinema.  My (fellow 90's teen movie enthusiast) BFF and I checked it out at Hot Docs earlier this year, it didn't bowl us over but was a nice trip down memory lane.

Pump Up The Volume hit theatres in 1990, right at the start of the decade, featuring high school students who felt heavily pressured to conform.  This made the film very Gen-X in my eyes.  Having been born at the tail end of Gen X, and sometimes finding myself lumped into the (unrelateable) Millennials category in surveys, I'm part of that age group that in some ways feels the most lost because on top of potentially being a part of a more aimless generation, we're not even sure if we quite belong to it!  That's a whole other discussion though.

It wasn't until many years after Pump Up The Volume was made that I realized what a 90's time capsule the movie really is.  Waves of deja vu hit me watching these kids with boom boxes and cassette tape dubs.  Fine, these are also found in Facebook memes as well, but others went beyond.  Seeing friends on the phone with each other while simultaneously listening to a radio show reminded me of lunch hours with my friend Christopher, when we would race to our respective homes at lunch, call each other, and proceed to chat while listening to 680's Top 12 at 12 (groaning that our favourite rap song only made it to #2 while some bogus R&B track topped that day's countdown).  Then there is one scene in Pump Up the Volume where a girl holds the phone up to the radio so that her friend on the other end can hear.  I had a phase in middle school where my friend Dejana and I were addicted to a teen soap called Swan's Crossing (my first glimpse of Sarah Michelle Gellar being evil btw - more of that to come when TIFF screens Cruel Intentions!) I would program my VCR to record the show which aired at noon, but who could wait until after school?  We would dash to Dejana's whenever possible, but then there was the problem that we had to head back at 12:50 to make it before the bell, causing us to  miss the last 7 mins or so of the episode.  Our solution:  after school I would play back the last 7 mins I had recorded over the phone so that she would hear how the episode ended. 

A more personal connection I have with Pump Up the Volume is that a friend of mine loved Christian Slater and this movie.  Always having been a little insecure herself, coupled with a love of unusual things, Pump Up the Volume probably spoke volumes to Monique. The fact that she adored the film's star Christian Slater didn't hurt either. Monique is no longer with us, so when I see this movie I think of her and the good times we had in high school.

I'm not sure there has been many other movies like Pump Up the Volume since, please point out any glaring omissions.  It's my hopes that (as the end of the movie alludes to) technology has helped to give rise to a diversity of voices and so fewer people are finding it difficult to express themselves.  

Talk hard. Blog hard.

Back to the 90's - Buffy the Vampire Slayer

So I disliked Clueless in the 90's, but I thought the Buffy movie flat out sucked.  In 1992 my idea of monsters were Dr. Giggles and Candyman, not some vampires who got their asses handed to them by a blonde bimbo and Dylan McKay from 90210.  As well, those stakings in Buffy were not gruesome deaths, and the vampires merely bit your neck, showing a complete lack of creativity.  I wanted dismemberment. Then if you were to assess the psychological horror factor, this was definitely no Stephen King.

In conclusion, the Buffy movie was so beneath my snobby 13 year old notice that this was actually only my 2nd time seeing it because I have made zero effort to rewatch it in 22 years. Now, of course, I would later become a fan of the TV series and movie writer - now director/producer/god - Joss Whedon. Without getting into too much dissection, I would say that the TV series was a maturing and development of Whedon's writing skills.  The movie was like a weak pilot, a premise on which he was to expand, flush out, etc. I'm glad the movie was made, otherwise we would've never had the Buffy series, the Angel spin-off, the creed that Whedon needed to create everything that he's done to this day.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer the movie is like Christopher Nolan's The Following! It's what you tolerate and try to make the best of knowing what a genius the maker of that little project became.

Couple of parting thoughts:

I didn't look closely enough during these scene, but that's gotta be a bodysuit Hillary's wearing right? Man I still want those earrings!  Only thing is missing is a hair tie with a matching daisy flower on it.

Luke Perry looked so much better without the James Dean wanna be hair, he's pretty cute here.  David Arquette... ???

Back to the 90's - Clueless

This isn't related to this post's title, but regardless it's a passing thought.  I think it goes without saying that my life is manically (maniacally... which it can be too) busy, leaving me with very little time to contribute to this blog (which is unfortunate because I greatly enjoy it).  I was thinking how the only real opportunity I have in an average day to let my mind wander (aka muster up an ounce of creativity and come up with ideas for this blog) is in the shower.  Thus the first person to come up with a device that allows me to blog while I shower will have my money and unwavering devotion.  Just putting that out there...

That said, my TIFF experiences, only a few weeks ago prevalent and powerful, are admittedly starting to fade. I will have to try and get those thoughts down before they are gone away. (But then I'll just watch more moves and make new experiences :))

Today's blog though, is meant to get started on a trip back to the 90's!  Once again thanks to TIFF, I was overjoyed when they announced this program. It's a collection of campy teen favs from the decade in which I was a middle and high-schooler.  I could go down the specifics of memory lane, but my experiences aren't that different from everyone else who was a teenager of the 90's, and our connection to those years is pretty much like everyone's connection to their teenage years, regardless of the decade.  So I'll let the movies do the talking.

The launch of TIFF's Back to the 90's program made me realize that 1) I own 8 of the 11 films that are screening and 2) I wanted to re-watch them all! (Even the ones I don't own are only a download away ;)) So that's become my mission, watch the 90's film that's screening at Lightbox on a given week and write a little about my impressions of the movies, my memories of when I first saw it, etc. Actually for those who are also revisiting 90's favs, I would love to hear your thoughts and memories too - please proceed to the comments section!

So far I'm so-so for being on schedule but I'm trying here.  I was out of the country when Clueless screened in early October but got caught up over the weekend.

I never really liked Clueless when it came out 1995.  You see, I wasn't like Cher in high school... Ty maybe, but even then, not really.  My little floral skirts were more Lisa Loeb that Cher, and my box purses were definitely more inspired from The Craft. I was sometimes grunge, and loathed rap in favour of techno, euro, and other forms of underground dance music.  So me want to be like the girls in Clueless? As if.

That lame TV show that came after pretty well sucked too, do you guys remember it? So much bloody pink...

Later in life I was to learn that the plot of Clueless was based on Jane Austen's Emma, which I do like. That may have softened my harsh opinion of Clueless, but still it never really rocketed it up my movie list to the point where I wanted to purchase a copy for myself. As a result, I've probably only seen it like 4 times in my life.

Watching it this time was a novelty, like a cheesey throw-back, and it was a lot of fun.  Also young Paul Rudd, I should've paid more attention to former stepbrother Josh!  Oh, speaking of former stepbrother/stepsister, that element has alway been a little weird to me in Clueless.  Yet, Katherine & Sebastian in Cruel Intentions? No big deal. I never quite understood why that was? Maybe cause Katherine was so delightfully devilish? But that's another movie (that's screening later this year!)

Until the next movie...

The Movie Sounds Better With You - Eden at TIFF 2014

Eden caught my eye early on when I was reading the 300+ film synopsis for TIFF 2014.  Re-reading that synopsis now, I can see what caught my attention ... "EDM", "Daft Punk", "underground dance music scene of early-nineties".  I hate to criticize TIFF's beloved Cameron Bailey, who programmed Eden and wrote the synopsis, but I think that some of the film's essence may have been a little buried in the verbiage.

My preconception of Eden was also further skewed after speaking to a couple friends that had caught an earlier screening of the film.  They reported back that it was mediocre, but maybe in doing so it lowered my initially high expectations so that I wound up enjoying it more.  Also this is where I feel Mr. Bailey's eloquence may have mislead those who are not the target audience to see this film.  That's always a danger isn't it?  You want your film to come across as wide-reaching because you want a lot of people to see it, but if the wrong people wind up seeing it, then you get a slew of disappointing and bad reviews.

But let's focus on my experience with Eden, shall we?

It was the last day of TIFF 2014 and the last movie of TIFF 2014 for me. I staggered from Scotiabank Theatre down to TIFF Bell Lightbox, texting my friend Sachin on the way.  Though we didn't plan it, I couldn't think of a better person to see Eden with than Sachin, who is a friend of about 10 years, with whom I spent countless hours at one of two places - at TIFF or in the clubs.  I have a sneaking suspicion we may have gone to a Daft Punk concert together, and we count several DJs and promoters amongst our mutual friends.  Eden is a French reflection of our lives, our world, and our experiences.

Sachin and I at a club for Halloween 2005

The film is far from perfect, but so is life. I'm not familiar with Mia Hanson-Løve but countless articles tout her abilities in "capturing the intimacy of relationships".  I'm not sure that's best displayed in Eden, unless we're talking about the intimacies of his relationship with music. If anything it showed me how we pass through relationships, some more significant than others, each developing and ending differently, but ultimately a thing that's woven through our lives as a part of something bigger.  If anything, I thought Eden portrayed the intricacies of life itself.

Daft Punk's Toronto show in 2007

Main character Paul's own struggling career is contrasted against Daft Punk's.  Here in Toronto, we could contrast many friends' careers against Deadmau5's - once a candy kid we couldn't pick out of a crowd at a rave of thousands, while other hometown heroes the same age as him took the stage.  Now he's performing at the Grammy's and my old friends and acquaintances are still in Toronto, plugging away at day jobs in order to fund their music careers that are still primarily local performances.

Last Hullabaloo and specimen of digital photography from 2005

Don't get me wrong, this isn't some rave movie, it's not the 2014 version of Go. Even for the portions of the film taking place in the early 90's, Hanson-Løve doesn't go to the trouble of recreating arena rave footage, instead opting for moments of interaction at the door or in the DJ booth.  It's very much about the interactions. And the soundtrack. I was elated by the music and actually a little disappointed that few articles made mention of the excellent music selections.

Photo I took of DJ Joey Beltram in 2006. His anthem track Energy Flash is featured in Eden.

If you have a chance to see the movie (which hasn't been picked up yet, far as I've heard), you will see Paul meeting up with a group of friends - his musical partner, a promoter, and a bunch of people including several girls who are frequently around but not introduced by name in the movie... that would've been me in the Toronto version. (ie. the girl who was essentially nobody, but somehow never had to stand in line to get in ;))

What I'm driving at here, other than the opportunity to reminiscence about my teens & 20's, is that for those who lived it, Sven Hansen-Løve's experiences and contributions to the script of Eden is an accurate and detailed recreation.  It's going to resonate with those viewers,  but I have doubts it will translate to those that didn't maintain a similar lifestyle. While I think Paul's life experiences are very universal - aspirations, girls, drugs, and struggling with a mountain of debt, my own experiences with other films of this genre and even my own filmmaking experiences have taught me that people have trouble seeing past the partying (raving) lifestyle. It's unfortunate.

So... like my previous post about I Dream of Wires, if you're part of that small contingent for which I write these particular blogs, I recommend you keep an eye out for Eden. It's a nice little film and will provide you with hours and hours of reflection afterwards.

If you've read this far, I clearly have your captive attention (or you're really bored, therefore you might as well keep reading) so I'll leave you with a couple random but (presumably) interesting links:

• In my post about I Dream of Wires, I had additional links and nerdy info that I did not ultimately include in the interest of time... One band/group that I've followed for 20+ years is The Prodigy, from the first time I heard Chris Sheppard play "Out of Space" at one of his "live to air" broadcasts in the early 90's.  Liam Howlett is not-surprisingly the proud owner of a lot of synth toys... here is a list. 
• In that same post I also made reference to a film called Modulations by Iara Lee, she also made another film before Modulations called Synthetic Pleasures - focusing on the use of technology (circa 1995) by human beings..."from body piercing to bionics, to transform our environments, bodies and minds in search of pleasure" which is available on youtube --> http://youtu.be/muUklk8pTCE
• Finally getting back onto the topic of Eden, here is a good article I came across about the film and the importance of Daft Punk's role in it.
• Lastly, the title of this post is a play on words, it comes from club anthem "The Music Sounds Better with You" which was co-written by Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk.

The TIFF Hangover - 2014 Edition

2014 marked my 16th festival. My first festival was in 1999 and I saw one film that year. The most movies I've ever caught in a single festival is 30, though this year I got to see a handful of things pre-fest, which brings my grand total over 30 (though I feel like if you didn't sacrifice sleep and poison your body with Red Bull to see it, it doesn't really count).

Random:  I was browsing ye old internet for some images to include in this blog and came across this one of Jessica Chastain, back at the Elgin for TIFF 2014.  The background of this photo looks so civilized.  Take it from someone who was right by the barricades. It was not. :P

Now normally after each TIFF, I set out to write short reviews about all the films I've seen, which I always think will take a few days, but in reality becomes a prolonged task... so then I find myself on my annual fall vacation, wracking my brain, while on a plane, trying to finish up my reviews.  That being said, I'm not sure if I will be following in that model this year, during the festival (translation: it may just be a sleep-deprived crazed idea) I felt a recurring desire to focus on several films that I reacted to more strongly, rather than superficially skim over everything.

 
What this means is that in the upcoming days/weeks or maybe never (heh), I'd like to delve into the films: Mommy, Revenge of the Green Dragons, Eden, and maybe even Before We Go/Meet Me In Montenegro.

That said, I'd still like to list everything I saw at TIFF 2014:
(with my usual 5-star rating system)

Pre-Festival:

1. Pride - 4 - TFS Review
2. Guidance - 3.5 - TFS Review
3. Short Cuts Canada Programme 4 - TFS Review
4. Short Cuts Canada Programme 5 - TFS Review
5. Short Cuts Canada Programme 6 - TFS Review
6. Short Cuts International Programme 1 - TFS Review
7. Short Cuts International Programme 2 - TFS Review

During the Festival:

1. Spring - 3/5 - I feel like everyone else loved this more than me.
2. Preggoland - 3 - I don't know if I can ever look at red jello quite the same again, nevermind eat it. The film was more endearing than I expected it to be.
3. Luna - 2.5 -  For something created by one of my fav illustrators/artists, I hoped for more drawn imargery vs. live action.
4. Waste Land - 2.5 -  I didn't hate this nearly as much as everyone else did.
5. Hyena - 1.5 - This was on a trajectory to get a 2, then came the cop out ending, which is not opened ended so much as they stopped writing mid--
6. Tusk - 3 - Dammit Kevin Smith fucked up my perceptions to Tusk by Fleetwood Mac so badly.
7. Tour de Force - 2.5 - It probably deserves a higher rating, but I lack a heart sometimes.
8. 99 Homes - 4 (it will probably be 3.5 in subsequent viewings) Great performances, plus I love twisted morality.
9. Gemma Bovery - 2.5 - How you felt about Tamara Drewe, is pretty much how you will feel about Gemma Bovery - though the directing is not as strong.
10. Mommy - 4.5 (probably 4 in subsequent viewings) I was wholly unprepared for how much I would enjoy this movie.
11. My Old Lady - 3 - With Maggie Smith comes a certain amount of charm and wit, so there are certain expectations for the films she's tied to. This one met my expectations but did not exceed.
12. Dragon Inn - 3 - A 4K remastered version of the 1967 Taiwanese film, I've wanted to see this for years as the 1992 Hong Kong remake is one of my favourite films.
13. Men, Women & Children - 3.5 - I like Jason Reitman, I do not think this is his worst film at all, despite what some critics have said.
14. The Last Five Years - 2 - I should know better than to choose a musical, about a failed relationship story told in reverse. (500) Days of Summer is the only movie of this kind that I liked.
15. Revenge of the Green Dragons - 3.5 - A Chinglish 80's throwback, if I'm not the target audience for this movie, I don't know who is.
16. Kabukicho Love Hotel - 2.5 - Film itself was probably fine, but I remained disengaged from the characters.
17. The Imitation Game - 4 - I really think this is Oscar material. Brilliant performance, but Cumberbitches, you can keep Benedict, I'll take Matthew Goode any day.
18. The Wanted 18 - Exhaustion got the better of me, I was really enjoying this but nodded off all the same. Will look for it so I can watch it again.
19. Nightcrawler - 4 - Some really dark subject matter, so naturally I loved it.  This is my idea of a good Hollywood blockbuster.
20. The Connection - 3.5 (would've been a 4 if they'd shaved off 20mins) - Maybe I was very tired, but at least 3 of the main characters in The Connection looked similar to me. I could pick out Jean Dejardins but the other two, were not as easy, this surely confused the story in my head.
21. Before We Go - 3 For a movie that starts with "before", Chris Evans has nothing on Richard Linklater. I do like that it was not a conventional boy meets girl story.
22. Meet Me in Montenegro - 3 (2.5 if the directors hadn't been there) - I'm still trying to decide if I really like this film, but the fact that I'm still considering the story 3 days later says something...
23. The Editor - 3 - I'm a fan of Giallo and I'm a fan of parody, over the top parody even... but this only reached "interesting" in my movie scale, not "amazing" or anything.
24. What We Do in the Shadows - 4 - Ok, this was amazing. It was my 5th movie that day and I expected to be asleep no matter what, instead I giggled through 86 minutes
25. The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness - 3 - Studio Ghibli will likely enjoy this more, it was a dangerously relaxing film to see on day 10 of the festival.
26. The Little Death - 3.5 - Maybe I read the synopsis wrong, but it was a heck of a lot funnier than I expected and I like the intertwining storyline.
27. The Guest - 3.5 - As if I didn't love Dan Stevens enough from his portrayal of Matthew Crawley on Downton Abbey, he goes and takes off his shirt in The Guest. <insert a more credible comment here> ;)
28. Eden - 3.5 - this is not a film for everyone, it may not be a film for most, hell I'm not even sure it's really that good a film, but it spoke volumes to me because I filled in the blanks with my own life and experiences.

Synth junkies & producer friends: I Dream of Wires is screening at the Bloor tomorrow - not to be missed!

Guys!

I'm up to beyond my eyeballs in writing and office work (damn rent, bills, blah blah blah...) but I had to add a personal (blog) note to a review I did for TFS...

I Dream of Wires - click for my full TFS review

This is a documentary about the rise, fall, and resurgence in popularity of the modular synthesizer, including decades of history of the technologies, told through narration and interviews by key players in the development of synth technology.

There is a special screening at the Bloor tomorrow night (Saturday Aug 23, 2014) that includes a live performance by Solvent and Q&A... all this for $15! (aka price of a rave circa the early 90's!)

Most of you are not gonna care. But those who've known me personally, from "the [rave] scene", for a long time... the DJ's, the producers, the promoters even... you probably want to check this out.

The doc itself got a little too technical for me at many points, not enough about the actual music.  I made reference to Modulations in my review, that's more my cup of tea. But I Dream of Wires is probably the first doc I've seen since that has taught me anything valuable about the history of EDM.  It brought back memories of Mutek in Montreal, not the big Nocturne parties, but the afternoon sessions where producers brought their home made technologies and performed in loft spaces while we lazed on the floor enraptured by the organic electronic sounds...

(I Dream of Wires was screened at Mutek as well btw...)

Anyway, I wish I had more time to reminiscence, but the bottom line is... for the niche group, it's worth checking out.

A Good Week at the Movies...

In the span of 7 days (I was going to say over the last week, but it's actually just over a week) I've been to the movie theatre exactly 4 times, though I can watch 4 movies a week easily, it's rare I schedule trip to an actual cinema this frequently (even more astounding would be that I resisted buying popcorn at all of them).  I was not required to review any of these films, which is ironic because I have some very good things to say about most of them (vs. all the times I've had to to grit my teeth and tone down my words because I was representing a website, not myself)

On Friday, July 11 the anticipated documentary of beloved film critic Roger Ebert was released in theatres and on VOD.  I don't know if I agree with releasing Life Itself in theatres and on VOD at the same time, but I guess we're seeing this type of release more and more.  On one hand it's good because all the films in question are limited releases so this gives audiences outside of the large markets a chance to see the films, but then it's also all over the torrent sites and nobody pays to see it... I mean, what's more important ultimately? Making money or getting the exposure?

I was set to see Life Itself in theatres anyway, I've never met Mr. Ebert personally, but have had many close brushes with the man, who liked to come to the Elgin during TIFF.  He often praised the volunteers of TIFF and the festival in general, the least I could do was sit in TIFF Bell Lightbox with fellow cinema lovers to see this.  As an additional bonus, his wife Chaz Ebert was coming to introduce one particular screening, so again, no question which show I was attending.

Life Itself was a poignant look at Mr. Ebert's life. It talks about his struggles and triumphs, includes hilarious outtakes for promo clips for Siskel & Ebert, and candidly shows Roger later in life when his health had deteriorated. What struck me most seeing this video footage of Mr. Ebert was how happy he always looked, and that's really something (forgive me for being crass) for someone who's missing his jaw!  I attribute it to his eyes, always bright and alert, and the computer that spoke for him. While the documentary is not perfect, I happily sat through it and would gladly again.  It was a beautiful portrait of a man.

TIFF had a members-only advanced screening of Richard Linklater's Boyhood this past weekend. Linklater's made a lot of movies that I loved, from Dazed and Confused to the 'Before' trilogy, I think there's quite a range in there, and Boyhood was truly one of his finest.  Shooting over 12 years is an amazing feat, especially when you see the continuity. In reading some interviews with Linklater and his cast, his approach to the making of film was almost like the approach we should all take to life.  That is, to have an idea of what we want, notes we wanna hit along the way, and goals to strive for, but to do so with the understanding that there's no way to ascertain this will happen.

Using this method, I think Linklater has probably created the quintessential coming-of-age story.  The story of Mason and his family isn't exactly original, but probably told better than any other film trying to illustrate the same.  He also uses subtle pop culture references in the background that more than once triggered a passage-of-time reaction in me.  A little girl singing Britney Spears at the beginning of the movie made me think "Oh shit, that was over 12 yrs ago!" as my own memories of the song came back to me.  Each of us are a product of time, built up, and tho we may change, in the end we are still an accumulation of what the years have given us... now I'm getting philosophical though. Linklater has that effect on me.

I think Linda Matarasso (of Starving Foodie) was the first person to see Chef and recommend it to me. Subsequently several others would tell me the same. Actually most of them didn't just tell me to see it, they cautioned me to eat a full meal beforehand, perhaps even bring a snack along in order to not be tortured by the delectables on screen that I could see but not eat.

What nobody actually talked about was the plot of the film, thus I had no idea what I was walking into. Heck I only learned several days before that the cast included Sophia Vegara and Scarlett Johansson, and still had no idea if it was a comedy or drama. I'm not saying the plot was flawless, but given the emphasis on food imagery, I was pleasantly surprised to find the story was pretty solid (if not a little predictable) too.  There's great dialogue and chemistry between Jon Favreau, John Leguizamo, and young Emjay Anthony and the social media element is a good reflection of the times.  This is the type of comedy I enjoy, much more than overt over-the-top entries like Sex Tape (which I saw a while ago, so I'm qualified to judge)


Finally I caught the mid-week advance screening of Wish I Was Here, that Zach Braff fans everywhere helped pay for him to make via his Kickstarter campaign.  There's been enough debate whether someone of Braff's celebrity stature should be asking for handouts from joe schmoe across America (and beyond), I was initially against it, but at the end of the day, it's none of my business how strangers want to spend their money.  This is as good a place to pour it than any other.  And if you're a Zach Braff fan, then you'll prob be happy with the product he turned out.

For those who've heard my opinions about Zach Braff, you're going to find this paragraph a bit repetitive.  Wish I Was Here is the follow up to Garden State when Braff supposedly so perfectly captured the vexed state of being in your 20's.  What he's basically told me is that you don't get it together in your 30's either. Being in my 30's as well, I get what he's trying to say, but at the same time I feel he puts far too much effort into conveying to me that life is uneven and meandering, and shit just happens for no reason.  Sometimes you get it together, sometimes you don't, you eventually solve some of your problems, others you just have to live with. I think Boyhood showed me a lot of the same, but while Linklater is natural and effortless, Braff is so minutely controlled and it winds up showing on screen - and the result irritates me.  Not to completely trash the guy, there are some great moments, but he clearly slaved over every word and gesture to make it come off just right.  Whereas I'm sure Linklater would've been... "Ok do your thing"...

I wonder if Braff will ever lighten up and turn back to straight up comedy? I liked him in Scrubs and he's alright as an actor.  This makes me think of Ben Stiller, Reality Bites is awesome, but also loaded with meaning and characters who read into everything. But then Stiller focused on a different type of comedy... love Dodgeball and Zoolander, and he has tried to come back around (didn't love Walter Mitty unfortunately) but it remains to be seen whether he'll ever top Reality Bites in my books.

This week I have lined up: I Origins and Mood Indigo, I'm very excited to see the latter while in the US. So... Hollywood summer blockbusters... what are those again? ;)

Movies & Travel - It Just Makes Sense...

Believe me, when I started this blog over 5 years ago (yes, it has been that long.  And yes, this is all I have to show for it versus my - semi-private - early blogging days) I did not plan on making semi-annual entries.  Yet winter is done, spring is over and gone (though the weather seems to say otherwise), and TIFF has been sending me lists of "Important Dates" for festival 2014 like it's just around the corner!

Foremost on my mind is to point out this week's cover story on Toronto Film Scene, written by yours truly.  You might be thinking: "Ada, do you ever post a blog anymore without talking about f-ing TFS?" and you're not wrong to do so, but to that I respond... in this life I try to do things that I can take pride in, my writing amongst that, so since the bulk of my writing these days is for this particular online magazine, you are going to see an influx of self-promotion and site-promotion.  Now suck it up and read my piece on Pop-Culture Tourism. In fact, go read everything I've written. ;)

I was particularly pleased to write about pop-culture tourism as it combines two of my greatest loves: Movies and Travel (if only I could have worked tea and shopping in there as well...) In addition I have been known to visit filming locations during my travels. In my 2011 trip to Austria, I stopped in Salzburg to wander through the heart of the city, familiar to me from a lifetime of watching The Sound of Music. I would've leapt from bench to bench in the gazebo like Liesl Von Trapp singing "Sixteen Going On Seventeen" if only it hadn't been locked. In Vienna I retraced Jesse and Celine's steps from Before Sunrise, wanderings by the river (where the Milkshakes poem was composed) actually led me to some excellent graffiti as well.  My favourite is still Postman's Park in London, a significant location setting for the play-turned-film Closer, where Natalie Portman assumes a name that she sees on one of the tablets at the Watts memorial.

In terms of pop culture tourism, it’s not just movies, television has certainly done its part too. Game of Thrones not only has everyone flocking to HBO, but has also generated much interest in the many European destinations in which they’ve shot. Nobody could point out Dubrovnik, Croatia on a map until it doubled for King’s Landing in season 2 of GOT. Now Dubrovnik’s seeing an 11% increase in International arrivals over the last year (a fact I dug up while writing my article, and which means I need to get myself over there before the price of everything goes up!) Also seeing increased attention is Northern Ireland, where scenes of Winterfell, Dragonstone, and the Iron Islands were shot. An increasing number of websites are publishing location maps and offering tours to filming locales. Other countries featured in Game of Thrones include Malta, Morocco, and Iceland. The series will also be heading to Spain for season 5, which makes me want to go back as I've never been to Seville.

A little closer to home, you may want to drive by 1155 103rd Street, better known as Dexter’s Apartment next time you're in Miami. Or while in L.A. check out the “Murder House” from American Horror Story Season 1, it’s at 1120 Westchester Place. The latter was made famous by American Horror Story, but I didn't realize it'd long been a filming locale, series that have shot there apparently include Alfred Hitchcock Presents, CSI, Dexter, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and more.

Speaking of US travel and filming locations, I'm in Chicago for a weekend later this month, my first time as an adult so aside from the typical tourist traps I'll also have go to Union Station to check out the scene of the famous shootout in The Untouchables (which is an homage itself to Battleship Potemkin, but I never cared for that movie... however if I'm ever in the Ukraine I would go check out the site film history was made, in the meantime... reliving prohibition Chicago it is!), and maybe get a few pics of Gotham city landmarks ;) And Blues Brothers spots and The Fugitive...gee, I wonder why my vacations are never relaxing lol.

Ada's Top 10 Films of 2013

It's March 2nd, I trust I am adequately (fashionably?) late in posting my top 10 list?  But really, what better date/time than just before the Oscars? This might even clear up the question of who I'm rooting for to win a statuette tonight. 

Usually in January I take the opportunity to catch up on any award favourites and other must-see's during 30 Films in 31 Days before compiling my list, admittedly I got through those rapidly, it's just been procrastination since.

Let's jump right in...

Films that qualify for Ada's Top 10 Films of 2013:

- any film from a film festival that I attended in 2013
- any film with a Canadian theatrical release dated in 2013
- is listed on www.imdb.com as released in 2013

Though I've complained on many occasions, this year was truly the toughest in determining a frontrunner for best film. Frontrunners even.  I could have easily recommended 20 great films but not even drawing on pretentious artist merit nor secret guilty pleasures could help me in determining a favourite. So don't read too much into the rankings of my films, it's only because there's a metaphorical gun to my head...

 1) Dallas Buyers Club (USA)
 2) Trance (UK)
 3) Captain Phillips (USA)
 4) Inside Llewyn Davis (USA)
 5) The Butler (USA)
 6) Prisoners (USA)
 7) The F Word (Canada)
 8) Only Lovers Left Alive (USA)
 9) Blind Detective (Hong Kong)
10)  Molly Maxwell (Canada)/Farrah Goes Bang (USA)

Yeah ok, I cheated.  When it came time to pick one indie coming-of-age featuring a strong female character over another, I just couldn't do it.  I guess I could've recommended one of the following instead...

Honourable mentions:

Her (USA)
12 Years A Slave (USA)
The Wolf of Wall Street (USA)
The East (USA)
Therese (USA)
Drug War (China)
Friends From France (France)
Palo Alto (USA)
The Bling Ring (USA)
Frances Ha (USA)

To think I almost didn't see Dallas Buyers Club at TIFF 2013, it was a last-ditch attempt to rush a film that got me into the theatre to see this more-than-just-a-biopic.  McConaughey and his lazy southern drawl caught my attention long ago, but his recent work has proved that he is more than just a sex symbol.  Also supported by (award-winning) Jared Leto as the transgendered Rayon, the film is much more than just a biopic or just a propagandist piece for equality.  It's about Ron Woodruff, the homophobic, unlikely hero, drug dealing entrepreneur who took on the FDA and changed the way in which AIDS patients received medical treatment. 

Trance escaped a lot of people's notice in my opinion, not that it was award-worthy, but it was every bit as entertaining (if not better) and enjoyable as some of the big name thrillers that hit the big screen in 2013 (ie. Red 2, Parker, Runner Runner, etc).  I will openly admit I have a soft spot for Danny Boyle so he would have to majorly screw something up for me not to list his films on my top 10, but Trance contains all of Boyle's slick Brit style, talented leads, and intriguing multi-layered story.  When I first saw Trance, I said it was what Shallow Grave might have been if Boyle had the money back then.  I think Shallow Grave was always meant to be smaller and darker, but the two films' most interesting aspect remains the transfer of power between the main characters, it is fascinating to watch this.

I waited a while to see Captain Phillips, proclaiming that it wasn't really my thing... I take it back.  I could not get quite enough of this film, and had my knees not already been hitting the row in front of me, I surely would've been on the edge of my seat the entire time.  I guess that's how you can tell you've made a good movie, when even non-fans of the subject matter are completely engrossed.  Everyone seems to be on the bandwagon for the Barkhad Abdi fan club, no denying, he was great, but more so I think the ensemble of actors alongside a good story, solidified by good directing is what made the film.

I'll tell you right away that not everyone will like Inside Llewyn Davis. Not even every Coen Brothers fan may like Inside Llewyn Davis.  Not much happens, and the dark humour is at times subtle and sad.  For me, I think it's their best film since The Man Who Wasn't There (not something the Coens are famously remembered for...and why not??), but then again I have a soft spot of meandering artists and a place/time where people can find a way to get by while living their dream.  Life is ambiguous, events don't always have a clear beginning and end, sometimes they fade, sometimes there is no clear resolution, you have to find charm in the little moments... preferably while folk songs are playing in the background.

Another one that I didn't bother to see in theatres, in fact it was the last film I saw before making this list.  It was during a review to see what critically acclaimed films I had overlooked over the year that I recalled The Butler.  After seeing it, 12 Years A Slave dropped off my top 10 list (I'll discuss this film later).  Again ambiguity wins me over, though Forest Whittaker, Oprah Winfrey, and the huge all-star cast all doing their part didn't hurt either. It shows the remarkable amount of change society has undergone in one generation's lifetime, also the delicate balance between dignity and tolerance in the path to achieving your goals and dreams.

At times the slow-boil pacing in Prisoners almost lost me, but ultimately I hung on.  Again moral issues loom large, which is probably what kept me going because - as insensitive as it may sound - tales of missing children just don't tug at my heartstrings.  The performances and enduring intensity throughout the film is what put Prisoners in my top 10.  Despite that, I can't guarantee how soon I will want to watch this film again, I don't think it's the type of movie to hold up in repeated viewings. But the first time made enough of an impact and it will stay with me regardless.

My first attempt to see The F Word, I failed to get into the TIFF screening via the rush line.  Therefore I had to wait until Canada's Top 10 to see it - and I'm very glad I did. Daniel Radcliffe really proves himself a worthy romantic lead, and Zoe Kazan is very natural in her performance. I had a handful of doubts going into this film, everything from Michael Dowse directing (he's done some good work, but good work that's a looooong way from The F Word), to the potential hokiness based on the plot synopsis.  Nope, I loved the dialogue, the story, and of course the fact that it was filmed in many places that I'm familiar with in Toronto.

Jim Jarmusch + vampires! That was really all it took to get me racing to the theatre.  I think you really have to be a fan of his to truly love this film, but the incredible style, the subtle humour, and beautiful production design, shot in exotic locales such as Tangiers... it was a delight to me.  The idea of casting Tilda Swinton as a vampire - brilliant! Though I will admit it was a struggle to stay awake while watching it during a sleep-deprived TIFF marathon, I did everything in my power to keep my eyes open so I could enjoy every nuance. Also made me want to wear gloves to every evening event afterwards.

Ok, it's not an Ada Top 10 without a Hong Kong film, is it? I guess you might be tempted to ask me: Why Blind Detective over Drug War (Johnnie To's other film in 2013 that had a bigger release in North America)? Well, for starters... I said there needs to be HK film in my top 10, I specifically didn't say Chinese film... and that's just what Drug War is.  Though evident even while watching it, the point was much reinforced by Johnnie To himself at the Q&A following the film - Drug War was his first mainland China production. Sorry, this blurb is getting to be more about Drug War than Blind Detective... which is more classic good Johnnie To fun, with action, quick-witted dialogue, and a good dose of humour.  Sure, it's a little more campy and cliche, but it delivers in terms of entertainment value.  Also I hate to admit, but my being able to understand the dialogue helps a lot.

As I'm short on time, I'm going to copy and paste from my original blog post that mentioned Molly Maxwell: "When it comes to 'coming of age' films, this is even better than Perks of Being A Wallflower.  Molly lives the life I've always dreamed for my adolescence, to be surrounded by freaks and have parents who let me do whatever I want, but clearly emotional turmoil touches everyone as they navigate their adolescence.  There's something so fresh and authentic about the story.  It's thought provoking and relate-able, and the leads have an incredible chemistry."

Again in the name of time-saving, here is the review I wrote for TFS on Farrah Goes Bang: http://blogginginoblivion.blogspot.ca/2013/04/if-youre-headed-to-movies-this-week.html I am still insanely in love with the girls in this film and only wish a wider audience could see this.  Together with Molly Maxwell, this is what teens should be watching and aspiring to.  I hope to be able to own copies of both these movies, I need to see them again (maybe repeatedly).





This brings us to the so-called "honourable mentions", a number of which are the Oscar contenders (sidenote: I've seen all of the major films to be nominated with the exception of Nebraska)

Spike Jonze's Her made it on a lot of people's lists.  I, myself, was a little shocked that this film didn't wind up making my list.  Her is good and very relevant, but somehow I felt that the story itself could have gone further, could have gotten more fantastical.  Maybe it's hard to stay ahead of our rapidly technology-evolving world, but none of the ideas Jonze presented really seemed that far out/mind-blowing.  Yes, that is a twinge of disappointment you detect in my words.

So why The Butler and not 12 Years A Slave? Do I think 12 Years A Slave had better performances? Yes. Do I think 12 Years A Slave was better directed? Yes. But if you stack up those stories, The Butler touched me emotionally and held a much greater impact than Steve McQueen's story ever did. My heart went out to Solomon Northup, it did, but overall it was about what horrible people white folk were, the great injustices suffered by African-Americans, and the brutalities they endured.  It's terrible stuff, but it's something I already knew.  The Butler showed me the profound change in the attitudes towards and rights of African Americans throughout a single lifetime, that was astonishing and moved me.  Hell, when they showed Obama getting elected, I had tears in my eyes.  Now that's how a movie gets on my top 10.

I feel like it's Martin Scorsese's life goal to direct Leo DiCaprio to an Oscar.  Hang in there Marty, it'll happen - just not this year.  The Wolf of Wall Street was the film definition of "balls out", what the duo churned out was nothing short of amazing.  I'm loving how Leo's starting to take on different roles, not just the super intense, serious, good guys (Hey Christian Bale, you listening?).  First Calvin Candie in Django Unchained, now here in the Wolf of Wall Street.  That Oscars getting close, I can sense it.

The East and The Bling Ring, two films that I enjoyed a lot, but didn't seem to get much box office attention.  I thought they deserved a mention here. For those who did see The Bling Ring and like films directed by Coppolas... watch out for Palo Alto later this year.  I caught it at TIFF, where afterwards I described Gia Coppola as a cross between Sophia and Larry Clark, this judgement based solely on Palo Alto of course. It's based on a book of short stories by James Franco, who's also in the film, along with a lot of other beautiful people.

Therese and Friends From France were both films I caught at TIFF 2013.  Therese is a period drama based on the novel by Emile Zola, staring the ever-amazing Jessica Lange, as well as the talented Elizabeth Olsen.  It's arguably a story of bad people, who get exactly what they deserve.  It's also about desperation and guilt, and doing what you must to survive.  Friends from France is about young idealists going to the USSR undercover to make contact with fellow Jews in hopes of helping them leave the country and freeing them from further persecution. Alongside themes of religious freedoms there is also a sad love story, as well as a glimpse into a minority I'd previously known little about.

Drug War - I think I've discussed enough above.


I actually saw Frances Ha in 2012 and didn't think to mention it in my top 10 last year, so why should I bring it up this year?  Well, Frances Ha had its theatrical release in 2013, garnering good reviews and lots of attention of being Woody Allen-esque and lots of praise for Gretta Gerwig.  All this prompted me to mention Frances Ha as a good film, and worth seeing if you haven't done so already.

My other last minute add-on is August: Osage County.  It contains some of the best scenes you will have seen in a 2013 release.  Meryl Streep should get that Oscar, who cares if she's already got so many she probably uses them as bowling pins.

And there you have it, my top 10 films of 2013 - laced with Oscar commentary.  Guess we find out tonight just how much the Academy agrees with me!