TIFF Ratings and Mini-Reviews
http://tiff.net/thefestival/
OK, so I am back it is 2010 and time again for TIFF and Steve’s famous mini reviews. I started these last year and some people enjoyed them and this year my friend Kelly follows my blog faithfully so I am going to do the best to keep them updated.
I have no idea who will be reading these but should say a few things about me so you know what kinds of movies I like. I am a horror film fan and do not like comedies for the most part and when I do like a comedy it is usually a darker comedy. I do like romance movies though which I know does not make any sense, I loved The Lake House and Leaving Las Vegas to me was a truly romantic movie. OK 2 more things I truly believe 90% of all movies can be made better with zombies in them and any movie with Angelina Jolie of Amanda Seyfried should have a nude scene featuring them, should be written in there contracts.
If after the above you want to go some where else for movie reviews and opinions I understand. I do try and look for the good in all the movies I review.
The ratings will be on following scale
0 - never see run from room if ever shown
1 - watch it only if tied down in Clockwork Orange chair or promised pleasures of 72 virgins once completed watching it
2 - OK you have a dentist appointment for a root canal or you can watch this movie well need I say anymore
3 -
4 -
5 -
6 -
7 -
8 -
9 - if you see it on TV while you are just passing by you stop and watch it loosing yourself in the movie
10 - you must own the DVD even if means you have fight a zombie for a copy or even worse a angry boxing day crowd at Wal-Mart(aka the devil)
11 - most awesome movie ever made on par with such classics as Blade Runner, Sound of Music and Dawn of the Dead 1979 version
Thursday September 09
Movie 1
FUBAR II 11:59 PM
Rating Legend of Beaver Dam 7.01
Rating FUBAR II 3.4
OK, the short film The Legend of Beaver Dam was a terrific mix between musical and slasher film, I think given enough time you would have seen a much tamer version of something like this on Glee. I am so glad it was down here first and was very well done from an effects point of view and story. It reminded me of The Lobotomymobile at TADD last year.
Now on to FUBAR II, the original FUBAR was a mocumentary about basically 2 hosers/metal heads and their lives. They basically drank beer, smoked a little dope and enjoyed life. The movie worked for a couple of reasons the interaction between Terry and Dean and the film crew. They also did harmless things like camping and just listening to music.FUBAR II we find the boys celebrating Dean’s 5 year cancer free and already we find a difference, this is just a movie, not a mocumentary. During the party Dean drops acid and Tron drops by and it is obvious unlike the 1st movie he has not settled down. Next thing the boys are on their way to “The Mac” as it is referred to in the movie. Along the way they quickly stop in and pay a visit to Dean’s daughter who is longing just to spend time with her dad and they also rip off a hitchhiker. In “The Mac” they get jobs and the movie is just one over blown party scene to another and none of them are very realistic.
It was not a very good movie, insulting to everyone and everything, they lost the fun and innocence of the first movie.
Hoping the rest of the festival does not follow this track.
Friday September 10
Movie 1
The Legend of the Fist 12:00 PM
Rating 6.987
This was marketed or at least the write up said it was kind of a homage to Bruce Lee seeing as Bruce would have turned 70 this year. The movie starts in WW1 showing the Chinese laborers who were sent over to help on the front lines and some of what they went through. Then when the war was over they returned to China and had to contend with the Japanese occupation and the rest of the world ignored this.
This story takes place in Shanghai and involves the legend of Chen Zhen a sort of mythical hero in Chinese heritage. This movie is much more than an action movie but the action scenes are incredible. The director Andrew Lau creates a Shanghai that is eerily similar to Casablanca from that movie only with much more action. Donnie Yen is amazing as Chen Zhen.
Movie 2
Cirkus Columbia 3:00 PM
Rating 4.034
This a pretty standard foreign film set in southern Herzegovina after communism has fallen but before the civil war has started. The movie starts with Lucija and her son Martin living in a small village, things are pretty normal, Martin has a friend in the military who helps him with his ham radio.
Then Martin’s absent father shows up after 20 years of exile and things begin to change. Martin’s father has him and his mother tossed out of their home of 20 years and also has his mother tossed in jail. The movie shows how the corruption and poverty under communist rule was just accepted. It was an OK movie but not really my cup of tea. It was well acted and did reinforce the fact that I am glad I did not grow up in a communist country.
Movie 3
Stone 9:00 PM
Rating 5.0034
OK, we have Robert De Niro, Edward Norton, Francis Conroy and Milla Jovovich, this would think would make a great movie or at least a decent movie, well that is not always the case.
This movie was a huge disappointment as it had a good story but went nowhere. De Niro plays a prison employee who evaluates prisoners for parole hearings and Francis Conroy plays his wife of many years. Jack Mabry (De Niro) is in the final stages of a long career and one of his last cases is that of Stone (Ed Norton) who is coming up for parole. The 2 of them begin a dialogue and then Jack gets involved with Stones wife and the movie seems to start going in a number of directions and for awhile you try and figure out how all of these story lines will converge but they never do.
A convoluted and disjointed story that never really lives up to anything. One of the few redeeming things at this screening was seeing Milla Jovivich in person and she is as hot in person as she is on screen.
If you are a De Niro or Ed Norton fan rent something else, but Milla and Francis Conroy were good in supporting roles.
Movie 4
Super 11:59 PM
Rating 8.634
OK, 2nd night of Midnight Madness and I hope it is better than the first night. Well I should not have worried, as James Gunn delivered well beyond expectations. I liked James Gunn’s 1st movie Slither (one of the few) and was looking forward to this one.
Frank (Ranin Wilson) is a loveable loser who is married to Sarah (Liv Tyler) a recovering addict and their lives are quite boring. Sarah leaves/kidnapped by a Jacque (Kevin Bacon) a drug dealer and Frank is devastated and does not know what to do. Frank has a vision that he should become a super hero and rescue Sarah and help others.
After an initial failure Frank seeks the information from a comic book worker Libby (Ellen Page) and soon the Crimson Bolt is created and joined some time later by his loyal sidekick Boltie. The movie progresses with the Crimson Bolt/Frank fighting crime and injustice in the way he feels is right. Along the way he is joined by Boltie/Libby and the two of them fight crime together. The results are serious sometimes and comical other times but always entertaining.
This movie works on so many levels and has great performances by all involved that it is a true gem. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoyed Kick-Ass or The Defendor.
Saturday September 11 Happy Birthday to my daughter Cassie
Movie 1
The Pipe 9:00 AM
Rating
Movie 2
Trust 11:00 AM
Rating
Movie 3
Mataraki 4:30 PM
Rating
Movie 4
Beginners 9:00 PM
Rating
Movie 5
Bunraku 11:59 PM
Rating
Sunday September 12
Movie 1
Easy A 9:30 AM
Rating
Movie 2
Conviction 12:30 PM
Rating
Movie 3
Hereafter 9:00 PM
Rating
Movie 4
Vanishing on 7th Street 11:59 PM
Rating
Monday September 13
Movie 1
Client 9 The Rise and fall of Elliot Spitzer 12:30 PM
Rating
Movie 2
127 Hours 3:00 PM
Rating
Movie 3
Rabbit Hole 9:00 PM
Rating
Movie 4
John Carpenter’s The Ward 11:59 PM
Rating
Tuesday September 14
Movie 1
Black Swan 11:00 AM
Rating
Movie 2
Let me In 3:00 PM
Rating
Movie 3
Henry’s Crime 9:00 PM
Rating
Movie 4
Insidous 11:59 PM
Rating
Wednesday September 15 Roger Waters Concert #1
Movie 1
Buried 12:30 PM
Rating
Movie 2
The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town 2:30 PM
Rating
Movie 3
I Saw the Devil 4;45 PM
Rating
Movie 4
Route Irish [not going due to Roger Waters concert but seeing it on Saturday September 18] 9:00 PM
Rating
Roger Waters Concert at ACC
Movie 5(after concert will make it for sure)
Red Nights 11:59 PM
Rating
Thursday September 16 Roger Waters Concert #2
Movie 1
Dirty Girl 12:30 PM
Rating
Movie 2
What’s Wrong with Virginia 2:30 PM
Rating
Movie 3
A Screaming Man 4:45 PM
Rating
Movie 4
RIO Sex Comedy [not going due to Roger Waters concert, gave tickets to girl at TIFF office] 9:00 PM
Rating
Roger Waters Concert #2 at ACC
Movie 5(after concert will make it for sure)
The Butcher, The Chef and The Swordsman 11:59 PM
Rating
Friday September 17
Movie 1
Passion Play 11:00 AM
Rating
Movie 2
Oliver Sherman 3:00 PM
Rating
Movie 3
Girl in the Yellow Boots 9:00 PM
Rating
Movie 4
Stake Land 11:59 PM
Rating
Saturday September 18 Normally the Last Day of the Festival
Movie 1
Special Treatment 9:00 AM
Rating
Movie 2
Machete, Maidens Unleashed 12:30 PM
Rating
Movie 3
Route Irish 3:00 PM
Rating
Movie 4
Fire of Conscience 11:59 PM
Rating
Sunday September 19 New Last Day of the Festival
Movie 1
Tabloid 9:30 AM
Rating
Movie 2
Tears of Gaza 12:30 PM
Rating
Movie 3
Monsters 3:00 PM
Rating
