1985 - The Prestige

My son has become quite interested in magic, and we were watching some David Blaine stuff on the weekend and it made me desperate to re-watch this.  I love the idea of magicians - part con-arts, part showman - it's a very exciting and thrilling thing.  This film features a fantastic cast set amongst this tragic story of greed and pride.  I love the way that Nolan weaves the story in and around - he's playing a beautiful magic trick on you of his own.
If you like films that make you think and keep you guessing, this is easily one of the best.  Top notch entertainment with a lot more going on beneath the surface.  A must see :)

1836 - Iron Man 3

Marvel has really done something quite amazing with the Marvel cinematic universe.  If you're a fan of the DC superheroes you can bow in and out of them as you please - like Batman but not Superman - fine - watch one and not the other.  But with Marvel, to get the full experience and all the references, you really need to show up each time - especially to get the benefits of the Avengers when they all team up.  It turns it into a really interesting and integrated series. 
So that brings us to the third (or I suppose 4th) outing for Tony Stark.  Tony easily has the most interesting arc of his entire series here.  The events of the Avengers fucked him up.  Iron Man started off as something very grounded in reality, and so it works nicely that as we expand the Marvel universe we discover other heroes with different powers - Tony is merely a human being, and intelligent one, but just a human.  Up to this point he's truly believed that he needs his armour.  And that's not untrue.  So what's really great about this storyline is that just when Tony needs all his toys the most, he's stripped of them and forced to be enough just as he is.  Much like Thor not being able to use his hammer for the majority of that film, Tony doesn't really get his powers back here until he's worthy of them.  It's great storytelling.  Add to that Shane Black's trademark jaded humour and you've got the kind of summer flick that most should aspire to. 
It's hard to imagine and fan of this franchise didn't run out to see this opening weekend, but if not then do so - this could be the best so far - and if you're new to the Marvel universe - start from the beginning.  It really is a ride worth taking.

1778 - The Town

I haven't seen this film since it was at TIFF, and this time I watched the director's cut.  It's been a while since I saw it so it's hard to know the exact differences (I didn't select the nifty option on the bluray which tells you) but I think it seemed to flesh out the characters a lot more, especially the relationship between Rebecca Hall and Ben Affleck. 
I stated in an early posting about Argo that Ben Affleck directs Ben Affleck better than anybody, and it's true as hell here.  What's great about this film is that it's not just a cool heist flick, it's about an area - it's about people.  Sure they've thrown in the plot convulsions to keep the story going, but at it's heart there's a strong character piece inside of it.  It's intriguing in those moments, and thrilling when it gets into the action. 
I watched the Hollywood Reporter's director's roundtable today with Affleck and he doesn't seem the most confident of director's - which is fine by me, if humility is what allows you to be this good at your behind the scenes craft then keep it up.
If you like dramatic thrillers and haven't seen this, you're really doing yourself a disservice.  Check it out ASAP.  I love it. 

1527 - Starter For 10

For some reason in the last week or so this film came to me in several different ways.  I've never really cared for James McAvoy one way or another, but he is quite enjoyable here.  He's endearing, really.  Alice Eve is gorgeous and well represents the kind of girl that most men would kill to be with, and in a nice twist of fate she's not a bitch, or an idiot, she's a genuinely nice person.  But the problem is that she's not really the perfect girl - Rebbecca Hall is, and is she ever.  There is this amazing sweetness and earnestness that comes in the scenes between Hall and McAvoy that is sadly rare in this type of film.  You feel these two people connecting and you want, ever so badly, for them to find a way to be together.  There's a scene between them on New Years Eve that should be a text-book scene to study for anyone wanting to show soulmates awkwardly gearing up for their first intimate moment.  It's lovely. 
Look at me babbling on without saying what the film is about.  More or less it's about a guy who wants to prove himself by being on University Quiz show and also his dealings with his personal relationships.  I realize that I'm not selling it really well here - but it really is a wonderful film.  It starts off a bit slow, but picks up nicely quickly.  It's the kind of film that sneaks up on you, but in such a great way.
Starter for 10  Starter for 10 [Blu-ray] 

Jeremy's Film Fest Awards 2010

Over the course of twenty days I saw thirty-seven films at four international film festivals (Toronto, Sudbury, Edmonton, and Calgary) Obviously I have omitted my own film (which in addition to the thirty-seven films I saw four times as well) from below. Hopefully this helps you seek out the best of the best from my own festival experience.

Best Picture

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger
Rabbit Hole
Made in Dagenham
Jack Goes Boating
At World's End

And the award goes to… Rabbit Hole
This film was a surprise to me. I knew little about it outside of the premise and it just took me by storm. I consider myself a pretty movie savvy person so it takes a lot to get me to forget I'm watching a film and really get emotionally involved - it takes a hell of a lot more to make me sob like a little baby in a movie theatre. And this film does it without being manipulative. It's just a solid awesome film.

Best Canadian Film

Barney's Version
Good Neighbours
Trigger
Le Divan du Monde (Everybody's Couch)
Fathers & Sons

And the award goes to… Fathers & Sons
Another film that took me by surprise. I haven't seen this film's predecessor Mothers & Daughters (but I will now). You'd have no way of knowing that this film was improvised and, more or less, unscripted. It's funny and heartwarming and I think the themes in it are about as universal as you can get. I pray that this film gets the attention that it deserves. I loved it.

Best Actor

Aaron Eckhardt - Rabbit Hole
Will Ferrel - Everything Must Go
Michael Angarano - Ceremony
Phillip Seymour Hoffman - Jack Goes Boating
James Franco - Howl

And the award goes to… Aaron Eckhardt
I've loved Eckhardt for a long time but this is him at his best. If he's not nominated for an Oscar this year it will be a crime. The rest of the people in this category were really good, but Eckhardt was great.

Best Actress

Natalie Portman - Black Swan
Kat Dennings - Daydream Nation
Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole
Tracy Wright - Trigger
Sally Hawkins - Made in Dagenham

And the award goes to… Sally Hawkins
This is a role and a film that is designed for you to love, but Sally's performance goes above that. You root for her, of course you do, but it's so much more than that. It goes without saying that usually once someone has played a role it's hard to see another actor playing it - I dare say it's impossible here. She's perfect.

Best Supporting Actor

Vincent Cassel - Black Swan
Lee Pace - Ceremony
Bob Hoskins - Made in Dagenham
Jay Brazeau - Fathers & Sons
Michael C. Hall - Peep World

And the award goes to… Jay Brazeau
I got lucky enough to get to know Jay a bit at the Edmonton Film Festival, but I promise you that that's not why he wins this. He wins this because he took a role that could have been such a cliche, or gone for just pure absurd laughs, and he made it human. I laughed at this fool, and I wanted to hug him at the same time.

Best Supporting Actress

Mila Kunis - Back Swan
Rebecca Hall - Everything Must Go
Molly Parker - Trigger
Sarah Silverman - Peep World
Amy Ryan - Jack Goes Boating

And the award goes to… Amy Ryan
This is a fine category full of fine women in fine performances, but Amy takes it. Not only is she a phenomenally versatile actress, but when she's playing an underdog outcast, you can't help but love her more. Love her.

Best Director

Ben Affleck - The Town
Carl Bessai - Fathers & Sons
John Cameron Mitchell - Rabbit Hole
Woody Allen - You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger
Phillip Seymour Hoffman - Jack Goes Boating

And the award goes to… Carl Bessai
This is not just because Carl is the only non-actor in the category - although it's funny how that happened. Because of how this film was made, and because of how tight it feels I can only imagine that this was a film that he lived and breathed tirelessly and all from the heart and the gut. I'm not saying that anyone else in this category put any less of themselves into their project - but this one feels special to me and so therefore I think it deserves to be awarded for that and for Carl in particular.

Best Screenplay

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger
Everything Must Go
Rabbit Hole
Jack Goes Boating
At World's End

And the award goes to… Rabbit Hole
This is a story that could easily be a movie-of-the-week but it's not, and that boils down to the strength of the script and the care put into it. If this film doesn't just explode on it's own then I'll be pushing people into the theatre. It's fantastic.

1402 - Everything Must Go

Just one movie today, then I'm talking the rest of the weekend to hang out with the family before I dive back into it hard on Monday. I like Will Ferrell. I like him most when he's playing an actual person and not an over-the-top-man-child. Not to say that those films aren't enjoyable, I'm just stating my preference for how I like my Ferrell.
I don't know the short story on which this is based, but I can only imagine that it's heavily adapted. I believe that this script was on the imfamous black-list some years ago, but I'd never read it. (just checked, I have it on my computer... huh... maybe I'll give it a gander at some point....) So this is a film about a man on his way to hitting rock bottom, and the set-up is pretty great. There is a nice blend of funny, sad, and a little pathetic, and Will carries it all well. I was a little disappointed that later on it didn't seem to escalate futher, and if I'm honest I would have like to seen the actual rock bottom be a little rockier. That being said, this film has some really lovely moments and even lovlier performances. Laura Dern is a gem, and Rebecca Hall continues to shine as she moves up the movie ladder. It will absolutely hit theatres at some point - it's not the Will Ferrell that most people expect, but it's not something that's going to piss off his man-child fans either.

1396 - The Town

As a consolation of my film not getting into TIFF this year one of the Canadian programmers, Steve Gravestock, was very generous and gave me a free Industry Pass through something called the Irving Avrich Fund. I have a luncheon next week for it so I'm curious to know more, but in the mean time I'm using the pass to see pretty much everything I can. I get into screenings that aren't open to the public (which makes it super easy to see the films so long as you're there half hour or so before the film). So over the next week and a bit look forward to several reviews at the end of each day (with a lag come the weekend). But without further delay, my thoughts on this fine film:
Affleck has gotten kind of a pass an actor I think. I don't know why - I've always liked him. But I think that Affleck the director has just given Affleck the actor a second wind. As a director Affleck is as good, if not better, than anyone else working in this genre of film. Maybe it's the people he's hired to work with, maybe not - it doesn't matter. This film, which is by no means short, flows so goddamn well. It's a thriller with a shit-load of awesome character work. Rebecca Hall is really lovely in this film, and we're going to see A LOT more of her in the years to come. She's in at least one other film at the festival and I'm hoping to get to see that one as well. What's really great about this is it lives in that style of crime thriller where the good guys and bad guys are both on par in terms of their intelligence. The cat and mouse are on equal footing so to speak. The entire cast is pretty fantastic and Affleck knows how to lighten it up from time to time. The set-ups and pay-offs are well hidden within some lovely character moments, and there's a backstory side-plot about a characters mother that almost breaks your heart.
This is a great film and I know it's going to get a big release some time in the near future. Do yourself a favour and see it.

1368 - Please Give

Finally I renewed my membership at The Fox down in the Beaches. There's a handful of other films I want to see this month so it was completely worth it. For a kid who grew up in a small town and had to drive at least forty minutes to see a regular movie, and up to several hours to see anything independent or foreign I love that I now live within walking distance of a place like The Fox.

So, to the movie. I love Nicole Holofcener. I recently had to submit something with a list of influences and she was one of them. She has this amazing skill of capturing people and creating natural scenes that create this wonderful organic performances - of which the film is filled with. Oliver Platt is wonderful, as always. Catherine Keener appears to be Holofcener's version of the every woman and is the most consistent thing about her films. I can't complain. Never seen a Keener performance I didn't like. Ann Morgan Guilbert steals every scene she's in as the cratchety grandmother, but the person who surprised me the most was Amanda Peet. I've liked Peet for a long time, but I really was amazed by this performance - part of it is the writing for sure. I mean, I know this character and this person - right down to the over use of lipgloss and the fake tan. I think she pulled her off lovely and made her real as well.

I don't think this got a huge release, which is a shame. But it's the perfect film to snuggle up and watch at home. Please check it out of you get a chance!

1195 - Vicky Cristina Barcelona

This film gets better each time I see it. Not that there was anything wrong with it's first viewing. It's a really beautiful film to look at. It's shot wonderfully. The cast is phenomenal. Johanson is beautiful and fun, of course, but there's a beautiful discovering in Rebbecca Hall's performance. Bardem and Cruz are absolutely electric with one another. What's really nice about Woody's comedies is that they always have this delightful sophistication to them, and yet they never feel like they're taking themselves too seriously. Two Woody's in the last week. I wouldn't be surprised if I go on a binge and start re-watching a whole whack of his films...

1102 - Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Allow me to state my bias up front. Anyone that knows me know that I love Woody Allen. That being said I don't think he's above criticism for some of his work. And some are far better than others. Of his forty odd films that he's made I re-watch or reference at least half of them on a semi-regular basis, and some of the others every few years. There's maybe three or four that I'll probably never see again.

The cast is this film is amazing. Where the hell Rebecca Hall came from I don't know, but she's really fantastic. She feels real and I was intrigued by her character so much more than I thought I would be. There is a narration to this film that takes a while to get used to, but once you're in, you're golden. Scarlett is wonderful as usual in Woody's films, and I love that she lets herself play the character that she does here. No ego whatsoever. Of course the film belongs to Bardem and Cruz as a divorced couple that just can't get over one another. Their scenes are worth watching the film for alone.

There's a brilliantly comedic moment with Bardem's father, explaining the reasons he's not a poet that just killed me. I laughed for at least a minute.

I have so much more I could say about this, but I'd rather just encourage you to go. If you like Woody at all, it's worth the price of admission.