Torontoist » “red carpet recap”

Of a Monstrous Child is Caught in a Complex Romance with Lady Gaga

Carly Maga — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:00:29 +0000

Alistair Newton's new play dives into the history of performance art to explain our cultural fascination with the House of Gaga.

Despite the fact that the last show in Buddies in Bad Times Theatre’s 2012/2013 season is titled Of a Monstrous Child: A Gaga Musical, Lady Gaga herself takes a secondary role. There are no homages to raw-meat dresses and gold-plated wheelchairs here. Instead, writer and director Alistair Newton uses the House of Gaga as a pathway into the history of the notable performance-art stars that came before her in the pantheon of queer iconography, and how she is and isn’t a construct of all of them put together.

Twin Showcases at the TIFF Bell Lightbox Herald Student Filmmakers

Kevin Scott — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:30:46 +0000

TIFF presents a night of films by directors who are still in high school or university.

It’s entirely possible that an early work by the next Atom Egoyan or David Cronenberg will screen on Wednesday night at the TIFF Bell Lightbox. With the 2013 Student Film Showcase featuring the best from post-secondary schools around the country and the Jump Cuts Young Filmmakers Showcase kicking off the evening with Toronto-area high-school students’ films, the night will be a coming-out party for a new crop of talent. Judging by the polished creativity of some of the entries, it’s safe to say that young people are more prepared than ever to start telling stories on film from an early age.

Red Carpet Recap: A Worth-y Wrap-up For TIFF 2010

John Semley — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 19:20:00 +0000

Many a tear was shed Saturday night, as we made our final rounds on the red carpets for the thirty-fifth annual Toronto International Film Festival. It’s kind of appropriate that one of the last gala premieres of the festival was Massy Tadjedin’s Last Night, which stars Sam Worthington and Keira Knightley as a successful married couple whose bliss is jeopardized by Eva Mendes’ Laura. And not only did Last Night premiere on the last (full) night, but Don McKellar’s Last Night is set in a pre-apocalyptic Toronto. So it’s kind of doubly appropriate. Maybe? In any event, much to the chagrin of the fans spilling over the barricades, Keira Knightley couldn’t make it to the premiere. But Eva Mendes was there, and she was fantastic-looking enough for the both of them. Sam Worthington also expertly worked both the photographers and the fans. And in case you missed it, he name-dropped Honest Ed’s. Now that we look at our photos, it makes sense. It looks like he got his haircut there! Just kidding, Sam Worthington. Please don’t kill us with your super-strong terminator exo-skeleton or super-lithe avatar or anything. Anyway, that’s it. That’s TIFF for 2010! We’re done!
Photos by Christopher Drost/Torontoist.
Want more TIFF 2010? Well, we’re mostly done. But you can find Torontoist’s complete coverage of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival right here.

Red Carpet Recap: The Beginning of the End

John Semley — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 14:45:00 +0000

Sad to say, but the red carpets are winding down, a sure sign that TIFF is ready to set sail for another calendar year, Wait a second. We’re not sad to say it. Not really, anyway. After nine days of watching celebrities stroll down red carpets and smile blankly for thousands of scorching flashbulbs, the spectacle gets a bit draining. But like TIFF and the stalwart menageries of celebrities it hosts, we soldier on. Hollywood legend and original Bad Lieutenant Harvey Keitel brought his wife and son to the premiere of A Beginner’s Guide to Endings, Jonathan Sobol’s Niagara Falls–set family drama. Apparently, inside the premiere, Keitel grew so frustrated with producer’s overlong introductory preamble that he walked off stage, prompting the rest of the cast of follow suit. Weird.
Also last night, director David M. Rosenthal’s musical drama Janie Jones made its gala premiere. The red carpet saw Rosenthal, and stars Abigail Breslin, Alessandro Nivola, and Elisabeth Shue. Remember how good Elisabeth Shue looked watching Nicolas Cage drink himself to death in Leaving Las Vegas? Well she’s still a fox.
Photos by Christopher Drost/Torontoist.
Want more TIFF 2010? Torontoist’s complete coverage of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival is all right here.

Red Carpet Recap: Featuring Jon Lovitz and Some Lesser Talents

John Semley — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 13:30:00 +0000

Thursday night marked a momentous occasion at TIFF 2010. It was the time dozens bore witness to American comic actor Jon Lovitz defying all expectations and actually making an appearance on the red carpet for the premiere of a major film. Well, a film anyways. And what’s more, it was a film he was actually in! He didn’t just show up! Man, Lovitz. We bet some bookies in Vegas are seriously cheesed off right now. In any event, yes, Jon Lovitz, but also some other people with more legitimate claims to stardom made the red carpet rounds last night, in spite of it being rainy, cold, and altogether unpleasant. Lovitz was in town for the premiere of Casino Jack, the forthcoming biopic of American super-lobbyist and con man Jack Abramoff. Kevin Spacey, who plays Abramoff in the film, eagerly greeted fans, even autographing their chequebooks. And despite looking like her water could break at any minute, Kelly Preston cut a nice figure on the Casino Jack carpet. Also last night, Kristin Scott Thomas braved the rain for the premiere of Sarah’s Key, in which she plays a journalist unearthing the history of Vichy government war crimes. It’s pretty heavy material, but she smiled plenty all the same.
Photos by Christopher Drost/Torontoist.
Want more TIFF 2010? Torontoist’s complete coverage of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival is all right here.

Red Carpet Recap: Two Ryans, One Simpson, and a Spokeslizard

John Semley — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 13:30:00 +0000

Man, how many kilometres of red carpet does TIFF roll out each festival? It’s got to be a few. That’s for sure. The glitz continued Wednesday night across town with stars Ryan Phillippe and Malin Akerman making appearances at the premiere of Steven Silver’s The Bang Bang Club, a film about four photographers capturing the spirit and tumult of post-apartheid South Africa. Speaking of Ryans, Ryan Gosling was also in town for the premiere of Blue Valentine, a love story which puts him opposite Michelle Williams (who, sadly, couldn’t make it to TIFF). You’re a lucky son of a bitch, Ryan Gosling. But we’re sure you know that. The scene to beat, though, was the premiere of What’s Wrong With Virginia starring Ed Harris and Jennifer Connelly. Lisa Simpson was even there! Well, kind of.
Also, we saw a half-human, half-lizard corporate pitchman slithering around the perimeters of a few red carpets. And how often does that happen? Rarely.

Red Carpet Recap: The Boss Of It All

John Semley — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 14:20:00 +0000

If you were trying to cross through the Entertainment District along King Street on Tuesday evening, you may have found it even more crowded than usual. Bruce Springsteen being on the block will do that. The roadways were jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive last night, as the poet laureate of transcendent working-class Americana made the scene as part of TIFF festivities. Springsteen—the subject of director Thom Zimny’s documentary The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town (the story behind Springsteen and his E Street Band’s fourth album)—appeared at the TIFF’s Bell Lightbox to sit down and talk about his life, career, and music, in a conversation hosted by Edward Norton as part of TIFF’s Mavericks program. Then he made his way over to Roy Thomson Hall for the red carpet premiere of The Promise. People clutching vinyl copies of Born to Run and Nebraska waited for hours for the Boss to show up, smile, wave, and sign autographs. And we were there too! Usually we try to pack as many celebs as we can into these roundups, but being as Bruce Springsteen has the strength, star power, and awesome factor of any forty other celebrities combined, we figured an all-Boss gallery would be appropriate. A lot of his song titles are also great for puns, which we love. See if you can find them all!
Want more TIFF 2010? Torontoist’s complete coverage of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival is all right here.

Red Carpet Recap: Black Swan‘s Beautiful People

John Semley — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 13:36:00 +0000

A whole bunch of great-looking people showed up at Roy Thomson Hall last night, effortlessly mugging for the camera at the premiere of Darren Aronofsky’s ballet psychodrama Black Swan. As beautiful stars like Vincent Cassel, Natalie Portman, Winona Ryder, and Babara Hershey walked down the red carpet, it looked a bit like a procession of all the men and women we’ve ever dated. Mila Kunis, who plays the sexed-up rival to Natalia Portman’s prima ballerina in Black Swan, was nowhere to be found. Our bet is that she was in some dingy recording study laying down tracks for some new squawking Family Guy talking keychain or something. But absent the film’s co-star, everyone looked lovely. And then after all the glamour and blinding flashbulb flickers, cast, crew, and audience alike were treated to a whacked out thriller about ballet. Ladies and gentlemen, we humbly submit to you that this is what the Toronto International Film Festival is all about. Or part of it anyway.
Photos by Christopher Drost/Torontoist.
Want more TIFF 2010? Torontoist’s complete coverage of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival is all right here.

Red Carpet Recap: Did We Snap Six Shots or Only Five?

John Semley — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 14:00:00 +0000

The mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California was in Toronto yesterday. But he wasn’t in town to summit with our own municipal politicians. Rather, mayor Clint Eastwood was at the Elgin Theatre for the premiere of his latest film, Hereafter, marking his first TIFF appearance in two decades. And, speaking of veteran American auteurs who churn out at least a movie a year and whose work is wildly inconsistent, Woody Allen was also in town for the premiere of his You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, bringing stars Josh Brolin, Lucy Punch, and Sir Anthony Hopkins along with him. But the red carpet to beat yesterday was at the Barney’s Version premiere, which struck a tone as light and playful as that of the film. Stars Paul Giamatti, Minnie Driver, Bruce Greenwood, Rosamund Pike, and Scott Speedman looked at ease on the carpet, basking in the culmination of a project long in the making (producer Robert Lantos spent twelve years bringing Mordecai Richler’s beloved novel from page to screen). Anyway, here are the pics. Enjoy!
Want more TIFF 2010? Torontoist’s complete coverage of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival is all right here.

CORRECTION: SEPTEMBER 13, 2010 This article originally misidentified a photo of Canadian actress Deborah Kara Unger as Barney’s Version actress Rosamund Pike.

Red Carpet Recap: The Swankiest, Hammiest, and Woodiest Stars Align

John Semley — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 15:55:00 +0000

Saturday at TIFF was a big day: the films were bigger, the stars were brighter, and even the carpets seemed redder. Saturday saw the premiere of Tony Goldwyn’s Conviction, starring Hilary Swank and Sam Rockwell, as well as the star-tramped red carpet for Ben Affleck’s directorial follow-up to Gone Baby Gone, The Town, a heist movie starring Jeremy Renner, Jon Hamm, Rebecca Hall, and Chris Cooper. Elsewhere, veteran alt-comic turned guy-who’s-in-every-movie-ever Zach Galifianakis winced his way down the red carpet for his new film, It’s Kind of a Funny Story (which looks like kind of a really schmaltzy story). And as usual, Midnight Madness was a scene, with the premiere of Guy Moshe’s genre-bending Bunraku. The premiere saw Josh Hartnett looking handsome, Woody Harrelson looking kooky, and Ron Perlman looking like the tough sunvabitch he is.
Want more TIFF 2010? Torontoist’s complete coverage of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival is all right here.

Red Carpet Recap: Kings, Foxes and, uh, DeNiros

John Semley — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 15:03:00 +0000

In open defiance of the laws of physics, we managed to be in a few places at once Friday night, snapping off shots at three more TIFF red carpet premieres. We saw Colin Firth being all chummy and gregarious in front of his fans at the premiere of King’s Speech at Roy Thompson Hall. We also caught B movie princess Milla Jovovich making her way down the carpet for the premiere of Stone. And she found herself in esteemed company, smiling for the cameras with co-stars Edward Norton and some guy named Robert DeNiro (apparently famous for roles in films like Godsend and the forthcoming Meet the Fockers). The premiere of Mitch Glazer’s Passion Play brought stars Mickey Rourke and Megan Fox (who is still great-looking, you know, in that uninspired and conventional way) to Toronto. Stars, stars, stars! Enjoy our gallery, and have fun printing out the pictures and staple-gunning them to the smoke-stained walls of your bachelor apartment, or whatever you celebrity gawkers do with these things.
Want more TIFF 2010? Torontoist’s complete coverage of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival is all right here.

Red Carpet Recap: Hockey and Hockey Hair

John Semley — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 17:00:00 +0000

TIFF’s red carpets unrolled on Thursday night, and in order to provide as comprehensive a snapshot as possible, we crashed glitzy and not-so glitzy premieres of two Canadian films. First up was TIFF’s opening night selection Score: A Hockey Musical, which had everyone from stars Olivia Newton-John (who looked incredible) and Nelly Furtado, to Ron MacLean and the Great One’s dad strolling down the red carpet. Later was the packed Midnight Madness premiere of Fubar II, which was more about beat-up flannels and Anvil t-shirts than rented tuxes and evening gowns. Stars David Lawrence and Paul Spence appeared in character as beer-slugging hosers Terry and Dean, whipping the crowd into a frenzy in flippant violation of all open alcohol container bylaws. This is how they showed up.
Photos by Christopher Drost/Torontoist.
Want more TIFF 2010? Torontoist’s complete coverage of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival is all right here.