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The Week in Film: Jury’s Out
This week in film we come to you first of all with news from the last week in film (uh…) Most of which we slightly embarrassingly forgot to mention, as it’s all good stuff.
First up, if you happen to know any filmmakers (or budding ones) who are also children somewhere between grade 3 and 12, submissions for this coming April’s Jump Cuts Young Filmmakers’ Showcase, part of the Sprockets Children’s Film Festival, are now open, with the deadline set at March 20, 2006. You can win prizes and stuff. It’s all good.
Of course, if that sounds a bit grand (think of the costs of sets, big name Hollywood stars, CGI…) Film fans between 8-12 can apply, by writing a short movie review, for a place on Sprockets Young People’s Juries. reviews must be received by February 10, 2006, and details for both applications are available here.
More exciting for anyone who isn’t a kid, of course, was the Canda’s Top Ten event, held by the Toronto International Film Festival Group on Tuesday at Revival on College Street, clearly the popular spot for film festivals, currently, with the recent Reel Asia Film Festival holding their party there (this one had a free bar, though.) Presented by a radiant Lisa Ray, star of Water, and a surprisingly uncomfortable Brent Carver, the star of the forthcoming Lord of the Rings musical (isn’t he supposed to be used to being on stage?) the top ten were released in alphabetical order, which is a bit unexciting, and were:
C.R.A.Z.Y – Jean-Marc Vallee’s comedy about being gay and having a bit of a difficult time with your dad. It’s great!
Familia – Louise Archambault’s flick about mothers and daughters. And stuff. (Torontoist will freely admit a lack of familiarity with this one)
A History of Violence – David Cronenberg’s dubiously Canadian flick (filmed here, and directed by one, but the IMDB does state ‘County: USA’, so who am I to argue) is… Heck, just see it!
Horloge Biologique – Ricardo Trogi’s comedy about men and parenthood. Ahem.
The Life and Hard Times of Guy Terrifico – Michale Mabbot’s mockumentary about the, uh, rise and fall of a hard drinkin’ country legend from the 70’s, is an accomplished, if (in Torontoist’s opinion) derivative work. First time filmmaker, though!
Memory for Max, Claire, Ida and Company – the legendary Allan King’s documentary investigation into mortality and the effects aging has on the mind, filmed right in Toronto with residents of the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric care.
La Neuvaine – Bernard Emond’s, uh, film.
A Simple Curve – B.C. represent! With Aubrey Nealon’s tale of having a bit of a difficult time with your dad. Nothing to do with being gay, though.
Water – Deepa Mehta’s film of Indian society in the 30’s might seem not Canadian at all, but a lot of Canadian money went into it, so that’s good enough! (It’s also a very good film.)
Where the Truth Lies – Atom Egoyan’s film features the lovely Rachel Blanchard, from North Toronto, and that gives Torontoist carte blanche to mention that she was a main character in season 2 of the fantastic comedy Peep Show, from Britain’s Channel 4, which you should check out as soon as possible. Torontoist demands it!
The top ten, then, a slightly mixed bunch, but an interesting list that certainly points out Torontoist’s lack of knowledge when it comes to French Canadian cinema. We’ll be sure to get better for next year. And the list is created to inspire that kind of urge to explore this great country’s cinematic exploits, so everybody wins!
Finally on to this week’s new film releases:
The Producers is released, the film version of the musical of the film, which sounds like a recipe for disaster on a par with Springtime for Hitler, but which actually manages to do okay, according to the reviews – with fine performances from cast members such as Uma Thurman (“Thurman brings great vitality to [Ulla], the lusty Swede” – Jason Anderson in this week’s Eye), but does sag in the middle due to the stage version having (of course) an intermission, leading to a big chunk of unnatural reprises in the filmed version.
Do the names Diane Keaton, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Rachel McAdams make you want to go to the cinema to see whatever film they are in? Do you have ovaries? Personally, they make Torontoist want to gouge it’s eyes out with some kind of rusty implement and then jam said eyes into it’s ears to ensure that not even the sound of them can spoil the beauty of a world which lacks the trinity of Diane Keaton, Sarah Jessica Parker and Rachel McAdams. If you… Aren’t like that, you might want to see The Family Stone. Torontoist, doesn’t.
According to listings the Jim Carrey vehicle Fun with Dick and Jane is out on Wednesday, and advance word claims that the usually straight faced thespian will be breaking all boundaries by waving his arms about, making funny faces, and talking in silly voices, throughout the picture. If you’ve read that, and perhaps seen the horrific visage of a leering Carrey terrorizing the TTC in the form of billboards, then you’ve basically seen the film. Hooray!
What about outside the multiplex, daddio? Very little, we’re afraid. You could try and catch the second run of Grizzly Man at the Royal (600 College) as you probably missed the story of a complete mentalist who lives with bears until they kill him. Oh no! A spoiler! Sorry, everyone. It won’t happen next time.