Amanda and Gil - Back from TIFF '08

After six days and twelve screenings, we're back in town and ready to report to everyone about the films that we saw.


The Best

Slumdog Millionaire (UK, Danny Boyle)

Winner of the Cadillac People’s Choice Award! A young Indian man, who grew up in the slums of Mumbai, becomes a finalist on the TV show, “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” Due to his background and upbringing, the authorities question the young man as they assume he has been cheating. During their interrogation, we learn about the boy’s life and how he came to learn the answers to the questions. Brilliant direction and screenplay by director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting) and Simon Beaufoy (The Full Monty). Q&A with director Boyle, actors Dev Patel and Freida Pinto, and screenwriter Beaufoy. 5 cats.

The Wrestler (USA, Darren Aronofsky)

Comeback of the year! Mickey Rourke is Randy “The Ram” Robinson, a washed-up professional wrestler whose glory days are long-gone. Instead of playing to sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden, Robinson must now settle for wrestling in front of a few hundred bloodthirsty diehards in school gymnasiums. While hard to watch at times (especially the barbed wire match), Aronofsky brings a complete character study of a man who doesn’t know how to function out of the limelight. Introduction by Darren Aronofsky, no Q&A. 4.5 cats

Sill Walking (Japan, Hirokazu Kore-eda)

A quiet, slow-paced drama that perfectly captures the dynamics of a family reunion as the Yokoyama family gathers to commemorate the 15th anniversary of eldest son Junpei’s accidental death. There was a nice introduction by Kore-eda. 4.5 cats

Horn of Plenty / El Cuerno de la abondancia (Cuba, Juan Carlos Tabío, co-director of Strawberry and Chocolate)

A comedy about the upheaval that occurs in the small town of Yamaguey when the extended Castiñeiras family learns of a large inheritance that may be coming to them. Excellent acting, especially Jorge Perugorría in the lead role of Bernardito. A story of family relationships and the quest for material gain, set against the backdrop of the poverty, isolation, and class differences of modern-day Cuba. Q&A with Perugorría. 4.5 cats

Something Different

$9.99 (Israel/Australia, Tatia Rosenthal)

A stop-motion animated film for grown-ups, based on short stories by Israeli writer Etgar Keret. The film tells the intertwining stories of a group of neighbors, including a widower, a little boy, a homeless man who may be an angel, and a young man named Dave, who discovers a book that will tell him the meaning of life for only $9.99. The biggest surprise of the night was the unexpected attendance of Geoffry Rush (the voice of the angel) who did the Q&A with director Rosenthal. 4 cats

24 City (China, Jia Zhang-Ke)

Part documentary, part narrative, this film documents the demise of a giant Chengdu factory complex, which is being dismantled to make way for a new high-end housing development called ’24 City.’ Interviews with three generations of factory workers and their family members are interspersed with monologues by Chinese actresses Lv Liping, Joan Chen, and Zhao Tao, who are themselves representative of the three generations. We’re not sure if we liked the idea of blending the real and made-up narratives, but it worked, and the film provided a fascinating glimpse into the fast pace of social and economic change in recent Chinese history. No Q&A. 4 cats

Detroit Metal City (Japan, Toshio Lee)

Based on the popular anime story, this bizarre film tells the story of a young man who dreams of playing “trendy” pop songs. Somewhere along the way, his life takes a wrong turn and he finds himself the lead singer of D.M.C. (Detroit Metal City), Japan’s answer to KISS. Part of the Midnight Madness selection, Detroit Metal City is a future cult classic that will surely find an audience that is looking for something fun and different. Director Lee introduced the film and stayed for Q&A, but we did not, as we were running late for another film. 4 cats.

Religulous (USA, Larry Charles)

Bill Maher looks into the beliefs and practices of a number of different organized religions. Shot in a comedic style that is similar to the Morgan Spurlock and Michael Moore, this documentary is entertaining yet seems overambitious and may have benefited from narrowing its focus. Q&A with Larry Charles. 3.5 cats.

More World Cinema

Linha de Passe (Brazil, Walter Salles, director of the Motorcycle Diaries and Central Station, and Daniela Thomas)

A portrait of four brothers and their pregnant mother struggling to get by in São Paolo, Brazil. The mother works as a maid and cheers on the local soccer team. Denis, the oldest, works as a motorcycle courier and has a child of his own. Dario, 18, wants to be a professional soccer player. Dinho works at a gas station and spends much of his time in an evangelical church. Reginaldo, the youngest, spends much of his time riding the city bus, looking for his father. No Q&A – the film opened in Brazil the same night we saw it. 3.5 cats


Country Wedding (Iceland, Valdís Óskarsdóttir)

Having never seen an Icelandic film, we were excited to see one of two Icelandic wedding films that screened at the festival (the other one was White Night Wedding). Largely improvised, this “road” comedy follows the wedding party and close family – who each have a secret – as they travel across the countryside in rented buses looking for the chapel where the wedding will be held. Good performances, but a bit too much bickering. Q&A with one of the actors. 3.5 cats

Un été sans point ni coup sûr / A No-Hit No-Run Summer (Canada, Francis Leclerc)

A light-hearted family comedy set in Montreal during the summer of 1969, the Expos’ first season. Twelve-year-old Martin dreams of playing on the local little-league baseball team. But, when he doesn’t make the cut, his father forms a “B” team with all of the kids who didn’t make the team. The film was a bit too sentimental for our taste, especially Martin’s imaginary conversations with one of the Expos’ players. But the film should appeal to baseball fans, especially those who grew up during the late 60s/early 70s. Q&A with the director, producer, screenwriter, and one of the actors. 3 cats.

A Film with Me in It (Ireland, Ian FitzGibbon)

We wanted to see this black comedy about two slackers (one writer and one actor) because we’re fans of Irish comedian Dylan Moran, from the British TV series Black Books. Despite an excellent performance by Moran, the film was disappointing as it didn’t come together as well as it could have. No Q&A. 2.5 cats