TIFF
opens next week, and yesterday I was able to redeem pick by 12 tickets for this
year’s festival. It’s many good news – the system worked for me the first time,
without problems – the first time that has ever happened – and for the most
part, I got the films I wanted, given that I was only going to be there three
days (the second Thursday-Saturday – which I prefer to the opening weekend,
because things actually run on time) – really in each time slot, I only missed
two of my top choices (Lee Chang Dong’s Burning and Hirokazu Kore-eda’s
Shoplifters – but I got two good films to fill in, so I’m good). Will I trade
some tickets in? Perhaps, but I doubt it, unless they add some screenings of
things I cannot resist). On paper, this is the strongest lineup I’ve had in a
few years – so I cannot wait,
Roma (Alfonso Cuaron) – TIFF made
it easy to see one of my most anticipated films of the festival, by basically
playing Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma every day of the fest – so there’s no excuse for
missing this one. I cannot wait – Cuaron is a visionary director – Children of
Men is still my favorite of his work, but the reviews of this coming out of
Venice, imply perhaps I’ll have a new favorite soon. Yes, this will be on
Netflix by year’s end – but Cuaron is the type of director whose work demands
to be seen on the big screen.
Long Day’s Journey Into Night (Bi Gan) – The
reviews of this coming out of Cannes – where it played in the Un Certain Regard
section, although according to some it was better than most of what was in the
official selection – made this an easy choice when my original choice for this
slot (Burning) was unavailable. Out of all the filmmakers whose new films I am
seeing, this is the only one new to me – but I’m looking forward to it.
Described as a tour de force, and an inventive film noir, I’m excited for this
one.
22 July (Paul Greengrass) – Another
Netflix film from a major auteur, this one generated controversy before they
even started filming, as it about that horrific mass shooting in Norway, that
left dozens of kids dead. This is an interesting choice for Greengrass – who is
the exception that proves the rule when it comes to shaky camera and rapid fire
editing – so I’m curious about it. I would rather they play the other film on
the subject U – July 22, which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival this year,
and got good reviews, but Greengrass is a good enough filmmaker that I’m
willing to give this the benefit of the doubt.
Widows (Steve McQueen) – It’s
taken McQueen quite a while to follow-up 12 Years a Slave, and the previews
make this look like a stylish audience pleaser – something McQueen has clearly
not made before. But that cast – led by Viola Davis – is great, and I am an
unabashed fan of Gillian Flynn, who co-wrote the screenplay. You need to see
some audience pleasers in a festival like this to keep you going.
Hotel by the River (Hong Sang-soo) – I always
like seeing the work of prolific Korean director at Hong Sang-soo at the
festival – you never know if you’ll ever get a chance again (still waiting on
On a Beach at Night Alone to come to some platform I can see). This one got
good reviews out of Locarno – Hong’s favorite film festival – so I’m looking
forward to going back to this world again – it’s like visiting old friends
every year at the fest.
The Wild Pear Tree (Nuri Bilge Ceylon) – Turkish
filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylon is one of the greatest filmmakers in the world –
Once Upon a Time in Anatolia is my favorite, but you really cannot go wrong
with any of his films (although the epic, Plame winning Winter Sleep isn’t the
first film of his I would watch). This is another three plus hour opus from
Ceylon that like. mainly got great reviews from the people whose opinion on
Ceylon I normally agree with. Yes, it’s longer than I normally like to see at
the fest, but Ceylon is worth it.
Cold War (Pawel Pawlikowski) – Pawlikowski’s
acclaimed follow-up to the Oscar winning Ida won him the Best Director prize at
Cannes, and is another examination of Poland’s past, shot in gorgeous black and
white. Other than that, and the fact that it’s a love story as well, I have
avoided details on it (as I try to with everything I want to see) – but
Pawlikowski is a talented filmmaker, whose work I like.
In Fabric (Peter Strickland) – As a big
fan of Strickland’s last two features – Berberian Sound Studio and The Duke of
Burgundy, I’m down with whatever Strickland wants to do next. This one is part
of the Midnight Madness program – I always try to see at least one from that
lineup every year – and follows a haunted dress from person to person.
Strickland always brings more to the material than it seems like he will – so
this should be interesting.
Ash is Purest White (Jia Zhangke) – Chinese
master Jia Zhangke’s films are always worth watching – A Touch of Sin is a
masterwork, as are several of his earlier films (Platform, Still Life for
example), and even when he makes flawed films (like his most recent Mountains
May Depart) are always interesting. This one, of course, stars the great Tao
Zhao and is a love story of sorts. Zhangke has never really broken through in
North America – but he should. This probably won’t do it, but I like to see
everything he does on the big screen.
Peterloo (Mike Leigh) – The great
Mike Leigh is back for the first time since 2014’s Mr. Turner with this story
of the Peterloo massacre – where the government killed pre-Democracy
demonstrators in 1819. Leigh will likely be making some points about the modern
world looking back on this, but no matter what, Leigh is a master whose films
are always worth watching.
The Image Book (Jean-Luc Godard) – I am not
actually a huge fan of late-Godard (so everything he’s made for the past 50
years or so – those 1960s movies though are great). Having said that, all of his
films are interesting, and I enjoyed Goodbye to Language 3-D when I saw it at
TIFF a few years ago more than most of his other films. Godard is always going
to inspire conversation, so I’m in.
Destroyer (Karyn Kusama) – My
closing film of the fest will be Destroyer, Karyn Kusama’s film starring Nicole
Kidman as a detective investigating a murder. All I needed to know to know this
is a must see is that Kusama is directing, and Kidman is starring. I cannot
wait.
So that’s
it for me. I’ll be back after the festival, with a wrap up of what I’ve seen. If
you going to TIFF, have fun! I know I will.
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