This is the day we are all waiting for : the schedule of all the films. Pick up your passes, your programme book [ believe it or not you are going to need it when you find yourself back in the lineup again trying to buy or exchange more tickets ]
The first rule of TIFF is you never reveal your picks ahead of time.
The second rule of TIFF is pick from the heart and not from the brain - If you want to see a movie because you like the sound of it, the actors, the director, your best friend is in it, then do it - not because Piers Handling has written a glowing description of the movie in the programme book.
The third rule of TIFF is do not believe everything you read in the programme book.
The fourth rule of TIFF is avoid Piers Handling recommendations like the plague unless you really want to be La Vie Nouvelle'd again.
The fifth rule of TIFF is if the director in the Masters section is Jean Rivette you can trust it will be a glorious movie albeit slow. If it is Paul Cox, it will have old naked people in it. If it is Peter Greenaway do not ask any questions. If you get a chance to actually see Werner Herzog [ i.e. Rescue Dawn } and Christian Bale in the same roomm, go.
The sixth rule of TIFF is if you have a choice between seeing a movie at the festival or seeing it in commercial release, see it at the festival. So many times the crowd at TIFF has made the movie - witness the very first reaction to I Heart Huckabees on a Saturday at 9:30 in the morning. Right from Jason Schwartzman's very first use of the word F*** repeated many times the audience was laughing. During Kiss Kiss Bang Bang the audience was laughing so loud you could barely hear the dialogue, and the introduction by Joel Silver, and a bit routine from Robert Downey Jr and Val Kilmer was priceless. After rushing up to Ryerson after digesting Justin Timberlake's first movie Edision at the Elgin [ despite the presence of Morgan Freeman to whom we all gave a standing ovation for his Oscar ] Thank You For Smoking was a breath of fresh air and again the audience laughter was constant and loud. The Italian lady falling in love again with Amalfi during A Good Woman with Scarlett Johansson and Helen Hunt and the magic of France during A Good Year - or being transported by the splendid performances of Claire Danes and Billy Crudup during the Stage Beauty gala and the standing ovation for Penelope - and the original cut of Elizabethtown all of which was never duplicated when seeing it again with the masses.
The seventh rule of TIFF is if you are sure you will never see this film again even at the Carlton see it now.
The eighth rule of TIFF is if Orlando Bloom is going to be there, go. You do not get these chances everyday, or every year. Corollary: if you are against the fence and Orlando Bloom is about to walk in front of you while he's shaking everybody's hand, prepare to be squished.
The ninth rule of TIFF is believe the hype. You only get one Borat experience. With or without Michael Moore.
The tenth rule of TIFF is get plenty of rest and good food now. You are going to need it. Corollary: the Bloor Street Diner will be busy and expensive for what it is. For those of you coming from out of town, if you are looking for good and filling and affordable, then Roy's Garden [ which is in Roy's Square just beside the Harvey's at Bloor and Yonge is the place for great Chinese dishes. Try #23 on the menu. Get there before they have to move.
The eleventh rule of TIFF is TIFF can change your life. How else did we become Dixie Chicks fans except through the festival and Shut Up and Sing?
The thirteenth rule of TIFF is Brown Bunny, 23 Palms, Shortbus, YPF.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Wild rules there..., definetely different that what I've seen so far (I myself broke one already by posting what I plan on seeing). It's very true that part of the festival is the experience itself, you never know what will happen.
Post a Comment