TORONTO '07: "Encounters at the End of the World","I'm Not Here","The Visitor"

Still catching my breath after Toronto. Here's my thoughts on a few more films I caught at the fest.


Werner Herzog's "Encounters at the End of the World"

herzog_jc.jpg

Herzog brings his unique, eccentric vision to the frozen continent Antarctica in this documentary which explores the few thousand people living at the bottom of the world. Whether they be scientists studying the science fiction-like life beneath the ice or the random odd linguist on a continent with no languages, Herzog's pontifications and witty voiceover bring a charming oddness to what could have been a straightforward doc. The film has a feeling of wandering about the ice, as Herzog offer his humorous, biting, and metaphorical thoughts on whatever comes his way.

» Continue reading "TORONTO '07: "Encounters at the End of the World","I'm Not Here","The Visitor""


How Many Toronto 07 Attendees Got Really Sick of This Song?


If you were at Toronto 07, you'll recognize this song which they used the beginning of in their promo before every single screening at the festival.

Here's the entire song, which is Feist's "I Feel It All." It's really great when her beautiful voice and lyrics kick in. Check it out.



TORONTO '07: "Lars and the Real Girl," "Trumbo," "Man from Plains"

I'm back in NYC and still trying to catch up with the blog. Here's more thoughts on some of the films I saw at Toronto.

Craig Gillepsie's "Lars and The Real Girl"

lars_jc.jpg

When Lars (Ryan Gosling) orders a sex doll to fill the void in his lonely life, his brother and pregnant wife try to find the source of his delusions. The film, with a light, playful touch, offers a warm, humanist perspective and counters the general notion that small town Christian communities are intolerant and judgmental. The third act feels a bit forced and unrealistic, but with such well-meaning directing and acting, it doesn't really matter. Patricia Clarkson offers a nicely restrained performance as Lar's psychologist and the scenes between her and Gosling are particular well done as she carefully digs into what is causing his inner turmoil.

» Continue reading "TORONTO '07: "Lars and the Real Girl," "Trumbo," "Man from Plains""


TORONTO '07: A Quick Rundown on "Jar City," "Juno," "No Country for Old Men," and "My Winnepeg"

indieWIRE lowered the landing gear earlier this week for another bout of non-stop ON THE SCENE Toronto, where we're set up pretty comfortably at our surprisingly okay Towne Inn accommodations. (We insisted on one of the renovated suites this year.)

Here's my take on some of the films I've seen so far:


Baltasar Kormakur's "Jar City"

jarcity_jc.jpg

An unconventional detective story, "Jar City" follows an aging police detective's search for a loner's murderer and covers events spanning thirty years. It explores issues of genetics, family, parental loss, and is a refreshing take on a complex murder mystery by having the plot involve Iceland's shallow gene pool (Iceland has a population of under 300,000). The film is full of humorous takes on the idiosyncrancies of Icelandic culture, in particular some of the weird Icelandic food choices, such as sheep's head. Too add, beautiful camerawork and lush, operatic music glides over the gorgeous Icelandic landscape.

» Continue reading "TORONTO '07: A Quick Rundown on "Jar City," "Juno," "No Country for Old Men," and "My Winnepeg""