Review: From Up On Poppy Hill

I love seeing at least one or two animated movies during TIFF. For one thing while an indie that has yet to secure North American distribution may not have had a final theatre-friendly cut to take the running time down to 100 minutes or less, most animated movies fall within a fairly comfortable running time [...]

He does more than drive

If you enjoyed Nicholas Winding Refn’s Valhalla Rising because of the minimalist script, intense close up shots of the delicious male lead and the sudden and vicious bursts of violence then you may love Drive. From the first time you see Gosling behind the wheel you know that Refn is taking you somewhere entirely different. [...]

Highlights so far

So far I really enjoyed Up on Poppy Hill, The Artist, Pearl Jam Twenty, Drive, Take This Waltz, God Bless America, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Shame, The Lady, Countdown and Like Crazy.

hitRECord

Drink Until 4am 2011

List of places that will be serving until 4am for TIFF11 http://thestar.blogs.com/tiff/2011/09/where-to-drink-in-the-wee-hours-legally-during-tiff.html

First World Problems

So the line was long and the site was crashy. Welcome to TIFF. Good news – if not getting a hard ticket to a movie is the worst thing that happened to you today you got yourself what I like to call first world problems. Celebrate that. Better news – you can still get a [...]

Thirsty Travellers

@highlandertn posted a helpful matrix showing foot travel time between theatres for TIFF11. As someone who is not getting any younger and needs a little pick me up between films I will share my short list of places to stop for a beer, between theatres. These are not places to see and be seen, but [...]

Box 20

So the advance order process begins for TIFF11 and they have drawn box 20. If you are in a “good” box – that would be 20 or close to 20 you can celebrate. Drink something strong, eat something fattening, make a bad decision with someone who is very attractive. If you are in a bad [...]

TIFF 11 Box Office

This year the box office is in Metro Hall on the concourse (underground) level. It opens on August 23 at 7:00 AM for programme book and package pick up.  The great news about this is once again there will be some protection from the elements when it comes to a lining up to drop off [...]

The Draft

People always ask me how I make my picks. Then they regret it because the process ends up taking so long to explain their eyes glaze over before I’m finished explaining. So to keep it (somewhat) brief. Directors – ones I liked before get on the maybe list for sure. Actors – not just the [...]