By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com
TIFF In The 3rd Quarter
It’s an interesting moment, for this year’s fest and TIFF in general. Movies are selling… but not for much. Crowds are enjoying the new Lightbox… but it’s not quite done yet. The press screenings are in one part of town and the press events another.
Do thousands of media types come here for a 5 day press junket or to discover new and exciting films? And the question extends beyond that, in that TIFF continues to indulge – as they understandably feel forced to – those who bring their films here with a dramatically overloaded and preordained opening weekend. As a result, TIFF “discoveries” are films from Fox Searchlight, The Weinstein Company, and the occasional arthouse superstar like Herzog or Errol Morris.
Thing is, great is great and full steam ahead. It’s hard to be unhappy about quality films. And it’s just fine to have some disappointments. But shouldn’t all of this effort somehow lead to more than what would have happened if the was no TIFF?
Of course, there is no cart pulled without the horse and often, we just can’t tell the difference between he two.
The move downtown needs to be complete next year – people are counting on the Ritz Carlton to save the studio and other publicists’ interests – or the festival needs to do some serious thinking about returning all press screenings to Yorkville’s Varsity, where they can also do evening screenings. And the fest needs to be really clear on the housing opportunities around the festival village. Really, it’s a new organ on a great festival body. But it’s almost as they need to reinvite the participation of those of us from outside of Canada, not matter how powerful the fest is. It was the most comfortable fest of this level to cover. Now, it is not.
Anyway… lots of movie coverage to follow, now that I am coming up for air. But the clear winners so far are Searchlight, Sony Classics, and The King’s Speech. They will not be alone. But right now, they are the boldfaced names.
Entertainment reporters and critics have the same issue at TIFF that they do at almost any other film festival, and it’s a question of what is more important…
Is it vital to be one of the first to champion the new film from a major filmmaker or A-list actor or superstar musician, whose name will get your website a truckload of hits?
Or do you champion the little truly independent movie shot for nothing in some podunk down with a no-name director and cast which may get your website some hits down the road, if it ever gets picked up for distribution and discovered by the masses or championed by other critics?
99.9% are chasing Fincher and Springsteen and Kidman and the rest of the known commodities. Hell, I didn’t even know there was a new Sayles movie at TIFF until I just now looked up what’s playing at TIFF on their web site. How the hell does a John Sayles movie, one reteaming him with Chris Cooper, fall through the cracks? Because John Sayles isn’t as sexy to web readers as Natalie Portman. Danis Tanovic isn’t going to get movie geeks as excited as Werner Herzog.
It’s the continued dumbing down of new journalism. Don’t introduce people to movies they’re not already familiar with. Don’t give them long-form articles about filmmakers who don’t come from America and/or don’t have seven or eight or nine figure budgets. Just give them the treacly banter you got from your five minutes with the big names and give them a bunch of “You may also be interested in…” links at the bottom, in the hopes you’ll get one more click-through. Just one more ad view.
Ed, if you follow any of these people on twitter, you will get the impression that they see a lot of films but you are right. They are all seeing the same damn films. It’s TIFF for god sake’s! Come on! See everything but it seems like they don’t want to see everything, they are only focused on their future oscar columns, and that’s why we all need to get ready for a lot of NEVER LET ME GO BLACK SWAN talk for months to come.
David did you see Rabbit Hole?
So, what’s all this about “Meek’s Cutoff” being the second coming?
I don’t know but that’s quite a cast. Paul Dano, Bruce Greenwood, Will Patton, Michelle Williams, Shirley Henderson.
Yes, Joey. Good film.
Thanks, I’ve been hearing many mixed things. I look forward to your review though. Also, I’m glad you liked Biutiful. I saw it in Cannes and thought it was excellent.
Ed; Hey, I already did my part: I told people last April at SXSW how great Gareth Edwards’ “Monsters” is. But how many people at TIFF bothered to see it?
i want to see ‘monsters’, and ‘i saw the devil’ (cheers for that kim voynar) and ‘black swan’…
all i want to see is messed up shit at the mo, straight-up dramas/thrillers just aren’t doing it for me. or any good comedies. maybe that one w/gyllenhaal and hathaway, sounds like a dramromcom. i haven’t heard about any good comedies coming out of toronto, there must be some. i haven’t seen a really good comedy in ages, i think ‘in the loop’ was the last thing that split my side.
(maybe ‘red’ will be good, it’s got at least one thing going for it)
and really off topic but just to say SBC could possibly be an epic freddie mercury
What makes Searchlight and Sony Classics winners?