To See Or Not To See (at the Toronto International Film Festival)

Toronto International Film Festival Capsule Reviews 2006 2006

Running from the 7th- 16th of September, the Toronto International Film Festival enters its 31st year.  With a showcase of more than 300 films, a mini festival can be selected from the list.  Cinemaeye provides a list of capsule reviews of films screened to help readers select their films. 

For more information on TIFF regarding the schedule of films and ticketing information, please visit their website at:- Filmfest 2006.

“BLINDSIGHT” (UK 2006) ****
Directed by Lucy Walker
Every once in a blue moon comes a film that would inspire the viewer to leave all and change the world.  BLINDSIGHT is not one of them but it comes pretty close.  If you recall the Monty Python skit with John Cleese and Michael Palin about the blind mountaineer, then you might realize that the premise of blind climbers is not far off.  BLINDSIGHT follows the gripping adventure of six blind Tibetan teenagers who set out to climb the 23,000 ft. mountain, the peak just beside Mount Everest.  Director Lucy Walker’s main protagonist is blind Sabriye Tenberken, who opened a school for the blind in Tibet.  (In Tibet, the blind are outcasts as the Tibetans believe that the blind are punished for sins in a previous life.) She and her students (with the help of seasoned climbers and guides) set out to prove that they are no less able than their seeing counterparts.  Director Walker captures vividly and candidly, the arguments of the climbers as well as their frustration, despair but finally their exhilaration.  BLINDSIGHT contains a twist ending that makes it as surprising as any fictional venture.  A must-see!

“IL CAIMANO” (Italy/France 2006) **
Directed by Nanni Moretti
Moretti’s (APRILE, THE SON’S ROOM and DEAR DIARY) most complex and political film to date begins innocently enough with B-film producer Bonomo’s (Silvio Orlando) retrospective of films screened among a loyal fan base.  While going up to deliver his speech, he is given a script IL CAIMANO (THE CAIMAN) which he decides to make into a movie.  The films traces the life of failed diligent helpless funnyman Bonomo as he auditions 4 different actors for the role of the script’s protagonist, an accused Prime Minister (supposedly to be about Italian P.M. Silvio Berlusconi).  The film finally settles with the role portrayed by director Moretti himself with a grand finale of the P.M. delivering his personal views on trial.  Moretti’s film about the collapse of family and government structure has more than meets the eye – the bumbling character reflecting perhaps the failed political stance of Berlusconi.  Though beginning strong in direction and narrative, IL CAIMANO is inconsistent in mood leading to a dead serious climax before the end credits role.  The film is as odd as the song Damien Rice’s THE BLOWER’S DAUGHTER that is suddenly heard and played in its entirety.  It is as if director Moretti has made a film totally on impulse without consideration for much else.

“CASHBACK” (UK 2006) (Rating on hold at Odeon Films’ Request)
Directed by Sean Ellis
Art student Ben Willis (Sean Biggerstaff) breaks up with girl, develops insomnia and works in a supermarket where he falls for checkout girl, Sharon (Emilia Fox).  If CASHBACK sounds like a teen romantic comedy, it is, but given an adult’s point of view.  The POV consists of Ben’s ability to slowdown or stop time, a gimmick used by director/writer Ellis to allow the protagonist to contemplate what love is all about.  As it turns out, nothing much is really revealed as the film progresses and Ellis devotes the majority of his film on silliness like the sad soccer match, infantile antics of Ben’s co-workers at the supermarket and strip shows at his boss, Jenkin’s birthday party.  No doubt all turns out well for Ben in the end, but the Harlequin style romance is a boring time waster, whether looked upon from the teen’s or adult’s perspective.

“CITIZAN DUANE” (Canada 2006) ***
Directed by Michael Mabbott
Credit goes to director Michael Mabbott and gang for their courageous attempt of the outrageous premise of a high school loser, CITIZEN DUANE (Douglas Smith) running against long time mayor of small town, suburbia.  It all begins when Duane is bullied by the major’s nephew at school.  Obsessed with revenge and after several failed attempts of getting even, he is encouraged by teacher (Vivaca A. Fox in an effective role) to channel his efforts elsewhere, which he does – in running for mayor.  Though the film tries very hard to make believable the kid’s progress into politics and maturity, credibility is not the key issue as Mabbott’s film goes into a likable, comedic mode.  Smith is particularly good in his NAPOLEON DYNAMITE type role, and CITIZEN DUANE eventually morphs into an entertaining coming-of-age comedy.  Director Mabbot has the knack of eliciting performances from all his cast.

“CONGORAMA” (Belgium/France/Canada 2006) ****
Directed by Philippe Falardeau
Oliver Gourmet stars (as Michel) again in a familiar role of a father (LE FILS and LA PROMESSE) who leaves his Belgium town of Liege to head for rural Quebec to search for his biological parents.  An inventor, he meets up with Louis Legros (Paul Ahmarani) and steals the plans for an electric car after an accident occurs that leaves Louis in a coma.  CONGORAMA is the name Michel gives to the car in homage to his wife who is from the Congo and his father (veteran actor Jean-Pierre Cassel) who has worked there.  CONGORAMA is much better than it sounds on paper.  Gourmet is fantastic in the film, the camera tailing him from the back as the Dardenne Brothers did in LE FILS.  The accident is caused by an ostrich (or rather, an emu) that suddenly appears on the road.  That is an example of the wry humour Falardeau fills his film with.  An added bonus is the keen observations of the difference of the Quebec and Belgium cultures despite the fact that both places speak French.  An unexpected delight!

“UN DIMANCHE A KIGALI” (Canada 2006) ***
Directed by Robert Favreau
Canada’s entry (HOTEL RWANDA from the US and SHOOTING DOGS from the UK) on the Rwanda Tutsis genocide takes a look from the point of view of a romance between Quebec journalist Bernard Valcourt (Luc Picard) and Rwandan waitress, Gentille (Fatou N’Diaye).  Both almost manage to flee the country but are separated.  The film begins with Bernard searching for Gentille.  Director Favreau tells his tale effectively though his constant switching back and forth of the current and previous (two years back) times tends to be a bit annoying, if not confusing.  The segments in yellowish are the ones set in the present.  Still, veteran actor Picard (though not known outside French speaking Canada) is a convincing actor who manages to hit the story home.  Favreau leaves most of the graphical violence to the end thus creating a lingering effect on the audience.  Effective drama well executed.

“A DOG’S PROBLEM” (USA 2006) **
Directed by Scott Caan
A DOG’S PROBLEM opens like a play.  The stage is set in a therapist’s room where novelist, Solo (Giovanni Ribisi) agitates on the couch.  Heeding the advice getting a pet, Solo buys a dog.  Writer/director Scott Cain’s (he also has a role as Solo’s best buddy) film is all over the place and takes no direction, though it sorts of takes like a romantic comedy for a while.  If it looks at the lifestyle at the poor and infamous, A DOG’S PROBLEM does not hit that mark either.  Caan is more interested in dousing his film with smart-***censored*** dialogue about nothing particularly important.  The only inventive parts are the beginning credit art design and the ‘Walking in L.A. song’ played when the dog with no name travels back to the pet store.  Enjoyable to those who enjoy humour involving a lot of fuss about nothing.

“ELECTION” (HK 2005) (Rating on hold at Odeon Films’ Request)
Directed by Johnny To
One of the best HK films to come out in years since INFERNAL AFFAIRS.  ELECTION traces the electing of the new chairman of an underground triad, the Wo Shing in Hong Kong.  The candidates, different as night from day, are the hot tempered but energetic Big D (Tony Leung) and the reliable, Lok (Simon Yam).  The cops are aware and want to prevent a civil war within the triad.  Director To’s ELECTION plays like an Asian version of the Godfather.  Though the former was fortunate to be based on a well researched Mario Puzo novel, To’s film, written by two scriptwriters,Yip and Ngai is not that bad either.  To concentrates on the dilemma faced by losing or winning the post as well as the violence that results.  Though Big D’s character is one-dimensional, Lok’s is more complex and plays well towards the film’s surprise ending.

“ELECTION 2” (HK 2006) (Rating on hold at Odeon Films’ Request)
Directed by Johnny To
ELECTION 2 takes off where ELECTION left off.  But two years have elapsed and it is time to elect a new chairman for the triad.  Lok is chairman and wishes to run another term.  The new kid on the block is businessman, Jimmy (Louis Koo) who is forced to enter the race.  Quite different from ELECTION, though not as effective, ELECTION 2 traces the corruption of the initially uninterested Jimmy.  Reference to business with mainland China puts a relevant topical touch to the film.  The twist ending in this one does not really work as it betrays Jimmy’s already corruption.  All the hit men and uncles of the triad of the first film are there.  ELECTION 2 should be seen back to back with the original.  ELECTION 2 suffers from the same pitfalls of the first – no female characters and token family references.

“EVERYTHING’S GONE GREEN” (Canada 2006) **1/2
Directed by Paul Fox
EVERYTHING’S GONE GREEN with its smart talk, contemporary setting and psychological driven action/incidents makes a perfect match between internationally best selling author Douglas Coupland (Generation X, Hey Nostradamus) and director of last year’s psychological claustrophobic thriller THE DARK HOURS.  The story centres on apparent loser, Ryan (Paul Costanzo).  After losing his job and girl the same morning, he is off to witness his parents’ disappointment at the thought that they had won the 4.3 million lottery.  Can things get worse?  Fortunately, writer Coupland finds a way out for his reluctant hero in the form of romance with an Asian, Ming (Steph Song) he meets while, yes, witnessing a stray dead whale on the beach.  The film, proudly Canadian in its depiction of local scenery and races, questions relevant issues such as how much is enough (from ill-gotten gains) and what really is important in ones life.  It also pokes fun at daily routine honest work.  Though Fox’s story is smart enough to go against conventions and Coupland’s script includes enough sprightly dialogue, EVERYTHING’S GONE GREEN fails both to maintain the momentum of its excellent start and to hold a strong enough narrative. 

“FIDO” (Canada 2006) ****
Directed by Andrew Currie
Tied to a tree and helpless, Timmy (K’Sun Ray) yells to Fido (Billy Connolly) “Fetch Help!” This is just one of the laugh-out loud scenes of FIDO, Andrew Currie’s (MILE ZERO) terribly funny tribute to famous movies like LASSIE (even down to the boy’s name), HAPPINESS (actor Dylan Baker giving the father-to-son talk) and countless zombie films.  FIDO is a zombie that Timmy befriends.  And like the zombies, the film exists on its own.  It all begins years ago during the zombie wars, as told by newsreel footage, when man overcame zombies and made them milkmen, servants and even (sex) pets.  The story centres on Timmy’s family who buys their first zombie, only to find their lives turned upside down as a result.  FIDO is set in the idyllic 50’s where all is perfectly wholesome from the manicured lawns to the happy families that reside in them.  Currie’s film is full of unexpected turns, choice dialogue and over-the-top performances.  Beautifully shot, with a great 50’s look and full of good intentions - there is a message of love and sympathy (even for a zombie) - FIDO is a major pleasant Canadian surprise.

“L’HOMME DE SA VIE” (France/Italy 2006) ***
Directed by Zabou Breitman
Writer/director Zabou Breitman’s MAN OF MY LIFE is a moody contemplative look at relationships set in the lush French countryside during one hot summer.  The happy couple (Bernard Campan and Lea Drucker) find their idyllic existence thrown into disarray when a new neighbour Hugo (Charles Berling) appears.  Breitman takes her time to let her tale unfold and emotions to take effect.  Hugo, who turns out to be gay, says in one scene that magic happens when you least expect it.  Breitman uses surprises to tell her magical tale aided by Michel Amathieu’s stunning cinematography.

“KHADAK” (Belgium/Germany/Netherlands 2006) **
Directed by Peter Brosens and Jessica Woodworth
Set in the icy steppes of Mongolia, KHADAK tells the story of misplacement of nomadic herdsmen as they are re-settled in a mining town.  Directors Brosens and Woodworth use a young nomad, Bagi, as their protagonist to weave a story that begins well but heads into visionary confusion.  All can be understood with the notes available to the press.  But for the ordinary viewer, watching KHADAK without help will turn out to be a frustrating experience when trying to decipher what is actually happening during the second half.  There are some beautiful shots of the Mongolian landscape though with a bit of insight on the local lifestyle (like the meat black market) thrown in for good measure.

“LONDON TO BRIGHTON” (UK 2006) ****
Directed by Paul Andrew Williams
Two on the run from LONDON TO BRIGHTON!  Playing like a Mike Hodges’ gangster movie, LONDON TO BRIGHTON is further proof that it is not the story that counts but how it is told.  The very simple tale involves Kelly, a prostitute (Lorraine Stanley) and almost 12-year old novice (Georgia Groome) on the run from small time pimp, Derek (Johnny Harris).  The backdrop of Brighton in the early morning of a weekday with its deserted beaches and cheap touristy attractions is a perfect metaphor for the lost glamour and desperation of the lives of the two runaways.  Lorraine Stanley delivers a riveting performance displaying strength, vulnerability and compassion in her character.  Williams’ film contains just enough brutality and violence to get its tale told.  LONDON TO BRIGHTON is a worthwhile and successful journey for the first time director.  Gritty stuff!

“MACBETH” (Australia 2006) **
Directed by Geoffrey Wright
One would expect more ferocity and shock value from Geoffrey Wright, the director of the controversial ROMPER STOMPER in his modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s MACBETH.  But his contemporary take set in the modern crime underworld of Melbourne where bikes, cars and guns replace horses and swords is nothing more than a boring splash of gore and blood.  The Bard’s words are intact and the atmosphere chilling and realistic, especially the segment with the teenage witches brewing their potion.  Sam Worthington and Victoria Hill make an acceptable unlikable couple.  But watching Wright’s MACBETH just reminds one of how well executed and shocking Roman Polanski’s version remains.

“MONKEY WARFARE” (Canada 2006) ***
Directed by Reg Harkerna
Simple tale told realistically and effectively about a slacker couple Dan (Don McKellar) and Linda (Tracy Wright) who barely etch out a living ravaging garbage and selling their finds over the internet.  Their world is turn upside down with the arrival of precocious teen Susan (Nadia Litz) who Dan falls for.  Director Harkerna knows the world of bohemians, which he demonstrates from the film’s sets to the dialogue.  The public telephone conversation telling Dan that his pot dealer got busted is especially amusing.  As the film progresses, Haerkerna turns up the angst as Nadia shows her true colours just as the couple reveal hidden secrets.  The climatic confrontation is worthy of the sometimes slow build-up.  A quiet but effective and well acted drama!

“MY LIFE AS A TERRORIST: THE STORY OF HANS-JOACHIM KLEIN” (Netherlands 2005) *** Directed by Alexander Oey
On December 21, 1975, 6 terrorists led by Carlos ‘The Jackal’ took 70 ministers hostage from the conference room of the OPEC HQ in Vienna.  One was wounded and finally escaped to Normandy, France.  This is the documentary as told from the first hand experience of Hans-Joachim Klein.  Penitent of his terrorist ways, he unveils both the horror and violence of the useless killings as well as how he was fooled in believing a false cause.  A reflection of his own life is equally intriguing especially his tale of him throwing a grenade out of the classroom window being bored with lessons.  Minimal footage and reenactment of the event is portrayed but the film’s effect is no less scary.  Director’s Oey’s crosscutting Kelin’s tale with him farming and gardening in the colourful countryside in Normandy highlights the man’s love for his new freedom.

“RADIANT CITY” (Canada 2006) ***
Directed by Gary Burns and Jim Brown
It’s difficult to take seriously a documentary which features actors to portray its characters.  Still, co-director/writer Gary Burns has established himself as a competent critic of suburbia through his biting comedies, THE SUBURBANATORS, KITCHEN PARTY and waydowntown.  In RADIANT CIT, a doc about suburban sprawl, both sides of the coin are examined, though more cons than pros of living in a community, described here as a cluster of houses with people who do not wish to talk to one another.  RADIANT CITY is most intriguing for its blurred line between fiction and reality, making the audience question how much of TV reports is fabrication.  Lively, with a musical sequence parodying suburban living and an earnest segment involving 2 employees of a crisis centre, the film marks another insightful and funny journey by his Calgarian director.

“SHORTBUS” (USA 2006) **
Directed by John Cameron Mitchell
Director John Cameron Mitchell matches his previous feature HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH with another provocative sexual commentary that eventually proves that there is less than meets the eye.  The SHORTBUS is a weekly underground salon run by drag queen Justin Bond where male, female, straight and gay converge in a mad nexus of art, music, politics and polysexual carnality.  The first half of SHORTBUS is brilliant in its execution - full of life, sex, bitingly fresh hilarity and great colourful shots.  Mitchell takes his stuff seriously.  But just as the film leads towards the importance of having a relationship, Mitchell gets carried away with all the sexual permissiveness he has gathered for his film.  The second half of SHORTBUS wears thin, unable to match the momentum already built up.  The result is a hollow look at sex and sexuality but perhaps sex and sexuality were never meant to be taken seriously anyway.

“THE SILENCE” (Australia 2006) ***
Directed by Cate Shortland
Director Cate Shortland’s ( the well received SOMMERSAULT) assured second feature tells the tale of former police dick, Richard Treloar (Richard Roxburgh) now demoted to a desk job as curator at the Justice and Police Museum as he solves a murder case involving a beautiful woman victim in one of his crime scene photographs.  His personal and working life come into conflict with the real reason why explained at the very end of the film.  Working both as a whodunit and a drama about failed relationships, Shortland’s film is succeeds primarily for the well written female and male roles.  The script and direction are all by women but the protagonist male role still emerges strong and credible, aided no doubt by Roxworth’s strong performance.  Though the film works a too clichéd conclusion to the murder when it is revealed that the killer keeps littering his crime scene with the same brand of matches, it is still the drama that emerges triumphant.

“SLEEPING DOGS LIE.” (USA 2006) (Rating on hold at Odeon Films’ Request) Directed by Bobcat Goldthwait
The title SLEEPING DOGS LIE. (with the period), which is as clever as the movie itself, has two separate meanings.  The premise is an engaged couple, Amy (Melinda Page Hamilton) and her golden boy, John (Bryce Johnson) suggesting that they reveal their darkest secrets.  When Amy tells hers, everything falls apart.  Her secret, revealed in the first two minutes of the film is that she has blown her sleeping dog.  If you think this is your average teen romantic comedy in which the couple comes to together again, you will be in for one big surprise.  Writer/director Bobcat Goldthwait (SHAKES THE CLOWN) has crafted a very dark comedy with a twist ending that delivers a twisted message as well.  The film is both extremely funny (timing is always on target) and the keen observations of an over-loving protective suburban family is also effectively captured on film.  The film is true to its roots and Goldthwait keeps his film on track.  It never sags into sappiness though Amy cries at one point: “Everyone I love hates me”.  The scene in which Amy’s brother (Jack Plotnick) pulls out his ‘tina’ pipe tells all too well that smoking pot is not good enough for this wicked tale. 

“SUMMERCAMP!” (USA 2006) **
Directed by Sarah Price and Bradley Beesley
The film begins with the arrival and ends with the leaving of the buses at the Swift Nature Camp.  The film follows the experiences of a couple of kids (the boys turn out to be the more interesting) as they discuss their problems and joys of going to SUMMERCAMP.  Topics like homesickness, loneliness and anxieties are touched – though only on the surface.  Interesting enough, the best sequences involve one overworked camp councilor saying the opposite of what she preaches and complaining about her fatigue.  SUMMERCAMP! is interesting enough to view, primarily because of its subject matter (we were all once kids), but the directors’ observational approach lend no new insight or lessons learnt. 

“A STONE’S THROW” (Canada 2006) **
Directed by Camelia Frieberg
How far must Walker go to escape from his past?  Family drama about a photojournalist Jack Walker (Kris Holden-Ried) who unexpectedly shows up at his sister, Oliver’s doorstep only to turn her world upside down.  Jack romances her best friend (Lisa Ray) and gets her son into trouble with environmental activities.  Too well-intentioned and taken too seriously for its own good, the film finally sinks into predictability.  Director Frieberg does not know when to let up, as demonstrated at the end with the static images of different seasons.  It also does not help that the main protagonist Jack is totally unlikable and that the film is almost totally humourless.  The ladies’ roles are well written though. 

“U” (France 2006) ***
Directed by Serge Elissalde
U is the first syllable uttered (in French, of course) when the little princess, Mona cries when tormented by the rats who force her to do chores in a ruined castle by the sea.  The cry summons U, a unicorn and female creature that soon becomes best friends with Mona.  But when a group of musicians move into the nearby forest, Mona falls for Kulka (a lizard?) and things change.  Serge Elissalde and Gregoire Solotareff’s animation is comprised of creatures with long limbs, large bellies and long pointed ears and feet placed in a painted background of forest, sea and rocky landscape.  If the story is unimpressive (catered to 4 year-olds and up) - the haunting melodious tunes, color and imagery of U will more than make up for it.  You have to stay for the credits to observe the happy ending.

“VENUS” (UK 2006) (Rating on hold at Alliance Atlantis’ Request)
Directed by Roger Michell
Old aged actors relive their past glories and get the young girls.  Though the premise may sound as ancient as the characters within, VENUS benefits from a bitingly funny script by Hanif Kureichi (MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE) and bang-on direction by Roger Michell (PERSUASION and NOTTING HILL).  The veterans are played by Peter O’Toole (a bit too slow here to overact), Leslie Phillips (he used to play the incorrigible playboy in all the old Brit comedies) and Richard Griffiths.  Vanessa Redgrave (as O’Toole’s character’s wife) lends a welcome hand too as Maurice’s ex-wife.  VENUS is filmed in a grey, all too reminiscent of the age of the actors.  “I can’t have my place littered with toe nails!” That is the typical choice dialogue occurring throughout very much of the film.  A well balanced humorous/poignant tale about dying!

“THE WHITE PLANET” (Canada/France 2006) ***
Directed by Thierry Piantanida and Thierry Ragobert
Life begins with ice – as so we are told.  And directors Piantanida and Ragobert present audiences with a spectacular tour of the Arctic environment they call THE WHITE PLANET.  The film concentrates on the animals (rabbits, seals, wolves, ravens, whales et al.) that survive from the farthest northern regions to the southern tundra from the season of winter to fall.  The polar bear is the Lord of the Arctic and is given both respect for its grace and viciousness.  The film caters towards the family with minimal scenes of violence though it is quoted that the sacrifice of some is necessary for the survival of others.  The most amazing segments involve the migration of the caribou – the largest animal migration in the world beginning with the female followed by the male and the orchestration dance of the hump-back whales.  Narration (by Sven Eriksson – the actor not the England soccer coach) is minimal as the directors use music and images to tell the story.  The film effectively ends with a warning on global warming that is destroying THE WHITE PLANET.  The film is screened in the English version.

“WINTER JOURNEY” (Germany 2006) **
Directed by Hans Steinbichler
WINTER JOURNEY is not an easy film to take.  For one, the protagonist is a boorish, obnoxious, lout (Josef Bierbichler), who when not screaming out at the top of his voice, is calling everyone else an ***censored***.  Though Franz is initially amusing, director Steinbichler does not know when to stop him and get his film on the road.  It does not help that Martin Rauhaus’ script is full of coincidences.  Imagine meeting the one person you are looking for in the whole of Africa suddenly appearing in your hotel.  WINTER JOURNEY, the title of a Schubert song, signifies depression.  Steinbichler’s film ends on a happy note, if you can believe what happens.  The only saving grace is the well filmed scenes in the poor African town.