FILM FEST DIARY

9-19-2004—It's a wrap! Read Vickie's alternative TIFF awards (as well as the official ones). 9-18-2004—The last day brings the entertaining doc Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession. 9-17-2004—The festival is winding down, and it feels like a deflated balloon. 9-16-2004—Being drenched by rain for the entire day dampens Vickie's spirits a bit. 9-15-2004—Laura Linney is lusciously thrashable in her new film p.s. 9-14-2004—Tired of movies that make her cry, Vickie pines for a laugh-out-loud comedy. 9-13-2004—The Moviegoing Fates have been against her, as Vickie finds out Maggie Gyllenhaal was in town. 9-12-2004—Les Choristes will take your heart and squeeeze it 'til you cry. 9-11-2004 (Part 2)—Maggie-palooza continues, with photos from the Clean screening! 9-11-2004 (Part 1)—Much to Linda's frenzied excitement it is All About Maggie Cheung Day! 9-10-2004—Note to visiting filmmakers: How to irritate and enrage festival audiences. 9-9-2004—As exciting as the first day of school, TIFF starts off for Vickie with an actual good movie! 9-6-2004—Hot tip: That white board listing sold out screenings is a Board of Lies! 9-4-2004—In an open letter to the fest organizers, Vickie cries out: What about the audience?

It's hard to believe that another year has flown by, but it has, and it's once again time for the September movie-going madness known as the Toronto International Film Festival. And to that I say a hearty, WHOO-HOO!

This year's festival is one laden with change. Now that the glorious Uptown Theatre has been demolished, there are new venues (including one which is apparently haunted!) being offered. Those venues are, however, kind of far apart and this year's fest will also be one wherein transit passes will become an invaluable aid to filmgoers. Headaches, fervent streams of expletives and many a missed opening will, no doubt, ensue. The super-fun and entirely fair (ha!) random ticket lottery system is, I'm horrified to report, still in use, and this year ticket buyers were treated to a couple of extra treats: higher prices! additional surcharges! tax not included! reduced use-ability for day passes! It's almost as if they're trying to discourage people from attending. To that end, I've penned an open letter to the fest honchos expressing my delight at the way they're giving their much-lauded audiences a big, fat - but dainty and dignified - slap in the face with one of those white dueling gloves. I've already had a couple of my long-time fest-going pals say they may not attend next year if these pricing and policy trends continue. :-(

While we adjust to these new "quirks," there are some things that never change.

Once again I'll be filing daily reports on the whos, whats and what-nots of the annual cinematic smorgasbord, including movie reviews, random rants and the always-popular Roger Ebert Sighting report. Line Buzz, which looks at the movies generating good or bad word-of-mouth in the ubiquitous TIFF line-ups, is back, as is Celebrity Sightings... which Moviepie's Linda hopes and prays will include a glimpse of her beloved Maggie Cheung, who'll be in town promoting a pair of films. (I have headshot in hand and have practiced genuflecting just in case I run into MC at Starbucks between screenings.)

For those of you who read my festival diaries in 2002 or 2003, you're no doubt familiar with Mouthy Martha. Well, I've made an executive diary-keeping decision and feel that she's had enough free press in years past so, unless she does something particularly heinous or ridiculous or embarrassing of just plain stupid, she won't appear in these pages. I mean, really, how many times can I repeat the same old song about her? (Many times, I know, but even I'm starting to get bored with her irritating shenanigans.)

One thing that does bear revisiting, though, is the always-handy list of film festival dos and don'ts, which should be committed to memory by anyone planning on enjoying the fest and not being shunned by his or her peers.

So, with that said, it's time to hit the lines, check out the films, spot the stars (Maggie Cheung, Maggie Cheung, Maggie Cheung... got it!) and do my best to stay healthy over the fest's 10-day run.

:-D

—Vickie

Note: For film info, ticket availability, screening locations, box-office hours, Piers Handling's favorite color or any other random TIFF stuff, surf on over to their official website.

FESTIVAL MOVIE REVIEWS:

Recommended! A red arrow means that Vickie rated the movie six (out of eight) slices or better.

The numbers following the title show Vickie's rating of the film; i.e. (5/8), means five out of a possible eight slices.

Bluebird (The Netherlands) (4/8)    Childstar (Canada) (5/8)    Clean (France / United Kingdom / Canada) (5/8)    Cool (The Netherlands) (4/8) Crash (USA) (7/8) Dear Frankie (UK) (6/8)    Días de Santiago (Peru) (5/8)    A Dirty Shame (USA) (2/8)    Drum (South Africa) (4/8)    A Good Woman (USA) (4/8) Head in the Clouds (Canada / UK) (7/8)    The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things (UK) (3/8)    Hidden Flaws (The Netherlands / United Kingdom) (4/8)    Innocence (France) (3/8)    It's All Gone Pete Tong (UK / Canada) (5/8)    Jiminy Glick in Lalawood (Canada / USA) (2/8)    Keane (USA) (3/8) Les Choristes (France / Switzerland) (7/8)    The Machinist (USA) (5/8) Millions (UK) (6/8) The Motorcycle Diaries (USA / Argentina / Chile / Peru) (7/8)

Noel (USA) (3/8)    On the Outs (USA) (5/8)    Palindromes (USA) (3/8)    Primer (USA) (5/8) P.S. (USA) (6/8)    Ray (USA) (5/8) Red Dust (UK / South Africa) (6/8) Saint Ralph (Canada) (6/8)    Seven Times Lucky (Canada) (4/8)    Shark Tale (USA) (3/8)    Siblings (Canada) (5/8)    Somersault (Australia) (4/8) Stage Beauty (USA) (6/8) Summer Storm (Germany) (6/8) Tarnation (USA) (7/8) Three of Hearts: a postmodern family (USA) (7/8) Undertow (USA) (6/8)    When Will I Be Loved (USA) (3/8) The Woodsman (USA) (7/8) The Year of the Yao (USA / China) (6/8) Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (USA) (7/8)