9-16-2005
As much as I would love to blame Margaret Cho for tonight’s abbreviated
diary entry, I can’t. She had nothing to do with it. I’m just plain
pooped. Earlier tonight I told my friend Heather that today’s entry
would wind up being a haiku. (It’s not, but it’ll be close.)
Tomorrow is the final day of TIFF 2005, and I can’t say I feel
anything, really. I’m not sure what it is, but a number of film fest
pals and I have all said the same thing: something’s off this year. We
can’t put our collective finger on what it is, but the festival feels
different somehow. Less exciting. Fewer outstanding films on our
rosters. Absent regulars. Dunno.
I think this year will be the very first year that I won’t immediately
answer “AMAZING!!!” when people ask me how the festival was. I fear
that my response will be along the lines of, “Meh.”
Anyway…
MOVIE #1! The White Masai (7/8), which tells the true
story of a Swiss woman (the striking Nina Hoss) who married a Masai
warrior (the superb Jacky Ido, who got a standing ovation after the
film) and moved from Europe to his remote Kenyan village to live as a
tribeswoman. To say that she experienced culture shock would be an
understatement, and the duo’s attempts to bridge their differences
prove frustrating and increasingly problematic.
Not quite as problematic as they were for the woman sitting in the seat
next to me, though, who evidently thought we were looking through an
enormous pane of glass and watching real events happen before our eyes.
She was SO invested in this movie that she gasped, sighed, talked to
the screen and had physical reactions to what she was watching. I
thought she might actually run from the theater when we hit a scene
involving (shudder) female circumcision.
MOVIE #2! Twelve and Holding (5/8), a drama following the
lives of three 12-year-old friends: Malee (Zoe Weizenbaum), who’s
infatuated with a tormented fireman; Leonard (Jesse Camacho), an
overweight boy who launches a weight-loss regime; and Jacob (Conor
Donovan), who’s coping with the accidental death of his twin brother.
The movie was engaging and the performances from the young actors are
all very strong.
Not quite as strong as the potential for in-theater anarchy during the
screening, though. At one point, very very late in the film, the screen
suddenly went black. We could still hear the audio, but no picture.
Somewhere, a voice boomed, “BOOOOOOOO!” There was a small twittering of
giggles. But then the same voice bellowed, “WAKE UP AND DO YOUR JOB,
YOU WANKER!!!!” Evidently, that went too far. Numerous voices piped up
– “Hey, that’s outta line!” “Take it easy!” “Relax!” Then the first
voice yelled, “OH SURE, JUST BE GOOD LITTLE CANADIANS AND TAKE IT!!!!”
A small bit of advice: it’s probably best not to insult a theater full
of Canadians in the dark, in Canada.
There was an immediate flurry of shouts and hollers and Mr. Big Voice
didn’t say another word. It took all of about five minutes before the
movie started up again.
MOVIE #3! Transamerica (6/8), which starts Felicity
Huffman as a pre-op transsexual, who embarks on a cross-country road
trip with her long-lost son (Kevin Zegers). Huffman is almost
unrecognizable, yet totally recognizable at the same time. She looks
and sounds like a man in a woman’s body, and her performance makes the
film. I’m going to avoid saying any more because our webmistress Linda
is planning on seeing this film in a few weeks and wants to remain
unspoiled.
[Dear Lord, I’m watching the press conference for Pride &
Prejudice and some Canadian reporter just told Keira Knightley that
she has magnificent breasts. Yup, we Canucks ask all the good
questions!]
MOVIE #4! Brothers of the Head, a mockumentary about a
pair of conjoined twins (Luke & Harry Treadaway) who become rock stars.
I was bored, the movie was late (a 9:20pm start time) and I could
barely stay awake. So…walkout number three of the fest!
I have four films on the sked for tomorrow, and I’m hoping to make it
through all of them. The weather is supposed to improve, but I suspect
the festival will be going out like a lamb. With a limp. And bad hair.
Celebrity Sightings: Jacky Edo was in attendance at his
screening; Felicity Huffman (Greg, she looked great!), William H. Macy,
Kevin Zegers, Graham Greene and Shawn Ashmore at Transamerica;
and director Jamie Babbit (what a trooper!) was loitering outside the
Varsity, alone and wearing bright blue shoes, waiting for the final
screening of her film, The Quiet.
Roger Ebert Sightings: Pffffffffft.
Line Buzz: A lone voice of dissent that the much-maligned
Caché is actually very good.
