I must admit - while I did very much miss all the usual TIFF goings-on as I sat it out last year, I certainly didn't miss going through the hell of film selection.
To the uninitiated, most of those attending TIFF are going in with some sort of "choose-your-own" package with a set number of films (as few as 10, as many as 50). On a Tuesday in late August, you finally get to see a full rundown on every one of the 300 films playing (many of the smaller ones, while announced, often come with little details)...and the schedule for when they are playing.
You then have one week to submit your selections, insodoing figuring out which films you want to see most, and balance that out with when they are playing, what's playing at the same time, and how long it will take you to run here and there around the city.
It sounds like hell, but given that this is my ninth go-round, I've pretty much got it down to a science. Here's what has my eye...
I'll be turning in my order Sunday morning - say a prayer to the gods of random selection for me, would ya?
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18 comments:
Oh snap I had no idea SUPER was screening! Glad it's finally getting some sort of release, anyway, since I think Kick-Ass sort of derailed it.
I'll certainly be interested to hear about Never Let Me Go, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, and Legend of the Fist. Good luck getting all the films you want to see!
I see the image up there but are you not trying for Black Swan?
But "The Promise: The Making Of Darkness On The Edge Of Town" is going to be there! I almost flew to Toronto simply to see that! Although if you're not a Springsteen fan then I completely understand.
I would pretty much kill a man to see Super, 127 Hours, Never Let Me Go, Let Me In, I'm Still Here, and You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger. Especially the last, if only because I want to see Woody Allen really knock it out of the park. I guess the same could be said of Never Let Me Go; it'd be a shame to see that concept go to waste.
@ Alex... Indeed, TIFF has an entire genre film program called Midnight Madness (three guesses when THOSE films play) that would be right up your alley. I usually try to get a small taste and see at least one.
Thanks for pointing out BLACK SWAN - it is in fact on my order form, but managed to get omitted from this post. Fixed now!
@ Nicholas... I am actually a wicked big fan of Bruce, however I'm tripping over the question of "Why now?". As in, why has someone decided to make a doc about the making of that album now?? It's not be re-released/remastered...it's not an anniversary of its release...so why now?
There might be some Bruce coverage on this site yet, so stay tuned.
@ Andrew... I vote you plan a trip to TIFF one year and get in on the fun! Hopefully I get tickets to those selections and I can tell ya what you're in for.
I would have The Town, Buried and Black Swan headline my list.
We have a few of the same choices:
Legend of the Fist
The Trip
Super
I Saw the Devil
The Illusionist
Some of my other choices include:
A Married Couple
Blue Valentine
Black Swan
Even the Rain
40
Inside Job
Viva Riva
Behind Blue Skies
Easy Money
Julia’s Eyes
Break Up Club
Vanishing on 7th Street
Incendies
Machete Maidens Unleashed
Potiche
Blessed Events
13 Assassins
Leap Year
The High Cost of Living
Detective Dee…
Bunraku
It is all up to the random box selection now. I was in the last box two years ago but still managed to see some great stuff (e.g. The Wrestler, Slumdog, etc.)
You lucky bastard. Super and Black Swan and other things, I'm sure.
@ Fitz... While I do want to see THE TOWN and BURIED, both of them will hit regular theatres within a week or two of TIFF ending. I try to keep such instance to a minimum.
@ CS... That's quite the list! Gonna have to look into some of those titles for potential add-on's. We'll have to discuss this at the bar on Tuesday.
@ Simon... Luck ain't got much to do with it! Make a trip to Toronto some fall and join in on the fun!
You're one lucky guy. Can't wait to read your coverage. By the way, I also wouldn't be able to skip over "The Town" at this point, but almost all of your selections ("127 Hours," "Hereafter," "Never Let Me Go," "Black Swan"...) have my mouth watering.
TIFF seems to have a really great lineup this year. And I really want to go.
I've done another pass at the film list. I managed to get my shortlist of films I want to see down to 41 (from 63). Now to get it down to 15!!!!
Here's SOME of what I'd like to see:
L'Amour Fou
At Ellen's Age
Black Swan
Break Up Club
Chico & Rita
Dirty Girl
First Grader
Four Times
Griff The Invisible
How To Start Your Own Country
The Illusionist
I'm Still Here
Janie Jones
Jucy
Machete Maiden's Unleashed
Modra
Norberto's Deadline
Passione
Peep World
Sound of Mumbai: A Musical
Tabloid
The Trip
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recal His Past Lives
-Lady Hatter
Can't wait to hear what you think about Black Swan and 127 Hours.
@ Danny... I do want to see THE TOWN, but given that its hitting theatres one week after TIFF is over takes the urgency off for me. Same reason why I'm not going to see BURIED.
@Blake... C'mon up some year!
@ Lady Hatter... I'll never understand how your selection process becomes such torture.
@ Fitz... 127 HOURS I'll be seeing on the Monday, so check in around Tuesday the 14th for my post. BLACK SWAN had to wait until the second last day (thanks Lady Hatter), so you won't see anything on that until the 19th or so.
Oh how I envy you Hatter... I do hope you get to see all you wanted to see. When I was there I managed to see only 3 but I wish I had time for more!!
Never Let Me Go piqued my interest. First it was just the poster, but then the trailer, WOW!
My list would include The Town, The Debt, The Conspirator (Ok I swear I didn't pick 'em because they start with 'The') :) Also curious about The King's Speech and Last Night.
@ Ruth... I'll take a closer look at some of the ones you mentioned. (And fyi - I got 18 of the 20 films I ordered!)
What year did you come up and what did you see?
Hatter, do you have press credentials for TIFF? Or did you order one of the ticket packages online?
@ Fitz... I applied for press credentials, but no luck. As is my usual routine, I bought a pass that gets me into 20 screenings.
My editor over at FlickSided asked me if I could make it up to the TIFF this year, and I was THIS close to buying a plane ticket and sleeping on the streets to do so after seeing this line up. Cannot effing wait for Black Swan.
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