Cinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gifCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comen-usCopyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Toronto Announces First 24 Films for 2009 Festhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/23/toronto-announces-first-24-films-for-2009-fest/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/23/toronto-announces-first-24-films-for-2009-fest/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/23/toronto-announces-first-24-films-for-2009-fest/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Is the Toronto International Film Festival upon us already? I still have poutine stains on my shirt from last time! Yes, the 2009 fest is less than three months away, and TIFF has just announced the first batch of films that will play. All 24 will be making their North American premieres, so unless you've been to the festivals at Cannes, Venice, or Berlin, it's unlikely that you've seen any of them. Exciting!

In the "Masters" category are films by three directors who qualify for that distinction. Portugal's Manoel de Oliveira -- who is 100 years old (!) and has made 50 films, most of them in the last two decades -- has a new one called Eccentricities of a Blond-Haired Girl, about a man enchanted by a woman he sees from his window. Alain Resnais (Last Year at Marienbad), the 87-year-old Frenchman who got a lifetime achievement at Cannes this year, has Les Herbes Folles (The Wild Grass), a romantic adventure that begins with a lost wallet. And Hirokazu Koreeda, a Japanese spring chicken at 48, will present Air Doll, about a sex doll that becomes a real person -- Lars and the Real Girl meets Pinocchio? Koreeda made the haunting Nobody Knows a few years ago, so I'm onboard for whatever this Air Doll thing is.

The other 21 films announced today are from filmmakers ranging from the old and venerable to the new and enthusiastic. They span, the globe, too, representing countries you expect to see at international film festivals (France, Germany, Italy, etc.) as well as some with much smaller film industries, including Kazakhstan, Colombia, Malaysia, and Uruguay. The complete list of films and their descriptions is in TIFF's press release, as is information about buying passes. The festival runs Sept. 10-19. We'll see you there, right?







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]]>tiff2009toronto international film festivalTorontoInternationalFilmFestivalEric D. SniderTue, 23 Jun 2009 19:45:00 ESTInterview: Writer-Director Rian Johnson of 'The Brothers Bloom'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/13/interview-writer-director-rian-johnson-of-the-brothers-bloom/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/13/interview-writer-director-rian-johnson-of-the-brothers-bloom/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/13/interview-writer-director-rian-johnson-of-the-brothers-bloom/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,



Writer-director Rian Johnson burst onto the scene when his high school-set noir riff, Brick, took home the Originality of Vision prize at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. Now, after bouncing around Summit's release slate like the proverbial beach ball, his follow-up -- the romantic, romanticized con man caper, The Brothers Bloom -- is finally receiving a NY/LA bow this Friday before rolling out to more markets in the weeks to come.

Johnson obliged us to do a follow-up interview this week to complement our original chat from last November, and between the two, the filmmaker discusses everything from making the festival rounds and absorbing critical response to the glory of talking monkeys and just where he likes to stick his tea kettle...



Download Part 1 (31 mins.) by clicking here



Download Part 2 (12 mins.) by clicking here

-Score samples by Nathan Johnson, the film's composer and the director's cousin.-

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]]>brickinterviewrian johnsonRianJohnsonthe brothers bloomTheBrothersBloomtom cruiseTomCruisewes andersonWesAndersonWilliam GossWed, 13 May 2009 22:02:00 ESTMidnight Madness Introduces The (Edgar) Wright Stuffhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/02/26/midnight-madness-introduces-the-edgar-wright-stuff/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/02/26/midnight-madness-introduces-the-edgar-wright-stuff/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/02/26/midnight-madness-introduces-the-edgar-wright-stuff/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

When the guy who programs the Midnight Madness slate at the Toronto Film Festival gets excited about a new event, you can bet that it's going to be something pretty geek-tastic. So last night I got an email from Mr. Colin Geddes and here's what he was so psyched about: They gave writer / director / movie nerd Edgar Wright a chance to program a mini-festival of his very own, and the man delivered a week's full of evening screenings that any flick geek would have a ball with.

Of course the event (called The Wright Stuff) will open with the unbeatable double feature of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, but as the week goes on, attendees will be able to savor one-two punches like The Warriors and The Wanderers; Shaolin Soccer and Riki-Oh; and Drunken Master 2 with an as-yet-unannounced but undoubtedly ass-kickin' martial arts movie. (Plus, dang, they're showing The Brood on the big screen!) Oh, and one evening will offer a very nifty Spaced marathon. And if you're wondering what makes a guy like Edgar Wright qualified to program his own mini-festival, I suggest you sit in on those Spaced, Shaun, and Fuzz screenings -- because this is a filmmaker who bleeds flick love like nobody's business.

A full press release for the event is included after the jump, and our readers might like to know that our own Monika B. lives RIGHT NEAR that movie theater, so perhaps you should be nice and ask for a couch to crash upon. And hey, here's a report on a similar event that Mr. Wright hosted in L.A. a few years back. Heh, "Mr. Wright." Hear that, ladies?

Continue reading Midnight Madness Introduces The (Edgar) Wright Stuff

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]]>edgar wrightEdgarWrighttoronto screeningsTorontoScreeningsScott WeinbergThu, 26 Feb 2009 18:02:00 ESTReview: The Wrestlerhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/12/17/review-the-wrestler/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/12/17/review-the-wrestler/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/12/17/review-the-wrestler/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,


(We're reposting our review of The Wrestler from the Toronto International Film Festival to coincide with the film's theatrical release.)

By James Rocchi

After winning top honors at the Venice Film Festival, Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler rapidly became the must-see of the Toronto International Film Festival, with huge lines at the press and industry screening this afternoon seemingly unaffected by the news that Fox Searchlight had purchased the film. After seeing The Wrestler for myself, I feel the need to extend a note of caution about the film, which sailed into Toronto buoyed by advance raves for Mickey Rourke's performance as Randy "The Ram" Robinson, a low-level professional wrestler -- and we soon see how really, both those words could be in quotation marks -- whose '80s glory days are long over, scraping by at low-level, low-paying matches until a heart attack forces him to leave the ring and look at his life in the shadow of death. Many have already written about the parallels between Mickey Rourke and the swaggering, scarred wrestler he plays -- early success, fame and notoriety, a series of mis-steps and mistakes taking it all away bit by bit as the years advanced -- and the charge Rourke's own rise and fall offers a filmmaker like Aaronofsky looking to explore ruin and redemption.

But don't believe the hype -- or, more importantly, look past it; if a complicated, messy personal life were all it took to deliver a great performance, Paris Hilton and O.J. Simpson would have more Oscars than Katharine Hepburn. Rourke's work as Randy is physical, invested, powerful and sprawling -- but it's also quiet, sad and hauntingly wounded, too. And The Wrestler offers viewers far more than just Rourke's performance -- which, it must be said, is excellent -- if they're willing to not flinch from what it has to say: The Wrestler is a fascinating, rich, unblinking look at the dark, hunched mean streak that lies curled and poisonous inside of so much American popular entertainment and of so much American life. It's early to say this, but The Wrestler is one of the most grimly exciting, magnetically repellent movies we've had in a long time; it's flat-out one of the best American movies of 2008.

Continue reading Review: The Wrestler

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]]>darren aronofskyDarrenAronofskyEvan Rachel WoodEvanRachelWoodMarisa TOmeiMarisaTomeiMickey RourkeMickeyRourkethe WrestlerTheWrestlerCinematical staffWed, 17 Dec 2008 21:15:00 EST'Brothers' Now to Bloom in May '09http://www.cinematical.com/2008/12/11/brothers-now-to-bloom-in-may-09/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/12/11/brothers-now-to-bloom-in-may-09/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/12/11/brothers-now-to-bloom-in-may-09/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

This had been hush-hush for a mild while now, but it looks like Rian Johnson's The Brothers Bloom has been bumped back yet again to next May. Back in September, I had mentioned that the crime caper had moved from October to a NY/LA qualifying run next week and a wide release in January. The difference between that post and this one is that I was fortunate to see the film at Fantastic Fest a couple of months back, and it was good enough to make me equally anxious to just see the film again.

Writer-director Johnson confirmed the rumor on his message board, then joking that his own December birthday had been pushed back by Summit to May, when there are less of them to contend with. All kidding aside, Bloom is now scheduled to bow in limited release on May 15th -- opposite DaVinci Code sequel Angels & Demons and Borat follow-up Bruno -- and then wide on May 29th, up against Sam Raimi's return to horror Drag Me To Hell and Pixar's anticipated-by-default Up.

It's tough competition, to be sure, but believe me (and Eugene, and James) when we say that The Brothers Bloom will be well worth the wait.

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]]>adrien brodyAdrienBrodybrothers bloomBrothersBloommark ruffaloMarkRuffalorachel weiszRachelWeiszrian johnsonRianJohnsonrinko kikuchiRinkoKikuchithe brothers bloomTheBrothersBloomWilliam GossThu, 11 Dec 2008 19:42:00 ESTGrapple with This: the Trailer for 'The Wrestler'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/11/20/grapple-with-this-the-trailer-for-the-wrestler/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/11/20/grapple-with-this-the-trailer-for-the-wrestler/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/11/20/grapple-with-this-the-trailer-for-the-wrestler/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

There was no hotter ticket at the Toronto International Film Festival in September than The Wrestler, Darren Aronofsky's new drama about a washed-up professional body-slammer played by Mickey Rourke. I vividly recall the press screening, where every seat in the fest's largest theater was occupied by eager journalists, many of whom had sworn they'd miss whatever other films they had to as long as they could see this one.

It paid off, too -- the acclaim for the film was nearly universal. (Read Cinematical's James Rocchi's rave review here.) Now, in advance of the film's limited release on Dec. 31 (just in time to qualify for Rourke's inevitable Oscar nomination), Fox Searchlight has released the first trailer. Variety has it, and we've got it here, at the end of this post.

The trailer is good in the sense that it accurately conveys the tone of the film: moody, reflective, and only partially set in the wrestling ring. Bruce Springsteen's theme song is a nice touch. We get a few glimpses of Marisa Tomei, who plays Rourke's stripper friend (you'll catch more than a glimpse of her in the movie itself, if you know what I mean), and Evan Rachel Wood as Rourke's estranged daughter. Their performances are terrific, too, as is Aronofsky's direction -- man, I really hope this gets the Oscar attention that everyone thinks it will. It deserves it.

What do you think of the trailer? Does it make you more or less interested in the film? Let us know in the comments.

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]]>darren aronofskyDarrenAronofskymickey rourkeMickeyRourkewrestlerEric D. SniderThu, 20 Nov 2008 19:51:00 ESTThe Cuter, Cuddlier 'Porno' Posterhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/11/10/the-cuter-cuddlier-porno-poster/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/11/10/the-cuter-cuddlier-porno-poster/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/11/10/the-cuter-cuddlier-porno-poster/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

I'm not exactly sure where IMP Awards dug up this alternate poster for Kevin Smith's Zack and Miri Make a Porno, but for my money, it's an equally creative and eye-catching way to sell the stars compared to the current stick-figures-and-'Porno'-free campaign ... a campaign which, it should be said, hasn't stopped the flick from grossing $20 million by this past weekend, which is about on par with most of Smith's recent work and (again) not bad for an advertising angle that didn't push either his name or the faces of leads Elizabeth Banks and Seth Rogen.

Besides, I really don't think the bright colors and cute animals would have led anyone to believe that the (admittedly sweet) Zack and Miri falls in line with, say, Happy-Go-Lucky, but we'll honestly never know if swapping colors for controversy would've had the same effect. (Hey, I still think that the Canadian poster would've done just fine.)

Check out this new (cutesy?) poster after the jump ...

Continue reading The Cuter, Cuddlier 'Porno' Poster

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]]>craig robinsonCraigRobinsonelizabeth banksElizabethBanksjason mewesJasonMeweskevin smithKevinSmithmovie postermovie postersMoviePosterMoviePostersseth rogenSethRogentraci lordsTraciLordszack and miri make a pornoZackAndMiriMakeAPornoWilliam GossMon, 10 Nov 2008 14:02:00 ESTFan Rant: 24 Hours of Aronofskyhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/11/10/fan-rant-24-hours-of-aronofsky/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/11/10/fan-rant-24-hours-of-aronofsky/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/11/10/fan-rant-24-hours-of-aronofsky/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,



(from left to right) Sean Gullette in Pi, Ellen Burstyn in Requiem for a Dream, Hugh Jackman in The Fountain, and Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler

I had been writing a rambling introduction to this piece, but to make a long anecdote short, I decided to re-watch the works of writer-director Darren Aronofsky prior to seeing his new film, The Wrestler. Out of more happenstance than planning, I began his first film exactly a day to the minute before this one would end, and now I offer up my thoughts on his career to date. (Who knows what more could come following this: 24 Hours of Fincher? 36 Hours of Boyle? My Dinner with Andre Benjamin's Idlewild?)

Continue reading Fan Rant: 24 Hours of Aronofsky

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]]>ajay naiduAjayNaidubelowbrad pittBradPittcate blanchettCateBlanchettclint mansellClintManselldarren aronofskyDarrenAronofskyhugh jackmanHughJackmanmark margolisMarkMargolismickey rourkeMickeyRourkerachel weiszRachelWeiszrequiem for a dreamRequiemForADreamthe fountainthe wrestlerTheFountainTheWrestlerWilliam GossMon, 10 Nov 2008 12:03:00 ESTCinematical Seven: First-Person Horror Movies Worth Watchinghttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/09/cinematical-seven-first-person-horror-movies-worth-watching/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/09/cinematical-seven-first-person-horror-movies-worth-watching/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/09/cinematical-seven-first-person-horror-movies-worth-watching/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,



Despite having previously established my feelings about this weekend's Quarantine, I must confess a new willingness to give it a fair shot later tonight. Regardless, this week's Cinematical Seven is all about first-person horror movies, with a couple of oh-so-subjective stipulations:

  • We're leaving The Blair Witch Project (1999) out of this. It might not have been the first of these movies, but it was undeniably the most successful and influential. There are only seven slots here, and I feel like everyone has already made clear whether they find this scary or just stupid (I fall in the former grouping, though I say this having not seen the flick since my teens). If you still feel the need to take BWP to task, comment away.
  • Also omitted will be The Last Broadcast (1998), which drew mild controversy at the time of its release for its similarity to Blair Witch. I'm only not writing about it because the copy of it sitting just over on my shelf here has remained unwatched. My bad.
  • The previous film by the guys behind Quarantine is The Poughkeepsie Tapes (2007), which -- being in the hands of the Weinsteins -- has not yet seen the light of day beyond a couple of festivals. Having not attended any of said festivals myself, I'll just sit here and guess that it'll get dumped to DVD (probably under the Dimension Extreme label), and not any earlier than next year at that.

Now, on with the list...

Continue reading Cinematical Seven: First-Person Horror Movies Worth Watching

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]]>alone with herAloneWithHerblair witchblair witch projectBlairWitchBlairWitchProjectcannibal holocaustCannibalHolocaustcloverfieldcolin hanksColinHanksdiary of the deadDiaryOfTheDeadgeorge a. romerogeorge romeroGeorgeA.RomeroGeorgeRomerojonathan hensleighJonathanHensleighLast BroadcastLastBroadcastparanormal activityParanormalActivityPoughkeepsie TapesPoughkeepsieTapesquarantinewelcome to the jungleWelcomeToTheJunglezombiezombie diariesZombieDiarieszombiesWilliam GossThu, 09 Oct 2008 22:02:00 ESTReview: RockNRollahttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/08/review-rocknrolla/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/08/review-rocknrolla/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/08/review-rocknrolla/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



You'd think that being married to Madonna, Guy Ritchie would have picked up on the value of occasionally reinventing oneself. But no, he keeps making the same movie, the same ultra-cool exercises in British gangster violence and stylish criminal shenanigans, and RockNRolla is the latest entry. Then again, the one time he did try something different, the result was Swept Away, so maybe he's wise to stay in his comfort zone.

At any rate, RockNRolla inspires strong feelings of "meh" in me. It's not nearly as clever, funny, or stylish as Snatch or Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, though the accents are a lot less indecipherable this time around, so that's nice. It's also not as good as Gangster No. 1 or Sexy Beast or many of the other gritty British gangster capers that have come around in the last several years. It feels like a rerun -- which isn't necessarily a bad thing, after all. People watch reruns all the time.

Our narrator is Archie (Mark Strong), who works as the calm, suave right-hand man to Lenny (Tom Wilkinson), the most powerful money-lender and underworld boss in London. Half the city's councilors, judges, and cops are in Lenny's pocket, and he has leveraged this influence into a massive fortune in real estate.

Lenny is not a figure to be messed with, but the Russians don't know that. A new mover and shaker named Uri (Karel Roden) has come to town to strike a deal with Lenny -- it involves paying Lenny to bribe city officials to get a construction project underway -- and he's a formidable figure himself. Lenny is old school; Uri is dangerously modern.

Continue reading Review: RockNRolla

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]]>gerard butlerGerardButlerguy ritchieGuyRitchiejeremy pivenJeremyPivenludacrisrocknrollathandie newtonThandieNewtontom wilkinsonTomWilkinsonEric D. SniderWed, 08 Oct 2008 21:02:00 ESTThe Rocchi Review -- With Cinematical Managing Editor Scott Weinberghttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/03/the-rocchi-review-with-cinematical-managing-editor-scott-wein/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/03/the-rocchi-review-with-cinematical-managing-editor-scott-wein/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/03/the-rocchi-review-with-cinematical-managing-editor-scott-wein/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


What were the breakout films at this year's Fantastic Fest? Which French horror film had audiences squirming and arguing at Fantastic Fest and Toronto's Midnight Madness? What question couldn't James shake during Zack and Miri Make a Porno -- and what, according to Scott, is that film's secret weapon? And which October films are waiting to be your new fave film of the fall? Joining James this week to talk about all of the above -- and more -- is Cinematical's Managing Editor Scott Weinberg. ... Cinematical's podcast is now available through iTunes; you can subscribe at this link. Also, you can listen directly here at Cinematical by clicking below:



As ever, you can download the entire podcast right here -- and those of you with RSS Podcast readers can find all of Cinematical's podcast content at this link.

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]]>AcolytesBeverly Hills ChiuauaBeverlyHillsChiuaualet the right one inLetTheRightOneInMartyrsNick and Noras Infinite PlaylistNickAndNorasInfinitePlaylistNot Quite HollywoodNotQuiteHollywoodReligulousthe BurrowersTheBurrowerszack and miri make a pornoZackAndMiriMakeAPornoJames RocchiFri, 03 Oct 2008 21:02:00 ESTInterview: 'Miracle at St. Anna' Director Spike Leehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/26/interview-miracle-at-st-anna-director-spike-lee/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/26/interview-miracle-at-st-anna-director-spike-lee/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/26/interview-miracle-at-st-anna-director-spike-lee/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,



In Miracle at St. Anna, four African-American soldiers are trapped behind enemy lines in Italy near the end of World War II; caught between indifferent leadership and hostile troops, the four fight to survive -- and protect the Italian villagers they've come to know during their exile. Director Spike Lee spoke with Cinematical from New York about the challenges of film financing in modern Hollywood ("it's hard to get stuff made today that's not superhero, comic-book, TV show, sequel stuff. ..."), shooting in an 800-year-old Italian town (" ... all we had to do was take down the satellite dishes ...") and the challenges his new film faces (" ... historically, women do not run to see, or even walk to see, or even crawl to see World War II films ..."), The Wire ("'Omar's Coming!'"), sequel possibilities for Inside Man and more.

Lee even touched on politics and race in the here-and-now: "I'm optimistic. We're going to have a Black president. The 44th President of the United States is going to be a Black man ... I think this is a definite indication of how far America has moved in how it views race. ..."

Cinematical: I was very curious if you could talk a little bit about the genesis of what brought you specifically to Miracle at St. Anna as a film?

Spike Lee: I needed something to read; I went into my wife's office; looked up on her shelf upon shelf of books (laughs) and the spirit told me to go to this one book -- all the time my head is twisted to the side, trying to read the titles -- read this title, Miracle at St. Anna; that sounds interesting; take the book off the shelf, see the cover of a Black soldier with a young Italian kid, World War II, said "Let me read this. ..." After the first chapter, I said "I want to make this into a film, called up James McBride, we met ... and here we are. That's the abbreviated version. ...

Continue reading Interview: 'Miracle at St. Anna' Director Spike Lee

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]]>Derek LukeDerekLukeJames McBrideJamesMcbrideMichael EalyMichaelEalyMiracle at St. AnnaMiracleAtSt.AnnaSpike LeeSpikeLeeJames RocchiFri, 26 Sep 2008 21:33:00 ESTDiscuss: Rose McGowan Has Offended a Lot of Irish Peoplehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/18/discuss-rose-mcgowan-has-offended-a-lot-of-irish-people/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/18/discuss-rose-mcgowan-has-offended-a-lot-of-irish-people/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/18/discuss-rose-mcgowan-has-offended-a-lot-of-irish-people/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

I guess when you make a movie about the Irish Republican Army and Northern Ireland's infamous "Troubles," you're bound to court some controversy. Fifty Dead Men Walking, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival despite legal threats from the man whose life it's based on (he has since dropped his suit), has now drawn more fire because of comments made by one of its stars, Rose McGowan.

During an interview in Toronto last week, McGowan, who plays an IRA operative in the film and whose father is Irish, said: "I imagine, had I grown up in Belfast, I would 100 percent have been in the IRA.... My heart just broke for the cause. Violence is not to be played out daily and provide an answer to problems, but I understand it."

This has caused a bit of a hullabaloo in that part of the world, where the IRA was officially classified as a terrorist group. (Its proponents saw themselves more as freedom fighters, striving to throw off the shackles of British rule.) Martin McGartland, the British secret agent whose infiltration of the IRA is the basis of the film, said, "Rose McGowan's comments were insulting to victims of IRA terrorism and she should apologize. It's easy to say this sort of thing when you live in L.A." A victims' advocacy group leader said, "She may as well add that she would have joined al-Qaeda and flew those planes into the Twin Towers had she been born a disgruntled Muslim."

Continue reading Discuss: Rose McGowan Has Offended a Lot of Irish People

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]]>featuredfifty dead men walkingFiftyDeadMenWalkingirarose mcgowanRoseMcgowantiff2008Eric D. SniderThu, 18 Sep 2008 19:03:00 ESTTIFF Review: Goodbye Solohttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/14/tiff-review-goodbye-solo/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/14/tiff-review-goodbye-solo/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/14/tiff-review-goodbye-solo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

There are indie filmmakers who try to work in the realm of small character dramas and succeed only in making myopic films that feel inert and meaningless; there are those who attempt to stand out from the pack by writing scripts replete with quirky story lines and witty dialogue, only to end up with a mundane mess; and then there are a few who manage to achieve, through a combination of richly drawn, yet simple stories and excellent cinematography, a level of filmmaking that inspires without overwhelming, impresses without overreaching. Ramin Bahrani falls firmly in the latter camp, and with his latest film, Goodbye Solo, the director builds on the excellence of his previous work with a finely drawn tale of a cabdriver and the fare who changes his life.

Bahrani starts with an intriguing premise: Solo, a cab driver (Souléymane Sy Savané) picks up a routine fare, only to find his life turned upside down when the man he picks up asks him to take him to the remote mountaintop location of Blowing Rock in two weeks, where he plans to jump to his death. Solo's troubled by both the plans of his fare, William (Red West) to end his life, and the implications to himself of being a party to the man's suicide; he decides to befriend the older man in an attempt to persuade him to change his plans. This is the simple set-up for the film, and it's all Bahrani needs to make a thoughtful, compelling film that explores the relationship between these two vastly different men and the way they're changed by the friendship they form.

Continue reading TIFF Review: Goodbye Solo

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]]>goodbye soloramin bahranitifftiff2008toronto international film festivalTorontoInternationalFilmFestivalKim VoynarSun, 14 Sep 2008 14:02:00 ESTTIFF Review: The Hurt Lockerhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/13/tiff-review-the-hurt-locker/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/13/tiff-review-the-hurt-locker/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/13/tiff-review-the-hurt-locker/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



Based on journalist Mark Boal's real experiences following bomb disposal experts in Iraq, The Hurt Locker isn't just a welcome return to big-screen action from director Kathryn Bigelow (who has wrung both fame and infamy from her art with Near Dark, Strange Days and Point Break). It's an assured, confident, swaggering piece of moviemaking that manages to not only evoke every war of the 20th century but also, despite the claims by makers and some reviewers that it's an 'apolitical' film, speaks very specifically to the Iraq war. Even so, plunging us into the thick of things alongside the highly-trained men (and they're all men here) who defuse bombs for the Army, Bigelow and Boal avoid the speeches and postures and long, contemplative talks of home front films like Stop-Loss and In the Valley of Elah by staying in Iraq, and they shun the loopy, loony formal experiments of Brian De Palma's Redacted. Boal and Bigelow stay laser-focused on one group of men with a singular mission, and make us live in the constant possibility of death. Viewed from half a world away, a bomb is a political concern; viewed from less than a foot away, a bomb's just a high-stakes exercise in problem-solving, where making a mistake means a final, terminal education in the physics of expanding gases.

The Hurt Locker follows three soldiers -- bomb tech James (Jeremy Renner) and his subordinates Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Eldrige (Brian Geraghty) into the jaws of death; it's all last names in The Hurt Locker, as seen on patches and heard in urgent radio dispatches. Early on, Bigleow establishes that people will be killed in this film -- with a bravura sequence that depicts a bomb's detonation on the macro and micro level, billowing bursts of smoke and pressure and flame intercut with gravel and dust leaping choreographed in lockstep by the pressure wave, as if God had slammed his fist on reality hard to make a point -- and while Renner, Mackie and Geraghty are fine actors, they're also unknown enough to subconsciously let us know that they aren't safe from what may happen.

Continue reading TIFF Review: The Hurt Locker

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]]>Anthony MackieAnthonyMackieathryn BigelowAthrynBigelowGuy PearceGuyPearceJeremy RennerJeremyRennerMark BoalMarkBoalThe Hurt LockerTheHurtLockerJames RocchiSat, 13 Sep 2008 13:05:00 ESTThe Rocchi Review -- Live from Toronto with David Poland of Movie City Newshttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/12/the-rocchi-review-live-from-toronto-with-david-poland-of-movi/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/12/the-rocchi-review-live-from-toronto-with-david-poland-of-movi/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/12/the-rocchi-review-live-from-toronto-with-david-poland-of-movi/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


It's hard to imagine for the few exhausted stragglers still going from film to film, but the end is in sight for the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival. Joining us this week on The Rocchi Review is critic, journalist, analyst and man-about-town David Poland, best known for his work at Movie City News and The Hot Blog, as well as his "Lunch with David" videocasts. Which films got a boost out of Toronto? What's it like to work at the Festival as a journalist? How crazy is it to feel 'behind' in covering movies that may not open for at least another three months? And what classic graphic novel did David dream of finally seeing adapted for the big screen after catching Waltz with Bashir? We talk about all those topics, Che, Slumdog Millionaire, Rachel Getting Married and much much more this week, all live from the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival. Cinematical's podcast is now available through iTunes; you can subscribe at this link. Also, you can listen directly here at Cinematical by clicking below:



As ever, you can download the entire podcast right here -- and those of you with RSS Podcast readers can find all of Cinematical's podcast content at this link.

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]]>CheDavid PolandDavidPolandRachel Getting MarriedRachelGettingMarriedSlumdog MillionaireSlumdogMillionaireThe WrestlerTheWrestlerTIFF2008James RocchiFri, 12 Sep 2008 21:03:00 ESTWhoa, Whoa ... WHO Struck Roger Ebert?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/12/whoa-whoa-who-struck-roger-ebert/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/12/whoa-whoa-who-struck-roger-ebert/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/12/whoa-whoa-who-struck-roger-ebert/#commentsFiled under: ,

It must be said, right off the bat: We all have bad days, we all behave obnoxiously sometimes, and (once in a while) we all do really stupid things that we regret big-time three seconds later. Having said that, it simply must be asked: Lou Lumenick ... what the &%!#$ing &$)# were you thinking? I hesitate to even write about this story, but since a dozen other movie sites have picked up on it, we'd be a little tacky if we just brushed it under the carpet. Plus, hey, it's interesting.

Anyway, according to various sources, NY Post film critic Lou Lumenick got into a brief altercation with Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert during a press screening at the Toronto Film Festival. More specifically (and allegedly, I suppose I should say), it seems that Lou ignored numerous shoulder taps from Roger, and then -- in a fit of full-bore film critic snittiness -- whirled around and landed a half-solid pop on Ebert's noggin, er, knee. The weapon was some sort of portfolio or rolled-up program.

For his part, Roger Ebert has been (as usual) the epitome of class. At first he tried to keep the situation quiet, but once word got out, he penned this explanation. And since the guy already has a Pultizer, I say he now deserves a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. Because let me tell you right now: If I was struck silent by a throat malady and the PROFESSIONAL FILM WATCHER in front of me refused to turn around and at least acknowledge my simple request, well, then I suspect we'd be reading blog posts about how "Cinematical Film Critic Scott Weinberg Just Wrapped a Fire Hydrant Around the Head of an Unidentifiable Man."

And for HIS part, Lou Lumenick has remained distressingly silent. Whether or not the guy was dead-wrong or drop-dead apologetic, there's no excuse for him not addressing the story by this point. Something along the lines of "Dear sweet lord, was I an asshole the other morning. I'm really, truly sorry" published on the New York Post editorial page should just about do it. Me? I'd have written that email six minutes after the incident occurred. Before sending it to every movie site, blog, and message board in the universe.

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]]>altercationlou lumenickLouLumenickroger ebertRogerEberttoronto film festivalTorontoFilmFestivalScott WeinbergFri, 12 Sep 2008 20:53:00 ESTLive from TIFF: No, Really, I'm On the List...http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/12/live-from-tiff-no-really-im-on-the-list/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/12/live-from-tiff-no-really-im-on-the-list/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/12/live-from-tiff-no-really-im-on-the-list/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Today I leave Toronto to head home to Seattle, leaving James Rocchi behind to see the fest through to its exhausting end. It's been a decent fest overall, not great but good. I saw a several films I enjoyed here, including Burn After Reading, Goodbye Solo, and 35 Rhums, as well as a couple of fun midnight picks with JCVD and Detroit Metal City.

I missed being able to see a lot of films I really wanted to see, due to schedule conflicts and the lack of a cloning machine at our hotel that would allow me to be multiple places at once (or at least, the ability to see far enough into the future to foresee which of two films screening opposite each other will be wretched).

It seems that lots and lots of people who attend this fest (I'm talking normal people, not those of us crazy or masochistic enough to work in any aspect of the film business) want very, very much to attend the big parties, and seem to think if they can't get in, they're missing something fun or perhaps even life-altering. There's always a gaggle of scantily clad girls and hipsters hovering around the entrance of these events, hoping to finagle a way to crash the party.

Continue reading Live from TIFF: No, Really, I'm On the List...

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]]>blindnesshappy-go-luckymike leighMikeLeighpartiessally hawkinstiff2008toronto international film fesivalKim VoynarFri, 12 Sep 2008 17:03:00 ESTTIFF Review: Easy Virtuehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/12/tiff-review-easy-virtue/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/12/tiff-review-easy-virtue/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/12/tiff-review-easy-virtue/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



A highbrow festival like Toronto doesn't offer many opportunities to laugh, and I was grateful for this one. Easy Virtue, an adaptation of an early Noël Coward play, is a droll and witty delight, a superb showcase for its cast, and a return to fine form for The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert director Stephan Elliott, who last turned in the unsettling but incomprehensible Eye of the Beholder nearly 10 years ago. Where most TIFF films seemed to glower at me from the screen, this one winked and smiled.

Noël Coward may seem a strange choice for Elliott, whose films have favored the bizarre and the obscure. I don't know what attracted the filmmaker to this project, but I'm glad that something did. The material may seem almost purely verbal, all clever turns of phrase and sardonic interjections (what Americans think of as "Britishness"), but Elliott is constantly concerned with how the movie looks and sounds. Fittingly, he manages to give it a curious, otherworldly feel. This is most pronounced in the opening sequence, which marries choppy black-and-white footage, odd angles, and a jazzy soundtrack to introduce us to the characters and transport us to a universe that is ever so slightly off-kilter. It's a welcome recognition that these hyper-literate, impeccably constructed old comedies - Coward, Wilde, etc. - don't take place in a world quite like ours.

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]]>ben barnesBenBarnescolin firthColinFirtheasy virtueEasyVirtuejessica bielJessicaBielkatherine parkinsonKatherineParkinsonkimberley nixonKimberleyNixonkris marshallKrisMarshallkristin scott thomasKristinScottThomasnoel cowardNoelCowardstephan elliottStephanElliottEugene NovikovFri, 12 Sep 2008 15:03:00 ESTTIFF Review: Miracle at St. Annahttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/12/tiff-review-miracle-at-st-anna/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/12/tiff-review-miracle-at-st-anna/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/12/tiff-review-miracle-at-st-anna/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



Spike Lee's films have always been fraught with the potential for greatness and disaster, shuddering with a nervy wire-walking energy that makes them superb when they stay on the narrow space between ambition and execution and gives you a long time to watch the fall when they don't. But that, of course, is what makes them worth watching; for but one example, the only thing more shocking than the realization that there was a musical number in Malcolm X was the realization of how superbly it worked; Lee's films are rarely undeniably perfect, but they are always undeniably his.

So it is with Miracle at St. Anna, a bold, sprawling, messy epic of war and faith set behind enemy lines in 1944, as a group of four African-American soldiers are trapped far from their fellow troops in German-occupied Italy. There are moments here where the film does not work, where you can feel the sharp needle of disbelief or dislocation puncture the film mercilessly, and there are other moments that are not only willing but indeed eager to look at big, challenging, relevant issues of race and power, war and justice, faith and failure. These moments -- and there are many of them -- not only speak to Lee's unwavering skill and commitment as a filmmaker, but also to the singular nature of his talent and will. When Miracle at St. Anna falters, it's in the moments that seem like they could have been crafted by any other film maker; when Miracle at St. Anna succeeds, it's in the moments that could only have been crafted by Lee.

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]]>Derek LukeDerekLukeJames McBrideJamesMcbrideLaz AlonzoLazAlonzoMichael EalyMichaelEalyMiracle at St. AnnaMiracleAtSt.AnnaOmar Benson MIllerOmarBensonMillerpierfrancesco favinoPierfrancescoFavinoSpike LeeSpikeLeeValentina CerviValentinaCerviJames RocchiFri, 12 Sep 2008 12:03:00 EST