Although I could have started earlier, since several movies were playing in the 9am-11am timeslot, I decided to try to setup the format of the blog, and take the 10:28 GO train into the city.
1. The Conspirator 12-2:02pm - USA, Robert Redford (Pg 57) PG Gala - Ryerson - 5/5
This was the first movie of the day. The queue was way around the block and I got there by about 11:30, so I decided to wait until all the people had cleared instead of walking half way around the block and then back again. The Ryerson Theater is very large, and they get people in there pretty quickly. The movie was excellent (rating 5/5). It is a true story about a woman on trial for being involved in the plot to kill Abraham Lincoln. They showed Abe Lincoln die, and then how he was put on a train between Washington and Chicago(?) The men involved were mostly caught, and also on trial. These men stayed at a boarding house that was run by the woman on trial. The story revolves around the trial and the lawyer that tries to get her a trial. Supposedly 1 year later they passed laws so that the government could not superimpose its opinion on top of the constitution. Her son, who was more involved than she was was found 18 months later, and ended up not dying. 4 people were hanged publicly including this woman. It was an excellent movie and definitely recommended. Redford did not appear pre or post the show -- many were hoping he may, so there was no talk pre or post about the film. The day before I believe he did show up at a screening of this movie.
2. Life, Above All - 3pm-4:46pm, RSA/GER, O Schmitz (Pg 352) PG CWC - 5/5!!
Walked up to the Varsity Theatres from the Ryerson Theater - 20 minutes - in nice weather. This movie was excellent. The plot revolves around kids in South Africa that are orphaned because their parents get sick of AIDS and die, and how the community initially ousted this family - and then took them back in towards the end. The acting and cinematogrophy in this one was well done. The kids speak in their own African language, and none were actors to begin with. The book about this - "Chandra's xxx" was written by a Canadian, it was produced by a German person. The director and producer showed up for a Q&A afterwards, and they talked about the staggering number of people infected by AIDS in Africa, and how the nation is try to overcome the number of children orphaned as a result. In this movie the father/step-father is a drunk, and he ends up down a shaft dead. Initially the baby Sarah dies, of some illness, and it shows the star a 12 year old girl going to the funteral house to buy a casket ... something that a 12 year old would never do here. The mother is distraught, distant, and also gets sick in the film. The 12 year olds closest friend Esther ends up an orphan, and tries to make money prostituting herself with the truck drivers. At one point she gets beat up to an inch within her life, and Chandra helps her, but not without negative reprocussions from the community. This film by far was probably one of my most renowned not blockbuster American type films that was thought provoking, and I would highly recommend it.
3. Beautiful Boy - 630pm-8:10pm - USA, S. Ku (Pg 211) 14A Discovery - Isabel Bader Theatre (5/5)
This was the first film for which I did the RUSH line - and fortunately for me I made it in. While waiting for the film to start the director, screen play writer, and many of the actor's/actresses showed up there. They stand in front of the theater - near to where the RUSH line is. This was also the first time I saw a lot of the people showing up for their screening outside. This was the first time in this particular theater also. Standing behind us in line were a couple of women that knew the screen play writer. He got one ticket which he gave his friend from California, so they too were in the RUSH line. The lady in front of me in line was a volunteer that had worked in the morning and took her voucher to see this film (for every 5 hours they work they get 1 free voucher). She was from Peterborough and comes in for 5 days, works, star-gazes, and stays at a bed & breakfast. She previously came in with a friend -- and said she probably drove her nuts, so now she just comes in on her own. Another lady in line had a card hanging around her neck. She was deemed P&I - press & industry. She worked in Canadian film - so she gets to see the shows for free - however, she must still line up and wait like everyone else -- so that if the theater gets full she can't get in just like everyone else. This film was great!!! Its about a couple with one son. Their lives are a bit estranged. They live in the same house but in different rooms, and initially it talks about the husband wanting to get his own apartment where to live. Their son just went to university, and they are not aware that he is having issues. He was always shy. They talk to him the evening before, and he seemed quiet - although when they show him he is obviously upset. The following morning their son kills 17 people at school - without a real reason "why". The film is from the viewpoint of the parents and what they go through afterwards. It does not try to place blame on the child, the parents, a particular event -- it just tries to show that everyone is human doing the best that they can. There was a Q&A afterwards, where the director, producer and actors were on stage (the guy that played Tony Blair was there and, the actress that plays the mother was also there ... and both were very good both in the film and in the Q&A session). "Tony Blair" - Michael ? earlier on in the evening did pose for many photos and gave people autographs. He was a funny character for the Q&A session as well. A highly recommended movie that makes one think twice about laying blame on the parents for the events that unfolded with their son.
4. Our Day Will Come - 9pm-10:28pm - FRA, R. Gavras (Pg 247) 14A VAN - Varsity 8 (1/5)
This movie started late (thank goodness), because movie 3 started late, and the Q&A took us until about 8:45, so I was not sure I could run back to Varsity quick enough to catch this show. The line up was out in the street - so not to worry! since they had not yet started moving the line up. There were 2 girls and a guy in front of me in the lineup that were seeing the film. They were going to York, and were exchange students from Denmark. They had been invited to the post-party for this film. They were tall, blond, and very Danish looking! The film started at about 9:20am, and the director and 2 of the actors were there. We were warned ahead of time by the guy introducing the film that this would be a "What the heck was this film about" type film. The director had done music videos before but this was his first feature film. His claim to fame was the MIA video he had shot. He also does commercials. This story is about redheads, and how they sometimes don't fit into society or are looked at differently. It was the most bizarre film, and probably the only film I have seen so far that I truly did not like!!! It was bizarre, the guys shave their heads, try to go to Ireland, have some weird scenes involving speeding through aisles in what looks like a Walmart on a moped. Very strange. One of them buys a cross gun ... Well ... it was just a totally weird movie ... is all I can say. There was a Q&A afterwards and someone asked "what was the message of the movie". One of the actors responded "Whatever you want it to be"! The director answers "Confusion". Yes - it was truly confusing ... in my opinion. There was no point, there was no story - you don't know why or how he meets the guy he is with and why they end up with a connection. There are overtones of the one guy being gay, but then he talks of his online girlfriend "Gaelle" who turns out to be a WoW (world of warcraft) online buddy - that is a guy that plays in a roomful of computers and he has body piercings,... Need I go on??? The movie ran late, and I got out of there at about 11:15pm.
I took the subway down from Varsity to catch the 11:43pm train back to Oakville. On the train I talked to a couple that were from the UK, that had been living here for a couple of years. They had seen West is West and loved it. They also saw Africa United and they said that was a good story with a happy feel to it. I will have to watch for those 2 to see if I can squeeze them in.
Got home and crashed right away. This was the first time I got home and my mom had not woken up, after I got home.
All in all I saw 3 movies that I gave 5/5 stars on. Then there was the dud with 1/1 stars!!! It was an overall good day - with no rain, and not too cold, not too hot temperatures.
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