Ryan McNeil
The day the Toronto International Film Festival releases its full schedule and film programme tends to fill some festival-goers with a sense of dread. there are so many decisions to make…always complicated by conflicting schedules and logistics…it’s a miracle some people get their orders in at all! Not me though – I’ve got it down to a fine science.
It begins by accepting two simple truths:
- I will not get to see everything I want to see.
- Inevitably, something really good will get past me and I’ll kick myself after the festival ends.
Once those parameters are understood the rest (to quote a fellow blogger) is cream cheese.
Lindsay and I are in a decent position this year. Through circumstances that I won’t bore you with, we know that our order will get processed early. Thus the usual stress of wondering how the order processing lottery will shake down is primarily a non-factor. Nothing’s set in stone though, and because of that I won’t be revealing my full want-list in this post. Yes – I’m just that superstitious.
But to give you an idea of what I have my eye on, here are some of the titles that will make up my slate of 24 when I drop off my envelope this weekend…
THE ARTIST directed by Michel Hazanavicius
A modern silent film that tore the roof off the joint at Cannes. Given my appreciation for Keaton and Chaplin, this one was a gimme.
A DANGEROUS METHOD directed by David Cronenberg
Our episode of The Film Locker this summer dedicated to Cronenberg gave me a deeper appreciation of the man’s work. Take that appreciation, dot it with Cassel, Viggo, and Fassbender and you have the closest thing to a gimme this festival offers.
THE INTRUDERS directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
I have a strange kinship with the cinema of Spain. I don’t always go hunting for it…but if I see a film is from Spain, my curiosity is automatically piqued. Throw in the fact that this is the director who gave us the underrated 28 WEEKS LATER and I’m sold
JEFF WHO LIVES AT HOME directed by the Duplass Brothers
I wasn’t really one for mumblecore before this year, but some solid dvd watching has me diggin’ into the latest offering.
PEARL JAM TWENTY directed by Cameron Crowe
Take a band I love and get a director I love to document them, and I’m there.
THE SKIN I LIVE IN directed by Pedro Almodovar
Another Film Locker subject! Pedro and I go way back, and as it happens I’ve seen three of his last four films at TIFF the year they were released.
SLEEPING BEAUTY directed by Julia Leigh
Of everything I selected, this is the choice that has the biggest potential to backfire. Think happy thoughts, okay?
YOU’RE NEXT directed by Adam Wingard
I usually sit out the Midnight Madness programme, but Twitter isn’t the only thing peer pressure can nudge you into. Wanna bet on whether or not I have nightmares that night?
interesting. wouldnt have guessed youd pick a mumblecore. and sleeping beauty was released here in perth many months ago and i turned my nose up at it. cant say why. why do you feel it might backfire on you?
Given that I enjoyed PLEASE GIVE and CYRUS, I figured I’d give it a go. Trying to branch out a bit.
As for SLEEPING BEAUTY, it seems to be a very divisive film…so I’m either gonna totally fall for it, or totally regret choosing it. But such gambles are half the fun at this sort of thing.
ahh I see. I admit to only hearing good things. But I judge australian cinema much harder than others and mostly assume the worst. I hope you don’t regret it.
I’m really looking forward to the artist—hopefully, it will make it to Seattle (although the director-star’s last film “OSS117: Lost in Rio” didn’t.
I know The Weinsteins have picked it up, so it’s entirely possible that you’ll see it playing out there. It’s even listed in the fall preview issue of EW…so be optimistic!
Looks like a nice collection you’ve got going there, hoping you get everything you want! I’m really looking forward to your Dangerous Method article as the early marketing has really left me torn between those involved and Knightley’s “accent”
Accent Schmaccent – I trust in Cronenberg.
I trust in Kurosawa, doesn’t make Richard Gere playing half japanese any more believable.
Interesting list! I will have to see them in more detail once I look at the big book. If you are dropping off on Saturday I will be there so say hello!
Welcome to the new site! Pretty sure I am dropping off Saturday, so I’ll be on the lookout for ya. Whenever you settle on your selections, be sure to let me know – perhaps we;ll have a screening in common.
Couple of really intriguing ones here – I’m especially interested in A DANGEROUS METHOD (big Cronenberg fan here). Looking forward to reading your coverage.
That was one of my very top picks. TIFF was actually pretty influential in me getting into Cronenberg as I saw my first film of his (SPIDER) there back in 2002.
Oh, ‘You’re Next’ should be amazing. I saw the director’s previous film, ‘ A Horrible Way to Die’ at Fantasia this pas summer and was utterly blown away. I hope you enjoy this new film!
Just turned in my selections…so here’s hoping my ticket request for that film comes through!
On the LAMBcast we discussed what 5 films we were looking forward to … “The Artist” was near the top of that list.
Have fun Ryan. Don’t overwork yourself, embrace the festival. Looking forward to your coverage.
Most of my days don’t start that early (as opposed to years past). That will go a long way
The Artist is on my list of picks as well.
I saw Cyrus the night before submitting my selections and was not a huge fan of it. As a result, I did not bother with Jeff Who Lives at Home.
Yeah, mumblecore is pretty damned niche. You probably dodged a bullet. Coming to the bar next week?
So exciting!