Oscar Not Reaching Up North
September 4th 2008 03:19
As the Toronto Film Festival waits to open, there is a noticeable lack of Indie firepower in attendance. Gas prices, the writers strike and such have prevented the usually "Best Picture" winners that populate the Festival. Last year four of the five nominees were showed at the Toronto Film Festival, but early favorites like Oliver Stone's "W," Ridley Scott's "Body of Lies" and the epic "Australia" will not be shown.
However, there are a few movies that are creating a buzz and will be worth keeping an eye on when national release dates become available:
"Che"
Steven Soderbergh cast Benicio Del Toro as the Cuban Revolutionary in this four hour long movie. Four hours is a daunting proposition, but Soderbergh has proven he can hit it big and when Del Toro dives into his characters, as he reportedly has here, his work is nothing but engaging. Add that up with the subject matter and the draw that Che was as a person and you have a movie that must be seen. Think of a slightly more commercial "Assassination of Jesse James" (which was ridiculously under-seen).
"Happy-Go-Lucky"
Mike Leigh returns after success with "Vera Drake" and "Secrets and Lies" with this movie about a perpetually optimistic schoolteacher who smiles through the bitter and angry world. Plot summaries sound overly cutesy and optimistic, but early clips show a much less cheeky finished product. The movie doesn't figure to be preachy under Leigh's smart touch and should leave you feeing good after an enjoyable experience.
"The Lucky Ones"
An Iraq movie that may have made the smart choice to wait a year. Rachel McAdams, Michael Pena and Tim Robbins star as three wounded soldiers who return from Iraq and are forced to travel together, taking care of personal conflicts on their respective ways home. Focusing less on the actual war and more on the effects that it can have on soldiers is a smart decision theatrically. The cast can pull off the emotional depths and the country just might be entering the time where empathizing (or sympathizing) will be therapeutic.
"Me and Orson Welles"
While this movie is probably going to get national attention for its attempt to turn Zac Effron from a Disney musical actor into a legitimate silver screen star, its what goes on behind the scenes that is most interesting. The screenplay had a lot to work with considering the enigmatic and powerful persona that Welles was in real life. In addition, Richard Linklater helms the piece and he has proven to be philosophical and creative ("Waking Life") as well as respectable in taking cliche themes and turning them into solid screen efforts ("School of Rock).
"Slumdog Millionaire"
The movie thats getting most of the early buzz. Danny Boyle, the director of "Transspotting" and Simon Beaufoy, the writer of "The Full Monty" takes the reins of this film about an Indian teen orphan who wins the top prize on the Hindi version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. By all accounts it's a charming love story that takes well-known culture elements and blends them into another culture to create a worldly and relevant experience.
However, there are a few movies that are creating a buzz and will be worth keeping an eye on when national release dates become available:
"Che"
Steven Soderbergh cast Benicio Del Toro as the Cuban Revolutionary in this four hour long movie. Four hours is a daunting proposition, but Soderbergh has proven he can hit it big and when Del Toro dives into his characters, as he reportedly has here, his work is nothing but engaging. Add that up with the subject matter and the draw that Che was as a person and you have a movie that must be seen. Think of a slightly more commercial "Assassination of Jesse James" (which was ridiculously under-seen).
"Happy-Go-Lucky"
Mike Leigh returns after success with "Vera Drake" and "Secrets and Lies" with this movie about a perpetually optimistic schoolteacher who smiles through the bitter and angry world. Plot summaries sound overly cutesy and optimistic, but early clips show a much less cheeky finished product. The movie doesn't figure to be preachy under Leigh's smart touch and should leave you feeing good after an enjoyable experience.
"The Lucky Ones"
An Iraq movie that may have made the smart choice to wait a year. Rachel McAdams, Michael Pena and Tim Robbins star as three wounded soldiers who return from Iraq and are forced to travel together, taking care of personal conflicts on their respective ways home. Focusing less on the actual war and more on the effects that it can have on soldiers is a smart decision theatrically. The cast can pull off the emotional depths and the country just might be entering the time where empathizing (or sympathizing) will be therapeutic.
"Me and Orson Welles"
While this movie is probably going to get national attention for its attempt to turn Zac Effron from a Disney musical actor into a legitimate silver screen star, its what goes on behind the scenes that is most interesting. The screenplay had a lot to work with considering the enigmatic and powerful persona that Welles was in real life. In addition, Richard Linklater helms the piece and he has proven to be philosophical and creative ("Waking Life") as well as respectable in taking cliche themes and turning them into solid screen efforts ("School of Rock).
"Slumdog Millionaire"
The movie thats getting most of the early buzz. Danny Boyle, the director of "Transspotting" and Simon Beaufoy, the writer of "The Full Monty" takes the reins of this film about an Indian teen orphan who wins the top prize on the Hindi version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. By all accounts it's a charming love story that takes well-known culture elements and blends them into another culture to create a worldly and relevant experience.
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