Toronto Film Festival Review
September 16th 2008 15:48
A few weeks ago I posted a preview of some of the films that were drawing the most early interest at this years Toronto Film Festival. As the smoke cleared, a few underdog movies have emerged, hoping for Juno type success upon release.
Early critical favorite Slumdog Millionaire proved to be an audience pleaser as well, winning the People's Choice Award at the Festival. The award has been known to be a big Oscar-boost, which helped previous winners such as American Beauty, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Whale Rider land in the public view. Director Danny Boyle has had previous success with Trainspotting and 28 Days Later, so his name attached to the movie could be a draw for the mainstream audience. The film's test may be the 15% of the dialogue that appears in Hindi with English subtitles. Subtitled films are historically harder to attract a mainstream audience to, but with a hopeful teen love story, Slumdog has a chance to make waves when it is released on November 28th.
The other movie that has people talking is Director Darren Aronofsky's new film, The Wrestler, starring Mickey Rourke in what many people are saying could be an Oscar-winning turn. Rourke plays a down on his luck, steroid abusing ex-wrestler hoping for one more shot in the ring. It seems like an interesting concept for the director of Requiem for a Dream, Pi and The Fountain, but its the character-aspect of the story that really drives the film. Rourke, who was a professional boxer and a famous Hollywood casualty story, seems the perfect fit for the role. After winning the top prize at the Venice festival and finally landing a studio for release (December), The Wrestler seems to be picking up a head of steam just in time.
Mickey Rourke isn't the only one above the border maybe some Oscar noise, Anne Hathaway's turn in Rachel Getting Married is creating a stir as well. Hathaway is on the verge of becoming a major star after turns in Devil Wears Prada and Get Smart, but she has never been launched so directly into the Oscar conversation.
While none of the other movies have garnered serious Oscar consideration, a few of the small films at the festival have been met with applause. Bill Maher's Religulous see's him traveling to various religious shrines and conversing with everyday people and religious figures alike using his usual shtick. JCVD gives us the return of Jean Claude Van Damme, in a hostage film (in French) in which Van Damme pokes fun at his own persona. $5 for a Day is also making some noise, with leads Christopher Walken and Alessandro Nivola on a father-son road trip intended to patch up their relationship. And the signature Iraq movie could be The Hurt Locker, which stars Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie as an American bomb-defusing team.
Just a few to keep an eye on.
Early critical favorite Slumdog Millionaire proved to be an audience pleaser as well, winning the People's Choice Award at the Festival. The award has been known to be a big Oscar-boost, which helped previous winners such as American Beauty, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Whale Rider land in the public view. Director Danny Boyle has had previous success with Trainspotting and 28 Days Later, so his name attached to the movie could be a draw for the mainstream audience. The film's test may be the 15% of the dialogue that appears in Hindi with English subtitles. Subtitled films are historically harder to attract a mainstream audience to, but with a hopeful teen love story, Slumdog has a chance to make waves when it is released on November 28th.
The other movie that has people talking is Director Darren Aronofsky's new film, The Wrestler, starring Mickey Rourke in what many people are saying could be an Oscar-winning turn. Rourke plays a down on his luck, steroid abusing ex-wrestler hoping for one more shot in the ring. It seems like an interesting concept for the director of Requiem for a Dream, Pi and The Fountain, but its the character-aspect of the story that really drives the film. Rourke, who was a professional boxer and a famous Hollywood casualty story, seems the perfect fit for the role. After winning the top prize at the Venice festival and finally landing a studio for release (December), The Wrestler seems to be picking up a head of steam just in time.
Mickey Rourke isn't the only one above the border maybe some Oscar noise, Anne Hathaway's turn in Rachel Getting Married is creating a stir as well. Hathaway is on the verge of becoming a major star after turns in Devil Wears Prada and Get Smart, but she has never been launched so directly into the Oscar conversation.
While none of the other movies have garnered serious Oscar consideration, a few of the small films at the festival have been met with applause. Bill Maher's Religulous see's him traveling to various religious shrines and conversing with everyday people and religious figures alike using his usual shtick. JCVD gives us the return of Jean Claude Van Damme, in a hostage film (in French) in which Van Damme pokes fun at his own persona. $5 for a Day is also making some noise, with leads Christopher Walken and Alessandro Nivola on a father-son road trip intended to patch up their relationship. And the signature Iraq movie could be The Hurt Locker, which stars Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie as an American bomb-defusing team.
Just a few to keep an eye on.
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