By Fraser Robinson
The following reviews are from just a few of the films that have been screened at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival which started on Thursday, Sept. 7 and runs until the 16th. Some of these films are going to be released in a matter of weeks while others may never be seen on any screen at all. Regardless, the festival allows the viewer exposure to all types and genres of cinema from many different countries. 1995 is the 100th anniversary of cinema and the 20th anniversary of the festival and to celebrate, the festival has prepared a program of over 300 films to choose from.
DOOM GENERATION
Director: Gregg Araki
Araki misses the mark again in the over-the-top road movie that can only be described as completely inane. Sexually disturbing and stupidly violent, it goes nowhere, leaving viewers confused and let down, considering the power and passion of his first feature, “The Living End.” Cameos include Parker Posey, Heidi Fleiss and Lollapalooza guru Perry Farrell (according to Araki, he and Perry have the same dealer).
LE CONFESSIONEL
Director: Robert Lepage
Slated as the Festival’s opening night gala presentation, this was a terrific and powerful piece of work from theatre director and occasional actor Robert Lepage. Set around Quebec City in 1952 and 1989, it’s the story of one man’s investigations into his family’s illicit past. Major influences from Denys Arcand, Jean Paul Lauzon and Atom Egoyan are visible here, but Lepage leaves his mark as the new face of watch in Canadian cinema.
THINGS TO DO IN DENVER WHEN YOU’RE DEAD
Director: Gary Fleder
Inexplicably lauded at the Sundance Film Festival, this film is an obvious attempt to cash in on the current independent film craze. Featuring a host of wasted talent, including Andy Garcia and Christopher Walken, it is a rather soulless and ambiguous take on criminals on the run from other criminals in Denver. The only standouts in this mess are Treat Williams and Steve Buscemi, but they can’t save this film from the fact that it needs to be avoided at all costs.
UNSTRUNG HEROES
Director: Diane Keaton
Diane Keaton does a wonderful job in this, her first feature narrative film. This is a moving story of a young boy who escaped the harsh realities of a dying mother (Andie McDowell) and a strict, loveless father (John Turturro) to live with his two slightly bizarre uncles. Uncle Arther (Maury Chaykin) is a collector of everyday stuff that most people will discard, and Uncle Danny (Michael Richards) is a conspiracy theorist who knows that THEY are out to get him, whoever THEY are. The film is well-scripted and shot with a fine eye for detail. Unstrung Heroes is also marked by three surprises – a good child actor, a good performance from Andie McDowell, and solid proof that Michael Richards can actually do something other than the tired old Kramer routine from Seinfeld.
THE MICHELLE APARTMENTS
Director: John Pozer
Pushed to the press as a “hellish vision” this film is hellish to watch. It’s silly, boring and ‘borrows’ material from a number of sources including Blue Velvet and the television series Picket Fences. It’s the story of an auditor who is forced to live in a wacky town while he audits the local wacky chemical company and it’s painful to watch Henry Czerny, a talented actor, grind his way through the plodding script.
THE GROTESQUE
Director: John Paul Davidson
Wow! This film is a brilliant piece of dark humour about a dreary mansion in postwar England and the family that lives there. Their lives are turned upside-down by the arrival of a new, scheming butler. Sting (the musician, not the wrestler) does a wonderful job as the butler, who makes it his business to lead the Coal family straight to hell. Sting claims that bad guys are all he can play, in which case he’s correct because he plays them so darned well. Produced by wife Trudie Styler (who also has a part in the film), it gets into everything from murder to homosexuality to strange reptiles. Kudos to first-time director Davidson, who claims to have made this film “for fun”.
SCREAMERS
Director: Christian Duguay
As much as we all want it to happen, we’ll probably never see a “we’re-lost-in-space-and-being-chased-by-horrid-creatures-that-are-killing-us-off-one-by-one” movie that will match the power of Alien and Aliens.
This time Peter Weller takes the lead in this story of a planet of miner/soldiers who are beset upon by killer robots who stalk their prey by sneaking under the earth like Bugs Bunny. It loses steam fast and stops making sense after a while. To the filmaker’s credit though, the special effects aren’t half bad and the film does keep you on the edge of your seat at times.
TO DIE FOR
Director: Gus Van Sant
Films about how television warps our minds have become a cliché these days. It’s unfortunate this film was made now, instead of two or three years ago, because it would have had a much larger impact than it does. It’s still definitely worth seeing, though. It stars Nicole Kidman as a T.V. Journalist wannabe who plans to fast track out of her shithole New Hampshire town and weathergirl job. Her big league hopes are jeopardised by her husband’s (Matt Dillon) desire to settle down and raise a family. With the help of some screwed-up redneck teens she attempts to arrange a permanent separation between her and her beloved. Well written, directed and acted, the story is told mainly through interviews with the characters. Van Sant pulls this one off with much more class than his last film, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues.
For ticket information to the Festival call 968-FILM.
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