Toronto Film Festival

'Eastern Promises,' 'Juno' win Toronto's top prizes

"Eastern Promises," an international thriller directed by David Cronenberg, won the Toronto International Film Festival's top prize on Saturday.

The festival's Cadillac People's Choice Award, voted by moviegoers, gave the hometown nod to fellow Canadian Cronenberg. The film stars Viggo Mortensen as a Russian mobster who tangles with a midwife, played by Naomi Watts.

Director Jason Reitman's "Juno," a festival darling about a pregnant teen, was the People's Choice first runner-up.

More here.

'Mister Lonely' and 'Diary of the Dead' -- sly surprises

The festival has brought two big surprises (to me at least) in "Mister Lonely," the unexpectedly moving and heartfelt return of onetime bad-boy director Harmony Korine (pictured, left), and "George A. Romero's Diary of the Dead," a smart, sharp and up-to-the-minute entry in the horror maestro's signature franchise.

Both are filmmakers about whom I have decidedly mixed feelings, so it was a relief to find myself swept up into their latest works.

Especially as the festival heads into its last few days, and one is prone to hit the wall, as it were, it is reassuring (and vital) that the films themselves make it all seem worthwhile. 

The most immediate thing about "Mister Lonely" is how formally conventional it is in relation to Korine's previous directing efforts, "Julien Donkey-Boy" and "Gummo," both of which exhibited a severe art-damaged sensibility.

"Mister Lonely" is downright elegant by comparison, and, working with cinematographer Marcel Zyskind, Korine creates a number of images that are breathtaking in their beauty.

'I'm Not There' digs deep

Do not attempt to operate heavy machinery directly after seeing "I'm Not There."

A head-spinning take on the many personas presented by the work of Bob Dylan, the latest film from director Todd Haynes is a dense, dizzying, multifaceted way of approaching the life and meaning of an artist, and pretty great whether you're a dedicated Dylanologist or not.

While his glam-rock gloss "Velvet Goldmine" was undone by a heavy-handed conceptual nod to "Citizen Kane," here Haynes is able to (almost) always keep all the plates spinning. At first, as scenes shift from one actor to another portraying Dylan in his various guises, it seems perhaps a little too on-the-nose. (A little too "Across the Universe" might be more like it, but that's another story.)

Slowly -- especially as it crosses between the domestic dramas of Heath Ledger (think "Blood on the Tracks"), the speed-freak op-art hep-cat jive of Cate Blanchett (shades of "Blonde on Blonde" and the film "Don't Look Back") and Richard Gere's outlaw in exile (a la "The Basement Tapes" and Sam Peckinpah's "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid," for which Dylan did the music and appeared as a character notably named Alias) -- the film accumulates a strange, galloping momentum, moving faster and faster and drawing the audience along.

And that's leaving out the rambling troubadour and the born-again preacher.

Believe the Blanchett hype on 'I'm Not There'

Woody Allen's "Cassandra's Dream" is clearly one of the worst films the auteur has made in years.

The dialog is atrocious. Scene after scene feels like a bad "Saturday Night Live" skit. Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor must have been wondering what they were getting into after signing on to this one. 

Luckily for the fortunes of the Weinstein Co., they screened a much better movie immediately after: Todd Haynes' "I'm Not There."

In this accomplished and fascinating look at the life of Bob Dylan -- as played by six different actors, including Christian Bale, Richard Gere, Cate Blanchett and Heath Ledger -- the best "Dylans," by far, are the two Aussies.

'Boy' buzz and the Wright man for 'Atonement'

While the upcoming December releases "The Orphanage," "Juno" and "Atonement" have been the recipients of good buzz as the festival has progressed, another film is starting to generate strong word of mouth.

Coming in completely under the radar, "Boy A" is the sort of startling independent surprise you would more likely discover more at Sundance than Toronto. 

Quickly picked up by the Weinstein Co., "Boy" follows a 24-year-old British man (a fantastic Andrew Garfield) who has just been released from prison after being convicted as a child, along with his best friend, of the brutal murder of a young girl.

Because of his tabloid notoriety, the government assists him in creating a new identity when he's released, but the shy and self-conscious new "Jack" struggles to adjust to his adopted identity. 

American ethnographies: 'Chop Shop,' 'Margot at the Wedding'

It is sort of astounding to think that two films as diverse as "Chop Shop" and "Margot at the Wedding" might somehow fall under the same rubric of "American Independent Filmmaking," and yet for most people (and at most cinemas), they likely do. Each is, in its own way, singular, a unique example of the writer-directors behind them.

"Margot at the Wedding" is the latest effort from Noah Baumbach (pictured right), who seems determined to chronicle with microscopic precision the peccadilloes of American intelligentsia, the literary set.

"Chop Shop" comes from director Ramin Bahrini, who co-wrote the screenplay with Bahareh Azimi. Bahrini's previous film, "Man Push Cart," chronicled an immigrant in New York City who operated a coffee cart and "Chop Shop," about a boy scrambling to survive amid the auto shops of Queens, continues in the same vein of telling stories rarely seen on screen.

TIFF Q&A: Cristian Mungiu, Palme d'Or winning director

When his film "4 Months, 3 weeks and 2 days" won the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival, Cristian Mungiu went from being a relatively unknown Romanian filmmaker to a major name on the international arthouse film scene.

Set in 1987, the film follows closely along as one woman frantically tries to help her friend procure an illegal abortion. Made up mostly of very long single takes, the film is an exceptional achievement of conception, acting and execution, with an emotional acuity and perceptiveness that reel the viewer in.

Next week Mungiu will on his own undertake a commercial distribution of "4 Months" in Romania. He is releasing the film there on eight prints, which for a country that he says has only 35 cinemas is on par with a Hollywood blockbuster release.

Having chatted with Mungiu briefly at a dinner party thrown by his American distributor, IFC First Take, I sat down with him for a slightly longer talk a day or two later about what it is like to suddenly be a star of the festival circuit.

'Cleaner' and 'Girl in the Park' define festival's acquisition frustration

Want to know why Hollywood acquisition execs have been shrugging their shoulders and grumbling whenever they are quizzed about the quality of available films at this year's fest? 

Today provided two textbook examples: "Cleaner," starring Samuel L. Jackson, and "The Girl in the Park," headlined by Sigourney Weaver.

It's not a reach to describe the introductory 15 minutes of "Cleaner" as the most intriguing piece of cinema Renny Harlin has ever directed (although fans of "The Long Kiss Goodnight" may disagree).

However, the promise of the film's initial premise -- a former cop (Jackson) becomes a specialist in picking up after the deceased are carted away -- dissipates as the plot contrives into a stylishly shot conventional whodunit, in which the primary suspect is easily deduced before the character's second scene.

Harlin tries to bring an unconventional take to the material, but as the movie progresses he sadly returns to his now-cliche mid-'90s action techniques.

Even with commercial prospects including Eva Mendes and Ed Harris in tow alongside Jackson, this one might end up in the direct-to-DVD bin.

The Inter-Con: Bold-faced names mill around in the lobby

The Intercontinental Hotel on Toronto is always a bit of a funny scene during the annual film festival.

There are frequently at least a couple of dozen people, random civilians, waiting around out front for a glimpse of a celebrity, any celebrity, coming or going.

Numerous distributors and independent publicity firms use the hotel as a stomping/staging ground.The bar and patio -- just take a left after you enter -- become something of a celebrity day camp. Walking through can be a disorienting experience, as it actually can be difficult to find the person you are there to interview amid the sea of notable faces.

'Atonement' soars, 'Elizabeth' not so golden

Sunday was a significant day at the Toronto Film Festival as two prominent contenders in the 2007 Oscar race were shown to a majority of press for the first time.

One quick anecdote to put it all in perspective: A good friend was lucky enough to see Joe Wright's "Atonement" more than a month ago (when no one else had), and though he is not one to prognosticate, the first thing he said when we discussed it was a point blank,"It's going to get nominated for best picture." 

Boy, was he right. After "Juno," "Atonement" is only the second press screening to get applause here in Toronto. It is a wonderfully directed, expertly performed, heartbreaking jewel of a movie. And though it is way too early to crown it the front-runner, you can certainly put your money on it being one of the five finalists for February. 

The Focus Features release should also garner numerous nods, including acting for stars James McAvoy and Keira Knightley (possibly Vanessa Redgrave as well), Seamus McGarvey's cinematography, Dario Marianelli's haunting score, Paul Tothill's fine editing, Sarah Greenwood's impressive production design (a particular war scene might garner her the award on its own), Christopher Hampton in the adapted screenplay category and, most certainly, Joe Wright for best director. 

Now Focus just has to worry about the hype meter on a movie that doesn't open, in limited release mind you, until December.

"Religulous": Reel and chat with Bill Maher, Larry Charles

Bill Maher and Larry Charles hit the Ryerson Theater at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday afternoon to present a few minutes of their upcoming film “Religulous.”

Maher sized up the festival crowd, noting: "We have a sympathetic, liberal Canadian audience."

That certainly seemed the case from the way the crowd responded to Maher's comments about Iraq, his jokes about President Bush and the pair’s urging for a "rationalist" response to religious fundamentalism.

The event opened with something like an extended trailer, which moderator Thom Powers referred to as a "sizzle reel."

The first footage shown from the film was, not surprisingly, quite funny.

It is a marriage of Maher’s views on religion, expressed often on his HBO show "Real Time With Bill Maher," and the run-and-gun guerrilla shooting style of the Charles-directed "Borat."

TIFF Q&A: 'Juno' screenwriter Diablo Cody

Diablo Cody... It sounds like a '70s-era TV bounty hunter, or perhaps a discontinued brand of bubblegum, packaged like a packet of chaw. (And, no, it’s not her real name. Her first name is actually Brooke.)

Regardless, the former Midwestern pole dancer's pseudonym has certainly been a name on many people’s lips since “Juno” first screened at Telluride last weekend. Sure enough, the buzz has tailed her to the 32nd Annual Toronto International Film Festival, where her first screenplay-turned-film screened Saturday.

Cody has been making the festival rounds with "Juno" director Jason Reitman and actors Ellen Page and Michael Cera. But before her turns on film festival red carpet, she was previously known as the author of “Candy Girl,” a memoir of her adventures as a stripper in Minneapolis.

As far as first impressions go, Cody's a lot like the cool neighbor-girl, if one’s neighbor has a popular blog and a book deal and has already appeared on Letterman to promote a bestselling book. I caught a few moments with her here in Toronto to find out what it’s like being the flavor of the moment.

Pitt 'surprised' by Venice acting win for 'Jesse James'

Not only did the Venice Film Festival honors pump new life into the award-season campaign for Ang Lee's "Lust, Caution" (which was battling negative buzz after reviews by the town trades), but it has also drawn attention to best actor winner Brad Pitt and his fantastic performance as mythical outlaw Jesse James in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford." 

Coincidentally, within a few hours of the announcement, Pitt was on stage with costar Casey Affleck, director Andrew Dominik and producers Jules Daley and Dede Gardner for the movie's official Toronto Film Festival press conference.

"I was really surprised and remain surprised. I just didn’t expect it. This has been a long road this film and it has been an honor for us," Pitt said of the award. "The nicest thing of it all is how excited my friends are for me, including these guys here. And to be a part of the lineage of people who have also [been] bestowed this honor."

Holbrook and Hirsch drive 'Into the Wild'

Here's the deal: some people are going to love "Into The Wild," but many, like myself, are just not going to understand what all the fuss is about.

Based on the true story of Christopher McCandless, which was chronicled in the 1996 novel by Jon Krakauer, "Wild" features a gutsy performance by Emile Hirsch (pictured, left) as a college graduate who abandons his material possessions and begins a dangerous two-year journey to Alaska.

It may have been incredibly compelling on the page, but you wonder why director Sean Penn (above) didn't cut 15-30 minutes out of the picture to make it as successful on screen. The movie is almost two and a half hours long and, unfortunately, it feels it.  And that's always a concern for any film's Award Season aspirations...

Lars Von Trier's latest: Right where it belongs

Let's be honest, there are simply some films that just sort of belong in film festivals.

As in, I for one would probably never pay to see them, go to see them, or otherwise acknowledge their existence outside the relatively rarified confines of a film festival. Case in point: "The Early Years: Eric Nietzsche Part 1."

Written by Lars Von Trier, under the pseudonym Eric Nietzsche, and directed by Jacob Thuesen, the film is a thinly veiled, fictionalized account of Von Trier's own experiences in the state-run Danish film school.
Or perhaps, more accurately put, it is a fictionalized version of his memories of his emotional development while enrolled in the state-run Danish Film School.

Young Eric begins school wanting only to make a film about trees. By the end he has learned to manipulate, undermine, blackmail and generally wheedle his way to getting what he wants. In other words, he has learned how films are made.

Where the magic happens: 'Juno,' Cat Power and a cabbie

Some days at a festival, you wait for the magic, and it never happens.

Movie after movie fails to spark, and the whole thing begins to feel like some weird death march. So went my Friday here in Toronto. Nothing really seemed to click, and after a while, you can feel the gears grinding from trying to force it.

I am a simple person, basically, who asks only to have his brain thoroughly scrambled by the intoxicating force he hopes for each and every time the lights go down on a screening...

Quick Hits: 'Juno' charms, 'My Enemy's Enemy' chronicles Barbie

As Envelope columnist Tom O'Neil so deftly noted earlier today, Jason Reitman's "Juno" was the first film to receive significant applause during any of the press and industry screenings so far.

The Fox Searchlight December release is a solid triple for Reitman, whose directorial vision takes a nice step forward after "Thank You For Smoking" which was a nice indie hit, but amazingly overrated.

The comedy (it's hard to peg it as a dramedy) finds "Hard Candy's" Ellen Page playing a 16-year-old high school student whose first sexual experience with a doting, nerdy track star, played by Michael Cera (pictured, left) (subtly out of "Superbad" mode), gets her pregnant.

Before you can begin worrying that "Juno" is going to turn into just another one of those unwed teenage mother movies, first-time screenwriter, author and former stripper Diablo Cody (pictured)...

'No Country' lives up to the hype

The reviews were stellar out of Cannes last May, but after attending the press screening for "No Country For Old Men" this afternoon, it's clear the buzz was legit.

Not only should the film receive fantastic reviews before its November 21 release, but with no disrespect to the cult lovers of "The Big Lewbowski," this is the Cohen's most entertaining and crowd-pleasing picture since "Fargo." 

Toronto should solidify it's standing as an Awards Season player in numerous categories including Best Supporting Actor (it would be a shock if Javier Bardem wasn't nominated for Oscar), Best Adapted Screenplay (ditto) and Best Cinematography (unless Roger Deakins sneaks in for the also excellent "Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford").

The movie also features a great turn by Josh Brolin, in what is being categorized as a leading role, but it's hard to imagine the HFPA or the Academy nominating him (although this is the sort of breakthrough role for a industry veteran SAG loves to reward ). It's also possible that Tommy Lee Jones (finally breaking free of his repetitive shtick) could get some love in the Best Supporting, but with the acting awards so competitive this year it will be tough campaign for Miramax to pull off...

I got your theme right here: Wayward musicals

Building up to the festival, much was made of the “political” bent of many of this year’s selections.

After one day of movie-going another theme has popped out at me –- the Wayward Musical.

The first film I saw, Christophe Honore’s “Love Songs,” features extremely attractive French actors bursting into song as the dramatic action unfolds -- think of it as a light musical comedy about death and grieving.

The next film I saw, “Ex Drummer,” is about a group of wayward Belgians who form a band, cranking out a spasmodic version of Devo’s “Mongoloid.” You can see where this is going…

Two films about Joy Division and the suicide of their lead singer Ian Curtis, “Control” and “Joy Division,” one fiction and one documentary, are playing the festival.

Todd Haynes’ “I’m Not There” traces the dramatic arc of the evolving personas of Bob Dylan. The documentary “Heavy Metal in Baghdad” is about just that.

Even buzz item “Juno” ends (and this isn’t particularly spoilerish) with characters expressing their emotional bond through song. What this means, the return of the musical in the age of iPod, will require a little more heavy lifting that I can do at the moment, but it is something to keep an eye out for, and it will be interesting to see how this latent theme either develops or dissipates as the festival grinds on.

-- Mark Olsen

Photo: Cate Blanchett (Jude) and David Cross (Allen Ginsberg) star in Todd Haynes' movie "I'm Not There." / The Weinstein Co.

Moore goes on the campaign trail in "Captain Mike"

The sparse showing for the first press screening of Michael Moore's new documentary "Captain Mike Across America" was certainly surprising, but Ang Lee's "Lust, Caution" (scheduled at the same time) was just too tempting for journalists wanting to discover whether the disappointing Venice reviews were legit or not (and it appears they were not).  Moore fatigue may have also set in after this past summer's mammoth "Sicko" campaign and perhaps general confusion on what exactly "Captain Mike" is all about.  Unfortunately, that's not an easy answer.

Toronto begins...and so does awards season speculation

I'll admit it. I'm one of the rare birds who actually prefers Sundance to Toronto (let alone Cannes), so keep that in mind over the next week or so if my personal enthusiasm doesn't reach the heights of my colleagues.

It doesn't help that many of these posts will no doubt be influenced by the unusually warm and sticky September weather a Southern Californian never expects in Toronto or the yearly realization that the "friendly" Canadian city is really Vancouver.  Plus, many of the best Hollywood movies have already screened back in Los Angeles.

"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" is a stunning work of art that will begin an Awards Season journey that will either end or begin with December Critics groups.

"Michael Clayton" features a fine performance by star George Clooney and a strong turn by Tilda Swinton, but it probably won't be racing by November. Paul Haggis" "In The Valley of Elah" isn't "Crash," but in the long run that can only be a good thing as the longtime screenwriter is actually learning how to direct. 

As for the movies that haven't been seen, Toronto is always important because it traditionally narrows the overall Awards Season field.

Films looking for buzz include Todd Haynes' "I'm Not There" (does Blanchett have a legit shot at a supporting nomination playing one of six Bob Dylans?), Skekhar Kapur's "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" (is it a player behind the acting and technical categories?), Joe Wright's "Atonement" (can it live up to the hype?). -- Gregory Ellwood

Photo credits: (Top left) Brad Pitt in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford," courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. (Right) Tom Wilkinson, George Clooney in "Michael Clayton," AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures, Myles Aronowitz.