Dardenne

TIFF 2016 – Day #8

September 17, 2016 By Jonathan McNeal

Hello Loyal TIFF Followers,

Unfortunately, MostMetro has been experiencing quite a bit of trouble with their website…and that’s why you haven’t heard from me for a couple days. They’re working hard to iron out all the kinks, and I appreciate you coming back for more (some of you with multiple attempts).

My first film on Thursday was John Butler’s HANDSOME DEVIL. Though a little light, there’s certainly an audience for this crowd-pleasing film about an outcast with bright red hair at a boarding school in Ireland. The unlikely friendship he strikes up with his handsome roommate has them eventually entered in a talent night where they’ll sing and play guitar together…and it’s really charming. However, the focus at this school is rugby, and the behaviors of the new guy don’t fit in with the agenda of his rugby coach. DEAD POETS’ SOCIETY meets SCHOOL TIES meets SING STREET. If it doesn’t get released sooner, you can certainly look for this film at next year’s PRIDE screening in June. There is no trailer for this film, so you only get a still at this time.

Next up was THE UNKOWN GIRL – a film by the Dardenne Brothers (KID WITH A BIKE, TWO DAYS ONE NIGHT). The Dardennes are known for this social-realist style of filmmaking. Always commenting on class as well as economic and social justice, this film still fills that role…but goes in a bit of different direction. This is the story of a doctor who doesn’t answer the buzzer at her office door. It’s after hours, and she figures a person would buzz multiple times if it was an emergency. The next day, she finds out that the girl who buzzed has been found dead across the street…she was a prostitute who buzzed the door in a panic – looking for help. Driven by guilt, the doctor begins her own investigation to find the name of the unknown girl. Without any scoring to trigger emotions, this mystery feels all the more real. Though not embraced by critics like their previous two films, I found it very satisfying.

SOUVENIR, starring Isabelle Huppert and directed by Babo Defurne, this is the story of a woman who works in a pate factory. She used to be a famous singer, but her star faded early after coming in 2nd place during a televised European singing contest (ABBA took home first place that year). The opening titles for the film are beautiful bubbles floating through water. Bubbles, bubbles, more bubbles. It’s pretty and hypnotizing. It’s light, it’s airy, it’s effervescent…it’s alka-seltzer. Thus we get a joke right from the opening credits. This French gem – which becomes a December/May romance, won’t be embraced by everyone. But I really like it! There’s no trailer for this film, but here’s a clip.

After my three films, I met up with an old friend for dinner. Then I met up with a few more friends (film programmers, PR folks, etc.) for cocktails. This was by far the latest I stayed out…and I paid for it the next morning. (But it was worth it.)

Thanks for reading,

Jonathan

TIFF 2014 – Day #6

September 10, 2014 By Jonathan McNeal

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Hello. Thanks for coming back!

STILL ALICE was my first film today. Based on a famous novel, this is the story of a linguistics professor who is dealing with early onset Alzheimer’s. We learn in the film that diagnosis can come late in highly educated people – as they learn to have tricks to help retain their memory. Julianne Moore plays the lead in this film, and she’s terrific. This is a sad story due to the fact that we’re watching the terrible effects of a hideous disease…but Moore brings such humanity to the role that you can’t let go.

There’s no trailer for this film yet, but you can hear Julianne talk about the film below.

With a screenplay by Nick Hornby (who attended the screening), WILD is based on the true story of Cheryl Strayed’s hike up the Pacific Crest Trail. Played by Reese Witherspoon (Oscar buzz is well underway), the story starts at the middle of her hike and circles back to the beginning…but the beginning of the hike isn’t the beginning of the story. Through a series of flashbacks, we fully begin to understand why she’s taking this grueling journey. For the first 15 minutes of this film, I was skeptical…but then it reeled me in. The real Cheryl Strayed attended this screening, and had a lot of eloquent things to say about her journey – both physical and emotional.

PHOENIX was next. This is the story of Nelly, a concentration camp survivor who has reconstructive facial surgery upon coming back into society. After she recovers, she begins the search in post-war Berlin for her husband – who may have betrayed her to the Nazis. Upon finding him, he doesn’t recognize her, and they begin a tension-filled game that is bound to reveal the truth. The concept of this film is a little hard to believe initially. Really? He didn’t recognize her? But if you let that go, everything else is spectacular. The production design, the tension and the performances.

Sorry…no subtitles trailer yet.

My last film of the day was TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT – the new film from the Dardenne Brothers. This gem stars Marion Cotillard as Sanda – a mother and wife who has just found out that her job is in jeopardy. Other employees have been given the decision to chose between getting bonuses or retaining Sandra’s position at the factory. Majority rules…and the vote will be taken Monday morning. Over the course of the weekend, she attempts to visit the other employees and plead her case – even though doing so seems degrading and hurtful to an already fragile state-of-mind. In true Dardenne fashion, the film is truly a piece of realism with keen insights to what makes us work.

More tomorrow! Thanks for checking in!

Jonathan

TIFF (The Toronto International Film Festival) Starts Today!

September 4, 2014 By Jonathan McNeal

Hello Everyone.

Jonathan from THE NEON here. After a rather hideous day of travel (including an unexpected, long stop in Chicago due to passport issues (my own fault)), I finally made it to Toronto. As of right now, I’m about a 1/2 day behind. It’s 7:30am, and I’m usually in line for tickets. That said, I don’t yet have my credentials (which is why I wanted to arrive yesterday afternoon)…so I have to wait for a different office to open at 9am (I’m first in line – as I’m determined to get back on track as soon as possible).

Having only briefly looked at the catalog on-line, I still don’t have a complete sense of what I want to see (I need both an actual catalog in my hands as well as to hear the buzz about what’s hot to truly know what’s happening). I have a list of about 15 films that I “Must” see…but what will fill the other 15-20 spots has yet to be determined. My list includes THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING about Stephen Hawking, Ozon’s new film NEW GIRLFRIEND, Xavier Dolan’s film MOMMY, the new film from the Dardenne Brothers – TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT, and the adaptation of the play MISS JULIE. Here are a couple trailers to hold you over:

Tomorrow morning, you’ll be able to check in and read about what I get to see today. One thing is for sure, I have a ticket to the opening night film tonight. A previous guest of The Dayton LGBT Film Festival – Glenn Kiser – invited me to be his guest this evening. I’m excited to finally attend an Opening Night film…as well as to see Glenn again.

More soon,

Jonathan