queer

Hello NEON Community.

Today was my last day of screenings, and I officially passed the “30 films” mark.

My first film of the day was one I was eager to see – QUEER, dir Luca Guadagnino (Italy, USA) “Brilliant, audacious author, meet brilliant, audacious director: it takes risk to translate the work of William S. Burroughs for the screen, but Oscar-nominated filmmaker Luca Guadagnino’s (Call Me by Your Name, TIFF ’17) spin on the Beat legend’s autobiographical novel matches its source material in vulnerability and taboo-smashing adventurousness. Starring Daniel Craig and featuring supporting turns from Jason Schwartzman and Oscar nominee Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread), Queer is a hallucinogenic odyssey bathed in desire.” My first Guadagnino film at TIFF is one of my favorite memories…it was a screening of I AM LOVE – which is still one of my favorite films for the 17 years I’ve been attending the festival.  On top of that, other Guadagnino films have played very well for us at THE NEON – CALL ME BY YOUR NAME and CHALLENGERS are among them.  This story is told with magical and drug-induced imagery in wonderful ways, and the Craig’s performance is really quite wonderful.  The film is a slow burn, and I think it might grow on me in time…but about half way through, I was feeling underwhelmed (though I thought the last 20 minutes were very strong).  I had been told by some industry folks that the sex scenes were more than theater-goers could handle – so I was prepared…but in the end,  they weren’t as risqué as I’d thought they might be.

Next up was a complete surprise.  I like Tom Hiddleston & Chiwetel Ejiofor, so I decided to try THE LIFE OF CHUCK, dir Mike Flanagan (USA) “Mike Flanagan takes a detour from the macabre with this adaptation of a uniquely structured Stephen King novella that unravels a seemingly ordinary accountant’s world. The world feels like it’s ending and everybody’s saying goodbye to Chuck. Wherever Marty (Chiwetel Ejiofor) goes, he can’t get away from Charles Krantz (Tom Hiddleston). His face is showing up on billboards, window signs — even TV commercials. What’s so special about this seemingly ordinary accountant and why does he warrant such a sendoff?” (taken from TIFF catalog) This is told in three parts, and Part 3 is where we start.  It’s inventive and plays with genre in an interesting way (Part 3 is a scary end-of-days sci-fi genre (but seeming more like real-life these days) and Parts 2 & 1 are origin story dramas.  At the end of the day, it’s a film about memories and how we’re shaped as adults. Some may say it’s a little too saccharine, but I absolutely adored this film – and it is definitely in my Top 5 of this year’s festival!

My last film of the festival was from the “Midnight Madness” category – THE SUBSTANCE, dir Coralie Fargeat (United Kingdom, United States of America, France) “Demi Moore portrays a fading Hollywood star feuding with the manifestation of her younger self (Margaret Qualley) in this award-winning body-horror satire from writer-director Coralie Fargeat (Revenge)” (taken from TIFF catalog) This film has a lot to say about beauty and age standards for television and film (and even the general public), and it’s hyper-stylized.  It’s a kind of DEATH BECOMES HER directed by Cronenberg, and it’s very fun (and rather grotesque).  For the first 90 minutes, I wished we had booked it at THE NEON next week…but then it jumped the rails and became a full-on gore fest…I’m glad we didn’t. (I think a large part of our regular customers would revolt…plus it will be playing at the multiplexes.)  Overall, I personally liked it – but it absolutely not for everyone.

So that’s that!
32 Films (33 screenings overall – I saw 1 film 2 times), 2 sit-down interviews with a big star and a big director, lots of connections with other people in the business, 1 star-studded party and a couple good meals.  Thanks for coming along on this ride with me.  I hope to see you soon at THE NEON.

Take care,
Jonathan