I will be volunteering for the
first time at the TIFF 2012, September 6 to 16th. Th is something I have wanted to do for years, on top of being a patron. TIFF= Toronto International Film Festival and
it was founded in 1976 and continues to grow each year. It is now the second
largest film festival in the world, next to Cannes, and the largest in North
America. Many films that have shown here have also gone on to critical acclaim and
of course, award season success.
I don’t know what I will be doing
yet, but I don’t care. I’ll rip tickets and get popcorn if need be, anything to
be a part of it.
Some recent films that have been
shown at TIFF in the past (be it a world or North American premiere) are:
The King’s Speech, Shame, Slumdog Millionaire, Water, The Big Chill,
Chariots of Fire, Black Swan, Sideways, Crash, 127 Hours, The Fisher King, The
Princess Bride, American Beauty, Whale Rider, Life is Beautiful. And more have all been shown at the festival.
The headquarters, known as the
TIFF Bell Lightbox (which I have visited for exhibits and films a few times), are
in the heart of downtown Toronto, with venues throughout the city during the
festival. One of the points of difference
of TIFF that has been noticed by those in the industry and festival goers is that
there is a small, intimate feel and connection between everyone during the festival,
despite the largeness of it. It is a
film lovers festival.
So what’s in store for TIFF 2012?
Some of the films already announced,
with more to come.
The film opening the festival
this year is Looper, one of the few
times a non Canadian film has opened the festival.
As well as Anna Karenina, Cloud Atlas, Midnight’s Children
(a close friend of mine actually worked on this film, and based on Salman
Rushdie’s book of the same name). Byzantium,
No, Rust and Bone.
Director: Christopher
Nolan. Stars: Christian Bale, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Gary
Oldman, Michael Caine, Morgan Freemen, Marion Cotillard.
Released: July 2012
In what is arguably the
most anticipated film of 2012, Christopher Nolen delivers his final installment
of what has become known as the “Batman Trilogy” with an emotional and physical
punch.
I can’t (and wont) say too
much about the plot and storyline, but overall The Dark Knight Rises does bring an end to everything nicely...for
the most part.
Of course Nolan does an
open ended type ending up for interpretation, which seems to be becoming one of
his trademarks, remember Inception and
Memento. Is the final image real or a
figment of Alfred’s imagination? In a way he had to. Not only to ease the business
minds of Warner Bros. executives over their rights of Batman, but to keep in
line with the comic rules of ending a story, but not really ending it. I’m still undecided
if I liked this element of the ending. I did not hate it, but I didn’t love it
either. That may change as I think about that more.
This may be just me being
overly picky, but it did feel slightly unrealistic to have Bruce Wayne mourn
and pine over Rachel for at least 8 years and be a loner, only to suddenly be
open to a romance with Miranda Tate. Granted they did know each other before in
a professional sense, but one quick walk in the rain seems to be all it takes
for Bruce to fall for Miranda.
I must also admit that at
times I did not understand what Bane was saying, but Tom Hardy gives a solid performance
(more on that in a bit).
I typically think that
these big blockbusters are overhyped and fall short, but as mentioned, there
was a lot I did enjoy and The Dark Knight Rises is a solid film, no matter what
genre you place it under.
Christian Bale once again
shows why he is one of the best working male actors today. Yes, the Batman
voice can be distracting, but as I read on another blog, if Clark Kent can wear
glasses and not have his Superman identity known, than Batman should be able to
change his voice and hide his identity as Bruce Wayne. If you think of it like
that, it works. Not just in his
performance as Batman, but in Bale’s acting in general can seem over the top
and cartoonish at times. There were a few of those moments, but not enough to
ruin the film/character/performance. It
is just how Bale is. Take it or leave it.
Tom Hardy as Bane is
mentally ruthless and physically powerful. To act with such a claustrophobic
mask is difficult. The actor must rely on his eyes, body language and actions
to portray the character when majority of the face is covered. I don’t believe
many actors could have pulled it off. Hardy does, and surprisingly at one
moment adds an emotional and almost human element to Bane.
One of my biggest scepticisms
going into this film was the casting of Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle, aka
Catwoman. To me I see her more as a bit boring and a goody goody. This is not
based on previous roles; I’ve seen Rachel
Getting Married and Brokeback
Mountain. Although I’ll always have a soft spot for Michelle Pheiffer as
Catwoman, Hathaway surprised me in her performance. She will be seen in a
different light now and introduce this character to a new generation. She
managed to bring elements of sexiness, physical and emotional toughness and
softness, as well as not overdoing the campiness that is needed for the role.
Thank you for only one “cat got your tongue” line.
Also, and this is also
very important, I want her boots. A gal needs a pair of boots like that.
One final performance I
enjoyed (my fantasy brother) is Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Officer Blake. Outside
of Commissioner Gordon (Oldman), he is the only one who still believes in
Batman and becomes his ally. Levitt even does a bit of a voice change himself
for the character, a deeper one with a type of Boston or maybe Bronx accent, but
that’ okay. Levitt’s performance and the characterization of Blake shows there
is power in being subtle and being honest, or more importantly, the true good
guy. Almost any young actor could have played this part, but Levitt’s talent makes
it his own and with a story of his own to tell.
Of course Michael Cane and
Morgan Freeman as Alfred and Luscious Fox are, well, Michael Cane and Morgan
Freeman. You know what you are going to get.
Either than a really ugly
flying object used by Batman, the effects are a nice balance of CGI and real
stunts and old school special effects, as typical of Nolan, and some great
action sequences expected in a film like this.
Out of the three films in
the trilogy, and being the final one, this has a sadder and dark tone compared to
the other films. It is not light and funny as in The Avengers. When you’re dealing with a character like Batman/Bruce
Wayne and a villain like Bane, while attempting to root it in realism with
serious themes that echo in today’s real world, with the comic book elements fans
want, you have to.
Christopher Nolan set the
bar high (and arguably the new standard) when it comes to both action and comic
book based films. It will be interesting to see, years from now of course, when
Batman Rises once again, what new interpretation and relevance can be done with
it.
The Harry
Potter series has seven books, but there are eight films. The Twilight series has four books, but five
films in total. The Hobbit is one
book, but there will be two films. Continuing this pattern after long debate,
it was officially announced yesterday that Mockingjay,
the final and third book in The Hunger
Games series will be split into two films- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2. With release dates of November 2014 and
November 2015.
With these examples it can be debated that too
much happens in the final book to adapt and fit into one film. That too much
will be cut out and rushed and therefore not properly staying true to the
spirit of the book and be faithful to the story and there is also a natural
break in the story for a split to occur. That can very well be true, but in my opinion,
the 388 page Mockingjay (according to
my hardcopy) doesn’t fit well into this mold.
That does not include the one and a half page
epilogue that feels more like a rushed afterthought by Suzanne Collins, as a
reward to fans/readers for sticking out the wait and reading the series to get
to the end. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the books, but Mockingjay is the weakest in the series, in particular the second
half of the book.
That is not to say there isn’t some
potential in stretching out the final installment.
WARNING
SPOLIERS AHEAD!!
For example, the fact that Peeta at the end
of Catching Fire is kidnapped by the
Capital and brainwashed to become an assassin and kill Katniss, then have that
reversed by the end of the rebellion needs to be done right and not feel like Soap
Opera writing 101 and that Peeta’s brainwashing is magically reversed by his
love for Katniss. As well as consciously
or not, ONE of the reasons Katniss leads a rebellion (and becomes the
Mockingjay symbol for it) is over Peeta. The struggle and pain by both Peeta
and Katniss in this regard needs to feel real, not rushed and cheesy. They are
both damaged physically, but more importantly, emotionally from this. These two
characters are played by talented and up and coming actors. Give them something
juicy to work with.
This now leads me to my second example of
where things can be fleshed out better-the disappointing epilogue. I’m not
saying that this should be a huge focus and long, that is not the point. The
rebellion and the aftermath and the new Panem is the focus of the last book,
but, seeing how the love triangle is going to be a focus and we have an extra
film, make Katniss drawn out decision worth it. The epilogue takes place about
fifteen years after and Katniss and Peeta are married. They are both damaged,
but have built a life for themselves with two children. Give a bit more insight
to their life together and their struggle. If done right, along with the other elements
of the story, it will have a bittersweet, but fulfilling and not rushed feel to
the end.
END OF
SPOILERS
Time will tell of course where they will
take this final installment, and if this rise of splitting the final book of a
series continues as a trend, or is short lived. No doubt money is a motivation by the studios. With Mockingjay, I hope at least they make it worth it.
Finally, here is an article by
Entertainment Weekly with some ideas of where the split between the two films
may occur.
Synonymous with ice cream, swimming and flip
flops that define the summer months in the Northern Hemisphere, the Hollywood
blockbuster is part of that summer tradition. Summer 2012 is no exception and
one of the biggest summers for blockbusters in recent years. What are audiences
to do if not interested in explosions, massive amounts of GCI and special effects or superheroes? Before the traditional fall and winter Oscar releases.
This summer, along with The Avengers, The Amazing Spider Man and
TheDark Knight Rises (to name a few) there are smaller, non Hollywood blockbusters
that attempt to focus more on story than spectacle.
People Like
Us, Savages, Moonrise Kingdom, Take this
Waltz, Ruby Sparks, Beasts of the Southern Wind and Cosmopolis (again to name a few) are all
being released during the summer months.
Is this a new trend? Are we seeing a shift
within the film industry towards a better balance between blockbusters and
those darling little indy films (some not so indie) to appeal towards a larger
audience and to get more butts into theatres? It will also help to compete with
online film viewing and specialty channels on television, such as HBO and
Showtime. It is still too early to tell, but personally, I hope so.
Don’t get me wrong, I do like to see things
getting blown up, and comic book characters come to life now and then, but it
can get old fast and, as we see this summer, oversaturated. Part of the point
and appeal with the blockbuster is that it is an event to experience, a crazy
and fun time to relax and get lost in the spectacle. I can only imagine the craziness
that the midnight screenings (many already sold out) of The Dark Knight Rises will be like. If audiences were continued to be
given a better balance of blockbusters and indies, it would make the experience
of the blockbuster that more special and maybe even more competitive and unpredictable.
Maybe I am being too optimistic, but I like to think there is room for both.
Time will tell. For now this possible sift
is in the early stages, but with Man of
Steel, Iron Man 3, Star Trek 2 and World War Z all set for release for Summer 2013, this possible new
shift is on shaky ground, so lets nurture it.
