"WEEKEND: STAR - > Vera) FRIDAY, SERTEMBER:22, 2000 -9 Toronto Film Festival can be a reel madhouse SCREENING ROOM CB BN BN BN BN J By John Foote My life was turned pretty much upside down last week with my coverage of the Toronto International Film Festival. For 10 days | dashed from cinema to cinema, screening films from around the world, sometimes six consecutively, before head- ing off to interview the actors and directors of the works. Yes, it was incredibly drain- ing, perhaps because I truly have felt 40 these last few weeks, but:l think more because there were so many weak entries in this year's festival. ~ 1 found that a tad shocking, considering the festival organizers were celebrating the silver anniversary of the Toronto Festival, once known as The Festival of Festivals. What began as an upstart celebration of "flim in the late 70s has grown into the sin- gle most important film festival in the world, easily surpassing Cannes in quality and significance. This year there was great excitement surrounding the festival for a variety of rea- sons. First and foremost of course are the films, but there was an added thrill in the air this year largely due to the 25th anniversary celebrations. Ten Canadian film makers had been commissioned to direct-write 10 separate short films about the growth of cinema resulting in a mar- velous series entitled simply, Preludes. The major studios brought some of their major fall releases here, and the indies were en masse in the Special Presentation Program. By the coverage in the Toronto * dailies you are all aware of the star power arriving to promote their films at the fest, and yes, | did indeed meet and interview several of the major players including Robert Duvall, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Cuba Gooding Jr, Willem Dafoe, and Joan Allen. Following is a quick capsule of the best and worst of the Festival. Full reviews of the films will come when they are released. THE BEST SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE ... E. Elias Herlige creates a magnificent new expres- sionistic work that explores the making of the original German film Nosferatu (1920), the first vampire film. The interesting twist here is that the film tells a wild tale of acclaimed director FW. Murnau hiring a very real vampire to play the bloodsucker in the picture. Willem Dafoe has a great time in the role of Count Orlock, but the film's greatest strength is the obvious pas- sion the director has for silent cinema. A funny and frightening film. GINGER SNAPS ... This Canadian film (yes 1 said Canadian!) is a werewolf tale involving two Goth sisters who have alien- ated themselves from the real world and plunged into a dark existence only they understand. When a werewolf attacks one of them, she begins to undergo changes that terrify the other. Beautifully acted and directed, the low budget film is a knockout entertainment in every way, and a real dis- play of how to make a low budget film look great. THE CONTENDER ... A strong film until the last 15 minutes, when it all evaporates into a Hollywood mist. Joan Allen gives a strong performance as a defiant US senator chosen by the president to succeed the recently decreased vice president. A sex scandal threatens to ruin her and the administration, and the film explores her battle against the scandal. Superb acting from Allen, Jeff Bridges and the great Gary Oldman make the film well worth a look, but when things to Hollywood at the end, you will howl in agony. : TIGERLAND ... The best of the festival for me was Joel Schumaucher's stunning experimental film about young men train- ing for Vietnam in 1971. Shot in 30 days for $6 million, the film has a documentary feel throughout and the added tension of the young men being that Viet Nam is wrong, and will be the death of many of them. Schumaucher has been destroyed in the press the last two years for ruining the Batman franchise, yet here he redefines himself as a film maker with a great, mag- nificent work of great courage. The unknown cast gives the film great strength. A taut, astonishing film of great depth and courage. MEN OF HONOR ... Again, a strong film undone by the weaknesses in the screen- play. Based on the true story of Carl Brashear, the first black deep sea diver in the US Navy, the film is a biography chock full of patriotism and honor. Cuba Gooding Jr. gives the performance of his career as Brashear, but Robert de Niro is all grimace and rage in a performance that screams for less. A SHOT AT GLORY ... Despite a strong performance from the great Robert Duvall as a Scottish soccer coach, this picture very quickly becomes a series of old fashioned sports movie cliches. Duvall is a gruff soc- cer coach who guides a B Division team of rag-tag players to the Scottish Cup. Well acted throughout, but too predictable. SEXY BEAST .. Ben Kingsley's fero- cious performance as a vicious mobster is without question thé performance to beat for the Academy Award. Kingsley seethes with rage throughout this finely crafted, disturbing tale of criminals who cannot stay away from crime. After seeing the film you will wonder how Kingsley could have ever portrayed Gandhi (1982). A brilliant, scalding performance that will rock you from head to toe. THE WORST DUETS ... Gwyneth Paltrow lends her talents to this dreadful film, directed by her father Bruce, about the strange allure of karaoke singing. About four years too late 1 would say, and one of the worst films of the year. BEAUTIFUL ... Sally Field, one of the cinema's great actresses, steps behind the camera for this slick, way too-Hollywood film about beauty pageants. Perhaps with an actress in the Minnie Driver role (any- one but her) the film would work... and will someone please stop casting that kid from the Pepsi commercials? STARDOM ... A shocking failure from the great Canadian director Denys Arcand. The director of Jesus of Montreal (1990) tackles the subject of celebrity here with mixed results. There is a fine performance from Dan Ackroyd as a man destroyed by lust, but little else worth mentioning in this weak, miserable failure. J 5 3 Raft NOTICE THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWNSHIP OF UXBRIDGE hen GTA COUNTRYSIDE STRATEGY MEETING The Greater Toronto Area is one of North America's fastest growing city-regions expected to reach a population of almost 7.3 million within the next 30 years. The prospect of that growth has major implications for the GTA Countryside. As the GTA has grown over the years, the countryside, by its direct proximity to the urban core, has been affected by the evolving urban structure. Today, we face a significant challenge in understanding the role of the GTA Countryside and ensuring that those characteristics of our countryside that we collectively value and are integral to its health and vitality are not compromised as we grow. For the first time, we have the opportunity to consider the issues on a GTA-wide basis. The Greater Toronto Services Board in April approved a terms. of reference for a countryside strategy, pursuant to the authority provided under Section 22 of the Greater Toronto Services Board Act, 1998. The GTSB mandate to prepare a countryside strategy reflects the importance of rural and agricultural communities to the entire GTA. The GTSB is seeking public response by October 13. Copies of the GTA Countryside Strategy are available from the GTSB,~1000 Murray Ross Parkway, Toronto, Ontario. Tel: (416) 338-2989 or online at www.gtsb.on.ca A member of the Countryside Environment Working Group will make a presentation to Council and members of the public to be held on: Wednesday, September 27th, 2000 7:30 p.m. Council Chambers, Town Hall 51 Toronto Street South Uxbridge, Ontario Walter Taylor Township Clerk 8 Seasoned, Skinless, Boneless ATED 8 CHICKEN BREASTS e Honey Garlic ® Lemon & Herb © Teriyaki | Breaded Ep # Chicken | Nuggets 0078 929 Chicken Tq Supreme Stuffed Chicken Breasts Pizza TP Pepperoni - 620g/1.371b Deluxe - 635g/1.401b Oriental Style 9 {3 | Port Perry Store AVA SA 4 1874 Scugog St, il Port Perry « 985-1202 es SA trHundreds TUESDAY IS... SENIORS DISCOUNT BY (Vikar: 1!