I see a great deal of films so I decided to rank the forty-four that I had seen so far. These are all films that received their major North American distribution in the past year. I tend to extensively self-select the films which I see and aim to avoid films which are daft, dreary, or dilettante. 2009 List: Leaves of Grass **** Compelling An Education **** Enlightening The Disappearance of Alice Creed **** Innovative The Damned United **** Inspiring La Donation **** Selfless Sin Nombre **** Depraved The Invisible City **** Revealing Up in the Air ***½ Pertinent A Single Man …
T.I.F.F. 2009, Part V: The Disappearance of Alice Creed
The Disappearance of Alice Creed is an atypical film, a kidnapping film made from the perspective of the kidnappers; sort of a “Low” version of High and Low. There are only three characters: Alice, Danny, and Vic. A compelling script by talented screenwriter (and first-time director) J Blakeson creates audience sympathy for all of the characters, especially Danny the protagonist who is a tragic hero. There are no scenes involving the police or the victim’s family, so it is not known how close the authorities were to solving the case. Blakeson simply shows the victim and her two captors, who …
T.I.F.F. 2009, Part IV: Face
Face (also known as Visage for the French translation) would have significantly benefited from a Q & A session, which was cancelled because the director could not make it to Toronto. Speaking to him would have answered the two meaningful questions in the minds of audience members: “What just happened?” and “Did they ever recapture that escaped stag?” This film should not have been selected for the festival and should not have been green lit by a studio for numerous reasons. Firstly, the film wastes excellent cinematography. Close shots where characters were reflected in mirrors or windows, long fixed shots …
T.I.F.F. 2009, Part III: La Donation
Bernard Émond’s final film in his trilogy about the three theological virtues, La Donation, attempts to find a secular meaning for the philosophy. Even if one is a non-believer, like M. Émond, he would like them to use nearly two thousand years of teachings in order to do well for themselves and others. La Donation follows Jeanne Dion as she first moves to the small town of Normétal in Abitibi in order to replace an old doctor named Yves Rainville for a month and later documents her decision about whether or not to stay after he suddenly dies. Since the …
T.I.F.F. 2009, Part II: Leaves of Grass
Leaves of Grass may be the best movie that I have seen out of the 2009 crop to date. On the surface, it is very similar in style to the Coen brothers in that it features average characters who find themselves in dangerous situations which force them to confront their morals, bizarre supporting characters, and black humour including scenes of absurd violence but it is more than that. Tim Blake Nelson wrote an excellent screenplay and directed the film admirably. Edward Norton plays both feature roles, a professor of classical philosophy in Rhode Island and his twin brother who grows …
T.I.F.F. 2009, Part I: Les Herbes Folles
Les Herbes Folles is an odd film. The first part of the film is replete with deadpan humour and bizarre situations. The second half of the film channels a bit of Pierrot le Fou and tries to leave the audience guessing. Director Alain Resnais leaves the audience guessing, providing a Hollywood ending followed by the “real” ending five minutes later. Two random strangers are connected by a lost wallet and become infatuated with each other. There is a sense that Georges, who found the wallet, is hiding something but it is never totally revealed, only suggested. Marguerite initially wants nothing …