Ryan McNeil
Two things before I get to the longest recap of the year –
TIFF continues to be an absolute joy, so while I know others who are ready to bail out of the experience, I remain committed to coming back for at least another year.
Also, it seems like a foregone conclusion that I will get to the end of this year having watched less movies than I have in years past. That said, I’m just fine with that.
Here’s the week at hand…
Screenings
MISTRESS AMERICA – I can’t explain it, but I have a strange weakness for movies about flakes.
GREEN ROOM – Gotta love a punk rock stand-off
DEMOLITION – I’m really going to enjoy discussing this film in 2016
DHEEPAN – How France chose not to make this their Oscar submission is beyond me.
SICARIO – Lots more thoughts on this in the days ahead
THE LOBSTER – One of the most disruptive screenings I’ve ever attended.
THE HONG KONG TRILOGY – Anyone ever seen Christopher Doyle and Keith Richards in the same room?
YOUTH – The programmer who introduced this finished by saying “please enjoy youth”. It seemed poetic.
FIVE NIGHTS IN MAINE – Nifty directorial debut; can’t wait to see more from this director.
CEMETERY OF SPLENDOUR – I’m drowsy just thinking about it.
BROOKLYN – SUCH a splendid-looking film.
INTO THE FOREST – When the lights go out, we are all so royally screwed.
THE WAIT – This will be the film I love most this year that nobody else will see.
RAMS – Is it weird that I have a craving for lamb chops?
MA MA – The only disappointment of the festival, which still wasn’t bad – just not as good as it could have been.
ANOMALISA – If this comes out before the end of the year it will handily make my top ten.
VICTORIA – I can’t wait for more people to see this movie!
THE MARTIAN – This is what a studio film should be.
LOVE – …or at least “like like” anyway…
THE WITCH – Turns out goats are up to no good.
NORTHERN SOUL – I’ve been playing this soundtrack on loop all week.
SEMANA SANTA – Handily my favorite small movie of the festival.
HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT – Nice movie, better book.
GIRLS LOST – The saddest thing about this movie is that no english translation of the book exists.
LONDON ROAD – A splendid festival capper.
BLACK MASS – Where’s my copy of THE DEPARTED?
Streaming/Blu-Rays/DVD’s I’ve Never Seen
BOUND – This will handily be one of my favorite “2015 First Timers”…and not for that reason…you dirty birds.
LIMITS OF CONTROL – Someone suggested I watch this instead of THE AMERICAN. Someone suggested badly.
BILLY WILDER SPEAKS – Glad that he spent the whole doc speaking, because lord knows the filmmakers didn’t spend much of this doc filmmaking!
Streaming/Blu-Rays/DVD’s I’ve Seen Before
A MOST VIOLENT YEAR – Why do I feel like this was one of the most underrated movies of 2014?
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN – “Knock knock…”
ALMOST FAMOUS – Do I ever need an excuse to watch this?
ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE – I always want to listen to Jack White after I watch this.
CHUNGKING EXPRESS – Following my audience with Mister Doyle.
ALWAYS – Pretty sure this is a movie that time has managed to forget.
MUNICH – I’ve been upgrading a bunch of my Spielberg DVD’s to blu-ray, hence all the selections from Señor Spielbergo
SLEEPY HOLLOW – How did I never realize that Chivo Lubezki shot this?
CAFE DE FLORE – Mid-way through TIFF, I began watching favorites from festivals past, such as this and the next three entries.
CRONOS – This “Past TIFF Selection” was also inspired by all those master classes from a few weeks ago.
PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE – I’ll always remember people scalping $14 tickets for $75 to the premiere of this at TIFF 2003
NIGHTCRAWLER – …that car chase!