ticketsOne more round before I go. Here’s 21 thoughts on TIFF 2013…

  • 11 days, 28 events, 26 screenings, 22 cups of tea, 5 theatres, 2 pub nights, 1 read-through, 1 Q&A, 1 party, 0 calls to 911
  • Things got off to a bumpy start when I thought my eyes might need to be checked pronto. Turns out they just needed more rest than I was giving them.
  • I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again – the people I am hanging out with during this week are making it all so much more fun.
  • One of these days I’ll stop writing/podcasting so I can watch even more films.
  • Back-to-back Eisenberg on Monday morning reminded me of back-to-back Eckhart in 2005.
  • Gotta love pausing all things TIFF-related to go home and watch Breaking Bad.
  • Part of me feels like I didn’t see enough documentaries
  • Toronto’s weather in September is usually erratic, this year was no exception.
  • Turns out the hardest thing for me to do on less sleep is read subtitles – I was fighting the urge to nap each time, regardless of how entertained I was.
  • Weirdest moment: The guy who arrived 10 minutes late to THE UNKNOWN KNOWN, talked back to the screen throughout, then turned to me at the end to ask what he missed in those opening 10 minutes.
  • Next year I must remember to pay closer attention to the podcast bed music.
  • When you enjoy 25 of your 28 screenings, you’ve chosen well.
  • I still find myself intrigued and perplexed by Matthew Price’s announced retirement.
  • Is it sick that my first day after TIFF ended I was already back in a movie theatre?
  • I needed to cleanse the palette mid-fest, so I turned on ZOOLANDER. Stop judging me.
  • It’s amazing how much lighter your bag gets when you aren’t carrying both a laptop and a DSLR
  • I’m still intrigued by the concept of “feminine photography”
  • There are few things in life as annoying as your website getting buggy mid-festival
  • There are a few more yet to be uploaded, but for the curious, most of my TIFF photos can be seen here.
  • Top Five Films seen: 12 YEARS A SLAVE, CAN A SONG SAVE YOUR LIFE?, THE DOUBLE, GRAVITY, and SUNSHINE ON LEITH
  • Is it too early to start talking TIFF 2014?

Thanks very much for reading and listening these last two weeks. We now return you to your regularly scheduled Matinee.

12 Replies to “A Little Bit of Everything: Looking Back on TIFF 2013”

  1. A lot of buzz about 12 Years A Slave and Gravity. Ah, you’re sooo lucky. Glad you enjoyed almost all of the screenings, nice picking then! I also want to see more documentaries, somehow after watching one I feel smarter.

    1. Thanks Andina – it was a really solid year for the films I chose to see. Happily, there are also a lot of films still to come this fall that I didn’t see…hopefully my string of good luck can continue!

      If ever you’re looking for documentary recommendations, drop me a line – I love spreading the word about good nonfiction.

  2. Never too early to talk TIFF 14. I’m game planning a whole year in advance. Toronto will be mine next year! I’m happy that you choose so well that you enjoy almost your entire slate. I mean sometimes I even go see two movies and I can’t stand one of them.

    1. The funny thing about enjoying so many of my selections – very much enjoying to be specific – is that last year, I felt like my TIFF got off to a muted start. Much of my selections that played between Thursday and Tuesday were various levels of “OK”, with only SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK standing out. Once Wednesday arrived, everything shifted into a higher gear.

      This year though, it felt like it was hammer-down from the word “go”.

      Lookin’ forward to hosting you next autumn!

    1. Gravity and 12 were both ones I had highly anticipated going in, so from my end it was good to see them bring the goods. Thanks for dropping by so often these last few weeks.

  5. Enjoyed your coverage – as always! Looking forward to 12 Years a Slave so much more now, but my most anticipated from the festival remains to be The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby (of course haha). One day I’ll get to TIFF!

    1. Remember the post I put up just before TIFF started about the films I didn’t get to see that I’d probably regret later? Eleanor Rigby was towards the top of that list this time.

      There were even spare tickets up for the taking in my apartment lobby!

  6. You really are so-so lucky! I really enjoyed your posts on TIFF. Though, please don’t stop blogging, even if you could see more films, eh? I really adore your blog. 😉 The weirdest moment, though – huh? Yes. Weird. and finally, congrats on a well-made choice and the 25 good films!

    1. If I ever shake up my routine, I’ll still send out the content…at the very least it’d be a daily wrap-up with a few words on everything or a podcast talking about the day. Don’t you fret.

      I vote you start thinking about hopping on a plane and joing us here one autumn!

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