Riding high off of last year’s The King’s Speech, which became the first movie in a while to do Toronto before Oscar and still win (although it followed the similar pattern of Slumdog Millionaire which snowballed from Telluride, to Toronto, to Oscar, to …). A weepy that makes them stand on their feet works anywhere you show it first but Toronto was kind of hit and miss. Suddenly, after last year, it feels like how the Oscar race used to run.
This morning, a few titles have been announced — Venice announces Thursday and there is some crossover. For Toronto, according to Steve Pond over at The Wrap, George Clooney’s The Ides of March, Cronenberg’s A Dangerous Method, and Madonna’s W.E., which will be ushered in by the Weinstein Co. and tells the flipside story of The King’s Speech — now that the Tom Hooper movie made a villain of Wallis Simpson Madonna is back to give the notorious woman a makeover. Pond also notes that the fest will open Davis Guggenheim’s U2 doc, From the Sky Down after the success of the Bruce Springsteen doc last year. Fist pumping bloggers, here they come.
Moneyball (Brad Pitt, directed by Bennett Miller), and Alexander Payne’s The Descendents will be joined by Sarah Polley’s Take This Waltz (named after a Leonard Cohen song…)
Here is the list–
Opening Night:
“From the Sky Down,” Davis Guggenheim
Galas:
Butter, Jim Field Smith
A Dangerous Method, David Cronenberg
A Happy Event
The Ides of March, George Clooney
Moneyball, Bennett Miller
Take This Waltz, Sarah Polley
W.E., Madonna
Americano, Mathieu Demy
Anonymous, Roland Emmerich
A Better Life, Chris Weitz
Countdown, Huh Jong-ho
The Descendants, Alexander Payne
Drive, Nicolas Winding Refn
50/50, Jonathan Levine
Friends with Kids, Jennifer Westfeldt
The Lady, Luc Besson
Machine Gun Preacher, Marc Forster
Peace, Love and Understanding,
360, Fernando Mereilles
Trishna,Michael Winterbottom
PJ20, Cameron Crowe
hey,how about Michelle Yeoh as Aung San Suu Kyi??
hey,how about Michelle Yeoh as Aung San Suu Kyi??
FYI, the A Better Life that’s playing TIFF is not Chris Weitz’s immigration drama, it’s Cédric Kahn’s latest with Guillaume Canet.
http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/abetterlife
FYI, the A Better Life that’s playing TIFF is not Chris Weitz’s immigration drama, it’s Cédric Kahn’s latest with Guillaume Canet.
http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/abetterlife
The title for the Cameron Crowe film is incorrect. You have it as 20, it should be “PJ20”
PJ20 is a documentary about one of the greatest american rock bands of our time, Pearl Jam.
Cameron Crowe has always been a huge fan of Pearl Jam. A memorable scene from “Singles” included Eddie Vedder playing himself. 2011 marks the 20 year anniversary of the band and PJ20 is Crowe’s way of paying homage to one of his very favorite rock bands.
And yes, Pearl Jam is my favorite band in the entire world… ; )
PJ 20 will air on PBS as an episode of American Masters series on Oct. 21
The title for the Cameron Crowe film is incorrect. You have it as 20, it should be “PJ20”
PJ20 is a documentary about one of the greatest american rock bands of our time, Pearl Jam.
Cameron Crowe has always been a huge fan of Pearl Jam. A memorable scene from “Singles” included Eddie Vedder playing himself. 2011 marks the 20 year anniversary of the band and PJ20 is Crowe’s way of paying homage to one of his very favorite rock bands.
And yes, Pearl Jam is my favorite band in the entire world… ; )
PJ 20 will air on PBS as an episode of American Masters series on Oct. 21
Grrrr…..
The title for the Cameron Crowe film is incorrect. You have it as 20, it should be “PJ20”
PJ20 is a documentary about one of the greatest american rock bands of our time, Pearl Jam.
Cameron Crowe has always been a huge fan of Pearl Jam. A memorable scene from “Singles” included Eddie Vedder playing himself. 2011 marks the 20 year anniversary of the band and PJ20 is Crowe’s way of paying homage to one of his very favorite rock bands.
And yes, Pearl Jam is my favorite band in the entire world… ; )
Grrrr…..
The title for the Cameron Crowe film is incorrect. You have it as 20, it should be “PJ20”
PJ20 is a documentary about one of the greatest american rock bands of our time, Pearl Jam.
Cameron Crowe has always been a huge fan of Pearl Jam. A memorable scene from “Singles” included Eddie Vedder playing himself. 2011 marks the 20 year anniversary of the band and PJ20 is Crowe’s way of paying homage to one of his very favorite rock bands.
And yes, Pearl Jam is my favorite band in the entire world… ; )
Word is from other movie forums is that Weinstein is going to campaign Andrea Riseborough for Suporting Actress for W.E. and Meryl Streep for Actress for The Iron Lady.
Word is from other movie forums is that Weinstein is going to campaign Andrea Riseborough for Suporting Actress for W.E. and Meryl Streep for Actress for The Iron Lady.
Mark my words Andrea Riseborough will get a Supporting Actress nod for W.E…at least.
Mark my words Andrea Riseborough will get a Supporting Actress nod for W.E…at least.
@Stephen
I am so worried for michelle’s marliyn. The movie slammed from a few people few months ago. Now it won’t show at Toronto, and possible might not even show at Venice.
@Stephen
I am so worried for michelle’s marliyn. The movie slammed from a few people few months ago. Now it won’t show at Toronto, and possible might not even show at Venice.
It worries me that “Marilyn” isn’t included here. Why? Maybe Harvey doesn’t want it to collide with his other award-seeking films. But his buying of Meryl’s movie AND “W.E.” seems he’s got a BUNCH of Best Actress nominees on his hands, and he wants to separate the promotion of each of them from the other. To give each lady her due, IOW.
OR he doesn’t think “Marilyn”(Michelle Williams) and Meryl’s “Iron Lady” doesn’t have a chance against the mayhem Madonna would cause being a Toronto.
And I’m totally open to the fact that Madonna may have finally found her metier. She’s intelligent. She works hard. She was MARRIED to two great directors, Sean Penn and Guy Ritchie. Some of their directing Mojo may have worn off. Let’s hope so.
Given Harvey’s shrewd track record with TIFF and Royal subjects, he wouldn’t be wasting his hard-earned money on “W.E.” ESPECIALLY after “The King’s Speech” triumph last year, if he didn’t think “W.E.” wasn’t a WOW!
It worries me that “Marilyn” isn’t included here. Why? Maybe Harvey doesn’t want it to collide with his other award-seeking films. But his buying of Meryl’s movie AND “W.E.” seems he’s got a BUNCH of Best Actress nominees on his hands, and he wants to separate the promotion of each of them from the other. To give each lady her due, IOW.
OR he doesn’t think “Marilyn”(Michelle Williams) and Meryl’s “Iron Lady” doesn’t have a chance against the mayhem Madonna would cause being a Toronto.
And I’m totally open to the fact that Madonna may have finally found her metier. She’s intelligent. She works hard. She was MARRIED to two great directors, Sean Penn and Guy Ritchie. Some of their directing Mojo may have worn off. Let’s hope so.
Given Harvey’s shrewd track record with TIFF and Royal subjects, he wouldn’t be wasting his hard-earned money on “W.E.” ESPECIALLY after “The King’s Speech” triumph last year, if he didn’t think “W.E.” wasn’t a WOW!
I think W.E is gonna be great, she is mabey not the best actress but she has worked with the biggest name directors for the last 30 years, i’m sure she has learned loads. Her first film was a very low budget film, and i thought it was a great small film. Its weird to read that it only got bad reviews, it got loads of great reviews to.
I think W.E is gonna be great, she is mabey not the best actress but she has worked with the biggest name directors for the last 30 years, i’m sure she has learned loads. Her first film was a very low budget film, and i thought it was a great small film. Its weird to read that it only got bad reviews, it got loads of great reviews to.
Thank you for posting this, it was the final push I needed to make the leap to go.
Thank you for posting this, it was the final push I needed to make the leap to go.
its going to be probable close vs dunst and thats all people!!!!
O.L. streep is not going to win anything maybe a few critics awards and thats all
i would love to see keira winning supporting i think her performance was going to be something like ala angelina in girl interrupted she is going to steal the show…
its going to be probable close vs dunst and thats all people!!!!
O.L. streep is not going to win anything maybe a few critics awards and thats all
i would love to see keira winning supporting i think her performance was going to be something like ala angelina in girl interrupted she is going to steal the show…
In my opinion, one should just forget about Madonna’s past with movies and give this a chance to at least prove that this may be very good.
Weinstein would not have invested in W.E. if he did not have faith in it. He bought it as soon as he screened it so no one else could.
Early test screening were positive especially for Andrea Riseborouh, score, cinematography and costume.
If anything, I believe it will receive good reviews and credibility. Any director deserves that including Madonna.
In my opinion, one should just forget about Madonna’s past with movies and give this a chance to at least prove that this may be very good.
Weinstein would not have invested in W.E. if he did not have faith in it. He bought it as soon as he screened it so no one else could.
Early test screening were positive especially for Andrea Riseborouh, score, cinematography and costume.
If anything, I believe it will receive good reviews and credibility. Any director deserves that including Madonna.
Sorry, I mean Albert Nobbs. I honestly feel it is probably going to be a Streep vs Close year. Streep will probably win a SAG but Close gets the Oscar. Kirsten Dunst will probably be a dark horse.
Sorry, I mean Albert Nobbs. I honestly feel it is probably going to be a Streep vs Close year. Streep will probably win a SAG but Close gets the Oscar. Kirsten Dunst will probably be a dark horse.
I am not allowed to give reviews yet but
people who saw footage of Moneyball and Albert Knobbs say both are very strong films with profoundly superb performances from Pitt and Close who are the top of their game. I expect both to be Oscar contenders. Also, the word for
The Dangerous Method is very good. I saw a few clips and I hope Fassbender gets a nomination. Some pundits I know are already predicting Viggo Mortensen will sweep the supporting actor race.
Great news, especially for Albert Nobbs, I REALLY hope this will be finally Glenn Close’s year. I know Meryl Streep should have won her third years ago, but I still consider the Oscarless Close more overdue…and if she really nailed the part – for me that was no question, I was slightly worried that the film won’t be as strong as her individual work – I hope the Academy won’t deny her long overdue first Oscar.
Moneyball seems like a better version of The Blind Side (Capote’s director, Sorkin-Zaillian script) and if Bullock could pull off a win, previous nominee superstar, Brad Pitt could do the same…although I have a strong feeling this will be DiCaprio’s long-awaited sweep-season and Pitt will pull a “Bale” in the supporting category.
A Dangerous Method always looked good on paper, hopefully critics will like/love it, too. If not for Brad Pitt’s turn in The Tree of Life, I could say I can see Mortensen winning, but this way it should be a very competitive season.
I am not allowed to give reviews yet but
people who saw footage of Moneyball and Albert Knobbs say both are very strong films with profoundly superb performances from Pitt and Close who are the top of their game. I expect both to be Oscar contenders. Also, the word for
The Dangerous Method is very good. I saw a few clips and I hope Fassbender gets a nomination. Some pundits I know are already predicting Viggo Mortensen will sweep the supporting actor race.
Great news, especially for Albert Nobbs, I REALLY hope this will be finally Glenn Close’s year. I know Meryl Streep should have won her third years ago, but I still consider the Oscarless Close more overdue…and if she really nailed the part – for me that was no question, I was slightly worried that the film won’t be as strong as her individual work – I hope the Academy won’t deny her long overdue first Oscar.
Moneyball seems like a better version of The Blind Side (Capote’s director, Sorkin-Zaillian script) and if Bullock could pull off a win, previous nominee superstar, Brad Pitt could do the same…although I have a strong feeling this will be DiCaprio’s long-awaited sweep-season and Pitt will pull a “Bale” in the supporting category.
A Dangerous Method always looked good on paper, hopefully critics will like/love it, too. If not for Brad Pitt’s turn in The Tree of Life, I could say I can see Mortensen winning, but this way it should be a very competitive season.
The TIFF line up list is not complete yet, they will add more titles in two weeks; I think we may spect the Gala Presentations for: The Iron lady, Carnage and Clint Eastwood’s J. Edgar. Last year they added 12 new titles, including Clint Eastwood’s Afterlife, just one week before the festival had started.
The TIFF line up list is not complete yet, they will add more titles in two weeks; I think we may spect the Gala Presentations for: The Iron lady, Carnage and Clint Eastwood’s J. Edgar. Last year they added 12 new titles, including Clint Eastwood’s Afterlife, just one week before the festival had started.
I’m upset no Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy on the list
I’m upset no Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy on the list
Recent events confuse me when it comes to W.E. : considering the director’s truly bad directing debut and the cliched synopsis, I have a hard time taking this seriously, yet
1. The Weinsteins acquired it
2. It will be probably on the Venice-lineup
3. It IS on the Toronto-lineup
If it is as bad as it looks unseen, how could it pull off these 3 things ?
I guess, it will either surprise in a very good way OR Madonna is simply more powerful than I thought.
Recent events confuse me when it comes to W.E. : considering the director’s truly bad directing debut and the cliched synopsis, I have a hard time taking this seriously, yet
1. The Weinsteins acquired it
2. It will be probably on the Venice-lineup
3. It IS on the Toronto-lineup
If it is as bad as it looks unseen, how could it pull off these 3 things ?
I guess, it will either surprise in a very good way OR Madonna is simply more powerful than I thought.
Madonna should stick to concert tours
Madonna should stick to concert tours
You left out Albert nobbs
You left out Albert nobbs
By the way, Jennifer Garner could totally surprise this year, her role in Butter sounds like the love child of Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon in Election) and Suzanne Stone Moretto (Nicole Kidman in To Die For)…and both were remarkably baity, career-defining roles.
Here is the synopsis from the official Toronto-press release :
“Set in the highly competitive world of championship butter carving, Butter blends social commentary, outrageous comedy and heartfelt drama in telling the story of the ambitious Laura Pickler (Jennifer Garner), the self-anointed First Lady of Butter Carving.
Refusing to accept that her husband (Ty Burrell) wants to step down after his 15-year run as the “Iowa State Butter Carving Champion,” and therefore end the Pickler family‟s reign in the spotlight, Laura takes a stab at the title herself. But her bid for glory is
complicated when two unlikely contestants enter the race – one, her husband‟s hard-living mistress (Olivia Wilde), and the other a 10-year-old foster child named Destiny (Yara Shahidi). Enlisting the help of her high school sweetheart, Boyd (Hugh Jackman), Laura will stop at nothing to be crowned champion, even if it means resorting to sabotage. Part political satire, part Capra-esque comedy, Butter is a story about what it means to win at all costs and against all odds.”
I saw Butter at an advanced screening…it is very similar to Election but nowhere near as good…a few funny moments but the edited version I saw was a mess…it didn’t know if it wanted to be a family film or an R-rated satire…if you are going to TIFF I suggest you stay away because it has potential to be the worst movie there…I’d guess it will get a limited release in early 2012 and no one will end up seeing it
By the way, Jennifer Garner could totally surprise this year, her role in Butter sounds like the love child of Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon in Election) and Suzanne Stone Moretto (Nicole Kidman in To Die For)…and both were remarkably baity, career-defining roles.
Here is the synopsis from the official Toronto-press release :
“Set in the highly competitive world of championship butter carving, Butter blends social commentary, outrageous comedy and heartfelt drama in telling the story of the ambitious Laura Pickler (Jennifer Garner), the self-anointed First Lady of Butter Carving.
Refusing to accept that her husband (Ty Burrell) wants to step down after his 15-year run as the “Iowa State Butter Carving Champion,” and therefore end the Pickler family‟s reign in the spotlight, Laura takes a stab at the title herself. But her bid for glory is
complicated when two unlikely contestants enter the race – one, her husband‟s hard-living mistress (Olivia Wilde), and the other a 10-year-old foster child named Destiny (Yara Shahidi). Enlisting the help of her high school sweetheart, Boyd (Hugh Jackman), Laura will stop at nothing to be crowned champion, even if it means resorting to sabotage. Part political satire, part Capra-esque comedy, Butter is a story about what it means to win at all costs and against all odds.”
I saw Butter at an advanced screening…it is very similar to Election but nowhere near as good…a few funny moments but the edited version I saw was a mess…it didn’t know if it wanted to be a family film or an R-rated satire…if you are going to TIFF I suggest you stay away because it has potential to be the worst movie there…I’d guess it will get a limited release in early 2012 and no one will end up seeing it
I just read Iron Lady will play at Toronto. I’m searching for a link.
I just read Iron Lady will play at Toronto. I’m searching for a link.
Since there’s no Loud and Close, The Iron lady, and My Week With Marilyn, I assume they will play at Telluride?
A Better Life is on the list. Does it mean they still put hope on that film for awards season?
Since there’s no Loud and Close, The Iron lady, and My Week With Marilyn, I assume they will play at Telluride?
A Better Life is on the list. Does it mean they still put hope on that film for awards season?
So they will give a shot to Peace, Love and Misunderstanding…if Toronto-word is great, I guess finding a distributor that is willing to secure a campaign, will be easy.
Other than the obvious picks, I think “Butter” and “Machine Gun Preacher” have the potential to surprise in a big way.
This probably also means, that The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel won’t be a 2011-player.
So they will give a shot to Peace, Love and Misunderstanding…if Toronto-word is great, I guess finding a distributor that is willing to secure a campaign, will be easy.
Other than the obvious picks, I think “Butter” and “Machine Gun Preacher” have the potential to surprise in a big way.
This probably also means, that The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel won’t be a 2011-player.
What about the iron
Lady?
What about the iron
Lady?