TIFF movie reviews - in my humble opinion...

Films generally follow the same themes: love, war, sex, violence. However, film festivals tend to have more than your average dose of sex and violence. Since I usually stay away from violence, I end up steering towards the other end of the spectrum - the relationship/life genre. So if you aren’t interested in reading about it, skip this post entirely. Please also bear in mind, that my films were at best random selections, given film availability, my disorganization and lack of memory as to what the films I had scribbled down in haste before I got to the box office.

Filmmakers attempt to enlighten us, make us question our beliefs, and if they are really good, they touch our hearts. These are the only two movies I have seen at TIFF so far, and they are worthy of comment.

Married Life
I watched it tonight. I didn’t know too much about the plot except for the fact that it starred hottie Pierce (007), Rachel McAdams, Patricia Clarkson, and the very talented Chris Cooper. They were all in attendance, except for Pierce.

Synopsis: its set in the late 1940, a married couple’s happiness is slightly marred by the fact that the husband is having an affair. He loves his wife too much to let her ‘suffer’ through divorce, and instead opts for killing her. I know what you are thinking. Yes, I too thought, okay it sounds like the Laci Peterson story, however the movie was based on the 1953 book ‘Five Roundabouts to Heaven’ .

This film could have gone down the bad movie path, however, the dialogue was brilliant, the dark humor was laugh-out- loud funny, and each of the actors brought the characters to life. I really hope it gets picked up for distribution.

The best line was towards the end of the movie when Pierce Brosnan’s character says ‘Raise your hand if you think you actually know what the person lying beside you is thinking’.

Une Veille Maitresse (The Last Mistress)
Synopsis – Based on the book of the same title, the film is set in 1835, amid the excess of Parisian aristocracy. There is an impending marriage and past love affairs are under scrutiny. The director really did an AMAZING job with the film. It was just one of the most beautiful movies. Everything about it was beautiful : the cinematography, the costumes, the actors (esp, Fu’ad Aït Aattou, the lead actor).

Although, the movie dealt with the main characters going through a love/hate relationship, and all the awful things we are capable of doing to each other in the name of love and lust, there was enough levity in the movie to not make it a harrowing experience. The grandmere stole the spotlight in all of her scenes in her quest for the salacious truth. Again, I had no clue what I was getting myself into. It premiered at Cannes and was apparently a contender for the Palm d’Or. I can see why, as I saw this on Monday, and it is still lingering in my brain.

Catherine Brellait, the director of this film was asked why she chose to adapt this novel. Here is her response:

I love the books of the l9th century.. I would have liked to be the author; he was considered scandalous; he was immense. I did a period piece because I want an ambiance in which passion is possible: the aristocracy allows for the range of emotional experience. When you are starving in Darfur, you cannot think about passion.

I was a bit stunned by the last line. I understand that people in Darfur have to deal with basic survival, but isn’t love and passion a universal feeling? Do poor people not feel passion or love? I think they do. I stumbled upon an article about an Afghan tea boy who has been jailed 15 years for love. I personally think it would make for a great film.