Year: 2016

TIFF 2016 Movie Review: BOYS IN THE TREES (Australia 2016)

festreviews 2016 movies, movie, TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews, Uncategorized , , , , , ,

Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

boys_in_the_trees_poster.jpg
BOYS IN THE TREES (Australia 2016) **
Directed by Nicholas Verso

Starring: Toby Wallace, Gulliver McGrath, Mitzi Ruhlmann

Review by Gilbert Seah

BOYS UNDER TREES contains an exciting premise – a coming-of-age story with gay overtones set in a small Australian town where the protagonist seeks to leave for the big city. The action takes place during Halloween where goals and Aborigine black magic exists.

The story unfolds over the course of an afternoon and deep into Halloween night, what occurs are also on the border separating the comforts of daytime and the eeriness of twilight. Some of the suburban territories they stumble into seem to contain a parallel realm of supernatural forebodings.

But the parallel universe theme does not really work and serve to confuse than to fascinate. Verso’s film is also so slow moving that one feels that it should have ended long before its short running time. The film also puzzles with a lot of questions like:

Is the snow in one scene real and if false who is supplying it and why is it toxic? Why is the girl in a different place for no reason?
Why is the Aborigine in the white suit appearing for no reason?

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gfx7L-pXCUg

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TIFF 2016 Movie Review: AQUARIUS (Brazil/France 2016) ****

festreviews 2016 movies, movie, Movie Review, TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews, Uncategorized , , , , , ,

Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

aquarius_posterAQUARIUS (Brazil/France 2016) ****
Directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho

Starring: Sonia Braga, Maeve Jinkings, Julia Bernat

Review by Gilbert Seah

Filho’s AQUARIUS is again set in Recife, the seaside neighbourhood that he made famous in his last film NEIGHBOURING SOUNDS.

Though that one was mainly set at night, AQUARIUS is mainly shot in bright sunlight for most of the scenes. AQUARIUS focuses on an individual: Clara (ex-Brazilian sex symbol, who still maintains her looks, Sônia Braga), a retired music critic and the sole tenant of an older apartment block being bought up by ruthless condo developers.

After surviving a bout of cancer and the loss of her beloved husband, Clara is hardly about to let herself be bullied by the “generous” offers or insidious charms of Diego (Humberto Carrão), the American-educated scion of a powerful local real-estate firm. Diego tries everything in his power to force Clara out of her home, including (hilariously, but not for Clara) hosting a noisy orgy in the suite above Clara’s — one that leaves a putrid mess in its wake. The second half of the film is how Clara fights back. Filho builds up the suspense right up to the climatic confrontation.

The film also reveals the class system, prejudices and culture of the Brazilian society.

Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bBcLImYBgQ

ubmissions. The Writing Festival network averages over 95,000 unique visitors a day.

Great way to get your story out: http://www.wildsound.ca/logline.html

Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month: http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

Died Today (September 18th): Jimi Hendrix (1942–1970)

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jimihendrix.jpgJimi Hendrix (1942–1970)

Born: November 27, 1942 in Seattle, Washington, USA
Died: September 18, 1970 (age 27) in Notting Hill, London, England, UK

Died at 27 years old, making him a member of the “27 Club”; The 27 Club is a group of prominent musicians who died at the age of 27. Other members include The Rolling Stones co-founder Brian Jones, singer Janis Joplin, The Doors frontman Jim Morrison, Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse.

I will be dead in five years’ time, but while I am here, I will travel many highways and I will, of necessity, die at a time when my message of love, peace and freedom can be shared with people all over the world.

Died Today (September 18th): Frank Morgan (1890–1949)

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frankmorgan.jpgFrank Morgan (I) (1890–1949)

Born: June 1, 1890 in New York City, New York, USA
Died: September 18, 1949 (age 59) in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

Married to:
Alma Muller (11 March 1914 – 18 September 1949) (his death) (1 child)

Margaret Hamilton, who played the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz (1939) said that whenever she saw the scene in the film where Frank Morgan as the Wizard is giving Dorothy’s friends gifts from his “black bag” (a diploma for the Scarecrow, a ticking heart for the Tin Man, and a medal for the Cowardly Lion), she got teary eyed, because “Frank Morgan was just like that in real life – very generous”.

THE STRATTON STORY
1949
dir. Sam Wood
Stars:
James Stewart
June Allyson

THE WIZARD OF OZ 1939The Wizard of Oz
1939
dir. Victor Fleming
Starring
Garland
Frank Morgan
THEThe Good Fairy
1935
dir. Wyler
starring
Margaret Sullavan
Frank Morgan
The Shop Around the CornerThe Shop Around the Corner
1940
dir. Ernst Lubitsch
Cast
Margaret Sullavan
James Stewart

 

Happy Birthday: Jack Warden (1920–2006)

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jackwarden.jpgJack Warden (1920–2006)

Born: September 18, 1920 in Newark, New Jersey, USA

Died: July 19, 2006 (age 85) in New York City, New York, USA

Married to: Wanda Ottoni (10 October 1958 – 19 July 2006) (his death) (1 child)

 

 

All the President’s Men
1976
dir. Alan J Pakula
Starring
Robert Redford
Dustin Hoffman		 ALL JUSTICE FOR ALL…And Justice for All
1979
dir. Norman Jewison
Cast
Al Pacino
Warden
THE REPLACEMENTSThe Replacements
2000
dir. Howard Deutch
Starring
Keanu Reeves
Gene Hackman		 MOVIE POSTERBULLETS OVER BROADWAY
1994
dir. Woody Allen
Starring:
John Cusack
Dianne Wiest
From Here to Eternity
1953
dir. Fred Zinnemann
Cast
Burt Lancaster
Montgomery Clift		 12 ANGRY MEN12 Angry Men
1957
dir. Sidney Lumet
starring
Fonda
Lee J. Cobb
SHAMPOOShampoo
1975
dir. Hal Ashby
starring
Julie Christie
Warren Beatty		 MOVIE POSTERED
1996
dir. Bill Couturie
Stars:
Matt LeBlanc
Jayne Brook
movie posterBRIAN’S SONG
1971
dir. Buzz Kulik
Stars:
James Caan
Billy Dee Williams

Happy Birthday: Robert Blake

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robertblake.jpgRobert Blake

Born: September 18, 1933 in Nutley, New Jersey, USA

[About his roles as Tony Baretta and Father Noah Hardstep in Baretta (1975) and Hell Town (1985), respectively]: There are more similarities than differences. They both care a lot about people and they both get impatient with the system if the system seems to be keeping them from doing their jobs. And they both ain’t afraid to do a little scuffling to get the job done.

Happy Birthday: Greta Garbo (1905–1990)

festreviews Happy Birthday ,

gretagarboGreta Garbo (1905–1990)

Born: September 18, 1905 in Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden
Died: April 15, 1990 (age 84) in New York City, New York, USA

[in 1932, about her recreational preferences] If I needed recreation, I liked to be out of doors: to trudge about in a boy’s coat and boy’s shoes; to ride horseback, or shoot craps with the stable boys, or watch the sun set in a blaze of glory over the Pacific Ocean. You see, I am still a bit of a tomboy. Most hostesses disapprove of this trousered attitude to life, so I do not inflict upon them.

The Joyless StreetThe Joyless Street
1925
dir. Georg Wilhelm Pabst
Starring
Werner Krauss
Asta Nielsen
Garbo
Flesh and the Devil
1926
dir. Clarence Brown
starring
Garbo
John Gilbert
ANNA CHRISTIEAnna Christie
1930
dir. Clarence Brown
Cast
Greta Garbo
Charles Bickford		 Grand HotelGrand Hotel
1932
dir. by Edmund Goulding
Garbo
John Barrymore		 NINOTCHKA POSTERNinotchka
1939
dir. Ernst Lubitsch
Starring
Garbo
Elvyn Douglas
MOVIE POSTERCAMILLE
1936
dir. George Cukor
Stars:
Greta Garbo
Robert Taylor

 

Happy Birthday: Beth Grant

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bethgrant.jpgBeth Grant

Born: September 18, 1949 in Gadsden, Alabama, USA

Beth Grant won SAG Best Ensemble Award two years in a row with Little Miss Sunshine (2006) and No Country for Old Men (2007).

As of 2016, has appeared in four films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: Rain Man (1988), Little Miss Sunshine (2006), No Country for Old Men (2007) and The Artist (2011). With the exception of Little Miss Sunshine (2006), the other three are winners in the category.

THE ARTIST
dir. Michel Hazanavicius
Star:
John Goodman
Missi Pyle		 RangoRANGO
dir. Gore Verbinski
Stars:
Johnny Depp
Isla Fisher
movie posterDONNIE DARKO
2001
dir. Richard Kelly
Starring:
Jake Gyllenhaal
Jena Malone		 CRAZY HEART Movie PosterCrazy Heart
dir. Scott Cooper
Cast
Jeff Bridges
Maggie Gyllenhall
No Country for Old Men
dir. Joel and Ethan Coen
Starring
Josh Brolin
Tommy Lee Jones		 ALL ABOUT STEVE Movie PosterAll About Steve
dir. Phil Traill
Starring
Sandra Bullock
Bradley Cooper
Thomas Haden Church
Rain ManRain Man
1988
dir. Levinson
Also Starring
Dustin Hoffman		 FLAGS OF OUR FATHERSFlags of our Fathers
2006
dir. Eastwood
Starring
Ryan Phillippe
Jesse Bradford
MOVIE POSTERTHE ROOKIE
2002
dir. John Lee Hancock
Stars:
Dennis Quaid
J.D. Evermore		 LITTLE MISS SUNSHINELittle Miss Sunshine
2006
dir. Jonathan Dayton
Valerie Faris
Starring
Abigail Breslin
Greg Kinnear
FACTORY GIRL
2006
dir. George Hickenlooper
Stars:
Sienna Miller
Guy Pearce		 MOVIE POSTERCHILD’S PLAY 2
1990
dir. by John Lafia
Stars:
Alex Vincent
Jenny Agutter		 MOVIE POSTERTHE DARK HALF
1993
dir. by George A. Romero
Stars:
Timothy Hutton
Amy Madigan		 MOVIE POSTERBAD WORDS
2014
dir. Jason Bateman
Stars:
Jason Bateman
Kathryn Hahn
MOVIE POSTERSOUTHLAND TALES
2006
dir. Richard Kelly
Stars:
Dwayne Johnson
Sarah Michelle Gellar

 

Happy Birthday: Fred Willard

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fredwillard.jpgFred Willard

Born: September 18, 1939 in Shaker Heights, Ohio, USA

Married to:
Mary Lovell (1968 – present) (1 child)

(2012, on landing WALL-E) It was amazing; they called me, and it was like they were trying to woo me to convince me to do it. They said, “We’d like to bring you up to San Francisco and have you tour Pixar,” and I said, “Gee, my grandson is a huge fan of all the Pixar movies.” So they said, “Bring your whole family up.” They flew us up, they took me to their offices, and it was like they thought I had to be won over. I was thrilled to be up there. They took my grandson on a trip to see how they make the films, and then I went there twice to film this stuff. It was a very easy day, but they hadn’t even finished the film then, and they wouldn’t tell me anything about it. I couldn’t be told the plot, and they asked me to do no publicity for it until like a week or two before the film. So that was a very strange experience.

ROXANNE
1987
dir. Fred Schepisi
Stars:
Steve Martin
Daryl Hannah		 WALL*EWALL*E
Directed by Andrew Stanton
Voices by
Ben Burtt
Jeff Garlin

MOVIE POSTERAMERICAN WEDDING
2003
dir. Jesse Dylan
Stars
Alyson Hannigan
Seann William Scott		 YOUTH IN REVOLT Movie PosterYouth in Revolt
dir. Miguel Arteta
Stars
Michael Cera
Portia Doubleday
Moving Violations
1985
dir. Neal Israel
Cast
Fred Willard
Sally Kellerman		 MOVIE POSTERDATE MOVIE
2006
dir. Aaron Seltzer
Stars:
Alyson Hannigan
Fred Willard
ANCHORMANAnchorman
2004
dir. Adam McKay
starring
Ferrell
Christina Applegate