Author: festreviews

Today’s TIFF Reviews – Sept. 18th

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Read the best of reviews from films at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2016: https://festivalreviews.org/category/tiff-2016-movie-reviews/

TIFF 2016 Movie Review: CARRIE PILBY (USA 2016) ***

Being too smart might be detrimental to ones life. Based on Caren Lissner’s best-selling 2003 novel, CARRIE PILBY is a story of a awkward teen who graduated Harvard at the age of 19 and lives in a small NYC apartment paid for by her London-based father (Gabriel Byrne).

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

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.

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

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

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Reviews of ANIMATION Films from the August 2016 Festival

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Read best of reviews by Kierston Drier from the August 2016 Animation Film Festival: https://festivalreviews.org/tag/kierston-drier/

Movie Review: JAILBREAK (2016)

The curious duet of stop-motion and art illusion is superb creating a reality and
otherworldliness that is both engaging and visually decadent.

Movie Review: TIME SMASH (2016)

Time Smash by USA director Benjamin Reicher, is frankly, hilarious. This is due to simple cinematic mathematics. The plot is clear, simple and concise, the visuals are strong and punchy, the story is strong and the punchline is fantastic.

Movie Review: SEA OF INK (2016)

High concept and open for interpretation, it seems to display one artist’s struggles to find the creative inspiration in his work. As he tries to make his hands do what his heart feels he finds himself sucked deep down into the bottom of a creative ocean.

Movie Review: BOTTOMLESS (2016)

This comical inversion on the classic fish out of water story is brought to…

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Read NEW Filmmaking and Director Interviews

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Read the best of NEW Interviews from filmmakers about filmmaking: https://matthewtoffolo.com/category/film-director/
Interview with Filmmaker Michelle Brand (A SMALL VOICE)
At the beginning, I was really nervous. But throughout hearing the audience talking about my film, I had to smile. It really moved me to hear people discuss the film, their thoughts and feelings, and it was very touching.
Interview with Filmmaker Leon Williams (HOWELL)
I found it surreal at first. It’s pretty cool aeeing reactions from people so far away enjoying and responding so positively to our little Welsh short film. It’s heartwarming to see such feedback and highly rewarding to hear the laughs.
Interview with Filmmaker Veronique Vanblaere (BOTTOMLESS)
I got to be a fly on the wall. Seeing and hearing people talking about my film while I could not be there was not only a “voyeuristic” treat, but provided fantastic constructive feedback on my work. I do not know of a festival…

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September 2016 – Read the best of NEW Poetry from around the world

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Read the best of NEW Poems from poets from all over the world: 

EVERYONE’S FINE, by Marie Catalan
http://wildsoundfestivalreview.com/2016/08/24/everyones-fine-poetry-by-marie-catalan/

TO TIMOTHY, by Axane Sand
https://wildsoundfestivalreview.com/2016/08/24/to-timothy-poetry-by-axane-sand/

LIFETIME, by Catherine Hsu
http://wildsoundfestivalreview.com/2016/08/24/lifetime-poetry-by-catherine-hsu/

TO THOU OF YESTERYEARS, by Sunday James
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2016/08/26/to-thou-of-yesteryears-poetry-by-sunday-james/

KHWAJAH PIRUZ, by Renkian Barrymore
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2016/08/26/khwajah-piruz-poetry-by-renkian-barrymore/

BURNT BRIDGES, by Monica H. Thomas
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2016/08/26/burnt-bridges-poetry-by-monica-h-thomas/

CURIOUSITY GET LOST WITH ME, by Lizzie Heart
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2016/08/26/curiosity-get-lost-with-me-poetry-by-lizzie-heart/

POLITICO 2016, by Farzana Moon
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2016/08/26/politico-2016-poetry-by-farzana-moon/

APRIL PAST, by Slowmoto
https://festivalforpoetry.com/2016/08/26/april-past-poetry-by-slowmoto/

    * * * * *

Deadline: FREE POETRY Festival – Get your poem made into a MOVIE and seen by 1000s. Three options to submit:
http://www.wildsound.ca/poetrycontest.html

Watch Poetry performance readings:

Watch Poetry made into Movies:

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Deadline Sept. 20th – SHORT Screenplay Festival

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WILDsound Festival's avatarWILDsound Festival

short script CONTESTSHORT SCRIPT CONTEST
Submit your short film screenplay!

FULL FEEDBACK on your screenplay from our committee of Professional Screenwriters, Filmmakers, Production Heads and Script Consultants. Get your script performed by professional actors at the Writing Festival.

Submit your Short Screenplay: http://www.wildsound.ca/shortscriptcontest.html

ALL SUBMITTED SCRIPTS and FILMS GET FULL FEEDBACK – The goal of the WILDsound Film Festivals is to help everyone involved grow as an artist, so we will offer some kind of constructive criticism whether or not we accept your entry for the formal festival.

There is no film festival like this!

Festival Review – Read testimonials of past submitters feedback on their work.

WATCH RECENT SHORT SCREENPLAY FESTIVAL READINGS

ACTORShort Screenplay – TURN ON DESIRE
February 2016 Reading
Written by Lauren Hoekstra		ACTORShort Screenplay – FOR HOPE
February 2016 Reading
Written by Cindy Lee		ACTORShort Screenplay – COMPLICIT
February 2016 Reading
Written by Andrew L. Schwartz
ACTORShort Screenplay…

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TIFF 2016 Movie Review: PLANETARIUM (France/Belgium 2016)

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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.

planetarium_poster.jpgPLANETARIUM (France/Belgium 2016) **
Directed by Rebecca Zlotowski

Starring: Natalie Portman, Lily-Rose Depp, Emmanuel Salinger

Review by Gilbert Seah

PLANETARIUM is beautifully shot period piece on the lives of two sisters who care too much for each other.

The setting is Paris in the 1930s, where two sisters, American spiritualists Laura (Natalie Portman) and Kate Barlow (Lily-Rose Depp), are winding up a world tour. Seemingly adept at communicating with the dead, the women are somewhat less experienced with the business of the living.

Nevertheless, their astonishing exhibit of apparently supernatural powers piques the interest of powerful French film producer André Korben (Emmanuel Salinger), who retains their strange talents for his wildly ambitious new film project. Laura and Kate are soon swept up in a scheme that, fusing art and the occult, portends a dark shadow soon to be cast over all of Europe.

The film is better than it sounds.

Portman inhabits her role similar to the one she did in her directorial debut A TALE OF LOVE AND DARKNESS. But director Zlotoskski’s film feels very detached and one can hardly feel sympathetic for the sisters or even for the film producer. All pretty things aside, the film is quite the bore.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV3k-L10A2M

Free logline submissions. 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

TIFF 2016 Movie Review: CARRIE PILBY (USA 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.

carrie_pilby_poster.jpgCARRIE PILBY (USA 2016) ***
Directed by Susan Johnson

Starring: Bel Powley, Nathan Lane, Gabriel Byrne

Review by Gilbert Seah

Being too smart might be detrimental to ones life. Based on Caren Lissner’s best-selling 2003 novel, CARRIE PILBY is a story of a awkward teen who graduated Harvard at the age of 19 and lives in a small NYC apartment paid for by her London-based father (Gabriel Byrne).

Carrie (Bel Powley) has no job, no purpose and no friends because she actively dislikes just about everyone (rating them “morally and intellectually unacceptable”) as only a teenager can.

Her one regular contact is her dad’s therapist friend, Dr. Petrov (Nathan Lane in rare role of an unfaithful straight man), who after a fruitless series of weekly visits finally sets Carrie some homework: a five-point plan to get her life together. As they say, nothing goes as planned. The plan results in her life turned more upside down. Johnson’s film takes half the film to get its footing.

The first half is really annoying with Carrie spurting out too much clever dialogue and the script getting too smug for tis own good. It treats its audience as simple folk that need a twist in every segment or needing a punch line after a dialogue.

The film gets more tolerable in the second half even turning to winning when Carrie finally gives up on the plan.

Part coming-of-age, part father/daughter relationship and part romance, CARRIE PILBY is a chick flick that finally rises, like is character at the end.

Free logline submissions. 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

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

Free logline submissions. 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

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.