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

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

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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: 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

 

Happy Birthday: Alison Lohman

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alisonlohman.jpgAlison Lohman

Born: September 18, 1979 in Palm Springs, California, USA

Married to:
Mark Neveldine (19 August 2009 – present) (2 children)

I love to travel. The last place I went was Amsterdam. I love Amsterdam. There is great art and cafes and the people are cool. They seem so free to enjoy themselves and live uninhibited.

Big Fish
2003
dir. Tim Burton
Starring
Ewan McGregor
Albert Finney		 Delirious
2006
dir.Tom DiCillo
Cast
Steve Buscemi
Michael Pitt
SydneyWhiteBeowulf
dir. Zemeckis
Starring
Angelina Jolie
Anthony Hopkins
GAMER Movie PosterGamer
2009
dir. Mark Neveldine
Taylor
Starring
Butler
Michael C. Hall
MOVIE POSTERFLICKA
2006
dir. Michael Mayer
Stars:
Alison Lohman
Tim McGraw		 DRAG ME TO HELL Movie PosterDrag me to Hell
dir. Raimi
Starring
Alison Lohman
Justin Long

 

Happy Birthday: James Gandolfini (1961–2013)

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jamesgandolfini.jpgJames Gandolfini (1961–2013)

Born: September 18, 1961 in Westwood, New Jersey, USA
Died: June 19, 2013 (age 51) in Rome, Lazio, Italy

Married to:
Deborah Lin (30 August 2008 – 19 June 2013) (his death) (1 child)
Marcy Gandolfini (March 1999 – 18 December 2002) (divorced) (1 child)

[on ending The Sopranos (1999)] It’s been a great opportunity, but I don’t have much trepidation about it ending. I think it’s more than time. Part of the fun of acting is the research, finding out about other people. As much as I’ve explored this guy, I don’t know what else to really do with him. I’ve been in one place for 10 years. That’s enough. It’s time for me to do other things.

FALLENFallen
1998
dir. Gregory Hoblit
Starring
Denzel Washington
John Goodman		 movie posterTRUE ROMANCE
1993
dir. Tony Scott
Cast:
Christian Slater
Patricia Arquette
8MM8MM
1999
dir. Joel Schumacher
Starring
Nicolas Cage
Joaquin Phoenix
Gandolfini		 THE MAN WHO WASN'T THEREThe Man Who Wasn’t There
2001
dir. Joel and Ethan Coen
Cast
Billy Bob Thornton
Gandolfini
Romance and Cigarettes
2005
dir. John Turturro
Cast
James Gandolfini
Susan Sarandon		 THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123The Taking of Pelham 123
dir. Tony Scott
Starring
Denzel Washington
John Travolta
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE Movie PosterWhere the Wild Things Are
dir. Spike Jonze
Stars:
Max Records
Catherine O’Hara
Forest Whitaker		 IN THE LOOPIn the Loop
2009
dir. Armando Iannucci
Starring
Peter Capaldi
Tom Hollander
MOVIE POSTEREXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE
dir. Stephen Daldry
Stars
Thomas Horn
Tom Hanks		 MOVIE POSTERKILLING THEM SOFTLY
dir. Andrew Dominik
Stars:
Brad Pitt
Ray Liotta
ALL THE KING’S MEN
2006
dir. Steve Zallian
Stars:
Sean Penn
Jude Law		 MOVIE POSTERTHE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE
2013
dir. Don Scardino
Stars:
Steve Carell
MOVIE POSTERNOT FADE AWAY
dir. David Chase
Stars:
John Magaro
Will Brill		 SOPRANOS SEASON 1Sopranos
Season 1
Watch reviews of the season		 SOPRANOS SEASON 2Sopranos
Season 2
>Watch reviews of the season		 SOPRANOS SEASON 3Sopranos
Season 3
Watch reviews of the season
SOPRANOS SEASON 4Sopranos
Season 4
Watch reviews of the season		 SOPRANOS SEASON 5Sopranos
Season 5
Watch reviews of the season		 SOPRANOS SEASON 6Sopranos
Season 6
Watch reviews of the season		 MOVIE POSTERESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH
2013
dir. Cal Brunker
Stars:
Brendan Fraser
Sarah Jessica Parker
MOVIE POSTERTHE DROP
2014
dir. Micha�l R. Roskam
Stars:
Tom Hardy
Noomi Rapace

 

Submit to the Action/Adventure Festival via FilmFreeway

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WILDsound Festival's avatarWILDsound Festival

I got my appraisal and it was possibly the best I have ever received, not because it was good or complimentary, but because they had obviously read it, and I mean completely and they properly criticized it! So their comments were not only ‘left of field’, but they were an accurate observation and they actually improved the script, not matter how hard they were to swallow. It was so worthwhile it was worth the price of entry just to get that feedback.
– Richard Harrison, Feature Screenplay “A Shooting Star:

Get your script and story performed by professional actors at the Action/Adventure Festival. Get your Short Film showcased at the FEEDBACK Film Festival and get an audience video.

Next Festival Dates:
October 20 2016
February 23 2016

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Festival takes place at the Carlton Cinemas in downtown Toronto, Canada.

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