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• Mark Olsen counts down Toronto’s must sees. It’s an indie dominated list (and fest, really) with more than a few surprises. [The Envelope] • Pete Hammond talks to Tom O’Neil about the Telluride success of “Slumdog Millionaire” and “I’ve Loved You So Long,” as well as the whole “Button” footage dust-up from yesterday. [Gold […]
9/3 Oscarweb Round-up
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 6:11 am · September 3rd, 2008
Filed in: Daily
TIFF keeps ’em coming
Posted by John Foote · 1:40 pm · July 17th, 2008
More announcements out of the press office from Toronto today. Great to hear that the first of the potential Oscar films is coming, Ed Harris’s “Appaloosa,” with Viggo Mortensen, Renee Zellweger and Harris starring. Harris’s last directorial effort “Pollock” opened here and went all the way to Oscar night, winning Best Supporting Actress for Marcia […]
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On the Candian cinema
Posted by John Foote · 11:18 am · June 23rd, 2008
With the recent announcement of Paul Gross’s “Passchendaele” as the opening night film at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (and honor traditionally handed to a Canadian endeavor), I thought I’d dedicate some space to the best of Canadian cinema. But first, a history of sorts. Growing up in Ontario, Canada, I fell in love […]
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TIFF 2008 announces opening night gala
Posted by John Foote · 11:51 pm · June 18th, 2008
The first press conference of the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival was held yesterday for the announcement of the Opening Night film, traditionally given to a Canadian film. Canadian filmmaker Paul Gross will kick off the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival with the world premiere of his World War I epic “Passchendaele.” Set during the […]
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Spike Lee = the Jesse Jackson of film?
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:34 am · June 12th, 2008
Roger Simon seems to think so: Why would Lee pick this fight? Unfortunately, it couldn’t be more obvious. Like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, time has been passing Spike Lee by. His worldview comes from another era and he has never really sought to revise it, to open his eyes. Proof of that is that […]
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The June Oscar update
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 6:42 pm · May 31st, 2008
EDIT: Broken link now functioning. Apologies. I’ve done some chart management this month in the wake of the Cannes International Film Festival. Also, we’ve added pages for each of our contributors to offer up his predictions in various races. You’ll find them linked in the bios section. I’ll likely keep Oscar updates to a monthly […]
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New poll
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:20 am · May 26th, 2008
In lieu of a decent talking point surrounding this year’s somewhat underwhelming Cannes fest, I thought I’d keep it simple this week and grab an assessment on this weekend’s blockbuster. Tell us where you stand in the new poll.
Filed in: Daily
Which film will take the Palme d’Or?
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:40 am · May 23rd, 2008
Wells is already speculating and Foote is ready to move on, but let’s think it out here. In a festival that has been a bit underwhelming to most, both artistically for the critics and fiscally for the buyers, someone’s still gotta win best in show. Matteo Garrone’s “Gomorra” and Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s “Three Monkeys” might […]
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A.O. Scott on ‘Che’ and ‘Synecdoche’
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:21 am · May 23rd, 2008
Thankfully SOMEONE took some time to properly respond to Steven Soderbergh’s one-two punch of “The Argentine” and “Guerrilla” — “Che,” for the Cannes world premiere. I respect as much as anyone the need to get the reaction out there fast, but more than a few critics were a bit hasty in rounding up extended thoughts […]
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As Cannes winds down, TIFF looms…
Posted by John Foote · 9:35 am · May 23rd, 2008
With Cannes on the downswing, it becomes time to to start making preparations for the annual Toronto International Film Festival, for which screening announcements begin next month. I have been covering Toronto for more than 15 years and can safely say it is Christmas to a film critic. Each September I move into the Delta […]
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Festival-goers file out of ‘Synecdoche’
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 3:32 am · May 23rd, 2008
UPDATE (5:38 a.m.): Allan Hunter of Screen International has written the first full review out of the fest I’ve come across. He raves the effort as follows: Synecdoche is about one man’s lifelong struggle to understand the meaning of his existence. Unadventurous audiences may feel the film is a two hour struggle to understand the […]
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First ‘Che’ reactions land
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 3:29 pm · May 21st, 2008
UPDATED (4:15 PM): Not so fast, there. It seems Anne Thompson has chimed in and sort of doused the flames of passion a bit with a sobering perspective on these two efforts. The next few hours ought to be interesting as more opinions trickle in. Here’s what Anne had to say: “A folly.” “A mess.” […]
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Oscarweb Round-up (Week of 5/12)
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 6:16 pm · May 15th, 2008
Reintroducing the Oscarweb Round-ups you probably caught at Red Carpet District last season, I thought it might be worth it to try it on a weekly basis here at In Contention — until the daily onslaught hits us again in a few months. –Peter Debruge writes up the Student Academy Award winners. [Thompson on Hollywood] […]
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