TIFF MAKES THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE

It's done. It's over. It's a distant memory. It was here and now it's gone.
The 34th Toronto International Film Festival touched down with a whirlwind of people, parties and prolific filmmakers like Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Adam Egoyan.

During it's nine day city invasion, TIFF reminded local and visiting filmfans why it really is the best and most consumer friendly film festival in the world. In addition to the regular mini tornado's comprised of heavyhitters like Le Weinstein, Lowe, Barrymore and Connellly, TIFF made a huge statement by hosting numerous free screenings and live performances including films about U2, The Dixie Chicks and Bob Marley. They told the world that TIFF is for the people and spent a considerable amount of money making it happen.

I got to see a few movies in between planning our CFC Annual BBQ fundraiser that helps keep the CFC training tomorrow's film, television and new media content creators. Each year, the team works tirelessly and we raise close to $200,000 from an amazing group of sponsors who make it possible for us to host over 1,000 visiting and local members of the industry. They come, they drink, they make plans to talk deals, then they are off to the next of dozens of stops on the TIFF tornado!

So what did I see worth mentioning? Out of the 10 films I saw, three of them are worthy of checking out.

1. The first pick is The Invention of Lying with Ricky Gervais. As my friend Dustin said, " It's a totally original idea and story". The Invention of Lying takes you on a journey into a world where people don't lie...EVER. It's an awesome, and you would assume idealistic place to live,
but Mr.Gervais takes the story from the clouds to the mean streets quicker that you can say ' no, your ass doesn't look fat in that". Its a cute movie that will make you laugh, done.

2. Whip It is my second pick. I totally wished I was a thirteen year old girl watching this movie about a young girl living in a small town near Austin, Texas. She is the odd ball, the quirky one, the purple haired, Doc Marten wearing rebel chick who needs a home. While in a head shop, she
finds out about roller derby and as soon as she sets foot into the warehouse space to see her first game, you know this little one has found her people. She tries out, and it's clear she can handle her own. The rest of the movie was as predictable as the beginning, but this movie is about sending a message to young ladies that you can be all that you want...Smart, tough, pretty and a little crazy all at the same time..Why this was not taught to us in grade eight sex-ed, I do not know...But I would have saved a lot of time had it been!

3. Micmacs (Micmacs à tire-larigot) is my third pick. This film is from Jean-Pierre Jeunet, who co-wrote and directed Amelie. Micmacs is a film about optimism. Based on a character named Brasil who was orphaned as a youngster when his soldier father was killed by a roadside bomb. Working in a video store and trying to find his place in the world, Bazil is hit by a stray bullet in a freak drive-by shooting incident. Emerging from hospital, he finds himself jobless and penniless. Brasil finds support in a group of underground gypsies who take him in as family and help him create plan to destroy two big weapons manufacturers, one of which made the roadside bomb
that killed his father. The journey takes a few left turns and you are more than happy to go for the ride with a beautiful sensory experience only the likes of Jeunet and his team of free thinkers could create. Mic Macs is beautiful, subtitled and will become a classic like Amelie.

P.S: I also saw two NON TIFF movies recently.

THE INFORMERS: If you are doing a project on period pieces from the 80's, watch it. Otherwise, it will bore you and remind you that the 80's sucked..was a vacuous period of self-indulgence.

SUNSHINE CLEANING: Awesome, sweet and considerate storytelling, motivating and an overall good movie that makes your heart feel.