Toronto Film Fest, Pt 2
More of our 2 cents from the Toronto Film Fest.
Below are 3 flicks that Marni (from our Magazine division) cherry-picked from Toronto Film fest. These are her thoughts.
Marni’s “3 dark quiet films”
(1) MISTER LONELY, Dir. Harmony Korine (Kids, Gummo)
A bizarre and beautiful story. Diego Luna plays a lonely american Michael Jackson impersonator living in Paris who encounters a Marilyn Monroe lookalike, Samantha Morton. She then whisks him away from Paris to her commune in the Highlands, where its members consist of famous characters like Charlie Chaplin, Queen Elizabeth, James Dean, Shirley Temple, among others. Michael feels like he’s finally found a home a people with whom he can relate, when a tragedy occurs and he realizes that this life isn’t as jolly is it appears. He returns to Paris and begins his new life as himself. I must say, the sheer absurdity was entertaining throughout.
(2) NOTHING IS PRIVATE, Dir. Alan Ball (Writer for “American Beauty”, Creator “Six Feet Under”)
This is set in the early 90’s and stars the impressively creepy Aaron Eckhart who plays an army reservist who embarks on a dangerous flirtation (which eventually leads to blatant molestation) with his 14-year-old new neighbor played by newbie Summer Bishil. This up-and-comer is one to watch – gorgeous and believable. Her father, for all you ‘Six Feet’ fans, is played by ‘Olivier’ (the creepy art school teacher) whose performance as the misogynist father is so over the top it’s lovable – he added a much needed comic relief to this film, just when you thought it was too disturbing to handle. Toni Collette, as always, gives a flawless performance as the concerned neighbor who tries to protect this young girl from her neighbor and her father. Bottom line: mildly depressing? Sure. But I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen.
(3) THE GIRL IN THE PARK, Dir. David Auburn (writer for “Proof”)
Starring Sigourney Weaver, Kate Bosworth and Alessandro Nivola. The director David Auburn skillfully explained before the film began that this film explores the complexities of grief- not immediate grief, but rather the long term effect grief has its survivors of a child’s abduction. You first witness Sigourney Weaver’s character losing her 3 year old daughter in a New York City Park. The film then cuts to 16 plus years later, and you see that she’s now living alone, clearly divorced from her husband (and former life). Kate Bosworth plays a streetwise misfit who takes advantage of Sigourney’s character’s generosity and loneliness and winds up crashing long term at her apartment. During this time, they form a friendship that straddles reality, as Sigourney is clearly using Kate’s character to fill the void of the daughter she lost. This film is pretty morose but has outstanding performances by Sigourney and Kate, and especially by Alessandro Nivola, who plays the accomplished son that Sigourney’s character never really gave a shit about.
-Marni
