TIFF 2010: The Wrap Up

11 Days. 300 films. 300,000 tickets. So went the line on the front of the official film schedule for TIFF this year. Well, I managed to see 16 of them and for your summary pleasure...here's how they fall out in my opinion.

My Favourite Film of the Festival

• Made in Dagenham. I know I'm having a hard time separating the movie itself from my joy in the story of women fighting for equal rights in the world but it was just great.

Great Movies (you should absolutely see them in the theatre or before the Oscars next year)

• Rabbit Hole. Nicole Kidman is back in form and Aaron Eckhart gives a wonderful performance too. A sad story about parents struggling to put their lives back together after losing a child.


• Conviction. Hillary Swank again shines as a tough woman in tough circumstances. The true life story of a sister that won't give up on her brother's innocence.


• Hereafter. Clint Eastwood directs three stories about death and what comes next.


• Beautiful Boy. Won the critic's award for the Discovery programme and showcases fabulous performances by Michael Sheen and Maria Bello.


• Inside Job. Charles Ferguson (previously Oscar nominated for No End in Sight) delivers an eductional and infuriating look at the financial crisis.


• Never Let Me Go. If you were only going to either read the book or see the movie I would recommend the book, but there's room for both and I thought the translation to screen was done really well and cemented my crush on Carey Mulligan as an actress.

Good Movies (worth a rental or a good way to spend time on a plane)

• Daydream Nation. A little dark comedy from a first time Canadian director. I'm sure you'll get a chance to see it on the Movie Network. Kat Dennings is compellingly watchable.


• Super. Rainn Wilson as a sad sack vigilante superhero who is trying to save his wife but mostly just hits people over the head with a wrench. Ellen Page rocks as the unhinged sidekick.


• Trust. A 14yr old girl falls prey to a pedophile. Worth seeing for the performance of Liana Liberato and Clive Owen's final scene.


• Sound of Mumbai: a musical. Documentary about a group of kids from the slums of India who get a chance to perform. The kids, as you'd expect, will break your heart.


• Buried. Ryan Reynolds in a box.


• Easy A. Emma Stone is awesome as the precocious Olive (who needs Lindsay Lohan??) and the movie delivers exactly as it should.


• Waiting for 'Superman'. The kids in lotteries trying to get into better schools anchor a lot of information about the educational system and provide a compelling narrative.

Skip it - not worth the time that could be spent watching better movies

• Jack Goes Boating. Philip Seymour Hoffman's directorial debut is a bit slow and pretentious.


• Stone. Edward Norton and Robert DeNiro can't save a story that doesn't seem to come together.

Stuff I didn't see that I heard really good things about in lines

• The King's Speech. Everyone who talked to me about this movie loved it. It won the People's Choice award for the festival (past two years winners are Precious and Slumdog Millionaire) and Colin Firth is getting rave reviews for his performance (like, expect back to back Oscar nomination raves).


• Black Swan. Natalie Portman is apparently also on the Oscar nom shortlist discussion for her performance as a disturbed ballet dancer.


• 127 Hours. It was on my schedule until I decided I wasn't sure I could sit through the amputation scene (further reinforced by reports of people passing out at the premiere). I've heard James Franco is great though and Danny Boyle gave great Q&A's discussing the film.

And that's it for TIFF for another year. Looking back I'm pretty happy with the selection and have another few to add to my 'must see' list. Now on to the fall TV season...