Black Sheep @ The Box Office

Before the weekend started, early predictions were that THE SOCIAL NETWORK would debut on top with approximately $27 million. That seemed a little low for me. Everyone I knew wanted to see this movie but apparently couldn't pull themselves away from Facebook to see the film opening weekend. It still debuted on top but came in on the lower end of expectations with $23 million. Still, the response to the film has been phenomenal from both audiences and critics alike so the David Fincher film should have strong legs in the weeks ahead. Last week's champ, WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS suffered a sizable 46% drop with this new kid in town.

Other debuts this week might as well not have bothered. Considering it was being dumped anyway, the Renee Zellwegger dud, CASE 39, shouldn't mind coming in 7th place. That said, coming in below that is pretty embarrassing for Matt Reeves' LET ME IN. I would say that purists refused to see the remake but it wasn't made for them anyway.

Below the Top 10, CATFISH (+34%), WAITING FOR SUPERMAN (+192%) and YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER (+45%) saw solid increases follow their modest expansions. BURIED and NEVER LET ME GO slowed somewhat. Both pictures are still expected to go wider next week, much wider.

NEXT WEEK: What a dreadful week to go to the movies next week. Catch something you missed because I see no reason to get excited about the Katherine Heigl comedy, LIFE AS WE KNOW IT (3100 screens) or the Diane Lane horse movie, SECRETARIAT (2500 screens). Of course you could catch MY SOUL TO TAKE in 3D. Who doesn't love horror flying off the screen at you? Even the art house crowd gets shafted with the big disappointment, IT'S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY. Better luck the week after I guess.

Source: Box Office Mojo

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TIFF Review: NEVER LET ME GO

Written by Alex Garland

Directed by Mark Romanek

Starring Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley and Andrew Garfield

Famed music video director, Mark Romanek, takes on Kazuo Ishiguro’s much loved and heavily praised novel, NEVER LET ME GO, as his second venture into feature filmmaking. It is a daring challenge indeed given the underlying questions about the value of human life but Romanek takes the challenge head on. I have not read the novel but, from what I understand, he gets the tone just right. That said, if the tone is meant to be one of cold disassociation, than perhaps it was never meant to be a film to begin with.

NEVER LET ME GO is a hybrid of science fiction and romantic drama. The prologue to the film tells us that a medical breakthrough discovered in 1967 has increased the life expectancy of human beings to over 100 years but does not tell us how. We are then introduced to Kathy, Tommy and Ruth (Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield and Keira Knightley, respectively) in 1978 at a boarding school called Hailsham. There is clearly something special about this school and the children that go there and it is our job to piece that together bit by bit. While that is happening though, a love triangle develops between these friends that is meant to be this great affront to love. It seems secondary to the mystery awaiting us and therefore never feels meaningful even after the mystery is solved.

When a younger Kathy sits on her bed, listening to fictional singer, Judy Bridgewater, sing, “Never, never, never let me go,” she cries quietly to herself and yearns to know what that feels like. She looks human, she emotes like a human but she knows she isn’t like everyone else. Watching the film, NEVER LET ME GO, is perhaps best exemplified in this scene. Like the little girl, it too wants to be held and cherished, for its beautiful imagery and solid performances, but whether or not that is even possible is up for debate. Again, like the little girl, the film too might be lacking a soul.

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TIFF'D: Wednesday, September 15

Day 7 is a strange day at TIFF for me.  It feels to some extent like the festival ended yesterday.  I have no more interviews.  There are only press screenings scheduled still for the next couple of days.  Past that, I will try to catch some public screenings if they’re not off sale.  The first half was insanity.  I ran around everywhere and had plenty to report on but with things dying down now, I don’t have nearly as much to do nor do I have as much to report on.  And to top it off, I have a full on head cold.

I figure I will just let you know what to expect from Black Sheep Reviews for the remainder of the festival.  Tomorrow will feature a re view of Danny Boyle’s 127 HOURS, the follow up to the Oscar winning phenomenon, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE.  That’s about it though.  I am seeing three movies tomorrow and as I really should be in bed instead of in a theatre, I will be taking it as easy as possible.

Friday will feature a special weekend edition of TIFF Bits.  The last weekend of the festival tends to bring back many festival favourites and I will do my best to steer you toward the best films playing in the last weekend of this incredible festival.  Getting tickets is your problem though. 

Friday will also feature a review of NEVER LET ME GO, which I will be seeing in just a half hour.  Saturday will feature the last TIFF review and it is for one of my favourites from the festival, Joaquin Phoenix documentary, I’M STILL HERE.

On the last day of TIFF, I will give you my recap of the entire experience and run down for you my Top 5 TIFF films as well as my choice for the worst film I caught at TIFF.  I still have about ten or s films before those choices are made and plan on doing my best for you in my now somewhat limited physical capacity.

Thanks again for all your support.

Happy TIFF!

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Black Sheep previews: TIFF 2010

A couple of weeks ago, when I returned home after missing a flight to New York City (long story, very long), I opened my inbox to find an e-mail from an editor I have worked with before, responding to an inquiry I had put to her.  She informed me that she would indeed be interested in sending me to the Toronto International Film Festival to cover it for the magazine.  The only obstacle ahead of me, as I have already booked off a good chunk of the month of September to devote to this, is getting accredited.  I have been rejected the last two years but, according to my editor, this one should be a "slam dunk".  I am hesitant to start celebrating right this moment but it's a lot closer to a "Yes!" than I usually get.

Yesterday, TIFF announced it's first slate of films that will be presented in both Gala and Special Presentation at the 35th anniversary edition of the much-loved festival.  Altogether there were 15 Galas and 35 Special Presentations, 25 of which are world premieres.  Being accredited at TIFF will mean access to interviews with the 100's of filmmakers and celebrities who come through Toronto each year, as well as access to the dozens of films that will be presented.  It may even give me access to the parties!  Naturally, people have started asking if I can bring guests.  I must remind you, and myself apparently, that I still don't have accreditation but in the meantime, I can dream about seeing these films and experiencing them TIFF styles.

BIUTIFUL

Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu
North American Premiere
Starring Javier Bardem

After directing what is affectionately known as "The Death Trilogy" - AMORES PERROS, 21 GRAMS and BABEL - Alejandro González Iñárritu returns with BIUTIFUL and he isn't the least bit perkier.  Javier Bardem, who already won an acting award for this performance at Cannes, stars as a man in downfall, who can sense the danger of death looming and that must find redemption by going to darker places first.  What will certainly be a visual feast sounds as though it could be a philosophical one as well.

BLACK SWAN

Directed by Darren Aronofsky

North American Premiere

Starring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis and Winona Ryder

This picture is already slated for a premiere in Venice just weeks before screening at TIFF but those of us who cannot afford the price of a gondola will be waiting patiently for it's North American premiere.  Natalie Portman as a ballerina with the NYC ballet, caught in a heated rival with a fellow dancer.  In any lesser hands, it could just be catty but this is Darren Aronofsky - the man who gave us REQUIEM FOR A DREAM and THE WRESTLER.  After the latter floored me for being such a departure, I cannot wait to see where he is going next.

BLUE VALENTINE

Directed by Derek Cianfrance

Canadian Premiere

Starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams

I can't say I've ever heard of Derek Cianfrance or seen anything he has done.  No disrespect meant.  That said, when the two leads in your film are the incredibly understated and ego-free actors, Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, I cannot help but pay very close attention.  Told in past and present moments, BLUE VALENTINE looks at love lost and found as two lovers fight for their relationship one last time.

NEVER LET ME GO

Directed by Mark Romanek

World Premiere

Starring Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield and Keira Knightly

Who doesn't love a good boarding school love triangle?  Who doesn't love it even more when the girls on either side are two of Britain's most talented young ladies, Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightly?  Sure the new Spider-man (Andrew Garfield) is the guy they're fighting over but this one is all about the ladies.  Music video director, Mark Romanek, tries his novice hand at directing feature films again with NEVER LET ME GO and from the looks of the trailer, he has learned that story can serve you just as much as style, if not even more.

YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER

Directed by Woody Allen

North American Premiere

Starring Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin and Naomi Watts

I don't know if Woody Allen plans on attending TIFF but if he does and if I can actually get an interview with the man, I may pee when I meet him.  He is one of my all time favorite directors.  ANNIE HALL is my all time favorite film.  I see everything he makes .. Ok, maybe not everything.  You can tell when Woody is a little bit off course and that's pretty much what people have been saying about YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER since it debuted at Cannes this spring.  I do not care though.  Any movie that makes it even remotely possible to meet this man is a great movie in my books.

Look for plenty more TIFF coverage to come in the weeks leading up to the festival, which runs from September 9 to 19.  For more information, visit TIFF.net.

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