2010 was quite a year for film and we like our movies around these parts, so it should come as no surprise to anyone that the Shelf's "Best of 2010" film list comes in at a ridiculous 2200 words. True, we didn't make contact with extraterrestrials in 2010 (Peter Hyams and Arthur C. Clarke lied!), but we did get a year full of extraordinary films. Here are our few of our favourites.
I didn't really have any lofty hopes for TRON: Legacy. My generation missed the bandwagon for sci-fi action adventure movies that dominated theatres in the late 70s and early 80s. I was unburdened by childhood nostalgia, the only thing that had skewed my expectations about the film was the monstrous marketing campaign that Disney employed. This sequel - that nobody ever really asked for - is worth seeing, but only if you plan to watch it in 3D in a giant theatre with a killer sound system.
This review of Black Swan is a little late in arriving, as I wasn’t sure I wanted to write one at all. Being a great admirer of Darren Aronofsky’s previous work, my immense disappointment with the film did not encourage me. But being in what seems the extreme minority of those who found the film lacking in Aronofsky’s previous genius, I feel somewhat compelled (not only by myself) to justify my opinion.
Marvel has released the first official trailer for Thor. The Kenneth Branagh directed action epic stars Chris Hemsworth as the titular Norse god of thunder, robbed of his power and cast down to Earth by his father Odin. The film also stars Anthony Hopkins as Odin, and Natalie Portman as his love interest, Jane Foster.
Part Three of Sasha’s Tim Burton Takes Toronto follows the last leg of her Burton Blitz -- the “animation detour” that is James and the Giant Peach and The Nightmare before Christmas.
The trailer for this movie is too simple. It makes the film look like every other sports movie: a guy can’t make a living at this sport; his family life is troubled; in the end he wins the big match. However, the movie doesn’t succeed on its plot but on its characters. The Fighter is like Rocky meets The Trailer Park Boys; this family is all kinds of messed up.
Part two of Sasha's Tim Burton Takes Toronto examines the director's late 80s and early 90s work: Batman, Edward Scissorhands and Batman Returns.
From 7 p.m. on Friday, November 26 to some ungodly hour on the morning of Sunday, November 28th, Torontonians were invited to TIFF Bell Lightbox to screen the entirety of Tim Burton’s filmography. This was in celebration of the Burton exhibit coming to town, which was first curated by the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. For some, myself included, the prospect of sitting through sixteen feature films by Burton was intriguing — a Burton Blitz of sorts. Others might call it “Hell on Earth”.
Join us for an impossibly funky evening at the Toronto Underground Cinema. Mike White, cinematic provocateur and author of Impossibly Funky: A Cashiers du Cinemart Collection will discuss his book. For 14 years, White's movie zine championed offbeat and obscure movies like John Paizs's Canadian classic Crime Wave. http://www.impossiblefunky.com/
Film School Confidential is thrilled to be screening a crisp 35mm print of David Lynch's Wild at Heart, a masterpiece of weird movie-making magic. FANGORIA editor and FSC host Chris Alexander will introduce the film and add context about Lynch's unique creative aesthetic.
As part of the Toronto Underground Cinema's "Good Canadian Cinema" series, we are proud to present director Bruce McDonald's Pontypool which has not only solidified its place in Canadian cinematic history, but is also very quickly becoming a cult hit around the world. Joining us for this special evening, co-presented by Rue Morgue and Chizine Publications, will be the stars of Pontypool famed Canadian actor Stephen McHattie and actress Lisa Houle. We will also be joined by the author of the novel Pontypool Changes Everything and the writer of the film, Tony Burgess.
Here is the deal. There is a feeling in this country that people just don't care about English Canadian films. That we would rather watch any crap that the US slams down our throats then a decent English Canadian flick. We here at the cinema always think hard about showing Canadians films or not. We just aren't sure people will actually come out to see them. The first and second wave of Canadian Cinema films has been announced!
When was the last time you saw a good Canadian film? How many Canadian films can most people even name? Maybe that’s because unlike music and television, there are no government enforced quotas for Canadian content in our movie theatres, allowing Hollywood to dominate our screens. the city’s newest rep theatre, the Toronto Underground Cinema is taking long overdue measures to remedy this. Starting this Thursday, the Underground is dedicating all 8 of its weekend screenings to great Canadian films.
From 7 p.m. on Friday, November 26 to some ungodly hour in the morning on Sunday, November 28th, Torontonians were invited to TIFF Bell Lightbox to screen the entirety of Tim Burton’s filmography (excluding the two shorts Frankenweenie and Vincent). This was in celebration of the Burton exhibit coming to town, which was first curated by the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. For some, myself included, the prospect of sitting through sixteen feature films by Burton was intriguing. Others might call it “Hell on Earth”.
The new documentary Cool It from acclaimed filmmaker Ondi Timoner is a breath of fresh air for anyone sick and tired of the fear-based approach to fighting climate change. With the help of Danish environmentalist Bjørn Lomborg, Timoner’s Cool It acts as a rebuttal of sorts to Al Gore‘s documentary An Inconvenient Truth.
