Greg’s 2009 TIFF Report: Day 2
I apologize for my tardiness of getting my Toronto International Film Festival Day 2 update up and running, but these midnight movies mess with my internal clock and I lose all focus.
So, Day 2. I’ve got one film on tap and possibly a second if I can get in, but first sports action. You may or may not remember last year when I stopped at University of Toronto’s Varsity Stadium to watch some girls university soccer. Was it awesome? Yes. Was it creepy? Maybe. However, this year I had a reason. University girls field hockey tournament! Before you set up a Dateline To Catch a Predator episode, let me first tell you that I knew one of the girls playing for St. Mary’s and I went to cheer her on. That’s all, you sick perverts.
I know nothing about field hockey. I asked a lot of strangers what the hell was going on, but I think I got the gist of it. My friend Lindsay got hurt in the game and St. Mary’s got creamed by Guelph 6-0. Ouch. Field hockey is rough.
After the game, I grabbed a bite and regretted it promptly. Newsflash: Burritos made by Asians = bad. I walked past a a place called “Burrito Fresh” and thought ‘there’s a good idea’. Damn. I should have known it was bad with the lovely asian women behind the counter. Nothing against Asians, but maybe Mexican food isn’t their forte. Get out of here, crazy Asian burrito. Actually, that would have been a better name for the place. Crazy Asian Burrito. At least then I’d know what I was in for. Thankfully, some street meat made me feel better. How odd is that?
I ended up in front of the Royal Ontario Museum when there was a free style rap performance. It had nothing to do with the R.O.M. It reminded me of the Beastie Boys. Well, if the Beastie Boys were homeless and untalented. One dude on a keyboard, another guy rapping about money and sunshine and an interpretive dancer. Turns out the dancer was just a crazy man stealing some thunder.
I decided to try and catch a screening of the new Michael Douglas film Solitary Man. I didn’t have a ticket so I lined up outside in the rush line and hoped for the best. I sat with my book Pain & Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling. It’s a good read. While waiting in line some reps from Blackberry show up as they are a big sponsor this year. They yell out “Everyone take out your Blackberries.” Those that do got a free ticket for Solitary Man. What? I call bullshit as I don’t have one. So, after that I’m second in line. I start talking to the girl who’s first and find out her name is Wendy and that this is her first film and decided on a whim to come because she likes Michael Douglas. I asked what she did for a living while making small talk and she says “I’m a forensic biologist.” I said “Those are big words. What is that?” She tells me that she analyzes bodily fluids left at crime scenes. Holy fuck, she’s C.S.I.! She’s Sara Friggin Sidle. How cool is that? She says “What do you do?” I laughed and told her I managed a book store.
Finally, I get to go in the theatre and they tell me it’s only the first two rows available. Shitty. I sit down and the director comes out and Michael Douglas comes out and he’s looking a little ratty. The lights go down and I’m the only person in the row, yet there were about 60 people waiting in the rush line. Bizarre. The movie ends (you can read my review here ) and I walk up the aisle and recognize all of the rush line people sitting in the middle of the theatre. Turns out after I walked past those seats they opened up all of the reserved seats as none of the actors or execs stuck around. Lame.
I head over to my next film which is a zombie movie. Its’ George A. Romero’s Survival of the Dead and I’m not going to say anything else about this movie other than that it was a piece of shit.
Luckily, after the movie I went past by a restaurant called Quick Tummy Time Food. What a great name.
Sunday brings one, maybe two movies
Comments (14)
Always a highlight of the FilmJunk season.
Posted by Henrik on September 13th, 2009Greg you must hate that RAW is Toronto the same time as TIFF.
anyways keep up the reports! TIFF is always Greg’s time to shine.
Posted by Goon on September 13th, 2009I wonder if Greg ever managed to hook up during a thing like this, if he would tell it, or be tasteful about it.
Posted by Henrik on September 13th, 2009Great article. BTW, is “street meat” a euphemism for underage male streetwalker?
Posted by Patrick H. on September 14th, 2009This article was a delight. Greg’s diary-style writing is just as god as his story telling on the podcast. Keep it up!
Posted by Mason on September 14th, 2009Nice report, Greg.
Was ‘Survival of the Dead’ worse than ‘Diary of the Dead’. That could not be possible.
Posted by Insomniac Dan on September 14th, 2009“Was ‘Survival of the Dead’ worse than ‘Diary of the Dead’. That could not be possible.”
It is not only possible, it is a stone cold reality.
Posted by Wintle on September 14th, 2009nice, I got to get back to a film festival, I miss it now
Posted by rus in chicago on September 14th, 2009There doesn’t seem to be much love for George Romero’s new zombie film, but I’m glad that quite a few zombies showed up when Romero was given a special award at TIFF. The award statue was a severed hand holding a small scale replica of Toronto’s iconic CN Tower. I wonder who designed that.
Posted by Reed Farrington on September 14th, 2009In regards to Reed Farrington’s wonderment to who designed the trophy that was given to George Romero at TIFF, well, wonder no more, it was designed by Thea Munster, Toronto Zombie Walk creator, and my husband, Chris Mester, Wood Werks Carpentry.
Posted by Michelle Mester on September 14th, 2009and Boneyard Bargains made the severed hand.
Posted by Michelle Mester on September 14th, 2009I’m enjoying Greg’s TIFF posts and agree with Mason re: the diary style he uses. I always like the stories the guys tell in the podcast too, even the ones that aren’t film related. Jay’s driving test story is one of the best moments on just about any podcast ever.
I recently unsubscribed from all the movie podcasts I had been listening to for the past year or so except for Film Junk. It was a podcast death match and you guys won! Congrats. There’s no prize unless you want half of a Best Friends Forever locket I found in the trash at a therapist’s office.
Winston
Posted by Winston san Carlos on September 14th, 2009“There’s no prize unless you want half of a Best Friends Forever locket I found in the trash at a therapist’s office.”
I think those BFF’s need some more therapy.
Posted by Greg on September 14th, 2009Thx for the info about the Romero trophy, Michelle. It certainly is a distinctive memento from the city of Toronto.
Posted by Reed Farrington on September 15th, 2009Leave a Reply