FESTIVAL INSIDER » Reviews

The curtain falls on the biggest Toronto International Film Festival ever – the BELL LIGHTBOX opens and icons DeNiro, Redford, Springsteen, and Eastwood all visit Toronto for the 35th edition of TIFF

Richard Budman — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 22:20:43 +0000

What a year the 35th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival turned out to be. A new home for TIFF opened and Hollywood icons like Robert Deniro, Clint Eastwood, and Robert Redford, all visited TIFF this year. But alas, like all great parties this one had to end and it’s time to rest the Cadillacs for another year.

But we’ll be back – bigger and better than ever in 2011 as Cadillac continues its proud association with TIFF as the official vehicle of the Toronto Film Festival red carpets.

And we Festival Insiders were certainly treated to quite the ride during the eleven day festival. Some of our fondest memories of 2010 Toronto festival would have to include;

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THE KING’S SPEECH wins Cadillac People’s Choice Award for favorite film of TIFF 2010 – will Oscar nominations come next?

Richard Budman — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 13:32:26 +0000

Director Tom Hooper’s lighthearted royal drama, The King’s Speech won the Cadillac People’s Choice Award as the audience favorite during the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival.

The period film has Colin Firth playing England’s King George VI who just happens to have trouble speaking in public. Geoffrey Rush stars as his speech therapist. Both actors were in Toronto for the Gala festival premiere at Roy Thomson Hall.

Winning the People’s Choice Award at TIFF is usually a good predictor of other awards to come. The last two winners of the audience award in Toronto, Slumdog Millionaire and Precious, went on to multiple Academy Award nominations.

TIFF’10 GALA: The Town – director Ben Affleck bringing an all-star cast to Toronto

Festival Insiders — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 22:26:30 +0000

One of the most anticipated Gala premieres at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival is for director Ben Affleck’s THE TOWN. In Affleck’s sophomore directorial effort, Ben has managed to assemble a powerhouse cast. From the A-list actor-turned-director to Oscar nominees, and even a Gossip Girl star. This Roy Thomson Hall Gala is sure to be a centre of attention that night in Toronto.

Because one Cadillac Festival Insider can’t be everywhere during TIFF – there really are just TOO many events going on some evenings. We’ve enlisted some help from a few people who will share their Cadillac Festival Insider experiences.

Toronto PR girl, and The A List Blogger Alanna Glicksman will be attending THE TOWN’s Gala premiere screeening and will share her experiences later in the week. Alanna blogs today on The A List;

The star-studded TIFF gala premiere of The Town is one of this year’s hot ticket shows. With Ben Affleck, Blake Lively, Jeremy Renner and Rebecca Hall set to grace the red carpet with their presence, the paparazzi will have lots of tabloid-worthy pictures to sell. Sure to dazzle is the lovely Blake, who is famous for her baring all on the red carpet, and dashing Ben, who like a fine wine only gets better with age.

The rumor mill is buzzing about possible red carpet appearances from significant others Penn Badgley and Jennifer Garner, but my money’s on a Penn appearance. The Gossip Girl couple aren’t shy about flaunting their love, while Ben and Jen tend to avoid walking the red carpet together.

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CAREY MULLIGAN earning rave reviews in Toronto premiering AN EDUCATION – coming to America next in Wall Street 2 with Shia Lebouef

Richard Budman — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 03:23:50 +0000

Your going to be hearing a lot more about British up-and-coming actress Carey Mulligan in the next year. Mulligan has a breakout role in AN EDUCATION, playing to rave reviews at TIFF and other film festivals. Mulligan’s stay in Toronto for the films premiere was a brief one. She had to get back to the New York set of Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps acting opposite Shia Lebouef in the Oliver Stone directed sequel to the eighties hit. It will be Carey’s first big role in an American movie. If that doesn’t endear her to North American audiences, Ms. Mulligan is sure to appear in the gossip mags as she is rumored to be dating her Wall Street co-star Lebouef.

Jason Reitman’s UP IN THE AIR flies into TIFF on strong reviews from Telluride Film Festival

Richard Budman — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:35:05 +0000

Well, its safe to say director Jason Reitman will be having himself a very busy TIFF this year. Besides the highly anticipated George Clooney starring Up In The Air, Reitman is also in Toronto as producer on Jennifer’s Body. And if Jason can find the time, we’re sure he’ll be around to support his father Ivan Reitman’s Chloe, the Atom Egoyan directed film which Reitman Sr. produced and is also having a TIFF red carpet premiere.

Up In The Air had its first real showing at the Telluride Film Festival this past weekend. To say critics were blown away would be an understatement. The intimate showing of Up In The Air at Telluride gave a screening of the film to mostly American critics. Hailing Reitman’s latest as everything from “a triumph” to “sure-fire Oscar contender” should cement Up In The Air’s status as a TIFF must-see movie and where a much larger press pool will now have a chance to see the film.

Let the Awards campaign season officially begin!

Movie reviewer Richard Crouse on THE ROAD, THE TROTSKY, DAYBREAKERS, and who he most wants to interview at TIFF – Part 3/3

Richard Budman — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:36:53 +0000

Here is the final part of our video chat with movie reviewer and author Richard Crouse who will be all over TIFF this year. Crouse shares his feelings on Viggo Mortensen’s THE ROAD, Jay Baruchel’s THE TROTSKY, and DAYBREAKERS. Richard also tells the insider about one particular celebrity he would most love to interview during TIFF (It’s Oprah.)

Movie reviewer Richard Crouse talks PRECIOUS, YOUNG VICTORIA, & IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS in-between press screenings on the eve of #tiff09 – Part 2/3

Richard Budman — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:35:53 +0000

In-between press screenings the week before the 2009 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival opens – movie reviewer and author Richard Crouse shared his early thoughts on some of the main tiff’09 premiering films.

Crouse called the Oprah Winfrey produced buzz-film Precious Oscar worthy and “the best movie at the festival this year you’ll only want to sit through once.”

Richard also shared his thoughts on the Toronto festival’s closing night film, Young Victoria featuring Emily Blunt in the title role. Crouse felt this would be the Blunt performance that would “make her a BIG star.” (even more so then the stand-out Devil Wears Prada role.)
RELATED: CROUSE TALKS ABOUT HIS FAVORITE TIFF INTERVIEW EVER

Tarantino loves Jane Campion’s TIFF bound Bright Star

Richard Budman — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 22:18:51 +0000

Director and Writer Quentin Tarantino was first in Cannes this year with box-office smash Inglourious Basterds. Tarantino was recently asked by L.A. Weekly what some of the better films he saw at the Cannes Film Festival, “I was a big fan of Jane Campion’s Bright Star, I think it’s her best movie. I got caught up in the seriousness of the poetry, and I don’t mind the chaste stuff,” he said.

Campion brings Bright Star to Toronto next. TIFF should be a good week for Campion’s films, besides Bright Star, Canadian actress and filmmaker Sook-Yin Lee will present a screening of Jane Campion’s first theatrical and groundbreaking feature, Sweetie.

Movie Critic Richard Crouse talks TIFF at Varsity Cinemas between press screenings – Part 1/3 – Favorite TIFF interview: Rolling Stones Bill Wyman

Richard Budman — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:11:23 +0000

Movie reviewer and author Richard Crouse is a busy guy these days gearing up for tiff and his numerous media commitments. Richard sat down with the insider this week at Varsity Cinemas in Toronto where early press screenings are taking place for many of the 2009 festival premiering titles.

We’ll be running a few clips where Crouse shares his feelings on TIFF premiering films; Precious, Young Victoria, Whip It, Defendor, Dorian Gray, and more.