As Perfect As The Great Romantic Poets' Verse

Bright Star is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. Breathtaking, spellbinding, a cinematic work of art with each painterly scene worthy of a Renaissance period frame and a gallery installation. Masterfully lit, meticulously decorated, with costumes and art direction that draws you into the early 19th century; it is certain to see many nods from the Academy.

In fact, Bright Star is already winning accolades for the Writer/Director, Australian filmmaker Jane Campion. The film earned her a nomination for a second Palme d'Or at Cannes (Campion is the only woman to have won the award - for The Piano in 1994 - for which she also took home the Best Original Screenplay Oscar.)

Based on Andrew Morton's book about poet John Keats (Ben Wishaw) and his love for the youthful Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish) and inspired by the poem Keats wrote for his muse; the title of which is the first verse:

Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art -
Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night
And watching, with eternal lids apart,
Like nature's patient, sleepless Eremite,
The moving waters at their priest-like task
Of pure ablution round earth's human shores,
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors -
No - yet still steadfast, still unchangeable,
Pillowed upon my fair Love's ripening breast,
To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,
Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever - or else swoon in death.

Campion has crafted an exquisite love story which is a powerfully emotional journey of devotion and longing. Its narrative is palpable, especially through the sincerity and dismay portrayed by the coquettish Cornish (Heath Ledger's Candy co-star) whose character is at once feisty and helpless. It is a feast for the eyes and as lyrical as poetry for the soul. Not to be wasted on home viewing, see Bright Star at the theatre.

(Diane Bennett is covering Events, Headliners & Music on Film)

A Special Event If You're Interested In Filmmaking

Take a seat, tomorrow morning, at the Cantos Music Room (Second Floor, 134 11 Avenue S.E.) if you are planning on making or have a film you're looking to exploit. CIFF has brought together a fantastic line-up of industry experts to give you great insight as you embark upon your first or next filmmaking journey.

These two back-to-back sessions are worth their weight in gold and yet the price of admission is just $5. per program. It's rare to be able to attend a pair of industry panel sessions of this calibre without being a delegate at a costly trade show, so, if you're free tomorrow morning, be sure to attend. It would also be fascinating for anyone wanting deeper insight into the creative process of Directing, Producing and Distributing independent films.

Up first at 10 am is "The Art of Filmmaking", with an 80-minute run time. The focus of this discussion is on direction, with topics ranging from point-of-view to finding your voice and expressing ideas through cinema. The Panellists will talk about vision, expressiveness, style and how to put your own unique look on film. The panel is moderated by Filmmaker David Christensen, Executive Producer of the NFB, North West Centre, with featured guest Directors from the Mavericks Competition: Chris Chong (Karaoke), Damien Chazelle (Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench) and Nicolas Perada (Juntos).

Then, at 11:30 am, "Financing and Selling Your Film in the Digital Age" will look at the challenges faced by independent producers who are increasingly looking to non-traditional sources and partners to finance their films in these tough economic times. The session will also focus on changes to the traditional model of film distribution and how filmmakers can build audience within the new models such as Video on Demand, day & date distribution and online communities. Moderated by Calgary based Film Producer Shirley Vercruysse (Burns Films Ltd.) the panelists are: Tom Alexander (Mongrel Media), Robin Smith (KinoSmith Films), Aida LiPera (Visit Films and CIFF Mavericks Juror) and Slava Rubin (Indiegogo.com). This session will run 60-minutes and should be interesting, considering the range of traditional to emerging means of film marketing channels these guests utilize in their businesses.

That's Saturday October 3rd at Cantos. Here's a map:

(Diane Bennett is covering Events, Headliners & Music on Film)

Leslie My Name is Evil

Reginald Harkema explores the never ending debate of good versus bad in the film, Leslie My Name is Evil. The film story line centers around the Charles Manson Family, and Perry who comes from a right wing conservative, god fearing family who is selected to be a jury member for the Manson trial. Perry does not want to become enlisted to serve his county in Vietnam, the “right thing to do” according to his father, is happy he is selected to serve on the jury, another means for escaping the war. Perry becomes increasingly infatuated with Leslie one of Charlie’s girls on trial.

Reginald’s casting for the film is frightening in regards to the actresses and their close resemblance to the characters they are based on. Leslie was a model student, and homecoming princess prior to her crossing with sex, drugs, and cult involvement. The girls are referred to as Charlie's girls in the film. We equate Charlie's girls as "Charlie's Angels," oddly enough who are trying to get the bad guys. We see the many things that are considered wrong by society in this film but when you watch this film it makes you question who was right?

The perspective used by Harkema in this film makes the viewer really re-examine the case through a new lens. Is War right? Abortion? The Death Penalty? Premarital Sex? Gay Marriage? Many questions that to this day we have no “right” answer too. What is right or wrong really depends on whose hand the decision lies in. We are only right or wrong based on our own individual beliefs. It can be equated to the saying, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

Snag a quick peak at the trailer before catching the screening of Leslie My Name is Evil 7:00pm tonight at the Globe Theatre.

A Star Is Born!

An Education had its screening last night and it was clear to see why there is so much early "Oscar" talk about the star of the film. Carey Mulligan plays a 16-year old prep-school girl, Jenny, opposite Peter Sarsgaard (Elegy) as the 30-something seducer, David, who lures her with his sports car, lavish lifestyle and air of excitement.

Mulligan is a fresh new face on the film scene who made her debut alongside Keira Knightley in Pride and Prejudice. The 24-year old British actress was the darling of the Sundance Film Festival and has been compared to Ellen Page and Audrey Hepburn. She makes me think of Katie Holmes and even Sally Field in her youth.

You may have seen Mulligan in smaller roles, earlier this year, with Johnny Depp in Public Enemies and Jake Gyllenhaal in Brothers. Truly, she belongs in the limelight. Regardless, Carey Mulligan is about to become a household name. This is her breakout role. Her charm and allure carry the film, which was based on a memoir written by Lynn Barber, adapted for the screen by Nick Hornby (About A Boy).

The movie is light-hearted fare that should be required viewing for families with teenage daughters as the plot resonates with the glamorized life youth are sold today in popular culture of getting it all without earning it - but at what price?

This a coming of age story set in London, 1961, which - on the surface - looks like Guess Who's Coming To Dinner - the debut film for Katharine Hepburn's niece, Katharine Houghton (1967) which never materialized into a movie career for the stage actress. However, An Education is more like The Grifters (1990) - perhaps with a bit of Mona Lisa Smile (2003) thrown in for perspective.

(Diane Bennett is covering Events, Headliners & Music On Film)

Cairo Time - Painstakingly Slow

Recently named the Best Canadian Feature Film at TIFF, Cairo Time is a cinematic change of pace. It is a decidedly thoughtful film. The characters are quiet, polite and considerate with refined performances from Patricia Clarkson (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) and Alexander Siddig (Syriana).

This may be a difficult film for a Type A personality to sit through. If you are, on the other hand, patient, relaxed, easy-going and generally lacking any sense of urgency - in other words, Type B - you will welcome this movie with a sigh of relief!

Another reason not to attend if you are time-conscious, concerned about your status, highly competitive or have difficulty relaxing is, technically, this film is sold out; there will only be a limited number of seats available at the door for the lucky few in the rush line.

So, don't fret if you're a Type A and you get turned away at the doors tonight, Cairo Time will have a wider release. It opens in Theatres across Canada on Friday October 9th. You can rush out and see it then (because you know you're right and I'm wrong about whether this is a film for you.)

Type B, you can relax in the line-up tonight, even if you don't have tickets but want to take a chance on seeing it anyway. Cairo Time is playing at 7:00 pm in the Globe Theatre - Upstairs. No worries if you don't get one of the few remaining seats though, just pencil it into your book for something to do on Thanksgiving weekend.

If you want a sneak peek, check out this link:

http://www.cairotime.ca/html/trailer/

(Diane Bennett is covering Events, Headliners & Music On Film)

Zooey and Adam

Trying to conceive can be a consuming act for many couples filled with a lot of ups and downs. This film centers around a thirty something couple have been trying to get pregnant for several months. But when a trip out to the lake ends up with Zooey being raped by a group of rowdy drunk guys who come across their campsite, things change dramatically. The rape seen, although shot in the dark, with little to actually see was quite terrifying. More so than having to actually watch a rape scene in a film. My sister and I were both quite impacted by this scene, especially since the locale was West Hawk Lake in Manitoba, a place where out family frequently camped.

Adam ends up deeply tormented by the incident, and the inability to do anything to help Zooey. He desperately wants to deal with the situation, which is made worse by an unexpected pregnancy that may be a result of the rape, but is unable to because of Zooey’s complete denial of the plausible possibility. Tom Keenan's character (Adam) becomes obsessed with the fact that the child they end up raising may not be his. When Adam decides to play the “Meteor Game” with Carl (his supposed son), things take a turn for the worst. Sean Garrity takes us on a journey through the decline of Zooey and Adam's relationship as a result of a life changing event.

Here’s some geography for you; Geological investigations during the 1960s determined that West Hawk Lake in Whiteshell Provincial Park was created by a meteor impact. Hence the “Meteor Game” reference in the film.

Encore Screening of "Tetro" Not To Be Missed

The first original screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola in two decades, Tetro introduces us to Alden Ehrenreich (who is like a young Leonardo DiCaprio) in the pivotal role of Bennie, younger brother to the enigmatic Tetro, (Vincent Gallo.)

Originally, Coppola wanted Matt Dillon in the title role, whom he had directed in Rumble Fish and The Outsiders - two films in which teen angst and the bonds of brotherhood were central themes - however, the casting of Gallo and Ehrenreich is a perfect pairing.

Set in Beunos Aires, Argentina the film is shot beautifully in black and white. It is predominantly in English with subtitles when Spanish or Italian is spoken. The editor was Walter Murch who has collaborated with Coppola on many occasions including the Oscar winning film Apocalypse Now in which Murch won an Oscar for Best Editor, often awarded in tandem with the Best Picture, although the film didn't win any Oscar's for Coppola's Screenplay or Direction. (It lost to Kramer vs. Kramer in 1979. Also nominated was All That Jazz, a film with the same kind of feel as Tetro has with an artsy edge.)

Tetro is loosely based on the life of Coppola who, like the title character in the film, is the son of a famous Composer and conductor. He has been quoted as saying his own father-son relationship was complicated but loving, unlike the one Tetro had with his father. Carmine Coppola had a strong working relationship with his son and scored the music for Apocalypse Now and the Godfather Trilogy, winning Best Music, Original Dramatic Score for Part II. Also, unlike the film's namesake, Coppola keeps close family ties. Sister, Talia Shire and daughter, Sophia Coppola, were cast in the Godfather.

The suffering mind of the writer Tetro is what propels the film's plot, however, writing is more natural for Coppola. In an interview (June 11, 2009) with Carla Hay on the Examiner.com, he is quoted as saying writing still is easy for him, even after all these years:

"I think what surprised me was once you get on the train of writing, so to speak, how much it does it automatically. I have this little rule when I write: Firstly, it’s important to sit down every day, at least six days a week, at least four hours a day, at a time that’s regular for you … So your muse knows where you’ll be, or otherwise they won’t show up."

"I like [writing] in the morning. No one’s hurt my feelings yet with any horrible phone calls. I just like a clean sheet of paper. And then I start. I have a rule not to read any of the pages I do...And then when I have 80 to 100 pages or whatever the story seems to have concluded, I first relax and then I read it."

"I’m always surprised. Usually, there are very good things and very terrible things. I would’ve been discouraged if I read the terrible things [earlier]. That’s when I make note of what I’m going to do with the rewrite, and then I begin the rewrite process."

The encore screening of Tetro is Saturday October 3, 2009 at 9:15 pm at the Eau Claire Market - Cineplex Odeon - Screen 5.

(Diane Bennett is covering Events, Headliners & Music on Film)

The Last Lullaby

When I first think of the assassin and mobster movie genres, I admit my mind immediately drifts to one of two images. The first, a suave tuxedo wearing, martini-sipping spy saving the world by day and breaking hearts by night. The second, a group of hefty Italian men hunched around a poker table in a quiet bistro engulfed in a cloud of cigar smoke where stakes are far higher than the pile of plastic chips and a handful of bills. Keeping these classic movie stereotypes in mind, I sat down to watch The Last Lullaby unsure what to expect.

Well let me tell you fellow film junkies, The Last Lullaby's protagonist Price, a hitman struggling to come to terms with his recent retirement from "the bizz" prescribes to none of the above characteristics - and it couldn't have been more refreshing. The Last Lullaby is a perplexing film, a juxtaposition of beautifully framed shots (the film was shot in its entirety in and around Shrevport, Louisiana) and the chaos of gunfire and bloodshed. I remained revited to the screen for all of the film's 93 minutes - and ladies, this is coming from a girl who can say she's seen Pride and Prejudice at least 50 times. Guys, don't let that last sentence scare you, trust me there's still plenty of action - including a car chase and a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Needless to say, all of the actors in the film were spectacular - but I strongly suspect that Tom Sizemore's portrayal of Price and Sasha Alexander as the dazzling Sarah he is called out of retirement to kill, are two performances that will certainly linger in my mind for a long time to come.

I was shocked and pleasantly surprised to learn that The Last Lullaby was Jeffrey Goodman's first full-length feature, for from what I've seen from watching this surefire sleeper hit, (yes, pun intended) we certainly haven't seen the last of Goodman.

The Last Lullaby is playing at the Globe on Sunday Sept 27th at 7:15pm. An encore presentation of the film will be shown at Eau Claire Market on Sept 29th at 7pm.

Cole

Cole is an endearing story, which tugs at the heart strings. Cole Chambers (Richard de Klerk), is forced to chose between his writing career and his family who due to their unfortunate circumstances are extremely dependant on him. The circumstances that Cole faces, can be related to those of families dealing with anything from elderly care, to addiction, and abuse. There is an inner need to be there to support members of the family, to help ease the suffering, and allow for peace within the home. Although this often can pose as a block for our true passion. Throughout the film there are many introspective moments, where you can see the struggle within Cole as he tries to overcome all that he faces to follow his dream.

Have you felt like someone or something has been holding you back from pursuing your dream? The decision to let go of these bonds that are our foundation, can be liberating, allowing us to better help those we love, while creating our own happiness, however it is easier said than done.

Liberate yourself, unleashing your inner passion by checking out Cole on Saturday September 26th at 9:30 at the Globe Theatre, or on Sunday October 4th at 5:00pm at Eau Claire Market - Cineplex Odeon.