Imogene
Kristen Wiig, Annette Bening, Matt Dillon
No one plays a loveable loser as well as Kristen Wiig. In Imogene, she continues this trend playing a woman so embarrased by her past, she can't seem to focus right on her future - every hope and dream is pinned on someone else because she can't face the hard reality that she is the fuck up. I laughed hard at this one - at nutjob-thank-GOD-you're-not-my-Mom Annette Bening and Matt Dillon whose really found his niche playing, well, really peculiar dudes. I rekindled my appreciation for the Backstreet Boys. Great soundtrack, great script. Loved it.
Yellow
Heather Wahlquist, Sienna Miller, Gena Rowlands, Melanie Griffith
Any movie directed by a Cassavetes is going to be weird. And not because they're Greek. They're renegade film makers, starting with dad John, who, along with wife Gena Rowlands, was a pioneer of independent film (financing them with his Hollywood paycheques), deploying techniques of improvisation and 'documentary style' filmmaking. Son Nick is following in his Dad's footsteps and we're all along for this crazy ride. Mary (played by Heather Wahlquist, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Nick), seems normal enough but we soon realise that anyone with a sole steady diet of 20 Vicodan w/ Vodka chaser can't really be all that normal. What happens through most of the film is in Mary's head, or is it? It was wild and weird and completely riveting.
The Master
Joaquin Phoenix, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams
Paul Thomas Anderson, who wrote and directed The Master is one talented guy. He writes, he directs and has the ability to draw out the most riveting performances in his actors. Sure, he casts some talented folks, but everyone ups their game for PT, everyone. The Master is no exception - Joaquin Phoenix is a well known nut and Phillip Seymour Hoffman is the real deal. Together in this film we are watching perfection. Amy Adams, playing the cool, calculating and sinister wife of Hoffman's 'The Cause' leader was the film's best surprise. The film is being talked about as "the one about Scientology", and yes, I suppose it is but it's also a compelling drama, impeccably told.
Three for three on our last day? That's some pretty awesome programming if you ask me. Stay tuned for the highlight reel, coming soon. For now, I am TIFFed but will leave you with ...
Winner: Top Song from a Movie Soundtrack, TIFF2012:
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