TIFF 2009, Day Nine

[przed]

Well, it had to happen: I saw my first crappy film today. Which still puts me at 14 to 1 for the fest.


Title: Prince of Tears
Director: Yonfan
Country: Taiwan/HK
P's Rating: Not-so-good
This one is set during the fifties in Taiwan, a period of severe political repression, when thousands were executed as Communist spies. Li and Zhou are two sisters whose lives are torn apart when their parents are accused of treason. There is a good story in here, and the first half isn't horrible, but it all falls apart in the end, trying for magical realism and descending into silliness. And the director's decision to use a brief slo mo effect every five minutes all the way through the film starts off interesting and quickly becomes merely an irritating tic.

Title: Ondine
Director: Neil Jordan
Country: Ireland
P's Rating: Highly Recommended
Colin Farrell plays an Irish fisherman who pulls a woman out of this trawling net. His daughter is convinced the woman is a selkie, and he's half-convinced she's not entirely of this world when his luck seems to change with her appearance. Jordan has managed to weave a story that mixes the magic of fairy tales with the grit of the real world. Extremely well done and very enjoyable.

Comments

[kortirion.livejournal.com]

Ondine - only recently heard of this one. I actually think Colin Farrel is very underrated as an actor - his performance in In Bruges was terrific.
The other thing that made me prick my ears up is I've got a selkie/modern day west of Ireland story - bugger, zeitgasted again! *g*

[gulffire.livejournal.com]

I agree about Farrell. I think in the past his off-screen antics overshadowed his work. In Bruges was actually the first film of his that I ever saw and I was blown away with how good he was. I wasn't expecting much. That whole film is just awesome. I'll be looking forward to Ondine.

[przed.livejournal.com]

He's a very good actor who likely not a fabulous human being. And I can live with that. I try not to hold actors up to a high standard of behavour, though I am pleased when they turn out to be reasonable human beings.

Farrell was actually quite funny and charming at the Q&A for Triage this year. Though he then spoiled it when on leaving the stage he was surrounded by about 30 volunteers and security people who whisked him away before any of the audience was allowed to leave the theatre. That sort of behaviour at the Toronto fest is ridiculous, since most of the stars leave the auditorium with the regular paying public beside them.

[przed.livejournal.com]

I agree with you about Farrell as well. He was definitely good in In Bruges. (So was Fiennes!) Heck, I even like him in Miami Vice, but I know I'm mostly alone in that room.

The Jordan film isn't a straight selkie story, so your idea still might be workable. Let me know if you want me to email you the twist.

[kortirion.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the offer. I'll forgo the twist and wait till I can rent it. I loved The Crying Game and did't see that one coming.
My idea is scripted and optioned, for no money of course! But the producer is a first-time wannabe and after 3 years has got nowhere so it's pretty much dead in the water. It reverts to me in 2 years time, hopefully by then Selkie will be familiar but not obvious... on the other hand, mine is a beautiful soul-sucking enchantress providing blood & bodies for her cannibal family... not quite the same plot then! *G*

[przed.livejournal.com]

Jordan's film is pretty much a nice family film with added swearing and drinking, so the beautiful, soul-sucking enchantress route is still open to you. *g*