TIFF 2013: Day One

[przed]

In spite of being on day three of a stupid migraine, I managed to survive day one of the Toronto film fest, and had a grand time.

It didn't hurt that I ended up this close to Tom Hiddleston when I got out of my first screening at the same time he was getting out of his limo and hitting the red carpet. I'd show you my pic of him, but he's more of a fuzzy, Tom Hiddleston-shaped object in it. (I was running to get in line for his film and just got a quick snap with the iPhone.) But here's a good pic of him at the press conference for the film:


I have to say, in person he's even taller and skinnier that I'd expected. And he was even smarter and more articulate than I'd hoped during the Q&A.

On to the films.

Hiddleston was there for Jim Jarmusch's latest film, Only Lovers Left Alive.


He plays a reclusive centuries-old vampire rock star, Adam, husband to the even older and glammer Eve, played by Tilda Swinton. It's not a very plot heavy film, but it's gorgeous to look at and is a fascinating look at how various characters survive living centuries. Adam is all broody and near-suicidal, while Eve takes every day with grace and wonder. And it's unexpectedly funny in places. Adam and Eve have their world upset when Eve's sister, played by Mia Wasikowska as a perennial spoiled brat, shows up, proving that even vampires can have annoying in-laws. The cast is rounded out by the always wonderful John Hurt as Kit Marlowe, Anton Yelchin as a young rocker who acquires rare guitars for Adam, and Jeffrey Wright as the doctor who gets blood for Adam. It's not for everyone, but if slow, contemplative character studies are your thing, you'll love it.

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My other film for the evening was Unbeatable, a Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Dante Lam.


This one is set in the world of MMA fights. Fai (the dude on the left in the poster) is a former boxer who escapes a bad debt in Hong Kong to Macau. He ends up taking a room in the flat of a single mom and her spunky daughter. Qi (the dude on the right) is a young man who's father lost everything in real estate in the mainland. He's working construction to make ends meet, and watching his father attempt to drink himself to death. Qi goes to train at the gym where Fai works, and ends up convincing the older man to train him for a big MMA tournament. There's lots of melodrama (the single mom lost her young son to an accident, and her daughter is trying to keep her on an even keel), and absolutely killer training sequences that made the movie for me. And the kid who plays the daughter is wonderful. It is perhaps just a titch too long, and at the end the melodrama is played up just a titch too far, but it's otherwise a really enjoyable film.

Comments

[forthewistful.livejournal.com]

Thanks for that résumé. I've never paid much attention to Tom Hiddleston so far, but this film sounds as if I might like it. I'll definitely go see it once it's in theaters here in Switzerland (which will not be before December, as far as I know).

[przed.livejournal.com]

I've been watching Hiddleston since he caught my eye in Wallander, and immensely enjoy his performances as Loki. I can highly recommend the Jarmusch, though it does help if you like slow, contemplative art movies. Which I do.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Oh fun! The first sounds interesting to me. Thanks for the summaries. It helps to know which films I want to check out if and when I can find them.

[przed.livejournal.com]

The Jarmusch is not your typical vampire film--Jarmusch said he wanted characters who'd lived a long time, hence vampires!--but it is exceptionally good, and not just because of Hiddleston.

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry about the migraine but I'm sure Tom Hiddlestone could cure most things through mere proximity *g* His movie sounds amazing, I must look out for that - and hilariously arthouse-serious-but-also-fangirl-AUish, if that makes sense? *g*

[przed.livejournal.com]

Perhaps I should have asked Mr. Hiddleston to lay his healing hands on me. I'm sure he wouldn't have minded at all. *g*

Arthouse-serious-but-also-fangirl-AU is not a bad descriptor for the film. I'm going to be curious to see if fangirl love can turn the film into a hit. Fingers crossed.

[norfolkdumpling.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, how exciting!

Glad the films are good so far too :)

[przed.livejournal.com]

Me too! I've seen eight, and the score so far it 4 extraordinary, 2 pretty good, 1 fell apart in the endgame, and 1 kind of mediocre though I slept through enough of it that my opinion probably shouldn't count against it.

Now to find time to put up some more reviews...

[moonlightmead.livejournal.com]

Oh, interesting! I am not sure these are likely to be shown locally, but you have reminded me that I need to keep an eye on the local university arts centre for their autumn schedule.

I'll especially look out for Only Lovers Left Alive. I am not always a great one for vampires, but this sounds intriguing. Thanks!

[przed.livejournal.com]

Only Lovers Left Alive is a vampire film for being who don't like vampire films. In fact, Jarmusch said he only made the characters vampires because he wanted them to be incredibly long-lived and that was an easy way to do it. There's no real horror involved, and also no glittery Twilight vamps either. ;-) Plus, it's just a damn fine piece of filmmaking.

[st-crispins.livejournal.com]

I sent my sister a link to this. She's obsessed with Tom H and will be soooo jealous.

[przed.livejournal.com]

I'm with your sister. I've liked him for a few years now, since clocking him on Wallander, but he was impressive enough in person that I now sort of want to lick him. Which is not my usual sort of reaction even to actors I admire.

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

Only Lovers Left Alive sounds great, and damn but I would love to be that close to Tom Hiddleston.

[przed.livejournal.com]

Only Lovers was definitely one of the best of the fest for me. And it was a lovely bonus that Tom H. was both there and turned out to be awesome. (The Sweetie saw him at the repeat screening the next day and agreed that yes, he's very well spoken.)