Toronto: Day Last
Nice. Today I was able to catch three flicks -- Don Roos' "Love and Other Impossible Pursuits," Werner Herzog's "Bad Lieutenant -- Port of Call: New Orleans," and Steven Soderbergh's "The Informant."
This is the first time I've made it through an entire festival without seeing at least one lousy movie. Everything I've seen was at least decent, although at the same time I have to say nothing here has had quite the fire for me of the best films at previous festivals.
As far as today's group, "Love" featured the now adult Natalie Portman in a story of family loss, with a terrific supporting performance by Lisa Kudrow in a shrewish role and a good cast overall. Roos goes on a bit long, but it's a tender film -- I wonder if it will make it to theaters?
"Bad Lieutenant" shows again that you can never count Nicolas Cage out of the game. He's brilliantly funny here as Herzog plays the original film's self-serious woes for laughs. Only Cage could make this work.
"The Informant" is Soderbergh-lite, but it hits a nice goofy tone -- helped along mightily by Marvin Hamlisch's score; where's he been? -- as Matt Damon plays out a real-life story about the best and worst whistleblower ever. It's not commercial by any means, but movie people will like it.
And now some festival-ending awards:
Best made film: "Up in the Air"
Most powerful film: "Precious: Based on the Novel by Sapphire"
Most laughs: "The Invention of Lying"
Most laughs right to the end: "Youth in Revolt"
Wackiest film: "Bad Lieutenant -- Port of Call: New Orleans:
Worst title: A tie between "Precious: Based on the Novel by Sapphire" (talk about ego) and "Bad Lieutenant -- Port of Call: New Orleans." Herzog was quoted in the Toronto paper today saying the film is entirely his except for that clumsy moniker, which the producers apparently insisted on.
Best performance, female: Gabby Sidibe, "Precious"
Best performance male: George Clooney, "Up in the Air"
I'm sure all will take their non-existent trophies and financial awards home with pride. Me, I'm heading home without any trophies but with the financial award of a weekly paycheck and the intention to spend some quality time with my wife.
