Buzz Films From TIFF 2009 Toronto Film Fest

A Single Man, Up in the Air, Bright Star Movies Excite at TIFF

Sep 18, 2009

There may not be a Slumdog Millionaire at 2009's Toronto International Film Fest. But it was a great year for drama from bankable filmmakers like Jason Reitman.

Everyone will be looking for this year's Slumdog Millionaire 2009 Toronto International Film Fest. It's hard not to, given the critical acclaim and awards show hardware (8 Academy Awards among others) the film won, after premiering to great buzz at TIFF 2008. 2009 has a more even hand, showing terrific drama from bankable filmmakers and actors and as always, some wonderful surprises. Here's a snapshot of films folks are excited about.

Fashion designer Tom Ford turns first time director with this film, starring Colin Firth and set in the 60s in LA, about a gay college professor coping with the death of his partner. The film's US and German rights were picked up by the Weinstein company in what was the first major purchase of the festival. Ford spoke about the transition from fashion to film at a festival press conference: "I don't want to sound egotistical at all, but it was a very smooth transition for me. There is a certain similarity in the way one works in fashion and you work in film: You have to have a vision, you have to work with a group of technicians -- fashion is much more collaborative than one wuld imagine --- you have to have a group of technicians to help you realize your vision. I had a terrific team of people. Colin, you just have to put a camera on him and he performs."

Reviews are hot and cold, but the Oscar buzz is solid for Juno director Jason Reitman's Up in the Air, a script he adapted from Walter Kirk's 2001 novel. George Clooney stars as corporate henchman Ryan Bingham, a guy who fires people for a living. Bingham loves his job, loves to travel and can almost taste his dream of achieveing 10 million frequent flyer miles. Until his boss, played by Justin Bateman, tells him he'll be doing his firings remotely and may have to hit the ground in Omaha, of all places. Clooney charms, the script is funny and the whole topic resonates given the state of the economy. At the TIFF press conference, filmmaker Reitman said they first played the firing scenes for laughs, but as the economy crumbled around them, they became much more poignant.

With her keen eye for detail and strong sense of character, director Jane Campion's gets everything right in this romantic story about the love affair between poet John Keats (Ben Whishaw) and the love of his life, Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish). Here we have a period piece that doesn't get lost in its costumes, and characters who, despite the era's conservative mores which the film respects, love each other so much it hurts. A beautiful film.

The copyright of the article Buzz Films From TIFF 2009 Toronto Film Fest in Film Festivals is owned by Cindy McGlynn. Permission to republish Buzz Films From TIFF 2009 Toronto Film Fest in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.