A quirky teen-pregnancy yarn and a love story involving a
life-sized sex doll have won over critics at the Toronto
International Film Festival, stealing the spotlight from darker
films on war and politics.
While films with themes wrought from the war in Iraq and global
terrorism have drawn a generally positive response, lighter fare
such as "Juno" and "Lars and the Real Girl" have also emerged from
the pack.
"Lars", which starts 2007 Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling as a man
obsessed with a sex doll, has been lauded for a clever script that
turns an uncomfortable subject into a love story.
"Juno", directed by "Thank You For Smoking" director Jason
Reitman, is about 16-year-old pregnant teen who decides to put her
baby up for private adoption.
"They are both comedies, and they are both very, very broad, and
yet very very sweet," said David Poland of MovieCityNews.com.
These smaller films have triumphed in the face of larger hype
for Iraq-themed films such as Brian De Palma's "Redacted" and Paul
Haggis's "In the Valley of Elah", as well as Gavin Hood's
"Rendition", a tense look a the practice of detaining terrorism
suspects in foreign prisons.
"We have plenty of Iraq and war and blood, but I think the truth
is that a combination of films that were not as impactful as people
were expecting has kind of made that a secondary issue in a weird
way," Poland said.
The thematic bent recalls the flood of films beginning in the
late 1970s critical of the Vietnam War, such as "The Deer Hunter"
and "Coming Home".
But with the war in Iraq still going on, some say audiences may
not be ready to step back and look objectively at its consequences,
an argument that may become more apparent when these films hit the
box office.
"It may be that they all cannibalize each other. It may be too
much too soon, way too much," said Pete Hammond, film critic for
Maxim magazine.
OSCAR RUN-UP
The festival, which will have screened 349 films from 55
countries by the time it wraps up on Saturday, is considered by
many the kickoff to Oscar season, as it features the North American
premieres of many films that will be considered for key awards.
Hammond said it's still too early to get a good sense of which
films will be front-runners, but he said some performances have
already been generating buzz.
He pointed to Cate Blanchett, though not for the heavily-hyped
"Elizabeth: The Golden Age", in which she reprises her role as the
16th century English monarch.
While "Elizabeth" has thus far drawn a mixed reaction,
Blanchett's turn as Bob Dylan" in "I'm Not There," has been
praised.
"I think that's a slam dunk nomination for her as supporting
(actress)," Hammond said.
Also garnering a positive response has been Casey Affleck's
portrayal of Robert Ford alongside Brad Pitt in "The Assassination
of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford," a film that has also
been lauded by critics.
Critics have also warmed to the Sean Penn-directed "Into the
Wild", and the Coen brothers' violent "No Country for Old Men",
which was well received at the Cannes Film Festival.
(Agencies via CRI.cn September 12, 2007)