CityNews.ca's Suzanne Ellis and Brian McKechnie take a look at some of the films playing at TIFF09.
Jennifer's Body *CityNews.ca Pick*
Playing the title character in the Diablo Cody-penned horror film, Jennifer's Body, we get to see a lot of Megan Fox and, well, her body. But we also get to see something else from Ms. Fox - she can act! It's not just Fox's character of possessed teenage cheerleader that makes this movie rock, it's also Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia!) as Jennifer's friend Needy that pushes this to the likes of 80s classics Evil Dead and Night of the Creeps. From the too-cool indie rock soundtrack, to the hip Cody dialogue she's famous for, this is sure to become a new cult classic. Schedule at TIFF. BM
Bright Star *CityNews.ca Pick*
Jane Campion’s film about
poet John Keats and the neighbour he falls in love with, Fanny Brawne,
is a satisfying romance because it feels all too real. The script is
wonderful, very funny at times, and utterly tragic at others. And the
two leads, Ben Whishaw as Keats and Abbie Cornish as Brawne, are
dynamite. The cinematography is lush and vibrant, and it feels as
though Campion took an inordinate amount of care with this film. The
commitment shows, as it’s an extraordinary film, through and through. Schedule at TIFF. SE
An Education *CityNews.ca Pick*
Of
the films I’ve seen so far (only a handful, admittedly), this is the
one I can see becoming one of TIFF09’s breakout hits. From Nick
Hornby’s crackling script, to the Oscar-worthy performance from Carey
Mulligan, An Education is enjoyable on every level. Mulligan plays
Jenny, a wise beyond her years 16-year-old who’s being groomed for
Oxford but dreams of a life of sophistication. She meets and falls for
the older, dashing David (Peter Sarsgaard), who takes her to auctions
and fashionable clubs, and even manages to charm her strict parents.
But is this the life Jenny should be living? A gem of a film. Schedule at TIFF. SE
Top image: Megan Fox in Jennifer's Body. Courtesy TIFF.