The Toronto International Film Festival begins tomorrow morning, but I came in to town early, as it's always good to give oneself a small temporal window, the better to orient oneself to this town's breakneck pace, oppressive climate, and barbaric populace. Kidding! This is actually one of my favorite towns and favorite festivals, but I'd be lying if I said things were getting off to a swinging start. I seem to battling a cold, for one thing, not a good thing to happen on a trip where I planned to be up every morning by 5:45 in order to get an hour in at the gym before starting what could be about 12 hours or more worth of screenings. Just got some sad news from home—nothing for you all to worry about, but, you know, it's tough to have that feeling that you shouldn't be where you are just a couple of hours after you've gotten there, if you know what I mean. Also, the wi-fi service I just subscribed to seems to have its router powered by a hamster on a wheel. I watched a half an episode of The Family Guy waiting for the window in which I'm typing this to pop up.
"Any more complaints, Mr. Globetrotting Film Critic?" you ask. Sure, if you insist. Perusing the press screening sked, I see my first five days or so will be pretty much consumed by Films It Is Important To Have An Opinion About, a category not always compatible with Films I Really Want To See. Of course the FIIITHAOAs get more than one screening, while many of the FIRWTSs get a single shot...sometimes up against each other. Tomorrow, for instance, the new Rivette bumps up against the new Olmi. And that's it for either of them. Sorry, Ermanno, I'm gonna have to catch you another time, unless I can get into a public screening. But...too much choice is preferable to none, right? I'm actually excited about everything I'm circling on the sked, so I'm gonna take another Cold-Eeez, get some dinner, and adjust my attitude. I'll be here for almost the whole fest—I leave for home the 14th—and I'm looking forward to sharing my observations and bad photos with you.
Comments