A Taste of TIFF

I wasn’t going to write about TIFF 14, but my NYC Broadway show buddy Jen suggested this blog. So here are my impressions of my first Toronto International Film Festival.

I knew TIFF was a big production from my years of watching reports on entertainment programs.  Experiencing it while living in the Toronto gave me some perspective on the magnitude of this festival. For weeks leading up to TIFF, the local news programs created the buzz. And once the TIFF got into full swing, TV stations had live hits each evening from the many red carpets.

I haven't been much of a movie-goer in recent years, but the excitement of TIFF got me back into the cinemas. I saw four films over the last week.

A Second Chance: A Danish drama about a cop who makes fateful decisions involving a pair of junkies and a baby. Set in winter around Christmas, the film had many foreshadowing scenes of frigid, grey waters off Denmark’s coastline.  Academy Award-winning director Susanne Bier and star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau were on hand for a Q and A at this world premiere.

 

Cut Bank:  This film, set in Cut Bank, Montana (said to be the coldest spot in the USA), is about a crime scam gone wrong.  Performances by veterans Bruce Dern and Billy Bob Thornton were highlights in an otherwise basic movie. It didn’t help that I nodded off during this 10 p.m. showing and missed a few minutes where there was an important plot development.

Kill Me Three Times:  From Australia, this black comedy was engaging and entertaining. Lots of plot twists, schemes and scams in this murder tale, but all is logically linked. Of note is the cinematography described as “sun-punched.”

Cake:  I’ve never seen Jennifer Aniston in a dramatic role.  I was impressed with her performance (a departure from romantic comedies) as a woman dealing with physical and emotional trauma.

The only star I saw on the red carpet was John Travolta, on my way home along King St. on Friday night. I joined the crowd and took some Smartphone photos, just like every other star-spotter!

 

 

Thanks to @erin_braincandy for arranging all the tickets and being my #TIFF14 viewing partner.

Giving my Regards to the Great White Way

A late summer trip to New York City turned into a weekend of theatre – four Broadway musicals in four nights.

Hooking up with Jen Lucas from Vancouver, who was in NYC to catch early action at the US Open tennis, we had only booked one show in advance of the trip.

On my first night, I got a discounted ticket at 6 p.m. for Pippin (Tony winner, best musical revival, 2013). It’s a colourful and entertaining show that’s easy to watch.

Friday’s show was Kinky Boots, winner of six Tony Awards last year including best musical – a great choice for Jen’s first Broadway show. It’s an engaging show with great costumes and big musical numbers.

Since I had a ticket from tkts from my first show, we skipped the line at the half-price booth at Times Square and picked up tickets for Hedwig and the Angry Inch.  The show won four Tony Awards this year including best actor in a musical for Neil Patrick Harris. His run ended on Aug. 17. Andrew Rannells stepped into the role on Aug. 20, so it was great to see him perform this demanding role in his first two weeks.

Capping off the weekend was yet another discounted ticket (and skipping a long line again – keep those ticket stubs!) for Rock of Ages.  Now in its fifth year, I can just describe the show as a fun party with all those 1980s songs.

“I love the variety,” said Jen as she summed up her first exposure to Broadway theatre. "For a Broadway newbie, what I found most interesting is that most of the theatres are fairly intimate. You are not that far from the stage.  Also I am constantly amazed by people go to a show and don't know how to act. Show up on time, don't use a flash or your cell phone during the performance! These people work hard putting on a show and it's disrespectful."

Other highlights of this trip:

The United Nations. With all the current conflicts around the world, a tour of the UN is a reminder of all the important work this organization does.

A leisurely morning coffee visit on the concourse at Times Square – great place to catch up if you can get a table. Lots of food and coffee trucks to choose from.

Lunch at Sardi’s.  In my NYC searching before the trip, the idea of lunch at this institution popped up. Much to our surprise, when we arrived for our 11:45 reservation, we were the only people in the restaurant for 45 minutes. Our waiter, an aspiring actor from Tennessee (yes, he just moved to the Big Apple a few months ago) said it was very unusual for it to be so quiet.  Later during the weekend, we did see more people in the restaurant.

 

Sunday morning walk in Central Park with all the walkers, joggers, boaters and cyclists.

 

9/11 Memorial Museum.  Just opened this spring, the museum is carved out of the lower levels of the World Trade Centre.  The timeline of the events has a full accounting of what happened on that day.

 

 

A trip to the observation deck of the iconic Empire State Building and a walk on the Brooklyn Bridge – nothing but Manhattan skyline views.

 

 

And, of course, a quick stop at Macy’s on 34^th Street, the largest department store in the world, for a bit of shopping to cap off the weekend.