Toronto is a vibrant city for cinema, and as such there’s always lots to see. These weekly posts will cut through the mainstream releases to highlight the Top 5 cinematic events to check out each week.
1. Ghost Graduation (TIFF Lightbox)
Playing as part of TIFF Next Wave, Ghost Graduation is not to be missed. Imagine a teen comedy about the kids from The Breakfast Club, only instead of getting out of detention the library burned down and the kids became ghosts haunting the school for several decades. Now, a teacher with the ability to speak to the dead must help the ghost kids complete high school so they can move on to a better place. It’s zany, silly, bright, hilarious fun. Oh, and it’s in Spanish. Will Smith has the rights to remake the film, but you’re going to want to see the original. (Sun Feb 17, 2:45pm)
2. John Hughes Movie Marathon (TIFF Lightbox)
John Hughes had a gift for writing about young people. Though his characters sometimes played too much on stereotypes, his insights into the way teenagers actually feel were unparalleled. The Lightbox will be running an all-day marathon, beginning with the non-Hughes Some Kind of Wonderful, and then continuing with Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (my personal favourite), and Sixteen Candles. Celebrate youth, and remember the legacy of John Hughes by watching some of his best films. What could be better? (Sat Feb 16)
3. American Beauty/Shakespeare in Love (Cineplex Yonge & Dundas)
Two movies that most people think didn’t deserve to win Best Picture at the Oscars. Maybe you feel the same way. Why not put your money where your mouth is and head over to Yonge and Dundas for screenings of both films. American Beauty gets a bad rap, but it’s a fine film for what it is. Shakespeare in Love is even better; a really fun and romantic film. (American Beauty plays all week, Shakespeare in Love is Thurs Feb 21 at 2:00pm)
4. Family Day at the Lightbox (TIFF Lightbox)
This Monday is Family Day, and if you’ve got kids you’re going to need something to do with them. The Lightbox is offering up a great program of films for children (The Magicians, Magic Camp, Eleanor’s Secret), as well as fun activities involving magic and green screens. (Mon Feb 18)
5. Gone With the Wind (Bloor Cinema)
A true epic in the classic sense. Gone With the Wind is nearly 4 hours of romance and Civil War drama, and it practically demands to be seen on the big screen. Looking back, it’s remarkable that one of the earliest major Technicolor features also exhibits some of the most startlingly beautiful colour cinematography of all time. Furthermore, the film’s complicated relationship with the history of the South may be a turnoff to some, but buried within the bigotry is a truly fascination exploration of the nature and importance of nostalgia for the human soul. Plus, Clark Gable on the big screen. Are you really going to complain about that? (Sun Feb 17, 11:00 am)
