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. The Face of Another (TIFF Lightbox)
Hiroshi Teshigahara’s Japanese horror classic is a beautiful, disturbing film about a man who seeks revenge against the man who has disfigured his face. It’s not a film about the scares so much as the psychological implications of its story and character, and it brings to mind the great French classic, Eyes Without a Face. (Saturday Mar 16th at 7:15pm)
2. The Iron Giant (TIFF Lightbox)
The debut feature from director Brad Bird is also one of the very best American animated films of all time. The E.T.-like story about a boy and a giant robot from outer space is beautifully animated, and even more beautifully written. Upon release, Warner Bros. essentially dumped the film, and it only later found a decent following on home video. That may very well mean you’ve never seen the film on the big screen, which is sure to be delightful and emotional experience. Bring the kids if you can, or don’t. You’re in for a great film either way. (Thursday Mar 21st at 1:00pm)
3. The Mask (TIFF Lightbox)
1994 was a great year for film. It was also the year of Jim Carrey. Make of it what you will, but Jim Carrey introduced himself to the world with a trio of films—Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Dumb and Dumber and The Mask—all in one year. Quite a debut. Of those three films, The Mask holds and interesting position. It’s essentially a live-action cartoon, utilizing some sensational visual effects to achieve its gags. Where the other two films that year rely much more on Carrey’s straight physical comedy, The Mask enhances that comedy through its effects and its comic book noir style. (Tuesday Mar 19 at 1:00pm)
4. Wild Girl (TIFF Lightbox)
A preservation print of one of Raoul Walsh’ early sound films, Wild Girl, is playing at the Lightbox and you’d be a fool to miss it. It’s a hilarious melodrama about a vivacious woman played by Joan Bennett, and it features some quality risqué material from the pre-Code era. It’s hardly high art, but as a piece of fun entertainment, Wild Girl certainly does the trick. (Tuesday Mar 19 at 6:30pm)
5. Leviathan (TIFF Lightbox)
Opening at the Lightbox is this experimental documentary about commercial fishing. A few doesn’t tiny cameras were placed around a commercial fishing vessel, and the footage retrieved as been edited into a mesmerizing, immersive experience, shining a light on all aspects of the work it captures. (Begins Friday Mar 15)
