Author Archive

TIFF 2022: The 47th Annual Toronto International Film Festival – Part 3 (The Wrap-Up)

By PAUL ZIMMERMAN 09/21/2022
King Street, Toronto. The road is blocked off for several theater premiers, open to the public.

Dateline Toronto. In other posts I talk about the films I saw, the big buzz, the big stars and big awards. Here are some tips from a veteran. Director David Cronenberg famously called Toronto Ontario, Canada the best run big city in North America. He was right then and he’s right now. Here’s some behind the scenes photos (exclusive to Assignment X) with some observations. The gift shop in the TIFF Lightbox film center. Ever notice how many film critics last name starts with an R?               Related: Film Festival: The Scoop on the […]Read On »


COMMENTS (0)

Film Festival: TIFF 2022: The 47th Annual Toronto International Film Festival – Part 2 (The Winners)

By PAUL ZIMMERMAN 09/20/2022
Brendan Fraser in THE WHALE | ©2022 A24.

DATELINE SEPTEMBER 18, 2022 TIFF WINNERS TORONTO — The Toronto International Film Festival® has announced its award recipients for the 47th edition of the Festival, which concluded last evening with the Closing Night screening of Mary Harron’s Dalíland at the Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre and Roy Thomson Hall. IFF Tribute Award for Performance presented by IMDbPro, which was presented to Brendan Fraser for his outstanding performance in The Whale at the TIFF Tribute Awards gala fundraiser on September 11.   PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD For the 45th year, the People’s Choice Awards distinguish the audience’s top […]Read On »


COMMENTS (0)

Film Festival: TIFF 2022: The 47th Annual Toronto International Film Festival – Part 1 (The Films)

By PAUL ZIMMERMAN
TAR l ©2022 Focus Features

Dateline Toronto Film Festival: 10 Days. Over 200 films. You’re going to have to pick and chose carefully. After two years of Covid-19 restrictions and online “virtual film festivals” TIFF returned in 2022 to full on in person spectacle. The stars were back, the seats were full and the sponsors were happy. Here’s what I found; Taylor Swift lauded for shooting her video on film, two films (MY POLICEMAN, DON’T WORRY DARLING) staring singer turned actor Harry Styles and a whole lot more. (You know it’s an odd year when WEIRD: THE AL YANKOVIC STORY has jam packed press screenings). But […]Read On »


COMMENTS (0)

Highlights from the 2016 LA FILM FESTIVAL

By PAUL ZIMMERMAN 06/20/2016

1) The new venue. Once upon a time the LAFF was in Hollywood. The it was in Westwood next to the UCLA campus. Then it was in the LA LIVE center downtown. All three areas managed to dwarf what was going on around it. In Hollywood it didn’t stick out enough from usual Hollywood goings on. At UCLA film goers were over run by campus dwellers (even though it was during Summer break). At LA LIVE it looked like it had been dropped into some Blade Runner-esque hybrid of LA and Tokyo with some sports championship or pop concert running […]Read On »


COMMENTS (0)

The 2015 L.A. Film Festival: The Winners

By PAUL ZIMMERMAN 06/20/2015

 The L.A. Film Fest hosts juried awards for U.S. Fiction, World Fiction, Documentary, Zeitgeist, LA Muse, and Nightfall, as well as Best Short Fiction and Best Short Documentary. Audience awards are presented to Best Fiction Feature Film, Best Documentary Feature Film, Best Short Film and Best Web Series. The U.S. Fiction Award went to Takeshi Fukunaga for OUT OF MY HAND, which made its North American Premiere at the Festival. The World Fiction Award went to Beata Gårdeler for FLOCKEN, which made its North American Premiere at the Festival.  


COMMENTS (0)

The 2015 L.A. Film Festival: Part 3 – The Game Changer

By PAUL ZIMMERMAN 06/19/2015

NOTE: As a film festival draws to a close I usually try to talk up as many films as possible. This year I’m trying something different, just three films, a horror comedy (THE FINAL GIRLS), a documentary (CAN YOU DIG THIS) and a teen comedy/drama (SEOUL SEARCHING). They have little to nothing in common but collectively speak to the state of indie film circa 2015. After the gala premiere of his teen comedy SEOUL SEARCHNG writer-director Benson Lee told the audience “I was a huge fan of John Hughes and his films in the ’80s except for the depiction of […]Read On »


COMMENTS (0)

The 2015 L.A. Film Festival: Part 2 – The Crusader

By PAUL ZIMMERMAN

NOTE: As a film festival draws to a close I usually try to talk up as many films as possible. This year I’m trying something different, just three films, a horror comedy (THE FINAL GIRLS), a documentary (CAN YOU DIG THIS) and a teen comedy/drama (SEOUL SEARCHING). They have little to nothing in common but collectively speak to the state of indie film circa 2015. Films can do many things; entertain, illuminate and if they’re really clever, educate. CAN YOU DIG THIS does all of the above. This documentary about the urban gardening revolution taking place in South Central LA, […]Read On »


COMMENTS (0)

The 2015 L.A. Film Festival: Part 1 – The Entertainer

By PAUL ZIMMERMAN

NOTE: As a film festival draws to a close I usually try to talk up as many films as possible. This year I’m trying something different, just three films, a horror comedy (THE FINAL GIRLS), a documentary (CAN YOU DIG THIS) and a teen comedy/drama (SEOUL SEARCHING). They have little to nothing in common but collectively speak to the state of indie film circa 2015. “How great is this theater?” director Todd Strauss-Schulson yelled while introducing his film THE FINAL GIRLS in the mammoth Premiere House theater of the Regal LA Live Stadium 14. “Feel free to laugh, yell, scream and just […]Read On »


COMMENTS (0)

TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2014 Award Winners

By PAUL ZIMMERMAN 09/25/2014
TIFF 2014 logo

TORONTO — After ten days and over 300 films several awards were passed out. Here are the highlights and the TIFF winners 2014. THE PRIZES OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRITICS (FIPRESCI PRIZES) The Festival welcomed an international FIPRESCI jury for the 23rd year. The jury members consisted of jury president Dana Linssen (Netherlands), Marco Lombardi (Italy), Ola Salwa (Poland), Télesphore Mba Bizo (Cameroun), Jorge Gutman (Canada) and Thom Ernst (Canada). Prize of the International Critics (FIPRESCI) for Special Presentations was awarded to Oren Moverman’s TIME OUT OF MIND. The jury remarked, “For Oren Moverman’s sensitive and human depiction of homelessness, and […]Read On »


COMMENTS (0)

2014 Toronto International Film Festival Wrap Up: Part 3 – The Cold List

By PAUL ZIMMERMAN
Adam Sandler in THE COBBLER | ©2014 Image Entertainment

When they’re good they’re very good, when they’re bad, whew, stand back. Here’s the bottom of the barrel. PART 3: THE COLD LIST AMERICAN HEIST Not all the mannered acting of Adrien Brody can save this misfire that wants to be both MEAN STREETS and THE TOWN. A miscast Hayden Christensen co-stars as Brody’s step brother ex-con trying to go straight and fall back in love with his high school sweetheart (Jordana Brewster). Enter one dimensional bad guys to divide up the brothers and the girlfriend. The bank heist climax shows director Sarik Andreasyan has a certain amount of style, […]Read On »


COMMENTS (0)
  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
Increase your website traffic with Attracta.com

Dr.5z5 Open Feed Directory

bottom round