TIFF Press Conferences

Since we've been living in our house and have Bell ExpressVu, I've missed having access to the Press Conferences on Rogers cable (running 24 hours a day).

This year, I no longer need to feel left out. I can watch the TIFF press conferences on ExpressVu channel 307 and have seen several good ones this week: Volver, Babel, Dixie Chicks, Kabul Express, Breaking and Entering, Fay Grim. The moderators are sometimes annoying but it's great to hear stories from the stars and directors. Sean Penn is already in trouble for chain smoking throughout his press conference.

The only downside are the horrible, repetitive trailers for the hosts who are supposed to be taking us to the stars and hot spots. For favourite movies they list: Lady and the Tramp, Back to the Future, Dazed and Confused and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Only 1 guy talks about movies that were at TIFF last year but he also starts with the question "What are you wearing" which I haven't heard on any red carpet outside of Hollywood.

Beowulf & Grendel

Okay. Not all filmfest movies are good. Seems the more cast members they bring onstage the worse the film is (another case in point: Silver City by John Sayles). Ivana and I left Beowulf & Grendel after 25 minutes. The constant grunting, deadly swordplay and hairy Grendel and his family got to us. After a tiring week, we didn't have the strength to put up with a film like this at 9pm Wednesday. Only redeeming thing: Gerard Butler was Beowulf and he is also in the running to be the next Bond. He looked pretty good.... Unless you loved this poem in university, don't bother. I give it only M for effort.