“Talk about...pop muzik”
-Pop Muzik, M (also great U2 cover)

I have the feeling that this will be a long post.

First things first, the end of the film festival (might as well do this in chronological order).

Friday, September 16, 2005:

Films screened:
Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-rabbit

Celebs spotted:
Helena Bonham-Carter
Nick Park

Went to the gala premiere of Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-rabbit. Ralph Fiennes was a no-show although creator Nick Park and Helena Bonham-Carter were there. Park brought actual figurines used in the film. The film itself wasn’t bad. I still prefer the short The Wrong Trousers and a Close Shave. I think they’re funnier. But the film was good. Everyone in the audience got Gromit masks. All in all, the film was enjoyable with the traditional werewolf theme transformed into a wererabbit theme with the wererabbit terrorizing the town on the eve of the giant vegetable competition.

“You're living in a disco, Forget about the rat race”

Saturday, September 17, 2005:
U2 (on stage at the ACC)
Eli Roth
Some unknown stars of Hostel

Saturday proved much more exciting. Nayeli and I had a 9am screening of Winter Passing, which was only okay. Seeing as I was sick and still got out of bed earlier than I do on a normal weekday I still liked the movie. Zooey Deschanel is alright, but she always has this vacant, detached look about her in all her roles. I guess it’s her thing. Will Ferrell is also in the film playing a toned down version of himself. Not laugh out loud hysterical, but some comic bits to an otherwise depressing film. Ed Harris plays Deschanel’s recluse writer father but he never seems to fully capture the tormented part. You leave the theatre feeling that nothing really happened. Or you just could care less.

We followed up Winter Passing with one of the worst brunches ever. I was trying to make my 1245pm screening of Hostel and had an hour and a half to kill so Nayeli and I stopped at over Easy in Yorkville for breakfast. They were busy, but not htat busy. Our waiter was so lousy, we didn’t tip and I always leave a tip. Having waited tables, I know what you’re capable of, and this guy was an idiot. He only had 4 tables, all at different stages of ordering/eating, but was doing other things instead of paying attention. Dude must have made nothing in tips because the 3 tables around us were overheard complaing about poor service. That and the food sucked. I’ll never turn my back on Eggspectations after Saturday’s fiasco. I actually had to run to make my movie since out breakfast that should have taken an hour, tops, took an hour and a half and then some. I arrived late to Hostel, but luckily the film was being intro’d by the director and I managed a seat before it started.

Hostel is best described as a B horror flick that has pretty much be done before, except this time it’s set in “exotic” Bratislava instead of a cabin in the woods/abandoned house/middle America. Blood and gore for the sake of grossing out the audience, but at this point, it’s all been done before so it’s really not that shocking…except maybe when this guy cuts off a girl’s eye as it hangs out of the socket…gross. But other than that, it’s not that great, and doesn’t even have a lot of suspense. Eli Roth, the director, also directed/wrote Cabin Fever, which, isn’t a great film, but it’s better than Hostel.

As a film Festival wrap-up, there were some really good movies, a few that I doubt I'll watch again, and one that I hope I don't have to watch again.

The best remain Thank You for Smoking and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, both of which I would watch again, sooner rather than later.

Everything is Illuminated was good. I would watch it again. But it's Schindler's List good. Meaning that it is kind of depressing to watch as it deals with death and the holocaust, but it is a good story with great acting.

Breakfast on Pluto was another good film, I'd recommend it, depending on if you like things that are a littel far out or off of the normal Hollywood path. I did enjoy the performances a lot, even if it reminded me a bit too much of Velvet Goldmine. But Cillian Murphy is fantastic in it.

Neverwas was enjoyable, but a little disappointing, as was Wallace and Gromit. All in all, I probably would watch them again the next time they were on TV, although I don't think I'd go out of my way to rent them.

I hated Elizabethtown. It had so much promise. If Cameron Crowe is going to cut at least 20 minutes out of the film for it's October release, it makes me wonder if there will even be 20 minutes left that are actually good. Orlando Bloom is okay, but it's nothing special. You can exchang ehim for anyother young actor and have the same results. Things are best left unsaid about Kirsten Dunst, other than I often wanted to scratch my eyes out when she was on screen.

Thumbsucker was disappointing because I thought it woul dbe good, but it veered so far off the path of what I hoped it would be that I didn't enjoy it. Some of my friends did, however, who went into the film without any background on it.

I won't bother with Hostel again. There are too many similar films that deliver better scares. Same goes for Winter Passing. It was just bland. Not bad, but bland. And I had the odd feeling that it reminded me too much of several other films. It was as if the films of my conscious had mated and produced a boring offspring.

And as for the several that I didn't get into, I'm still looking forward to Brokeback Mountain, Proof (although not as much as before), and Corpse Bride. For word of mouth ones that I heard were good or sparked my interest: North Country, Trust the Man, Romance & Cigarettes, and a few more.

“Dance to the Pop Mart, Top of food chain”

A short nap followed by my 6th U2 concert was the highlight of the weekend.

This was U2 at their best. At least the best I’ve ever seen them. They’ve only gotten mediocre reviews on their stay in Toronto, but I cant really see why after Saturday’s show. Saturday kicked Wednesday’s ass. It was so much better for their 4th and final show that the ACC. The set list rocked. The crowd was fantastic. Everyone was hyped up and sang the entire intro to Elevation. It seemed to surprise Bono that the crowd was so loud for that part. Bono’s voice seemed strained towards the end of the show, but his energy level was high as he was jumping up and down and dancing on the stage. Bono remarked that Eddie Vedder was in the house to thunderous applause, only to have Eddie trot out later in the show to sing Old Man River at the end of One, along with Daniel Lanois who returned again (seems he has nothing better to do, but I give the guy props for being an awesome local).

“Listen to the countdown, They're playing our song again”

At the first encore, where Zoo Station/The Fly had previously been played, the screen started showing images from the 1997 Popmart tour. The crowd, including myself, went hysterical. The band came out to the familiar sound of M’s Pop Muzik, a Popmart staple, and then launched into the best live rendition of Discotheque I’ve ever heard. Everyone was going nuts and jumping/screaming. They finished the night off with 40, done in the traditional style of the band leaving the stage one by one until only Larry remains. The chorus was carried on by the crowd as everyone exited the ACC. The band played The Ocean, a 1980 track as well as Fast Cars, the special track from their last album that didn’t make it to North American CDs, only special editions and European ones. The highlight was Discotheque and Love and Peace for me, along with another great version on Bullet the Blue Sky. Bono also bucked tradition and didn’t bring a girl up on stage for With or Without You. I managed to get some video and lots of pictures.

“If you wanna be a gun slinger, Don't be a rock singer”

The people behind me, and on either side were the only ones in my section who sat for most of the show. I’m sure I ruined it for them because I was dancing and clapping and singing along to every song. Who goes to a concert and sits the entire time? When the guy next to me did stand, he had his arms folded across his chest. He only clapped for the encores. Why waste your money when a real fan can’t get tickets?

U2 setlist:

1. City of Blinding Lights

2. Vertigo -snippet Rockaway Beach

3. Elevation

4. Electric Co

5. The Ocean

6. Beautiful Day-Snippet of SGT Pepper

7. Miracle Drug

8. Sometimes You Can't Make it Own Your Own - Snippet, Dirty Old Town

9. Love and Peace or Else

10. Sunday Bloody Sunday

11. Bullet in the Blue Sky Snippet Hands That Built America and Johnny Comes Marching Home

12. Miss Sarajevo/Human Rights Video

13. Pride (In the Name of Love)

14. Where the Streets Have No Name

15. One - Daniel Lanois playing the Irish Falcon - Old Man River Snippet Eddie Vedder on Stage!!

Pop Muzik interlude

16. Discotheque

17. The Fly

18. With or Without You

19. All Because of You

20. Fast Cars

21. Yahweh

22. 40

All in all a fantastic show. I can’t wait for my 7th U2 concert…

OVERRATED: Where the Streets Have No Name. Okay, I admit it, it’s not my fave U2 song, and I’m getting a little tired of hearing it live. I would trade it in for something rarer, but we all know, it’s a huge hit and it will never happen.
UNDERRATED: Discotheque. It’s an awesome song that doesn’t get the credit it deserves, along with the Pop album. It’s one of my favourites and Saturday’s show proved it can rock and get the crowd going.

“Anyway you want to go”