TIFF09 REVIEW: Antichrist [2009]

“Can’t I just be afraid, without a definite object?” How can Lars von Trier have a film at the Toronto International Film Festival without me making sure my butt is in a seat? The Danish maestro may not fly, so an in-person Q&A is impossible, (he did hold one via Skype the day after our screening), but talent seems to not care, flocking to work with the man. Willem Dafoe, getting to know the director during Manderlay, just happened to ask his agent what von Trier was up to, and…

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TIFF09 REVIEW: An Education [2009]

“They’re making themselves a friend” When I think Nick Hornby, films such as High Fidelity and About a Boy come to mind. It’s obvious of course, being that he wrote the novels for which both were based, but I mention it because I really didn’t know what to expect from An Education, scripted by he and directed by Lone Scherfig. The subject matter seemed so much darker and serious than his previous work; until finding out it was based on a memoir during the opening credits, I really was perplexed.…

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TIFF09 REVIEW: Jennifer’s Body [2009]

“I’m a kicker; it says so in my chart” I’ll admit to not being very excited to see Jennifer’s Body on first look. Coming as a fast-tracked script, hot on the heels of Diablo Cody’s successful debut Juno, it just looked rushed, abused, and left for dead. After the production house Fox Atomic folded and dissolved back into its parent, the future did not look bright. However, being a teen horror flick starring Megan Fox had to all but assure it a theatrical release of some sort. And here it…

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