ROTTEN TOMATOES: Toronto Film Fest: The Good, The Bad, and The Better So Far Comments

Toronto Film Fest: The Good, The Bad, and The Better So Far

by Jen Yamato | September 11, 2007

Summary

Well, it certainly hasn't been a dull festival. Tons of films big (Michael Clayton) and small (Juno) have screened to kudos, and on the whole there haven't been very many outright disappointments (notwithstanding George Romero's Diary of the Dead and a few others). Click for more buzz! Back to Article

(1-13 of 13 posts) | Reply

unbreakable_samurai writes:
on Sep 11 2007 08:18 PM

Across the Universe looks damn sweet, I really want to see it. I'll be supprised if my city gets it friday but hopefully it doesn't take them to long.

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A Lapse In Reason writes:
on Sep 11 2007 08:18 PM

You lucky bastard I wish I was there too. Does rotten want to send me to any film festivals?

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nightbat666 writes:
on Sep 11 2007 10:19 PM

i'm not sure about the beatles one, what seperates it from a glorified music video with songs you already know people love. sounds cliche'd.

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Bane Of Anubis writes:
on Sep 11 2007 10:45 PM

ATU looks absolutely horrible -- I guess my perception could be b/c I'm one of the few people who really can't stand The Beatles.

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Jen Yamato writes:
on Sep 11 2007 11:44 PM

To be honest, I'm not a huge Beatles fan...but I find myself singing a ton of songs from the movie now, days after the screening. For what that's worth.

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saiga6360 writes:
on Sep 12 2007 06:55 AM

Well there is clearly a difference between not being a "huge fan" and someone who "can't stand" the Beatles. :) I try to not be like my parents who are big fans but I do find myself humming a tune once in a while. Not too sure about a movie playing "near non-stop" Beatles songs, I might just go batty.

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puablo writes:
on Sep 12 2007 09:56 AM

I'm a huge Beatles fan, but I just assumed that ATU was going to be horrible when I heard about it. Then the trailer got me interested, the recent article in the NY Times got me psyched, and a friend of mine who saw the Toronto screening came back and told me "Across The Universe. Sept. 21st. Be there." Apparently it was his favorite film, of those he saw, at the festival. I'm sold.

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arendr writes:
on Sep 12 2007 11:07 AM

I keep seeing ads for Across the Universe in theatres...and everytime I sit there simmering. It looks so awful to me. And I love the Beatles.

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rt_hire_me writes:
on Sep 12 2007 11:44 AM

Did I hear you right, Cate Blanchett nabbed Venice honors for her portrayal of Bob Dylan? Are we talking about the same Cate Blanchett?

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Tim Ryan writes:
on Sep 12 2007 03:06 PM

In reply to this comment (#1118435)
You heard right.

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simplekindoflovely writes:
on Sep 12 2007 03:47 PM

I caught Across The Universe on Tuesday at the Visa Screening Room and thought it was awesome. It does have some faults, mainly with the script, but nearly every scene was enjoyable. All three leads, especially Jim Sturgess, were wonderful and sure could sing. Sturgess' renditions of "Something", "I've Just Seen A Face" and "Strawberry Fields Forever" were fantastic.

We had a Q&A with Julie Taymor after the show and she mentioned that 90% of the performances in the film were done live on-set; there was very little dubbing of studio recordings in post-production. She proudly announced that Evan Rachel Wood sang "If I Fell" live on her first take and that is what was put into the final cut. It truly was beautiful - my mother and sister started crying.

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simplekindoflovely writes:
on Sep 12 2007 03:48 PM

I caught Across The Universe on Tuesday at the Visa Screening Room and thought it was awesome. It does have some faults, mainly with the script, but nearly every scene was enjoyable. All three leads, especially Jim Sturgess, were wonderful and sure could sing. Sturgess' renditions of "Something", "I've Just Seen A Face" and "Strawberry Fields Forever" were fantastic.

We had a Q&A with Julie Taymor after the show and she mentioned that 90% of the performances in the film were done live on-set; there was very little dubbing of studio recordings in post-production. She proudly announced that Evan Rachel Wood sang "If I Fell" live on her first take and that is what was put into the final cut. It truly was beautiful - my mother and sister started crying.

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ImaRobot writes:
on Sep 12 2007 04:49 PM

In reply to this comment (#1117003)
i don't think that using songs that people already know and love makes a movie cliched. I've never really seen a movie like this and it seems relatively original from what I have seen. It doesn't really seem like a music video, music videos are generally made as a tool for people to notice the song, and have no, or very rudimentary (or incomprehensible), storylines. This seems like a movie made with a storyline using famous music to compliment the story. But I haven't seen it, so I really can't say much.

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