Film and Television Appreciation Culture
Katherine Heigl and Leslie Mann in Knocked Up
In Judd Apatow’s latest guy centred, but still female empowering, hysterically outrageous and surprisingly heart warming comedy, he goes further than he did with his smash hit “The 40 year old virgin,” in every way. It is funnier, raunchier, shocking and astutely observant.
I never did see the 1988 classic version of the film with trash-TV queen Rikki Lake, but I am guessing it was not better than this gem of a film. The film has a new star, Nikki Blonsky, who gives one of the best breakthrough performances of the year in this year’s most commercially accessible musical. Nikki also rhymes with Rikki; do you think that was pre-planned? Probably not.Filled with energy so sharp and uplifting, it features an ensemble that is one of the year’s best.
Featuring fantastic performances from Queen Latifah, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, John Travolta, James Marsden, Alison Janney, Amanda Bynes (the funniest actor in the film, she has such an endearing quality that is sure to make her a future star, if she steers clear from Hollywood fluff) and Zac Efron (who is making a habit of starring in musicals, just like John Travolta, but needs a few good performances in non-musicals to cement any kind of quality actor status).The story is a tired one, but this film does not make it obvious. It is set in 1962 is Baltimore. Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) is a young high school student who has big dreams and an even bigger hair do’. Her dream is to dance on “The Corny Collins Show”, but the shows stars are usually the all American boy and girl next-door types.
Costume wise, they are stunning. Bold, bright and colourful, without looking tacky and cheap. The essence of 60’s style is captured flawlessly and pays homage to the era of change. The costumes go hand in hand with the magnificence of the dance and musical numbers, which are outstandingly choreographed and performed. I posted the songs from the film that I loved the most on an earlier post last year, check them out.
The director, Adam Shankman, who also choreographed the film, is gay, and I think that if the film were done by a straight man, it would not have been as brassy and bold. Who knows better than discrimination and being bold than a gay man? Not many. He brought the film to life, and it will go down in history as one of the musicals big on heart and music, and low on just about nothing.
Fatac Rating: ***1/2
The 32nd Toronto International Film Festival was held between Sept. 6-15, 2007.
Here are the winners:
PRIZE OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRITICS (FIPRESCI PRIZE)
LA ZONA by Rodrigo Plá
CADILLAC PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
EASTERN PROMISES by David Cronenberg
Runners-up: JUNO by Jason Reitman; BODY OF WAR by Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro
CITYTV AWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN FIRST FEATURE FILM
CONTINENTAL, UN FILM SANS FUSIL by Stéphane Lafleur
TORONTO-CITY AWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN FEATURE FILM
MY WINNIPEG by Guy Maddin
AWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN SHORT FILM
POOL by Chris Chong Chan Fui
DIESEL DISCOVERY AWARD
COCHOCHI by Israel Cárdenas and Laura Amelia Guzmán
ARTISTIC INNOVATION AWARD
ENCARNACIÓN by Anahí Berneri
This means that Eastern Promises and possibly Juno get an Oscar boost.
GOLDEN LION for Best Film: SE, JIE (LUST, CAUTION) by Ang LEE (USA/China/China, Taiwan)
SILVER LION for Best Director: Brian DE PALMA for the film: REDACTED (USA)
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE (ex aequo): LA GRAINE ET LE MULET / THE GRAIN OF LIFE by Abdellatif KECHICHE (France) and I’M NOT THERE by Todd HAYNES (USA)
COPPA VOLPI for Best Actor: Brad PITT in the film THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD by Andrew DOMINIK (USA)
COPPA VOLPI for Best Actress: Cate BLANCHETT in the film: I’M NOT THERE by Todd HAYNES (USA)
Variety - Link I Love
