Gala Presentations

TIFF [2000]

Sticking to now-ancient 20th century tradition, the "Gala" series launched the Festival with a new feature from a prominent Canadian filmmaker. Quebec-based writer/director Deny Arcand, whose acclaimed "Decline Of The American Empire" ushered in the 1986 TIFF, returned with his English-language Evils-Of-Fame satire "Stardom" (and hoping for a more enthusiastic reaction than that of his 1993 drama "Love And Human Remains"). But many felt this story of an Ontario hockey player who becomes an international supermodel to be a rather trite and obvious tirade about the machinations of celebrity, skewering too many easy targets, despite fine performances by newcomer Jessica Pare, supported by Dan Aykroyd, Frank Langella, and Robert LePage.

Other galas included Christopher Guest's "Best In Show", Cameron Crowe's "Almost Famous", Rod Lurie's "The Contender", George Tillman's "Men Of Honour", Jonathon Glazer's "Sexy Beast", and Robert Altman's "Dr. T And The Women". Nearly all of these titles are now in wide release in North America--I just happened to choose three films that won't be due until the end of the year.

ROBERT L'S PICKS

BEST:

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Wu Hu Zang Long) [Read the review]
Cast: Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, Chang Chen
Directed by: Ang Lee

RUNNER UP:

The Dish [Read the review]
Cast: Sam Neill, Kevin Harrington, Patrick Warburton, Tom Long
Directed by Rob Sitch

THE WORST:

The Weight of Water [Read the review]
Cast: Sean Penn, Elizabeth Hurley, Catherine McCormack, Sarah Polley, Josh Lucas
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow

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