Special Presentations

TIFF [2000]

Al Pacino

TIFF 2000's "Special Presentation" line-up featured 22 features, including 17 world and North American premieres. Essentially a showcase for slightly offbeat American fare of the "non blockbuster" variety, the series offers familiar personalities experimenting on both sides of the lens.

Joel Schumacher trumpeted his low-key "Tigerland" as nothing less than a career rebirth and apology for the Hollywood excesses of "Batman And Robin". Personally, I thought Schumacher killed the "Batman"" franchise with his FIRST sequel, but I'll accept his new one as penance for "D.C. Cab", thank-you-very-much. Allegedly inspired by the "Dogma" no-frills (read: no lights or tripod) movement, "Tigerland" is set in 1971 at a Louisana boot camp, and is either a heartfelt personal expression from an artist oppressed by the Hollywood machine, or, nothing more than a cynical career spin paraded across the stage of one of the most-watched festivals in the world.

"Sally Field's "Beautiful" also debuted, but why write about it and spoil the opportunity for you to catch it now in first-run and loathe it for yourself?

Another Hollywood A-lister, Al Pacino, followed up his directorial debut "Looking For Richard" with "Chinese Coffee", a "My Dinner With Andre" styled actors' showcase that portrays a nightlong conversation between a struggling novelist (Pacino) and his mentor (Jerry Orbach).

In addition to the aforementioned "Duets" and "Liam", other noteworthy premieres included Liv Ullman's "Faithless" (based upon an unfilmed script by Ingmar Bergman), David Mamet's filmmaking comedy "State and Main", James Gray's "On The Waterfront" for-the-21st-century "The Yards", and Michael Radford's improvised stripper drama "Dancing at the Blue Iguana".

ROBERT L'S PICKS

BEST:

SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE [Read the review]
Cast: John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe, Cary Elwes, Eddie Izzard, Udo Kier
Directed by E. Elias Merhig

RUNNER UP:

POLLOCK [Read the review]
Cast: Ed Harris, Marcia Gay Harden, Amy Madigan, Jeffrey Tambor, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly
Directed by Ed Harris

SPECIAL MENTION:

Ivansxtc. (TO LIVE AND DIE IN HOLLYWOOD) [Read the review]
Cast: Danny Huston, Lisa Enos, Peter Weller, Joanne Duckman
Directed by Bernard Rose

• • •

LIDIA F'S PICKS:

A SHOT AT GLORY [Read the review]
Starring: Robert Duvall, Michael Keaton, Ally McCoist, Brian Cox, Kirsty Mitchell
Director: Michael Corrente

THE PRINCESS AND THE WARRIOR (DER KREIGER UND DIE KAISERIN) [Read the review]
Director/Screenwriter: Tom Tykwer

[Contemporary World Cinema]

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