Today, I had only one screening -Max, a Canadian/German/US film by Menno Meyjes (review coming soon). The line-up was long and the theatre was full (luckily I got a choice seat). I have to admit that I was hoping that at one of these press screenings, a starring actor would slip into the theatre --fully disguised even. Fully disguised, BUT your Toronto correspondent for Einsiders.com would seek him out only for the smug feeling that I, and only I, had found him and will keep his secret…. Okay, I was hoping John Cusack would be in the theatre, but he didn't show. So I have to seek him out like everyone else.

After Max, I rode my bike over to do my daily check-up at the Four Seasons hotel. Confused and disappointed, there was no one around the usual spot. So thinking a wee bit harder, I turned the corner to the back exit and voila -a huge crowd of people (even bigger than on the weekend). I asked one of the star spotters who he saw, "Ah well, Pierce Brosnan came out [Yah -old news], and then William Dafoe [my William?! 'Better not have shared a moment..] and Colin Farrell [aaah, fresh]. Otherwise, we're just waiting for anyone." Anyone for me until the TIFF is over will be John Cusack.

As a woman who loves film and art, I especially love movies on artists. I especially love movies about the female artists. However, it is often in the tragedy that they stifle their own work to support their men, up and coming or well-established artists themselves (see Camille Claudel and Pollock). However, Frida Kahlo was well recognized in her own right and hailed as an incredibly moving, albeit often disturbing, painter.

Frida is a synopsis of the crucial moments of the artist's life that inspired her works. Of great significance is a bus accident at a young age which all but began her enduring life with constant physical pain. She later marries established Mexican muralist, Diego Rivera. Together, with great passion and tenderness, they lead a turbulent life in marriage, art and politics.

Salma Hayek as Kahlo is believable as a woman tormented by her physical pain, her miscarriage, her dependence on alcohol and her womanizing husband. She was perhaps less convincing depicting an artist. The film lacked the depth in defining the emotional relationship between the tragedies in her life and her paintings. Nevertheless, Hayek is true to displaying Kahlo's strength and independence intertwined with her tenderness and devotion to her husband and family.

Taymor meshes her own artistic craft with that of Kahlo's -sometimes with elegant subtlety and genius and at other times as abrupt and ill-timed performance art pieces in themselves. The context of the movie also at times felt overly thematic and staged as a Mexican backdrop, and perhaps lacked the more raw sensibilities of the Mexicans. (If you have seen Y Tu Mama Tambien, you will know what I mean).

For those who are well-versed in the life and art of Kahlo may find, as with a lot of biographies, a superficial but nonetheless interesting depiction of an artist who defined herself by events that affected her self as a woman.

Auto Focus is based on the Robert Graysmith's biography of Bob Crane, star of Hogan's Heroes. It is a tragic example of American fame and success and their consequences on the average American man in the '60's.

Crane (perfectly portrayed by Greg Kinnear) begins as a struggling actor working for a local radio station, when he is suddenly cast as the lead for television series Hogan's Heroes. He is the ultimate 'likable' guy with the constant TV gameshow tone and smile, and comfortable suburban living. However, coinciding with his escalating fame and narcissism, Crane meets John Carpenter (William Dafoe) who introduces him to the promiscuous '60's. Carpenter begins as the fuel and then the follower of Crane's downward spiral.

Most of the film devotes in great length to Crane's lifestyle of sexual freedom, and, in particular, filming it. The sex scenes are not so much shocking in themselves but Schrader's repetitive use of it instills the notion of Crane's obsession to the point of his routine. This later proves to be the demise of his acting career. The rhythm of these scenes with Crane's constant confrontations and defense, "I'm just a normal guy" becomes tiresome. I felt anxious to see Crane not give his winning smile all the time. I almost began to wonder if Schrader was making a parody of his movie in itself.

The cast is excellent despite the mediocre script. Kinnear is great (although probably not his most difficult role)? Wilson is perfect as Crane's naïve and devoted first wife. Maria Bello (from ER fame) gives a surprisingly sincere performance as Crane's second and more liberal-minded wife. Dafoe, as usual, is incredible as the perverted techie, Carpenter. In particular, during the scenes in which Crane turns the table and begins exerting his power over Carpenter, Dafoe sensitively exudes the humbling loyalty, vulnerability and unreal devotion to Crane. The last 20 minutes of the film, albeit brilliant, came too little too late.

Is it okay to admit that I love the Danish Dogme movies? Even though they may not be so much the novelty or film-fashion as they were in the mid-90's I still anticipate every Dogme that comes out. (That said, I readily admit that I have not seen Italian for Beginners, yet).

Open Hearts is one of the more digestible and conventional of Dogme storylines -but do not let that fool you into thinking that it is a conventional movie. The film revolves around an adult love triangle that develops out of unusual circumstance. A young woman, Cecilie (Sonja Richter), recently engaged to Joachim (Nikolaj Lie Kaas) suddenly faces a tragic situation which brings her together with a Niels, a doctor (Mads Mikkelsen). Their relationship begins understandably enough, his voluntary consoling and sympathy to her devastation. However, their growing attraction to each other forces serious decisions on both their parts.

It is difficult to critique Dogme films as their brilliance lies in the study of human reaction to life's smallest actions to life's largest tragedies. In Open Hearts (and typically in Dogme predecessors), the camera pans from the wavering of Joachim's hands after asking Cecilie to marry him, to an angle of the two of them staring in awkward but elated silence.

The entire cast is excellent. The most moving performances were those of Mads Mikkelsen who plays Niels. Mikkelsen goes from loving husband and father, to stoic doctor, to sympathetic ear, to adulterer with ease and believability. Credit should also be given to Nikolaj Lie Kaas, as the source of the tragedy.

I was engrossed throughout the film, (interrupted only the shifting man periodically kicking my seat behind me). It is not Dogme's most provocative films, but well worth watching.

PART 1: (intro, review of Good Thief, star spotting)
PART 3: (reviews of 8 femmes/8 Women, Spider)
PART 4: (Leonard & I, reviews of Phone Booth, Max)
PART 5: (Chicken Poets, Closing Night Gala)

Fung Lee