Carmen Victor
Exit Through the Gift Shop
2010 (Banksy) 14A, 87 min
Starring: Banksy, Rhys Ifans, Shepard Fairey
Over the years much has been made about the identity of British guerilla street artist Banksy. There are a couple of theories floating out there about who he could be, but honestly, knowing or not knowing Banksy's identity really doesn't matter anymore. Banksy is probably best known for making interesting, ironic, non-precious artwork on the streetscape of a number of cities. In fact, a couple of Banksy graffiti pieces appeared here in Toronto this summer, coinciding with the release of this film in major theatres. Although anonymity has sometimes played into the reading of the pieces, which often depict important yet overlooked political issues with non-cynical irony, Banksy's personal history is irrelevant. In 2006, the public may have heard about Banksy's famous intervention, in which he replaced 500 Paris Hilton CD's with altered cover art and a remix CD of his own making. Another notable piece was carried out at the Louvre, where he hung a reproduction of the Mona Lisa with a smiley face, a comment on the stodginess of the art world. Banksy became world famous, both in the art world and the mainstream, when Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt purchased several of his works in 2007.
-Carmen VictorWatch the Trailer
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
2009 (Neils Arden Oplev) 18A, 152 min
Starring: Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace
In Swedish with English subtitles
This film adaptation of Steig Larsson's bestselling novel tells the story of disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist and his attempt to chronicle the history of the Vangers, a wealthy Swedish family with more then a few skeletons in the closet. With a plot that takes more unexpected twists and turns than a Namibian sidewinder, Blomkvist, along with his research assistant the mysterious genius hacker Lisbeth Salander, tries to uncover the truth. This shocking and powerful epic is worth the hype. Quick, before a watered down, Americanized version is unleashed in North America, see the original Swedish film version.
-Carmen VictorWatch the Trailer
The Runaways
2010 (Floria Sigismondi) 14A, 106 min
Starring: Dakota Fanning, Kirsten Stewart
It's fitting that The Runaways director, Toronto's Floria Sigismondi, chose to make a film about a rock band as her first feature. Before Runaways, Sigismondi made distinctive music videos ¬¬-- Blue Orchid by the White Stripes, Obstacle 1 by Interpol, as well as videos for Björk, David Bowie and Marilyn Manson. Sigismondi's commercial work is recognizable for its jittery camera work, stop-motion photography and blending of digital and analog animation techniques, often with added sculptural elements and elaborate costuming. Like other prolific cultural producers, Sigismondi works in various other media, including commercials, books, fashion photography and maintains an art practice. The Runaways is a 1970s period piece about the all-girl rock band of the same name, which spawned rock goddess Joan Jett. Though the Runaways’ career was short, they were highly influential and continue to pave the way for other bands years later. This film focuses on the relationship between Joan Jett (played by Twilight's Kirsten Stewart) and Cherie Currie (Dakota Fanning), as they rise to stardom in the man’s world of rock.
-Carmen VictorWatch the Trailer
Shutter Island
2010 (Martin Scorsese) 14A, 137 min
Starring: Ben Kingsley, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Michelle Williams, Patricia Clarkson
Martin Scorsese presents a psychological mystery/thriller set in 1954 on Shutter Island, home to Ashecliffe Hospital for the criminally insane. Kingsley (Gandhi, House of Sand and Fog) is head psychiatrist Dr. John Cawley, DiCaprio and Ruffalo (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) are gumshoes who have been assigned to investigate an inmate's disappearance from a locked room in Ashecliffe. Shortly after their arrival, everything begins to unravel for DiCaprio and his partner. With rumours of experimental therapies, psychotropic drug use and radical human experimentation practices, accepted truths are cast into doubt as are the detectives’ motives, methods and very identities. Kingsley shines as Dr. Cawley, who appears completely empathetic throughout most of the film until a much darker side of his character leaches through. DiCaprio and Ruffalo are well cast as the detective duo, with strong supporting roles by Clarkson (High Art, Six Feet Under, Cairo Time) andWilliams (Brokeback Mountain).
-Carmen VictorWatch the Trailer
