It was the worst of times, it was the worst of times

Brian, are we to choose the presumed worst from just your picks or our own? Might as well go through all our lists.

From Brian’s list, the obvious choice is Chrysalis, because it’s a French sci-fi thriller and I’m deeply suspicious of this combination genre, as I suspect it’s going to take itself far too seriously. Despite the presence of the ever luminous Juliette Binoche, sporting the blond locks that I spied when she passed within a few feet of me last year, je pense Le Voyage du Ballon Rouge va etre un voyage très ennuyeux pour m. Derek. Have a sneaking suspicion that Sarah will dislike the one I just got her yesterday ‘Silent Resident’ because it will get be too sci-fi and not enough thriller and that Da…I mean…festival co-director #3 will find himself deeply confused about which way to go regarding XXY. My biggest question mark is ‘A Gentle Breeze in the Village’, which my parents are seeing with me. It has the potential to be either too saccharine-y, too slow, or a lethal combination of both.

Back to celebs, I have a feeling that I’m most likely to bump (that’s with a b not an h, Bri, honestly…) into Rachel McAdams on my way out of Married Life as I frantically try to make Mad Detective on time. I see myself quickly explaining to her that I’d love to stay for Q & A but that Johnnie To beckons. She’s cool w/ it but Ryan Gosling gives me dirty looks and the two of us end up starting a massive brawl later that evening in the lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel. I scramble out a side door, ducking and narrowing avoiding a punch from Jodie Foster that inadvertently lands on Woody Allen (who consequently hightails it back to Manhattan, vowing never to return to TO), and look up to see Keira K staring down at me. She asks me where she can find really good falafel so we cab it to the Annex and….okay…NOW I’m getting silly.

Another question, given the glowing reviews of the Coen Brothers flick, are we bound to be disappointed? Even though it wasn’t among my initial picks, it’s now the film that I’m most looking forward to seeing. Hope that isn't the case. Happy film going, all!

UPDATE: We're number 1! Or possibly 2!

Interesting article in the Star today. The last paragraph illustrates why Piers is Da Man: articulate, gracious when it comes to describing competitors, but with a balsy certitude in stating, simply that Toronto is THE fall festival. You, Mr. Handling, rock!