Toronto is a Comic Book Town!!

This year, Vanguard features not just one, but TWO comic book-related films, Zoom and The Missing Girl!  As much as Toronto is known as a film-loving town, it has a ton of love for the graphic arts as well. So, on your way to your next screening, stop into some of Toronto’s best places for all your comic book related needs!

If you’re headed up Yonge Street from the Ryerson, the Elgin Visa Screening Room, Winter Garden:
Yonge Street has so much to offer! At Silver Snail, you can grab some coffee at the Black Canary Espresso Bar in the store while looking for your latest issue. Or up the street, you can shop comics, games, and more at One Million Comix and Next Move Games. Keep an eye open for Matt Hansen, the writer of Zoom, who stops in for his weekly fix!

• One Million Comix and Next Move Games: 531 Yonge St, Toronto, ON, M4Y 1Z2
• Silver Snail and Black Canary Espresso Bar: 329 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M5B 1R7

If you’re near The Bloor Hot Docs Cinema or Isabel Bader:
The Annex is really where it’s at in the way of comic book finds! First up is Labyrinth Comics is a collector’s friend with a wide variety of comic books, related items, cards, and much more. Though not necessarily a comic book store, I’d be negligent if I failed to mention the amazing used comics collection available at the Bloor Street BMV—sure, look at all the other books, but scour the thousands of back issues in their upstairs section!

• Labyrinth Comics: 86 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M5S 1X4
• BMV: 471 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M5S 1X9

And now we come to The Beguiling. Don’t be afraid if you get lost in this store that is overflowing with the best collection of comic book art books around—you won’t be the first to lose time submerged in their stacks, and you won’t be the last! Stop in on the other side of the block at their little sister store, Little Island Comics, and pick something up for the kids in your life—or, go ahead and just get something for yourself at the first store in North America to cater exclusively to the young comic book enthusiast. And, if at all possible, plan on coming back to town for the Toronto Comic Arts Festival in May—organized by Beguiling’s staff and the help of the Toronto Public Library system, TCAF has made a name for itself in a few short years as one of the best independent comic arts festivals and attached librarian and educators conference all in the name of promoting visual literacy and comic book culture. If you can’t make, at the very least, you should check out their year-round shop on the main floor of the Toronto Reference Library, Page & Panel.

• The Beguiling: 601 Markham St, Toronto, ON M6G 2L7
• Little Island Comics: 742 Bathurst St, Toronto, ON M5S 2R6
• Page & Panel: 789 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 2G8
• Toronto Comic Arts Festival 

If you are looking to get away from the festival frenzy:
The above are just a small taste of what Toronto has to offer in the way of comics. If you need to get away from the hustle and bustle for a bit, check out the following places and explore a little more of the this comics-and-film-loving town! One of my first stops when I get to Toronto is the amazing Comic Book Lounge + Gallery.

• Comic Book Lounge + Gallery: 484 Oriole Parkway, Toronto, ON M5P 2H8
• Red Nails II: 1700 Wilson Ave, North York, ON M3L 1B2 and 18 Jane St, York, ON M6S 3Y2, Canada
• Atomic Age Comics: 497 Pape Av, Toronto, ON M4K 3R1
• Paradise Comics: 3278 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4N 2L6
• Excalibur Comics: 3030 Bloor St W, Etobicoke, ON M8X 1C4

But whatever you do, be sure to make your way to the screenings of Zoom and The Missing Girl!

Zoom screens:
Tues, Sept 15, 10:15 PM SCOTIABANK
Wed, Sept 16, 9:45 PM SCOTIABANK

The Missing Girl screens:
Sun, Sept 13, 10:00 PM SCOTIABANK
Tues, Sept 15, 4:15 PM SCOTIABANK
Sun, Sept 20, 2:30 PM SCOTIABANK

THE MISSING GIRL and ZOOM: Comic Books on Film and Films on Comic Books

The cinematic and sequential arts have grown up together over the past century, so it is no wonder that movies and comic books make quite the team! Superhero blockbusters and graphic novel cinematic adaptations seem to be everywhere these days!

But not all movies about comic books feature the characters and stories from the books. Comic book culture and all the people who make, sell, and appreciate comic books have also found their way in to film. This year, Vanguard features two films that touch on the other side of comics: Zoom and The Missing Girl. As an added bonus, these films use the format of comics—drawings, frames, speech bubbles—to tell their story.

There aren’t many films who fit this unique concept, so if Zoom and The Missing Girl pique your interest, here’s a few other films “about comic books, but that aren’t based on them” for you to check out:

Unbreakable: In M. Night Shyamalan’s directorial follow-up to The Sixth Sense, we see David Dunn (Bruce Willis) as a man who, with the help of Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson), comes to the realization that he is a kind of real-life superhero. Price, who runs a high-end comic art gallery, expounds on the ideals and tropes of comic book characters, noting that for every strong man superhero, there is a villain willing to put him to the test.

Chasing Amy: A part of Kevin Smith’s View Askew Universe—a comic book concept in itself—Chasing Amy is the story of Holden McNeil (Ben Affleck) and Banky Edwards (Jason Lee) are the artist and inker (aka “tracer”) of the Bluntman and Chronic comic book series. While at a convention, Holden meets and falls for Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams) another comic creator. The characters learn about one another and about themselves…all of which winds up as the story of Holden’s final book, Chasing Amy—a meta moment tripled in this year’s Zoom!

Cool World: Directed by comic book artist Ralph Bakshi, Cool World is the sees the comic book reality flip inside out as comic strip beauty, Holli Would (Kim Basinger), seduces her creator (Gabriel Byrne), who literally falls head first into the drawn world of his own creation.  Inspired by this comic book noir film, The Missing Girl features a cameo of some of Bakshi’s original artwork.

Artists and Models: Speaking of inspiration, in the 1955 Lewis and Martin classic comedy, Eugene Fullstack (Jerry Lewis) loves comic books but is haunted by the nightmares they inspire. His roommate Rick Todd (Dean Martin), a struggling artist uses the dreams as inspiration for comic books! With Eva Gabor and Shirley MacLaine as the artist models and love interests, this is definitely one to check out!

The Missing Girl screens:
Sun, Sept 13, 10:00 PM SCOTIABANK
Tues, Sept 15, 4:15 PM SCOTIABANK
Sun, Sept 20, 2:30 PM SCOTIABANK

Zoom screens:
Tues, Sept 15, 10:15 PM SCOTIABANK
Wed, Sept 16, 9:45 PM SCOTIABANK


Be A Part of TIFF's First Ever Online-Only Film Screening!

Are you ready for the future? A sleek world of well-fitted space suits and very sensitive robots who might be sensitive enough to tire of our endless, selfish organic demands? Because we have a future right here--one that won't rise up and replace us.

The future is now with Short Cuts Re/Mix. On September 16 (Eastern Time Zone), for one 24-hour period, you can tune in digitally to a program of curated short films. Ticket sales start on Sept. 10 and run through Sept. 15. The tickets are $10 (CAD) and there are only 500 slots. 

Or as TIFF.net puts it:

On Wednesday September 16, for 24 hours, TIFF is conducting an experiment: our first ever online-only screening. We've curated a selection of international short films that are playing at Festival. The screening will include an exclusive Q&A roundtable with the films' directors. But you don't have to be in Toronto to see it – just log in and be a part of Festival from wherever you are.

You can watch a TIFF screening right from your home--in fact, wherever you might be! In a gloomy girls' boarding school. On an island populated only by boys and female medical professionals. A world of Madstaches and chickens. Even some alternate reality that is only populated by festival-going mole crickets, who are too sad to go because films make them so happy they can't help singing in the theater. And even mole crickets now that's just inconsiderate. But I digress.

"Honey, let's invite the mole cricket over to watch Shortcuts Re/Mix!"

Click through for more details.

THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY: Premieres Tonight!

Peter Strickland's The Duke of Burgundy is the third Vanguard film premiering today. The premiere will take place at TIFF Bell Lightbox Cinema 1 at 10:00 PM. Head over to our previous posts to see the poster and an interview with director Peter Strickland.

Tickets can be purchased:

• ONLINE: TIFF.net's Ticket Product List Page
• BY PHONE: 416.599.TIFF or 1.888.599.8433 (Toll-free) 
• IN PERSON
• Festival Box Office; 225 King St. West
• TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King St. West

Further information about The Duke of Burgundy can be found on the Festival website and the film's official website.

THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY screening times:
Sat., Sept. 6th, 10:00 PM, TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX 1
Mon., Sept. 8th, 3:15 PM, SCOTIABANK 12

SPRING Premieres Tonight! Plus the Long Awaited Trailer!

Day two of the festival brings us the second Vanguard film to premiere! Directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead follow up 2010's Resolution with Spring, premiering tonight at The Bloor Hot Docs Cinema at 6:00 PM. Head over to our previous posts to see the poster, profile and interview of directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, plus not one but two posts on promo videos from Justin and Aaron to get you pumped for tonight.

To further whet your appetite, here is the just released trailer for Spring.

Tickets can be purchased:

• ONLINE: TIFF.net's Ticket Product List Page
• BY PHONE: 416.599.TIFF or 1.888.599.8433 (Toll-free) 
• IN PERSON
• Festival Box Office; 225 King St. West
• The Bloor Hot Docs Cinema, 506 Bloor St. West

Further information about Spring can be found on the Festival website, as well as on the film's Facebook page, IMDB page and Twitter accounts for the Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead and the film.

SPRING screening times:
Fri., Sept 5th, 6:00 PM, BLOOR HOT DOCS CINEMA
Sun., Sept 7th 7:00 PM, SCOTIABANK 4
Sat., Sept 13th, 3:15 PM, SCOTIABANK 3

Festival Trailer Mash-Up 2014

Vanguardians, prepare your minds for the awesome power of five hours of festival trailers condensed into a beautiful three minutes and five seconds by super videographer Aaron Van Domelen.

Are you ready?

Here we go....

THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY First Look and Poster!

We're pretty sure we could just type PETER STRICKLAND over and over again in caps and that would be enough to entice you to want to see The Duke of Burgundy. Because we all still remember the amazingness that was Berberian Sound Studio from the 2012 Festival, right? Right. Well Strickland is back and all we can say is, "Finally!"

This time, we're taken to new erotic heights with the story of a wealthy amateur lepidopterist (read: studier of butterflies and moths) whose sadomasochistic streak is slowly revealed to her new housekeeper as the two become lovers. (You know how it goes with housekeepers.) The Duke of Burgundy, like Berberian Sound Studio, promises to plunge the audience in a startling, surreal sensory experience through dark, lush cinematography and music.

Totally normal relationship for a housekeeper and employer, yup.

Production company Rook Films released a poster by amazing artist Jay Shaw. After ogling this work, you should head over to his website and ogle the rest. (We want them all, obviously.)

Poster perfection? We think so. 

The Duke of Burgundy is screening at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival as part of the Vanguard Programme. Check out the rest of the Vanguard films on the official Festival website.

THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY screening times:

Saturday, Sept 6th 10:00 PM TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX 1
Monday, Sept 8th 3:15 PM SCOTIABANK 12

ALLELUIA First Look: Poster and Trailer!

Uh, got a little something on the wall there behind you. 

Nothing makes a horror film scarier than knowing it was inspired by a true story. It's all, "Wait, what, some of that actually happened?! No. Way." When it comes to Alleluia, yes way: it was inspired by the murderous rampage of the 1960s "Lonely Hearts Killers," a couple who killed at least twenty women that they lured through newspaper ads. (Note to self, avoid newspapers for the rest of forever. Just in case.)

Great looking couple. We should invite them over for a potluck sometime. 

Director Fabrice Du Welz puts a murderous, carnage-filled twist on this classic story, which premiered at Cannes earlier this year to fantastic reviews. Variety makes reference to it being a "shield-your-eyes" kind of movie, so you might want to keep that in mind. Perfect film to bring your mum to, if you ask us. We get a sense that Alleluia is going to have people talking a lot during this year's Festival. Check out the poster and trailer below and you'll find it hard to disagree.

Alleluia is screening at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival as part of the Vanguard Programme. Check out more Vanguard films on the official Festival website.

ALLELUIA screening times:

Tuesday, Sept 9th 10:00 PM THE BLOOR HOT DOCS CINEMA
Thursday, Sept 11th 3:00 PM THE BLOOR HOT DOCS CINEMA
Saturday, Sept 13th 9:15PM SCOTIABANK 13

GOODNIGHT MOMMY first look!

Goodnight Mommy (Ich Seh Ich Seh) brings to life what we can agree is a heart-stopping childhood fear: what if our mother stopped loving us? Even scarier, what if she was no longer herself? (Cue ominous music.) When twins Lukas and Elias' mum returns from getting plastic surgery, her puffy, bandaged face and need for absolute silence to recuperate creates a strained divide between them. They soon begin to resent her and the fact that they are more or less trapped in their isolated country house with nothing to do. Nothing to do but let their imaginations go dark, angry, and wild.

This absolutely haunting, atmospheric psychological thriller from directors Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala is a must-see at this year's Festival. We only have one released image so far (see above, then be very afraid because do you see those brooding glares?) but it's all we need to put Goodnight Mommy at the top of our list.

Goodnight Mommy is screening at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival as part of the Vanguard Programme. Check out more Vanguard films on the official Festival website.

GOODNIGHT MOMMY screening times:

Monday, Sept 8th, 7:00 PM THE BLOOR HOT DOCS CINEMA
Wednesday, Sept 10th, 9:30 PM SCOTIABANK 14
Friday, Sept 12th, 3:00 PM THE BLOOR HOT DOCS CINEMA

SPRING Poster and First Looks!

Awww, cue the T-Swift music.

Maybe you're looking at this still all, "Wow, Spring looks like such a lovely, romantic film." Ha, not a chance. 'Cause then there's THIS image:

Uh, on second thought, maybe turn the T-Swift off. 

Eerie, right? Right. Given the Toronto International Film Festival description ("Before Sunrise with a supernatural twist in this tale of an American backpacker in Italy who falls in love with a beautiful young woman harbouring a dark, primordial secret."), we all know that nothing only lovely can come from words like dark, primordial or secret. Maybe backpacker too. And when Fangoria shared these sneaky-peek images, they added that the "the clips [shown at Fantasia International Film Festival] pointed to a lush, romantic work with something special and monstrous in store."

Monstrous? Sign us up!

Directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead shared an early poster on their Facebook page, which you can check out below along with the most important information of all: screening times. And be sure to follow the on Facebook and Twitter and tell them how excited you are for Spring at this year's Toronto International Film Festival!

Spring is screening at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival as part of the Vanguard Programme. Check out more Vanguard films on the official Festival website.

SPRING screening times:
Friday, Sept 5th, 6:00 PM THE BLOOR HOT DOCS CINEMA
Sunday, Sept 7th 7:00 PM SCOTIABANK 4
Saturday, Sept 13th, 3:15 PM SCOTIABANK 3

Interview: Alexandre Aja, Director of HORNS

Last night in Toronto, Harry Potter himself walked the red carpet at the Toronto International Film Festival. Daniel Radcliffe, who is also at TIFF for The F Word and Kill Your Darlings, and his co-star Juno Temple (The Dark Knight Rises, Killer Joe) were in town to promote Horns, an adaptation of the critically-acclaimed novel of the same name by Joe Hill. The director of the film, the infamous French horror director Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes, High Tension), took a break before the Horns premiere on Friday to chat with us about Daniel, devils and David Lynch films.

Sasha James: What led you to cast Daniel Radcliffe, who is known for much lighter fare, in the role of Ig? 

Alexandre Aja: When we began casting, I wanted to find an actor who could portray the dark and romantic side of the fallen angel -- in other words, he had to be natural and charming with a pair of horns growing out of his head. The design of the horns almost preceded the casting in a way, I knew I wanted them to be organic. Ig had to appeal to both genders in order to elicit compassion from them, and so we needed to find an actor who could assume this look. Someone who could bring credibility to an otherwise supernatural world. As a result, Daniel Radcliffe became an obvious choice and he happened to be a huge fan of the book as well. 

Ig’s character was an iconic role to play with an extreme emotional arc and it gave Daniel the opportunity to spotlight a side few had seen from him. He begins as a sensitive and unlikely hero, tarnished and defamed by society. The role of Ig morphs into a dark and refreshing take on the devil myth as he becomes both manipulative and charming in an unnerving way. This was a perfect moment for Daniel to explore an offbeat, darker role and display his incredible range as an actor. To shift from sorrow, nostalgia, despair and pain to passion to humour in a beat is a challenging task, and I could not imagine a greater talent to have achieved this. When I watch the film now, it feels like the role of Ig was written just for Daniel. 

SJ: How did you come across Ig's story? Did you read Joe Hill's novel "Horns" or the screenplay by Keith Bunin first? What was the adaptation process like? 

AA: I read the book when it first came out and I thought the premise was original and the mixture of genres and tones fresh. After working in horror for more than ten years, I felt that I became too familiar with the genre’s tricks and wanted to reinvent myself, and Joe Hill's novel was the best thing I had read in years. The book tapped into a universal mythology with a rock 'n' roll pop culture edge. It was not just a parable about good versus evil, but a supernatural thriller with a romantic quest at its heart. 

Once our producer, Cathy Schulman, brought me on board to direct, we spent months pouring over the book with our screenwriter Keith Bunin, and worked in developing the screenplay in order to make it as true to the novel as we could. There were so many layers, motifs and symbols that we brought back into the script in order to make the film as rich as possible. I wanted to bring the biblical subtext in, but also stay true to the mixtures of tones. And keep the dark humour and the romance intact. But the most important element in the book for me was the story of the devil as the fallen angel. Metaphorically, Ig’s character was living in an idyllic Garden of Eden with Merrin until her murder. But then he fell from grace and grew horns in order to avenge her death and clear his name. Ig's character transforms throughout the book in a self-destructive way, and we expanded on the fallen angel metaphor to emphasize that his self-sacrifice and love were the motivation for redemption. 

The story also spanned more than a decade in scope as it moved between Ig’s childhood memories and the present day. It was important to me to keep the adolescent grunge years which spoke to the Stand By Me generation, and payed homage to one of my biggest inspirations -- Stephen King. As Joe Hill's novel garnered a cult following and became a phenomena around the world, I wanted to respect its most original elements and to stay true to the fan base. Horns is not a horror movie, and I don't want genre audiences to have the wrong expectations or be disappointed. It's something entirely different and unique in its own right. 

SJ: Where were you first introduced to Juno Temple? She's a particular favourite of mine. 

AA: I first saw Juno in Gregg Araki's Kaboom and although she played in a number of other films -- and had a huge independent following for her offbeat and quirky roles -- it wasn't until I saw Killer Joe that I saw her dramatic range and talent, and wanted to immediately work with her. 

In casting Merrin’s character, we wanted an actress who would be able to embody the archetype of Eve. Merrin represents the first mythological woman in all her innate goodness, purity and light in an otherwise dark and macabre world. But while she appears delicate, we discover a haunting altruism and armour hidden underneath. Juno Temple had this dualism of beauty and strength. Playing the role of Merrin gave her not only an opportunity to play a sensual lead as an ingenue – but to contradict that with a modern realism. She anchors the film as Ig’s muse, and pushes Ig forward to fight for his first love. 

SJ: Were there any films that influenced you while directing Horns? 

AA: I found Horns to be a kind of reversal of Frank Capra's It's A Wonderful Life, with an ode to David Lynch's Twin Peaks, and a hint of the humour and tone of Fight Club. They inspired me during the development process, and on set in a visual and tonal sense -- along with Lynch's Blue Velvet and Wild at Heart.  

SJ: How did you react to your inclusion in the infamous "Splat Pack", the group of filmmakers credited with bringing back ultra-violent films in popular culture? 

AA: It's great to be back at TIFF exactly 10 years after High Tension first screened at the festival. Along with Cabin Fever and Hostel, these films emerged from a generation of fanboys who weren't scared in movie theatres and wanted to bring fear back to the screen. The "Splat Pack" relaunched a genre that had stagnated and so we injected more blood into it. But at the end of the day, I don't believe in gore for gore's sake and dislike gratuitous violence. Story-telling and character development always comes first. And while Piranha was probably one of the bloodiest films every made, it was essentially a comedy and poked fun at its inherent artificiality. High Tension, The Hills Have Eyes, and Mirrors were more dramatic, but above all placed characters in extreme situations of survival. 

SJ: What films are you looking forward to watching at the Festival this year? 

AA: I'm excited to see Eli Roth's The Green Inferno, and Daniel's other two films, Kill Your Darlings and The F Word.

Alexandre Aja's Horns stars Daniel Radcliffe and Juno Temple, and premieres at this year's Toronto International Film Festival within the Vanguard programme. Further information about the film can be found on the Festival website, as well as on the Horns IMDB page.

Remaining HORNS screening times:

• Sun., Sept. 8 Scotiabank 4 1:00 PM

Five Performances by HORNS' Juno Temple

Much of the press regarding Horns thus far has been regarding the controversial decision of casting Daniel Radcliffe, star of the beloved Harry Potter films, as the lead in an adaptation by provocateur Alexandre Aja, best known for his brutally violent horror films. However, where Daniel Radcliffe is seen as a surprise, Juno Temple's casting in Horns feels natural -- almost inevitable. 

From her Texan femme fatale in William Friedkin's Killer Joe to her starring role as a promiscuous teenager in Dirty Girl, Juno Temple has become a staple in US independent film. At just eight years old, she landed her first acting role in Vigo: Passion for Life, a film directed by her father, renowned English director Julien Temple. Her upbringing amongst English punk greats such as The Clash and The Sex Pistols, the subjects of her father's films, formed her instincts toward edgier material. She does appear in a few family-friendly blockbusters -- Paul W.S. Anderson's The Three Musketeers, for example -- but Juno's heroes are people like Gus Van Sant, and you're more likely to see her play a lesbian drifter than the buttoned-down girl-next-door. 

Below are five performances by Juno Temple which I believe to be her best.

KILLER JOE (2012) - Festival selection in 2011. When Chris (Emile Hirsch) decides to kill his mother to collect $50,000 in insurance, he uses his sister Dottie (Temple) as collateral until he can put together enough money to pay Matthew McConaughey, the contract killer "Killer Joe".

ATONEMENT (2007) - Festival selection in 2007. In a fit of jealousy and confusion, Briony (Saoirse Ronan) accuses her older sister's lover (James McAvoy) of sexually assaulting her teenage cousin Lola (Temple).

CRACKS (2009) - Festival selection in 2009. Boarding school ringleader Di Radfield (Temple) becomes increasingly enraged as her diving instructor's (Eva Green) attention becomes focused on a new student from Spain.

LITTLE BIRDS (2011) - Alison (Kay Panabaker) and her rebellious, suicidal best friend Lily (Temple) leave their small town to follow a group of skateboarders to Los Angeles.

THE BRASS TEAPOT (2012) - Festival selection in 2012. The perpetually-broke John (Michael Angarano) and Alice (Temple) find a brass teapot at an antique shop that magically dispenses money -- but there's a little bit of a catch, and it hurts.

Juno Temple stars alongside Daniel Radcliffe in Alexandre Aja's Horns at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival. Further information about the film can be found on the Festival website, as well as on the Horns IMDB page.

HORNS screening times:

• Fri., Sept. 6 The Bloor Hot Docs Cinema 6:00 PM
• Sun., Sept. 8 Scotiabank 4 1:00 PM

A How-To For Scoring Tickets

Okay, guys. This is it: five more days until the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival starts. If you're one of the lucky ones with a pass, then we don't wanna talk to you. Neah. But if you're hoping to buy some individual tickets, they go on sale September 1st. Yes, as in two days from now! Better clear you schedule!  Film writer Sean Kelly has written some tips over at the always informative Huffington Post. Here are some highlights:

Plan, Plan, and Plan Some More


Always make sure to have at least one alternate choice for every film screening you want to attend (I actually choose up to four alternate choices). Also there's a few forums online (such as this one), which keep track of which films have gone off-sale (definitely a good fact to know). Since it can be a daunting task the choose films, there are many tools you can use to help. The best tool from the last few years is a website called TIFFR, which allows you to add TIFF films to a shortlist and plot them to your own personal schedule.  (Vanguard Blog's note: we lovvvveeeee TIFFR! It's, as the kids say, the bomb. Wait, do they still say that?)   

Buy Tickets as Early as Possible

The Festival Box Office at 225 King Street West opens for single ticket sale at 9 am on Sept. 1. It has become the habit of hardcore cinephiles to actually camp out the night before, in order to acquire the best tickets. While camping out isn't really that necessary, it is highly recommended that you buy tickets as soon as you can, preferably on the first day of ticket sales. Since the online ordering system can sometimes be unreliable on the first day, it is best to wake-up early and head to the box office in person (I recommend arriving AT LEAST an hour or two before tickets go on sale). While you might find yourself in for a long wait (one year I waited 8 hours in line), you will likely be able to get tickets to most of the screenings you want to see (assuming you arrived well prepared). (Vanguard Blog's note: We've been hearing better and better things about the online process and while technology is never always perfect, it can be a much better alternative to camping out in front of the box office. Then again, you could make some new friends.)

Off-sale Does NOT Mean "Sold Out"

A big pet peeve of mine is when people describe a film at TIFF as being "sold out." The official terminology TIFF uses when tickets are no longer available is "off-sale." This is because many films tend to go back on sale for one reason or another. That's why TIFF asks you to check the the box office everyday at 7am, since that is when additional tickets might be available for purchase. It is only on the day of the screening when the film is officially no longer available and marked "RUSH." (Vanguard Blog's note: As this author professionally manages theatres for film festivals, she too never uses the phrase "sold out" when referring to screenings. EVER. Because, like Sean says, even if there are no tickets currently for sale, it doesn't mean there won't be at some point. And even then, there is always the Rush Line. Which brings us to...)
 

When in Doubt, RUSH 

If there is a film that you ABSOLUTELY want to see, but you haven't been able to get advanced tickets, there is always the RUSH line. In it's simplest description, the RUSH line is place where you wait on stand-by, in case last minute tickets become available. Usually RUSH tickets are sold 10 minutes before a screening, after most of the ticket holders have been let in, and are CASH-ONLY. (Vanguard Blog's note: Again, as a professional festival worker, this author can attest to the Rush Line being one of the most fun experiences you'll ever have at a film festival. Sure, you could be in line for a couple of hours. But if you REALLY want to see a film, it's worth it. And since everyone else in the line REALLY wants to see the film too, you'll have something to talk about. Pack a snack, bring some cash, and get comfy. Also, when you get into a Rush Line, take a moment to find a volunteer or staff member who can explain all of the Rush Line rules too you; they can sometimes change from year to year and differ at every festival.) 

Intrepid Vanguard follows, do you have any of your own tips for successfully snagging Festival tickets? Share them with us! 

SIGHTSEERS: Final Screening!

Quick, get out your favourite giant pencil and softest pair of erotic knit panties because we've got one final screening of Sightseers tonight. We don't think there's a single person out there who hasn't enjoyed this film. And if they haven't, well, then they're crazy. Duh. And they obviously don't appreciate the natural beauty of vistas. Or dead, bloodied people. If you know what's good for you--so help us--you'll put down that copy of the Daily Mail and get yourself to The Bloor Hot Docs Cinema for tonight's final screening of Sightseers.

SIGHTSEERS Sun., Sept. 16th, 7:00 PM BLOOR HOT DOCS CINEMA

HERE COMES THE DEVIL: Final Screening!

If you woke up this morning and thought to yourself, "Gee, I wish there was a scary, sexy, Mexican horror movie I could go see this afternoon," have we got the film for you.

Here Comes The Devil is a terrifying and entertaining account of what happens to a family after a son and daughter go missing for a night and then mysteriously reappear. Sure, you'd probably be over the moon if your missing children were found, but this family soon finds out that there is something not quite right with the returned kids. And by "not quite right" we mean "damn scary", of course.

HERE COMES THE DEVIL Sun., Sept. 16th, 3:30 PM SCOTIABANK 4

ROOM 237: Final Screening!

If you weren't able to make it to the earlier screenings of Room 237, there's one more left. And what better way to spend lunch time than by delving into the manic conspiracy theories based on Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. This documentary is truly compelling and will have you shaking your head at some of the more "out there" ideas. Our personal favourite is The Window. (The window! The window! It's practically a character in itself! The windowwwww!) And don't worry if you haven't seen The Shining in a while--this author still hasn't seen it at all (ugh, totally unacceptable, right?), but she's seen Room 237 twice now and has enjoyed every crazed moment of it.

ROOM 237  Sun., Sept. 16th, 12:00 PM TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX 3

90 MINUTES: Final Screening!

Well, you knew this day would have to come eventually. And we're just as sad as you are that it's the last day of the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival. While some of us (ahem) have succumb to an evil, body-achy fever disease, the rest are still going strong. And if you're smart, you'll try to attend as many screenings as you can today. And if you're even smarter, one of those will be the final screening of Eva Sørhaug's 90 Minutes. This gripping, wrenching film explores the subject of domestic violence through three different characters, specifically focusing on the last 90 minutes of their lives.

Perhaps a little heavy for a typical Sunday morning, but we know you can handle it. You've got this, champ. Follow the link below to purchase tickets.

90 MINUTES  Sun., Sept. 16th, 11:45 AM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 2

ILL MANORS: Final Screening!

One more day! Say it with me: one more day! Hopefully you're spending the closing weekend of the Toronto International Film Festival cramming in all of those movies you didn't have a chance to see during the week. And hopefully you aren't like this author and completely bed-ridden from an evil, body-achy flu. TIFF might be over for her (uh, me? It's sort of weird writing about myself in the third person...) but for you, valiant Vanguarders, you still have a day and a half in which to see some amazing films. Do it for her--er, me.

So what you really should be doing is catching this last screening of iLL Manors. This intense, cutting, British crime drama, fueled with an award-nominated soundtrack by the director (Ben Drew recording as Plan B), is a must see.


ILL MANORS: Sat., Sept. 15th, 9:30 PM SCOTIABANK 4

THALE: Final Screening!

Earlier this week, Toronto audiences were thrust into a mythical, Norwegian fantasy--complete with sexy naked ladies with tails. Say what? Yeah, you read right: ladies with tails. If you want to learn more about these creatures of folklore--known as "huldra"--you have one final chance today. Go check out this fascinating film for yourself later this afternoon. Excelsior!


THALE: Sat., Sept. 15th, 4:15 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 7

THE WE AND THE I: Final Screening!

Last chance to hop on Michel Gondry's bus!  Gondry's newest film The We And The I has its last screening this afternoon. So get there early and sit with your best friend, or in the corner in the back by yourself.  Not that we Vanguardian bloggers have any experience with that...

THE WE AND THE I final screening: Sat., Sept. 15: 3:00 PM, Scotiabank 1