Why no Tinsel, mostly Tine?

It has been almost a month since our last film commentary, part of the reason is because I have been caring for my ailing mother, who by the grace, is self-sufficient again, not quite herself, but doesn’t need me like she did the last few weeks. During this time, however, I only missed one PFS sneak preview – Disney’s Secretariat.


Understandably, there have been a few less films and events offered while gearing up for the Philadelphia Film Festival (October 14-24). I’m looking forward to covering the festival, but wish as “contributing blogger” I had some insider info. Instead, I’m waiting to see the schedule and highlights like a total outsider; and perhaps I am, as Colin from Farce/Films seems to have taken over the PFS blogesphere! Man, is he prolific. He’s not truly writing for them, he writes reviews for his site and then also posts on the Film Society blog. Still, I’m feeling kinda pushed out. Even though the films he’s covered were not seen through PFS, and they are all things I didn’t want to see anyway –

The Switch, another dopey Jennifer Aniston straight to video; The Expendables, novel concept having all those old time action guys together, but other than Die Hard I&II and Terminator I&II, I never was a fan of the other action flicks to which the movie pays homage; The Last Exorcism, you can’t pay me to see films about possession. If I had known that’s what Paranormal Activity was about, I would never have seen that, still wish I hadn’t! ; Life During Wartime, No, I don’t know who Todd Solondz is, and I’m glad a art house film about a pedophile wasn’t one of my blogging obligations; Machete, I still have Grindhouse on my Netflix queue and keep pushing it down. How come there’s no condescending term for the opposite of a chick flick?

Another reason for less “Tinsel”, late August and September is normally an abysmal time to see movies, whether it be mainstream or indie, they release the very mediocre at the end of summer. As we move into fall, I’m looking forward to seeing Wallstreet: Money Never Sleeps coming out 9/24. This is not just a long awaited sequel, it looks as if the story will be a good twist on the old themes, not to mention all the grist Oliver Stone will have ground out of the mess the Markets have been in since the original. It will also be good to see a healthy, robust Michael Douglas and the casting of Shia LaBeouf and Carey Mulligan is ideal.

I’m also aiming to see a food in film flick, Soul Kitchen,
German comedy film directed by Fatih Akın, which probably won’t be out for long.

And finally, The Toronto International Film Festival opened today, and although I haven’t been to this festival in 3 years, I am excited that Carol Coombes will send reports for Tinsel & Tine as she did from Sundance this past winter. So, they’ll be plenty of “Tinsel” on the way! In addition, I’m heading to New Orleans next week, so there will also be a bit of Creole “Tine”.