Canadian Flick Might Waltz Into Our Hearts
By LINDA MASSARELLA
Posted 12 hours ago
LOS ANGELES -- When was the last time you saw a movie and think about it -- how the plot moved, the characters developed, how the visual effects made you feel -- the next day? How about the last time you saw a movie and excitedly told everyone you bumped into that they should see it too?
Was it Inglourious Basterds? Million Dollar Baby? Or, maybe Titanic?
Can't think of any film that has knocked your socks off in the past year or two, or more, right? That's because there hasn't been any.
The Hollywood machine readily admits the only thing dramatic about movies this winter -- as we're pounded with silly remakes and banal sequels -- is that the amount of tickets sold has plummeted 22% over last year. The Hollywood executives agree: "So far there is just nothing terribly compelling about what we're delivering as an industry," said Michael Lynton, CEO of Sony Pictures.
But before you lose all faith, know there's at least one picture waiting in the wings that may have some key ingredients that go into clever filmmaking. Naturally, it's a movie being made by Canadians.
Take This Waltz, written and directed by the awesome Sarah Polley, is expected to debut in September at the Toronto Film Festival. While the soundtrack is still being laid in Toronto at Tatersall Sound & Picture, the rest of the editing has been done and word is it's a refreshing winner.
First, Take This Waltz has a title that has actual meaning and substance -- it's based on Leonard Cohen's song with the haunting refrain of "ay, ay, ay, ay, take this waltz, take this waltz..." This, in itself, is the first miracle of the film. Hollywood these days wouldn't dare put out a movie with an ethereal, doubleentendre title as it's considered unsafe for box-office receipts.
Then, it has an original storyline with real world
applications. A woman, Michelle Williams, struggles with infidelities because she gets bored after a couple of years with the same guy, even though the guy is great. This is the kind of thing that destroys relationships in real life and examination of this problem is a good thing. Good movies, let's remember, are supposed to be like a good novel -- they're supposed to get you thinking and talking.
Our beloved Seth Rogen plays the guy being cheated on and word is Rogen is back on his game -- as a fine actor you can't take your eyes off -- in this movie.
Take This Waltz is the same movie comedian Sarah Silverman has been talking about getting naked in. She does, but it's not salacious.
The fact producers are taking their sweet time putting the finishing touches on Take This Waltz and massaging it for its fall debut is a promising indication they know what they have in their hands. And hopefully, it'll remind Hollywood of the simple thing that most people want out of movies -- a good story told well.
massarellalinda@yahoo.com
Linda Massarella, a Canadian writer in Los Angeles, writes about notable Canadians living in L.A.