The Buzz For Nicole Kidman & Rabbit Hole Begins!

The buzz for Nicole's new movie Rabbit Hole is just beginning. The premiere screening at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 13th is already sold out!


Actors put on the director's hat at the Toronto Film Festival

The grass may not always be greener on the other side of the camera. And, in some cases, neither is the paycheck. But that hasn't kept movie actors from checking out the view from the director's chair.

This year, there's a bumper crop of stars turned filmmakers who are bringing their latest work to the 35th Toronto International Film Festival, North America's premier celebration of cinema, which kicks off today.

JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL, Rabbit Hole (Available for acquisition)

The scoop: The Broadway and TV acting veteran, 47, made his directing debut with (and starred in) the 2001 film version of his gender-bending rock musical, Hedwig and the Angry Inch. He then followed with 2006's sexually explicit Shortbus, which made a splash at Cannes and in Toronto.

The story: The 2006 Pulitzer winner examines the effects of a car-crash death of a boy on his parents (Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhardt), especially after the mother connects with the teen boy who was driving.

Why he picked Toronto for a world premiere: "Toronto is so sophisticated. We feel this is the perfect place for Rabbit Hole. Our film is like the kind made by Hollywood in the late '70s and early '80s, heartfelt family dramas like Ordinary Peoplebut not huge."

Why so mainstream? "This kind of story has always moved me. I lost a little brother at 4 years old when I was a teenager. Rabbit Hole made me want to drop everything to get the job. It was a chance to move into a more realistic tone where the direction is more invisible."

How it was to work with Kidman, who also produces: "This was her baby. We learned from each other. I learned how to work with a great actress and star. She learned to work quickly and keep expenses down to the low. She chose me over others who were more experienced because of my passion. We had one conversation, and she went with her instinct. I am grateful."

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Toronto's Top 10 Oscar Contenders

by Dave Karger

I’m headed up north tomorrow for the Toronto International Film Festival, which usually manages to clarify the awards season a bit. Though many of this year’s potential big guns (How Do You Know, True Grit, Love and Other Drugs, The Fighter, The Social Network) are skipping the festival, there are still a bunch of possible nominees screening. Now that I’ve seen 20 of the Toronto entries (a couple of which I’m not allowed to say), here are my top 10 films to look out for.

Rabbit Hole I’m hearing good things about Nicole Kidman’s performance as a grieving mother in John Cameron Mitchell’s adaptation of the 2007 play. The role won Cynthia Nixon a Tony so it clearly has potential. As of now the film has no distributor, but it seems like one of the hottest acquisition properties of the festival.


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Black Sheep @ TIFF 2010

Wednesday, September 08, 2010
Black Sheep @ TIFF 2010

After three years of trying, I can very happily say that I am bringing Black Sheep Reviews to the Toronto International Film Festival ... officially! I've been before but only with limited access, my not being an actual member of the accredited press. Each year, my coverage has gotten wider and this year, with a little help from the great people at Movie Entertainment magazine, Black Sheep will be covering TIFF like never before! That is to say, I am fully accredited and will be floating in and out of movies from all over the world and interviews with some of the most celebrated filmmakers of my time. I said a little help before but I wouldn't have this opportunity without Movie Entertainment magazine and I intend to do right by them by covering as much as possible and likely sleeping very little.

Here are the Top 10 films I am most excited to catch and cover this year at TIFF:

127 HOURS
Directed by Danny Boyle
Starring James Franco

BIUTIFUL
Directed by Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu
Starring Javier Bardem

BLACK SWAN
Directed by Darren Aronofsky
Starring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis and Vincent Cassel

BLUE VALENTINE
Directed by Derek Cianfrance
Starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams

BURIED
Directed by Rodrigo Cortes
Starring Ryan Reynolds and a Zippo

HEARTBEATS (LES AMOURS IMAGINAIRES)
Directed by Xavier Dolan
Starring Xavier Dolan, Niels Schneider and Monia Chokri

IT'S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY
Directed by Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden
Starring Zach Galifianakis

THE KING'S SPEECH
Directed by Tom Hooper
Starring Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush

NEVER LET ME GO
Directed by Mark Romanek
Starring Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley

RABBIT HOLE
Directed by John Cameron Mitchell
Starring Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhardt

YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER
Directed by Woody Allen
Starring Naomi Watts, Josh Brolin and Freida Pinto


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