'La La Land' becomes the Oscar-bound movie to beat out of Toronto
The votes are in, and it's La La Land that Toronto audiences couldn't get enough of.
Moviegoers at Toronto International Film Festival bestowed the coveted People's Choice Award on director Damien Chazelle's musical, which features Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling as star-crossed lovers pursuing their dreams in Los Angeles. With the festival's most prestigious prize decided (last year it went to Room, which earned Brie Larson a best actress Oscar) here are five things you should know about the movies that took Toronto by storm:
1. 'La La Land' danced to first position
La La Land’s magic was evident at the movie's premiere Monday night. The film, which peppers its love story with dance sequences inspired by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, delighted the gathered crowd of film fans and critics. Coupling the response with Stone's best-actress prize bestowed by Venice Film Festival, “La La Land has definitely emerged from this round of festivals as the movie to beat at the Oscars," says IMDb correspondent Dave Karger. "It's got fantastic performances, gorgeous cinematography and an appealing Hollywood story. I'd say Emma Stone could very well win best actress” at the Oscars, "although she'll face tough competition from past winner Natalie Portman."
2. Surprise! ‘Jackie’ is a contender
Portman plays the grief-stricken former first lady in the days following JFK’s assassination, and the actress swiftly entered the Oscar race when Fox Searchlight acquired the Pablo Larraín-directed biopic just days into the festival. The film also scored an awards-friendly Dec. 9 release date. “Jackie got a huge bounce," says Scott Feinberg, awards columnist for The Hollywood Reporter. "The great thing about TIFF is when you feel like you’ve discovered a movie."
In Toronto, Natalie Portman enters Oscar race with 'Jackie'
3. Diversity triumphed with 'Moonlight,' 'Hidden Figures,' 'Loving'
After back-to-back years of #OscarsSoWhite, it was heartening to see an array of acclaimed diverse films positioned for success. "There’s no question that TIFF confirms there will be a lot of legitimate contenders of color this year,” says Feinberg, citing Barry Jenkins' Moonlight, the Taraji P. Henson-led Hidden Figures and Loving, starring Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga.
TIFF: With positive reviews, 'Moonlight' climbs quickly in Toronto
While they may not change how Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences members ultimately vote, these movies "will at least be seen" by voters, says Feinberg.
TIFF: Taraji P. Henson says 'Hidden Figures' offers hope at a 'scary' time
4. But 'Birth of a Nation' stumbled
Audience reception was strong for TheBirth of a Nation when the film about slave-turned-preacher Nat Turner screened last weekend. Then came Sunday, when director/star/screenwriter Nate Parker faced a news conference and dodged personal questions.
It was revealed last month that Parker and co-screenwriter Jean Celestin were tried for rape in college. Parker was acquitted; Celestin was convicted, a charge later overturned. The woman, whose name has not been made public, committed suicide in 2012.
TIFF: Nate Parker avoids personal questions at 'Birth' event
When asked by a reporter if he would apologize to her family, Parker deflected. "I don’t want to hijack this with my personal life,” he told journalists. The headlines that followed were not kind.
Still, there's life in Birth yet. "The rapturous response proves that it’s still in the awards hunt," says Tom O'Neil, founder of GoldDerby.com, noting that experts for the awards prediction site give it 14-to-1 odds of winning best picture. "Pundits believe that Academy voters will keep an open mind."
TIFF: 'Colossal' is Anne Hathaway's riskiest post-Oscar move yet
5. Anne Hathaway got wonderfully weird in 'Colossal'
Arguably not since 2008's Rachel Getting Married has Hathaway so vividly embraced offbeat filmmaking like she does in Colossal, a wacky monster movie which made its debut to surprise raves. The Oscar winner plays Gloria, an alcoholic, jobless New Yorker forced to move back to her hometown, where she finds work at a bar owned by a high school pal, Owen (Jason Sudeikis). Things hum along nicely — until a reptilian monster cosmically connected to Gloria starts attacking Seoul. Hathaway's risky bet paid off in spades: Vanity Fair's Richard Larson called Colossal "my favorite performance of hers since, gosh, I don’t know when."
