September

The seasons here in Toronto are changing. The leaves are turning, the warmer jackets are being sought out and the coffee shops are all selling Pumpkin Spiced Lattes.

September has been a busy month, here are just a few of the highlights: -

 TIFF - The Toronto International Film Festival.

One of my favourite events in Cambridge was the annual film festival and so I was very excited about the TIFF. This is one of the world's largest film festivals and North America's premier cinematic showcase. It is also, fortunately for me, remarkably egalitarian and open-access. Tickets are available for all showings to members of the public and there are even tickets reserved for sale ten minutes before each screening for those who want to take their chances and join the "Rush" queue.

Tickets for the festival went on general sale on September 1st at 9am. I did my homework and scoured the program for films I was interested in. (There was the option to buy a random selection of tickets, but I wasn't quite that brave).  At 8:50 I brought up the correct website, brewed a fresh pot of coffee and began to refresh the webpage to make sure I was at the head of the queue. At exactly 9, the screen changed and told me I was in the virtual waiting room and that I would be able to buy tickets shortly. Two hours later I had got no further and had to leave Megan in charge of my laptop while I went to see the Toronto summer airshow with her family (I must point out that she didn't want to come. I didn't just leave her to do my dirty work for me). When I got back Megan told me that she had finally got through at about 1pm and had managed to get us tickets to four films on our list; Dom Hemingway, Night Moves, Under the Skin, and Bad Words. Well done Megan!

Each of the four films was held in a different location, the first being Under the Skin in the Princess of Wales theatre. Megan and I agreed that this was probably our favourite of the four. A strangely low-key sci-fi, filled with a lot of candid footage of a cast of mostly non-professional actors interacting with an alien Scarlett Johansson. The film showed the streets of Glasgow through the eyes of an outsider, marveling at the strange rituals and un-fathomable accents of the locals and contrasting it with a series of strange and disturbing visuals. Probably not for everyone, but definitely a great choice for fans of  Leos Carax or Tarkovsky. Bonus points for a fantastic and very eerie score. A Q&A with Jonathan Glazer and Scarlett Johansson afterwards was the usual mix of interesting insights and stupid questions.

Dom Hemingway is a showcase for a brilliantly foul-mouthed performance by Jude Law as the eponymous, silver-tongued protagonist. This started off hilariously but somewhat lost it's way around the middle, not quite sure where it was going. Could end up being almost as quotable as Withnail and I and shares Richard E Grant in a great supporting role.

Bad Words is the first film directed by Jason Bateman. The sort of film that you'll only like if you think that swearing at children is big and clever. Fortunately, I think it's hilarious. Definitely goes further in its depravity than you expect it to, but I found it consistently laugh out loud funny all the way through.

Finally, Night Moves is a (very) slow burn eco-terrorist movie from Kelly Reichardt. It sketches some interesting characters but doesn't really know what to do with its plot once they all go their own separate ways. The first half really ratchets up the tension, but this is all lost with a strange turn towards melodrama towards the end.

In amongst all the film festival fun, we went to see Alt-J play down on the waterfront. Behind the stage was a fantastic view of the city and then behind us we could see dark thunderclouds rolling in across the lake towards us. During the final song of the night the storm broke, the thunder crashed, the lightning flashed all around us. Alt-J couldn't have asked for better pyrotechnics to finish off their show. It was one of the most atmospheric (pun very much intended) shows I've ever seen.

So, what else has been happening during September? I spent an enjoyable afternoon wandering around the AGO, in particular looking at the Ai Wei Wei exhibition. What struck me was the diversity of his work and interests; from photography to conceptual pieces, found objects to political statements. I enjoyed the contrast of somber subject matter and his mischievous sense of humour. A lot of his work focuses on the 2008 Sichuan earthquake and in particular the refusal of the Chinese government to release lists of the dead or missing. I was in China at the time of this earthquake and was aware of the chaos and the destruction it wrought but this exhibition really brings into focus the scale of the loss of human life.  

There are also a number of Ai's sculptures decorating the city hall, right next to a permanent Henry Moore. I really love the fact that there is a Henry Moore where Megan and I got married, echoing the Henry Moore at Leckhampton (known as Fred) where we first met five years ago. I'll be back at the AGO tomorrow to see the David Bowie exhibition. Can't wait!

Houses made of tea. The best smelling exhibit by far.

Chateau Lafite. Get it?

Steel poles removed from buildings destroyed by the 2008 Earthquake in Sichuan, China.

The AGO, designed by Toronto native Frank Gehry.

Dragon!

The Archer at Toronto City Hall

Fred, feeling the cold.

When I was invited to the Wellesley Apple Butter and Cheese festival, I assumed that it was an Apple, Butter and Cheese festival. Little did I know, I  was about to discover Apple butter! Essentially, this is a reduced apple sauce. Much like an apple jam, it is used on toast, cupcakes, pork chops, BBQ marinades and anything that needs an apple-ly kick. The festival also supplied us with fresh apple cider, hay-rides, wiener schnitzels, fudge, classic cars, home-made ice cream and, best of all, maple butter. Maple butter is the intermediate stage between maple syrup and maple candy. It's like a cross between maple syrup and set honey. I'm currently putting it on everything. Hello diabetes!

Horse shoe throwing. Looks a lot harder than I expected.

Homemade ice cream.

Cooking up apple fritters.

I would like this one, please.

Tommy Saxondale would have been right at home here.

Here come the apples!

Looking at people's expressions, I don't think anyone enjoys these rides.

Preparing the mashed apple for pressing.

Here comes the cider.

We were being attacked by wasps and couldn't escape.

Yes, we did go for a ride on this and yes, I did sit on the roof. It was brilliant.

  I think that's about it for now. It's Thanksgiving this weekend and then it's Halloween soon after. Meg has grand plans for costumes so we need to spend some time this weekend shopping for cloaks and swords (typical medievalist!). See y'all soon.