TIFF Picks: Monday, September 11

... as seen in today's Metro, of course.

"Sleeping Dogs Lie"

Heavily buzzed at Sundance, Bobcat Goldthwait’s "Sleeping Dogs Lie" follows a kind-hearted young woman trying to reconcile her past and present selves. The thing is, her past self did something truly shocking this one time in college, and the people she loves keep finding out what it is. Much, much deeper than its premise might suggest, and emotionally grounded by Melinda Page Hamilton’s wonderful performance, "Sleeping Dogs Lie" is an insightful, touching character study that’s also funny as hell. Just don’t let anyone tell you the secret.
(9:45 pm at the Paramount 2; repeats Wednesday, 3 pm at the Paramount 1)

"Stranger Than Fiction"

Will Ferrell is an ordinary IRS agent who starts hearing the voice of a narrator detailing his own life (“accurately, and with a better vocabulary”); Emma Thompson is the miserable author writing the book in which Ferrell may have found himself, and she’s planning to kill him. Zach Helm’s screenplay might have started out as an imitation of Charlie Kaufman’s "Adaptation" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", but it finds its own absurd rhythms and becomes something truly special – a sweet, funny and even moving study of humanity and mortality. This is one of the year’s best films.
(12:30 pm at the Ryerson Theatre)

Also worthwhile:

"Lake of Fire"
(9 am at the Varsity 8; repeats Saturday, 4:30 pm at the Cumberland 3)

"Family Ties"
(11 am at the Paramount 3; repeats Saturday, 6 pm at the Cumberland 4)

"For Your Consideration"
(12 pm at the Elgin)

"Venus"
(12:15 pm at the Paramount 1)

"The Art of Crying"
(3:15 pm at the Cumberland 2; repeats Friday, 4:45 pm at the Varsity 5)

"Bunny Chow"
(6 pm at the Paramount 4; repeats Wednesday, 12:15 pm at the Paramount 3 and Saturday, 8:15 pm at the Varsity 4)

"The US vs John Lennon"
(8 pm at the Varsity 2 & 3)

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