The Toronto International Film Festival will include some fantastic films, but one film that heads to the top of the list is Rian Johnson’s third and newest film ‘Looper.’ ‘Looper’ features Joseph Gordon-Levitt as hitman Joseph Simmons, who kills people sent by the Mafia and gang members from the year 2077 to 2047. The advantage here is that no one will miss that individual in the year 2047, thus covering up the perfect crime. However, things take a turn for the weird when Joseph Simmons’ older self (Bruce Willis) is sent back for him to kill.

‘Looper’ is expected to be a fantastic film, since this is only the second time in history that a non-Canadian film started the film festival. According to Cameron Bailey, the Toronto International Film Festival Artistic Director, “with ‘Looper,’ Rian has taken his filmmaking to a new level, and we can’t wait to present it to the Toronto audience in the most prestigious platform we can offer.” According to Cinema Blend, ‘Looper’ was a huge hit at the San Diego International Comic-Con.

This is the second time that Johnson has showed one of his films at the Toronto Film Festival, the first being the world premiere of his second film ‘The Brothers Bloom.’ Rian Johnson’s first film ‘Brick,’ with a budget of only $500,000, won the Special Jury Prize for Originality of Vision at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. Cameron Bailey was at the Sundance Film Festival in 2005 and witnessed the presentation of ‘Brick.’ “I saw Rian’s debut feature ‘Brick’ at the Sundance festival and was impressed by his ability to engage both the mind and the heart,” he said.

The ten day Festival begins September 6 and is considered the unofficial beginning to the Oscar season. The rest of the Toronto Film Festival will include more than sixty films, thirty-eight of which will be world premieres. Some writers/directors are returning to the silver screen while others are debuting their first works.

Ben Affleck will return again as a director and actor in “Argo,” a film based on a true story that happened during the Iranian hostage crisis. Robert Redford will also direct and star in ‘The Company You Keep.’ Other films that feature returning directors are ‘Hyde Park on Hudson,’ directed by Roger Mitchell and starring Bill Murray as Franklin Delano Roosevelt; ‘Silver Linings Playbook,’ directed by David O. Russell and starring Bradley Cooper; and Billy Bob Thorton’s ‘Jayne Mansfield’s Car.’

At least three films will also be bringing literature to life this year with Director Joe Wright’s ‘Anna Karenina,’ ‘Cloud Atlas’ (which has an almost completely all-star cast, including Tom Hanks), and – surprisingly – Director Joss Whedon’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing.’

Oscar-nominated screenwriter Stuart Blumberg (writer of ‘The Kids Are All Right’) will be making his directorial debut in the film ‘Thanks for Sharing,’ a romantic comedy starring Mark Ruffalo and Gwyneth Paltrow as friends recovering from sex addiction. Dustin Hoffman will also – finally – be making his directorial debut with ‘Quartet,’ a comedy about four retired English opera singers.

Some other films that have already started a buzz at other film festivals include Jacques Audiard’s ‘Rust and Bones’ at Cannes and ‘The Sessions’ at Sundance Film Festival.

Ultimately this year it looks like the Toronto International Film Festival is going to have some show-stealing productions. Unfortunately, the rest of us will have to wait until these films are released in theaters or on DVD/Blu-ray.

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The New York Film Festival comes to New York City for its 49^th annual showcase of new and emerging films in the entertainment industry. The yearly film festival will run from September 30 to October 16, celebrating up and coming filmmakers and actors.

The New York Film Festival was created in 1969 by The Film Society of Lincoln Center with aspirations of creating an event for filmmakers to show their movies. The love of art and film are combined during this festival and brings movie goers from all across New York City to exciting movie premieres.

International filmmakers are able to showcase their movies at the prestigious New York Film Festival. The Main Slate is the optimal venue to screen movies. Filmmakers from countries such as the United States, Iran, France, United Kingdom, Israel and Denmark are among those who will show their movies at the Main Slate.

In the movie entitled “Miss Bala,” a young Mexican woman competes in a beauty competition in Baja, where she gets involved in the ongoing narcotics battle in Mexico. “Miss Bala” depicts drug related gang violence and how it plays a role in Mexico.

“The Artist,” is a movie that pays homage to the original Hollywood entertainment business where the art of movie making was through black and white silent movies. “The Artist” highlights wonderful acting even though it is a silent movie and allows the audience to go back in time to when movies were first created.

Famous Hollywood actors can be seen in some of the movies on display at The New York Film Festival. “Melancholia” has actress Kirsten Dunst playing a bride in this science fiction movie. “The Descendants” ushers in George Clooney as a man who must cope with his wife who is in the hospital and his two daughters with whom he has shaky relationships.

Michelle Williams brings a performance as sex icon Marilyn Monroe in “My Week With Marilyn,” one of the most anticipated movies of The New York Film Festival.

Aside from the Main Slate where much of the popular movies are watched, there are also other special events going on during the festival. Documentaries are also a part of the film festival where the daily international lives of people are portrayed through film. “Tahrir” is a documentary of the recent revolution in Egypt, as seen through the voices of Egyptians on the streets of Cairo.

“Paradise Lost 3,” is an American documentary that follows the lives of Alabama teenagers who are in jail for murdering three children. These documentaries are just a couple among many others that use film to highlight unique, real life stories. World renowned talent made appearances at the New York Film Festival.

Internationally famed director Martin Scorsese spoke by video during a press conference on October 3. Scorsese talked about “George Harrison: Living in the Material World,” which is Scorsese’s new documentary. Special Anniversary Screenings of movies such as “The Royal Tennenbaums,” “Spirited Away” and “Howard’s End” will also be a part of The New York Film Festival.

Along with showing some of the world’s most talented actors and filmmakers, The New York Film Festival also gave the chance for bring up and coming movie makers to meet some famous directors and producers. The Emerging Vision event took place over the course of one day where 25 new and passionate film creators were given mentors to help produce high quality films.

The 25 chosen will have one year of ongoing guidance from professional directors and producers with the goal of helping young talents flourish in the entertainment industry. The New York Film Festival is a well respected annual event that gives both veterans and newcomers to the movie business a chance to share their talents for film with the world.
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