I have waited a long time to see Killer of Sheep -- nearly a decade maybe, since I first read about it. But some have been waiting much longer. The film's "unseen masterpiece" status is as curious and intriguing as it is unfortunate. It is hailed by the most influential critics including Jonathan Rosenbaum, who calls it "conceivably the best single feature about ghetto life that we have". And it's by cruel circumstance that this 1977 film has never been commercially released -- due to legal issues with music rights -- until now. Thus at last, one of the truly few holy grails of cinema has made its stop in Toronto.

Stan is a quiet, tired man, who toils away in a slaughterhouse to support his young family. They live in a poor, predominantly black LA neighborhood teeming with bored children and petty thieves. At home, Stan's relationship with his wife is empty and uncommunicative, but they stick together both for the benefit of the children and because opportunities outside the family are few. There is very little plot beyond this; the film is about moments -- episodically assembled, though beautifully and contemplatively observed with just the right amount of detached honesty. There are moments that are absolutely unforgettable.

You think you got the skills to put on a fantastic art show? Do you envision yourself as a gallery curator with exquisite taste and a keen nose for talent? Vtape, the city's one-stop repository and research facility for video art, is now calling for submissions for their award-winning Curatorial Incubator project.

The fifth edition of the project entitled The Curatorial Incubator, v.5 - VIDEO ANIMATION "What's Up Doc?" will be a search for animated gems. Artists use animation techniques to critique the media, to conjure up the spirits, to play with history and look into the future. Participants in What's Up Doc? hone their curatorial skills in the media arts through workshops, independent research and writing, culminating in a public presentation of their selected titles, accompanied by a fully illustrated publication.

Following are the details:

A Mighty Heart

BUZZ: Michael Winterbottom (24 Hour Party People, Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story) is one of the best "versatile" directors working today. His body of work -- which is, for the most part, consistently impressive -- spans so many genres and subjects, I always wait with baited interest to see what he'll do next.

A Mighty Heart is the Brit maverick's most buzzed about project to date, largely due to the highly topical subject matter and the involvement of mega star Angelina Jolie. Lifted straight from the headlines, the story of kidnapped (and eventually murdered) Wall Street Journalist Daniel Pearl in Karachi shortly after 9/11, gripped the world and kept us waiting in fear and dread for what would be the inevitable outcome. As we all know that story, A Mighty Heart centers around the pregnant wife of Daniel Pearl, played by Jolie, facing the horror head on in the foreboding search for her husband.

Word has it that Jolie's powerful but understated performance, heavy accent and all, is one of her best.

CONTEST GIVEAWAY: WIN TICKETS for the new Werner Herzog movie (see below)

The only way you're going to become a world class filmmaker is to make films! So stop procrastinating and load up your camera. Too difficult you say? Too expensive? Too everything!? No problem, motivation is on its way -- enter The Toronto Film Challenge 48-hour moviemaking competition. Yeah, I know, making a short film in two days (which includes writing, wardrobe, props, shooting, editing, and effects) is hardcore, a dare reserved for the loons and crazies, but sometimes -- just some times -- you need that little creative booster shot to get things going. So start assembling your crew now, because here's how it works:

You have until July 11 (or until the 60 team max is reached) to register your team at http://www.torontofilmchallenge.com. The challenge begins July 13-15. Each competing team will receive a 'challenge pack' containing a conflict, location, prop, character trait and a line or word that will need to be worked into your film. Once submitted, all films will be narrowed down to the top 20. These films will screen at the Bloor Cinema on Sunday July 22nd at 4pm, and the top 10 will be eligible to win over $20,000 in prizes at the closing gala.

blogTO is proud to be an official sponsor of The Toronto Film Challenge this year. And yours truly will be tagging along with one of the teams during the marathon, taking advantage of their craft services, um, but mostly blogging their progress -- or slow descend into madness -- all the way to the big premiere. So stay tuned!

(Photo: The Toronto Film Challenge)

Paprika

BUZZ: "This is your brain on anime" reads the tagline for the latest hallucinogenic dream piece by Satoshi Kon, the acclaim Japanese animator behind Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress. From what I've heard, Paprika may be his most stunning work yet. With clever, eye-popping visuals, it should more than satisfy anime buffs, as well as give casual moviegoers another name to add beside the beloved Hayao Miyazaki.

The intriguing premise takes place in the future, where a prototype device allows one to enter and explore the dreams of others. However, when the gadget gets stolen, the fear that it may be used for malicious intent heightens (a la Freddy Krueger style, I would assume), and needless to say: all hell breaks loose.

Check out the film's crazy trailer.

Also Opening this Week:

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer *advance word is mediocre*
Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman
Nancy Drew *advance word is good*
Sweet Mud
The Golden Door
Il Caimano

(Photo: Sony Pictures Classics)

Imagine this: you're at Varsity theatres enjoying the latest blockbuster, munching down handfuls of buttered popcorn and washing it all down with a large frothy Labatt.

Cineplex Odeon says it wants to allow beer consumption inside the (small and expensive) VIP screening rooms at Varsity. The theatre chain is currently seeking a liquor license, which would allow patrons to bring in beers and wines.

According to Pat Marshall, vice president of communications for Cineplex Odeon, the success of their similar project in Edmonton theatres -- which has been operating for a couple of years now -- proves there's a great customer demand for such service. She goes on to say, "This makes sense for us in designated urban locations that are predominantly adult-oriented."

As someone with a fickle bladder, I rarely drink at all when I go to the movies, but in general I think Toronto moviegoers will appreciate this. It's good to have choice. And moreover, it seems a bit overdue, since plenty of theatres in the states and abroad have been doing this for ages.