It's been six years since director Darren Aronofsky brought to the screen the controversial and captivating "Requiem for a Dream", and the question most people have on their minds is, if his newest film was worth the wait. After years of troubled scripts, studio shifts and even one time lead Brad Pitt dropping out after filming more than half the script, "The Fountain" finally had it's debut as a part of this year's TIFF program.

The film centers on Tom Verde (Hugh Jackman) who works as a pioneering cancer researcher fighting for the cure to save his wife Izzie (Rachael Weisz) who is slowly dying from a brain tumor. Izzie meanwhile is exploring her own mortality through the writing of a book entitled "The Fountain" about a Spanish conquistador searching for the Mayan Tree of Life in order to defeat the menacing Inquisator and live forever with the Queen he loves.

I'm not sure what to make of Seraphim Falls which had its world premiere at the Elgin Theatre last night as part of the Toronto International Film Festival.

Coming into the screening there had been almost no publicity. None of the local media (as far as I saw), had reviewed or even mentioned the film. Strange given it stars Pierce Brosnan and Liam Neeson who along with first time director David Von Ancken showed up to introduce it. Could this be because Icon Productions (read: Mel Gibson) is the financial backer. Is there a Mel boycott in effect?

Or perhaps the real explanation is that Seraphim Falls was a late addition to the TIFF lineup and few media got a chance to preview it. Whatever the reason, once the opening credits rolled I only became more perplexed.

A brief look at the some of the films and events happening at this year's Toronto International Film Festival.

There's something about the rain that makes you want to watch a movie. It's hard to find something better than sitting in a theatre, watching a film that makes you laugh and smile and cry, when the skies outside are cloudy and gray. Of course, with theaters being kept at a ridiculously cold temperature, running straight from being in the rain into a cold theatre is sure to make you sick. I think I'm getting sick already.

With day seven all wrapped up, you can tell there's a kind of blah-ness that's settling in at the festival, with people all tired and all out of energy. I'm sure the energy will pick right up when Friday rolls around.

Jean-Marc Barr was only in town for one day to promote his new film, Chacun Sa Nuit, but he took the time out to talk to me before leaving for the airport. I'm glad he did, because he definitely succeeded in blowing my mind: that is one smart and astute man.

I had some prepared questions, but in the end, it made more sense just to have a discussion than a typical Q&A, since Barr was so eloquent and articulate. The interview was pretty long and there was so much said that I couldn't possibly transcribe it all, so here's a few highlights:

I'm three films into my five selections I'll be seeing at this year's TIFF and already I'm beginning to wonder if I've lost my knack for picking good ones. After a good but not great The Wind that Shakes the Barley and a so-so Rescue Dawn, I hope I've hit rock bottom today at the screening of The Half Life of Timofey Berezin at the Isabel Bader Theatre.

The film is split into two narratives. The movie that I thought I had signed up for tells the story of Timofey Berezin, a worker who accidentally gets exposed to high doses of plutonium at a small town power plant in Russia. Given that the film is from the same production company as Syriana, I was expecting a rich plot that pits the aggrieved Berezin against the evil power plant.

A brief look at the some of the films and events happening at this year's Toronto International Film Festival.

Today, as I was walking out of the Interncontinental Hotel from an interview, it was interesting to see hordes of people all swarming the front of the hotel in order get a hello from Brad Pitt or a cameraphone photo of Penelope Cruz. As I approached the exit door at the hotel and began to push outwards, it was clear to see every single person outside the hotel lean forward and try to peer in and see who was leaving. Upon coming through the doors, the crowd gasps of disappointment are almost audible: that guy's not famous! Humbling, but also amusing to see how much energy people put into celeb-gazing.