TIFF 2019 Day 4 round-up: The Goldfinch receives poor reception; Felicity Jones, Eddie Redmayne reunite for The Aeronauts

Ansel Elgort’s drama, The Goldfinch , had its premiere on 8 September at Toronto International Film Festival 2019 (TIFF). He along with Nicole Kidman, Luke Wilson, Finn Wolfhard and Sarah Paulson were present at the red carpet event. However, the film felt the pressure to live up to the award-winning book upon which it is based, members of the cast and crew said.

Donna Tartt won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2014 for her novel about how the death of Theo Decker’s mother in a terrorist attack in the Metropolitan Museum of Art shaped the rest of his life. The plot follows Theo after that moment, both in the present and through a series of flashbacks, as he navigates relationships and family, the art world and the criminal underworld, amid the grief of the loss of his mother.

Watch the #TIFF19 Press Conference of THE GOLDFINCH with dir. John Crowley, @AnselElgort, Finn Wolfhard (@FinnSkata), @MsSarahPaulson, Luke Wilson, Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright), Nicole Kidman. https://t.co/epr4Plv4YT

— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 8, 2019

“I could definitely feel it when you’d tell people what you were doing,” said Wilson, who played Theo’s deadbeat father. “‘Oh it’s The Goldfinch. I love that book.’ Almost kind of protectively.” Director John Crowley said he had to ignore that pressure.

I’m afraid THE GOLDFINCH isn’t very good. As usual these days, too faithful to a text that needed more ruthless rearranging. It looks nice enough, I guess. #TIFF19 pic.twitter.com/2XpyX7C458

— 🥃Donald Clarke📽️ (@DonaldClarke63) September 9, 2019

THE GOLDFINCH: The longest movie of the year. Don’t fact check that. Just trust me.

— Brian Tallerico (@Brian_Tallerico) September 9, 2019

“The good thing about filmmaking is that it’s such a crazy, busy job that pretty soon you get too busy to even think about those things,” he said. “You’re trying make decisions based on your intuition and to try and be true to your own sense of what was special about the story when you read it.”

The Song of Names

François Girard’s historical drama, The Song of Names’ premiere was attended by Tim Roth, composer Howard Shore, Luke Doyle, Misha Handley and Jonah Hauer-King among others. The film follows a man searching for his childhood friend, a Polish violin prodigy, orphaned during the Holocaust, according to the synopsis.

The song of (three) names: Misha Handley, Gerran Howell (@GezFez), and Tim Roth all play one character in different life stages in THE SONG OF NAMES at #TIFF19. pic.twitter.com/8nrL8JBHEX

— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 9, 2019

François Girard explains that the biggest challenge for THE SONG OF NAMES was having multiple actors play the same characters. #TIFF19 pic.twitter.com/aFSES1QBEG

— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 9, 2019

Jonah Hauer-King spent a lot of time with his counterparts (Clive Owen and Luke Doyle) to make sure they could speak and move the same way. 👯‍♂️ #TIFF19 pic.twitter.com/JgE7duJCwa

— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 9, 2019

Variety called The Song of Names “a fatally old-fashioned and lugubrious historical drama”, but praised Roth, Owens and the junior cast’s performances.

The Farewell director Lulu Wang on her film

Lulu Wang, who helmed the Awkafina-starrer The Farewell  spoke at TIFF about the challenges faced by independent filmmakers, her experience writing, and and even shared anecdotes from her life.

Throughout her life, Lulu Wang (@thumbelulu) pronounced her own last name incorrectly in an effort to assimilate, to make things easier, or even for survival.

"This is what it means to be torn between your identities."#TIFF19 pic.twitter.com/yyAH8t55ka

— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 8, 2019

Lulu Wang's challenge was to avoid what @ava DuVernay calls the "cloak of desperation" that independent filmmakers often wear when trying to have their films made.

"How do you not accidentally marginalize yourself?" #TIFF19 pic.twitter.com/iub6m7XzQG

— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 8, 2019

"Filmmaking, and good filmmaking, requires vulnerability. And vulnerability requires courage." —Lulu Wang (@thumbelulu) #TIFF19 pic.twitter.com/uuChUEOC3R

— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 8, 2019

Jojo Rabbit

Scarlett Johansson was seen in a silver dress at the red carpet of the Jojo Rabbit premiere.

Scarlett Johansson arrives for the Gala Premiere of Jojo Rabbit @TIFF_NET
#TIFF19 pic.twitter.com/YjTDzZd6t5

— Frank Gunn (@frankgunnphoto) September 9, 2019

Director Taika Waititi and the rest of the cast also posed for photographs.

The World War II anti-hate satire has received a positive response from critics, with some even calling it a strong contender for the upcoming awards season. The New Zealand-born director, who is of Maori and Jewish descent, said the release of the film was timely in today’s polarised political climate.

“Now we’re seeing all those little pockets of hate groups and seeing these patterns that were happening in the ’30s happening again,” he said. “And for me, now more than ever, I think it’s important that we keep addressing that stuff and revisiting these stories.”

(Also read - Jojo Rabbit early reactions: Taika Waititi’s WWII satire lauded for its ‘funny, bittersweet and unapologetically unique’ story )

Amazon’s The Aeronauts

Amazon Studios’ The Aeronauts premiered amid concerns about the impact of streaming service providers on the traditional theatrical-release model. It reunites Felicity Jones and Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne as pilot Amelia Wren and real-life scientist James Glaisher in their hot-air balloon expedition to reach unrivaled heights.

THE AERONAUTS: they told him he couldn’t predict the weather and they told her she couldn’t go up high in a balloon but they sure showed them!!!!!!

— David Sims (@davidlsims) September 8, 2019

#TheAeronauts is an undeniable technical marvel with award-worthy cinematography and sound design that is elevated by the star power of Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne with the former being a beast. A decent standing ovation afterwards doesn't hurt either.

— keithlovesmovies.com (@keithlovemovies) September 8, 2019

It’s a standing ovation for THE AERONAUTS at #TIFF19 . Notice stars Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones (in matching silver outfits) waving to the audience at the corner of the mezzanine. pic.twitter.com/VzKOqZciXP

— Tara Deschamps (@tara_deschamps) September 8, 2019

#TheAeronauts is a thrilling survival story in the sky. I’d be down to watch 3 more movies with Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones. #TIFF2019

— Corey Chichizola (@CoreyChichizola) September 8, 2019

THE AERONAUTS is occasionally thrilling with some breathtaking imagery & stunts. But it can never fully recover from its quick pace that favors a flashbacks making it harder to invest early with these characters. Jones puts in a strong effort but this one never reaches the stars.

— Matt Neglia (@NextBestPicture) August 31, 2019

“It’s all changed, isn’t it,” Redmayne said to Reuters on the red carpet on Sunday, saying that streaming services like Amazon give access to people who do not live near cinemas or cannot get to them. “But obviously, I still love the experience of sitting in a dark room with other people and being bombarded with stories that you experience as a community,” he said. “So I hope there’s room for both.”

Endings, Beginnings

The world premiere of Endings, Beginnings also took place at TIFF 2019. The film, directed by Drake Doremus, follows a love triangle between an idealistic woman played by Shailene Woodley, a “free-spirited bad boy” played by Sebastian Stan, and his more stable best friend played by Jamie Dornan.

Jamie & cast at the premiere of Endings, Beginnings at TIFF last night#JamieDornan #EndingsBeginnings #TIFF19 pic.twitter.com/YrABMiZcAS

— ❤❤ LOVING 50 SHADES ❤❤ (@loving50shades) September 9, 2019

IndieWire wrote, “Doremus’ obsession with cinematic love has long gone beyond a warts-and-all approach, routinely twisting even the most initially charming of his onscreen romances into something hideous and terrifying (Doremus movies are not date movies). Yet “Endings, Beginnings” comes to offer, dare we believe it, some hope for people who love other people. "

“The movie may be a self-help exercise of sorts — for those who seldom recognize themselves on screen, and who don’t measure up to the expectations set by rom-coms and princess movies — but it’s disguised as a shaggy character study,” said Variety .

(With inputs from agencies)