With his motivation for such a doomed and pointless trek unclear (he is a penguin, after all), Herzog lingers on this lost soul; a kindred spirit in animal form. The scientist admits that bringing the penguin back to camp will do no good - he would merely head straight for the mountains as soon as he was let free.

And Herzog doesn't have to say it, but the message is loud and clear: in many ways, this penguin is like most of the men and women Herzog encounters on his trip (and even the director himself). The impetus to break away, to explore - even when such exploration could prove deadly - is too strong to be ignored.

It is an attitude Herzog clearly sympathizes with, and even though he set out to avoid all potential March of the Penguins comparisions, this tragic figure makes for the film's most telling metaphor.

While Encounters is perhaps better suited for the Discovery Channel than a general release, fans of the director should eagerly seek out the documentary when made available.

Fan-antics at the TIFF
September 13th, 2007

Even though things have started winding down here at the TIFF, there's still a handful of celebrity sightings to be had. And with Rachel McAdams still in town for her movie Married Life, nobody's complaining.

Downtown with some time to kill, I decided to wander over to the Ryerson theater, just in time to catch McAdams and her legion of adoring fans. Even with dead camera batteries and nothing to sign, I still managed to get a good view of the gorgeous actress, before I was crushed up against the barrier by some overzealous autograph seekers. Whoever said the festival was calming down?

I'll have a couple pictures of the craziness up soon. See if you can make me out in any of them; oh wait, that's right, I was too busy being elbowed by the 45-year-old with the fanny pack and weaselly mustache.

Samurais, Cowboys, and Geeks, Oh My!: Sukiyaki Western Django
September 12th, 2007

As I'm sure I've already made clear, I love Midnight movie programs; it's got to be one of the most fun ways to go see a film. There's just something about being in a room full of screaming, easily-pleased genre junkies that makes the whole experience a little bit more enjoyable... even if the movie's less than perfect. When people are cheering every slick action scene or gory decapitation, it stops being just a movie, and becomes an "event" - a rare occurrence these days.

And after braving a crowd of screaming girls at the Lars and the Real Girl premiere, Tuesday night's midnight screening of Sukiyaki Western Django was just what I needed.

It doesn’t get much more genre than a ...