Toronto Film Festival Line-Up Announced

Whatever the calendar says, in the universe of the movies (where summer begins two months before it does officially), it's almost time for the end of the year awards season chaos to get underway.  The first stop is the late summer film festivals; the big ones and most important in sizing up early Oscar buzz and driving the prognosticators mad (Toronto, Venice and Telluride) are all interloped in the same couple of weeks time during the month of September.  The madness begins with the announcement of the line-up to this year's Toronto Film Festival, and the typical array of awards bait films, buzzy movies that have already premiered at other festivals (Sundance, Cannes) trying to stay relevant, and those itching for enough attention to become the next Crash-- the first film ever acquired at a film festival (2004's Toronto, in fact) to wind up winning the Best Picture Oscar.  The slate at Venice will revealed Thursday; Telluride famously keeps its offerings secret until it's shown.  The Toronto line-up (expect many more to be announced as the festival approaches):

• 11 Flowers- Chinese mystery from director Xiaoshuai Wang (Beijing Bicycle); World Premiere.
• 50/50- Cancer dramedy starring Joseph Gordon Levitt, Seth Rogan, Bryce Dallas Howard, Anjelica Huston and Anna Kendrick, written by Will Riser (his debut) and directed by Jonathon Levine (The Wackness); World Premiere.
• 360- Globe-trotting slice of life ensemble piece inspired by Arhur Schnitzler's La Ronde that stars Anthony Hopkins, Rachel Weisz and Jude Law.  Written by Peter Morgan (The Queen, Frost/Nixon) and directed by Fernando Mierelles (City of God); World Premiere.
• Albert Nobbs- The latest bid for Glenn Close to finally reap her first Academy Award comes from a story that she's championed for many years about a woman who pretends to be a man in 19th century Ireland in order to carve out a better life.  The film was snapped up by Roadside Attractions recently, who had a terrific year last year with Winter's Bone. Directed by Rodrigo Garcia (Nine Lives, Mother & Child); World Premiere.
• Americano- Drama from first time director and actor Mathieu Deny that stars Salma Hayek and Geraldine Chaplin; World Premiere.
• Anonymous- Speculative history piece that argues the validity of the work of William Shakespeare.  A change of pace from director Roland Emmerich (2012), starring David Twelis and Vanessa Redgrave; World Premiere.
• The Artist- Cannes favorite (it's star Jean Dujardin won this years Best Actor prize at the May festival) about a silent movie star struggling with the birth of sound.  Already acquired by The Weinstein Company and an early awards season favorite. Directed by Michel Hazanavicius.
• A Better Life- Canadian social drama from director Cedric Kahn; World Premiere.
• Burning Man- Father and son drama starring Matthew Goode and Rachel Griffiths; directed by Jonathon Teplitzky (Better Than Sex); World Premiere.
• Butter- Mixture of social commentary with comedy, this film stars Jennifer Garner, Ty Burrell and Hugh Jackman and takes place in the unusual and competitive world of butter carving.  Directed by Jim Field Smith; World Premiere.
• Chicken with Plums- French period drama about a celebrated Iranian violinist from directors Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis) and Vincent Paronnaud; North American Premiere.
• Coriolanus- Period epic about a banished Roman solider who seeks revenge that stars Ralph Fiennes, Jessica Chastain, Gerard Butler and Brian Cox.  Acquired by The Weinstein Company after debuting at this years Berlin Film Festival.  Directed by Fiennes (his debut); North American Premiere.
• Countdown- Heist flick from Huh Jong-ho.
• A Dangerous Method- Viggo Mortenssen, Michael Fassbender and Keira Knightley star in the eagerly anticipated period drama about the relationship between Sigmund Freud and Karl Jung; recently acquired by Sony Pictures Classics.  Directed by master David Croenberg.  North American Premiere-- indicating that it's real premiere will take place, hopefully in competition, at Venice.
• Dark Horse- The latest from provocateur Todd Solondz, a romance starring Justin Bartha, Selma Blair, Christopher Walken and Donna Murphy.  No US distribution as of now.  North American Premiere, and likely to be shown at Venice first.
• The Deep Blue Sea- Period epic starring Rachel Weisz and Tom Hiddleston (Thor, Midnight in Paris) from director Terrence Davies (The House of Mirth); World Premiere.
• The Descendants- The latest from director Alexander Payne stars George Clooney as a man seeemingly going through a midlife crisis.  Fox Searchlight Pictures has it's hand on the film, making its World Premiere.
• Drive- A hit at Cannes this year (winning the Best Director Prize for Nicholas Winding Refn), Drive is a heist flick centering around a Hollywood stuntman.  Star Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan and Albert Brooks.
• Elles- French drama starring Juliette Binoche as a journalist reporting on prostitution at a local university.  Directed by Malgoska Szumowka; World Premiere.
• The Eye of the Storm- Based on the novel by Nobel Prize winner Patrick White, this Geoffrey Rush-Charlotte Rampling top lined drama concerns a family as its matriarch lies at her deathbed.  From director Fred Schepisi (Roxanne, A Cry in the Dark); International Premiere.
• Friends with Kids- Ensemble relationship comedy starring Jennifer Westfeldt, Jon Hamm, Maya Rudolph and Megan Fox.  Directed by Westfeldt (star and co-writer of Kissing Jessica Stein); World Premiere.
• Habemus Papam- Premiered at Cannes this year to mixed reviews, Italian filmmaker Nanni Morreti's (The Son's Room) concerns an ailing Pope.
• A Happy Event- Described as a film "that breaks the taboo of pregnancy through the tragicomic diary of a young woman who becomes a mother." Directed by Remi Bezancon; World Premiere.
• Headhunters- Norwegian thriller from director Morten Tyldum; North American Premiere.
• Hick- Dramedy about a teen girl from Nebraska who gets into trouble in Las Vegas.  Star Chloe Moretz, Blake Lively, Rory Culkin and Juliette Lewis.  Directed by Derick Martini (Lymelife); World Premiere.
• The Hunter- Psychological drama starring Willem Dafoe, directed by Daniel Nettheim; World Premiere.
• The Ides of March- Based on the play by Beau Willimon, George Clooney's latest directorial project (which he stars and co-wrote with his Good Night...& Good Luck partner Grant Heslov) takes on a crash course on dirty politics and scandal over a presidential hopeful.  The cast includes Ryan Gosling, Paul Giamatti, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey Wright and Evan Rachel Wood.  Coming courtesy of the always busy Sony Pictures Classics. North American Premiere; this film has already been confirmed to play at Venice first.
• Jeff, Who Lives at Home- Paramount Pictures brings the latest from the Duplass Brothers (Cyrus, The Puffy Chair), a comedy about a man searching for the meaning of life starring Jason Segal, Judy Greer and Susan Sarandon; World Premiere.
• Killer Joe- Based on the acclaimed play by Tracy Letts, William Friedkin directs Matthew McConaughey and Emile Hirsch in a twisted story of a poor man trying to collect insurance money by taking a hit out on his mother.  No US distribution; World Premiere.
• The Lady- A period biopic of Aung San Suu Kyi starring Michelle Yeoh and David Thewlis.  Directed by Luc Besson; World Premiere.
• Like Crazy- The winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance this year, which stars Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones as a young couple dealing with a long-distance relationship (an artier Going the Distance?)  Paramount acquired the film by Drake Doremus (Douchebag) in January.
• Machine Gun Preacher- Marc Forster (Monster's Ball) directs a biopic of Sam Childers, a former nogoodnik who found God and became a crusader for Sudanese children.  Stars Gerard Butler and Michelle Monoghan; World Premiere.
• Martha Marcy May Marlene- Tongue-twisting title of the Sundance hit starring Elizabeth Olson as a woman reacimilating after fallen victim to a charming cult leader.  From director Sean Durkin (who won the Best Director prize at Sundance), the film was acquired by Fox Searchlight in January.
• Melancholia- Kirsten Dunst won the Best Actress prize in Cannes this year for her work in Lars von Trier's latest, and end of the world\family wedding film.  Recently acquired by Magnolia Pictures.
• Moneyball- Brad Pitt stars in this true story of a struggling general manager of a baseball who reconfigures the ways of the game with controversial results.  Also stars Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Robin Wright and will be released through Sony Pictures Classics at the end of September.  Directed by Bennett Miller (Capote); World Premiere.
• The Oranges- Ensemble comedy starring Adam Brody, Leighton Meester, Hugh Laurie and Allison Janney.  From director Julian Farino, making his feature debut (he's directed several episodes of shows including Sex & the City and Entourage); No US distribution; World Premiere.
• Peace, Love & Misunderstanding-  Family dramedy starring Jane Fonda, Catherine Keener, Chace Crawford and Sundance it girl (and famous sister) Elizabeth Olson.  Currently has no distribution, so if early word is good, than this will likely make its way to theaters this fall, given its cast.  Directed by Bruce Beresford (Driving Miss Daisy); World Premiere.
• Pearl Jam Twenty- Cameron Crowe directs this documentary celebrating the 20th anniversary of the band Pearl Jam; World Premiere.
• Rampart- Director Oren Moverman follows up his Oscar-nominated The Messenger with a film about a cop trying to take care of his family.  Star Woody Harrelson, Sigourney Weaver, Ben Foster and Robin Wright.  No US distribution; World Premiere.
• Salmon Fishing in the Yemen- Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt star in Lasse Hallstrom's (My Life as a Dog, The Cider House Rules) drama about a fisheries scientist.  From Lions Gate Films; World Premiere.
• Shame- Director Steve McQueen (Hunger) re-teams with Michael Fassbender in a family drama also starring Carey Mulligan.  No US distribution; World Premiere.
• The Skin I Live In- Pedro Almodovor's latest starring one-time muse Antonio Banderas as a vengeful plastic surgeon.  Sony Pictures Classics has this one, which debuted at Cannes last May.
• Take Shelter- End of the world thriller starring Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain that debuted at Cannes this year and was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics.
• Take This Waltz- Sarah Polley wrote and directed this romantic drama (her second feature after receiving an Adapted Screenplay Oscar nod for her debut, Away From Her) and stars Michelle Williams and Seth Rogan, currently without distribution; World Premiere.
• Ten Year- Drama about a group of friends that reunite ten years after high school starring Channing Tatum and Kate Mara.  No US distribution, World Premiere.
• Trishna- Michael Winterbottom's latest starring Frieda Pinto; World Premiere.
• Twixt- Val Kilmer and Elle Fanning star in Frances Ford Coppola's latest, a thriller about a writer who winds up in his own mystery.  No US distribution; World Premiere.
• Tyrannosaur- Directed by actor Paddy Considine, Tyrannosaur is a drama about a woman who looks to get out of her abusive relationship.  Premiered at Sundance, where Considine won the Best Director prize for World Cinema; Strand Releasing acquired the film.
• W.E.- Either simply a curiosity piece or, who knows, maybe a real awards contender as The Weinstein Company has already grabbed this biography of Wallis Simpson (fans of The King's Speech will remember-- she's the gal that Guy Pearce abdicated the throne for) that's directed by a certain person of interest, Madonna.  North American Premiere, again indicating the Material Girl will debut her film in Venice.
• We Need to Talk About Kevin- Cannes favorite with Tilda Swinton about a mother coping with her son's involvement in a school shooting.  Directed by Lynne Ramsay (Morvern Caller); Roadside Attractions will release it later this fall.