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Lily Tomlin and Dustin Hoffman get existential in I Heart Huckabees.
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1. Oscar hopefuls This is the season when studios release the movies they hope will take home the gold statue. Look for the new Pixar feature The Incredibles , Stage Beauty , with Billy Crudup all femmed up and Claire Danes , David O. Russell ‘s existential comedy I Heart Huckabees and Zhang Yimou ‘s sword-and-chivalry extravaganza House Of Flying Daggers . See film preview, page 56.
Emma Donoghue
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2. Lit glitz Harbourfront celebrates the 25th anniversary of the International Festival Of Authors with one of its all-time hottest lineups. Look for appearances by Orange Prize winner Andrea Levy , Russell Banks , Margaret Drabble , Janette Turner Hospital and Colm Tóibín . But don’t be surprised if the Canadian contingent, including Helen Humphreys , Emma Donoghue and Greg Hollingshead , upstages them all. October 20 to 30. www.readings.org.
3. Tricks and treats Boo-tiful Halloween beckens the ghoul in you. Answer the call at parties around town or check into Lee’s , where the Brian Jonestown Massacre crew get very scary. See Fall Music, page 46.
4. Medium cool A new event celebrating the ideas and influence of Marshall McLuhan takes over T.O. in the form of the McLuhan International Festival of the Future . Running October 8 to 17, the fest features special events all over town spotlighting new technologies, performance, art and research related to the McLuhan mindset. www.mcluhanfestival.com.
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5. Going nuts Squirrels get busy on their annual hunt for food they can store away for winter. Watch them exercise the art of leaping seamlessly from tree to tree in the city canopy. Squirrels’ specialized vision allows them to make instant trigonomic computations to judge leaping distances. Their furry,
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6. Harvest moon This is the time of year we can eat locally. Stuff those pies with apples grown just minutes away, fill those glasses with Ontario wines, and give thanks to the earth and the people who farm it.
Le Tigre
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7. Cool concerts Mopester Morrissey , dramatic power femme PJ Harvey and college rock godparents the Pixies top the list of acts set to touch down in T.O. this fall. Also look for feminist electro-punks Le Tigre to make a triumphant return and ghostly Americana belter Jolie Holland to cast her own spell. See Fall Concerts, page 46.
The AGO opens Modigliani: Beyond The Myth October 23.
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8. Art extravaganzas Small art shows start to explode during the fall, but this season’s blockbusters at the major museums are looking like big hits. Check out the AGO’s Modigliani: Beyond The Myth show, opening October 23, which presents portraiture by the fabled painter. Or catch Pearls: A Natural History , on view at the ROM through January 9, where you can see ancient jewels – like fossils – alongside the stuff worn by queens and movie stars.
photo by Kathryn Gaitens
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9. Nurture nature Help give Mother Earth a little nudge before she downsizes for winter – get your shovel and join the planting spree: Riverdale Park on Saturday (October 2), Nordheimer Ravine at St. Clair and Spadina on Saturday (October 23), Highland Creek in Scarborough, Saturday (October 30). As well, the flora and fauna of High Park need you for buckthorn cutting and native seed collection, Sunday (October 24). And if you just want to groove on the glory, join a Bring Back The Don trek on Sunday, (October 24) at the Eglinton West subway or a Bruce Trail Club ravine excursion, Friday (October 29) at the Victoria Park subway. (See listings for details.)
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10. The slow burn We’re talking about the electric reds and yellows of autumn leaves, which we’re betting are gonna last this year, given September’s sunny warmth. And don’t forget the glow of the fireplace. Fire ’em up – it’s time.
