The AMC

Updated for 2010

The AMC 24 at the corner of Yonge and Dundas opened in April 2008 and made its premiere as a TIFF venue in September of that year. According to the original TIFF press release, "The AMC Yonge & Dundas will provide almost one third of TIFF’s 34 screens, and offers state-of-the-art digital facilities." The theater is very conveniently located; the Dundas subway station drops you off in the basement of the building.

During its first two years, I've been pretty pleased with the AMC (although, when given the choice, I still prefer the Scotiabank/Paramount). The theaters vary considerably in size, from relatively small to massive auditoriums, but all have stadium seating, good sound and projection, and excellent sight lines (as in all stadium theaters, sitting in the front rows isn't much fun). I've never taken the time to note which particular theaters are large or small, so I'm afraid I don't have any advice in that regard for scheduling.

My favorite thing about the AMC is the food court that's located one floor beneath it. It's especially convenient on four- or five-film days, when free time is at a premium. I can't find a full list of restaurants online but as of last year it had a decent mix of fast-food staples (Subway) and international food stands.

My main complaint about the AMC? Is it just me or does it always feel just a little too warm and humid in there?

Subway Stop: Dundas
Rush & Ticket-Holder Lines: Both lines usually form outside on the sidewalks. Ticket-holder lines are then moved up the escalators and into the AMC lobby as the screening time approaches.

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Jackman Hall

The home of The Cinematheque Ontario, Jackman Hall is located at the Art Gallery of Ontario on the corner of Dundas and McCaul. That puts it in the southwest section of the festival area, just north of The Scotiabank. Allow for some time (at least 30 minutes) if you're traveling to/from The Varsity or Bader.

I've written elsewhere about my enthusiasm for the Cinematheque and for the good people who work there, and Jackman Hall is an essential part of the 'theque experience. It's a relatively small theater with top notch sound, projection, and sight lines. One of the highlights of my film-going life occurred at Jackman Hall in 2005, when I attended a screening of Wavelength (1967) -- my first -- with Michael Snow in attendance.

Subway Stop: St. Patrick (walk three blocks west from station)
Rush & Tick-Holder Lines: Form outside of Jackman Hall

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The Elgin

The Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres, according to Wikipedia, are the last surviving stacked Edwardian theatres in the world. Like so many North American theatres of the era (it was built in 1913), The Elgin went from Vaudeville house to vacant hole to porno/B-movie palace before being restored by a heritage foundation in the late-1980s. Since reopening, The Elgin has staged largescale theatrical productions and served as a host theatre for TIFF.

My take on The Elgin is that every festival-goer should see at least one film there. It's a beautiful room with all of the ornate details typical of early 20th-century theatres. Upon entering, you might feel as though you've stepped into an Edward Hopper painting. More than once I've heard The Elgin described as "cavernous. It's a deep room with a low-hanging balcony, so your experience of a film will be determined greatly by the location of your seat -- much moreso than in other TIFF venues. My advice: get in line early and make a dash for the first 10 or 15 rows. The Elgin is located at 189 Yonge, just north of the intersection with Queen.

Subway Stop: Queen
Rush & Ticket-Holder Lines: Form outside of the theatre on Yonge

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The Isabel Bader

This might sound odd, but the Isabel Bader Theatre is the one TIFF venue where I have on occasion felt underdressed -- and I mean that as a compliment. Evening screenings there, especially during weekends, feel more like social events than run-of-the-mill movies at a multiplex. The building, located on the campus of Victoria University, opened in 2001 and features plush seating, a small balcony, and especially good acoustics. My one complaint with the Bader is its sight lines, which can be frustrating during heavily-subtitled films.

The Bader is on Charles Street, one block south of Bloor, making it a quick walk from other north-end venues like The Varsity and The Cumberland. (Something to keep in mind on those five-film days.) Eat before you get there -- Charles is a quiet, tree-lined street. More than once I've grabbed a hot dog from a street vendor (there are a ton of 'em on University) and found a comfortable place in line outside of the Bader.

Two of my favorite TIFF experiences were at the Bader. In 2004, I saw the premiere of Moolade there. Because the film got off to a late start and ran longer than expected, there was no time for a post-screening Q&A. Instead, Ousmane Sembene invited everyone to join him outside in the courtyard, where he took a seat, lit his pipe, and chatted about what would prove, sadly, to be his last film. The next night I returned for the premiere of L'Intrus, which frustrated me to the point of exhaustion. When Claire Denis took the stage afterwards, she was haggard from jetlag and lacked the energy (or will) to fight through the stream of poor, meandering questions that too often plague Q&As. L'Intrus is my favorite TIFF film, though, because it revealed to me how essential conversation is to the festival experience. By the time I flew home -- after talking and talking and talking about Denis's film with Girish and others -- I'd completely reevaluated my original response and was eager to spend the next few months watching and rewatching all of her films.

Subway Stop: Museum
Rush & Ticket-Holder Lines: Form outside of the theater along Charles Street

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The Varsity

The Cineplex Odeon Varsity Theater is located in the Manulife Centre at 55 Bloor Street West (one block west of the intersection of Bloor and Yonge). The TIFFG Box Office is on the north side of the building at street level; The Varsity is on the opposite end and one level up. The Manulife Centre is also home to a large Chapters bookstore and several small restaurants and coffee shops, so it's a decent place to kill time between films.

The Varsity is unique among TIFF venues in that the quality of viewing experience varies greatly from theater to theater. Varsity 1-6 are among my favorite screens at the festival. Each features stadium seating and fantastic projection and sound, but the rooms are a bit smaller and more intimate than those at The Paramount. Varsity 7 is a very small room with one level of seating. (If you ever went to a multiplex in a mall in the early-'80s, you'll remember theaters like Varsity 7 .) Due to its size, Varsity 8 often hosts high-demand films. It's a massive room with deep seats, limited leg room, and horrible sight lines. Subtitled films often send the audience's heads a-bobbin'.

Note: Ticket-holder lines begin near the theater lobby, but because of limited space there, they often continue down the back stairs and outside of the building onto Balmuto Street (on the east side of the building). Rush lines almost always begin outside, on the south end of Balmuto.

Subway Stop: Bloor-Yonge
Rush & Ticket-Holder Lines: Theater lobby and on east side of building (Balmuto Street)

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The Ryerson

With more than 1,200 seats, The Ryerson is typically used for non-gala showings of higher profile films. For example, in past years I've seen films by Cronenberg, Egoyan, Frears, Ozon, and the Dardennes there. It also hosts the Midnight Madness program. The theater is located on the campus of Ryerson University at 43 Gerrard, two blocks east of Yonge.

The good news for festival-goers is that, with The Ryerson as a venue, there's little chance of ever being left without a "hot" ticket. They cram a lot of bodies into that room. And for a theater that only occasionally functions as a cinema, the presentations are quite good, with a big screen, relatively sharp projection, and better-than-average sound. It's not, however, a place I would choose to spend an entire day, and, in fact, over the last few years I've managed to avoid making a single trip to The Ryerson. The seats are uncomfortable (which becomes more and more of a concern as the week progresses), and the sight lines can be quite bad.

Subway Stops: More or less equidistant from College and Dundas
Rush & Ticket-Holder Lines: Form along Gerrard Street

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ScotiaBank Theatre (The Paramount)

Recently rechristened the ScotiaBank Theatre, The Paramount (I'll always call it The Paramount) is a large, modern multiplex located a block south of Queen Street at the corner of John and Richmond. The Paramount sits at the southwestern-most point of the festival area, making it a long walk (and even a relatively long subway ride) from theaters on the north end of downtown, The Cumberland and The Varsity. Allow at least a half hour between screenings if you have to make that trip.

Typically, theaters 1-4 are devoted exclusively to TIFF films throughout the festival. Each features stadium seating and massive screens. The roomy, upstairs lobby offers a wide variety of food and drink choices, including better-than-average coffee. More than once I've arranged my schedule so as to spend the entire day at The Paramount. It's my favorite festival venue.

Subway Stop: Osgoode (walk one block south and two blocks west)
Rush & Ticket-Holder Lines: Form outside of the theater along Richmond Street

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The Cumberland

The Cumberland is a 1980's-era (I would guess) multiplex located a block north of Bloor on Cumberland Street. It marks the northern-most point of the festival area, so allow extra time between films, especially if you're traveling from The Paramount, The Elgin, or Jackman Hall.

Oddly, many of my favorite TIFF moments have taken place at The Cumberland. It's where, in 2004, I saw Don McKellar introduce Cronenberg's The Brood. And in 2005 I sat seven or eight feet away from Tsai Ming-liang as he waxed nostalgic about the old Grace Chang film, The Wild, Wild Rose. I say "oddly" because, like most multiplexes of the era, The Cumberland has relatively small screens, cramped seats, and terrible sight lines. (Go for an aisle seat, especially if the film is subtitled.) Also, and maybe this is just me, but the Cumberland always feels humid or musty or something. It's an odd place, with four theaters spread over three stories like a labyrinth.

The Cumberland is more or less in Yorkville, a block away from the Four Seasons and other high-dollar hotels, making it a fun place to people watch (if you're into that sort of thing.)

Subway Stop: Bay
Rush & Ticket-Holder Lines: Form outside of the theater along Cumberland Street