Counting Down

On a bright, warm Tuesday, I went over to The Revue Cinema for a slow-burn psychological drama. Oscar Isaac played former soldier William Tell, convicted of prisoner abuses in Iraq, who has been released from military prison after 8 years. He now spends his days staying in motels and travelling from casinos to casinos, winning just enough at cards to fly under the radar of their security personnel. Outside of some casual acquaintances he meets on the gambling circuit, Tell has no human contact. He likes the fixed, non-changing routines but the question is whether or not this constitutes "living"? Well, that certainly hits close to home (not the violence or incarceration parts).

Even when The Revue was part of the Festival Cinema chain of repertory theatres, I only attended a handful of times. My preferred venues were The Paradise and The Royal. The Paradise shut down but has recently undergone a renaissance thanks to the deep pockets of its current owner. The Royal continued as a film editing studio during the day and movie theatre at night. Since the pandemic, it might have permanently converted to an Italian restaurant/market. As for the Revue, today was my first visit in more than a decade.

It seems that the people of Roncesvalles Village has supported it, financially and otherwise, as a not-for-profit cinema. Looking over its offerings for October, there were of course plenty of spooky movies. But there were also new movies, classic flicks, even silent films with live accompaniment. It was interesting fare and I should have come by more often.

Heading backing to Little Portugal along Dundas St. W., I noticed a photographer with quite a fancy set-up standing on the bridge spanning the rail-lines. I wasn't sure what he was looking but it was likely the skyline. Spread out below me was the old buildings of now gentrified Brockton Village. In the distance, the high-rises and CN Tower shimmered. The sunset lit everything in a warm orange glow. It was a beautiful view of Toronto.