The TIFF Tattler: September 17

DAMON A GAY MAN?
Michael Douglas let slip while doing promotions for Solitary Man that he and Matt Damon will play lovers in a Steven Soderberg-directed biopic of Liberace. Hooray?

HAPPY HERZOG
You know who the second-coolest person ever is? The French Elvis, Johnny Halladay. Acquaint yourself here! Also, the Star's Peter Howell has a short video with Werner Herzog, the actual coolest person ever. I have to admit, it's unnerving to see him speak in anything but omniscient narration. Also, apparently Herzog is opening a film school! Yup, it's happening.   In it, you'll learn such valuable techniques as pissing off studios, and patching up your own bullet wounds. Thanks to EYE WEEKLY intern Will Sloan for forwarding a link to this great Herzog profile in the New Yorker from 2006. Apparently he calls his wife "sweetie" just like the rest of us.

CODY VS. THE COMMENTERS
SlashFilm has a funny clip of Diablo Cody and Jason Reitman completely destroying internet commentators. As much as the Cody backlash is somewhat justified, I have to give the woman credit — she knows how to level a good put down (see her Twitter post from earlier this summer: “Some guy in Idaho just tweeted that I’ve ruined cinema. Already? Had no idea I was so hugely influential. Suck it, Truffaut!”). Also, director Reitman confirmed that there would be no sequel to Juno. Was there ever actually a chance of that?

WOODY TO THE RESCUE
In obligatory business news, Sony has purchased the rights to The Defendor, an odd piece of indie quirk in which Woody Harrelson plays a cut-rate superhero who trolls the streets fighting "captain industry." Honestly, if Woody Harelson tried to save me from a mugging or something, I'd be just as inclined to reject his help, for fear he would kidnap me in his hemp powered bus.
 
ANTI-TEL AVIV PROTESTS ARE SOOOO LAST WEEK
And finally, another film has been pulled from the festival as part of the protest against Tel Aviv's selection for the first City-to-City program — Egyptian film Heliopolis (a bit late to this party, no?). Ticket holders who were meant to see the film tonight at the Bader can trade their passes in at the TIFF box office. 

More tomorrow, including the betting line for the Audience Choice Award. In the meantime, off to see the new Jeunet this afternoon. Happy TIFFing all!