September is a monumental month for autograph hounds in Canada. Its the start of the NHL pre-season, our most popular sport across the country, as well, the Toronto International Film Festival takes
place.

TIFF 2013, the 38th annual festival, takes place from Sept 5-15 & as usual, I'll be there taking in the opportunities to get autographs from some of the largest names of TV & movies. As always, there is a lengthy list of notable names with films there.  Academy Award winners like Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Jessica Lange, Marion Cotillard, Nicole Kidman, Kate Winslet, Sandra Bullock, Nicolas Cage, William Hurt, Adrien Brody, Colin Firth, Kevin Kline, Robin Williams, Jim Broadbent, George Clooney, Juliet Binoche, Judi Dench, Marcia Gay Harden & Tilda Swinton are all in 1 or more films at this years festival. Popular stars of this generation like Daniel Radcliffe, Chris Hemsworth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson, Emilia Clarke, Ralph Fiennes & Dakota Fanning also have films at the festival. Theres then an even longer list of "hey, I know them from something" names.

With so many names, so many shows going on over only 10 days, you need to prioritize if you are planning to catch celebs...and that means picking & chosing who is most important to you. Whether as a fan, or a seller, you need to generate a list of who you want to get the most, because you simply cant get everyone.
(please vote on the poll below for who you most want me to see at TIFF)

So here is my list of my top 20 for TIFF 13. Its a mixture of who I want to get for myself, or just want to get to say I got them or for financial benefits.
(note - not all names are guaranteed to be at the festival, so please dont take my list as a guarantee of their arrival... it is merely who I would like to get if they are there)

1- Melissa Rauch (The last 3 years in a row I have gotten my #1 on my list. Johnny Depp, Michael C. Hall & Chloe Moretz. This year, I am picking someone that was not on the initial guest list... so theres a good chance getting my #1 wont even be an option. )
2- Benedict Cumberbatch (If Ms. Rauch doesnt show,
Benedict, the man who brings Sherlock Holmes to life, will be my #1)
3- Michael C. Hall (Former #1 target of 2011 is still high on my list since the last season of Dexter is under way)
4- Emilia Clarke (Hot girl who walks around naked 1/3 of the time on Game Of Thrones? Yeah, like I wasnt going to have her on the list)
5- Chris Hemsworth (As Thor, hes become a household
name.)
6- Jessica Chastain (back-to-back Academy Award Nominations. Shes gonna win 1 sometime in the next 5 years)
7- Brad Pitt (If he comes, he will be sought after target for no other reason than to right the fact I haven't gotten him the 1st 2 times I saw him)
8- Hailee Steinfeld (Always some newcomers to my list every year, this year, Hailey has grabbed my attention as someone to nab, 2010 Academy Award nominated actress)
9- Meg Tilly (This Golden Globe winning recluse was most recently on the hit Bomb Girls. She is making a rare public appearance this festival for the 30th anniversary of The Big Chill)
10-  Magda Apanowicz (My crush of her character on Hellcats not withstanding, I've quite liked her work on everything I have seen her in, most recently the Canadian sci-fi hit Continuum)
11- Lorenzo Izzo (Saw her a couple years ago at TIFF & was so taken aback by how gorgeous she was, I had to find out who she was. Now that I know, time to get her autograph.)
12- Karen Gillan ( I may not watch Doctor Who, but I know enough to know I'd be a fool not to go for her)
13- Scarlett Johansson (A household name now adays.
ScarJo will be on most peoples list, regardless if they ae fans of her work or not.)
14- Kurt Russell (Grindhouse & Miracle. Thats all)
14- Julia Roberts (Academy Award Winner should be enough to make the list...but I just want to get her really because of Pretty Woman)
15- Joel Edgerton (I've met Tom Hardy, I've met Jennifer Morrison, I've met Nick Nolte. So obviously I need to meet the final piece of the "Warrior" main cast)
16- Brendan Gleeson (Huge In Bruges fan, so excited that 2 of the 3 are at the fest)
17- Ralph Fiennes (see Brendan Gleeson)
18- Meryl Streep (when a legend this big is at any event, even if you dont care for them...you go for them)
19- Jennifer Aniston (met her once many many years ago & had nothing of note to get signed, now I will.)
20- Hugo Weaving (V For Vendetta, that about says it
all)
21- Liam Neeson (even though hes a prick, still love most of his work)
22- Marcia Gay Harden (kind of an off the map 1. Really only want to meet her because of the amazing job shes done this year on The Newsroom)
23- Mke Myers (met him several times, but still always excited to meet him again)
24- Kate Winslet (Titanic is all I really know her from. But isn't that enough reason to go for her?)
25- Daniel Radcliffe (I loathe the Harry Potter franchise. But that said, I like money. So I will go for this stiff)

Honourable mention
- Nicole Kidman, Jackie Earle Haley, Michael Fassbender, Mila Kunis, Olivia Wilde, Judi Dench, Tom Welling, Keanu Reeves, Tobey Maguire, Pierce Brosnan, Jude Law, Katheryn Winnick, Peter Sarsgaard, Alia Shawkat, James Van Der Beek, Metallica, Alice Cooper, Hugh Jackman, Sandra Bullock

Notables not on my list
- Reese Witherspoon ( she isnt going to sign more
than 2 or 3 autographs anyways...just long enough for the cameras to get pictures of her interacting with the "common folk" so why waste my time. Shes a bitch, thats the nicest thing anyone who has ever met her can say about her)
- Glenn Close (got her 2 years ago. I really am not impressed enough by her work to care to chase this fairly elusive signer)
- Jake Gyllenhaal (the lesser talented of the Gyllenhaal siblings, hes a douchebag. I'd rather ask homeless people for their autograph than giving him the satisfaction of ignoring me)
- Zack Galifinakis (outside of the Hangover, has he done ANYTHING to warrant such a big ego? No? Thats what I thought. When he comes back down to reality, maybe I'll care. Till then, his self importance of himself makes him irrelevant to me)
- Owen Wilson (really untalented, terribly unfunny, and a
bit of a prick. Cant be bothered)
- Keira Knightley (I got her last year & was really underwhelmed by her. Maybe once her ego comes down to reality I'll place more value on her. For now, shes a mediocre actress with too much of an ego & an abysmal autograph.)

My 2012 TIFF saw me go 10/25 (got my #1 Johnny Depp)
My 2011 TIFF saw me go 9/30 (got my #1 Chloe Moretz though)
My 2010 TIFF saw me go 8/20 (got my #1 Michael C. Hall)

How will TIFF 2013 go? Who will I get? Who will I miss? Will Ms. Rauch show up? Will my 3 year streak of getting my #1 continue to 4 years?

I will update this blog as the festival goes on. I will TRY to do it everyday, but as those of you who read my previous years blogs know, it will probably be more of every 2-3 days.

"Kick Ass" star Chloe Moretz stops on the red carpet of her 2011 Toronto International Film Festival Premiere for "Hick"

It is time for the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival!!

The 37th TIFF is rolling out another star studded line up for its event.

With legitimate A Listers like Johnny Depp, Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro & Will Smith coming, as well as up & comers like Jennifer Lawrence, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Emma Watson & Marion Cotillard, as well as notable TV stars like Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks, John Goodman & Keifer Sutherland, this festival will be full of star sightings around Toronto for the next week & 1/2.

The festival is starting off with a roar as "Looper" starring The Dark Knight Rises star Joseph Gordon Levitt & Die Hard legend Bruce Willis opens the festival.
Other notable titles are
-"Spring Breakers" featuring a trio of the next generations "in" names James Franco, Selena Gomez & Vanessa Hudgens.
-"Anna Karenina" with Keira Knightley & Kick Ass star Aaron Taylor Johnson.
-"Argo" The Ben Affleck directed & starred in thriller featuring John Goodman & Bryan Cranston.
- "Cloud Atlas" featuring Tom Hanks, Hugo Weaving & Halle Berry.
-"Silver Linings Playbook" featuring Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper & Jennifer Lawrence.
&
-"The Company You Keep" directed by Robert Redford & starring Shia LaBeouf & Mr. Redford himself.
Thats only a 1/2 dozen of the 100s of films featured at the festival.

Of course, most of Hollywoods star power will be on hand promoting their projects.
Every year I have a top list of who I want to get. Here is my 2012 crop (list was made before some late additions to the list of attendees was known)

My top 25 list

1- Johnny Depp - Its Johnny freaking depp. You know, Officer Hanson. How could I NOT put him 1st?
2- Will Smith - The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air, Men In Black 1 & 2, Independence Day. MOST years, he probably would have been #1 with a resume like that.
3- Colin Farrell - In Bruges is 1 of my favorite movies ever. The main 3 from the film are all apparently coming...but he was the only confirmed 1 when I made the list.
4- Tom Hanks - You heard of that film Toy Story? No? How about Toy Story 2? Toy Story 3? A League Of Their Own? Forrest Gump? I knew you woulda heard of something hes done if I named enough. 2 Academy Awards. Nuff said.
5- Robert De Niro - My hope to get him is waning. 2 years in a row I have been within inches of getting him, only to go away shut put. Is 3rd time the charm?
6- Bryan Cranston - Walter Fucking White. Do I need to say more?
7- Aaron Paul - Cant get 1 member of Breaking Bad without getting the other, right?
8- Hugh Laurie - Gregory House is 1 of my favorite TV characters ever. Got snubbed by him last year. Trying to right that wrong this year.
9- Jason Bateman - In the last year or so I became an Arrested development fan. I got Jason in 2007, but didnt care much as I had not seen a second of AD yet. Now, different story.
10- Aaron Taylor Johnson - I got Hit Girl Llast year, this year, gotta get KICK ASS.
11- Hugo Weaving - Loved V For Vendetta. 
12- Saoirse Ronan - Although I got her last year, this year, I wanna get 1 that isnt sign in a gawdawful dying silver marker.
13- Brendan Gleeson - In Bruges star.
14- Eli Roth - Loved Grindhouse & Inglourious Basterds. Dont love ALL his work, but the ones I do, are pretty awesome.
15- Ralph Fiennes - In Bruges star. That is all.
16- Mary Elizabeth Winsted - As the actress playing a cheerleader in a movie in Death Proof she was automatically on my list. Her role in Live Free Or Die Hard solidified it)
17- Jennifer Lawrence - The Hunger Games. Enuff said.
18- Saskia Rosendahl - Every TIFF I find 1 "dont know much about her" name that intrigues me. This year, Saskia caught my attention.
19- Selena Gomez - Even though I got her several times in the past, I havent got her in awhile.
20- Pierce Brosnan - James Bond should always make any list.
21- Helen Hunt - got her before. But would like to get again.
22- Christina Hendricks - just too hot not to want to get.
23- Viggo Mortensen - got him before...but now, theres even MORE films of his I like. So I want him again.
24- Ray Liotta - Wild Hogs, Goodfellas...and he has his own honey.
25- Keira Knightley - Hmmm'ed & hawwed about who gets 25tyh. In the end, decided the POTC star trumped Marisa Tomei being in My Cousin Vinny.

Honourable mention -  Gwynyth Paltrow, Bruce Willis, Olga Kurylenko Marion Cotillard,  Steve Buscemi, Ray Liotta, Christopher Walken, Kate Hudson, Javier Bardem, Marisa Tomei, Jude Law, Lena Headey,

In 2010 I managed only 8/20 (but managed my #1 Michael C. Hall) http://canadagraphs.weebly.com/1/post/2010/09/my-top-20-wants-at-tiff-2010.html

In 2011 I managed only 9/30 (but managed my #1 Chloe Moretz & 4 of my top 5 INCLUDING Madonna) http://canadagraphs.weebly.com/1/post/2011/09/the-2011-toronto-international-film-festival-starts-this-week-here-is-my-top-30-want-list-for-tiff-11.html

How will I do in 2012? Who will I get? Who will I miss? Will Mr. Depp keep the #1 streak alive?

TODAY TIFF KICKS OFF!! I will try to update my blog with reports of my daily ventures when time permits. I will certainly cover every day...eventually, just might be a couple days late sometimes.