What is the Theatre of Zen?

TIFF 2011 'Drive' screening w/Director Nicolas Winding Refn

I have been writing on the Internet for many years, but it has often been on just one special interest topic. As I look forward to my 9th consecutive year in attending the Toronto International Film Festival, I realize that I needed to start chronicling my full experience at the film festival. In prior years, I posted short reviews of the films I saw at TIFF at a film/movie awards message board. But since I have lost interest in visiting that particular website earlier this year, I realized that as TIFF 2012 approaches, I needed a new outlet to write my reviews.

Compared to many professional critics and established film critic bloggers, I am a novice at reviewing films per se. However, I do feel that my love for cinema, and the fact that I watch so many films on DVD, Netflix, and attend TIFF, I have a voice to share as well in critiquing some of the films that I see. So I look forward to updating this blog regularly about a movie I saw. Additionally, I have also been inspired by the new film festival that my hometown of Ann Arbor kicked off this year called Cinetopia. I unfortunately missed out on this inaugural event, May 31-June 3 as I was on holiday in Ireland. Needless to say, I will be more careful in planning my vacation next summer as I plan to participate in Cinetopia next year!

The title of the blog, 'Theatre of Zen' was created to represent my interest primarily in the world of the 'movie theater', but also, in the theatre of 'Life' (gossip/entertainment, politics, Ann Arbor living, culture, etc.) and the 'Zen' part is for the wonderful things that bring joy to me (travel, tea, health & beauty, yoga, my photography, etc).

Please make sure you check back often to see what I'm writing about as each post will be totally different from the other. I have a sharp sense of humor, I can have a potty mouth at times, but it's all in good fun. I look forward to sharing things with you that I hope will inspire you or give you pause for consideration. Comments are greatly encouraged, and you can email me in private too if you prefer. Thanks!

Photo Source: Simone