"Western Stars," the movie, made its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last night, with its star and co-director, Bruce Springsteen, in attendance. (See video from the Toronto Sun, above.) And by all accounts, people liked it -- they really liked it!
Here's a roundup of the reviews and news out of Toronto so far:
Hollywood Reporter: "Much more than simply Springsteen with strings attached."
IndieWire: "An intimate and unexpected concert doc."
The Daily Mail reviews Bruce's red carpet outfit.
UPDATE:
Rolling Stone: "‘Western Stars’ Is Part Concert Film, Part Visual Album, All Springsteen."
UPROXX: "An Intimate, Wonderful Gift."
Plus Entertainment Weekly has more from the TIFF Q&A.
Stay tuned for more links as they appear! Meanwhile, "Western Stars" isn't all that's generating buzz in the world of Bruce: With his 70th birthday now just over a week away, the tributes and think pieces should start coming fast and furious. Here are a few items that have already been posted to beat the rush:
"Blinded by The Light" co-screenwriter Sarfraz Manzoor writes in the NY Times about "How Bruce Springsteen unites the world." Meanwhile, Russ Smith at SpliceToday (which, contrary to popular belief, is not a soft drink), says Manzoor is way off.
Asbury Park Press revisits "Bruce Springsteen, 9/11 and why we needed 'The Rising'."
The Conversation declares Springsteen "an Aristotle for our times," which is not at all hyperbolic.
Why didn't I think of this? Lonely Planet presents "Grab your tickets and your suitcase: our favorite destinations from Springsteen songs."
And finally, some ICYMI items that you, well, shouldn't miss.
The legendary "Piece De Resistance" bootleg from Passaic '78 is now an official release.
Did you know Bruce Springsteen has an asteroid named after him? Well he does.
Bruce is coming back to "Stand Up For Heroes" with more dirty jokes.
The kids love Bruce! Vampire Weekend covers "Streets of Philadelphia" in Philadelphia, and indie fave Lucy Dacus simply cooks on her version of "Dancing in the Dark," a tribute to the Boss and her Springsteen-fan dad: