By Henry Cruz

"We could say we are living in quite difficult times with wars and economic problems, but I think filmmakers understand that audiences just need a break sometimes from that," said Toronto festival chief Cameron Bailey (via AP)...

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Madonna's husband a Toronto film festival darling?

'Bucking a trend that started way-back when American Beauty busted out of Toronto to win a (best picture) Oscar; followed closely by other high-brow flix like Crash, Capote, Sideways, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, to name a few...

Toronto, quickly became known for its love affair with small artsy pix. Just last year they hosted -- 'the North American launches of several eventual Oscar winners -- Juno, No Country for Old Men, Michael Clayton and Atonement..'

This year got a bad-case of amnesia, asking 'Oscar-who?'

'Going instead with (I-kid-you-not) -- Rocknrolla type comedies -- '30 comedies in total, including Zack and Miri Make a Porno starring Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks, Anne Fontaine's La fille de Monaco, and the Coen brothers' dark comedy Burn After Reading.

'Sometimes it is just about having a good time,' says the NY Times. 'That was the message here on Thursday night, as the Toronto International Film Festival got going with a face-smashing, belly-laughing gangster caper from a director best known as Madonna’s husband...'

No, really, Madonna's husband is now a festival darling? -- Is that the best we can come up with?

'Politics is in surprisingly short supply here, given the imminence of a United States election and the festival’s past record.'

In fact during a panel discussion, the moderator fished for a political thought in connection with one of the more commercial films. The filmmaker scoffed at the message-driven fare of the past, saying the film is just meant to be enjoyable.

“Change happens,” he added, “in very personal, subtle, minor ways more than it does in a big landscape.”