North of the border

TORONTO - A constellation of Hollywood's biggest stars will materialize as the Toronto International Film Festival, North America's largest, unspools 249 features beginning tomorrow.

Some of the mostly hotly anticipated titles, all world or North American premieres, include:

* "Burn After Reading" - Joel and Ethan Coen's follow-up to the Oscar-winning "No Country for Old Men" is a spy comedy starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton and Frances McDormand.

* "Religulous" - Scaldingly funny documentary about organized religion, which Bill Maher treats with the same respect that Michael Moore showed for President Bush in "Fahrenheit 9/11." Directed by Larry Charles ("Borat").

* "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" - Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks in a title-described comedy from Kevin Smith.

* "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" - Michael Cera, who became a Canuck sex symbol in Toronto with "Juno" a year ago, returns in a quirky romantic comedy with the up-and-coming Kat Dennings.

* "Miracle at St. Anna" - Spike Lee's answer to "Flags of Our Fathers" is a World War II drama set in Italy starring Derek Luke.

* "Rachel Getting Married" -Jonathan Demme directs a dark comedy about a woman (played by Anne Hathaway) who leaves rehab for the nuptials of her sister.

* "The Duchess" - Keira Knightley dons period garb again as the extravagant 18th century Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, with Ralph Fiennes as the philandering duke.

* "The Secret Life of Bees" -Dakota Fanning as a 14-year-old in 1964 North Carolina who finds solace in beekeeping after the death of her mother.

* "Pride and Glory" - NYPD family saga stars Colin Farrell and Edward Norton as brothers-in-law caught up in a corruption scandal.

* "New York, I Love You" - 12-part film whose directors include Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson and Brett Ratner. Among the stars: Shia LaBeouf, Ethan Hawke, Julie Christie, Kevin Bacon and Orlando Bloom.

* "The Lucky Ones" - Rachel McAdams, Tim Robbins and Michael Pena as Iraq war vets on a road trip across America.

* "Flash of Genius" - Greg Kinnear as the inventor of the intermittent windshield wiper who battled Detroit for years.
Source: www.nypost.com