TIFF50 - A FEW MOVIE/SERIES CAPSULE REVIEWS AT THIS YEAR'S FESTIVAL
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Year 50 of the Toronto International Film Festival hit the city strong with a star studded lineup of films and series that you won’t want to miss.
Here are a few of the films/series I was able to preview during the festival with my thoughts in the follwing capsule reviews.
You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution
(Special Presentations) Sat Sep 06 Royal Alexandra Theatre, 2:00pm, Sun Sep 07 Scotiabank 3, 9:15pm, Fri Sep 12 Scotiabank 13, 9:30pm
Prepare Ye! If you’re a fan of Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Victor Garber and many more notable Canadians who ended up with stellar careers, then you’re going to love the new documentary, You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution. The film takes us back to when these powerhouse talents came together for the live production of Godspell that graced Toronto’s Royal Alexandra Theatre in 1972 and launched some incredible careers.
With barely any footage of the show ( I mean who had a cell phone back then?) director Nick Davis creatively uses animation, stills, audio from the show and interviews to create an engaging and nostalgic documentary. The most delightful discovery? Every single living member of this spectacular troupe remains friends to this day!
Still Single - TIFF Docs
Friday, September 5, TIFF Lightbox #1 3:00pm, Sat • Sep 06 • 10:00 PM Scotiabank Theatre Cinema 14, Saturday, September 13 Scotiabank Theatre 9:10am
I’ll never take eating Sushi for granted again! Sushi superstar Masaki Saito, to say the least, is a character in his own right but he is beyond passionate when it comes to creating his sushi masterpieces. The thirty-something Chef born in Japan has settled here in Canada becoming one of the first of this Country's chefs to be given two Michelin stars for his work. Saito’s high end Toronto restaurant caters to the elite and if you can afford it guests are never disappointed with the delectables set in front of them. Directors Jamal Burger and Jukan Tateisi take a deep dive into this culinary genius’s world and the people who have helped him become the phenom he is today.
Degrassi: Whatever It Takes - TIFF DOCS
Sat Sep 13 Scotiabank 1, 6:15pm, Sun Sep 14 Scotiabank 3, 3:45pm
Talk about nostalgia! I honestly don't know anyone who didn’t watch or at least has heard of the world wide phenomenon that was Degrassi! The groundbreaking series ( which ran in different incarnations for 37 seasons) is one of the most impactful series to ever come out of Canada.
The documentary dives into the behind-the-scenes truth of the Degrassi franchise—raw, real, and sometimes troubling— it also celebrates the powerful legacy of a show that made teens feel seen and heard. With candid interviews from the cast, creators and super fans - the doc takes you into the meat and potatoes as to why this show was so iconic and touched so many people worldwide.
Interviews with most of the original cast, some of who owe their careers to the show are featured, but truly the highlight? An exclusive indepth sit down catch with Aubrey Graham, better known as Drake and watching his rise to astronomical fame after his untimely demise on the series.
Black Rabbit ( Primetime)
Sunday, September 7 TIFF Lightbox #1 3:30pm, Monday, September 8, Scotiabank Theatre 13
Get ready to settle in for some intense family drama. Black Rabbit is a new Netflix series starring Jude Law and Jason Bateman as estranged brothers who have some seedy secrets. TIFF is giving us a taste of this fast paced gritty drama set in New York that will start streaming in its entirety later this month.
Law plays older brother Jake, owner of the successful bar/restaurant Black Rabbit. Things start to go awry when brother Vince (Jason Bateman) returns to town after a long absence due to dealings with the mob and some unpaid debts that will cause some real problems for brother Jake and his plans for the Black Rabbit.
Outstanding performances from Law and Bateman - who lost quite a bit of weight and grew his hair and beard out so long, he is barely recognizable. His jittery and frenetic portrayal of Vince is one for the books! He also directed a few episodes and also worth noting, Laura Linney, Bateman’s Ozark co-star went behind the camera to direct a number of the episodes.
Wayward ( Primetime)
Thu Sep 11 TIFF Lightbox 1 9:45PM
Netflix is beaming with pride over the new production of their upcoming limited series, Wayward. From Mae Martin the creator and star of the hit show Feel Good, Mae moves effortlessly from comedy into the world of a psychological thriller. Set in the seemingly idyllic town of Tall Pines, the series delves into the dark underbelly of the "troubled teen" industry. Martin, who also serves as co-showrunner and executive producer, plays Alex, a police officer who moves to the town and becomes suspicious of a local academy for troubled teens led by the mysterious Evelyn, played to chilling perfection by Toni Collette. Sarah Gadon plays Laura, Alex’s very mysterious and pregnant partner.
The show is a genre-bending blend of humor and horror, exploring themes of adolescence, small-town secrets, and the compromises people make to fit into society. With an outstanding cast and a gripping premise, Wayward is an engrossing and eerie watch.
Roofman
Sun Sep 07 Roy Thomson Hall 10:00am Fri Sep 12 TIFF Lightbox 1, 3:00pm Sat Sep 13 Scotiabank 4 9:20pmSun Sep 14 Scotiabank 3 9:15am
Channing Tatum let's it all hang out in his latest film, Roofman.
Based on the real life story, Tatum plays Jeffrey Allen Manchester an American convicted spree-robber and former United States Army Reserve soldier known as the "Rooftop Robber" or simply "Roofman" due to his modus operandi of breaking into his target locations (most commonly McDonald's) by drilling through their roofs. He ended up targeting a Toys R Us which he cleverly made his home for 6 months.
Things start to get really complicated when he starts to fall for Leigh, (Kirsten Dunce) an employee of the store. The film was a chance to work with Director Derek Cianfrance, who had approached him almost twenty years ago to star in “Blue Valentine,” a role that ultimately went to Ryan Gosling.
Tatum delivers a tour de force performance as Manchester mainly because he handles both the humor and the heart in the film. Channing is so good, were with him every step of the way making us root for this man who is a convicted yet passionate criminal.
Tatum lost 70 pounds for the role and never shy about showing off his body (Magic Mike), in one scene he gets caught bathing in the toy store by the manager (Peter Dinklage) and then runs away fully nude. An incredblie true story that Director Derek Cinefrance handles with compassion and humour. In addition to Dinklage, “Roofman” features memorable performances from co-stars Juno Temple, Uzo Aduba, LaKeith Stanfield and Ben Mendelsohn. Paramount will release the film, in theaters on Oct. 10.
Steve
Tue Sep 09 TIFF Lightbox 4 12:45pm Sat Sep 13 TIFF Lightbox 3 3:30pm
True confession. I've never seen anything starring Cillian Murphy I havent liked. Murphy gives a powerful and heartbreaking performance in Steve.
Based on Max Porter’s bestselling 2023 novella, Shy, Murphy plays an underappreciated and utterly devoted head of a reform school for teenage boys. As if running the underfunded troubled school isnt enough stress, things come to a boil when a documentary crew arrives to get a behind the scenes look at what is really going on.
The casting of the troubled teens is brilliant, but standout Jay Lycargo as Shy is a revelation! Cillian's gut wrenching portrayal of Steve hits harder watching the character deal with his own mental health issues.
Despite it all, it's a lesson of fragility, care, patience and connection. He's the teacher who everyone needs and wants. Trying to hold it all together for his students, he can barely handle his own personal issues.
Supported by Tracy Ullman and Emily Watson, Steve is a film you won't soon forget. Coming to Netflix this Fall.
Fuze
Sat Sep 06Scotiabank 4 9:35pm Wed Sep 10 Scotiabank 3 12:00pm
Fuze is a frenetic rollar coaster ride of a heist movie.
Directed by David Mackenzie, this high stakes thriller set in Central London centers around what seems like the perfectly planned bank theft. The city is thrown into panic by the discovery of an unexploded WW2 bomb on a construction site. Amidst the chaos of a widespread evacuation, a gang of criminals begin an audacious robbery that could potentially make them a windfall.
There are so many twists and turns in this fast paced film its hard to keep up with who's double crossing who! What a cast!!! Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Will Tranter, a major in the British Army specializing in explosives who is called in to detonate the bomb. Gugu Mbatha-Raw is the police constable in charge,Sam Worthington as one of the thieves and Theo James is compelling as the smooth talking mastermind of the heist (or is he?).
While the first half of FUZE is gripping and tense, the middle gets a bit muddled and becomes a bit confusing as to who we’re actually rooting for. Overall, solid performances from the cast and the story keeps you on the edge for the entire hour and 40 minute run.
& Sons ( Special Presentations)
Tue Sep 09 Scotiabank
A reclusive writer, Bill Nighy and co-written by Toronto's own Sarah Polley? Count me in!
Based on David Gilbert’s 2013 critically acclaimed novel, & Sons stars Bill Nighy as an aging legendary and reclusive genius writer Andrew Dyer, who is in the midst of delivering a eulogy at his oldest friend's funeral. He's spent over twenty years on his own, disassociating himself from the real world, and most importantly his own sons.
It all catches up with him when he suffers a breakdown over the life he's led and the people he's hurt. Realizing his mistakes, he reconvenes for the first time in years with his two older sons played by Johnny Flynn and George MacKay in an attempt – or so it would seem- to make amends.
He wants his older sons to connect with their younger half brother Andy (Noah Jupe) and expose some secrets that throws everything into major chaos. This film is a universal portrait of how different families are and can be.
Beautifully directed by Pablo Trapero with a moving and effective soundtrack, we get stunning performances from Nighy and the supporting cast which includes the brilliant Imelda Staunton and Noah Jupe. & Sons truly makes you think how life can be so crazy and yet so real.
Train Dreams
Wed Sep 10 TIFF Lightbox 2 12:15pm Wed Sep 10 TIFF Lightbox 4 3:45pm
Fri Sep 12 TIFF Lightbox 4 12:45pm
Train Dreams is a gut punch of a film that will undoubtedly have you thinking about it for days.
Director Clint Bentley's adaptation of Pulitzer Prize finalist Denis Johnson’s 2011 novella is a breathtaking poignant character study set in the Pacific Northwest in the early part of the 20th Century.
Joel Edgerton gives yet another memorable and deeply sensitive performance as logger Robert Grainier who works to develop the railroad across the United States. His gruelling work causes him to spend a lot of time away from his wife (FelicityJones) and daughter.
He's a man of simple means and has a hard time accepting his place in a fast changing world.
Train Dreams is truly dreamy. While Edgerton's performance is subtle, emotional and impactful what truly stands out is the breathtaking and emersive cinematography. It's a contemplative story that many will relate to. Adapting to change and sometimes devastating loss isn't easy, but necessary.
Train Dreams is sad but hopeful and explores resilience, solitude, and interconnectedness particularly through the depiction of man's relationship with nature and the people who touched his life.
Memorable supporting performances from Oscar nominees Felicity Jones, Kerry Condon and William H. Macy.
Train Dreams in select theatres November 7 and streaming on Netflix on November 21.
Blood Lines - Centrepiece
Mon Sep 08 Scotiabank 4. 6:15pm, Wed Sep 10 TIFF Lightbox 3, 11:30am,
Blood Lines is a powerfilm about family forgiveness and reconnection from filmmaker Gail Maurice who debuted her first feature, Rosie at TIFF in 2022.
The film centers around Léonore ( played by Maurice) as a former alcoholic mother who left her young daughter with her grandmother to give her a better life.
When mom returns, her daughter Beatrice (Dana Solomon) is angry and unforgiving - but also has much to learn as to why her mother had to leave.
The film proudly embraces and celebrates the Métis culture with dialogue in the Michif language, which has only about 1,130 speakers in the world, including Maurice and centres around an upcoming Métis Day festival. Both Gail Maurice and Dana Solomon show off their jigging skills - a true highlight of the film.
Honey Bunch - Centrepiece
Wed Sep 10 TIFF Lightbox 2, 6:30pm, Sat Sep 13 Scotiabank 4 2:30pm
Shudder films purchased Honey Bunch even before the festival started, so you know this one will draw plenty of attention! Making its North American Premiere, Canadian filmmaking duo Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli bring us their new psychological thriller.
Honey Bunch stars real life couple Grace Glowicki and Ben Petrie as husband and wife Homer and Diana who we quickly discover have a pretty strange relationship. Diana who after a brutal car accident awakes after being in a coma but has limited memories of life before the crash.
So she and her husband try an experimental treatment at a remote facility but as time progresses Diana is suspicious of where she is and is her husband all he really seems to be? Stand out performances from Jason Isaacs as a desperate father trying to help his daughter and the wonderful Kate Dickie who runs the facility.
This twisted love story is creepy and whimsical, and will give you all the “ick” feels when the big reveal comes your way!
Easy's Waltz (Special Presentation)
Fri Sep 12 Scotiabank 3 3:45pm
Sun Sep 14 Scotiabank 2 8:40am
Vince Vaughn as a down and out Vegas crooner with Al Pacino as his saviour? What could be more enticing?
Easy's Waltz is written and directed by Nic Pizzolatto, the creator of the TV series True Detective. It reunites him with Vaughn who starred in Season 2 of the hit series. Vaughn takes the lead as Easy, a down-on-his-luck Las Vegas crooner who is offered a shot at the big time by an older, well-respected Vegas hot shot played by Al Pacino. Easy really wants this comeback, but faces challenges from his own self-destructive habits and the schemes of his reckless younger brother.
The movie offers a mix of grit and nostalgia for the fading glories of the Las Vegas Strip and has that 70's feel to it. Vaughn plays the role with so much pathos and charm while Pacino is spot on as Mickey, the man who can make dreams come true but if you double cross him, watch out! Major kudos to Vaughn who actually sings every song and he's pretty darn good! Who knew? Loved the lounge versions of popular songs which he belts out with ease, including Whitney Houston's I Wanna Dance With Somebody!
As if Al Pacino and Vince Vaughan aren't enough, Easy's Waltz boasts a stellar supporting cast which includes Simon Rex, Kate Mara, Shania Twain, Cobie Smulders and that famous Vegas strip!