By Nicholas Porteous

We open on a particularly bland overhead shot as a car pulls into a driveway. It’s a reserved choice to serve as the opening for Steven Soderbergh‘s latest–but wait. The camera twists and turns and hovers down the stairs, revealing an empty house and an anxious realtor (Julia Fox–be warned: this is her only scene). There’s clearly something more to this strange, drifting perspective. Indeed, there’s a Presence in this house. A ghost. And for whatever reason, among the family of new occupants in this otherwise lovely abode, their young daughter Blue (captivating newcomer Callina Liang) shares some kind of connection with the spirit.

What follows is entirely from the ghost’s perspective, and it turns out to be a fantastic parameter for Soderbergh to play within. How does a non-speaking entity reveal its motivations? What kind of phantom are we dealing with here? And how will a family contend with the unknown force? You won’t hear another word about the plot from me, but if you’re looking for a good little ghost story, you’ve come to the right place. Presence is another small-scale, experimental gem from Soderbergh that moves at a clip and kept me intrigued–both as a narrative and as a technical act of storytelling–for its lean, 85-minute runtime.

David Koepp‘s Screenplay is occasionally guilty of tripping over the line into schlock and cheese, which plays at odds with Soderbergh’s relatively naturalistic approach. But all in all, Presence is a brilliant blend of family dramedy and supernatural suspense, anchored by a strong ensemble–featuring Lucy Liu and Chris Sullivan as spiritually discordant parents–that imbues the camera with a perfectly calibrated sense of fear and wonder. Presence could be considered a minor work from a master Filmmaker, but its slender format and otherworldly themes have staying power. Don’t let this one pass you by.

Presence screens at TIFF ’24:

Friday, September 13 at 6:15 PM at The Princess of Wales Theatre

Saturday, September 14 at 7:45 PM at Scotiabank Theatre

By Mr. Will Wong

Max Minghella‘s SHELL really should have been a part of TIFF‘s Midnight Madness programme, vying to be a campy cult classic.

We meet Sam (Elisabeth Moss), an aging Actress struggling to land roles..In fact, she loses out to someone she once babysat.  She takes the suggestion to go to a wellness institution, Shell, which calls Zoe (Kate Hudson) its CEO. Sam begins to find confidence undergoing treatments.  But things get suspicious once clients begin disappearing inexplicably, unlocking some dark secrets about Shell.

We love that Minghella is drawing inspiration from camp, erotica and all that juicy stuff. Elizabeth Berkley gets her flowers here and Sam and Zoe‘s relationship at times feels very Crystal vs. Nomi in Showgirls.  

SHELL starts off rather solid, but fulfills its campy destiny in the final.act, going way over the top. Moss is superb, nailing the drama, comedy and horror of this.

SHELL screens as follows at TIFF ’24:

Thursday, September 12
VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre
9:30 pm

Friday, September 13
Scotiabank Theatre
5:30 pm

We are in the home stretch finally! Our TIFF ’24 DAY EIGHT included:

•Kate Hudson
•Kaia Gerber
•Elizabeth Berkley
•Este Haim
•Arian Moayed
•Lionel Boyce
•Max Minghella

Highlights from the day:

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

By Mr. Will Wong

Nicole Kidman is an Actress at the highest level possible and her latest effort BABYGIRL is an affirmation.

Actress-turned-Director Halina Reijn helms this very intimate look at female sexuality from a distinctive female lens. We meet Romy (Kidman), a high-power CEO who engages in an illicit affair with an intern at her company, Samuel (Harris Dickinson). Reijn delves into the power in their relationship and ultimately it is the intern who holds the upper-hand, with the threat of him destroying everything she has worked so hard to build including her career and family. BABYGIRL is a portrait of a woman in power and her world unravelling, but the question is why she makes the choices she does.

While sex is an integral component of the Film, it serves as a device to helping us try to understand this complex woman and her past. Kidman soars in the deep complexity of the assignment. Her Romy isn’t here to win hearts, Kidman is here to take us into her world and struggle to understand herself. Dickinson, meanwhile, completely disappears into Samuel – a fearless young man who certainly knows how to push buttons.

Taking notes from ’90s Erotica Thrillers, BABYGIRL feels reminiscent of that era, yet is unmistakably now and could only have been made today. Reijn is an exciting new Filmmaker with something to say.

BABYGIRL screens at TIFF ’24 as follows:

Tuesday, September 10
VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre
9:30 pm

Wednesday, September 11
Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
5:30 pm

By David Baldwin

Ash (Oscar-winner Riz Ahmed) works as a mysterious middleman who brokers deals between would-be whistleblowers and their former companies. He uses new and dated technology – and makes extensive use of the telephone relay system – to keep his clients safe and out of harm’s way. His newest client, Sarah Grant (Lily James), is being harassed by thugs hired by her former company to intimidate her. Ash is hesitant to help but relents when he realizes the henchmen are not letting up.

RELAY has an interesting hook, and feels very much indebted to the paranoid thrillers of the 1970’s and even the work of Alfred Hitchcock. Some of the Film’s twists feel a little forced and bizarre, yet Director David Mackenzie (whose previous credits include Hell or High Water and TIFF ’18 Opening Nighter Outlaw King) has a knack for keeping you on the edge of your seat throughout anyway. He makes great use of the foreground and background, dropping in small details that even the most obsessive viewer may not catch.

James does well as the damsel in distress, but this show belongs to Ahmed. He spends much of the Film silent and determined, always staying (or at least trying to stay) ahead of the thugs. While some of the exposition unlocking his character’s past could have been a little cleaner, the sheer rizz Ahmed exudes keeps the Film from totally grinding to a screeching halt and makes some of the ludicrous swings more digestible. His chemistry with James is wonderful but his chemistry with a computer screen is simply divine.

RELAY screens at TIFF ’24:

Sunday, September 8 at 3:00PM at VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre

Monday, September 9 at 3:00PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

By David Baldwin

Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver) is a brilliant and obscenely wealthy architect who can harness time itself and has grand plans for the future of New Rome (which not so inconspicuously looks like what we call New York). His latest project which he dubs Megalopolis has made him a thorn in the side of the city’s mayor Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito). The animosity the pair have for one another is further exacerbated when Cesar falls in love with Cicero’s daughter Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel of Game of Thrones and the Fast franchise).

That description only hints at the wonder and madness housed within MEGALOPOLIS, legendary Oscar-winning Writer/Director Francis Ford Coppola’s long-gestating passion project that has become one of the most-talked-about films of the year. I was not quite sure what to make of the film and days after seeing it, am still very much speechless when it comes to describing my feelings about the final product.

What I can say is this: MEGALOPOLIS is big, bold, brash filmmaking that is uncompromised in terms of vision and scope. It is unlike anything you will likely ever see and stands in sharp contrast to any “epic” film made over the past fifty years. The dialogue can become rather dicey even at the best of times, but Coppola’s grasp of the Film’s visual language is staggeringly unique and often downright beautiful. It deftly blends practical with artificial and practically explodes with its use of vivid colours and sumptuous costuming. For better or worse, we will never see a film like this come out of the American cinema system ever again. Full stop.

That may sound like typical festival hyperbole, but no film can even come close to matching the audacity of MEGALOPOLIS. Like what other film can boast about containing chariot races, Shia LeBeouf dressed in ancient Roman drag, and Jon Voight commenting on the size of his “boner”? What other film stops dead in order for someone to pop out of the audience and literally speak to Adam Driver on-screen for an extended period of time? I am not kidding about any of this – it all happens and somehow these are not the most ludicrous examples of what Coppola was able to sneak into this film.

Acting wise, everyone is all over the map putting in ranging from subtle, controlled work to wildly animated, over-the-top insanity. Everyone is committed to the bit here and to Coppola’s incredible vision. For my money, the clear standout is Aubrey Plaza, who plays the scheming TV personality Wow Platinum (yes, that is seriously her character’s name). She commands the screen with every breath and overshadows nearly everyone with her certifiably deranged performance. It may border on being a little too campy, but in a movie like this, fits in rather snuggly alongside every other crazy thing around her and needs to be seen to be believed.

MEGALOPOLIS screens at TIFF’ 24:

Monday, September 9 at 9:30PM at Roy Thomson Hall

Tuesday, September 10 at 8:00PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

By Amanda Gilmore

Director Jason Reitman pays joyful homage to Lorne Michaels and his troupe of young comedians who changed television forever with the smash-hit Saturday Night Live.

SATURDAY NIGHT depicts what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first taping on October 11, 1975. Reitman and his Co-Writer Gil Kenan capture the frenetic energy and stress at 50 Rockefeller on the 17th floor the night that made history. This hectic atmosphere is elevated by the outstanding score by Jon Batiste who developed it after working and witnessing what happened on set each day. He captures the anxiety, joy and playfulness those comedians felt and managed to fit it all into his Score.

The Script is fast-paced, which brings us right into the madness of putting on a live program, and is loaded with witty jokes, each of which are delivered by the ensemble cast with impeccable timing. Reitman has cast each of these beloved people to perfection. His idea to focus on a collective ensemble rather than any one individual is genius. It parallels the collective unit of the cast members working on SNL both past and present.

If there was a primary character Reitman focuses on it would be Michaels, for obvious reasons. This beloved Canadian changed television forever. He swung big and he didn’t know if he was going to stick the landing. Gabriel LaBelle’s performance allows for the anxiety and stress to be brimming just below the surface of the restrained and calm demeanour Michaels is known for. Other notable performances come from Cory Micheal Smith as Chevy Chase, Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd and Matt Wood as John Belushi. Each get their own moment to shine and show just how charismatic they and those they portray are. And finally there’s Rachel Sennott as Writer Rosie Shuster. She’s got a magnetic energy on the screen and the intimate moments she shares with Labelle are strong.

Overall, SATURDAY NIGHT is a hilarious, fun, entertaining Film that captures the moment a dreamer took a huge chance and won.

SATURDAY NIGHT screens at TIFF ’24:

Tue, Sept 10 at 5 PM at Royal Alexandra Theatre

Wed, Sept 11 at 3 PM at VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre

Fri, Sept 13 at 3 PM at VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre

Sat, Sept 14 at 9 AM at Scotiabank Theatre

By Nicholas Porteous

In Joshua Oppenheimer‘s first narrative feature The End, our planet has become uninhabitable, and an opulent, extended family (Tilda Swinton, Michael Shannon, George MacKay, Bronagh Gallagher, Tim McInnerny and Lennie James) clings to existence in a salt mine. Their days are spent hanging paintings, tending to toy models of the past, and getting in a bit of exercise. If you’re feeling a bit aimless–in any aspect of your existence–wait til you meet these people. In spite of their rudderless lives, they seem pretty content–at least on the surface. They are still coping, to one degree or another, with their responsibility for how the end of the world went down, maintaining comforting narratives about their past lives. When an unexpected visitor appears (Moses Ingram), the family is forced to recalibrate everything they’ve taken for granted about their routine lifestyle and personal narratives. Did I mention it’s a Musical?

The End is, for better and worse, unlike most movies I’ve ever seen. It takes a classic post-apocalyptic premise and injects the whimsy of a musical, while maintaining a core sense of a drudging, daily existence leading nowhere. It’s paradoxically expansive–infused with generous, super wide frames full of characters and set design–and also deeply interior. Near-motionless. These isolated beings, trapped in a social bubble of their own design, come off like aliens, completely out of practice when it comes to connecting with others. It’s as charming as it is confounding. Michael Shannon is particularly compelling as the aloof patriarch, giving what is likely the most tender performance of his career.

Outside of its songs, there’s little to no attempt to fight the inertia of this dying world. The End is a movie that feels longer than it is, and refuses to weave its various character threads into a compelling shape, abandoning one subplot for the other as its runtime drags onward. It’s a perplexing experience. I’m glad I saw it at the festival on a giant screen with an excited audience, because it’s so singular, but I can’t recommend The End as anything beyond a big swing novelty that may very well leave you cold and tired.

The End screens at TIFF ’24:

Thursday September 12th at 9:00 PM at Scotiabank

Our fave part.of the Festival! We get to actually see movies and hello to friends!! Our Day Seven!

•Kaia Gerber and Kate Hudson at TIFF ’24 for SHELL
•Halina Reijn at TIFF ’24 for BABYGIRL
•Edward Burns, Christy Turlington, Juliana Margulies, Morena Baccarin, Ben McKenzie, Gretchen Mol, Benjamin Bratt and Patrick Wilson celebrating MILLERS IN MARRIAGE

…and Elevation Studios END OF BRAT SUMMER Bash!

Highlights here:

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

By Amanda Gilmore

Will Ferrell’s close friend of 30 years, Harper Steele, wrote him an email informing him that she’s coming out as a Trans woman. Shortly after, the two decided to embark on a cross-country road trip to process this new stage of their relationship.

Will and Harper’s friendship started on Saturday Night Live. She got hired as a Writer on the late-night show in 1995, the same week Will joined the Cast. Will & Harper is a very funny Documentary. Watching these two hilarious people on a road trip across America leads to many funny jokes and situations. Along their travels, they even check in with previous SNL cast members where more fun is to be had.

But the best part of Will & Harper is watching two close friends being completely open with each other. Will’s been open about knowing nothing about the trans community before Harper came out. This documentary captures the trust and honesty these two share. Harper is willing to answer any question Will has about her transition while Harper asks Will questions about his feelings regarding her transition. What Director Josh Greenbaum (Strays, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar), Will, and Harper have created is a documentary that will change minds.

Will & Harper is an entertaining, heartwarming, and informative portrait of friendship, transition, and America.

Will & Harper screens at TIFF ’24:

Wednesday, September 11
Roy Thomson Hall
5:30 pm

Thursday, September 12
TIFF Lightbox
3:30 pm

Saturday, September 14
TIFF Lightbox
9:30 pm