#TIFF19: “BAD EDUCATION”

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong The Roslyn School District in Long Island has become substantially more prestigious due to the tireless work of Superintendent Frank Tassone (Hugh Jackman) and his team. But everything starts falling apart when it is discovered that his Assistant Superintendent Pam Gluckin (Oscar-winner Allison Janney) has been embezzling money from the school. And as one student journalist begins digging deeper, it becomes clear that Frank may be involved as ... Read more

#TIFF19: DAY EIGHT – PRIYANKA CHOPRA-JONAS, FARHAN AKHTAR + ROHIT SARAF

We've made it! TIFF '19 closes with a bang and Priyanka Chopra-Jonas gave us a dash of starpower. Now she was here last weekend but flew-in to join Director Shonali Bose, plus Co-Stars Farhan Akhtar, Rohit Saraf for The Sky is Pink, premiering at both Elgin Theatre and Roy Thomson Hall. See our Snaps. Hover cursor right to navigate slideshow.   View this post on Instagram   #TIFF19: #PriyankaChopra, #FarhanAkhtar, ... Read more

#TIFF19: “HOW TO BUILD A GIRL”

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong When Johanna Morrigan (Beanie Feldstein) gets hired as a Critic for a London music magazine she beings changing who she is. Director Coky Giedroyc and Screenwriter Caitlin Moran have made a quirky coming-of-age film about a loveable and flawed girl. The Film succeeds due to Moran’s Script which is full of hilarious British quips, heartbreaking reality and candid lessons. The most impressive and refreshing aspect as the Film is the character ... Read more

#TIFF19: “WESTERN STARS”

Review by Mr. Will Wong Western  Stars is quintessential viewing for fans of The Boss. The Documentary co-directed by music icon Bruce Springsteen and Thom Zimny gives fans a gorgeous intimate visual and sound experience on the ideas and concepts behind his latest studio album.  The Documentary was recorded in his 100-year-old barn with a 30-piece orchestra and his band, including partner Patti Scialfa. We get a get a glimpse into Springsteen's journey and the life lessons he has accrued, ... Read more

#TIFF19: “LUCY IN THE SKY”

Review by Mr. Will Wong Lucy in the Sky centers on an astronaut's successful journey into space and the aftermath of this when she re-evaluates her life.  We witness Lucy's (Natalie Portman) unravelling as she loses her perspective on the world after she accomplishes the mission. She becomes unhinged, losing her inhibitions and what ensues is a downward spiral from which we can't keep our eyes off. The Drama-Thriller is Noah Hawley's directorial debut. While it is an ambitious task telling ... Read more

#TIFF19: “MARTIN EDEN”

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong Martin Eden (Luca Marinelli) is an uneducated working-class sailor who falls in love with educated upper-class Elena (Jessica Cressy). To make her see him the same way he sees her he attempts to remake himself into a Writer. Director Pietro Marcello adapts the Jack London Novel of the same name in an inspiring unconventional way. It’s clear from the beginning that Marcello is making a politically charged film, and one of which he is entirely on ... Read more

#TIFF19: “DEERSKIN”

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong Georges’ (Oscar-winner Jean Dujardin) life is in upheaval. He separated from his wife and has just spent a comically ridiculous amount of money for a deerskin coat. He loves and admires the coat – so much so that he starts talking to it, and slowly becomes unhinged from reality. If you watched Writer/Director Quentin Dupieux’s previous film Rubber – about a tire that kills people – you probably have an idea for what kind of trip you are in ... Read more

#TIFF19: “BLOW THE MAN DOWN”

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong Sisters Mary Beth (Morgan Saylor) and Priscilla (Sophie Lowe) think they got away with a violent crime in their small fishing village of Easter Cove, Maine until a local brothel owner (Margo Martindale) becomes suspicious and confronts the girls with an ultimatum. Small town crime films usually lack originality, however, Co-Directors Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy bring a new edge to the genre. This atmospheric film advances above those that ... Read more

#TIFF19: “AMERICAN WOMAN”

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong In this fictionalized reimagining of the Patty Hearst affair, a political activist (Hong Chau) helps take care of a group of wanted fugitives including a well-known heiress (Sarah Gadon). At the core of American Woman is a captivating story about political activism and the extremes some go to with their beliefs. These enthralling themes are all here, however, there’s no mystery about the fate of the characters because the opening scene reveals ... Read more

#TIFF19: “AMERICAN SON”

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong When Kendra’s (Kerry Washington) bi-racial son doesn’t come home one night she spends the night inside a police station hoping to find out what happened to him. American Son is based upon the Broadway Play written by Christopher Demos-Brown and brought to the screen with the same Cast and Director. The Play and Script both touch on important themes of race relations and police brutality in an eloquent intimate way. Washington’s performance of ... Read more