Review by George Kozera for Mr. Will Wong
Legendary Director, Jean-Luc Godard’s THE IMAGE BOOK won a special Palme d’Or from Cate Blanchett’s jury on the closing night at the Cannes Film Festival last year. It is, in essence, a hallucinatory visual scrapbook of disjointed images with much of the narration from the 87 year old Director himself. Using scenes from movies as diverse as Young Mr. Lincoln, Pasolini’s Salo, Vertigo, Cocteau’s Beauty and the Beast, Joan Crawford in Johnny Guitar and many from his early movies alongside newsclips of ISIS attacks, WWII footage, Klimt paintings and a still from Marilyn Monroe’s last photo shoot, it is a provocative and surreal kaleidoscope of sometimes degraded images that confound and exhilarate.
Two of Godard’s obsessions/passions/interests (one is never quite sure of where and why he is featuring these) are prominent with more screen time devoted to them. One is trains: a longer amount of time features them predominantly, from comedic with Buster Keaton to ones with tragic consequences. I personally could not ascertain what Godard is trying to tell us and just thought that he was as obsessed with trains as Sheldon Cooper is from The Big Bang Theory. Another prevalent series features his interest in the Arab world and how misunderstood and misconceived they are. These images were both hypnotic and frustrating to witness.
Admittedly, I know little about Godard the man versus Godard the Filmmaker, hence I was happy to have seen Redoubtable, a French fictionalized film about how Godard became revolutionized in the late 60s. So when the Director’s narrations included things like “We are never sad enough to make the world better” or “The East is more philosophical than the West and everyone is a philosopher because he has time to reflect”, instead of thinking that grandpa has been nipping into the absinthe again, I can see WHY he says things like that even if I don’t fully understand the subtext.
I enjoyed THE IMAGE BOOK on many levels. At times, it was like finding Waldo (Oh! That’s the scene from Dali’s Le Chien Andalou) or being mesmerized by colours reminiscent of a Peter Max painting. It is Godard’s most accessible movies in a long time. It is also paradoxical, prohibitive, enchanting, confusing, grotesque and divine. THE IMAGE BOOK will take you on a sensory overload trip and it made me happy that I boarded the train to go on a journey to a destination unknown and exotic.
THE IMAGE BOOK opens at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on Friday, January 25, 2019.
Review by George Kozera for Mr. Will Wong
As an Artist, Julian Schnabel’s works hang on the walls in some of the world’s most prestigious museums. There was even a sold-out retrospective of his accomplishments hosted by the Art Gallery of Ontario years back. As a Director, his unique perspective and visions had won him awards at Cannes, the Venice Film Festival, the Golden Globes and earned him an Oscar nomination. His movies delve into the lives of tortured or damaged artists and one, Before Night Falls, was Javier Bardem’s breakthrough role and introduced him to the world at large. Hot on the heels of last year’s Oscar-nominated Animated Feature Loving Vincent, Schnabel brings to life the tragic life of Painter Vincent van Gogh in one of this year’s most elegiac movies, AT ETERNITY’S GATE.
Focusing on the last two years of van Gogh’s life, the Movie opens with an off-screen, heart-rendering monologue in which the Painter talks about his lonely existence and just begs people, “Look at me!”. Penniless and his body of work unappreciated and unsold, van Gogh survives with a monthly allowance sent to him from his richer brother Theo, portrayed beautifully by Rupert Friend. His Bromance with fellow Artist Paul Gaugin (a turbo-charged, mesmerizing Oscar Isaac) is endlessly-fascinating to watch as they have wildly different approaches to art and even life itself and their infrequent scenes together cackle with insight and beauty.
The heart and soul of AT ETERNITY’S GATE can be simply described in two words: Willem Dafoe. Though technically, at 63, he is too old to play van Gogh who died at the age of 37 and in a career spanning decades replete with memorable performances, Dafoe’s performance here is stellar and bulletproof – a career high. He ensnares the audience into van Gogh’s life. His melancholy, his genius artistic vision, his quick to anger, his fighting the demons in his mind. We often follow the Painter through many landscapes and are thrilled when he finds something that inspires him to sit and put on canvas what he sees. Whether it be him taking off his shoes and we see how he starts the painting to its spectacular conclusion to his being inspired by the beauty of the landscape, the effects are glorious. Often times, in a signature Schnabel cinematic point of view, van Gogh is filmed in tight close-ups and the range that Dafoe expresses with his eyes and subtle facial movements is master class acting. One scene, where Theo visits Vincent, who is hospitalized due to his failing mental capacities, made me shed unexpected tears. The love these brother had is rife with sadness.
It may appear that Schnabel glosses over many aspects of van Gogh’s life. He never shows us the infamous cutting off the ear and we are never sure if some scenes are real or a figment of van Gogh’s deteriorating mind. We also walk away never knowing for sure if his death was due to suicide or a result of being beaten by young thugs. Personally I admire Schnabel’s approach and vision, even the scenes filmed in a bifocal effect where parts of the screen are never 100% focused.
The pace of AT ETERNITY’S GATE is languid and intoxicating; each brush stroke is awash in colours and emotions though sometimes undermined by the florid Score. It is triumphant and a glorious achievement with a performance by Willem Dafoe that should be studied by everyone who pursues a career in acting. It doesn’t get any better than this.
Elevation Pictures release AT ETERNITY’S GATE Friday, November 23, 2018.
Review by George Kozera for Mr. Will Wong
Not only did SHOPLIFTERS win the prestigious Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, it should be a shoo-in for a Best Foreign Film nomination this Awards Season and, most importantly, be a must-see at TIFF ’18 this year. Set in a slums part of Tokyo rarely seen on the big screen, a poor family of five augment their low paying jobs and monthly pension by stealing from stores for essentials like food and shampoo. When they add an abandoned three-year-old girl to the family dynamics, the shoplifting intensifies.
The final 30 minutes of SHOPLIFTERS, where family secrets are revealed, vacillate between feelings of heartbreak and inspiration. The performances by the entire cast are sublime to the point of perfection. SHOPLIFTERS is masterclass filmmaking and I genuflect at the genius that is Writer/Director Hirokazu Koreeda.
SHOPLIFTERS screens on Friday, September 14, 9:00 PM, Winter Garden Theatre and Saturday, September 15, 9:00 AM, TIFF Bell Lightbox.
Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
Paul Dano’s directorial debut Wildlife comes to Toronto after premieres at Sundance and Cannes. Joe (Ed Oxenbould) is 14-years-old and looking for a job after his Dad Jerry (Jake Gyllenhaal) loses his. Jerry has too much pride to look for a job, so he ends up taking work fighting local wildfires. With Jerry gone until the first snowfall, Joe’s Mom Jeannette (Carey Mulligan) must also look for work while also dealing with her newfound independence.
Wildlife is absolutely gorgeous to look at. Dano strives for period authenticity and alongside Cinematographer Diego Garcia, creates a beautifully nostalgic portrait of a family in crisis. The performances from Gyllenhaal, Mulligan and character actor Bill Camp are also quite well done, with the young Oxenbould turning in some absolutely stunning work. But the Film around them is increasingly dull as it moves sluggishly through its 104-minute running time. I understand the slice of life aesthetic Dano and Co-writer/Partner Zoe Kazan are going for, but Wildlife takes much too long to figure out where it’s going and is not all that satisfying when it gets there.
Wildlife screens on Monday, September 10 at 2:30 PM at Princess of Wales, Wednesday, September 12 at 5:45 PM at Ryerson Theatre and Saturday, September 15 at 6:15 PM at Winter Garden Theatre.
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Climax previously screened at the Cannes Film Festival to favourable reviews and is being highly anticipated in the Midnight Madness Programme at TIFF ’18 this year. On a cold wintery night, a group of dancers have an all-night rager. However, when they realize their Sangria has been spiked with LSD, all hell breaks loose.
The greatest achievement in Climax is the visceral camerawork of Director Gaspar Noe and the hallucinatory choreography by Nina McNeely. Both work together beautifully to bring the audience into the acid-induced brains of the dancers. Then there is the powerhouse that is Sofiia Boutella who is magnetic as the leader of the dance group.
Climax screens at Sunday, September 9 at 11:59 PM at Ryerson Theatre and Sunday, September 16 at 10 PM at Scotiabank 3.
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Dogman follows the story of Marcello (Marcello Fonte) who is a mild-mannered dog groomer, father, and drug dealer. When the violent and impulsive bully of the small Italian town he lives in wrongs him, Marcello’s temper becomes tested. Dogman competed for the Palme d’Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and Marcello Fonte won the Cannes Award for Best Actor. It will have its Canadian Premiere at TIFF ’18 in the Special Presentations Programme.
This Film is a slow burn that shows the evolution of a wholesome turned violent man. Throughout the entire running time, Fonte completely evolves with it. He portrays the anxiety of constantly wanting to be liked, the fury of being betrayed and the euphoria of getting revenge.
Dogman screens on Thursday, September 6 at 6 PM at Scotiabank 1 and Saturday, September 8 at 3 PM at Scotiabank 1.
By Amanda Gilmore, David Baldwin + Mr. Will Wong
Running Thursday, September 6, 2018 through Sunday, September 16, 2018, the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival is just around the corner. Bringing together Film lovers from all around the world, TIFF is once again set to draw some major talent to our City and Films and their connections get a leg-up on the Awards Season trail. Year after year, the Festival has been a powerful predictor of power-players at the Oscars and this year is no different. In light of recent tragic events in Toronto, a Press Conference was decided against this year with a press release announcing this year’s first round of Films. And just like us, we know you’ll be thrilled at some of the Films to grace the screens this September in the City!
17 Galas and 30 Special Presentations were announced including 21 World Premieres and TIFF always delivers! We’re thrilled that among the hotly-buzzed Films we’ve been longing to see, A STAR IS BORN (Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper), BEAUTIFUL BOY (Timothée Chalamet, Steve Carell), LIFE ITSELF (Olivia Wilde, Oscar Isaac), FIRST MAN (Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy), WILDLIFE (Jake Gyllenhaal, Carey Mulligan) and THE HATE U GIVE (Amandla Stenberg).
See some Trailers:
Fans can expect this to be a big year with acclaimed Filmmakers like Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity), Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave), Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) and Damien Chazelle (La La Land) all returning with eagerly-awaited followups. Jake Gyllenhaal also will have a high profile at the Festival with two eagerly-awaited Films in WILDLIFE and THE SISTERS BROTHERS. The same applies to Dev Patel who should be here for HOTEL MUMBAI and THE WEDDING GUEST.
Diversity, inclusion and gender equity continue to be a focus for the Festival. TIFF‘s mission to “share her journey” by giving a voice to females who are underrepresented as a whole in the filmmaking community in-front and behind the camera is more pronounced than ever. 13 of this year’s Features in fact are made by women. Learn more about TIFF’s five-year initiative here.
Some highlights from today’s TIFF ’18 announcements:
GALAS
Hotly-anticipated Galas at TIFF ’18 are highlighted by BEAUTIFUL BOY starring Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet; and WIDOWS, Oscar-winner Steve McQueen’s follow-up to 12 Years A Slave starring Viola Davis, Daniel Kaluuya, Liam Neeson, Jacki Weaver, Colin Farrell and Michelle Rodriguez. The Film is written by Gone Girl’s Gillian Flynn and is sure to be one of the biggest Films of the Festival.
Other World Premieres announced today are HIGH LIFE, the Sci-Fi Drama and English-language debut of legendary French Director Claire Denis starring Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche and Mia Goth; HUSBAND MATERIAL from prolific Indian Director Anurag Kashyap; the latest from Nicole Holofcener, THE LAND OF STEADY HABITS, starring Ben Mendelsohn and Edie Falco; the multi-generational Drama LIFE ITSELF, from This is Us Creator Dan Fogelman, starring Oscar Isaac, Olivia Wilde, Annette Bening and Antonio Banderas; THE PUBLIC, from Emilio Estevez, starring Alec Baldwin, Jeffrey Wright, Gabrielle Union and Michael K. Williams; the Period Drama RED JOAN, starring Judi Dench; as well as Director George Tillman Jr.’s highly-anticipated Adaptation of THE HATE U GIVE starring Amandla Stenberg.
But that’s not all. Other hotly-anticipated Films announced today that have already or will be premiering at other festivals include Oscar-winner and TIFF darling Damien Chazelle’s FIRST MAN starring Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy; Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut A STAR IS BORN starring Lady Gaga; Sundance hits THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and Elizabeth Chomko’s WHAT THEY HAD starring Hilary Swank, Blythe Danner and Michael Shannon; Zhang Yimou’s Chinese epic SHADOW; and GALVESTON, the English feature directorial debut of Actress Mélanie Laurent, starring Ben Foster and Elle Fanning.
We are waiting with baited breath on news of this year’s Opening and Closing Night Galas.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Some of the Films in the Special Presentations Programme with the most buzz this year include IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK by Director Barry Jenkins and ROMA by Director Alfonso Cuarón.
TIFF ’18 will be showing a lot of due love for Canadian Filmmakers. The opening night Special Presentation goes to MOUTHPIECE Directed by Patricia Rozema, who was here a three years ago with her Film Into The Forest. Jason Reitman will be back again with THE FRONT RUNNER, starring Hugh Jackman. We will also be getting the latest work from Canadian Directors Kim Nguyen, with THE HUMMINGBIRD PROJECT, and Don McKellar, with the Adaptation to the beloved Canadian Novel Through Black Spruce.
Female empowerment is front and center at TIFF ’18. One of the biggest Films to showcase this at the Festival is Colette staring Keira Knightley. The Film is about a woman who agreed to become a Ghostwriter for her husband. After the Novel received much success, she fights for creative ownership while overcoming the societal constraints of early 20th century. There are also many Films directed by females within the Special Presentations Programme.
CANADIAN PROGRAMME (Updated: 8/1/18 4:00 PM)
Canadian World Premieres announced today include environmental conservation documentary ANTHROPOCENE from Directors Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier and Edward Burtynsky; Miranda de Pencier’s THE GRIZZLIES, a true story about Inuit youth; Barry Avrich’s Documentary PROSECUTING EVIL: THE EXTRAORDINARY WORLD OF BEN FERENCZ, chronicling the life of the last surviving Nuremberg Trial prosecutor; Akash Sherman’s Sci-Fi Drama CLARA starring Suits’ Patrick J. Adams; Jasmin Mozaffari’s FIRECRACKERS, about two young women and their attempt to leave the misogyny in their small town behind; Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein’s psychological Sci-Fi thriller FREAKS starring Emile Hirsch; Gwaai Edenshaw and Helen Haig-Brown’s EDGE OF THE KNIFE, the first feature-length film made in the endangered Haida language; Darlene Naponse’s FALLS AROUND HER, starring Tantoo Cardinal as a world-famous Anishinaabe musician; Maxime Giroux’s absurdist allegory THE GREAT DARKENED DAYS; and Renée Beaulieu’s Drama LES SALOPES OR THE NATURALLY WANTON PLEASURE OF SKIN, about a wife and mother facing the consequences of her secret life.
Of the 19 feature-length titles announced today, nearly 50% are directed by women.
TIFF will additionally host the Toronto premiere of THE FALL OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE, directed by Oscar-winning Canadian Director Denys Arcand, and the Special Event World Premiere of SHARKWATER EXTINCTION, the final Documentary made by Rob Stewart. The late intrepid Filmmaker and Documentarian passed away early last year during filming.
See the Trailer for Sharkwater Extinction:
TIFF also announced their Rising Stars for 2018 today. Those selected stars are Devery Jacobs (Kahnawà:ke Mohawk born Actor and Filmmaker), Lamar Johnson (Gala World Premiere THE HATE U GIVE), Michaela Kurimsky (World Premiere FIRECRACKERS) and Jess Salgueiro (World Premiere and Special Presentations’ Opening Night Film MOUTHPIECE).
And in a surprise announcement at this afternoon’s Press Conference, Writer/Director Xavier Dolan‘s (currently in Toronto filming IT: CHAPTER TWO) highly-anticipated THE DEATH AND LIFE OF JOHN F. DONOVAN was announced as a World Premiere in the Special Presentations Programme. The long awaited Film stars Kit Harington, Natalie Portman, Jacob Tremblay, Thandie Newton, Sarah Gadon and Bella Thorne and is destined to be one of the hottest tickets at this year’s Festival.
Still no word on the Opening or Closing Night films, but some over-eager film fans may have gotten a taste of what’s to come later this month. And if the rumours are to be believed, we are in for some very exciting announcements over the next few weeks!
PLATFORM PROGRAMME (Updated: 8/8/18 11:45 AM)
The Platform Programme quite literally its namesake, a platform for Directors who are unique, bold and unafraid to tackle any subject matter. In previous years, films such as Moonlight and Sweet Country were a part of the Programme and even won the coveted Platform prize, which is worth $25,000 CAD. This year’s Programme shows no signs of slowing down and is gifting us with some risk-taking films..
Out of the 12 Films that were announce, four are directed or co-directed by women, while seven feature powerful female leading roles. Two Films featuring strong female leads that already have people talking are Destroyer and Her Smell. Destroyer is directed by Karyn Kusama and stars Nicole Kidman as a Los Angeles police detective who is forced to face her personal demons. Her Smell is the newest Film from Director Alex Ross Perry (Listen Up Philip) and stars Elisabeth Moss as a talented but self-destructive musician.
Out of the 12 Films there are 10 having their World Premiere at this year’s Festival, which includes the opening and closing night Platform films. The Opening Night Platform selection is Donnybrook which is the fourth-feature Film for Writer-Director Tim Sutton (Dark Night). It stars Jamie Bell and Frank Grillo as two men who are determined to compete in a bare-knuckle brawl with a cash prize. The Closing Night selection is Jessica Forever which is the Feature debut for Co-Directors Caroline Poggi and Jonathan Vinel. The Film takes place in a dystopian world where violent misfits reign supreme, but one woman and her family are fighting for peace.
DOCUMENTARIES (Updated: 8/9/18 1:30 PM)
This year TIFF is bringing 27 feature Documentaries from 19 different countries to Toronto audiences. Out of all those films, one-third of them are directed or co-directed by women. There are a few documentaries that examine the topic of women creators and the #MeToo movement. Some of the Documentaries on those topics are: the World Premiere of Alexis Bloom’s Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes, which documents the Fox News Creator who was ousted for allegations of sexual harassment; the World Premiere of Tom Donahue’s This Changes Everything which is an examination of gender dynamics in Hollywood and is executive produced by Geena Davis; and Mark Cousins’ Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema which explores international cinema through the lens of women directors.
Politics is another topic getting a lot of attention in the TIFF Docs Programme. To name a few there is Vitaly Mansky’s Putin’s Witnesses, which focuses on the Russian President, and Errol Morris’ American Dharma, which looks at Trump’s previous strategist Steve Bannon. However, TIFF has decided to start the TIFF Docs Programme off with a bang with the World Premiere of Michael Moore’s newest Doc Fahrenheit 11/9, which is a radical and humorous look at the United States under the Trump administration.
And for those who enjoy a doc about artists you love there are some for you to check-out. The first is the World Premiere of Quincy which is co-directed by Quincy Jones’s daughter Rashida Jones and Allan Hicks. It follows the labours and legacies of the legendary Music Producer. Then there is the TIFF Docs Closing Night Film, Searching for Ingmar Bergman which is Directed by Margareth von Trotta and follows the groundbreaking Director and his impact on filmmaking.
MIDNIGHT MADNESS (Updated: 8/9/18 1:30 PM)
TIFF unleashed their Midnight Madness line-up today and it looks to be one of their strongest in years. THE PREDATOR, Writer/Director Shane Black’s star-studded reinvention of the legendary Series, will act as the Programme’s World Premiere Opening Night Film. The highly-anticipated HALLOWEEN Sequel, starring ‘Scream Queen’ Jamie Lee Curtis and written by Danny McBride, David Gordon Green and Jeff Fradley, will also see its World Premiere at TIFF ’18. Other World Premieres include Peter Strickland’s IN FABRIC, telling the tale of a cursed dress and the poor souls who come into contact with it; Kiah Roache-Turner’s Social Media-infused Horror film NEKROTRONIC starring Monica Bellucci; Henry Dunham’s all too relevant thriller THE STANDOFF AT SPARROW CREEK, regarding a neighbourhood militia’s involvement in a mass shooting; Emma Tammi’s horror on the American frontier THE WIND and Vasan Bala’s Bollywood Action-Thriller THE MAN WHO FEELS NO PAIN (the first Indian film at Midnight Madness!). Sundance hits ASSASSINATION NATION and CLIMAX, as well as Cannes favourite and Closing Night selection DIAMANTINO, will also be screening during the Programme.
GALAS, SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS + MASTERS PROGRAMME (Updated 8/14/18 3:00 PM)
Within one week, TIFF added a whopping 115 films to its slate today, including the announcements of the Opening and Closing Night Films.
David Mackenzie’s OUTLAW KING will open the Festival on Thursday, September 6. The Period Drama about the rise of 14th century Scottish hero Robert the Bruce stars Chris Pine, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Lady MacBeth’s Florence Pugh. The Film hails from Netflix, which alongside numerous other titles appearing at the Festival, suggests a very sharp divide between this Festival and the illustrious Cannes Film Festival, which banned such titles from competition this past May. TIFF’s Closing Night Film is JEREMIAH TERMINATOR LEROY, a true story about the enigmatic literary artist. It stars Laura Dern and Kristen Stewart. Plan your red carpet campouts accordingly.
Additional World Premiere Galas announced today include Peter Farrelly’s first Drama, GREEN BOOK, starring Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali; as well as Thriller THE LIE, from Toronto-born Writer/Director Veena Sud, starring Peter Sarsgaard, Mireille Enos and Joey King. Some of the World Premieres announced as Special Presentations include Jonah Hill’s directorial debut MID90S; Sam Taylor-Johnson’s adaptation of A MILLION LITTLE PIECES starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton and Charlie Hunnam; Jeremy Saulnier’s Thriller HOLD THE DARK starring Alexander Skarsgård, Riley Keough and Jeffrey Wright; Max Minghella’s directorial debut TEEN SPIRIT starring Elle Fanning and Rebecca Hall; Annabel Jankel’s postwar-Drama TELL IT TO THE BEES starring Anna Paquin and Holliday Grainger; and Chanya Button’s VITA & VIRGINIA starring Gemma Arterton and Elizabeth Debicki as Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf. Other highlights include Paul Greengrass’ 22 JULY, the true story about the aftermath of Norway’s deadliest terrorist attack; Nick Hamm’s DRIVEN, the star-studded true life tale about the rise and fall of John Delorean; and the International Premiere of Joel Edgerton’s highly-anticipated BOY ERASED starring Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe and Lucas Hedges.
And in the Masters section, TIFF announced 11 films including Jafar Panahi’s 3 FACES; Hong Sang-soo’s HOTEL BY THE RIVER, Paolo Sorrentino’s LORO; Mike Leigh’s PETERLOO; Jean-Luc Godard’s THE IMAGE BOOK and the North American Premiere of Jia Zhang-ke’s Thriller ASH IS PUREST WHITE.
ADDITIONAL SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS (Updated 8/21/18 10:00 AM)
A couple high-profile additions to the TIFF ’18 line-up have been announced including VOX LUX from Director Brady Corbett and starring Natalie Portman as a woman overcoming a tragic childhood to a life of fame and fortune. GRETA from Director Neil Jordan is about a young woman Frances (Chloë Grace Moretz) and her unlikely friendship with Greta (Isabelle Huppert).
TIFF’ 18 hot on the heels of CRAZY RICH ASIANS’ success, will pay tribute to the 25th anniversary of THE JOY LUCK CLUB with some of the original Cast in attendance including Kieu Chinh and Tamlyn Tomita, plus a chat moderated by Lainey Lui.
THE OFFICIAL TIFF ’18 SCHEDULE NOW IS UP HERE!
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We’re thrilled also to announce that David Baldwin (@davemabaldwin), Amanda Gilmore (@gilmoreamanda) and Mr. Will for the first time ever, are doing TIFF as accredited journalists. Our Team members Siobhán Rich (@typo_eh), George Kozera (@partyg) and Justin Waldman (@dubsreviews) also will be contributing as we screen some titles in advance of the Festival as in previous years. We look forward to teaming-up together to bring you a fresh, balanced perspective highlighting the massive starpower and quality of Cinema the Festival has to offer.
More Film announcements to come soon.
Guest announcements usually come late August, so let’s start speculating, shall we?
Will we see Julia Roberts here for BEN IS BACK? Robert Redford for THE OLD MAN & THE GUN? Or how about Matthew McConaughey for WHITE BOY RICK?
TIFF ’18 Packages are on-sale now till August 13, 2018. The Schedule goes live August 21, 2018 and single public tickets are on-sale on September 3, 2018 for non-package buyers.
More info here.
(Photo credit: TIFF)
Review by George Kozera for Mr. Will Wong
When Director Lynne Ramsey’s Film YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE screened at last year’s Cannes Film Festival in its still unfinished form, not only did the Movie receive a seven-minute standing ovation, it wound up garnering awards for Joaquin Phoenix as Best Actor and Best Screenplay for Ramsey. Adapted from a Jonathan Ames Novella, the Movie is a hypnotic, gut-punch Thriller that explores the psyche of a disturbed assassin for hire.
Joe (played by Phoenix) is a heavily-bearded loner with a buffed body who we first meet cleaning-up after completing a job. He is a killer for hire and his weapon of choice is a hammer which he painstakingly cleans the blood from. And via flashbacks interspersed throughout the Film, we learn he had a violent childhood, as well as stints in the military and a law enforcement careers. All three circumstances were tragic and brutal and shaped the man he has become, a fearless loner who flirts with self-asphyxiation and uncomfortable knife play. The only humanity he shows is when he is with his ailing mother with whom he shares a home in Brooklyn; even then, the humour between them includes a reference to Hitchcock’s Psycho.
Hired by a senator to free a young girl kidnapped by a sex trade ring catering to pedophiles, we are now neck deep in a world of seediness as we watch Joe meticulously prepare to accomplish this deed. The results are grisly and hypnotic and Ramsey excels here. It is repulsive, yet compelling to watch as the entire event and slaughter is shown from the building’s security cameras vantage points. Extreme violence begets extreme violence and the aftermath of this event leads to even more death.
It is almost impossible to watch YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE without seeing the parallels to Taxi Driver. Both are set in New York City and centers on underage sex trade and politicians. Yet Ramsey’s vision is more poetic and not as gratuitous. The Score by Jonny Greenwood brilliantly enhances the tension. Phoenix’s performance is revelatory as it is fierce and uncompromising. It is virtually impossible not to be swept away in his gaze, his walk, his intensity. A compelling triumph.
Elevation Pictures release YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE Friday, April 13, 2018 in select cities.
Hot off the news that it will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival out-of-competition, SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY has a brand-new Trailer for us to enjoy! Director Ron Howard and the Cast also are confirmed to attend the Festival!
Synopsis:
Board the Millennium Falcon and journey to a galaxy far, far away in “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” an all-new adventure with the most beloved scoundrel in the galaxy. Through a series of daring escapades deep within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo befriends his mighty future copilot Chewbacca and meets the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian, in a journey that will set the course of one of the Star Wars saga’s most unlikely heroes.
The Film stars Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Joonas Suotamo, and Paul Bettany.
See the Trailer:
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada release SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY Friday, May 25, 2018.
(Photo/video credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada)
By Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
It’s day two here at Sundance Film Festival and the momentum is building quickly. Main Street in Park City is buzzing with parties day and night. One of the main hotspots was the Sundance TV Kickoff Party where we spotted the likes of Terry Crews and Dominic Cooper. Moments after, a much in-the-news Ashley Judd was seen in the vicinity stopping for a Selfie.
It isn’t only the parties that are warming-up a snowy Park City, it’s also the starpower. Several Red Carpets took place including American Animals, a Heist Thriller starring Evan Peters and Barry Keoghan; Don’t Worry He Wont Get Far On Foot directed by Gus Van Sant (Milk, Elephant) and starring Jonah Hill and Joaquin Phoenix about a disabled rights Activist John Callahan who turns to drawing after becoming paralyzed; Lizzie starring Producer Chloe Sevigny and Kristen Stewart which is said to be Beautiful Creatures-like and based on the Borden Family murders; and Mandy starring Nicolas Cage as a man hunting a religious sect which killed his wife, all premiered tonight in Park City.
See the Teaser for the new Van Sant Film below:
Wait until you get to know John Callahan.
Get your first look at Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot, starring Joaquin Phoenix, @JonahHill, Rooney Mara and Jack Black. Directed by Gus Van Sant.
In select theaters May 11. #DWHWGFOF pic.twitter.com/Sigc28D7V4
— Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot (@dontworrymovie) January 16, 2018
Sevigny at Sundance with Lizzie:
Chloe Sevigny is premiering her flick #Lizzie at #Sundance! https://t.co/MHWQtk74ju
— JustJared.com (@JustJared) January 20, 2018
Salt Lake City also is booming with that Sundance spirit! It saw a Premiere for You Were Never Really Here which stars Sundance “It Boy” Phoenix. This is the Film for which he won Best Actor at Cannes last year, premiering at The Grand Theatre. Director Lynne Ramsay was in attendance.
Stay tuned for more!
(Photo credit: Amanda Gilmore)
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