#TIFF19: “KNIVES OUT”
Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
Popular mystery author Harlan Thrombrey (Christopher Plummer) has died from an apparent suicide. The evidence suggests this is the case, but the police and private investigator Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) feel there is more to it – especially as every family member has a motive for killing him.
I have long been a fan of Writer/Director Rian Johnson and he has delivered another masterwork with this clever inversion of a classic Whodunit story. He is ...
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#TIFF19: “GREED”
Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
Richard McCreadie (Steve Coogan) is a fashion industry icon and billionaire preparing for his lavish 60th birthday party on a Greek island. As he and his team obsess over every detail, his biographer Nick (David Mitchell) is working hard interviewing his friends and family to learn more about the mogul – and all of the horrible things he did to become so rich.
The synopsis may sound like the description of a story based on any number of real-world ...
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#TIFF19: “SYNCHRONIC”
Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
Steve (Anthony Mackie) and Dennis (Jamie Dornan) are long time paramedics and best friends in New Orleans. They have been through a lot together and look out for one another. But things are starting to get strange in the city once the pair discover that a number of their calls involve a new street drug called SYNCHRONIC.
There is a lot to unpack after watching SYNCHRONIC, but the beauty of it all lies in its unpredictability and how Directors Justin ...
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#TIFF19: “SOUND OF METAL”
Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
Ruben (Riz Ahmed) and Lou (Olivia Cooke) are a metal band touring and driving around the US in their RV. As he preps for a show, Ruben gets a loud ringing in his ears. He thinks nothing of it, but finds out soon after that he is losing his hearing rapidly and will soon become deaf.
This is the set-up for Co-Writer/Director Darius Marder’s harrowing journey Sound of Metal. The Film is loud, intense, and is a genuine test of endurance for audiences. ...
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#TIFF19: “A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
When jaded Journalist Lloyd (Matthew Rhys) begins interviewing Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks), he starts to see the world in a different light.
This heartwarming Film is sure to delight and touch each and every neighbour it encounters. Director Marielle Heller has done it again and made a Film that shows the complexities of the human condition. Screenwriters Noah Harvester and Micah Fitzerman-Blue have written a beautiful script that focuses more on a ...
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#TIFF19: “THE MONEYCHANGER”
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Humberto Brause (Daniel Hendler) throws himself into the buying and selling of currency in 1970s Uruguay and accepts the assignment of laundering the largest amount of money he has ever seen.
Director Federico Veiroj has created a snapshot into a particular time in history and infused it with an entertaining theme of greed. The film is a thriller involving a character who will trample over anyone and anything to get what he wants. Yet, we love ...
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#TIFF19: DAY FOUR – TOM HANKS, JENNIFER LOPEZ, EDDIE MURPHY, MATT DAMON, CHRISTIAN BALE, JULIA STILES, CYNTHIA ERIVO, BARRY KEOGHAN, CHRIS COOPER + MORE
As if our TIFF '19 couldn't be any more explosive, it just did! A bit saddened we missed Leonardo DiCaprio at the Premiere of ICE ON FIRE amidst all the bustle, but we can't complain!
Ladies and gentlemen, I died when I met Leonardo Dicaprio today! I had my #OnceUponATimeInHollywood Rick Dalton shirt on and he loved it (there he is checking it out in the pic) #Tiff19 pic.twitter.com/DHu7zYmN8R
— MeLiSsA dACrUz ‼TIFF‼ (@MelissaDacruzz) September 8, ...
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#TIFF19: “PELICAN BLOOD”
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Wiebke’s (Nina Hoss) recently adopted second daughter changes drastically from wholesome to threatening, placing the lives of Wiebke and her other daughter in danger.
This Film is an examination of the lengths a mother will go for her children. Hoss turns in an unforgettable performance of the questionable Wiebke that is equally heartbreaking and compelling. Pelican Blood starts out as a Psychological Drama about a mother pushed to every possible ...
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#TIFF19: “SEBERG”
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
This Biopic follows Jean Seberg (Kristen Stewart) in a particular time in her life: in the late 60s and early 70s as she has become a target of the FBI's due to her support and contributions to the Black Panther Movement.
Usually Biopics tell a story of the entire life of their subjects, however, this screenplay focuses on a short moment and succeeds in displaying who she was. Within this is a story of a woman who stood up and aligned herself with ...
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#TIFF19: “BLACKBIRD”
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Terminally-ill matriarch Lily (Susan Sarandon) invites her family and close friend to her home for one final gathering.
Blackbird has a lot of emotional impact and a captivating story at its core about assisted-suicide. In using multiple characters, Screenwriter Christian Torpe is able to give a well-balanced view on this often tough topic. Those characters are brought beautifully to the screen by the impeccable Sarandon, along with scene-stealing ...
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