Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
When Ellen (Meryl Streep) loses her husband she embarks on an investigation into corrupt insurance companies who are dodging her claims.
Director Steven Soderbergh and Screenwriter Scott Z. Burns tackle the secret world of financial corruption that was exposed in the Panama Papers, yet in a playful way. With the use of multiple characters and storylines, which are all intrinsically-connected, they take the audience on a journey on how to get rich through legal but immoral ways. They have an all-star Cast, consisting of Streep, Gary Oldman and Antonio Banderas, who knock it out-of-the-park, especially when they break the fourth wall . The most impressive part of The Laundromat is how it takes a complicated tale of corruption, making it simple to understand.
The Laundromat screens at TIFF on Mon, Sep 9 at Princess of Wales Theatre at 6 PM, Tue, Sep 10 at Elgin Theatre at 2:15 PM, Fri, Sep 13 at Elgin Theatre at 5 PM, and Sat, Sep 14 at TIFF Bell Lightbox at 3:15 PM.
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Daphne (Shailene Woodley) attempts to get her life back in order following a breakup, however, that proves difficult after meeting bad boy Frank (Sebastian Stan) and rational Jack (Jamie Dornan).
Director Drake Doremus is back with a highly-collaborative Feature about losing yourself and being responsible to find who you are again. Endings, Beginnings has a Script, but not in the traditional sense. Doremus had plot points and scenarios he wanted his characters to experience, however, his actors improvised all the dialogue. As his camera work lingers on his cast, there is an immense authenticity to each scene due to this improvisational method. Woodley completely immerses herself in adrift Daphne, Stan is a firecracker as the flawed yet enchanting Frank, and Dornan is charming as noble professor Jack.
Endings, Beginnings screens at TIFF on Sun, Sep 8 at Ryerson Theatre at 9 PM, Mon, Sep 9 at Scotiabank Theatre at 3 PM, and Sat, Sep 14 at Elgin Theatre at 9 PM.
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
After internet troll Miles (Daniel Radcliffe) upsets the leader of the live-streamed death match game Skizm, he awakes to guns bolted to his hands and a battle against the undefeated Nix (Samara Weaving).
Guns Akimbo is a non-stop thrill ride from beginning to end. Director-Writer Jason Lei Howden brings action and hilarity to a wholly original Story and executes it perfectly. His Script, although incredibly-fun, dives deep into our technological society and how it’s changing humanity. Along with that the visual effects are top-notch, the stunts are remarkable and there is one hell of a killer Soundtrack. If that weren’t enough, there is Radcliffe and Weaving who both bring their best game.
Guns Akimbo screens at TIFF on Mon, Sep 9 at Ryerson Theatre at 9:15 PM, Tue, Sep 10 at Scotiabank Theatre at 8 PM, and Fri, Sep 13 at Ryerson Theatre at 9 PM.
Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
Oscar-winning Documentarian Fisher Stevens and Producer Leonardo DiCaprio were at TIFF back in 2016 with their climate change Doc Before the Flood. They return this year with another environmental Doc, And We Go Green, centring on the International Formula E racing circuit, the drivers racing electric cars during one 12-race season and all of the advancements and benefits electric cars will have on our future.
And We Go Green is at its best when Stevens and Co-Director Malcolm Venville are focusing on the origins of Formula E racing and on the electric cars themselves. This material is fascinating and of the most vital importance to literally everyone on the planet. But only a small portion of the Film’s 99-minute running time are spent on these topics. The rest are spent on the racing and the drivers. As you can imagine, the racing scenes are fairly spectacular and thrilling. But the profiles and histories on the drivers, not to mention all the in-fighting and drama these racers cause, wreck of bad reality television. I was compelled by their tales in some instances, but as the Film progresses deep into the season, I found myself caring less and less.
AND WE GO GREEN screens during TIFF at the following times:
Sunday September 8, 3:00pm @ Ryerson Theatre [World Premiere]
Tuesday September 10, 1:30pm @ Scotiabank Theatre
Friday September 13, 9:45am @ Scotiabank Theatre
We’re at the halfway point almost of TIFF ’19 and we are looking forward to enjoying some films soon! Before all that though, there are plenty of stars to spot around the City and today was EPIC!
See our sightings below. Hover cursor right to navigate albums.
THE LAUNDROMAT – Premiere
GUNS AKIMBO – Press Stop
View this post on Instagram
#TIFF19: #DanielRadcliffe x #SamaraWeaving at #TIFF for #GunsAkimbo. #HuaweiP30Pro
HONEY BOY – Press Stop
View this post on Instagram
BAD EDUCATION – Press Stop
WASP NETWORK – Press Stop
View this post on Instagram
#TIFF19: #GaelGarciaBernal x #EdgarRamirez x #WagnerMoura at #TIFF for #WaspNetwork. #HuaweiP30Pro
UNCUT GEMS – Press Stop
JUDY – Press Stop
View this post on Instagram
#TIFF19: The Cast of #Judy. #ReneeZellweger, #FinnWittrock + Director #RupertGoold.
HUMAN CAPITAL – Press Stop
View this post on Instagram
#TIFF19: With burgeoning stars #MayaHawke x #BettyGabriel, at #TIFF for #HumanCapital. #HuaweiP30Pro
JOKER – Premiere
#TIFF19: #JoaquinPhoenix + #RooneyMara at the #TIFF Premiere of #GoldenLion winner, #Joker. On a separate post I will show you who made a surprise visit! pic.twitter.com/dUcIFsB7Mw
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) September 10, 2019
#TIFF19: #JoaquinPhoenix at the #TIFF Premiere of #Joker. pic.twitter.com/uha0WlQXbc
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) September 10, 2019
(Photo credit : Mr. Will Wong)
Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
This Is Not A Movie profiles the reporting of legendary Journalist Robert Fisk, who changed the game when it came to stories from the frontlines of war torn Middle Eastern nations as a foreign correspondent for The Times and The Independent newspapers in the UK.
Yung Chang’s Documentary is not an easy watch. While it is fascinating to watch Robert in action in both modern times and in his early days in the 70s and 80s, it just as harrowing to see and hear about the violence and loss of life he has witnessed. The Film takes an episodic approach to his stories, focusing specifically on the issues that are still just as much a problem today as they were decades ago. The Film gets bogged down however by unexplained elements, odd details and tangents as it nears the last act (why discuss online vitriol in the middle of the film and casually dismiss it just as quickly?). But the way Chang and her team edit and stitch clips together is rather marvelous, juxtaposing video from the likes of 9/11 to the bombed-out remains of a town in the Middle East – all in one seamless cut. Truly horrifying.
THIS IS NOT A MOVIE screens TIFF at the following times:
Monday September 9, 7:00pm @ Scotiabank Theatre [World Premiere]
Wednesday September 11, 8:30pm @ Scotiabank Theatre
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
As Theatre Director Charlie (Adam Driver) and Actress Nicole’s (Scarlett Johansson) marriage begins to fall apart, they try to find ways to keep their family together.
Director-Writer Noah Baumbach has made his masterpiece. This is a Film that will have a substantial impact on anyone who has been in love and will stay with you for years. Baumbach’s Script is written to perfection timed evenly between characters, so audience members get a balanced view on divorce. We simply sit back and watch this once loving couple completely unravel through their separation. This artistic couple is brought to life through the incredible talent of Driver and Johansson. Driver is meticulous as the straight-forward and quick-witted Charlie. And Johansson is exceptional as the passionate and self-discovering Nicole.
Marriage Story screens at TIFF on Sun, Sep 8 at Winter Garden Theatre at 5:30 PM, Mon, Sep 9 at Princess of Wales at 11:30 AM, Fri, Sep 13 at Princess of Wales at 6 PM, and Sat, Sep 14 at Princess of Wales at 2:45 PM.
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 keenly-aware of the conventions of the genre, and alters each one to suit his wildly unique sensibilities. The style and score are absolute perfection as is the sharp editing and absolutely hysterical dialogue. Johnson is very precise with all of his elements here, practically entering the same distinctive pantheon as Wes Anderson with his attention to detail. He stumbles a bit with the convoluted and over-stretched final act, but ensures the Film remains thrilling and enigmatic right up until the very end. And if that were not enough, the all-star Cast is one of the best groups of thespians ever brought together by one film. Every single Cast member has a blast breathing life into these amazing characters, with Craig killing it with another ridiculous accent and Ana de Armas practically stealing the show from everyone.
KNIVES OUT screens during TIFF at the following times:
Saturday September 7, 6:00pm @ Princess of Wales [World Premiere]
Sunday September 8, 11:00am @ Elgin Theatre
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 billionaires, and that point is not lost on Writer/Director Michael Winterbottom. From the very beginning right through to the end, he savagely skewers the fashion industry and the 1% in increasingly vicious ways. This is high stakes satire and the laughs come fast and furious. The editing and music choices are great and the Cast is top-notch, with Coogan and Isla Fisher (as McCreadie’s ex-wife Samantha) being particular standouts. But Winterbottom has more than just laughs on his mind, frequently stopping the Film dead to detail the likes of horrible working conditions in Sri Lanka and awful money pinching tactics billionaires use to stay ahead. It almost becomes a mockumentary in some cases – except these sharp tonal pivots are anything but funny and barely match the rest of the Film around them.
GREED screens during TIFF at the following times:
Saturday September 7, 5:15pm @ Elgin Theatre [World Premiere]
Sunday September 8, 3:00pm @ Scotiabank Theatre
Sunday September 15, 3:00pm @ TIFF Bell Lightbox
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 Benson and Aaron Moorhead mash together genres and styles on a dime. They all work together masterfully in unison, creating a thrilling experience that becomes exceptionally more breathless as it moves from scene to scene. The stylistic choices here are fantastic and unique, and the way some of these scenes have been composed and shot is rather remarkable. It may be a dark and gritty film, but it sure looks beautiful. Dornan is great, but Mackie is even better, giving one of the most layered and nuanced performances of his career. I just wish the Film did not spend so much time setting up the world and the stakes. It takes away from the wild chaos that ensnares the second-half!
SYNCHRONIC screens during TIFF at the following times:
Saturday September 7, 3:00pm @ Ryerson Theatre [World Premiere]
Monday September 9, 5:00pm @ Scotiabank Theatre
Friday September 13, 6:00pm @ Ryerson Theatre
For advertising opportunites please contact mrwill@mrwillwong.com