Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong

Sales of Ford cars are slumping in the early 1960s. They need to reinvigorate the brand, fast. Inspired by the work Ferrari is doing, the company plan to build a car that can compete with the best of the best at the “24 Hours of Le Mans” endurance race. But it will not be easy.

The 152-minute running time of Ford v Ferrari is daunting, but it proves to be one of the most rewarding and entertaining films at this year’s Festival. Director James Mangold uses the time to his advantage, crafting a film that never stops moving and never strays into anything unimportant. Each element used here is effective, allowing Mangold to straddle the line between drama and white-knuckle Thriller masterfully. He knows just when to change gears and wisely spends a generous portion of the Last Act at the Le Mans race. Also, by emphasizing the sounds of the car and amping-up Marco Beltrami’s epic Score, Mangold makes the Film substantially more engrossing at each turn. And with a stacked Cast featuring Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jon Bernthal, Outlander’s Catriona Balfe and the great Tracy Letts, you just know you are in good hands. You just might be a little sweaty after watching it.

FORD v FERRARI screens during TIFF at the following times:

Monday September 9, 5:30pm @ Roy Thomson Hall
Monday September 9, 8:00pm @ Elgin Theatre
Tuesday September 10, 10:30am @ Princess of Wales
Friday September 13, 9:30pm @ Princess of Wales
Saturday September 14, 4:30pm @ Ryerson Theatre

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Tunde Johnson (Steven Silver) keeps reliving the day he dies at the hands of Los Angeles police officers.

While the concept of reliving a day repeatedly has been done before, this Film does an entirely unique take on it. Screenwriter Stanley Kalu uses the repeated day to address racial stereotypes, race relations, and police brutality. Kalu’s focused Script is also a story of accepting one’s identity and presenting oneself honestly. Silver is a magnetic force on the screen. He gives one-hundred percent whether he is exploring Tunde’s sexuality, friendships, familial relationships or identity.

The Obituary Of Tunde Johnson screens at TIFF on Sun, Sep 9 at TIFF Bell Lightbox at 12 PM, Tue, Sep 10 at Scotiabank Theatre at 4:15 PM, and Sat, Sep 14 at Scotiabank Theatre at 9 PM.

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Wasp Network focuses on a few Cuban intelligence agents who pose as dissidents during the country’s 90s post-Soviet Union economic collapse.

Director Olivier Assayas is a master of telling multiple character storylines and making them all come together naturally. With Wasp Network, he continues on this path. This time around he focuses on three different intelligence agents with different things to lose and gain. Although the Film does get a bit slow at times it’s the performances from an all-star Cast that keep the audience’s attention. Those intense performances are from Edgar Ramírez, Gael García Bernal, and Wagner Moura. Yet the most captivating performances come from Penélope Cruz and Ana de Armas who are the ones most affected by their husband’s actions.

Wasp Network screens at TIFF on Mon, Sep 9 at Ryerson Theatre at 6 PM, Tue, Sep 10 at Scotiabank Theatre at 6 PM, and Sat, Sep 14 at Ryerson Theatre at 8:30 PM.

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

The Film follows the story of Harriet Tubman (Cynthia Erivo) in her quest to not only claim her own freedom but the freedom of all slaves.

This Film documents the pivotal moments in Harriet Tubman’s adult life, with a focus on her efforts in transporting those enslaved to freedom areas. For those who know this empowering and inspiring Story, the Film won’t tell you anything you didn’t already know. It that has been brought to the big screen through beautiful Cinematography, an excellent Score and a powerful performance from Erivo.

Harriet screens at TIFF on Tue, Sep 10 at Roy Thompson Hall at 6 PM, Tue, Sep 10 at Elgin Theatre at 8 PM, Wed, Sep 11 at Winter Garden Theatre at 3 PM, and Sat, Sep 14 at Scotiabank Theatre at 2:45 PM.

Things finally are reaching a simmering point now at TIFF ’19, giving us a chance to catch some screenings finally! Tonight’s big ticket was Noah Hawley’s LUCY IN THE SKY at Princess of Wales Theatre, which saw Natalie Portman narrowly escaped rain! She channeled some major Black Swan tonight!

See some Snaps below. Hover cursor right and left to navigate album.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

After Frankie (Isabelle Huppert) finds out she has a serious illness she summons her family and close friends to join her on a holiday in Sintra, Portugal.

Director Ira Sachs has a way of shooting a Film with many characters and making it feel intimate. The Script is rich with uniquely different characters who have particular quirks in their dialects. These loveable and honest characters are brought to life by a killer Cast consisting of Huppert who is hilarious here, the beguiling Marisa Tomei and more. Frankie is a fusion of Drama and Comedy with insightful lessons on life.

Frankie screens at TIFF on Wed, Sep 11 at Princess of Wales at 6 PM and Thu, Sep 12 at Winter Garden Theatre at 2:30 pm

Review by Mr. Will Wong

Tyler (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) seems to be on the verge of greatness under the persistent urging of his father (Sterling K. Brown). While everything seems fine initially, things take a drastic turn for the worse after his girlfriend Alexis (Alexa Demie) finds out she is pregnant with his child and his world crumbles. In the face of a tragedy, which threatens to tear Tyler’s family apart, his father, mother (Renée Elise Goldberry) and sister (Taylor Russell) are left to pick-up the pieces and find themselves again.

Filmmaker Trey Edward Shults’ (Krisha, It Comes at Night) hits you like a tidal wave in its first act but calms into a ripples in the second. While dialogue is sparse and the Film takes a nuanced tone, this is where Waves finds its flow in its meditation on grief.

Harrison delivers pure intensity in a performance which solified him a TIFF ‘19 Rising Star, while Russell shows a quiet maturity in her ability to express a deep undercurrent of emotion with little dialogue. Shults gets the honour of a Score by Academy Award winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross which intensifies the Film. Drew Daniels‘ Cinematography is breathtaking, whether it be his gorgeous captures of the Florida waters or çloseups that bring us up-close and intimate to these characters, particularly Harrison in his panic.

While Waves’ unevenness might not be for all, it is an ambitious effort even if it asks for your patience. It screens at TIFF Tue, Sep 10 at Ryerson Theatre, 8:45pm, Wed, Sep 11, Scotiabank Theatre, 6pm and Sun, Sep 15 at Ryerson Theatre, 2:45pm.

It’s been a relief getting a breather finally and we actually are finding time to see some movies! We saw Joker which filled two theatres completely at an industry screening and it was enthralling seeing Joaquin Phoenix go all in! While it does a number on you, it is well worth getting shaken for.

Less sightings today, but here are a few we had. Hover cursor right on each album to navigate.

JUDY – Premiere

HARRIET – Afterparty

Also, a huge congratulations to Mike, who won our TIFF ’19 Tenth Anniversary Prize Pack!

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Review by George Kozera for Mr. Will Wong

Take a heaping cup of Guy Maddin’s influence, sprinkle liberally with Wes Anderson’s imaginative plot machinations and way with words then finally add just a wee bit of Tim Burton to keep you slightly discombobulated and you have the recipe for Canadian director, Matthew Rankin’s, most bizarre and audacious Feature debut THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. This off-kilter, off-the-wall “biopic” of how William Lyon Mackenzie King became Prime Minister of Canada is genuinely funny and the personification of the words original and unique. There are so many elements and twists in this movie that I won’t reveal because THE TWENTIETH CENTURY has to be seen and savoured to fully appreciate the bizarre world we have just entered. Daniel Beirne (as Mackenzie King) has captured a piece of my non-conformist heart with his hysterical performance.

Want to see a movie flaunts gender roles, watch a competition that includes clubbing puppet baby seals and sexualizes footwear while maintaining romantic subplots and Quebec’s need to be unique? Do not walk…run to see THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. To quote a line used often in the Movie, you will love it “as sure as a winter’s day in spring”.

THE TWENTIETH CENTURY screens at TIFF Tue, Sep 10, Ryerson Theatre at 11:59pm, Thu, Sep 12 Scotiabank Theatre at 9:45pm and Sat, Sep 14 Scotiabank Theatre at 1:30pm

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong

Cagalera (Benny Emmanuel) and Moloteco (Gabriel Carbajal) want to leave their impoverished lives behind. Cagalera is living in the shadow of an abusive alcoholic father and Moloteco lives alone in a ramshackle house that could blow over at any minute. They need money badly, and must continually look for new and more dangerous ways to find it.

In his second Feature behind the camera, Gael García Bernal delivers an intense and uncompromising vision of life in a Mexican slum. It is a character study that is equal parts raw and intimate, rarely taking a breath in-between all of the chaos that ensues. And while I admire his gritty approach, I am not quite sure what Bernal was striving for with how obscene and grotesque some elements of the Film are. For one, the violence is vicious and often shocking just for the sake of it. For another, the dialogue seems disingenuous and mean-spirited. I would forgive these faults if there was more than a brief hint or two of introspection. Do not get me wrong, Emmanuel and Carbajal are positively luminous in their roles. But the Script by Augusto Mendoza could and should have done them more favours.

CHICUAROTES screens during TIFF at the following times:

Tuesday September 10, 9:15pm @ Scotiabank Theatre
Wednesday September 11, 6:15pm @ Scotiabank Theatre
Friday September 13, 5:15pm @ Scotiabank Theatre