By George Kozera
SUMMER QAMP take the audience to Camp fYrefly in rural Alberta, where queer, non-binary, and trans teens can spend a few days hanging out and just getting to be kids together “without any of the explanations.” As a group, these young adults are boisterous, adventurous and just thrilled to be in a safe environment where they won’t be judged or bullied; but in their one-on-one interviews with the Director Jen Markowitz, they are more subdued and reflective. They talk about their gender dysphoria, gender identity and sexuality issues with insight and honesty. They are also young. I had to giggle when one participant said they wanted to be either “a criminal justice lawyer or a film director.”
SUMMER QAMP is primarily a talking heads Documentary, and it must be commended for showing a world that may be foreign to some but I think the Director tried to tackle too many issues, some successfully and some redundant. I wish Markowitz had included more teenagers from different ends of the LGBTQ+ spectrum. I found myself vacillating between fascinated and bored.
SUMMER QAMP screens at TIFF ’23:
Saturday, September 9 at 12:15 PM at Scotiabank
Sunday, September 10 at 4:30 PM at Scotiabank
By David Baldwin
Cheerleaders Riley (Devery Jacobs) and her girlfriend Amanda (Kudakwashe Rutendo, TIFF Rising Star ’23 and Share Her Journey Fellow) have just been selected to be part of an elite cheer squad. With a major competition coming up – not to mention needing to impress ice cold head coach Eileen (Evan Rachel Wood) – there is no room for either of them to mess up this opportunity. And Riley is starting to buckle under that pressure.
I am not a gymnast, nor have I ever tried to be. Thankfully, that does not matter because Director D.W. Waterson (in their feature-length debut) does everything they can to make it so that you feel all of the pain, excitement and fear Riley feels from start to finish. The camera is always moving, taking in Riley’s experiences, amd honing in frequently on shots utilizing a Go-Pro to really embed deep into her psyche. When she starts having a panic attack, you feel it with her. When she starts pulling out her eyebrow hairs, you feel it with her. It is frequently disorientating and intense, but that is deliberate. Waterson is not so much making BACKSPOT into a film so much as they are making a visceral experience.
Jacobs is revelatory here, excelling equally at the physical and emotional elements of her character. She dives fearlessly into every moment, with the extreme close-ups on her face brilliantly depicting the toil this training is having on her. Her innocent, intimate connection with Rutendo is terrific, as are the standard coming-of-age tropes Riley finds herself falling into. Where the Film falters is in what is happening in the background of Riley’s home life, and more specifically her school work. We only get to see fragments of it or nothing at all, with everything that is not just gymnastics (including Shannyn Sossamon’s thankless performance as Riley’s Mom) kind of fading into the background. The number of scenes taking place at Cineplex Mississauga gave me a giggle though.
All of that said, Wood is the Film’s not-so secret weapon. She relishes at playing such a fiendish and nasty character. But when Riley and Amanda refer to her as middle-aged, despite being in her mid-30s? That innocuous, throwaway of a line hit me square in the gut. I am not sure I will ever forget it.
BACKSPOT screens at TIFF’ 23:
Friday, September 8 at 8:30 PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox
Monday, September 11 at 3:00 PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox
Friday, September 15 at 9:45 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
By Amanda Gilmore
Patricia Arquette makes her feature debut with Gonzo Girl the adaptation of Cheryl Della Pietra’s semi-autobiographical novel chronicling her time as Hunter S. Thompson’s personal assistant.
Set in 1992, we follow Alley Russo (Camila Morrone) who’s been hand-picked to be the assistant to the father of gonzo journalism, Walker Reade (Willem Dafoe). It’s been 15 years since Walker’s written anything decent. He’s more interested in consuming cocaine, acid and alcohol than sitting down and writing. Getting him to finish his latest novel is what Alley’s hired to do.
Gonzo Girl is a fast-paced, bold trip through the few months Alley spends with Walker. Arquette and screenwriters Rebecca Thomas and Jessica Caldwell focus on Alley. Allowing the audience to see this man and the women around him, his girlfriend Devaney (Elizabeth Lail) and long-term manager Claudia (Arquette), through her eyes.
Everything she sees is spellbindingly brought to the screen by cinematographer Bobby Bukowski. When Alley first takes acid, he brings us into the world as she sees it. Filled with animation and walls pulsating. Even when no drugs are being taken, Bukowski uses the lens to capture the bizarre world Alley is now a part of, such as seeing the room through the reflection of Water’s sunglasses.
At the centre of Gonzo Girl are two powerhouse performances from Dafoe and Morrone. Dafoe gives a controlled yet outlandish performance as Walker. With a filmography loaded with best performances, his take on Walker will stand near the very top. Rising talent Morrone gives a firecracker performance as Alley who learns more about herself and steps into her independence.
Gonzo Girl screens at TIFF ’23:
Thursday, September 7 at 8:45 PM at Royal Alexandra Theatre
Friday, September 8 at 5:30 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
Saturday, September 16 at 3 PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox
By Mr. Will Wong
Based on the book THE ANTISOCIAL NETWORK by Ben Mezrich, Director Craig Gillespie (Cruella, I, Tonya) is back with DUMB MONEY, based on the true story of GameStop‘s unbelievable meteoric rise in share price during the Pandemic. This thanks to a Reddit page called r/WallStreetBets, leading a legion of novice investors to band together against two hedge fund giants banking on GameStop to short and disappear into the oblivion. This is a real David vs. Goliath battle that balances what’s at stake for everyone involved, yet at once is educational.
We meet Roaring Kitty/Keith Gill (Paul Dano), a charismatic internet personality who believes wholeheartedly in the potential of GameStop. Through his internet videos, he leads the charge propelling GameStop from just a few dollars a share to $400 a share at its peak, as his supporters and investors become further invested in this fight against those who hold power. An uproar results when trading on GameStop shares suddenly are halted. As allegations of insider trading surface, Gill finds himself in a fight for everything he has built and accomplished, with he and his opponents in high places likewise, ready to risk it all.
Dano is fantastic in Keith’s unwavering in his belief of what is right, even if this all seems a little crazy. He is very easy to root for and Gillespie reins the focus in on his true intention. It is never only about money, it is about winning the fight against the big guys who bank on bankrupting the little guys. Shailene Woodley as Keith‘s wife Caroline, also is a standout acting as his support when the tides begin to turn for the worse. Pete Davidson also delivers a memorable turn as Keith’s younger brother Kevin, navigating humorous and more tender moments well.
DUMB MONEY screens at TIFF ’23:
Friday, September 8
Roy Thomson Hall 5:45 PM
Premium
Sunday, September 10
Roy Thomson Hall 10:30 AM
By David Baldwin
Helen’s (Louise Brealey) life did not turn out the way she expected. She lives in a room at her (ex?)husband’s home with his new girlfriend, their new baby, and his dying mother Gwen (Sorcha Cusack). Helen cares for Gwen during the day and works nights at the local chicken processing plant. She is thrown out of sorts however when her former neighbour and high school crush Joanne (Annabel Scholey) returns to town.
What follows is an often whimsical love story between two women who refuse to be defined by their past traumas. Did I mention that the characters in the Film have a habit of breaking out into song whenever one of their favourite tunes comes on? That just seems to be the world Helen and Joanne inhabit in CHUCK CHUCK BABY, Writer/Director Janis Pugh’s debut narrative feature. She infuses the proceedings with a sense of wonder, and continually uses floating chicken feathers as a motif in and out of the plant (which somehow seems less grueling than it should). She also does a great job balancing the Film’s cuteness and humour with its fiercely feminist undertones. Some moments might be slighter than others, but I just wish Pugh did not stray away so quickly whenever something dark is added into the mix.
The lead pair of Brealey and Scholey are terrific from start to finish. Their chemistry is off the charts and the intimacy and love they bring to their burgeoning relationship is a delight to watch. They do just as well in their more dramatic moments, ensuring the audience feels every ounce of pain and regret they do. The Supporting Cast around them is solid with Cusack as the clear standout. She gets many of the film’s most profound moments and does an exemplary job landing its most emotional beats. Anytime she popped up, it felt like a warm hug you did not want to pull away from.
CHUCK CHUCK BABY screens at TIFF ’23:
Friday, September 8 at 3:15 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
Sunday, September 10 at 6:45 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
Saturday, September 16 at 8:45 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
By David Baldwin
Benjamin (Mark Clennon, TIFF Rising Star ’23) has not been having the best night. His new boyfriend Malcolm (Anthony Diaz) rejected his sexual advances, and the party he attends afterwards dredges up memories best forgotten. He stumbles home drunk, makes a bad decision and ends up being sexually assaulted by a random stranger. Benjamin thankfully does not contract HIV, but needs to start taking PEP immediately to prevent it potentially coming later. He does not have health insurance though, nor the $900 he needs to buy the drugs outright.
All of this happens in the first twenty minutes of I DON’T KNOW WHO YOU ARE, and the next hour or so is spent watching Benjamin frantically race to collect as much money as he can from his “friends” in order to pay for the PEP treatment. We learn choice details about Benjamin along the way, alongside the highs and lows of the people orbiting around him. It is episodic in a sense, yet feels gritty, harrowing and authentic – the side of Toronto that only its less wealthy residents know exists.
While it left me with a few questions (like why the Film suggests there is only one shabby pharmacy anywhere near Benjamin’s apartment), I found Writer/Director M.H. Murray’s direction to be confident and assured. He has a steady hand and crafts a film that even veteran directors would find challenging to create. It has its flaws yet makes for a bold and audacious feature debut; one that suggests Murray will be a talent to keep our eyes on.
Even better is Clennon, also making his feature debut, whose terrific performance alternates between riveting and aggravating. He spends much of the Film silent, using his eyes and emotions to guide Benjamin’s frightening journey. It makes for a number of great character moments, and tells us more than words ever could. It is a star-making turn no doubt, and is complemented by rock solid supporting work from Diaz and Nat Manuel who plays his friend Ariel. I wish they both had more to do, but when you are being overshadowed by a towering performance like Clennon’s, maybe having less to do is not so much of a bad thing.
I DON’T KNOW WHO YOU ARE screens at TIFF ’23:
Thursday, September 7 at 9:30 PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox
Friday, September 8 at 10:00 PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox
By Mr. Will Wong
Wim Wenders is back with a gorgeous portrait of every day life, that leaves its audience with a renewed sense of appreciation of life and living.
The Film centers around Japanese screen legend Kôji Yakusho who plays Hirayama, a middle-aged man working as a toilet cleaner in Tokyo, residing within a throw’s reach of the Tokyo Tower. He lives a quiet, mundane life, obsessed with caring for his plants, clocked down to a routine. A series of unexpected encounters with others around him peel off layers and from there we get glimpses into his past. Through his interactions with others around, we learn more and more about the perpetually cool, calm and collected Hirayama.
Wenders pairs an eclectic and nostalgic Soundtrack highlighted by Otis Redding, Nina Simone, Patti Smith, The Rolling Stones and more and this works remarkably well with the story. Though we spend an inordinate amount of time with Hirayama scrubbing toilets and cleaning bathrooms, never for once do we lose sight of his quiet zest for life and his endless willingness to help others around him. It isn’t till late that you realize that you have built a deep emotional connection with him. Yakusho is charming, captivating and spellbinding, a phenomenal performance.
PERFECT DAYS screens at TIFF ’23:
Thursday, September 7
TIFF Bell Lightbox
5:30 PM
It’s official TIFFMAS! It was a bit of running about today but thrilled that TIFF ’23 finally has kicked-off. While the Opening Night Gala took place at Roy Thomson Hall and Princess of Wales Theatre for Hayao Miyazaki’s THE BOY AND THE BLUE HERON, it was just like every other TIFF we’ve loved with King Street lit abuzz with starpower in front of Royal Alexandra Theatre for the Premiere of GONZO GIRL, based on true accounts by Hunter S. Thompson‘s assistant. This marks Oscar winner Patricia Arquette‘s first time directing, and in addition to starring in the Film, we also get Camila Morrone (Daisy Jones & The Six) and icon Willem Dafoe also! Arquette receives TIFF’s Share Her Journey Changemaker Award this weekend as well. Well deserved.
We’re only getting started but this is a promising start!
Some Snaps:
Not sure if you had a chance to check-out our chat with Sonia Mangat in the CTV eTalk TIFF Lounge, but it was so much fun!
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
By George Kozera
Winner of the Palme d’Or this year at the Cannes Film Festival, Co-Writer and Director. Justine Triet‘s, ANATOMY OF A FALL makes its Canadian Premiere at TIFF and this auspicious movie deserves a plethora of critical and awards laden attention. Sandra Hüller plays Sandra, a successful German Novelist on trial for the murder of her husband Samuel (Samuel Theis). Living in a chalet not far from Grenoble with her husband and their visually impaired 11-year- old son Daniel (Mio Machado Graner), the Movie opens with Sandra being interviewed by a graduate student when an instrumental version of 50 Cent‘s PIMP begins to loudly blast from the husband’s office in attic. Unable to continue the interview, the graduate student leaves followed by Daniel taking the dog for a walk. When he returns he finds his father dead on the ground, lying in a pool of blood. Did Samuel fall..did he jump…was he pushed by Susan? When the autopsy is incondusive, Sandra is arrested and along with an old friend of hers who happens to be a lawyer, Vincent (Swann Artaud), it is decided to go the suicide route as their legal defense.
ANATOMY OF A FALL is the fourth legal drama I’ve seen from France in eight months and the country’s courtroom proceedings fascinate me to no ends. Prosecutors and defense lawyers seem to be less concerned with justice than they are with winning and think nothing of regaling the jurors with conjectures, outlandish theories, distortions of facts and, in this movie, blatant homophobia. The prosecutor (expertly played by Antione Reinartz) is the most hissable villain I have seen on screen in recent history. Triet directs the court sequences with Hitchcockian assurance, but her masterpiece moment occurs when the court hears (and the audience sees) a 15-minute recording, taped in secret by Samuel, of him and Sandra in an intense argument that literally had me palpitating. It is up there with one of the most powerful moments I’d ever seen captured on celluloid.
I am uncertain if France will choose ANATOMY OF A FALL as its submission for Oscar consideration for 2023; there may be just too much English spoken in this Movie. But let’s start a hype campaign and have Sandra Hüller‘s name on the Best Actress list of nominees. Whereas the Actress may currently be best known for her role in “Toni Erdmann“, her performance here is superb. Sublime. Astonishing. As are Mio Machado Graner and Snoop the dog.
ANATOMY OF A FALL SCREENS at TIFF ’23:
Thursday Sept.7-Royal Alexandra Theatre-5pm
Friday Sept.8-Scotiabank -4pm
In this exclusive new video, go behind the scenes for a sneak peek at TIFF ’23 selectiin All the Light We Cannot See, a groundbreaking new limited series premiering on November 2, 2023.
Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Anthony Doerr and starring Mark Ruffalo, Hugh Laurie, Dark breakout Louis Hoffman, and newcomer Aria Mia Loberti, the series is directed and executive produced by Shawn Levy, written by Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders), and will have its world premiere at TIFF this coming Sunday, September 10, 2023.
Watch never-before-seen interviews with the cast and the creative team of All the Light We Cannot See discussing adapting the award-winning novel, casting the character of Marie Laure authentically and equitably with an actress who is blind, and hear from Mark Ruffalo and Hugh Laurie on working with Aria Mia Loberti in her first ever acting role.
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