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

Comedian Matt Rife will film his hour-long Netflix comedy special debut on September 22nd and 23rd at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington DC during his sold-out 260+ date ProbleMATTic World Tour.

About Matt Rife: Natural Selection

Logline:

After having amassed a large social following through his viral content showcasing his quick wit and crowd work, Matt embarked on a sold-out world tour. Now in his first Netflix comedy special, Matt leaves no topic untouched – from crystals to social media trolls – and no audience member spared.

Executive Producers: Matt Rife, Christina Shams

Production Company: Irony Point

About Matt Rife

Matt Rife has exploded as one of the world’s fastest growing comedians through his viral content and remarkable engagement on TikTok, where he has amassed over 16.7 million followers, and more than 5.4 billion views globally, making him the most watched comedian on the platform and across social media.

As one of the most buzzed about comedians in the business, Rife has been selling-out theaters and arenas across the country and recently embarked on his biggest tour to date with Live Nation, the Matt Rife: ProbleMATTic World Tour. The 260+ date tour sold out in 2 days.

Rife brings forth his refreshingly genuine presence along with elevated material that is quick witted and vulnerable. From a small town near Columbus Ohio, Matt started performing at the age of fifteen then moved out to Los Angeles two years later where he began his career in Hollywood.

In addition to stand-up, he made his television debut on MTV’s Wild ‘n Out as the youngest cast member in history for four seasons before moving on to other MTV properties, such as hosting the reboot of TRL and appearing on The Challenge. As an actor, his credits include Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Fresh Off The Boat and BET’s North Of The 10.

In 2021, Rife self-produced and distributed through YouTube his first one-hour comedy special, Only Fans, which garnered 9.8 million views. This past April, the comedian bet on himself again and self-released his highly anticipated second stand-up special, Matthew Steven Rife, on YouTube which was taped in Austin, TX and is dedicated to his biggest role model, his grandfather Steven who had recently passed. Matthew Steven Rife has earned more than 15 million views to date. In June, Rife self-released a crowd work focused special with Matt Rife: Walking Red Flag which has amassed nearly 7 million views.

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.

Ahead of #StarTrekDay on September 8, Pluto TV is expanding its ever-growing content library with a brand-new channel dedicated to the iconic Star Trek series, streaming now in Canada. The Star Trek channel revisits the mission of the U.S.S. Enterprise with two classic series from one of Sci-Fi’s most beloved franchises, including all three seasons of the original series Star Trek and all seven seasons Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Star Trek kickstarted the cultural phenomenon nearly 60 years ago with a vision that has remained innovative and iconoclastic to this day.

Under the command of Captain James T. Kirk (played by William Shatner), the series depicts the adventures of the crew of the Starship Enterprise and its five-year mission “to boldly go where no man has gone before.” Airing for three seasons from 1966 to 1969 and delivering episodes that stand the test of time, the original series Star Trek stars William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, and Walter Koenig.

The most watched show in the franchise, Star Trek: The Next Generation, is the second live-action series of the Star Trek universe, featuring over seven intergalactic seasons, which aired from September 1987 to May 1994. Set in the 24th century, nearly 100 years after James Kirk, a new crew of intrepid explorers takes the helm, this time on the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D. With its continuing mission of boundary-pushing exploration, it featured a new cast of characters starring Sir Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, and Brent Spiner.

In addition to the new Star Trek channel, Pluto TV celebrates Star Trek Day on September 8 with a marathon of programming on the Pluto TV Documentaries channel. Travel the country with former Star Trek: The Next Generation actress Denise Crosby and get to know the Universes’ most fervent fans in Trekkies; join host William Shatner, the original Enterprise captain, James T. Kirk., as he takes viewers inside the creation of Star Trek: The Next Generation in Chaos on The Bridge; and get up close and personal with actors who have portrayed the role of Enterprise Captain in the feature, The Captains, followed by the five-part series The Captains: Close Up focusing in on William Shatner, Sir Patrick Stewart, Avery Brooks, Kate Mulgrew, and Scott Bakula.

“Star Trek has stood the test of time for nearly six decades as one of the most popular television franchises in history. We’re thrilled to offer the all-new dedicated Star Trek channel on Pluto TV, bringing the first two live-action series to Canada’s legions of fans,”said Katrina Kowalski, Vice President of Content, Pluto TV and Paramount+ in Canada.

As announced in July, Paramount+ is Canada’s streaming home of the iconic Star Trek catalogue featuring over 800 episodes of binge-worthy episodes and 12 feature films. Star Trek on Paramount+ includes but is not limited to one of Canada’s most streamed series* Star Trek: Strange New Worlds all seasons of Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, and the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks. In addition, the service is currently home to all the Star Trek feature films, including Star Trek: The Director’s Cut.

Pluto TV is available for free, with no registration or subscription required. Canadian users can watch Pluto TV via web at www.pluto.tv, via the Pluto TV app for Apple, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Android TV, Samsung, LG, Tizen, Hisense, and Xbox devices, and via mobile apps on the App Store and Google Play. Visit Pluto TV Canada on Instagram @plutotvca to get started on your free streaming journey.