Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong

After premiering earlier this year in Santa Barbara, Writer/Producer/Director/Star Emilio Estevez has brought The Public to TIFF. Stuart (Estevez) is a supervisor at the Cincinnati Public Library. One cold evening, homeless Jackson (Michael K. Williams) stages a sit-in with a large number of other homeless patrons. They refuse to leave, and after the doors are barricaded shut, news of the situation quickly reaches the police and local television media – and only becomes bigger from there.

Estevez admirably tackles a number of topics and ideas within The Public. But from the very beginning, the Film has trouble honing in on where to properly focus. The sit-in that forms the crux of the Plot does not take place until nearly 45-minutes into two-hour Film, and everything that comes afterwards feels very long and drawn-out. The sprawling Ensemble Cast do the best with what they are given (especially Williams and Christian Slater as a slimy mayoral candidate), but many are cast aside after they serve their characters’ purpose. With some choice edits, The Public could easily become a much stronger Film.

The Public screens on Sunday, September 9 at 2:30 PM at Roy Thomson Hall, Monday, September 10 at 10:30AM at Winter Garden Theatre, and Friday, September 14 at 4:15PM at Elgin Theatre.

By Mr. Will Wong

TIFF ’18 officially has reached its cooling point, but that doesn’t mean that Day Six wasn’t filled to the brim with starpower! Ryan Gosling was out and about promoting FIRST MAN with his Castmates and Director Damien Chazelle, while Nicole Kidman continued to do the rounds for her latest, BOY ERASED.  While TIFF ’18 heavyweight Lucas Hedges couldn’t make it to Toronto to promote his three Films at the Festival, it was a pleasant surprise that Singer/Songwriter/YouTuber Troye Sivan could make it for the Film in which he stars. Also, you might want to know about Sundance breakout hit ASSASSINATION NATION which premiered to much fanfare at Ryerson Theatre for Midnight Madness, as we expect this one to catch on in this post-#MeToo climate.

See who was saw!

FIRST MAN – Ryan Gosling, Damien Chazelle, Claire Foy, Kyle Chandler, Olivia Hamilton, Patrick Fugit x Corey Stoll

 

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The #FirstMan Press Conference with #RyanGosling, #OliviaHamilton, #ClaireFoy, #PatrickFugit, #CoreyStoll, #RickArmstrong, #MarkArmstrong, #KyleChandler and Director #DamienChazelle. 🚀 Lead Photo: @davemabaldwin | Others: @mrwillwong #TIFF18 #TIFF #torontointernationalfilmfestival #NikonD3400

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 11, 2018 at 9:35am PDT

 

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First men. I will never stop believing in you, #RyanGosling. Thank you for always showing love. Also, #DamienChazelle. #FirstMan #TIFF #torontointernationalfilmfestival #TIFF18

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 11, 2018 at 9:21am PDT

 

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With the Cast of #FirstMan: #ClaireFoy 👑, #CoreyStoll, #PatrickFugit, #OliviaHamilton and #KyleChandler. #TIFF #TIFF18 #torontointernationalfilmfestival 🚀

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 11, 2018 at 10:38am PDT

BOY ERASED – Nicole Kidman, Troye Sivan x Joel Edgerton, an Australian triple!

 

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The Cast of #BoyErased: Goddess #NicoleKidman, #TroyeSivan and Director #JoelEdgerton. #TIFF18 #TIFF #torontointernationalfilmfestival

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 11, 2018 at 5:37pm PDT

 

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Singer-Songwriter-YouTube personality #TroyeSivan at #TIFF18 for #BoyErased. #TIFF #torontointernationalfilmfestival

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 11, 2018 at 5:10pm PDT

COLETTE – Keira Knightley x Dominic West

 

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#DominicWest and #KeiraKnightley, stunning in Chanel. The latter extremely late for #TIFF18 Premiere of #Colette, leaving fans who queued for hours and media disappointed. Time is valuable. Someone of her experience and level of professionalism should get that. #torontointernationalfilmfestival #TIFF

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 11, 2018 at 3:21pm PDT

VITA AND VIRGINIA – Elizabeth Debicki

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The stunning #ElizabethDebicki at #TIFF18 for both #Widows and #VitaandVirginia. #torontointernationalfilmfestival #TIFF

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 11, 2018 at 5:51pm PDT

ASSASSINATION NATION – Odessay Young, Suki Waterhouse, Abra and Hari Nef

 

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The party kicked-off at Mister C before heading via Party Bus to #AssassinationNation. #MidnightMadness #TIFF18 Premiere! Attending were: #OdessaYoung, #SukiWaterhouse, #HariNef, #Abra and #ColmanDomingo. #TIFF #torontointernationalfilmfestival

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 11, 2018 at 7:22pm PDT

Expect things to start slowing down in terms of star-spotting, but we look forward to focusing on the Films of the Festival!

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Review by Justin Waldman for Mr. Will Wong

Sam Levinson’s women empowerment to the power-of-four Film Assassination Nation is a violent, visceral, eye opening look at what it’s like to be a female teenager in the modern age with a bloody twist. Coming off the positive word of mouth from Sundance, it is no wonder why people loved this Film. It is an absolute blast and insanely entertaining, the Midnight Madness crowd is sure to devour the Film with absolute delight.

The Film centers around Lily (Odessa Young), Hari Nef (Bex), Sarah (Suki Waterhouse) and Em (Abra) as they’re the “it” girls around high school. A hacker slowly starts to leak info about the residents of Salem, and it turns into a witch hunt massacre.

Assassination Nation screens on Tuesday September 11, 10:45 PM at the Ryerson and Wednesday, September 12 at 9:45 PM at Scotiabank Theatre.

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Boy Erased follows Jared (Lucas Hedges) who is a son of a Baptist Pastor (Russell Crowe) in a small town. When Jared gets ousted to his parents his father tells him he can either attend a gay Conversion Therapy Program or be exiled from their family. Boy Erased is the second Feature for Actor-Director Joel Edgerton and will have its World Premiere TIFF ‘18 in the Special Presentations Programme.

Lucas Hedges lands a career-defining role as Jared as he displays a wide range of emotion in his often subtle performance. Nicole Kidman, who plays Jared’s mother, gives a complex and perfect performance. With Boy Erased, it is obvious that Edgerton has clear vision and message when he makes his Films, and we need more of them.

Boy Erased screens Tuesday, September 11 at 9 PM at Princess Of Wales, Wednesday, September 12 at 2:30 PM at Princess Of Wales and Saturday, September 15 at 12 PM at Roy Thompson Hall.

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Léo (2015 TIFF Rising Star Karelle Tremblay) is an angst-ridden teenager reaching the final end of high school in her small, industrial Quebec town. She dreams of life outside of the sleepy town that doesn’t self-fulfill her, however, often surprises her. The Fireflies Are Gone will be having its North American Premiere at TIFF in the Contemporary World Cinema Programme.

Like previous Films directed and written by Sébastien Pilote, The Fireflies Are Gone depicts the struggles people living in changing rural Quebec towns are facing. What sets this one apart from his previous works is the magnetic performance from Karelle Tremblay, who plays Léo with equal amounts malaise and curiosity.

The Fireflies Are Gone screens at TIFF  Tuesday, September 11 at 6:30 PM at Scotiabank 13 and Wednesday, September 12 at 4:15 PM at Scotiabank 4.

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Non-Fiction follows Parisian publisher Alain (Guillaume Canet), who is looking into changing his current publishing ways for a new media landscape, and his successful actor-wife Serena (Juliette Binoche). It is coming to TIFF in the Special Presentations Programme for its Canadian Premiere after playing the Venice Film Festival to rave reviews.

Writer-Director Olivier Assayas has crafted a powerful Script about the ever-changing media and how it ultimately changes the interactions and personalities of us in the process. Canet and Binoche are cast perfectly as husband and wife who have slowly changed their feelings towards each other just as media slowly has changed us.

Non-Fiction screens Tuesday, September 11 at 4:30 PM at Elgin Theatre and Wednesday, September 12 at 9:30 AM at TIFF Bell Lightbox 1.

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Hotel Mumbai depicts the terrorist attack that happened at the Taj Hotel in Mumbai in 2008, and the victims and survivors of that attack. This is the feature directorial debut for Anthony Maras and it will have its World Premiere at TIFF ’18.

The Film has an impressive ensemble cast consisting of Dev Patel, Armie Hammer and Nazanin Boniadi to name a few. Then there is the skillful Director from Maras who brings an equal amount of love and hate to the Film. There are tender scenes are love and devotion between family, friends, co-workers and even strangers. Then there are the violent and often hard-to-watch moments of terror.

Hotel Mumbai screens on Friday, September 7 at 6 PM at Princess Of Wales, Sunday, September 9 at 9:45 PM and 10 PM at Scotiabank, and Saturday, September 15 at 9:30 PM at Winter Garden Theatre.

Review by  Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Her Smell tells the story of a self-destructive female Punk Rock musician, Becky Something (Elisabeth Moss), who seems determined to alienate those around her and threatens the success of her band. This is the fourth feature for Director Alex Ross Perry and will have its World Premiere in the Platform Programme at TIFF ’18.

Moss gives an all-or-nothing performance as Becky. It’s a demanding performance that most actors wouldn’t dare to take-on, let alone execute perfectly.  Perry’s direction takes the audience on a punk rock ride and challenges the depth to which they are willing to watch. Overall, it’s one hell of a ride that you will be happy you took.

Her Smell screens at TIFF on Sunday, September 9 at 5:45 PM at Winter Garden Theatre, Tuesday, September 11 at 12 PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox, and Friday, September 14 at 9:15 PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox.

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

This Film is based on the true story of Forrest Tucker (Robert Redford), who has spent most of his life robbing banks, in prison or escaping from prison. The Film takes place when he is in his seventies and still can’t resist the urge to rob banks, because it’s the one thing that always puts a smile on his face. The Old Man & The Gun will have its international Premiere at TIFF ’18 and has received rave reviews from other Festivals this season.

Writer-Director David Lowery takes the Crime-Drama genre and puts a fresh spin on it. Shooting on 16MM film, The Old Man & The Gun gives the perfect amount of nostalgia for the old-school crime movies, however, his use of dialogue and camera techniques makes this Film feel fresh and new. Lowery has gathered a group of talented Actors, such as Redford, Sissy Spacek and Casey Affleck (who is arguably at his best as Detective John Hunt), who elevate his already rich Script.

The Old Man & The Gun screens at TIFF on Monday, September 10 at 8 PM at Elgin Theatre, Tuesday, September 11 at 1 PM at Elgin Theatre, Thursday, September 13 at 6 PM at Ryerson Theatre, and Friday, September 14 at 6 PM at Princess of Wales.

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong

With Mid90s, Oscar-nominee Jonah Hill makes the leap from acting to writing/directing. The Film revolves around 13-year-old Stevie (Sunny Suljic), trying to fit in and find his place in the world. His Mom Dabney (Katherine Waterston) is not the best parent and his older brother Ian (Lucas Hedges) is constantly beating and abusing him. With no friends to turn to, Stevie starts hanging out at a local skate shop and makes friends with a crew of older skateboarders – who may be inspiring a few wrong impressions.

Hill’s directorial debut is far from perfect, but is admirable and notable. The look and nostalgic feel of the Film is spot-on, and the loud Sondtrack (complete with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross Score) is magnificent. And while the casting is great overall, Suljic’s performance is absolutely brilliant as the precocious, impressionable and quietly hilarious Stevie. My main gripe is that outside of one deeply emotional scene involving Stevie and older skateboarder Ray (Na-kel Smith), there are too few genuine coming-of-age moments. Hill hints at them (and some deeper, darker closeted demons), but he never elaborates or goes into any sort of depth. It all just feels like a big lead up to nothing much at all. I wanted to learn more about these kids and Stevie’s family life. And with a running time of 84-minutes, there was definitely some time that could have been spent on it.

Also, does it horrify anyone else that a film set in the 1990s is now considered a period piece?

Mid90s screens on Sunday, September 9 at 9:15 PM at Ryerson Theatre [World Premiere], Monday, September 10 at 2:45 PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox and Friday, September 14 at 6:00 PM at Ryerson Theatre.