#TIFF18: “THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER” REVIEW
Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
After premiering at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year (where it won Best Director for Sara Colangelo), The Kindergarten Teacher lands in Toronto for its Canadian Premiere. Lisa Spinelli (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is a bored Kindergarten teacher who yearns to be noticed and appreciated by her family and her night-time poetry class. By chance, she hears her five-year-old student Jimmy Roy (Parker Sevak) reciting his own poetry, and sets out to assist ...
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#TIFF18: “JEREMIAH TERMINATOR LEROY” REVIEW
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy tells the true story of Laura (Laura Dern) who created a writing persona called Jeremiah āTerminatorā LeRoy. When questions arise about who this LeRoy guy is she gets her sister-in-law, Savannah (Kristen Stewart), to play him in public. This Film will be having its World Premiere as the Closing Night Gala.
This true story is brought to life beautifully and full of authentic humour by Writer-Director Justin Kelly. These ...
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#TIFF18: “SHOPLIFTERS” REVIEW
Review by George Kozera for Mr. Will Wong
Not only did SHOPLIFTERS win the prestigious Palme dāOr at this yearās Cannes Film Festival, it should be a shoo-in for a Best Foreign FilmĀ nomination this Awards Season and, most importantly, be a must-see at TIFF '18Ā this year. Set in a slums part of Tokyo rarely seen on the big screen, a poor family of five augment their low paying jobs and monthly pension by stealing from stores for essentials like food and shampoo. When they add an abandoned ...
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#TIFF18: “WHAT THEY HAD” REVIEW
Review by George Kozera for Mr. Will Wong
As someone who has personally experienced the insidiousness of Alzheimerās Disease, WHAT THEY HAD is one of the few movies that features the day to day horrors one is subjected to. When Ruth (a terrific, yet underutilized Blythe Danner) is found in the hospital after wandering the streets of Chicago on a snowy winter night clad only in her nightgown, her son Nick (Michael Shannon, exceptional as always) calls his sister in California, Bridget (Hilary ...
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#TIFF18: “A MILLION LITTLE PIECES” REVIEW
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
A Million Little Pieces is based off of the controversial Novel/Memoir by James Frey that follows his crack addiction and the his experiences and interactions with people in an AA facility. Itās the latest Film from Sam Taylor-Johnson and will have its World Premiere at TIFF ā18 in the Special Presentations Programme.
What the Film does best is depict the struggle many people go through when having an addiction. It shows the ups and downs along ...
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#TIFF18: āFIRST MANā PRESS CONFERENCE
Words and Photo by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
The morning after its Canadian Gala Premieres, TIFF held the Press Conference for Damien Chazelleās First Man. In attendance were Chazelle, Stars Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Kyle Chandler, Corey Stoll, Patrick Fugit and Olivia Hamilton, along with Astronaut Neil Armstrongās sons Rick and Mark Armstrong. The Film chronicles the true story of Armstrong and his journey towards becoming the first man to walk on the moon.
Having made critically ...
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#TIFF18: āTHE PUBLICā REVIEW
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 ...
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#TIFF18: DAY SIX – RYAN GOSLING, NICOLE KIDMAN, ODESSA YOUNG, TROYE SIVAN, KEIRA KNIGHTLEY, CLAIRE FOY + MORE
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.Ā 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 ...
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#TIFF18: “ASSASSINATION NATION” REVIEW
Review by Justin Waldman for Mr. Will Wong
Sam Levinsonās women empowerment to the power-of-four Film Assassination Nation is a violent, visceral, eye opening look at what itās 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 ...
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#TIFF18: “BOY ERASED” REVIEW
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 ā18 in the Special Presentations Programme.
Lucas HedgesĀ lands a career-defining role as Jared ...
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