#TIFF24: “THE LAST SHOWGIRL” REVIEW

By Amanda Gilmore

Director Gia Coppola’s latest is a stark look at how society and workplaces treat women as they age.

Shelley (Pamela Anderson) has been working as a showgirl at the last remaining tits and feather show on the Las Vegas strip. She’s been a part of the production since its conception three decades ago. When she finds out the show is being forced to close she has to confront the sacrifices she made in her personal life to be successful in her professional. Especially now that the profession she loves no longer loves her.

Coppola and screenwriter Kate Gersten have created an emotional, raw look at society’s ruthlessness of aging women. The harsh reality is that society treats younger women differently from older women, especially when it comes to the performing arts industries. Having this story set in the world of Las Vegas showgirls just heightens that reality.

The entire Cast comes from a range of generations of women and all give strong performances. The ever-charming Jamie Lee Curtis gives an impactful performance as a cocktail waitress who consistently gets sent home early when new employees get to stay. Brenda Song plays a dancer who gets shut down from all auditions because she’s deemed too old. Kiernan Shipka, the youngest of the dancers, gets hired immediately at a new show. Then there’s Anderson leads the pack in one scene and gets told the only reason she got her job all those years ago was because she was young and hot.

When Shelley hears the news of the show canceling, she immediately calls her daughter played by Billie Lourd who gives a touching performance. They’ve been estranged for years due to Shelley wanting to be bathed in the stage lights. This storyline of a woman’s sacrifice for her career is a clever touch as it takes us deeper into the female experience. Not only does the world judge women on their physical appearance, but also judges them evermore when they’ve got children.

The Last Showgirl screens at TIFF ’24:

Fri, Sept 6 at 3 PM at VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre

Sun, Sept 8 at 2:45 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

Fri, Sept 13 at 6:45 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

Sat, Sept 14 at 7 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

#TIFF24: DAY ONE SIGHTINGS – BEN STILLER, KATY PERRY, ORLANDO BLOOM, CATRIONA BALFE, KIERNAN SHIPKA, THE TRAGICALLY HIP AND MORE

TIFF ’24 officially has kicked-off and it was an action-packed start to the Festival!

Sightings from the day include:

•Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor and David Gordon Green here for NUTCRACKERS – the official Opening Night Gala
•Katy Perry surprising at the premiere of husband Orlando Bloom‘s THE CUT, plus his Co-star, Catriona Balfe
•The Tragically Hip unveil new Prime Video Docu-Series: THE TRAGICALLY HIP: NO DRESS REHEARSAL; it was celebrated on Festival Street with a singalong
•The Cast of Bonjour Tristesse including Chloe Sevigny and Lily McInerny
•Kiernan Shipka at the Festival with THE LAST SHOWGIRL
•Shamier Anderson with THE LUCKIEST MAN IN AMERICA

…and more!

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In case you missed our chat with CP24‘s Bill Coulter earlier in the day!

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(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#SPOTTED: EVA LONGORIA, SARAH WRIGHT, KIERNAN SHIPKA, ISABELA MONER, ANNA AKANA + MATTHEW NOSZKA IN TORONTO FILMING

Busy, busy! Toronto continues to be bustling with starpower as several stars continue their latest projects and some approach a wrap!

 

LET IT SNOW

Kiernan Shipka (The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Mad Men) had some fun at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards this weekend, enjoying a break from the cold! She even got slimed, but she assures us it was easy to wash off! She returns to complete work on Netflix‘s LET IT SNOW. She is the sweetest!

Model and Actor Matthew Noszka (Star) made his way back to the City along with Shipka too to complete work on the Holiday Feature! He equally was in great spirits too!

We spotted Isabela Moner, who stars as Dora in upcoming DORA AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD returning also from the Kids’ Choice Awards with her dog Pluto. As always she’s the sweetest. Her dog is so social and friendly, always curious when he sees other playmates!  We’re curious about new Music from Moner which she has been at work on in Miami, as we love what we’ve heard on Spotify so far.

And Anna Akana got lots of acclaim for her upcoming Film GO BACK TO CHINA at SXSW, the Singer and Actress also was spotted getting ready to wrap on LET IT SNOW!

SPINNING OUT

Netflix‘s Figure Skating Series SPINNING OUT also continues to film and we’re totally waiting for recent cast addition, the delightfully-funny Jonathan Van Ness of Queer Eye, who was added recently!

We are thrilled to have spotted Sarah Wright (The House Bunny, Mad Men) around with her baby and nanny! She was everything I thought she would be! Sweetheart.

 

GLAMOROUS

Coincidentally, Glamorous singer Fergie was just in town too last week! We spotted the stunning Eva Longoria hard at work after working through the weekend on her directorial debut, GLAMOROUS. The CW Pilot stars Ben Pierce as a gender non-conforming teen who lands a job with a cosmetic company after panning their products on the Internet. Longoria was amazing as we remember her, and she expressed excitement seeing someone bring a still to sign from upcoming Dora The Explorer, in which she stars. The Film’s star Isabela Moner just was in the City filming LET IT SNOW also!

 

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#SPOTTED: KIERNAN SHIPKA, ELISABETH MOSS, ISABELA MONER, SHAMEIK MOORE, ODEYA RUSH, LANCE HENRIKSEN + MORE IN TORONTO

Productions are in flight again around Toronto, utilizing our snowy conditions. Taking advantage of a snow-free afternoon, several stars in town working enjoyed milder weather for once.

LET IT SNOW

Filming for Netflix Feature Let it Snow has been underway and it stars a talented, young up-and-coming Cast including Odeya Rush, Kiernan Shipka, Liv Hewson, Shameik Moore and Isabela Moner. Based on the Book by John Green, Lauren Myracle and Maureen Johnson, the Romantic-Comedy centers on a group of people brought together by a snowstorm on Christmas Eve.

We spotted Matthew Noszka (Star), Moner (seen next in Dora The Explorer), Shipka (The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Rush (Lady Bird) and Moore (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) out and about.

 

The Production wraps end of March.

 

SPINNING OUT

Spinning Out centers on a figure skater on the comeback trail as a Pairs skater, after sustaining an injury. The Netflix Series wraps in May and we spotted stars Willow Shields  (The Hunger Games) and Evan Roderick (Arrow) earlier out and about. The Series stars Kaya Scodelario (The Maze Runner) and January Jones (Mad Men) also.

 

 

LOCKE AND KEY

This Netflix Series based on Joe Hill’s Comic Book Series, is about three siblings brought together after their father’s gruesome murder. They discover a set of keys which must be used against an evil creature looking to hold power and possess the keys. Connor Jessup (American Crime), Jackson Robert Scott (It) and Emilia Jones (Brimstone) star. We spotted Laysla de Olivera out, and she appears next in Toronto-made Code 8 starring cousins Robbie and Stephen Amell, which also is set to stream on Netflix. Executive Producer Andy Muschietti (It, It: Chapter Two) is no stranger to Toronto having directed both Blockbusters here.

Production wraps in June.

 

FALLING
Green Book star Viggo Mortensen makes his directorial debut in Falling, which sees a conservative father who moves in with his gay son and his family in Los Angeles. Veteran Actor Lance Henriksen has been at work in Toronto, being greeted personally by his Co-Star and Director at the airport upon arrival.

The Production wraps late April.

 

THE HANDMAID’S TALE
Golden Globe and Primetime EMMY winner Elisabeth Moss certainly is a busy woman, currently filming season three of dystopian Drama THE HANDMAID’S TALE till April. Moss was just at SXSW in Austin promoting Jordan Peele‘s upcoming Film, US.

 

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#FIRSTLOOK: “CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA”

Right in time for Halloween comes Netflix’s CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA! Filmed right home in Vancouver, we present you some new stills from the exciting new Series!

Synopsis:
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina imagines the origin and adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch as a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror, the occult and, of course, witchcraft. Tonally in the vein of Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist, this adaptation finds Sabrina wrestling to reconcile her dual nature — half-witch, half-mortal — while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family and the daylight world humans inhabit.

Cast includes: Kiernan Shipka, Miranda Otto, Lucy Davis, Ross Lynch, Michelle Gomez, Chance Perdomo, Jaz Sinclair, Richard Coyle, Tati Gabrielle, Adeline Rudolph, Abigail Cowen, Lachlan Watson, Bronson Pinchot and Gavin Leatherwood.

 

See some new Stills:

 

 

Netflix Canada release CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA Friday, October 26, 2018.

 

(Photo/video credit: Netflix Canada)