#TIFF25: COLIN HANKS AND RYAN REYNOLDS “JOHN CANDY: I LIK EME” VINTAGE CHRYSLER LEBARON STUNT

In case you missed it..

Colin Hanks and Ryan Reynolds arrived at the World Premiere of JOHN CANDY: I LIKE ME at the Toronto International Film Festival red carpet in a vintage Chrysler LeBaron inspired by one of John Candy’s most beloved comedy classics – PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES.

Check out the below for an exclusive look behind the scenes with Colin Hanks and Ryan Reynolds and Hacksmith Industries to see how they created this memorable car!

Launching globally on Prime Video October 10, 2025

From director Colin Hanks and lifelong John Candy fan Ryan Reynolds comes John Candy: I Like Me, an exploration of the life of the Canadian comedic icon. This John Candy film documents his on- and off-camera existence, featuring never-before-seen home videos, intimate access to his family, and candid recollections from collaborators to paint a bigger picture of one of the brightest stars of the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. It’s the story of a son, husband, father, friend, and professional driven to bring joy to audiences and loved ones while battling personal ghosts and Hollywood pressures.

Director: Colin Hanks

Producers: Colin Hanks, Sean Stuart, Glen Zipper, Ryan Reynolds, George Dewey, Johnny Pariseau, Shane Reid

Executive Producers: Ashley Fox, Patrick Gooing

Co-Executive Producers: Chris Candy, Jennifer Candy-Sullivan, Rosemary Candy

Director of Photography: Justin Kane

Editors: Shane Reid, Darrin Roberts

Music by: Tyler Strickland

About Prime Video

Prime Video is a one-stop entertainment destination offering customers a vast collection of premium programming in one application available across thousands of devices. On Prime Video, customers can find their favourite movies, series, documentaries, and live sports, including Prime Monday Night Hockey – also Amazon MGM Studios-produced series and movies Fallout, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Reacher, The Boys, and Roadhouse; licensed fan favourite Vampire Diaries; exclusive entertainment such as Prime Monday Night Hockey, ONE Championship; and programming from channels such as Sportsnet, Paramount+, Crave, Citytv+, STARZ, AMC+, Super Channel, BritBox, Hayu, STACKTV, a multi-channel service featuring 16 top-tier networks (Global, Food Network Canada, HGTV Canada, W Network, The HISTORY® Channel, Adult Swim, Lifetime, Slice, Showcase, National Geographic, Cartoon Network, Treehouse, YTV, Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD), via Prime Video Channels add-on subscriptions. Prime Video is one benefit among many that provides savings, convenience, and entertainment as part of the Prime membership. All customers, regardless of whether they have a Prime membership or not, can rent or buy titles, including blockbusters such as Barbie and Oppenheimer, via the Prime Video Store. Customers can also go behind the scenes of their favourite movies and series with exclusive X-Ray access. For more info visit www.primevideo.com

#TIFF25: “HAMNET” WINS PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD AT 2025 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

TIFF is announcing 12 awards today, including the Platform Award, TIFF’s only juried competition, and the coveted People’s Choice Awards presented by Rogers. This year’s awards include two exciting new additions: the International People’s Choice Award and the Short Cuts Award for Best Animated Short Film. As TIFF’s 50th edition comes to a close, the Festival is proud to have welcomed over 700,000 guests, nearly 2,000 accredited media, 6,000 Industry delegates, 1,200 screenings, and a stellar lineup of talent who graced 110 red carpets.

Audiences can catch this year’s People’s Choice Award–winning films at TIFF Lightbox screenings starting at noon today, with free tickets available to the public (visit here for more information).

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS PRESENTED BY ROGERS

The 48th edition of TIFF’s People’s Choice Awards, presented by Rogers, presents the audience’s top titles at the Festival as voted by the viewing public. All feature films and Primetime series in TIFF’s Official Selection are eligible.

People’s Choice Award presented by Rogers: Hamnet, dir. Chloé Zhao

First runner-up: Frankenstein, dir. Guillermo del Toro

Second runner-up: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, dir. Rian Johnson

International People’s Choice Award presented by Rogers: No Other Choice, dir. Park Chan-wook

First runner-up: Sentimental Value, dir. Joachim Trier

Second runner-up: Homebound, dir. Neeraj Ghaywan

People’s Choice Documentary Award presented by Rogers: The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue, dir. Barry Avrich

First runner-up: EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, dir. Baz Luhrmann

Second runner-up: You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution…, dir. Nick Davis

People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award presented by Rogers: Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, dir. Matt Johnson

First runner-up: Obsession, dir. Curry Barker

Second runner-up: The Furious, dir. Kenji Tanigaki

SHORT CUTS AWARDS

Short Cuts Awards are presented to the Best International Short Film, Best Canadian Short Film, and Best Animated Short Film, as awarded by the Short Cuts jury. Each of the three winning films will receive a bursary of $10,000 CAD. The 2025 jurors for the Short Cuts Awards are Ashley Iris Gill, Marcel Jean, and Connor Jessup.

Short Cuts Award for Best International Short Film:

Talk Me, dir. Joecar Hanna | Spain/USA

Short Cuts jury’s statement: “This film sparked one of the most interesting conversations around the jury table. Talk Me is bold in its portrayal of intimacy and the universal longing for connection. The characters fit so naturally into the film’s unique, evocative world that everything feels normal very quickly. Its cinematography is beautiful, delicate yet deliberate, each frame carefully crafted to draw us deeper into the story. By allowing the visuals to lead, the film creates an immersive experience of vulnerability and honesty. For its courage, craft, and sensitivity, the jury presents the Short Cuts Award for Best International Short Film to Joecar Hanna’s Talk Me.”

Honourable Mention:

Agapito, dirs. Arvin Belarmino & Kyla Danelle Romero | Philippines

Short Cuts jury’s statement: “For its formal precision, command of a delicate tone, poetic awareness of space and movement, and deeply personal reflections on family, the jury is thrilled to present an Honourable Mention to Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Danelle Romero’s remarkable Agapito. The jury also wants to acknowledge the brilliantly nuanced and committed performances of the film’s young cast.”

Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Short Film:

The Girl Who Cried Pearls, dirs. Chris Lavis & Maciek Szczerbowski | Canada

Short Cuts jury’s statement: “In addition to highlighting the film’s daring technical achievement and sumptuous artistic direction, the jury also wants to recognize a fable about greed and the capacity of artists to create a fantastic world by the power of their narrative voice. The Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Short Film goes to Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski for The Girl Who Cried Pearls.”

Honourable Mention:

A Soft Touch, dir. Heather Young

Short Cuts jury’s statement: “A Soft Touch really pierced our hearts. It finds a way to transform routine, everyday moments into a quietly devastating portrait of neglect and resilience. With searing precision and simplicity, the film illuminates how easily older folks can be overlooked, and in doing so, demands our attention, empathy, and accountability. The jury awards an Honourable Mention to Heather Young’s A Soft Touch.”

Short Cuts Award for Best Animated Short Film:

To the Woods, dir. Agnès Patron | France

Short Cuts jury’s statement: “This wordless journey into the bond between two siblings becomes a transcendent meditation on the mysteries of time and memory, love and loss, connection and transformation. Animated with lush, cosmic beauty and vibrating with tenderness and insight, the film plunges its viewer into deep, deep feeling. For its overwhelming artistry, luminous spirit, and soul-expanding sense of mystery, the jury presents the Short Cuts Award for Best Animated Short Film to Agnès Patron’s To the Woods. The jury also wants to note the film’s jaw-dropping sound design and the work of composer Pierre Oberkampf, whose score ranks among the best film music of recent years.”

FIPRESCI PRIZE

The FIPRESCI jury is awarding the International Critics Prize, dedicated to emerging filmmakers, to a debut feature film having its World Premiere in TIFF’s Discovery or Centrepiece programmes. The 2025 FIPRESCI jury members are: Katharina Dockhorn (Germany), Francisco Ferreira (Portugal), Jean-Philippe Guerand (France), Andy Hazel (Australia), and Justine Smith (Canada).

FIPRESCI Prize:

Forastera, dir. Lucía Aleñar Iglesias | Spain/Italy/Sweden

FIPRESCI jury’s statement: “Spanish cinema, long shaped by the exuberance of Pedro Almodóvar, has found a new distinctive voice in Lucía Aleñar Iglesias. Set on sun-drenched Mallorca, Forastera follows 16-year-old Cata, whose carefree family holiday is brought to a halt by the death of her grandmother. In her grief, the teenager takes on the older woman’s persona — wearing her clothes, adopting her gestures and silences. Aleñar Iglesias directs with restraint and precision, finding power in understatement. Performances from newcomer Zoe Stein and veteran Lluís Homar anchor the film’s dreamlike rhythms. What might sound slight becomes luminous: a meditation on an adolescent’s first encounter with death, and a ghost story about how the past lingers in the present. Forastera is a quietly assured debut, simple yet transformative, marking Aleñar Iglesias as a filmmaker the FIPRESCI jury would like to bet on.”

NETPAC AWARD

Presented by the Network for the Promotion of Asian Pacific Cinema, the NETPAC Award recognizes films specifically from the Asian and Pacific regions. The jury consists of three international community members selected by TIFF and NETPAC, who award the prize to the best Asian film by a first or second-time feature director. The 2025 NETPAC jury members are Dina Iordanova, Helen Lee, and Keoprasith Souvannavong, who is serving as Jury Chair.

NETPAC Award:

In Search of The Sky (Vimukt), dir. Jitank Singh Gurjar | India

NETPAC jury’s statement: “For offering an indelible tale of tolerance, desperation and faith, conveyed through a unique lens of realism and poetics, elevated by striking performances. In Search of The Sky (Vimukt) is a truly independent achievement by Indian filmmaker Jitank Singh Gurjar. The film transports the audience to rural central India, where an impoverished elderly couple contends with their cognitively challenged adult son and the villagers who threaten their existence. A beacon of hope comes in the form of the Maha Kumbh Mela, a pilgrimage to the world’s largest spiritual gathering where they seek renewal and new possibilities of life.”

BEST CANADIAN DISCOVERY AWARD

The Best Canadian Discovery Award celebrates works of emerging filmmakers who contribute to enriching the Canadian film landscape. All Canadian first or second feature films in Official Selection are eligible for this award. The winner will receive a cash prize of $10,000 CAD.

Jury members presiding over both the Best Canadian Discovery Award and Best Canadian Feature Film Award are: Jennifer Baichwal, Sophie Jarvis, and R.T. Thorne:

“Thirty-five films in 10 days gives you some perspective on the cinematic zeitgeist in our country. As a jury, we were particularly impressed by the wonderful variety, breadth, and strength of storytelling in the Indigenous films supported by the Indigenous Screen Office. This was a powerful indicator of the future of cinema in this country, and we look forward to seeing more in the future.”

Best Canadian Discovery Award:

Blue Heron, dir. Sophy Romvari | Canada

Jury’s statement: “Blue Heron, written and directed by Sophy Romvari, is a film centered on a family struggling with a troubling personal crisis, where all elements — script, direction, cinematography, performance and editing — unite to powerfully transcend the sum of their parts. The complexity of story, perspective, and emotion is conveyed with understated simplicity — nothing is superfluous — and the transitions between real and imagined, past and present, are seamless, as well as heartbreaking. Blue Heron is a stunning and assured feature debut about love, grief, memory, and the yearning to go back to the moment before everything changed.”

Honourable Mention:

100 Sunset, dir. Kunsang Kyirong | Canada

Jury’s statement: “We as a jury were struck by the remarkable world-building in 100 Sunset, Kunsang Kyirong’s directorial debut. She invites us into the apartment complex that is home to members of the Tibetan immigrant community in Toronto, where we experience the gossip, rivalries, and intrigues through the eyes of an observant young thief who rarely speaks but seems to register everything. The growing friendship between the thief and a newly arrived young wife is a study in seeing and being seen, and the interplay of an old DV camera perspective takes us along on their journey of expanding horizons.”

BEST CANADIAN FEATURE FILM AWARD

The Best Canadian Feature Film Award honours the unique craft and storytelling in Canadian cinema. All Canadian feature films in Official Selection — excluding first or second features — are considered for the award. The winning filmmaker will receive a $10,000 CAD cash prize.

Best Canadian Feature Film Award:

Uiksaringitara (Wrong Husband), dir. Zacharias Kunuk | Canada

Jury’s statement: “Wrong Husband, directed by Zacharias Kunuk, is a love story from thousands of years ago that blends the epic and intimate and immerses viewers in a mesmerizing and unique cinematic experience. The supernatural is ever-present and matter of fact alongside exquisite details of the daily rhythms of ancient Inuit life. The humour, gentleness and stoicism in the characters’ interactions is deeply moving, and the landscape is both a sublime setting and a character in itself. This is a beautiful and not unexpected achievement from a master storyteller.”

Honourable Mention:

There Are No Words, dir. Min Sook Lee | Canada

Jury’s statement: “An Honourable Mention goes to There Are No Words, written and directed by veteran documentarian Min Sook Lee. This film is a profound and devastating story of unspeakable loss; the shifting shape and mingling of individual and collective memory; the sometimes brutal immigrant experience; and how past violent personal and political realities can continue to define the identity of a family.”

PLATFORM AWARD

Marking the tenth anniversary of the Festival’s competitive section, Platform champions bold directorial vision and distinctive storytelling on the world stage. The Platform Award is a prize of $20,000 CAD given to the best film in the programme, selected by an in-person international jury: Carlos Marqués-Marcet (Jury Chair), Marianne Jean-Baptiste, and Chloé Robichaud.

Platform Award:

To The Victory!, dir. Valentyn Vasyanovych | Ukraine/Lithuania

Platform jury’s statement: “To The Victory! is the unanimous choice for this year’s Platform Award amongst a very strong selection. Bringing cinematic language to its roots and, at the same time, masterfully playing with audience expectations, this film dismantles convention to reveal deeply resonant universal emotions. Director Valentyn Vasyanovych has choreographed a mise-en-scène rendered with masterful precision, arriving at the kind of refined simplicity that can only be achieved with artistic maturity and bold vision. He has deftly used comedy to address a very complicated and complex situation into a work that is both audacious and profoundly beautiful. Ultimately, the film returns us to the very essence of cinema — reminding us why we are compelled to tell stories on film, and why we continue to do so.”

Honourable Mention:

Hen, dir. György Pálfi | Germany/Greece/Hungary

Platform jury’s statement: “The jury also wishes to recognize the extraordinary artistry of director György Pálfi, whose work exemplifies boldness, intelligence, and creative ingenuity. Blending cinematic genres in an inventive and seamless manner, Hen demonstrates remarkable precision in its camera movement and shot composition, resulting in an exceptionally effective narrative. György’s unwavering commitment to exploring humanity through the perspective of the hen yields a singularly original vision — a work of stunning originality, unlike anything else in contemporary cinema.”

Awards descriptions including eligibility can be found here: tiff.net/awards. Information on the People’s Choice Award voting process can be found here: tiff.net/vote.

Last Sunday, TIFF hosted its seventh annual TIFF Tribute Awards, in partnership with Rolex. Photos of the event can be found here.

The 50th Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, concludes today. The 51st edition of the Festival will take place September 10–20, 2026.

Social:

YouTube: TIFF, TIFF Trailers

X: @TIFF_NET & @TIFF_Industry

Instagram, TikTok & Letterboxd

Pinterest: @tiffnet

Facebook.com/TIFF

About TIFF:

TIFF is a not-for-profit cultural organization with a mission to transform the way people see the world through film. A global leader in film and entertainment, TIFF initiatives include the annual Toronto International Film Festival® in September; TIFF Lightbox, which features five cinemas, learning and entertainment facilities; the Donald Shebib TIFF Film Circuit, an innovative national distribution program; and TIFF: The Market launching in 2026. The organization generates an estimated annual economic impact of $240 million CAD. TIFF Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel, and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation, and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net.

TIFF is generously supported by Festival Presenting Sponsor Rogers Communications.

TIFF is generously supported by Major Sponsors RBC and Visa and Major Supporters the Government of Ontario, Telefilm Canada, and the City of Toronto.

The People’s Choice Awards are presented by Rogers.

#TIFF25: DAY NINE (WRAP) – SAM NIVOLA, BOBBY FARRELLY, MOLLY SHANNON AND MORE

so hard to believe we’re reached the end of tiff50! what wondrous ride it’s been and we thank you so much for joining us along the way! we really enjoy every time someone who reads the site, taps our shoulder to say “hi” and we hope we continue being able to connect with you. we’re here year-round for you!

some highlights from day nine, plus some thoughts on films we saw!

•bobby farrelly
•molly shannon
•sophie telegadis
•finn harry
•aidan laprete
•sam nivola

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until next year!

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#TIFF25: “POETIC LICENSE” REVIEW

By Mr. Will Wong

Maude Apatow (Euphoria) is definitely going places and she delivers a very polished and accomplished directorial debut in POETIC LICENSE.

This quirky Comedy centers on Liz (Leslie Mann, Apatow‘s actual mother) who relocates with her family as her husband (Method Man) takes on a new assignment at a college. She is an Auditor, and sits-in on a Poetry class at the college, but before she knows it, she finds herself unwittingly caught in an emotional “love” (or not) triangle between two best friends, Sam (Andrew Barth Feldman) and Ari (Cooper Hoffman). All the while she is navigating her daughter Dora (Nico Parker) coming-of-age and about to head off to college, beginning to distance herself about from Liz. She is confused and trying to understand her place, feeling like a complete outsider at home and in her new surroundings.

POETIC LICENSE is quirky, yet so smartly-written and well-acted and we go through a real journey among these lost souls who are each at their own respective crossroads and intersecting in this story. Our three leads are terrific, but the real scenestealer is Euphoria alumni Martha Kelly with her deadpan delivery in the classroom as Poetry Professor Greta – worth the price of the ticket itself.

Kidding aside, it is refreshing to see interesting, well-rounded characters on the big screen here. Things are looking promising for Apatow and we are looking forward to more.

POETIC LICENSE screens at TIFF ’25:

Saturday, September 6
Royal Alexandra Theatre
Premium
Closed captions (CC),
Audio description (AD)
5:15 pm

Sunday, September 7
Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
Closed captions (CC),
Audio description (AD)
9:45 pm

Friday, September 12
VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre
Audio description (AD),
Open captions (OC)
9:30 pm

Sunday, September 14
Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
Closed captions (CC),
Audio description (AD)
9:30 pm

#TIFF25: “DRIVER’S ED” REVIEW

By Amanda Gilmore

Director Bobby Farrelly’s latest is an endearing romantic comedy that pays homage to the classic 80s comedies we’ve loved.

It follows high school senior Jeremy (Sam Nivola) whose relationship has become a long-distance one due to his girlfriend Samantha (Lilah Pate) attending college as a freshman. After a call that may or may not be the break-up call, he impulsively plans to make a grand romantic gesture to keep her. He steals his driver’s education car with the three other students inside and heads to her campus. But will he make it before his principal (Molly Shannon) and driving instructor (Kumail Nanjiani) catch them? And if he does, will Samantha still want the relationship?

Driver’s Ed is a fun teen rom-com that brings us back to young love. How intense it feels, but how fleeting it all is. Nivola plays the lovelorn Jeremy with empathy. He’s a young man holding out hope when those around him are aware that hope is probably lost. The group of driver’s ed students forced to come along on his love quest is an impressive ensemble of young talent. Particularly, Aidan Laprete, who plays drug dealer/stoner Yoshi. Laprete delivers a brilliant deadpan performance that also gives layers to this usually stereotypical character.

The real scene stealers are Shannon and Nanjiani. Their years of talent and charisma playing off-beat characters if perfectly suited to these quirky high school tropes. Shannon is at her typical best, and Nanjiani performs the driving instructor as a bright light of positivity while literally going through the worst time in his life. We just wish there were more time with them.

Overall, Driver’s Ed is a cute road-trip Rom-Com that we may feel like we’ve seen before…but hey, don’t fix something that isn’t broke.

Driver’s Ed screens at TIFF:

Fri. Sept 12 at 9:30 PM at Roy Thompson Hall

Sat. Sept 13 at 3:00 PM at VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales

Sun. Sept 14 at 9:05 AM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

#TIFF25: “WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY” REVIEW

By David Baldwin

A priest at a small church in rural New York has been killed under mysterious circumstances and Reverend Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor) is the main suspect. The local police are stumped as to what happened, so they call in Master Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) to help solve the case.

WAKE UP DEAD MAN, the latest in Writer/Director Rian Johnson’s Knives Out series is very much what fans of this series (which have all World Premiered at TIFF) have come to expect: clever twists, simultaneously hilarious, ingenious and outrageous dialogue, and one of the best ensembles in recent years. Rather than play into the maximalist approach of Glass Onion, WAKE UP DEAD MAN feels more streamlined and back to the whodunit basics of what inspired the franchise in the first place. And while it is nice to have a lot less asides and references to Jeremy Renner hot sauce (who, in true meta fashion, shows up as a supporting character this go-round), the narrative gets bogged down by immense exposition and having its explanations be needlessly overcomplicated. 

What also suffers as a result of the endless exposition is that there is not enough time for the large ensemble to really develop their characters. They are all great in their large and small roles (O’Connor and Glenn Close are highlights, as is the young Daryl McCormack who continues to impress), but many of them feel underutilized in ways that the previous films’ ensembles were not. Even Craig seems to have been cut back. He still gets to chew the scenery and have a blast with his Kentucky Fried Foghorn Leghorn accent, just with a very minimized screen presence.

WAKE UP DEAD MAN still succeeds at being a crowdpleaser despite these issues, and still fits in nicely with its predecessors. I feel like I will like it more when I have the opportunity to rewatch and see how all the pieces fit in together. As it stands though, it is a movie I liked and enjoyed watching. But I wish I genuinely loved it.

Also – how great a line is “Young, dumb and full of Christ” with or without context?

WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY screens at TIFF ‘25:

Sat. Sept 6 at 6:00 PM at VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre

Sun. Sept 7 at 8:30 AM at TIFF Lightbox

Wed. Sept 10 at 9:00 AM at TIFF Lightbox

Wed. Sept 10 at 7:00 PM at TIFF Lightbox

Thurs. Sept 11 at 2:30 PM at VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre

Fri. Sept 12 at 2:00 PM at VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre

Sat. Sept 13 at 9:45 PM at VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre

#TIFF25: “OBSESSION” REVIEW

By David Baldwin

Bear (Michael Johnston) has been pining for Nikki (Inde Navarrette) for a long time. He is unsure if she has similar feelings and is too nervous and indecisive to tell her how he really feels. So, with the help of a mysterious wooden trinket, Bear wishes that Nikki would fall madly in love with him. Rather suddenly, his wish comes true and the two become the couple Bear always wished they would be. But weird things start happening and Bear quickly realizes that he might not want what he wished for.

What follows is something I can only properly describe as batshit crazy and certifiably deranged. I had heard some insane things going into my screening of Editor/Writer/Director Curry Barker’s feature-length directorial debut OBSESSION earlier this week and shrugged them off as festival hyperbole. What a wild surprise it was for me to realize the hyperbole was actually downplaying how unpredictable and bonkers this film becomes after it puts our two lead characters in place for the madness and viciously gnarly violence to come. I do not want to spoil the fun, but this is a movie tailor made for the Midnight Madness crowd and it should shock absolutely no one that it got picked up for distribution so quickly.

While the scares and cringe humour are plentiful – as are the nasty gross-out moments and the at least partial deconstruction of toxic co-dependent relationships – the real joy of OBSESSION is watching Navarrette’s star-making breakout performance as Nikki, or Freaky Nikki as she loathes being called. It is multi-faceted and for lack of better terminology, almost bi-polar in nature. She switches tones and emotions on the fly, often within the same breath, and goes to some positively haunting and downright devastating places over the course of this journey through Hell. The physicality Navarrette brings to the performance is intense, and the way she captivates even in the freakiest of circumstances is a thing of beauty. Johnston is very good too, but his work here is not what is going to have you keeping the lights on after experiencing OBSESSION. 

OBSESSION screens at TIFF ‘25:

Fri. Sept 5 at 11:59 PM at Royal Alexandra Theatre

Sat. Sept 6 at 6:15 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

Thurs. Sept 11 at 6:00 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

#TIFF25: “SACRIFICE” REVIEW

By David Baldwin

A number of A-list talent, including burnout movie star Mike Tyler (Chris Evans), are attending an environmental benefit in a gorgeous mine in Greece hosted by big tech billionaire Braken (Vincent Cassel). Things take a turn when a group of doomsday cult eco-terrorists led by Joan (Anya Taylor-Joy) take the crowd hostage and demand three people be sacrificed to a nearby volcano in order to save the world.

That description certainly makes SACRIFICE sound like a feel-good picture (sarcasm intended), but what follows in this mad satire that takes more than just a sprinkling of inspiration from the works of Ruben Östlund, Yorgos Lanthimos and to a certain degree, Wes Anderson, is an eco-thriller with a lot of set-up and not much pay off. The first half of the film is entertaining, even as it makes jokes at the expense of the lowest hanging fruit (Braken’s recording artist wife, played by Salma Hayek Pinault, is said to have made a charity album to benefit the ocean…from the ocean’s point of view). Once the second half kicks in though, SACRIFICE loses its footing and does not really recover. There are just too many characters and situations happening at the same time, and no real sense of control. This chaos might be intentional given Co-Writer/Director Romain Gavras’ influences, but everything on display here lacks depth.

The only thing that does not lack depth is Evans, who delivers another rock solid performance to add to his stellar supporting turns in Materialists and Honey Don’t from earlier this year. He is playing a variation of himself yes, but he digs down deep in an introspective way that makes you instantly remember what an incredibly talented performer he can be when he is not playing Captain America. Taylor-Joy is pretty stellar as Joan as well, easily overshadowing anyone that comes into contact with her. 

SACRIFICE screens at TIFF ‘25:

Sat. Sept 6 at 9:30 PM at VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre

Sun. Sept 7 at 6:45 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

#TIFF25: “ELEANOR THE GREAT” REVIEW

By Mr. Will Wong

Acclaimed Actress Scarlett Johansson tries her hand and directing in Dramedy ELEANOR THE GREAT, giving veteran Actress June Squibb a vehicle for recognition with a stellar performance, incredibly at the age of 95.

Hot off its Festival run, including a tiff50 debut, this Film centers on Eleanor (Squibb), who is about to lose her Holocaust-surviving friend Bessie (Ritz Zohar). Feeling alone, with the sense that her daughter Lisa (Jessica Hecht) is looking to admit her to a seniors’ residence, she winds up joining a Holocaust survivors support group where she is welcomed and given attention, as she channels Bessie‘s accounts.  Eleanor meets 19-year-old Nina (Erin Kellyman), who recently lost her mother.  The two strike-up an unlikely friendship, with Eleanor offering to share her Holocaust survivor experience to help advance Nina‘s ambitions to be a journalist. But what happens when the truth is uncovered about Eleanor?

Squibb‘s fantastic work is undeniable here, truly captivating the audience even where there are some imbalances and moments where the story feels a little implausible and the Film navigates that fine line tonally between Comedy and Drama.  She is a treasure and it is impossible to see any other Actress pull it all of in such a lovable, sharp way. Kellyman delivers a heartfelt performance in what was my introduction to the British Actress here, giving the story some weight as it truly is a portrait of grief and the void it leaves behind. She far exceeds the maturity of Nina‘s said 19-years-of-age.  Squibb and Kellyman together are a wonderful pairing, successfully filling voids in each other’s character’s lives when their families aren’t making them feel seen and heard.

ELEANOR THE GREAT screens at TIFF ’25:

Monday, September 8
Roy Thomson Hall
Premium
Closed captions (CC),
Audio description (AD)
5:30 pm

Tuesday, September 9
Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
Closed captions (CC),
Audio description (AD)
11:30 am

Friday, September 12
Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
Closed captions (CC),
Audio description (AD)
1:15 pm

Sunday, September 14
Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
Closed captions (CC),
Audio description (AD)
1:00 pm

#TIFF25: DAY EIGHT HIGHLIGHTS – BRIAN COX, VINCE VAUGHN, SIMON REX, ALEXANDRA SHIPP, SHIRLEY HENDERSON AND MORE

we’re in the final stretch! here are some highlights from tiff50 day eight! we’ll be wrapping after today, trying to savour every last moment to cram in as many films as we can.. and maybe just one more red carpet!

•brian cox, shirley henderson, alexandra shipp, and alexandra wilkie at tiff for glenrothan
•vince vaughn and simon rex at tiff for easy’s waltz
•the winner of our tiff50 survival pack… shamarra

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(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)