#FIRSTLOOK: “CATHERINE CALLED BIRDY” NEW FEATURETTE AND RELEASE DATE

Hot off its Premiere at TIFF ’22, Lena Dunham‘s CATHERINE CALLED BIRDY now has a release date.

Synopsis:

The year? 1290. In the Medieval English village of Stonebridge, Lady Catherine (known as Birdy) is the youngest child of Lord Rollo and the Lady Aislinn. Her playground is Stonebridge Manor, a house that, like the family, has seen better days. Financially destitute and utterly greedy, Rollo sees his daughter as his path out of financial ruin by marrying her off to a wealthy man for money and land. But Birdy, like all the great teen heroines, is spirited, clever, and adventurous, and ready to put off any suitor that comes calling in increasingly ingenious ways. Her imagination, defiance, and deep belief in her own right to independence put her on a collision course with her parents. When the vilest suitor of all arrives, they are presented with the ultimate test of love for their daughter.

CATHERINE CALLED BIRDY arrives October 7, 2022 on Prime Video.

(Photo/video credit: Prime Video)

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “THE FABELMANS”

Hot off its People’s Choice Award win at the TIFF ’22, Steven Spielberg‘s autobiographical THE FABELMANS has a new Trailer.

Synopsis:

Directed by Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans is written by Spielberg and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner (Angels in America, Caroline, or Change), who has earned Oscar® nominations for his screenplays for Spielberg’s Lincoln and Munich. The film is produced by three-time Oscar® nominee Kristie Macosko Krieger p.g.a. (West Side Story, The Post), Steven Spielberg p.g.a. and Tony Kushner p.g.a. The film is executive produced by Carla Raij (Maestro, co-producer West Side Story) and Josh McLaglen (Free Guy, Logan).

The film stars Gabriel LaBelle (The Predator, American Gigolo series) as 16-year-old aspiring filmmaker Sammy Fabelman; four-time Academy Award® nominee Michelle Williams (Manchester by the Sea, My Week with Marilyn) as his artistic mother, Mitzi; Paul Dano (The Batman, There Will Be Blood) as his successful, scientific father, Burt; Seth Rogen (Steve Jobs, An American Pickle) as Bennie Loewy, Burt’s best friend and honorary “uncle” to the Fabelman children, and Academy Award® nominee Judd Hirsch (Uncut Gems, Ordinary People) as Mitzi’s Uncle Boris.

The ensemble cast includes Oscar® nominee Jeannie Berlin (The Heartbreak Kid, Inherent Vice) as Sammy’s paternal grandmother, Hadassah Fabelman; Julia Butters (Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood, 13 Hours) as Sammy’s sister Reggie; Robin Bartlett (Moonstruck, Lean on Me) as Sammy’s maternal grandmother Tina Schildkraut and Keeley Karsten (Hunters, Evil Lives Here) as Sammy’s sister Natalie.

The music is by five-time Academy Award® winner John Williams (Schindler’s List, Jaws), the costume designer is two-time Oscar® winner Mark Bridges (The Artist, Phantom Thread) and the production designer is two-time Oscar® winner Rick Carter (Lincoln, Avatar). The Fabelmans is edited by three-time Academy Award® winner Michael Kahn ACE (Saving Private Ryan, Schindler’s List) and Sarah Broshar (West Side Story, The Post). The film’s director of photography is two-time Academy Award® winner Janusz Kaminski (Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan).

Universal Pictures Canada release THE FABELMANS November 23, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures Canada)

#TIFF22: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2022 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

We don’t believe the Festival’s about to wrap! What a year it was with lots of amazing new memories created. We admit with the first weekend of the Festival being so frenetic, it really came down to being everywhere all at once. And everywhere we were. And if it weren’t that way, would it be TIFF? Exactly.

Just highlighting some amazing moments for us at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival this year, all taken on the Samsung S22.

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TAYLOR SWIFT IN-CONVERSATION with Sadie Sink

HARRY STYLES AT THE PREMIERE OF “MY POLICEMAN”

BRENDAN FRASER AT THE PREMIERE OF “THE WHALE”

TILDA SWINTON AT TIFF FOR “THE ETERNAL DAUGHTER”

DANIEL RADCLIFFE AT THE PREMIERE OF “WEIRD”

VIOLA DAVIS & THE CAST OF “THE WOMAN KING”

OLIVIA COLMAN AT TIFF FOR “EMPIRE OF LIGHT”

CLAIRE FOY AT THE PREMIERE FOR “WOMEN TALKING”

BILL NIGHY AT TIFF WITH “LIVING”

PAUL MESCAL AT TIFF FOR “CARMEN” AND “AFTERSUN”

GABRIEL LABELLE AT TIFF FOR “THE FABELMANS”

HUGH JACKMAN AT TIFF FOR “THE SON”

LILY TOMLIN AT TIFF FOR “MOVING ON”

NICOLAS CAGE AT TIFF FOR “BUTCHER’S CROSSING”

BILLY EICHNER AT TIFF FOR “BROS”

MIA GOTH AT TIFF FOR “PEARL”

SADIE SINK AT TIFF FOR “THE WHALE”

HARRIS DICKINSON AT TIFF FOR “TRIANGLE OF SADNESS”

LEE JUNG-JAE AT THE PREMIERE OF “HUNT”

HILLARY & CHELSEA CLINTON AT TIFF FOR “GUTSY”

JESSICA CHASTAIN AT TIFF FOR “THE GOOD NURSE”

LAMAR JOHNSON AT TIFF PREMIERE OF “BROTHER”

SIR BEN KINGSLEY AT TIFF FOR CLOSING NIGHT GALA, “DALILAND”

A huge thank you to you. Whether you were following from your phones or home, or shouted “It’s Will Wong!” at me on the crowded streets of Entertainment District during the Festival, the love was felt and I appreciate you. To be called an “TIFF Icon” by the likes of BlogTO and having some of our top news outlets like CITY, CBC, The Toronto Sun and more, all come to us as a subject matter expert for the Festival is incredibly validating, and a badge I will wear proudly for our City.

So grateful for the support of our official partners of the Festival for their generosity including: Starbucks Canada, La Crema, H&M Canada, Happy Natural Products, CP24, Acura Canada, Samsung Canada, amika, boscia, Stoic Beauty and Chatime Canada. We truly couldn’t have done it without you.

So happy to award Melissa, who’s followed us for years, our amazing TIFF ’22 Surival Prize Pack:

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We loved that our Readers and Followers had a chance to win Starbucks Canada and Chatime Canada Gift Cards across our Social Media channels! Only the best.

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My Top Five Films of TIFF ’22:

The Whale
Bros
The Inspection
Women Talking
The Eternal Daughter

Also so thankful to our amazing Team who were amazing sending in their contributions: Amanda Gilmore, David Baldwin, George Kozera, Nicholas Porteous and Justin Waldman. Please take a moment to check-out our thoughts on the Festival’s hottest titles here.

Is it TIFF ’23 yet?

Mr. Will

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#TIFF22: “THE FABELMANS” WINS PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD AT 2022 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

And that’s a wrap! Award winners were announced earlier today at TIFF‘s Awards Breakfast Ceremony at LUMA Lounge. As expected, Steven Spielberg‘s autobiographical THE FABELMANS came into the Festival with a ton of fanfare and walks out with all the accoloades. This is the famed Director’s first time at TIFF in its 45 years as a Director, and he made it a big one with the Film leaving a lasting impression on audiences in its generous opportunities for fans to see it throughout the Festival.

Complete list of Winners this year:

IMDbPro SHORT CUTS AWARDS

The 2022 IMDbPro Short Cuts Awards are for Best Film, Best Canadian Film, and the Share Her Journey Award for best film by a woman. Each winning film will receive a bursary of $10,000 CAD and a one-year membership to IMDbPro, the essential resource for entertainment industry professionals, to help them continue achieving success in their careers. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, IMDbPro empowers entertainment professionals to discover new talent and projects and has an ongoing commitment to supporting and collaboratively working with organizations that create greater diversity, equity, and inclusion in the entertainment industry, including TIFF’s Share Her Journey campaign. IMDbPro also supported the TIFF Tribute Award for Performance presented by IMDbPro, which was presented to Brendan Fraser for his outstanding performance in The Whale at the TIFF Tribute Awards gala fundraiser on September 11.

“As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of IMDbPro, we are honoured to present four TIFF Awards that so perfectly align with our mission to help entertainment industry professionals launch and grow their careers and our commitment to highlighting diverse artists and inclusive storytelling,” said Col Needham, Founder & CEO of IMDb. “We congratulate these Award recipients and all professionals whose work was featured at TIFF, and look forward to watching their careers continue to grow following this breakthrough moment.”

The winners of the three awards are: 

IMDbPro Short Cuts Award for Best Film: Snow in September, dir. Lkhagvadulam (Dulmaa) Purev-Ochir.
Jury’s statement: “Told through a bold and sophisticated lens, this tense yet poignant portrayal follows a young man’s shift from wide-eyed boy to yearning pursuer. The jury is pleased to present the IMDbPro Short Cuts Award for Best Short Film to Snow in September directed by Mongolia’s Lkhagvadulam (Dulmaa) Purev-Ochir.”

Honourable Mention: 
For its wildly entertaining and incredibly realized portrait of a flight attendant’s personal crisis, the jury is very pleased to present an honourable mention for the IMDbPro Short Cuts Award for Best Short Film to Airhostess-737 by director Thanasis Neofotistos. Centred on Lena Papaligoura’s impressive performance, the film is an unhinged, compelling, and memorable tragicomedy.

IMDbPro Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Film: Simo, dir. Aziz Zoromba
Jury’s statement: “Featuring convincing, natural performances and tight direction, the film astutely plays off of narrative conventions to deliver an unexpectedly tender take on growing up in an all-male immigrant family. The jury is delighted to give the IMDbPro Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Short to Aziz Zoromba for Simo.”

Honourable Mention: 
For its intensely taut and pulsating tale following an aging delivery driver’s movement through a gritty, desperate night in the city, the jury is pleased to present an honourable mention for the IMDbPro Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Film to Same Old by director Lloyd Lee Choi. 

IMDbPro Short Cuts Share Her Journey Award: Nanitic, dir. Carol Nguyen (2022 TIFF Filmmaker Lab)
Jury’s statement: “With skill, precision, and sensitivity, this film stood out for its delicate and assured portrayal of love and sacrifice within a multi-generational household. The jury is thrilled to give the IMDbPro Short Cuts Share Her Journey Award to Carol Nguyen for Nanitic.”

The 2022 jurors for the IMDbPro Short Cuts Awards are Sally Lee, Thyrone Tommy, and Lisa Haller.

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NETPAC AWARD

The 2022 NETPAC jury members include: Ida Yoshinaga and Diana Ashimova. TIFF is delighted to announce that the 2022 NETPAC Jury has selected Sweet As, dir. Jub Clerc as this year’s NETPAC winner. 

The 2022 NETPAC jury released the following statement: “A model road film in all aspects with great locations and a strong cast, Jub Clerc’s Sweet As convincingly tells the story of an Indigenous girl on a youth-therapy bus tour — dealing with family, friendship, inspiration and self-identity.”

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FIPRESCI PRIZE

The 2022 FIPRESCI jury members include: Andrew Kendall, Marriska Fernandes, Márcio Sallem, Andrea Crozzoli, and Max Borg. The jury is delighted to announce Basil Khalil’s A Gaza Weekend as this year’s FIPRESCI winner.

The 2022 FIPRESCI jury released the following statement: “For its empathy and intelligence in capturing the zeitgeist, and with its daring approach to contemporary satire and world cinema, we award Basil Khalil’s A Gaza Weekend the 2022 FIPRESCI Prize. Basil Khalil’s direction finds space for the more sorrowful, more tender moments of interpersonal crises even as he deftly escalates the bawdy humour on display, capturing the nature of survival as very serious and very funny business for these characters.”

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AMPLIFY VOICES AWARDS PRESENTED BY CANADA GOOSE 

Canada Goose embraces diversity in all its forms and definitions, including technique and passion that transports storytelling to the screen. This year, Canada Goose presents the Amplify Voices Awards to the three best feature films by under-represented filmmakers. All feature films in Official Selection by emerging filmmakers who are Black or Indigenous or persons of colour and Canadian, were eligible for these awards, and the three winners will receive a cash prize of $10,000 each, made possible by Canada Goose.

The three Amplify Voices Awards presented by Canada Goose winners are:

Amplify Voices Award for Best Canadian Feature Film: To Kill A Tiger, dir. Nisha Pahuja
Jury’s statement: “It’s not easy to film love. In Nisha Pahuja’s To Kill A Tiger, a father defends his daughter, and together they change a village, a country and, maybe, the world.”

Special Mention for Best Canadian Feature Film: Viking, dir. Stéphane Lafleur
Jury’s statement: “The jury would like to acknowledge Stéphane Lafleur’s brilliant satire, Viking, exploring the intersection of technology and ego.”

Amplify Voices Award: Leonor Will Never Die, dir. Martika Ramirez Escobar
Jury’s statement: “Leonor Will Never Die, for its original voice, made by a fearless filmmaker who knows how to bring the fun and an incredible lead performance. This film is truly one of one.”

Amplify Voices Award: While We Watched, dir. Vinay Shukla
Jury’s statement: “While We Watched is a compelling, urgent film that collapses our differences. It is a wake-up call to how perilous and fragile the relationship between a free press and democracy is everywhere.”

Special Mention for Best Feature from an Emerging BIPOC Filmmaker: Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On, dir. Madison Thomas.
Jury’s statement: The jury would also like to give special mention to Madison Thomas’s Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On, because “everyone should know about Buffy Sainte-Marie.”

The 2022 jurors for the Amplify Voices Awards presented by Canada Goose are Ann Marie Fleming, Anne Emond, Nathan Morlando, Jennifer Holness, Albert Shin, and Luisa Alvarez Restrepo. 

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SHAWN MENDES FOUNDATION CHANGEMAKER AWARD

Presented by the Shawn Mendes Foundation, the 2022 Changemaker Award is awarded to a Festival film that tackles issues of social change, and comes with a $10,000 cash prize. The winning film was selected by TIFF’s Next Wave Committee, a group of young film lovers who recognize cinema’s power to transform the world. The Shawn Mendes Foundation will also be making an annual contribution in support of TIFF Next Wave, helping TIFF deliver key initiatives to elevate young voices. 

The 2022 jurors for the Changemaker Award are members of TIFF’s Next Wave Committee: Naiya Forrester, Arjun Persaud, Norah Daudi, Honora Murphy, Ellie Tripp, Celina Tang, Simona Williams, Faven Tesfamichael, Tara Sidhu, Keertan Somasundaram, Maggie Kane, and Dev Desai.

The 2022 Changemaker Award is presented to Luis De Filippis’ Something You Said Last Night. Director De Filippis (2018 TIFF Filmmaker Lab, 2020 TIFF Talent Accelerator) offered this statement: “It is an honour to have Something You Said Last Night be acknowledged by the next generation of filmmakers. Thank you to the Next Wave Committee for seeing this story. I am so excited to watch you lead our industry in the coming years. Thank you to the team behind this film who supported, and believed, and put their all into it, even on the bad days — which there were a few. It’s hard not to ignore the building tide of new voices this year at TIFF, and I am so happy to see our stories finally being told and celebrated — a new wave is coming.” 

TIFF’s Next Wave Committee provided this statement: “The TIFF Next Wave Committee announces Luis De Filippis as the 2022 Shawn Mendes Foundation Changemaker Award recipient for her debut feature Something You Said Last Night, an honest, immersive, and intensely relatable portrayal of an Italian Canadian family on a summer vacation. Ren (Carmen Madonia, 2022 TIFF Rising Stars) is a character unlike any other we’ve seen. She is talented, she is struggling, she is flawed, she is loved, she is passionate, and she is accepted. She is all of these things, and she is also a young trans woman finding her place in the world. Created with queer and trans creators in front and behind the camera, Something You Said Last Night finds its power in the complex, imperfect truth of humans and our relationships with family. With her film, Luis De Filippis is changing the game — giving a voice to trans people along the way, and creating a future where queer representation exists beyond the one-dimensional stories and characters we’ve seen over and over again. We hope the visibility and recognition of this award will help more young people see and be inspired by the film like we were, and support De Filippis in her development and journey as a filmmaker.” 

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PLATFORM PRIZE

Named after Jia Zhang-ke’s trailblazing second feature, Platform is the Toronto International Film Festival’s competitive programme championing bold directorial visions. Platform was curated by Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer; and Robyn Citizen, Director, Festival Programming and TIFF Cinematheque. The Platform Prize Jury members for 2022 are Patricia Rozema (Jury Chair), Iram Haq, and Chaitanya Tamhane and they are delighted to announce that their selection is Riceboy Sleeps, dir. Anthony Shim.

The Platform jury provided this statement: “The 2022 TIFF Platform Jury announces the unanimous choice for the Platform Prize — Riceboy Sleeps, written and directed by Anthony Shim for its deeply moving story and precisely-observed characters as they navigate racism, dislocation, family, and love. It balances social realism with pure poetry. Plus, it’s very funny. The leads Choi Seung-yoon (2022 TIFF Rising Stars), Ethan Hwang, and Dohyun Noel Hwang deserve top honours. Riceboy Sleeps touches on, in a most accessible way, some of humanity’s biggest challenges — how to merge cultures without erasing individuals, how to grow up whole in fragmented families, and how to defend ourselves from internalizing the subtle and not so subtle discriminations of the privileged.”

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PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD

For the 45th year, the People’s Choice Awards distinguish the audience’s top title at the Festival as voted by the viewing public. All films in TIFF’s Official Selection were eligible. 

The TIFF 2022 People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award winner is Weird: The Al Yankovic Story dir. Eric Appel
The first runner-up is Pearl dir. Ti West.
The second runner-up is The Blackening dir. Tim Story

The TIFF 2022 People’s Choice Documentary Award winner is Black Ice dir. Hubert Davis
The second runner-up is Maya and the Wave dir. Stephanie Johnes
The second runner-up is  752 is not a Number dir. Babak Payami.  

The TIFF 2022 People’s Choice Award winner is The Fabelmans dir. Steven Spielberg
The first runner-up is Women Talking dir. Sarah Polley
The second runner-up is Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery dir. Rian Johnson

(Photo credit: Universal Pictures)

#TIFF22: “THE GOOD NURSE”

By Amanda Gilmore

This True Crime Thriller is about Charles Cullen (Eddie Redmayne) a nurse who over a 16-year career confessed to killing 29 people, although the actual number is believed to be much higher. The Film follows Amy (Jessica Chastain), a nurse who worked with Charles and helped the detectives get their confession.

Director Tobias Lindholm, making his English language Feature Debut, creates an enthralling murder mystery Film. He opens on a patient dying with Charles, in his uniform, eerily looking on while many doctors and nurses try to save the life. There’s no doubt that something isn’t quite right with him. It’s this knowledge that we carry with us throughout, even in his tender moments, mostly shared with Amy. Redmayne is cast perfectly in this highly mysterious performance that captivates.

Screenwriter Krysty Wilson-Cairns brilliantly adapts the novel The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and Murder by Charles Graeber. Her tight Script builds tension while highlighting America’s health care system. We learn that Amy must complete her first year at the hospital before getting health insurance for her life-or-death heart transplant. This makes The Good Nurse more than your typical true crime chiller. It critiques the unjust health care system and insurance requirements.

Then we arrive at the detective part of The Good Nurse. It digs into unethical health care practices within the institutions. We fully become aware of exactly what Charles did, which is shocking and horrifying. However, the investigation exposes how these hospitals that employed Charles, were culpable. For instance, the hospital he works at with Amy refuses to hand over the evidence of their internal investigation. They had suspicions about he committed the murders, yet, they refused to own up to it. And in their refusal, they allowed him to continue.

He was only stopped due to the fearless help of Amy. Once again Chastain is extraordinary. The complexity of her performance is immense and she lands every beat. It’s mesmerizing to watch her come to the realization of the horrific acts he committed. Both Chastain and Redmayne deliver tour-de-force performances.

The Good Nurse screens as follows at TIFF ’22:

Fri, Sep 16 IN-PERSON at TIFF Bell Lightbox at 9:00 am

Sat, Sep 17 IN-PERSON at Roy Thompson Hall at 11:00 am

Sun, Sep 18 IN-PERSON at TIFF Bell Lightbox at 12:00 pm

#TIFF22: “PROJECT WOLF HUNTING”

By David Baldwin

A group of the worst of the worst prisoners are being transferred in secret from the Philippians to South Korea on a cargo ship. The cops assigned on board are doing their best and putting on happy faces, though they all know they are in over their heads.

What follows this elevator pitch can be summed up quite succinctly as “Shit gets real”. I do not use the phrase lightly – I should have worn a poncho when I saw PROJECT WOLF HUNTING in order to save myself from all the blood spraying on-screen. And I’m not talking buckets of blood. No, I am talking oil tankers full the stuff. It is obscene, it is intense and it is outrageous. If you are the least bit squeamish, look elsewhere because this movie is not for you. If the idea of someone getting their arm ripped off and then getting beaten to death with it does not sound like your idea of a fun time at the movies, then stop reading.

If you are as twisted as I am though, then you are in for a film that is certifiably bonkers.

Writer/Director Kim Hongsun has created a picture that is literally a litmus test of bad taste. The screening I went to had multiple walkouts and I can only imagine the mayhem that is going to descend on Midnight Madness when this plays. It is a little rough around the edges in certain instances and I wish it did not get so caught up in the conspiracy, Sci-Fi and world building nonsense that tries to at least partially explain what is going on. When he is focusing on what does work though, PROJECT WOLF HUNTING is damn near perfect.

PROJECT WOLF HUNTING screens as follows at TIFF ’22:

Fri, Sep 16 IN-PERSON Royal Alexandra Theatre 11:59pm

Sat, Sep 17 IN-PERSON Scotiabank Theatre 7:30pm

#TIFF22: “BUTCHER’S CROSSING”

By David Baldwin

It is the 1870s and Will Andrews (Fred Hechinger of The White Lotus and the Fear Street Trilogy) has just dropped out of Harvard. He is looking to experience more of what life has to offer and travels West to the titular Butcher’s Crossing in Kansas. He desperately wants to go on a buffalo hunt, yet cannot join any hunter’s party. That is until he meets Miller (Nicolas Cage), who claims he knows of a remote valley in the Colorado Rockies, untouched by hunters and teeming with buffalo. Will finances the hunt off this very promise, and as you might expect, gets more than he bargained for.

Days later and I am still perplexed by BUTCHER’S CROSSING. It looks absolutely stunning, doing its very best to accurately depict what the Old West looked like (without relying on extensive CGI to help). The outstanding vistas, the hand built buildings, the costumes, the horses, I could go on and on. It all looks outstanding and really goes a long way in depicting the time period the Film takes place during. The Script could have used some of that high-level attention to detail, rather than the plethora of themes, allusions and metaphors it gets bogged down by. Are we watching a movie about loneliness, despair, obsession and/or the effects of Icarus flying too close to the sun? Or, as the credits spontaneously suggest, is it about buffalo and animal preservation? I am completely unsure and it seems like the Film itself feels the same way.

Supporting turns from Xander Berkeley, Jeremy Bobb and especially Oscar-nominee Paul Raci (of TIFF’19 selection Sound of Metal) are all solid, and Hechinger does a great job as the audience surrogate. He holds his own against everyone on-screen and continues to prove his worth as an emerging talent to watch out for. Of course, they all are standing in the shadow of Cage, who brings a God-like gravitas and charisma to every one of his scenes. He has an edginess to himself and gloriously unleashes his inner Cage-Rage a handful of times. It is not exactly Earth-shattering work, but seeing Cage in his element is worth the price of admission all on its own.

Also – I am not sure just how much buffalo skinning is too much buffalo skinning, but BUTCHER’S CROSSING could have done with substantially less of it. So prepare yourself in advance should you choose to venture in.

BUTCHER’S CROSSING screens as follows at TIFF ’22:

Fri, Sep 9 IN-PERSON Roy Thomson Hall 9:30pm

Sat, Sep 10 IN-PERSON Scotiabank Theatre 1:00pm

Sat, Sep 17 IN-PERSON Scotiabank Theatre 5:30pm

#TIFF22: “THE INSPECTION”

By Mr. Will Wong

Based on Writer/Director Elegance Bratton‘s autobiographical account of his time in the military, THE INSPECTION truly is a hidden gem of the Festival.

The Film centers on French (Jeremy Pope), a young black gay man who finds himself homeless, with his mother (Gabrielle Union) kicking him out, disapproving of his sexuality. He decides to join the military, but when others suspect that he is homosexual, he finds himself without an ally as his fellow recruits vie with him to graduate a Marine. But not first without testing his every physical and mental limit.

He finds himself attracted to his Drill Sargeant (Raúl Castillo) who encourages him to keep to task despite being met with a complete lack of support. And underneath it all, French is eager to make his mother proud, hopeful for a reconciliation.

Bratton gives us a deeply-personal and compelling film, which is detailed in its exploration of the rigorous training these recruits undergo. It isn’t long before we are drawn into this world, seeing the world through French‘s eyes, thanks to an outstanding performance by Pope in the lead role. He is vulnerable, fearful yet driven to make it. He masters the physical demands of the role as well. An unrecognizable Union also delivers a superb performance even though she is seen sparingly, breathing humanity into a challenging character. It also proves very tough not to gravitate to Castillo, who commands the screen, grounding the story which is entrenched in a world of hyper-toxic masculinity.

Such a fantastic film and a story that needs to be seen in understanding the events that led to the need for a “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy permitting homosexuals to serve in the military.

THE INSPECTION screens as follows at TIFF ’22:

Thu, Sep 08 IN-PERSON Royal Alexandra Theatre 8:30 pm

Sat, Sep 10 IN-PERSON Scotiabank Theatre Toronto 11:30am

Fri, Sep 16 IN-PERSON Scotiabank Theatre Toronto 11:30am

#TIFF22: “HOW TO BLOW UP A PIPELINE”

By Amanda Gilmore

This exceptional Thriller follows a group of Environmental Activists, who band together on a daring mission to blow up a pipeline in West Texas.

Co-Writers Ariela Barer (who also stars as Xochitl), Jordan Sjol, and Daniel Goldhaber (who also serves as Director and Editor) have adapted the controversial book by Andreas Malm of the same name. It’s a non-fiction Novel that claims sabotage is an effective solution in fighting climate change. The Co-Writers have used this theory and created one of the most enthralling heist Thrillers of the year.

We watch as the group of activists plan, prepare and carry out their audacious mission. Goldhaber’s expert Direction and Editing cut back in time, giving each character a reason for carrying out this dangerous act. The connection between each character is that they’ve all been impacted by climate change. For instance, Xochitl’s mother died due to an abnormal heat wave and Theo (Sasha Lane) has been diagnosed with a rare Blood Cancer that has been linked to people who grew up near chemical factories.

Some characters question what they’re doing and the ramifications of their actions. Such as gas prices being raised, making life harder on the poor. Or them committing what is considered a terrorist act. These open conversations, along with the layered, heartrending backstories show a balanced look at the climate debate. There aren’t any right answers given, instead, How To Blow Up A Pipeline allows a space to explore facts, opinions and calls to action.

Overall, How To Blow Up A Pipeline is a remarkable suspenseful heist thriller, with an intense Score from Gavin Brivik. The entire cast (Barer, Lane, Kristine Froseth, Lukas Gage, Forrest Goodluck, Jayme Lawson, Marcus Scribner, and Jake Weary) are exceptional. And the Cinematography by Tehillah De Castro dazzles. Most importantly it’s a brilliant Film that will provoke essential conversation about climate change.

How To Blow Up A Pipeline screens as follows at TIFF ’22:

Sat, Sep 10 IN-PERSON at TIFF Bell Lightbox at 9:00 pm

Sun, Sep 11 IN-PERSON at Scotiabank Theatre at 3:15 pm

Sun, Sep 18 IN-PERSON at Scotiabank Theatre at 5:45 pm

#TIFF22: DAY EIGHT SIGHTINGS – CHAT WITH LEE JUNG-JAE & JUNG WOO-SUNG ON “THE HUNT”

We’ve made it to the finish! What a Festival this was! We’re still reeling literally from all the excitement, and have really been doing as much as we can before the curtain drops Sunday. Though I love the stars so much, I love cozying-up with a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte in a dark theatre and just escaping with the Movies. The Team and I have shared our thoughts on everything we saw at the Festival here and there are a few more Reviews coming.

By the way, we will soon be drawing our $25 Starbucks Canada Gift Card winners! More below and a few chances across our Social channels.

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#TIFF22: Nothing like a #PSL in the morning at a movie screening! Reply in the comments which @starbuckscanada beverage you’d cozy up to.

Tell me here and @ a friend to enter to #win a $25 Starbucks Canada Gift Card!

Happy #TIFF! #win #StarbucksCanada pic.twitter.com/whXY4qmRr4

— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) September 9, 2022

We were so delighted finally to get to participate in a Press Line. Believe me, we’ve been putting-in our requests but with so many outlets being here earlier in the Festival, it didn’t leave a lot of room for smaller outlets like ours to get on. Either way, we get it and made our moments happen either way! We adore SQUID GAME and can’t wait for Season Two. Such an honour chatting with star-turned-Director Lee Jung-jae and also Korean Action Star Jung Woo-sung. HUNT is an Action-Thriller which has Lee starring as Park, a Central Intelligence Chief uncovering a plot assassinate the South Korean President, but learns there also is a mole in the agency.

Lee tells us this actually isn’t his first time in Toronto – he actually came here about ten years back. We ask him about one important lesson he took away from the character he crafted in this Film, Park.

Lee: I didn’t learn much from the character because I wrote, directed and acted it myself. What I learned from this experience is working harmoniously with the other Actors and trying to communicate well with the staff.

We also ask Jung to tell us a bit about his character Kim and what he took away from the experience.

Jung: This is a character based on actual historical events that took place. When I created the character, I reflected on the victims of the incident and the perpetrators, and the ethical issues. I was able to reflect on these things.

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