Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Sarah (Eva Green) is an astronaut and mother who has dreamed of going to space her entire life. When the opportunity finally comes what will she have to sacrifice to make her dream a reality?
Proxima is a movie that talks about the sacrifices we make, specifically women, to have the delicate balance of family and dreams. What Director-Writer Alice Winocour does is never judge Sarah and her decisions. She uses the camera as a fly-on-the-wall allowing the audience to project their judgments upon her themselves. The writing is rich and Green is outstanding in the role. She also has great chemistry with her onscreen daughter which leads to the audience’s investment into their relationship.
Proxima screens at TIFF on Sat, Sep 7 at Winter Garden Theatre at 6:15 PM, Sun, Sep 8 at Scotiabank Theatre at 1:45 PM and Fri, Sep 13 at TIFF Bell Lightbox at 1:15 PM.
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Katie (TIFF ’19 Rising Star Kacey Rohl) has become the poster girl around her school campus after lying about being diagnosed with cancer. But how long can this fabrication continue when someone may know the truth?
Co-Directors and Writers Calvin Thomas and Yonah Lewis have created a female protagonist who’s hard to route for. Although Katie is doing the unthinkable Thomas and Lewis have brought in themes are fame and social media to help us understand why she’s doing what she’s doing. It’s a mix of those themes and Rohl’s vulnerable and stunning performance which allow the audience to often sympathize with the despicable things she does.
White Lie screens at TIFF on Sat, Sep 7 at TIFF Bell Lightbox at 3 PM and Fri, Sep 13 at Scotiabank Theatre at 6:30 PM.
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
The Film follows the life of singer Helen Reddy (Tilda Cobham-Hervey) from the time she arrived in New York to her performance during the women’s rally in Washington years later.
This is one hell of a timely biopic. With women’s rights being a prominent topic today I Am Woman draws parallels between the 1960s and 1970s to the present, and all by focusing on one woman. Reddy is brought to the screen by Cobham-Hervey, who has a powerful presence and captures Reddy’s performance quirks completely. Tilda is surrounded by other strong cast members including Peters who plays Reddy’s husband and manager, and Danielle Macdonald who plays prominent music journalist Lilian Roxon.
I Am Woman screens at TIFF on Thu, Sep 5 at Elgin Theatre at 5 PM, Fri, Sep 6 at Ryerson Theatre at 2:15 PM, and Fri, Sep 13 at Scotiabank Theatre at 9:15 AM.
Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
After Nicole (Dakota Johnson) is diagnosed with cancer, her friend Dane (Jason Segel) moves in to help her and her husband Matthew (Casey Affleck) with her appointments and treatments, taking care of their kids and keeping the house in order. And what is initially planned as a short multi-week stay quickly extends into many months.
The Friend is based on a true story, so that alone makes the emotional turmoil this family endures that much more devastating. While some scenes are heavy-handed, the core ensemble of Johnson, Affleck and especially Segel all deliver terrific work. But the Film around them is a mess. It jumps back and forth around timelines much too often, rarely stopping before jumping back into some part of the present. These flashbacks should be developing the characters better, but they seem to function only to piece together a vaguely coherent backstory. They share some facts with us, but keep others enigmatic (although one needless gut punch gets a lot of focus). I understand the struggle of not knowing what to cut, but feel like there was some pertinent information left out that could have taken The Friend from just being good to being truly great. Make sure you bring the tissues.
THE FRIEND screens during TIFF at the following times:
Friday September 6, 6:00pm @ Princess of Wales [World Premiere]
Saturday September 7, 2:30pm @ Princess of Wales
Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
Kathy (Anastasia Phillips) has always been taking care of her alcoholic mother Tammy (Felicity Huffman). She is constantly cleaning-up after her and literally talking her off the ledge of a train platform. But when Tammy gets diagnosed with cancer, Kathy must decide if she is going to continue assisting Tammy or move on completely.
In only her second Feature film, Amy Jo Johnson has given us a riveting depiction of the cycle of abuse and the long-term trauma it leaves behind. The Film runs 85-minutes long, and Johnson uses every single second to compose a very gritty and very real experience that lingers long after the credits. The strong direction extends into excellent work from both Phillips and Huffman, who practically light-up the screen. The Supporting Cast is wonderful as well, but they cannot even dream of competing with these two powerhouse talents. While the emotional catharsis of the ending was lost on me, the Film’s only other real stumbling block is a goofy subplot involving a trashy talk show. It aims to add some layer of satire, but ends up being a distraction that takes away valuable time watching Phillips and Huffman soar.
TAMMY’S ALWAYS DYING screens during TIFF at the following times:
Thursday September 5, 6:00pm @ Scotiabank Theatre [World Premiere]
Sunday September 8, 7:00pm @ Scotiabank Theatre
Saturday September 14, 1:00pm @ Scotiabank Theatre
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
In a not-too-distant dystopia, The Pit is a form of prison that houses citizens in vertically stacked cells. They get fed through a platform that lowers from the top to bottom leaving those in higher cells with a feast while the ones below fight for leftovers if there are any.
This intelligent single-setting Socio-Political Thriller states important lessons about society and those with power in a simple way. The screenplay is enriched with characters who are entirely unique in their survival and political views. And those perspectives are the basis of the ample amounts of shocking violence that ensue. This is one to look out for at TIFF ’19.
The Platform screens at TIFF on Fri, Sep 6 at Ryerson Theatre at 11:59 PM, Sun, Sep 8 at Scotiabank Theatre at 10 PM, and Sun, Sep 15 at Scotiabank Theatre at 7:15 PM.
Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
I walked into Bong Joon-ho’s Palme d’Or winning Parasite almost completely blind. The story of two families and the struggles between their classes is best experienced with little to no knowledge of the plot and its surprises, so I will not ruin that mindset for the small few who have no idea what’s in store for them.
What I will say is that Parasite is easily one of the best, if not the singular best, films of the year. Hyperbolic praise happens at Festivals all the time, but this one is the real deal that surpasses the buzz. It tells an incredibly-nuanced and layered story, and is filled with terrific performances from the entire Cast. There is not one weak link among them. It is ravishing in its beauty and details, saying so much about the characters with each passing frame. The way it captures class politics so subtly is simply magnificent. And while it can get particularly bloody in some instances, Parasite is surprisingly-funny even at its most bleak. The moment the credits rolled, I felt my bones shake and knew I had experienced something truly unique and special. Do what you need to, and do not let this one pass you by.
PARASITE screens during TIFF at the following times:
Friday September 6, 8:30pm @ Ryerson Theatre
Saturday September 7, 1:30pm @ Scotiabank Theatre
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Black Conflux tells the story of two seemingly different people: reserved teenager Jackie (Ella Ballentine) and troubled adult Dennis (Ryan McDonald) in a 1980s small town in Newfoundland.
Feature Debut Writer-Director Nicole Dorsey shows a mature filmmaking style who has evenly measured the time allocated to her two characters. She examines the mental turmoil of her leads and the impending impact they could have on each other with an even hand. Thus, having the audience wonder when or if they will converge. However, what works best is the coming-of-age story of Jackie, expertly performed by Ballentine, whose internal struggle is as developed as her external one.
Black Conflux screens at TIFF on Fri, Sep 6 at Scotiabank Theatre at 6:15 PM, Sun, Sep 8 at Scotiabank Theatre at 5:45 PM, and Sat, Sep 14 at 11:30 AM at Scotiabank Theatre.
Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
Salvador Mallo (Antonio Banderas) is an aging Film Director living with a wide variety of ailments and regrets. He wants to continue to make new films, but cannot find the strength or reason to do so. After one of his most popular films is re-released, he encounters long forgotten friends and memories, and starts to depend a bit too much on heroin.
From the very first frame, Pain and Glory feels like a lived-in and deeply personal experience. You can practically see Director Pedro Almodóvar excising his skeletons and reliving his childhood in real time. The visuals are luscious and splendid, the use of colour is exceptional and brilliant, the Cast is terrific, the score is affecting and…well, you get the point. This is an absolutely gorgeous film to watch and a genuinely sumptuous visual feast. And the glue holding the whole enterprise together is Banderas, putting in career best work as Almodóvar’s big screen conduit. His work here is emotional and transcendent, commanding the attention of everyone around him. It is a largely understated and quiet role, but the intimacy Banderas brings to it makes it feel so much grander. Do not be surprised if the Academy take notice.
PAIN AND GLORY screens during TIFF at the following times:
Friday September 6, 5:30pm @ Ryerson Theatre
Saturday September 7, 2:45pm @ Scotiabank Theatre
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
In 18th-Century Britain, Artist Marianne (Noémie Merlant) is hired to paint a portrait of dissatisfied soon-to-wed Héloïse (Adèle Haenel). The two begin falling for each other.
Like the best Romance films, Portrait of a Lady on Fire tells a tale of forbidden love. What sets this Film apart from those before is the interwoven story of Art. In using Art as the start of their romance Screenwriter Céline Sciamma poses questions about the gaze: what it means to be truly seen and what it means to truly see. This romance is brought to the screen with mesmerizing chemistry between its two leads who steadily build their bond with every line of dialogue.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire screens at TIFF on Thu, Sep 5 at Winter Garden Theatre at 9:15 PM and Fri, Sep 6 at Winter Garden Theatre at 3 PM.
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