Review by Mr. Will Wong

Western  Stars is quintessential viewing for fans of The Boss. The Documentary co-directed by music icon Bruce Springsteen and Thom Zimny gives fans a gorgeous intimate visual and sound experience on the ideas and concepts behind his latest studio album.  The Documentary was recorded in his 100-year-old barn with a 30-piece orchestra and his band, including partner Patti Scialfa.

We get a get a glimpse into Springsteen’s journey and the life lessons he has accrued, getting candid. He even talks about having hurt the people he loved but having grown since. He jokes how years ago he was singing about cars and still to this day this remains a metaphor despite changed contexts. Springsteen speaks about his music with an assured wisdom he only could impart at this stage in his celebrated career and we’re glad he did. Western Stars brings us up- close and personal to a personable legend.

Western Stars manages in a transcendent  way to capture the magic of Springsteen’s artistry and the magnestism which has kept his fan base loyal for years.

WESTERN STARS screens at TIFF:
Thu, Sep 12
Roy Thomson Hall
9:30pm

Fri, Sep 13
Winter Garden Theatre
11:00am

Sat, Sep 14
Scotiabank Theatre
8:45pm

Review by Mr. Will Wong

Lucy in the Sky centers on an astronaut’s successful journey into space and the aftermath of this when she re-evaluates her life.  We witness Lucy‘s (Natalie Portman) unravelling as she loses her perspective on the world after she accomplishes the mission. She becomes unhinged, losing her inhibitions and what ensues is a downward spiral from which we can’t keep our eyes off.

The Drama-Thriller is Noah Hawley‘s directorial debut. While it is an ambitious task telling this story, which starts on solid footing in its First Act, before turning tonally into the unpredictable, he manages to maintain our interest as we witness Lucy‘s fall from grace.

Portman cannot be faulted as she is fully committed to making us see the world through Lucy’s eyes and she does it in a compelling way. However, even she – a master of her craft – is unable to resuscitate the Film’s implausabilities and unevenness, where we never see developed fully, Jon Hamm‘s Mark nor Lucy‘s husband Drew (Dan Stevens). And this was better needed to pave the way for her eventual path.

Lucy in the Sky screens at TIFF:

Wed, Sep 11
Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre
9:00pm

Thu, Sep 12
Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre
2:30pm

Fri, Sep 13
Elgin Theatre
1:00pm

Sun, Sep 15
Scotiabank Theatre
5:45pm

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Martin Eden (Luca Marinelli) is an uneducated working-class sailor who falls in love with educated upper-class Elena (Jessica Cressy). To make her see him the same way he sees her he attempts to remake himself into a Writer.

Director Pietro Marcello adapts the Jack London Novel of the same name in an inspiring unconventional way. It’s clear from the beginning that Marcello is making a politically charged film, and one of which he is entirely on one side of. This is a specific story of a man whose trying to make something more of himself. Yet when achieving those ambitions they begin to conflict with his ideals. It’s in this grappling that one tremendous performance from Marinelli comes alive. Marcello flips between his own Super 16mm shot narrative with archival footage which emphasizes the political and social elements of his Film.

Martin Eden screens at TIFF on the following days:

Wednesday, September 11 at TIFF Bell Lightbox at 6 PM

Thursday, September 12 at TIFF Bell Lightbox at 6 PM

Saturday, September 14 at TIFF Bell Lightbox at 9:15 AM

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong

Georges’ (Oscar-winner Jean Dujardin) life is in upheaval. He separated from his wife and has just spent a comically ridiculous amount of money for a deerskin coat. He loves and admires the coat – so much so that he starts talking to it, and slowly becomes unhinged from reality.

If you watched Writer/Director Quentin Dupieux’s previous film Rubber – about a tire that kills people – you probably have an idea for what kind of trip you are in for with Deerskin. The Film is part narrative, part experimental avant garde piece on identity and mental illness. It is delightfully absurd right from the start, setting the tone immediately but never letting on what direction it is moving in next. It is a bit of a slow-burn at first and seems determined to test the audience’s patience. But once Dupieux unpacks all of his wacky ideas, all bets are off and you will not be able to look away. And in the middle of everything is Dujardin, who goes all in with his positively bonkers performance. He is keenly aware of how outrageous the Film is, and plays into each moment recklessly and fearlessly.

Just make sure you leave your coat at home when you see it. You can thank me later.

DEERSKIN screens during TIFF at the following times:

Thursday September 12, 9:00pm @ Ryerson Theatre
Friday, September 13 @ 9:15pm @ Scotiabank Theatre
Sunday September 15, 6:30pm@ Scotiabank Theatre

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Sisters Mary Beth (Morgan Saylor) and Priscilla (Sophie Lowe) think they got away with a violent crime in their small fishing village of Easter Cove, Maine until a local brothel owner (Margo Martindale) becomes suspicious and confronts the girls with an ultimatum.

Small town crime films usually lack originality, however, Co-Directors Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy bring a new edge to the genre. This atmospheric film advances above those that came before due to the complicated and often troubled female characters. Those characters are made even more complex thanks to a talented cast consisting of Saylor, Lowe, Martindale, and June Squibb. An honourable mention goes to scene-stealer Will Brittain playing the good-boy cop.

Blow The Man Down screens at TIFF on Thu, Sep 12 at TIFF Bell Lightbox at 8:30 PM, Sat, Sep 14 at TIFF Bell Lightbox at 4 PM, and Sun, Sep 15 at TIFF Bell Lightbox at 9:15 AM.

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

In this fictionalized reimagining of the Patty Hearst affair, a political activist (Hong Chau) helps take care of a group of wanted fugitives including a well-known heiress (Sarah Gadon).

At the core of American Woman is a captivating story about political activism and the extremes some go to with their beliefs. These enthralling themes are all here, however, there’s no mystery about the fate of the characters because the opening scene reveals where they end up. What does keep the audience engaged is the cast, particularly the mysterious Jenny played by Chau and the shifty Pauline played by Gadon.

American Woman screens at TIFF on Thu, Sep 12 at Roy Thompson Hall at 6:30 PM, Thu, Sep 12 at Elgin Theatre at 8 PM, and Sat, Sep 14 at Scotiabank Theatre at 7 PM.

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

When Kendra’s (Kerry Washington) bi-racial son doesn’t come home one night she spends the night inside a police station hoping to find out what happened to him.

American Son is based upon the Broadway Play written by Christopher Demos-Brown and brought to the screen with the same Cast and Director. The Play and Script both touch on important themes of race relations and police brutality in an eloquent intimate way. Washington’s performance of one mother’s anxiety and fear for her son is one that will break your heart.

American Son screens at TIFF on Thu, Sep 12 at Winter Garden Theatre at 6 PM, Fri, Sep 13 at TIFF Bell Lightbox at 3:15 PM, and Sat, Sep 14 at TIFF Bell Lightbox at 9:15 PM.

It’s officially been a week since TIFF ’19 began and we honestly don’t know where the time went! It all felt like one long day with power naps. We’re doing just fine, although we worry with the switch from hot to umm… freezing, we are a prime candidate for a cold!

Some names still in town we spotted. Hover cursor right to navigate albums.

Zazie Beetz (Lucy in the Sky, Joker + Seberg)

George McKay (True History of the Kelly Gang)

WESTERN STARS – Premiere

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong

After his boss is shot and left for dead, private detective Lionel Essrog (Edward Norton) sets-out to find out why. But along the way, he gets caught in the middle of 1950s political turmoil and a whole lot of people that want him to stop before he gets hurt.

Norton has been trying to get his adaptation of Jonathan Lethem’s Book onto the big screen for at least a decade. His passion for the Project is effusive, and that may be why the Film feels like such a mess. It clocks in at 144-minutes, but easily feels double that. There are so many characters and subplots that it is easy to get lost in them all. The Film’s Cinematography is wonky, and the Set Design looks almost blatantly artificial. I cannot assume this was a deliberate choice, but it does feel disingenuous. The Cast is fairly good however, with Bruce Willis, Willem Dafoe, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Alec Baldwin standing-out among a sea of extras. And while his work behind the camera is not as good, Norton’s work on-screen surpasses even the best of expectations. The level of control and precision he demonstrates with Lionel’s Tourette Syndrome and OCD are outstanding, as are his more peculiar nuances.

MOTHERLESS BROOKYLN screens during TIFF at the following times:

Tuesday September 10, 9:15pm @ Princess of Wales
Wednesday September 11, 1:30pm @ Princess of Wales
Sunday September 15, 9:00am @ Scotiabank Theatre

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong

Yakov (Dave Davis) is out of his element and struggling with PTSD. He gets asked one evening to be a shomer (watching over the body) for a recently deceased Holocaust survivor at their home. Yakov needs the money, so he agrees. But soon after arriving at the house, Yakov starts hearing and seeing very chilling and gross things. And he might not survive the night.

While knowing and understanding Yiddish folklore might help, I was pleasantly surprised with how good The Vigil turned-out to be – especially for a directorial debut. Writer/Director Keith Thomas uses every lesson he has learned from Horror movies, and crafts a film that effectively is creepy and spooky right from the start. He uses each element at his disposal to build up the dread in each scene and turns up the atmosphere considerably whenever he can. And while the jump scares are typical and predictable, the Score and sound design are used so effectively that they practically become even scarier. What The Vigil could have benefitted from was a better lighting scheme, as some scenes look substantially darker than they need to be. Davis, acting basically in his own one-man show, is astonishingly great here as well, controlling every scene and emotion like a seasoned vet.

THE VIGIL screens during TIFF at the following times:

Monday September 9, 11:59pm @ Ryerson Theatre [World Premiere]
Wednesday September 11, 9:30pm @ Scotiabank Theatre
Sunday September 15, 4:30pm @ Scotiabank Theatre