Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong

This Is Not A Movie profiles the reporting of legendary Journalist Robert Fisk, who changed the game when it came to stories from the frontlines of war torn Middle Eastern nations as a foreign correspondent for The Times and The Independent newspapers in the UK.

Yung Chang’s Documentary is not an easy watch. While it is fascinating to watch Robert in action in both modern times and in his early days in the 70s and 80s, it just as harrowing to see and hear about the violence and loss of life he has witnessed. The Film takes an episodic approach to his stories, focusing specifically on the issues that are still just as much a problem today as they were decades ago. The Film gets bogged down however by unexplained elements, odd details and tangents as it nears the last act (why discuss online vitriol in the middle of the film and casually dismiss it just as quickly?). But the way Chang and her team edit and stitch clips together is rather marvelous, juxtaposing video from the likes of 9/11 to the bombed-out remains of a town in the Middle East – all in one seamless cut. Truly horrifying.

THIS IS NOT A MOVIE screens TIFF at the following times:

Monday September 9, 7:00pm @ Scotiabank Theatre [World Premiere]
Wednesday September 11, 8:30pm @ Scotiabank Theatre

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

As Theatre Director Charlie (Adam Driver) and Actress Nicole’s (Scarlett Johansson) marriage begins to fall apart, they try to find ways to keep their family together.

Director-Writer Noah Baumbach has made his masterpiece. This is a Film that will have a substantial impact on anyone who has been in love and will stay with you for years. Baumbach’s Script is written to perfection timed evenly between characters, so audience members get a balanced view on divorce. We simply sit back and watch this once loving couple completely unravel through their separation. This artistic couple is brought to life through the incredible talent of Driver and Johansson. Driver is meticulous as the straight-forward and quick-witted Charlie. And Johansson is exceptional as the passionate and self-discovering Nicole.

Marriage Story screens at TIFF on Sun, Sep 8 at Winter Garden Theatre at 5:30 PM, Mon, Sep 9 at Princess of Wales at 11:30 AM, Fri, Sep 13 at Princess of Wales at 6 PM, and Sat, Sep 14 at Princess of Wales at 2:45 PM.

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong

Popular mystery author Harlan Thrombrey (Christopher Plummer) has died from an apparent suicide. The evidence suggests this is the case, but the police and private investigator Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) feel there is more to it – especially as every family member has a motive for killing him.

I have long been a fan of Writer/Director Rian Johnson and he has delivered another masterwork with this clever inversion of a classic Whodunit story. He is keenly-aware of the conventions of the genre, and alters each one to suit his wildly unique sensibilities. The style and score are absolute perfection as is the sharp editing and absolutely hysterical dialogue. Johnson is very precise with all of his elements here, practically entering the same distinctive pantheon as Wes Anderson with his attention to detail. He stumbles a bit with the convoluted and over-stretched final act, but ensures the Film remains thrilling and enigmatic right up until the very end. And if that were not enough, the all-star Cast is one of the best groups of thespians ever brought together by one film. Every single Cast member has a blast breathing life into these amazing characters, with Craig killing it with another ridiculous accent and Ana de Armas practically stealing the show from everyone.

KNIVES OUT screens during TIFF at the following times:

Saturday September 7, 6:00pm @ Princess of Wales [World Premiere]
Sunday September 8, 11:00am @ Elgin Theatre

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong

Richard McCreadie (Steve Coogan) is a fashion industry icon and billionaire preparing for his lavish 60th birthday party on a Greek island. As he and his team obsess over every detail, his biographer Nick (David Mitchell) is working hard interviewing his friends and family to learn more about the mogul – and all of the horrible things he did to become so rich.

The synopsis may sound like the description of a story based on any number of real-world billionaires, and that point is not lost on Writer/Director Michael Winterbottom. From the very beginning right through to the end, he savagely skewers the fashion industry and the 1% in increasingly vicious ways. This is high stakes satire and the laughs come fast and furious. The editing and music choices are great and the Cast is top-notch, with Coogan and Isla Fisher (as McCreadie’s ex-wife Samantha) being particular standouts. But Winterbottom has more than just laughs on his mind, frequently stopping the Film dead to detail the likes of horrible working conditions in Sri Lanka and awful money pinching tactics billionaires use to stay ahead. It almost becomes a mockumentary in some cases – except these sharp tonal pivots are anything but funny and barely match the rest of the Film around them.

GREED screens during TIFF at the following times:

Saturday September 7, 5:15pm @ Elgin Theatre [World Premiere]
Sunday September 8, 3:00pm @ Scotiabank Theatre
Sunday September 15, 3:00pm @ TIFF Bell Lightbox

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong

Steve (Anthony Mackie) and Dennis (Jamie Dornan) are long time paramedics and best friends in New Orleans. They have been through a lot together and look out for one another. But things are starting to get strange in the city once the pair discover that a number of their calls involve a new street drug called SYNCHRONIC.

There is a lot to unpack after watching SYNCHRONIC, but the beauty of it all lies in its unpredictability and how Directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead mash together genres and styles on a dime. They all work together masterfully in unison, creating a thrilling experience that becomes exceptionally more breathless as it moves from scene to scene. The stylistic choices here are fantastic and unique, and the way some of these scenes have been composed and shot is rather remarkable. It may be a dark and gritty film, but it sure looks beautiful. Dornan is great, but Mackie is even better, giving one of the most layered and nuanced performances of his career. I just wish the Film did not spend so much time setting up the world and the stakes. It takes away from the wild chaos that ensnares the second-half!

SYNCHRONIC screens during TIFF at the following times:

Saturday September 7, 3:00pm @ Ryerson Theatre [World Premiere]
Monday September 9, 5:00pm @ Scotiabank Theatre
Friday September 13, 6:00pm @ Ryerson Theatre

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong

Ruben (Riz Ahmed) and Lou (Olivia Cooke) are a metal band touring and driving around the US in their RV. As he preps for a show, Ruben gets a loud ringing in his ears. He thinks nothing of it, but finds out soon after that he is losing his hearing rapidly and will soon become deaf.

This is the set-up for Co-Writer/Director Darius Marder’s harrowing journey Sound of Metal. The Film is loud, intense, and is a genuine test of endurance for audiences. It pulls no punches, plunging us right into the mind of Ruben as he learns how to communicate as a newly deaf person. Special attention was paid to the sound design, with Marder and his team creating an impeccable mix that is authentic to the experiences deaf people go through each and every day. And it switches from a normal mix to this authentic mix so often that it is almost impossible to prepare for it. Cooke is great in her small number of scenes, but the whole Film is held together by career best work from Ahmed. He digs-in deep, allowing us to feel every moment of triumph and tragedy. Ahmed’s visceral level of commitment here cannot simply be described; it demands to be seen.

SOUND OF METAL screens during TIFF at the following times:

Friday September 6, 9:00pm @ Winter Garden Theatre [World Premiere]
Saturday September 7, 10:00am @ Elgin Theatre
Saturday September 14, 9:00pm @ TIFF Bell Lightbox

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

When jaded Journalist Lloyd (Matthew Rhys) begins interviewing Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks), he starts to see the world in a different light.

This heartwarming Film is sure to delight and touch each and every neighbour it encounters. Director Marielle Heller has done it again and made a Film that shows the complexities of the human condition. Screenwriters Noah Harvester and Micah Fitzerman-Blue have written a beautiful script that focuses more on a person suffering immense pain and how Rogers helped him. In doing this, the audience learns lessons about healing as Lloyd does.

Once again Hanks turns in a stellar and heartwarming performance. After seeing him embody Rogers, it is hard to imagine how anyone else could. There is an honest and loving quality Hanks seeps into each character he has played and those are the qualities Rogers had. Because this Film focuses on Lloyd, Rhys carries the entire Film and he does so flawlessly. He is outstanding as the emotionally-suffering Journalist who slowly begins to become open and forgiving. When the two are together there is nothing but joy to witness.

A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood screens at TIFF on Sat, Sep 7 at Roy Thompson Hall at 6:30 PM, Sat, Sep 7 at Elgin Theatre at 8 PM, Sun, Sep 8 at Princess of Wales at 3:15 PM, and Sat, Sep 14 at Elgin Theatre at 2:30PM.

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Humberto Brause (Daniel Hendler) throws himself into the buying and selling of currency in 1970s Uruguay and accepts the assignment of laundering the largest amount of money he has ever seen.

Director Federico Veiroj has created a snapshot into a particular time in history and infused it with an entertaining theme of greed. The film is a thriller involving a character who will trample over anyone and anything to get what he wants. Yet, we love Humberto because of the deadpan humour he’s played with by the charismatic Hendler.

The Moneychanger screens at TIFF on Sun, Sep 8th at TIFF Bell Lightbox at 9 PM, Mon, Sep 9th at Scotiabank Theatre at 7 PM, and Sun, Sep 15th at 9:30 AM.

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Wiebke’s (Nina Hoss) recently adopted second daughter changes drastically from wholesome to threatening, placing the lives of Wiebke and her other daughter in danger.

This Film is an examination of the lengths a mother will go for her children. Hoss turns in an unforgettable performance of the questionable Wiebke that is equally heartbreaking and compelling. Pelican Blood starts out as a Psychological Drama about a mother pushed to every possible limit, but the genre shifts along the way to a result that will have audiences shocked.

Pelican Blood screens at TIFF on Sun, Sep 8 at Scotiabank Theatre at 9:15 PM, Mon, Sep 9 at Scotiabank Theatre at 1:15 PM, and Sat, Sep 14 at Scotiabank Theatre at 9:45 PM.

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

This Biopic follows Jean Seberg (Kristen Stewart) in a particular time in her life: in the late 60s and early 70s as she has become a target of the FBI’s due to her support and contributions to the Black Panther Movement.

Usually Biopics tell a story of the entire life of their subjects, however, this screenplay focuses on a short moment and succeeds in displaying who she was. Within this is a story of a woman who stood up and aligned herself with what she knew was right: equality. Stewart is the heart of the Film and completely merges into Seberg. The audience sees Seberg as a fiery presence in the beginning, but slowly she unhinges due to the horrible things the FBI was targeting her with. And Stewart is there unraveling Jean’s inner psyche with empathetic vulnerability.

Seberg screens at TIFF on Sat, Sep 7 at Ryerson Theatre at 6 PM, Mon, Sep 9 at 11:45 PM, and Sat, Sep 14 at TIFF Bell Lightbox at 6:15 PM.