How far would you go for love? Would you do something truly monstrous? Director Netto Villalobos Brenes delivers a female-driven narrative (men only show up a couple of times throughout the film, and each time makes an impression) that lands the viewer in a not-so-distant, dystopian-leaning future. The men are gone. They left two years…
Tag: tiff
TIFF ’26: The Stunt Driver dir. Michael Dowse
There’s always time for some Canadiana at TIFF, and The Stunt Driver delivers it fantastically with lots of humour and great performances, and explores a small but fascinating corner of Canadian pop culture history that I had no clue about. In the late 70s, it seems everyone knew who Evel Knievel (Ben Foster) was. Heck,…
TIFF ’26: Coward dir. Lukas Dhont
Instead of retreading antiwar themes so brilliantly evoked in films like All Quiet on the Western Front (1930, 1979, and 2022) Lukas Dhont’s third feature film delivers a poignant character film that explores hope, love, the horrors of war and the shattering of youth and the illusions they hold for their lives. Pierre (Emmanuel Macchia)…
Jaws 50th Anniversary
What a great way to begin and end my TIFF experience this year. Even as TIFF celebrates its 50th year, so does my favourite movie of all time, Steven Spielberg’s Jaws. I’ve told the story countless times of how it was my first ever film experience. I’ve seen this movie more times than any others…
TIFF 25: The President’s Cake dir. Hasan Hadi
Set in the 1990s, young Lamia (Baneen Ahmad Nayyef) lives under Saddam Hussein’s regime with her grandmother, Bibi (Waheeda Thabet) and her pet rooster. Hussein’s 50th birthday is two days away, and every year, one child from each class is selected to make a birthday cake, no matter their circumstances. Lamia, Bibi and the rooster…
TIFF 25: You Had to Be There – How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution… dir. Nick Davis
In 1972 and 1973 at the Royal Alexandra Theatre here in Toronto, almost everything we know about modern comedy was born. The cast included Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, Andrea Martin, Victor Garber and Dave Thomas. From the seeds planted by this special group being brought together sprang SCTV and SNL, not to mention…
TIFF 25: Fuze dir. David Mackenzie
The one thing that I came out of Fuze knowing for sure is that this is the first time I’ve seen Aaron Taylor-Johnson in a role where I thought, yes, I can see this fella playing 007. Now, it hasn’t been announced he is, or anything of the sort, but I’m saying what I saw…
TIFF 25: Retreat dir. Ted Evans
Ted Evans wrote and directed this engaging thriller that takes us inside the lives of Eva (Anne Zander) and Matt (James Joseph Boyle) when Eva joins Matt and a collection of deaf people living at a residence they know as Chilmark. Under the watchful eye, and guidance of Mia (Sophie Stone), the residents are establishing…
TIFF 25: Kokuho dir. Lee-Sang Il
Kokuho is an epic tale, a decades-long story that takes us inside the world of kabuki, and features some outstanding performances. Kikuo (Ryo Yoshizawa) has always had a talent as an onnagata. These are the female characters in kanubi shows, all played by men. He’s taken in by Hanjiro Hanai (Ken Watanabe!!), who will serve…
TIFF 25: Degrassi – Whatever It Takes dir. Lisa Rideout
Degrassi has been with me since 1989. I was living on my own out in Halifax, and discovered it airing on television and was hooked. I recognized myself in these characters. Over the years I’ve been fortunate enough to chat and befriend members of the original Degrassi Juniour High and Degrassi High cast. I was…
The Mind Reels 