James Gray’s films have a classicist approach that one can easily categorize them as conventional, but don’t be fooled by what you’re seeing, as it is incredibly hard to pull off what Gray did in “Lost City of Z” and, especially, “Two Lovers” (his two best movies). The near mythical themes of those films have given him an auteur-ial stamp, a distinguishable trait for a director that seems to be obsessed with old-school Hollywood storytelling and the romanticism that comes with it.
Read moreHBO Buys Critically-Acclaimed TIFF Hit ‘Bad Education'
Cory Finley’s “Bad Education” starring Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney, one of the best films I saw at TIFF this year, has been struggling to find a buyer ever since its premiere last week. Most were blaming a volatile and unpredictable movie market dominated by franchises, especially after all those Sundance Box-Office duds happened this past summer. However, Finley’s film was finally bought today by HBO for an astounding $16.5million [via Deadline]. This officially makes it ineligible for Oscar contention since it will be premiering on television. A real shame if you ask me since Jackman gives the best performance of his career.
Read more‘The Irishman' Poster Revealed
Can’t really complain about a poster that says it’s a “Martin Scorsese Picture” and features classic mob poses from Joe Pesci, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. Can’t wait to see this next Friday.
Read moreM. Night Shyamalan to Direct Two New Thrillers for Universal
I am not in the least bit surprised by today’s news that Universal has decided to contract M. Night Shyamalan for two new untitled thrillers that will be released in 2021 and 2023, respectively. There’s no word on what the plot of the films might be. However, I am hopeful that this second chance comeback from the writer-director will yield some fruitful results and return him to the glory days of his first two films … or things could get out-of-hand again and Shyamalan’s cinematic ego could result in Lady in the Water 2.0.
Read moreIndieWire Critics Poll Names ‘Parasite' Best Movie of TIFF '19
An IndieWire critics poll of close to 322 participants (including yours truly) has decided that Bong Joon-ho’s compulsive watchable “Parasite” was the best movie that screened at the Toronto International Film Festival this year.
Read more‘Hustlers' Surprises Weekend Box-Office with $33M Opening; ‘The Goldfinch' Bombs.
“It: Chapter Two” managed to keep its reign at the top spot of the box-office with a $41 million weekend intake. The Andy Muschietti-directed sequel has managed to become a blockbuster hit with close to $153 million in receipts since its opening more than 14 days ago — all this despite less-than-stellar reviews and the fact that it has a three hour runtime.
Read more‘Jojo Rabbit' Wins TIFF Audience Award
Unsurprisingly, Taika Waititi’s “Jojo Rabbit” won the coveted TIFF people’s choice audience award today. I should have predicted this on-print days earlier because I was part of the minority that believed a ‘Jojo’ win would happen. Why? Well, quite simply, much like last year’s winner “Green Book,” Waititi’s film was the most enthusiastically received by the Toronto crowd. It helped that there were ‘Jojo’ banners and posters stamped everywhere you went on King Street. By all accounts, Festival head Cameron Bailey went that extra mile to make this win happen, but the crowd ate it up. “Jojo” is an unlikely crowd pleaser, even if I, and the majority of film critics, did not think too highly of it.
Read moreSam Mendes WWI Epic ‘1917' Ready to be Seen
Sam Mendes‘ 1917 (Universal 12.25) will be test-screened next week in the east coast, a mere three months after shooting wrapped in the U.K. It’s no doubt one of the very last films left to to be screened this year before top 10 lists could be worked on by critics and end-of-year awards start being given out. An AFI bow is expected for “1917”, alongside the other 2 buzzed films left to be seen, Jay Roach’s “Bombshell,” and Greta Gerwig’s “Little Women.” Not many are ready to add Rob Marshall’s “Cats” as a potential contender, especially after the negative reaction the trailer got back in July. Ditto “Queen & Slim,” which I am told is a cinch to premiere at AFI.
‘Waves' Confirms Director Trey Edward Shults as a Major Talent [TIFF Review]
The absolutely focused and thrilling first 100 minutes of Trey Edward Shults‘ “Waves” are really something to see. Filled with an unabashed usage of the contemporary in-your-face soundtrack and swirling virtuosic camera movements, it’s a movie that takes an incalculable amount of risks - of which some pay off and others, like the sudden switch to more subtle storytelling by film’s end, just don’t.
Read moreRichard Linklater, Barry Jenkins, Mike Leigh, and Many Others Pick their Best Films of the 21st Century
A recent World of Reel poll , of over 300 critics, named George Miller’s “Mad Max: Fury Road” as the best movie of the decade, but now The Guardian has published their own best of 21st century list and have also included the picks of several marquee directors
Read moreTop 10 Best Australian Movies
The word “movie” itself screams Hollywood and makes us think about the masterpieces that have been created in the state of California, but very often we forget that almost every country has its film industry and pretty good ones at that. Australia is one of the most prominent countries in terms of film, in fact, some of the most popular Hollywood actors are Aussies themselves, so why wouldn’t they have such a developed industry?
Read more‘Marriage Story': Noah Baumbach's Most Personal and Ambitious Movie [Review]
Movies about divorce between parents have been around for ages, the same old cliches and tropes that come with the territory used over and over again. And yet, the most acclaimed movie of the festival season is just that.
Read moreMeryl Streep says Greta Gerwig’s ‘Little Women’ is a ‘Masterpiece’
After Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of “Little Women” decided to skip Telluride, Toronto, Venice and New York, one would conclude that two possible scenarios are the cause a) Gerwig just hasn’t finished editing the movie, which test-screened in August, and is taking her time to hone it down to perfect the exact vision she wants to splatter up there on the screen on December 25th or b) Well .. the movie is just a trainwreck waiting to be released.
Read more‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire' Director Céline Sciamma Defends Abdellatif Kechiche
Céline Sciamma’s award-winning Cannes film “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” has no doubt brought her to ranks of worldclass directors. And yet, Sciamma has decided to defend “Mektoub, My Love: Intermezzo,” and “Blue is the Warmest Color” director Abdellatif Kechiche.
Read more‘Doctor Sleep’ Final Trailer Takes Us to The Overlook Hotel
The final trailer for the Mike Flanagan (‘Hush’) directed “Doctor Sleep” has hit the web in the lead up to its 31st October UK release, and November 8th US bow.
Read moreWill Netflix finally win Best Picture?
Rewind your mind back to March 4th this year. Netflix, streaming giant extraordinaire and budding Movie studio, come into Oscar night with a real chance of taking home the Academy’s top prize. Alfonso Cuaron’s powerfully intimate semi-autobiographical hit ‘Roma’ had the entire weight and monetary power of the world’s biggest streaming service behind it throughout its awards run and was many people’s favourite to become the first foreign language film to snatch Best Picture.
Read more‘Knives Out' is an Expertly Crafted Whodunnit — TIFF Review
There was a time when Hollywood would churn out Agatha Christie-inspired whodunits like it was nobody else’s business. You know how it goes, a plot filled with highly suspicious characters, all connected by a mysterious murder, but who among them did the dirty deed? Eventually, this genre got tiresome and cliched, but in an era of cinema where most big-studio movies aren’t interested in doing adult-oriented dramas, director Rian Johnson has decided to bring it back.
Read more‘Bad Education’: Hugh Jackman Delivers his Best Performance in True Story of School Embezzlement Scandal — TIFF Review
Directed by Cory Finley (“Thoroughbreds”) from a screenplay written by Mike Makowsky, who was a student in the Roslyn School District when the film takes place (mid-aughts), “Bad Education” is darkly hilarious tackling of the most egregious and lucrative financial crime in the history of the US school system.
Read more‘A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood’ has Tom Hanks in the Role he was Born to Play — TIFF Review
Just a year after Morgan Neville’s indispensable documentary on Mister Rogers (“Won’t You Be My NeighboUr?”), director Marielle Heller’s “A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood” has iconic everyman Tom Hanks playing the good-hearted children’s TV host in a role that not only perfectly suits him but embodies everything we love about the legendary Oscar-winning actor.
Read more‘Just Mercy’ Cannot Overcome its Oscar-Bait Conventions — TIFF Review
The saga of Harvard grad Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan) is brought to the screen by way of Destin Daniel Cretton’s frustratingly conventional “Just Mercy.”
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We’re just 24 days away from its release, yet there doesn’t seem to be much excitement building around this film. The marketing has not worked.