The fiftieth edition of the Toronto International Film Festival has come and gone, leaving us with a slew of fantastic movies. This was my third time working at the festival but I also managed to see the most films of any TIFF I've attended, leaving me with a lot of reviews to write and nowhere near enough sleep. With all said and done I wound up seeing 23 films at the festival, and while I missed a handful of big ones like Roofman, Train Dreams, The Smashing Machine, and Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, I was able to see a lot of the heavy hitters. I've written reviews for a lot of the big ones, but I thought it would be easier now to just rank everything I saw so that's what I'll do here. For any films I wrote full reviews for I'll have those linked here as well. Without further adieu, here's the ranking of every movie I saw at TIFF 2025!
#23 - Fuck my Son!
We're starting things off with the only truly awful movie I saw at TIFF. I know what you're thinking, I should have seen it coming based on the title, but I went into it hoping for the kind of dumb schlocky movie I tend to have some fun with. While this does have a handful of funny moments, it ultimately winds up being something trying far too hard to be edgy and in turn just coming across as cringe inducing. Nothing feels genuine and there's a frankly obnoxious use of generative AI that turned me off even more than I was while also looking pretty terrible. The premise lent itself to something that could have been a hilarious B-movie, but in trying so hard to be that I just found myself extremely bored by this one.
#22 - Ballad of a Small Player
Now this is one I actually expected a lot from. I enjoyed Edward Berger's All Quiet on the Western Front and was wildly surprised by how much I liked Conclave, so I went into this giving Berger all my confidence. There's a lot of good, the film looks amazing, and features a terrific score from Volker Bertlmann. Colin Farrell is also acting his ass off, the only issue is the character he's portraying is practically nonexistent. There's interesting ideas about addiction here but ultimately everything is underwritten so Farrell's morally grey gambler comes across as wildly uninteresting. The pieces are all there for this, it's just sadly under baked in the screenplay department leaving me with one of my biggest disappointments of the year thus far.
#21 - Whitetail
Whitetail isn't one I overly had on my radar but after missing out on what I wanted to see on the Sunday night it intrigued me the most of what was available. Sadly this suffers a similar fate to Ballad of a Small Player, being technically strong but lacking from a thematic/narrative standpoint. The film follows a woman who suffered a tragedy at a young age, whose life becomes upended when the boy she was with at the time of said tragedy pops back into her life. The premise is interesting but the film doesn't really do anything with it. Points are gained though thanks to some beautiful cinematography capturing the Irish wilderness, and a really strong performance from Natasha O'Keeffe.
#20 - The Tale of Silyan
Now we get to the films I gave positive ratings to. The Tale of Silyan is the latest from Tamara Kotevska, whose previous film Honeyland was nominated for not just the best documentary Oscar but also best international feature. I was hyped for that one due to my Macedonian heritage, but I wound up feeling next to nothing when I watched it. Her latest doc takes a story of Macedonian farmers but infuses it with some folk tale, a choice that I thought gave it a bit more depth. It's a gorgeously shot documentary, it ultimately falls this low on the list just because it isn't the type of doc that I connect with much. Still good though.
#19 - Rose of Nevada
This just goes to show how good of a year we had with TIFF this time around, as I really enjoyed Rose of Nevada. Director Mark Jenkin's previous film Enys Men was one that fascinated me stylistically, so seeing him team up with two established actors in George McKay and Callum Turner fully grabbed my attention. I did find that Jenkin's style didn't feel as exciting this time around due to how similar it is to Enys Men, and I don't think the atmosphere quite hits the heights of his previous work, but this plays with time in a really fascinating way that made up for those limitations. I do wish Turner was used a bit more, McKay is really stealing the show, but it was a very cool experience seeing something this experimental with two well known actors in the leading roles.
#18 - Eleanor the Great
This is one of the films I wanted to see most at TIFF this year, so while it's low placement might feel a bit disappointing I still enjoyed it a lot. This is Scarlet Johansson's directorial debut and follows the magnificent June Squibb as an elderly woman who accidentally finds herself pretending to be a holocaust survivor. As a film it really isn't anything special, but Squibb's charm and the chemistry she has with costar Erin Kellyman is well worth the price of admission. I was hoping for a bit more from it, but I had a lovely time watching this one.
#17 - Christy
Christy is directed by David Michod and stars Sydney Sweeney as real life female boxer Christy Martin. I was expecting a pretty generic sports biopic but this focuses less on the boxing and more on the tumultuous relationship between her and her husband/trainer Jim. In case you aren't familiar with the story I won't say too much, but this is a much more crushing watch than I expected. Sweeney is at her absolute best, and Ben Foster as Jim is both unrecognizable and absolutely terrifying at times. It does run overlong but the performances and important story make it a well worthwhile watch. I'm also always a sucker for a boxing movie so it gets bonus points there.
#16 - Poetic License
Maude Apatow's directorial debut was one of the biggest delights of the festival. The film stars her mom Leslie Mann as a former therapist sitting in as an auditor for a poetry class at the college her husband recently got a job at. Whilst there she strikes up an unlikely friendship with two students played hilariously by Cooper Hoffman and Andrew Barth Feldman, both of whom slowly fall in love with her. There are plotlines that feel underdeveloped, and there are points where the film drags a bit, but Apatow's direction is confident as hell and the movie as a whole is really hilarious. Hoffman in particular is an absolute scene stealer, proving himself as one of the brightest young faces in the industry right now.
#15 - Hedda
Hedda was one of the first films announced as part of the TIFF lineup this year and immediately became one I needed to see. Director Nia DaCosta's career hasn't taken off how I had hoped it would, but she has shown tons of promise with Little Woods and 2021's Candyman, and this continues to show off her potential as a filmmaker. Hedda loses some steam towards the end, but offers a glitzy and sharp chamber piece. It puts a queer twist on what I've heard is already interesting source material, and I just found myself hooked by the tense games of cat and mouse on display here. The film is anchored by a great performance from Tessa Thompson, but also features some gorgeous cinematography and costume design.
#14 - Bad Apples
Bad Apples was honestly a lot better than I expected. I had some faith based solely on Saoirse Ronan in the leading role, but I heard next to nothing about the film and expected it could be a rare miss for her. This wound up being right up my alley though, the exact kind of dark comedy that fits a very specific nice in my tastes like Election and Heathers. This follows Ronan as a schoolteacher struggling to deal with one troublesome student, ultimately leading to a whirlwind of bad decisions that throw her life and career into jeopardy. I do think the ending lost a bit of steam, but I had tons of fun with the awkward tension and off-kilter comedy here. It won't be for everyone, but it was definitely for me.
#13 - Blue Heron
This was one of the biggest surprises of the festival for me. It was nowhere near my radar until I was working at a press screening of it and heard people raving about it as they left the theatre. Timing worked out for me to see it and I was incredibly impressed. The film is set largely in 1990s Vancouver and follows a family struggling to figure out what to do with their troubled son Jeremy. It shifts between the 90s and present day where it takes an almost documentary approach as Jeremy's sister Sasha tries to grapple with her memory of her brother, searching for the good mixed in with the bad. I've seen some comparing the film to Aftersun (one of my all time favs) and I can see the connection in how it handles its themes of memory. This is one I'm actually pretty eager to see again so I can dissect things a bit more, it's definitely one to put on your radar.
#12 - If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
If I Had Legs I'd Kick You was probably the biggest movie from Sundance I had yet to see. Starring Rose Byrne as a mother trying her best to keep things together, the film has garnered comparisons to the great Uncut Gems in reference to its anxiety inducing nature, and the comparisons aren't far off. This truly is one of the most stressful movies you'll watch, but it achieves that with a sense of humour that'll make you cry of laughter despite how desperate things feel on screen. Byrne is garnering justified awards consideration, but the film also touts surprisingly great performances from Conan O'Brien and A$AP Rocky. Definitely put this one on your watchlist.
#11 - Wasteman
Wasteman is a film that was somewhat on my radar once it was announced as part of TIFF's lineup thanks to the two leads, but I had no idea I'd end up loving it this much. This stars the magnificent David Jonsson and the first non Hunger Games role I've seen Tom Blyth in, and I just thought they both knocked it out of the park. Jonsson's character is knocking on the door of release from the prison he's been stuck in, but that is thrown up in the air with the arrival of Blyth as his charismatic but also incredibly unhinged new cellmate. Jonsson's performance is one full of empathy, whereas Blyth is straight up terrifying at times, both elevating the other's performance throughout. It's a grippingly tense watch that I wound up being a huge fan of.
#10 - John Candy: I Like Me
This was the opening night Gala film for this year's festival, and while having a documentary kick off the fest was an interesting choice I do think it was a perfect opener for the 50th rendition of the festival. This is an incredibly touching look at the life and career of Toronto's own John Candy, delivering just under two hours of constant laughs and tears. I've obviously grown up aware of John Candy, but I don't think I realized how wide a net he cast over the comedy scene, especially in the 80s and early 90s. He's a prime case of a star leaving us too soon, and the way director Colin Hanks touches on the self doubt Candy often felt left me crushed. But just as the film will make you cry, it'll make you laugh a whole lot. There's so much footage in here that I had never seen that had me fully laughing out loud, so while it does ultimately wind up being a pretty basic biographical documentary, it's filled with so much fun and love that I'd consider it a must watch when it drops later this fall.
#9 - It Was Just an Accident
It Was Just an Accident probably wouldn't have been on my radar if it weren't for its surprise Palme d'Or win at the Cannes film festival. That accolade was enough to make it a priority for me at TIFF and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Despite tackling pretty tough subject matter, Jafar Panahi brings a sense of levity to this. It has a lot to say politically but it hooks you in with a darkly comedic tone before fully hitting you with the social commentary. I was in no way prepared for how much I would laugh during this, and that lighter tone really pulled me in and allowed for the ending to hit extremely hard.
#8 - Nouvelle Vague
This was one of two Richard Linklater films at the festival, and the one I was personally a bit more excited for. I love basically anything Linklater does, but here he's tackling the making of Breathless, one of the biggest films of the French New Wave. I'm always a sucker for movies about filmmaking, but this got some bonus hype from me as it's Linklater making a film largely in French. I think he nailed it, this is a ton of fun with a constantly entertaining script and some gorgeous black and white cinematography. Zoey Deutch is great as Jean Seberg, and Guillaume Marbeck is a revelation as Godard. I'm eager to see Linklater's Blue Moon, but this very much satisfied my craving for more of his work.
#7 - Carolina Caroline
Like Wasteman, this was a film I was excited for solely because of the two leads. This however, has Adam Rehmeier behind the camera, the man who brought us last year's Snack Shack and the modern cult classic Dinner in America. Carolina Caroline sees him teaming up with Kyle Gallner once again, but also adds Samara Weaving to the fold in what operates essentially as a turn of the century Bonne & Clyde story with a tinge of 70s style. Rehmeier's vibe is a ton of fun, but the chemistry between Weaving and Gallner is what's really worth the price of admission. I was at the premiere and got to see the two speak about working together, and they clearly operate with a strong bond which really shows on screen. Rehmeier also does something I love narratively, opening up with a fun tone before pulling the rug out from under you to deliver some gripping tension.
#6 - Frankenstein
The master of gothic imagery and big screen monsters meets one of the most influential horror novels of all time? Yeah that sounds like a match made in heaven to me. Guillermo del Toro has wowed us with his whimsy and love for fictional creatures, all while hitting the gruesome reality of traditional fairytales. There isn't a better filmmaker to adapt Mary Shelley's tale of a mad scientist creating life and not being ready for the consequences, and while I did wish parts were fleshed out a bit more I loved it. del Toro's gothic imagery is masterful here, with some of the best production design you'll see. I was a bit disappointed by Mia Goth, but Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi are both magnificent. The film is nearly two and a half hours long, but with the rich atmosphere and style I could have easily sat for more of it.
#5 - Eternity
Never would have expected this to land so high but here we are. Eternity was a breath of fresh air when I saw it, standing out as a fun romantic comedy in a sea of dramas and think pieces. Not to say the festival didn't have other fun movies, I've highlighted some of them here, but Eternity is the kind of movie that feels like a warm hug. The film is an afterlife love triangle between Elizabeth Olsen as Joan, her husband Larry played by Miles Teller, and Luke, her previous husband who died in war played by Callum Turner. Those three are all great but the star of the show is Da'Vine Joy Randolph in a hilarious supporting turn, stealing basically every scene she appears in. I was also simply obsessed with the worldbuilding here, it's full of fun and creativity and offers a perfect playground for the film to tug at your heartstrings.
#4 - Wake Up Dead Man
If you've seen my profile picture on Letterboxd you probably know how I feel about the first Knives Out. I absolutely adore the 2019 film and I really enjoyed it's follow up Glass Onion. The latest in Rian Johnson's mystery franchise doesn't quite hit the highs of the first film, but I think it's a solid step up from Benoit Blanc's second outing. The ensemble is probably the weakest we've seen, but Daniel Craig is accompanied by the best supporting performance in the series so far thanks to Josh O'Connor. We also get a great performance from Glenn Close, and an absolute feast of gothic visuals to accompany an incredibly fun murder mystery. This is also the spookiest any of the films have gone, with hints towards the supernatural that only make an already exciting mystery more complex. I had an absolute blast with this one, go see it in theatres don't wait for it to go to Netflix.
#3 - No Other Choice
Park Chan-wook is possibly the greatest South Korean filmmaker out there. Bong Joon-ho certainly has a stake in the game, but it's hard to argue against the fascinating body of work Chan-wook has crafted. His latest film No Other Choice is a new reminder of how singular a filmmaker he is. The story is a lengthy but constantly exciting dark comedy following a man trying to eliminate the competition as he looks to find a new job after being laid off. It has a ton to say about the state of employment in South Korea and the ways in which advancements in artificial intelligence are detrimental to everyday workers. On top of it all though, it's a sharp and exciting script brought to life with a frenetic energy and some wild camerawork. Absolutely adored this one.
#2 - Hamnet
Hamnet is a film I was anticipating well before its rave reviews came out of the Telluride Film Festival, and my excitement was rewarded with not just a great film but the eventual winner of this year's TIFF People's Choice Award. Based on Maggie O'Farrell's historical fiction novel of the same name, this absolutely floored audiences at the festival, leaving pretty much everyone either in tears or blown away by the craft on display. I do wish some elements were fleshed out more, but that's a small nitpick just because I love the book so much, and everything we do get is near perfect. The duo of Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal is absolute perfection, and Jacobi Jupe as the titular Hamnet delivers one of the best child performances you'll ever see. On top of it all, this is a stunning film to look at and features an incredible score from Max Richter. In pretty much any other year, this would be my top of the festival.
#1 - Sentimental Value
There was one film I was more excited for than all else at TIFF this year, and that was Sentimental Value. Joachim Trier and Renate Reinsve's previous collaboration The Worst Person in the World wasn't just my favourite of 2021, it's one of my favourite films period. No matter what they would do next I'd be hyped for it, and lucky for me Sentimental Value is one of the year's very best. The film follows a pair of sisters (Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas), one of whom is an actor. When their father (Stellan Skarsgard) writes a role in his latest film for her, familiar tensions rise, leading him to casting American star Rachel Kemp (Elle Fanning) instead. The film is just a stunning portrait of the complexities of family, the strength of sisterhood, and the desire to make meaningful art out of our histories. The performances are spectacular all around, as is the score, the cinematography, and surprisingly the production design which I found to be crucial to the film's ideas. I was blown away by this and as it stands it's my #1 of the year. All in all this was a fantastic TIFF, and I can't wait until next year to do it all again!
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