Another Toronto International Film Festival has come and gone, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't wish we were still in the thick of it. TIFF is my favourite time of the year, and it's always an honour to get the chance to dive into the madness of it every September. I managed to see 16 movies during the festival this year (as well as one show), and while I sadly missed out on some big ones like La Bola Negra and Club Kid, there was still a ton that I loved this year. I've put a few individual reviews out already, but much like last year I'm going to use this as a chance to shed light on everything I saw, and ranking them all because that just makes it more fun.
17. The Bovine with the Curved Horns
We're kicking things off here with a film I'm sure almost no one has even heard of, but one that was still the biggest disappointment of the festival for me. This was part of the festival's centrepiece program, one that brings a lot of interesting films that often fall under the radar. Unless I'm forgetting something this is the first Colombian film I've seen, and the premise based in Caribbean fantasy and magical realism is something that had me very excited. Even just walking into the theatre where a giant cardboard cutout with glowing red eyes was placed made this seem like it was going to win me over easily. Sadly, I found myself largely uninterested in this one. There are moments of truly stunning cinematography, but the film never dives deep enough into the fantastical elements that give it its draw, and when they do they falter visually. This is a film brimming with potential, but one I just don't think quite hit the mark.
16. Glaxo
Glaxo was actually one of the first films announced for TIFF this year, and while it wasn't my first choice for night 2 of the festival, it was the only one I was really interested in that had tickets available. This is a film split between two plot lines, one following a man recently released from prison, and the other following his friends and how their bond changed with the arrival of a former police commissioner and his flirtatious wife. There are some great performances and the 50s aesthetic that takes up most of the film is truly infectious. Sadly I found that the film's narrative was too tied to a character we barely get to know. Rather than follow the younger version of the man we're introduced to, we largely follow his friend and said friend's relationship with the comissioner's wife, with the man expected to be the lead barely having any time to shine. This is based on a novel so maybe that's where this strange narrative choice comes from, but ultimately it's something that pulled me out of the film a bit. Still good, but could have been great.
15. Bucking Fastard
This is maybe the film I saw that'll be the most divisive, but despite it being low on the list I did have a great time with it. This was automatically made more fun by the fact that Willem Dafoe randomly showed up to my showing, and that was the strange beginning to what wound up being maybe the most bizarre time I've ever had at a TIFF movie. Directed by the legendary Werner Herzog, Bucking Fastard follows two sisters whose codependency goes as far as them speaking in unison and loving the same man. Initially it seems like a court case against said man is going to be the main story for the film, but it just goes off the rails in bafflingly meandering ways that leave you questioning the point by the end. Despite that, the pair of lead performances from Rooney and Kate Mara alongside Herzog's strange tone make this one I couldn't help but have a weirdly fun experience watching it. I don't know if I could recommend this one much, but I didn't hate it by any means.
14. Run Terry Run
This was a tough one for me to place. On one hand, it's easy to be swept up in the emotions of following what I and many consider the most inspirational Canadian story out there. On the other hand, the film itself doesn't do anything special. It's a documentary telling a deeply important story but it doesn't offer anything new. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed watching this, but it all felt a bit too familiar to stand out against the other films I saw. This is absolutely still worth a watch though, especially if you don't know Terry Fox's story well enough.
13. Coward
Here we have another one that I enjoyed but didn't quite live up to my expectations. Lukas Dhont's last film Close is a near masterpiece, and while this is still very good, it doesn't quite live up to those heights. Coward is set during the first World War and follows a young soldier who meets another young man working to boost morale amongst the troops. They begin falling for one another amidst the chaos of war, with Dhont portraying their yearing in a pretty beautiful way. I found this to be one that never fully committed, leaving me unable to connect to our central characters quite as much as I wanted to.
12. River
River was the opening night film for Midnight Madness, and is actually one of three MM films on this list. Now don't be misled, I watched this at 6:10 PM due to having to work early mornings, but even earlier in the evening this is a fun time. It's a good deal bleaker than I expect from a Midnight Madness movie, following a trio of siblings stuck on a boat while masked killers try to take them out, but there's enough of a fun twist to it to have some twisted enjoyment with it despite some somewhat heavy moments. Jane Levy and Jessica Rothe are two of the best horror actresses working today, and the way they play off of one another really carries this. As, of course, does the incredible gore and practical effects throughout.
11. A Long Winter
Whether it be All of Us Strangers, 45 Years, or Weekend, director Andrew Haigh consistently delivers emotionally crushing portaits of humanity that wind up striking a chord with me. A Long Winter doesn't quite live up to his previous work, but still offers a ton to love. My biggest problem with the film is Haigh's seeming unwillingness to commit to certain elements. Like in his other work there is a queer angle to the story, but it isn't explored deeply enough, nor is the main character played by Fred Hechinger. Haigh's tenderness as a filmmaker is on full display still, and from a visual standpoint it's hard not to love the way he captures the cold woods the film is set in. Overall a film that I appreciated, just not quite as much as Haigh's other work.
10. Elsinore
I wrote a full review for this so I won't go too in depth here, but this is a film anchored largely by its lead performance. The filmmaking is nothing special and at times actually works against a great story, but Andrew Scott in the leading role is truly special. Ian Charleson's story is deeply moving and Scott brings a ton of heart and passion to his performance. Highly likely we see Scott gain some serious recognition this awards season, I'm not sure how far the rest of the film will go.
9. Josephine
Josephine was one of the big films from Sundance this year, and one I didn't expect to see during TIFF. I'm glad I did though, as this is among the most emotionally powerful films of the year. Following a young girl who witnesses a terrible crime and the aftermath that follows, the film features one of the most incredible child performances I've ever seen from Mason Reeves. She is complimented by some of the best work I've seen from Channing Tatum and Gemma Chan, but it's Reeves that shines above all. This is a heavy watch, and one that really gets under your skin at points, but it does so by tackling a deeply important subject matter.
8. Look Back
Hirokazu Kore-eda is my favourite Japanese filmmaker, so no matter what he makes I'm going to be excited. A filmmaker with the tender sensibilities he has adapting one of the best animated films of the past few years felt like a match made in heaven, even if the idea of live action adaptations isn't your forte. Admittedly this does suffer a bit from the familiarity, as well as one narrative point that I'm not sure how I feel about, but it still showcases Kore-eda's clear talents as a filmmaker. Alongside a pair of great performances from child actors, there's an animated sequence that really blew me away. Not Kore-eda's best, but still a great movie.
7. The Face of Horror
Initially I had this up one spot, but The Face of Horror sadly falls victim to the growing appreciation I have for my #6 pick. Don't get me wrong though, this movie is fantastic. Fans of Anna Biller's The Love Witch are set to be treated with another throwback technicolor horror/fantasy with a sharp feminist lens. I do think this suffers from the same issue I have with The Love Witch, that being the length and some pacing struggles that come with it, but this is just an absolute blast. The film's medieval setting is brought to life with stunning production and costume design, all captured in that gorgeous technicolour aesthetic that harkens back to films from another time. The horror side of things offers some awesome practical effects, and the performanes are all around campy perfection. Can't wait until more people get to see this.
6. Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney
This is the film that ended up winning the Midnight Madness People's Choice award, a documentary about a former Canadian prime minister. It sounds absurd, but when you see the movie you'll realize absurd is just the name of the game with Matthew Rankin's latest. There's simply nothing like this, a film that tells the story of one of Canada's most interesting politicians told through a wild ride of flashing lights and insane editing. It takes something that should be deathly boring and instead makes it feel like a rave, leaving you laughing while weirdly invested in the story of Brian Mulroney. I went into this appreciating Rankin's previous work but not knowing what exactly to expect, what I got was something truly one of a kind, and one I could easily see moving up on the list over time.
5. Everest: The Other Side
Edging out Canada's former prime minister in my ranking of TIFF documentaries is the latest from Free Solo filmmakers Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin. Their newest directorial effort is a made for Imax tale of Jim Morrison's quest to be the first to climb the north face of Everest and then ski down it. On top of the edge of your seat tension you get watching these maniacs defy death as they push their limits, you get some stunning visuals of Everest itself. I didn't know anything about Morrison going into the film, and his story is equally as heartbreaking as it is fascinating, leaving a finished product that leaves you feeling a wild range of emotions. Coming out I was blown away not just by the feats achieved, but the filmmaking showcasing them.
4. Carrie
This was the toughest one to rank for me, as Mike Flanagan's latest is a series which only showed two episodes at TIFF. What we got in those two episodes though was enough for this to rank well near the top. Adapting Stephen King's iconic debut novel, this recontextualizes the classic story into the modern age. From the first two episodes I really dug the way Flanagan balanced new ideas with the bones that make the original story so iconic, and Summer H Howell is phenomenal in the titular role. On top of my personal enjoyment, this actually got the loudest applause of anything I saw during the festival, so it seems Flanagan has another massive success on his hands. As a massive Stephen King fan and an avid lover of Mike Flanagan's work, this was everything I wanted and I can't wait to watch the full show.
3. Wild Horse Nine
Martin McDonagh is one of my favourite filmmakers working today, whether it be his more comedic early work in In Bruges and Seven Psycopaths or his more recent efforts Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri and The Banshees of Inisherin. Wild Horse Nine occupies an interesting in between, giving us some zany fun with our two 70s CIA agents, but also offering a surprisingly emotional watch. A large reason this works so well is a possibly career best performance from John Malkovich. Sam Rockwell is great alongside him, as is the ensemble of Steve Buscemi, Parker Posey, and the film's breakout performer Mariana di Girolamo. Add in some gorgeous scenery, and this is just a pure delight.
2. Fjord
Here's another of my most anticipated of the fall season, but one a lot less pleasant than Wild Horse Nine. Starring Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve and directed by Romanian filmmaker Cristian Mungiu, this was the surprise Palme d'Or winner at Cannes this year. It offers a heavy story of an immigrant family put under the miscroscope for possible child abuse, bringing tensions made stronger by their conservative beliefs. It's a fascinating watch as you're forced to question the ethics and morals of all involved and asked to empathize with people whose values you may not agree with. Stan and Reinsve are both truly incredible, and the film's cold Norweigian setting only heightens a cold and chilling watch that had me hooked from start to finish.
1. The Debut
Last but not least, the film that blew me away the most this TIFF, Jesse Eisenberg's latest film The Debut. In case you haven't heard of the film that will almost certainly deliver Julianne Moore her second Oscar, this follows a woman who is cast in a community theatre musical only to butt heads with the show's domineering director as she dives deeper and deeper into the role. As a former theatre kid it was hard for me to contain my glee watching this, it's a film that manages to be both gut bustingly funny and emotionally resonant as you watch a woman chasing a dream. I'm not the biggest Julianne Moore fan in the world, but her performance here is genuinely unbelievable. The way she plays off of the director, played brilliantly by Paul Giammatti, is truly remarkable, offering more iconic acting moments than maybe any film I've seen recently. This is a film filled with love and you can feel it while you watch, my only complaint was that it was hard to hear some funny moments because of how loud everyone was laughing around me. I absolutely adored this one and it comes in as my #1 for TIFF 2026.
Comments
Post a Comment