Ryan White’s newest documentary, Good Night Oppy, follows the twin Mars rovers during what was supposed to be a 90-day mission. There’s a story that Jews love to tell each year about the miracle of Chanukah oil. There was enough to last for one night but it miraculously lasted for eight nights. Cut to many centuries later and Good Night Oppy is telling a similar story, only it’s a fight against age and nature. A…
"Good Night Oppy – Toronto 2022"
Jon Hamm takes over as I. M. Fletcher and shines in the new comedy whodunit, Confless, Fletch, taking audiences to Italy and Boston. When Fletch (Jon Hamm) is suspected of killing a woman at the townhouse that he’s renting, he decides to take matters into his own hands. It’s bad enough that he’s already helping his girlfriend, Angela De Grassi (Lorenza Izzo), with searching for a stolen art collection! To no surprise, he has his…
"Confless, Fletch: Jon Hamm Shines In Comedy Whodunit"
Jennifer Lawrence delivers a showcase performance in Causeway as a recently injured soldier transitioning back to life in New Orleans. The actress is completely silent during the film’s opening minutes. This is because Lynsey (Jennifer Lawrence) is recently back from Afghanistan because of brain injury during an IED explosion. Sharon (Jayne Houdyshell) looks after her during the transition back to life. Things take a while to get going but she slowly gets back to living…
"Causeway – Toronto 2022"
Writer-director Rian Johnson has done it again as he takes Detective Benoit Blanc on a new adventure in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. The one downside of this film being released by Netflix is that it’s theatrical release will probably be a brief one. That’s a shame. No matter how many times I’ve watched Knives Out since seeing it twice in theaters, watching at home just isn’t the same. You really need the audience…
"Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery – Toronto 2022"
An aspiring singer-songwriter falls for a local bookstore clerk while still being married to her husband in The Swearing Jar. Carey (Adelaide Clemens) isn’t just a newlywed and married to Simon (Patrick J. Adams), she also learns early on that she’s pregnant. Her mother-in-law, Bev (Kathleen Turner), is a real Debbie Downer and doesn’t take kindly to this news at first. A lot of this is because she’s afraid Simon will turn into his father…
"The Swearing Jar – Toronto 2022"
Stellar is not the typical film that one might find taking place at a bar as the world unravels right outside the windows. In many ways, Stellar is a contemplative film that leads audiences to think about what’s happening with nature. Unfortunately, this film will not be for everyone. Weirdly, all of the chaos happening outside the dive bar has no immediate impact on the building itself. I mean, the bartender (Rossif Sutherland) has a…
"Stellar – Toronto 2022"
In bringing The Fabelmans to Toronto, Oscar-winning filmmaker Steven Spielberg unveiled yet another masterpiece in cinema. Steven Spielberg has always had a way with the camera but what this film does is show audiences just how this love of filmmaking came to be. If you’ve watched Spielberg on HBO or read Joseph McBride’s book, you’re already at an advantage. It’s why none of the film came to me as a surprise because I was already…
"The Fabelmans – Toronto 2022"
Muru is a very tense thriller as a community police officer must decide between doing his job and protecting his community. This film is inspired by true events but it’s not a recreation. Per the start of the film, it’s actually a response to the raid. And honestly, looking at the conversation about policing in the past few years, it makes one rethink their feelings. I mean, honestly, is a person a terrorist when they…
"Muru – Toronto 2022"
A couple reaches a rut in their marriage in The End of Sex and experiments with their relationship while their kids attend winter camp. It’s a safe assumption that Josh (Jonas Chernick) and Emma (Emily Hampshire) are not alone with their feelings. At the same time, many couples probably wouldn’t go to the lengths that they do. I mean, people might fantasize about a threesome but would they really go through with it, right? Anyway,…
"The End of Sex – Toronto 2022"
Writer-director Luis De Filippis marks her feature directorial debut with a different kind of trans-led film, Something You Said Last Night. The film marks the on-screen debut for Carmen Madonia. She worked with an acting coach for a year and a half heading into production. Her work paid off because you could never tell that this was her first feature role. The mid-twentysomething Ren (Carmen Madonia) joins her family on vacation to a beach resort…
"Something You Said Last Night – Toronto 2022"