Next Goal Wins to Premiere at TIFF – Toronto 2023

Oscar-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi will return to TIFF for the world premiere of Next Goal Wins at the festival’s 48th edition. Next Goal Wins is a soccer comedy directed and co-written by the New Zealand filmmaker. It is the first film announced by TIFF to be making its world premiere at the 48th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival (September 7–17).“We’re thrilled to welcome Taika back to the Festival and share his audacious take…

"Next Goal Wins to Premiere at TIFF – Toronto 2023"

Sundance 2020: Shirley

Shirley sees filmmaker Josephine Decker returning to Sundance with a period drama that features strong performances from its acting ensemble. Fred (Logan Lerman) and Rose (Odessa Young) are moving to a small college town in Vermont as Fred hopes to land a job at the local college.  Before they know it, professor Stanley Hyman (Michael Stuhlbarg) offers them free room and board.  It comes with something of a catch because it means Rose must clean…

"Sundance 2020: Shirley"

The Kitchen Isn’t The Feminist Thriller We Need

The Kitchen is about a trio of wives who take over protecting the neighborhood while their husbands are serving time in jail. Oscar-nominated screenwriter Andrea Berloff adapts Ollie Masters and Ming Doyle’s comic book series for the big screen.  I really wish that I could say that The Kitchen is a good film but it fails along the way.  The whole women-take-revenge plot was done so much better in Steve McQueen’s criminally underrated Widows.  Where…

"The Kitchen Isn’t The Feminist Thriller We Need"

TIFF 2018: Her Smell

Actress Elisabeth Moss delivers what may be among her finest performances as alcoholic musician Becky Something in Alex Ross Perry’s Her Smell. Becky Something (Elisabeth Moss) made it big out of the 90s punk rock scene.  Her band, Something She, isn’t anywhere near the glory that they used to be.  The trio, including drummer Ali van der Wolff (Gayle Rankin) and guitarist Mari (Agyness Deyn), can no longer sell out arenas so they stick with more…

"TIFF 2018: Her Smell"

Chicago Film Festival: The Square

The Square, this year’s Palme d’Or winner at the Cannes Film Festival is an amusing but over-long comedy that satirizes the art world. Written and directed by Ruben Östlund, the film stars Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, Dominic West, Terry Notary, and Christopher Laessø. How far is too far to go when it comes to getting publicity?  That’s what writer/director Östlund is trying to get out of viewers watching the film. The curator of an art…

"Chicago Film Festival: The Square"