TIFF 2019: Midnight Madness, Cinematheque

Slamdance favorite The Vast of Night was among the Midnight Madness program when the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) unveiled selections. The Vast of Night was hands-down my favorite film to play Slamdance this year.  The low-budget indie film, directed by Andrew Patterson, stars Jake Horowitz and Sierra McCormick.  I have yet to hear anything about distribution but I hope that a distributor is wise to pick this film up.  Some of my favorite…

"TIFF 2019: Midnight Madness, Cinematheque"

Toronto 2019: Canadian Features lineup announced

The 2019 Toronto International Film Festival announced the second wave of titles this morning, shining a light on TIFF’s Canadian features and shorts. The Canadian feature slate includes seven first features, 13 works by returning TIFF alumni, and almost 50% films directed by women. “We are deeply impressed by the high quality of the work done by Canadian directors this year — particularly from filmmakers who were making their first and second features,” said Steve…

"Toronto 2019: Canadian Features lineup announced"

Meryl Streep to receive the TIFF Tribute Actor Award

The Toronto International Film Festival will honor Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep with the Meryl Streep to receive the TIFF Tribute Actor Award. Today’s announcement was made by TIFF co-heads Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey.  The award, sponsored by RBC, will be presented to the three-time Oscar winner during this year’s new TIFF Tribute Gala awards event.  The gala will take place on Monday, September 9 at the Fairmont Royal York.  TIFF’s year-round programming will benefit…

"Meryl Streep to receive the TIFF Tribute Actor Award"

Toronto 2019: First Wave of Galas and Special Presentations

The Toronto International Film Festival announced the first wave of films playing in the Gala and Special Presentations program in September.  The announcement was made by Cameron Bailey and Joana Vicente. “Some of the year’s biggest films will land in Toronto this September,” said Bailey, Co-Head and Artistic Director of TIFF. “We’re thrilled to unveil Galas and Special Presentations that bring the brightest lights in film to our Festival audience. Our new programming team has…

"Toronto 2019: First Wave of Galas and Special Presentations"

J.T. LeRoy is Quite The Letdown

While the subject certainly makes for a compelling film, J.T. LeRoy is merely a conventional biopic at best and we’re all the worse for it. Based on Savannah Knoop’s memoir Girl Boy Girl: How I Became JT Leroy, we go behind-the-scenes of the literary hoax.  Laura Albert (Laura Dern) hires Knoop (Kristen Stewart) to serve as her public face.  I can understand Laura wanting to not have to deal with the the fame.  It’s a…

"J.T. LeRoy is Quite The Letdown"

Screwball recounts Biogenesis scandal

Screwball is an entertaining account of the Biogenesis investigation that took down then-New York Yankees infielder Alex Rodriguez. Billy Corben’s true-crime dramedy takes a unique approach in telling this story.  Corben opts for children in lieu of adults when it comes to reenactments.  It makes for an hysterical approach to one of the darkest eras of Major League Baseball. Early on, we learn that Tony Bosch set up shop in Florida because it was the…

"Screwball recounts Biogenesis scandal"

The Hummingbird Project aims high, falls short

The Hummingbird Project is a pretty ambitious film and offers fine performances but the film as a whole falls pretty far short of expectations. A pair of New York cousins, Vincent Zaleski (Jesse Eisenberg) and Anton Zaleski (Alexander Skarsgård in unrecognizable form), have big dreams.  This dream is building a straight fiber-optic cable line between Kansas and New Jersey.  Mark Vega (Michael Mando) is their pick to run things.  Despite the odds, the two aren’t going…

"The Hummingbird Project aims high, falls short"

Gloria Bell: More Roles Like This For Women

Julianne Moore brings quite the charm to Gloria Bell and this does not even take into account that the film is a remake of the award-winning original. An office worker by day, the divorced Gloria (Julianne Moore) rocks out at Los Angeles clubs during the night.  One such night, Gloria ends up meeting Arnold (John Turturro).  The two of them manage to bond over the fact that they’re both divorced.  Arnold for a year while Gloria…

"Gloria Bell: More Roles Like This For Women"

The Wedding Guest Falls Short As Thriller

Taking us overseas to Pakistan and India, The Wedding Guest has some thrilling aspects but the film falls just a bit short as a thriller. Jay (Dev Patel) is a man on the mission: kidnapping the bride-to-be, Samira (Radhika Apte).  He’s traveled all the way from Britain to Pakistan for her wedding.  The film starts out with the mystery and suspense that any thriller should.  It’s only when Jay’s plan goes to complete and utter shit…

"The Wedding Guest Falls Short As Thriller"

Greta: This Film is All Kinds of Bonkers

Greta is a bonkers thriller that will lead viewers to think twice when it comes to returning the items they find on the subway. When Frances McCullen (Chloë Grace Moretz) sees a purse sitting on a subway chair, she acts like any Good Samaritan would.  She looks up the owner and naturally, she returns the bag.  What Frances doesn’t expect is that this woman, Greta Hideg (Isabelle Huppert) would decide to stick around her like glue.  The…

"Greta: This Film is All Kinds of Bonkers"