By David Baldwin
TIFF runs for 11 days every year, starting the first Thursday after Labour Day. It is sheer madness whether you want to take in movies, sneak into parties or swiftly move around looking for celebrities – or for the real die-hards, a mix of all three. I have long given up on the party scene and am slowly starting to give up on getting pictures with celebrities (Waiting four hours for Ryan Gosling to say no kind of puts you off that kind of experience), so that leaves me with taking in as movies as I possibly can, in the shortest amount of time possible. This year, my time was confined to 9 of the 11 days of the festival. So as I bid TIFF adieu, here are some thoughts on the final two days of films I saw – plus a few bonus titles I saw at pre-screenings before the festival.
“Mudbound” is just as good as you have heard, if not better. If Netflix can revise their theatrical model in time for its November release, it has the potential to be a heavy-hitter come Oscar season. The story of a perpetual muddy farmland and the families that live on it is funny, harrowing, emotional and more – often in the same breath. It takes a bit longer than it should finding its footing in the first act, using too much time and narration to introduce the main players. But once Writer/Director Dee Rees gets into the heart of the story, you will be unable to look away. Garrett Hedlund has never been better, Carey Mulligan is less annoying than usual, “Breaking Bad”/”Better Call Saul” MVP Jonathan Banks will make your blood boil, and “Straight Outta Compton’s” Jason Mitchell gives another scene-stealing, mind-searing performance. Oh, and if you can recognize Mary J. Blige without being told who she plays, you are much more observant than I will ever be.
“Professor Marston And The Wonder Women” is an obnoxious and odd title, but is one of the more crowd-pleasing and genuinely entertaining titles I saw at TIFF. The film is set-up and told in the conventional bio-pic sense, hitting the same beats and laughs as countless others. But since the story focuses on the love triangle between the titular professor (Played by Luke Evans), his highly educated wife Elizabeth (Rebecca Hall) and their teacher’s assistant/lover Olive Byrne (Bella Heathcote), it ends up feeling unique and unconventional. The emphasis on kink and bondage also helps shift the tone drastically, as does the surprisingly vulgar language. Thankfully neither disrupt the flow or the enjoyment of the film, but it may throw off casual viewers. The film works best when it focuses on Hall and Heathcote’s characters, frequently leaving Evans looking and sounding like a supporting character instead of the lead. “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” was my most anticipated film of TIFF’17, and it delivered in spades. The story of a woman desperate for answers about her daughter’s rape and subsequent murder feels all too timely, but the film uses these elements almost as a MacGuffin. The real emphasis is on the characters, how they react to the billboards and the fallout they create. Martin McDonagh’s screenplay is darkly hysterical and startlingly emotional – I nearly cried during multiple scenes. It is also rather graphically violent, with a particular one-take scene acting as one of the best and most memorable scenes of 2017. Woody Harrelson, John Hawkes, Sam Rockwell, Lucas Hedges and more all give spectacular performances, but it is Frances McDormand who really steals the show. From the opening frame, she is a god-damn force of nature who will not take no for answer and is not afraid to ruffle a few feathers. I cannot imagine anyone else doing nearly as great a job as she does in the role. Expect to see her performance get rewarded with a multitude of nominations. As for the few randoms left…”Kings” was an interesting take on the LA Riots, but felt like a first draft to a better movie (One that excludes a random fantasy sex sequence between Halle Berry and Daniel Craig that has zero point to the story); “Marrowbone” has a great sense of atmosphere, but delivered virtually nothing new to the horror or surprise ending genre; “Manhunt” was a quirky return to form from John Woo, who packed in some great action scenes but seemed to be parodying himself; and “A Worthy Companion” wasted a terrific performance from Evan Rachel Wood on an offensive, clueless story. As for pre-TIFF screenings, “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” remains one of the wildest films I have ever seen, filled to the brim with that special brand of chaos only Yorgos Lanthimos could be capable of. It is a bit of an absurdist horror/comedy/thriller with terrific turns from Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman and “Dunkirk’s” Barry Keoghan, all diving deep into their characters and Lanthimos’ short, literal dialogue. I did not love it like I loved “The Lobster”, but I really did like it. Next was “Stronger” which should net Jake Gyllenhaal his long-awaited Best Actor Oscar nomination. He is spectacular in the film, commanding the screen at every turn with his unique take on real-life amputee Jeff Bauman. He also makes the character feel authentic, making him less of a martyr and more of a deeply flawed individual. Tatiana Maslany puts in some good work as well, but the film around them is typical Hollywood fluff that lacks the edge of the similarly themed “Patriot’s Day” from earlier this year. Finally, I took in “Suburbicon”, and it was yet another disappointing film headlined by Matt Damon. The look and feel of the movie is there but the story is not. It feels like multiple ideas smashed together, and it is plainly obvious what the Coen Brothers wrote originally versus what George Clooney and Grant Heslov added in (Mostly a subplot involving the fallout of the first black family entering into an entirely white neighborhood). It feels pretty tone-deaf writing that sentence out, but watching it played out during the film is even worse. Thankfully it gets a few laughs and has Oscar Isaac acting as a deliciously pure Coen Brothers trope, but that is about all it has going for it. And that just about wraps up TIFF 17. I hate to call it two days early, but after taking in 32 movies during the festival and 4 beforehand, I think I need to give my eyes and backside a bit of a break. Not sure if I will start eating properly again or continuing my TIFF diet of muffins and Gatorade. For those curious, here are my top 5 films of the festival (And immediate recommendations for the coming months) along with my bottom 3 films (Or larger suggestions of what to avoid like the plague): Top 5 1. The Shape of Water 2. Call Me By Your Name 3. The Disaster Artist 4. Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri 5. Mudbound Honorable Mentions: Lady Bird, The Killing Of A Sacred Deer Bottom 3 1. A Worthy Companion 2. Caniba 3. Marrowbone Dishonorable Mention: Downsizing, Mom & Dad Movies I Missed But Wanted to See: I, Tonya, Battle of the Sexes, Revenge Hope you have enjoyed my journey through TIFF 2017. Thank you! You can follow David and hear more of his thoughts on the Oscars and Film on Twitter at @davemabaldwin
Comments
|
BEST PICTURE Nomadland (39) - AFCC, AWFJ, BAFTA, BOFCA, BSFC, CCA, CFCA, CIC, DFCS, DFWFCA, GFCA, GG, GOTHAM, GWNYFCA, HFCS, IFCA, IFJA, IPA, KCFCC, LEJA, LFCC, LVFCS, MFCA, NDFS, NSFC, NTFCA, OFCS, PFCS, PGA, SEFCA, SFBAFCC, SFCS, StLFCA, TFCA, TIFF, VENICE, VFCC, WAFCA, WFCC Promising Young Woman (10) - AACTA, COFCA, HCA, KCFCC, MCFCA, NFCS, OAFFC, SCA, SDFCS, WFCC Minari (7) - AFCA, NCFCA, NYFCO, OFCC, OFTA, PCC, UFCA Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (3) - BFCC, CIC, PFCC The Trial Of The Chicago 7 (3) - DFCS, HFCS, SAG Da 5 Bloods (2) - CIC, NBR First Cow (2) - FFCC, NYFCC Judas And The Black Messiah (2) - AAFCA, BRA Another Round - EFA Bad Boys For Life - NAACP Dwelling In The Fuchun Mountains - ICS Rocks - BIFA Small Axe - LAFCA The United States vs. Billie Holiday - AARP BEST DIRECTOR Chloé Zhao (50) - AACTA, AFCC, AWFJ, BAFTA, BOFCA, BFCC, BSFC, CCA, CFCA, COFCA, DFCS, DFCS, DFWFCA, DGA, FFCC, GFCA, GG, GWNYFCA, HCA, HFCS, IFCA, IFJA, IPA, KCFCC, LAFCA, LEJA, LVFCS, MFCA, MSFCA, NCFCA, NDFS, NSFC, NTFCA, NYFCC, NYFCO, OAFFC, OFCC, OFCS, OFTA, PCC, PFCC, PFCS, SEFCA, SDFCS, SFBAFCC, SFCS, StLFCA, TFCA, VFCC, WAFCA Regina King (4) - AAFCA, BFCC, BRA, UFCA Spike Lee (3) - CIC, HFCS, NBR Lee Isaac Chung - AFCA Emerald Fennell - NFCS Darius Marder - SCA Steve McQueen - LFCC Andrew Patterson - GOTHAM Gina Prince-Bythewood - NAACP Kelly Reichardt - ICS Aaron Sorkin - AARP Thomas Vinterberg - EFA Remi Weekes - BIFA BEST ACTRESS Carey Mulligan (27) - AACTA, AFCA, AFCC, CCA, COFCA, DFCS, DFWFCA, GFCA, HCA, HFCS, KCFCC, LAFCA, LEJA, MCFCA, MFCA, NBR, NFCS, NTFCA, NYFCO, OAFFC, OFTA, PCC, PFCS, SCA, SDFCS, StLFCA, WFCC Frances McDormand (25) - AWFJ, BAFTA, BOFCA, CFCA, DFCS, FFCC, GWNYFCA, HFCS, IFCA, IFJA, IPA, LFCC, LVFCS, NCFCA, NDFS, NSFC, OFCC, OFCS, SEFCA, SFBAFCC, SFCS, TFCA, UFCA, VFCC, WAFCA Viola Davis (6) - BFCC, BRA, CIC, NAACP, PFCC, SAG Andra Day (2) - AAFCA, GG Sidney Flanigan (2) - BSFC, NYFCC Maria Bakalova - IPA Paula Beer - EFA Nicole Beharie - GOTHAM Sophia Loren - AARP Rosamund Pike - GG Wunmi Mosaku - BIFA Isabel Sandoval - ICS BEST ACTOR Chadwick Boseman (28) - AACTA, AAFCA, AWFJ, BFCC, BRA, CCA, CFCA, CIC, DFCS, DFWFCA, GG, IFCA, LAFCA, LEJA, LFCC, MFCA, MSFCA, NAACP, OFTA, PCC, PFCS, SAG, SEFCA, SFBAFCC, StLFCA, VFCC, WAFCA, WFCC Riz Ahmed (21) - AFCA, AFCC, COFCA, GFCA, GOTHAM, GWNYFCA, HFCS, IPA, KCFCC, LVFCS, NBR, NDFS, NFCS, NYFCO, OAFFC, OFCC, SCA, SDFCS, SFCS, TFCA, UFCA Delroy Lindo (11) - BOFCA, DFCS, HCA, HFCS, IFJA, MFCA, NCFCA, NSFC, NYFCC, OFCS, PFCC Anthony Hopkins (6) - AARP, BAFTA, BIFA, BSFC, FFCC, NFCS Sacha Baron Cohen (2) - GG, IPA Mads Mikkelsen - EFA Aditya Modak - ICS Steven Yeun - NTFCA BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Youn Yuh-jung (34) - AFCA, AWFJ, BAFTA, BFCC, BSFC, COFCA, DFCS, GFCA, GWNYFCA, HCA, IFCA, KCFCC, LAFCA, LEJA, MCFCA, MFCA, NBR, NCFCA, NTFCA, NYFCO, OAFFC, OFCC, OFTA, PCC, PFCS, SAG, SCA, SEFCA, SDFCS, SFBAFCC, SFCS, StLFCA, VFCC, WAFCA Maria Bakalova (16) - AFCC, BOFCA, CCA, CFCA, CIC, FFCC, HFCS, IFJA, LFCC, MCFCA, NDFS, NSFC, NYFCC, OFCS, TFCA, UFCA Amanda Seyfried (4) - DFWFCA, IPA, LVFCS, PFCC Ellen Burstyn (2) - DFCS, NYFCO Dominque Fishback (2) - AAFCA, BRA Jodie Foster (2) - AARP, GG Kosar Ali - BIFA Sônia Braga - ICS Glenn Close - NFCS Olivia Colman - AACTA Olivia Cooke - HFCS Phylicia Rashad - NAACP BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Daniel Kaluuya (20) - AAFCA, AFCA, BAFTA, BRA, CCA, DFCS, DFWFCA, GG, LEJA, LVFCS, MFCA, NFCS, OAFFC, OFTA, PCC, PFCS, SAG, SFCS, TFCA, VFCC Paul Raci (18) - AFCC, BOFCA, BSFC, CFCA, COFCA, FFCC, GFCA, GWNYFCA, HCA, HFCS, IFCA, NBR, NSFC, OFCC, SCA, SDFCS, SFBAFCC, StLFCA Leslie Odom Jr. (9) - AWFJ, BFCC, HFCS, IFJA, KCFCC, NYFCO, OFCS, UFCA, WAFCA Sacha Baron Cohen (7) - AACTA, DFCS, MCFCA, NCFCA, NDFS, NTFCA, SEFCA Chadwick Boseman (5) - CIC, IPA, NAACP, NYFCC, PFCC Francisco Barreiro - ICS Demián Bichir - AARP D’angelou Osei Kissiedu - BIFA Shaun Parkes - LFCC Glynn Turman - LAFCA BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Nomadland (20) - AFCA, AWFJ, CCA, CFCA, COFCA, DFCS, GFCA, GWNYFCA, HFCS, IFJA, KCFCC, LFCC, NCFCA, OAFFC, OFCC, OFCS, OFTA, SEFCA, USC, WAFCA The Father (6) - BAFTA, BIFA, IPA, NFCS, SCA, SDFCS One Night In Miami (6) - AAFCA, HCA, LEJA, LVFCS, PCC, PFCS I'm Thinking Of Ending Things (5) - BOFCA, BSFC, FFCC, StLFCA, UFCA First Cow (4) - DFCS, ICS, PFCC, SFBAFCC Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2) - BFCC, CIC Borat Subsequent Moviefilm - WGA News Of The World - NBR BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Promising Young Woman (25) - AFCC, AWFJ, BAFTA, CCA, CIC, COFCA, DFWFCA, GFCA, HCA, HFCS, IPA, KCFCC, LAFCA, MFCA, NDFS, NFCS, NYFCO, OAFFC, OFCC, OFCS, OFTA, SFCS, StLFCA, WAFCA, WGA Minari (11) - AFCA, BFCC, DFCS, FFCC, LEJA, NBR, NCFCA, SDFCS, SEFCA, SFBAFCC, TFCA The Trial Of The Chicago 7 (10) - AACTA, AARP, CIC, DFCS, GG, HFCS, MCFCA, PFCS, UFCA, VFCC Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always (7) - CFCA, GWNYFCA, IFJA, NSFC, NYFCC, OAFFC, WFCC The Forty-Year-Old-Version (3) - BRA, GOTHAM, NAACP Another Round - EFA Bacurau - ICS Fourteen - GOTHAM Judas And The Black Messiah - LVFCS BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Nomadland (35) - AFCA, AFCC, AWFJ, BAFTA, BOFCA, BSFC, CCA, CFCA, CIC, COFCA, DFWFCA, GFCA, GWNYFCA, HCA, HFCS, LEJA, LVFCS, MCFCA, MFCA, NBR, NCFCA, NDFS, NSFC, NYFCO, OAFFC, OFCS, OFTA, PFCC, PFCS, SDFCS, SEFCA, SFCS, StLFCA, UFCA, WAFCA Mank (4) - FFCC, IPA, OFCC, SCA Tenet (4) - BFCC, HFCS, NFCS, NTFCA Small Axe (2) - LAFCA, NYFCC Dwelling In The Fuchun Mountains - ICS First Cow - SFBAFCC Hidden Away - EFA I'm Thinking Of Ending Things - PCC Malcolm & Marie - BRA Saint Maud - BIFA The Vast Of Night - KCFCC BEST COSTUME DESIGN Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (9) - BAFTA, CCA, CDG, CIC, HFCS, LVFCS, OFTA, PFCS, SFCS Emma. (3) - CFCA, LEJA, SDFCS The Personal History Of David Copperfield (2) - HCA, IPA Hidden Away - EFA Jingle Jangle - BRA Misbehaviour - BIFA Mulan - CDG Promising Young Woman - CDG BEST FILM EDITING Nomadland (10) - AFCA, AWFJ, BOFCA, GWNYFCA, LEJA, NDFS, OFCS, SFBAFCC, SFCS, StLFCA The Trial Of The Chicago 7 (10) - ACE, CCA, CIC, COFCA, HCA, HFCS, IPA, MCFCA, PFCS, UFCA Sound Of Metal (5) - BAFTA, CCA, LVFCS, MFCA, OFTA The Father (2) - BIFA, LAFCA I'm Thinking Of Ending Things (2) - BSFC, CFCA The Invisible Man (2) - MCFCA, SDFCS Once More Unto The Breach - EFA Palm Springs - ACE Tenet - WAFCA The Wasteland - ICS BEST MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (6) - BAFTA, CCA, CIC, HCA, LEJA, MUAHS Birds Of Prey (2) - MUAHS, OFTA The Endless Trench - EFA Mank - HFCS Misbehaviour - BIFA Pinocchio - MUAHS BEST ORIGINAL SCORE Soul (33) - AFCA, AFCC, BAFTA, BOFCA, BRA, CCA, CFCA, CIC, COFCA, DFCS, FFCC, GFCA, GG, GWNYFCA, HCA, HFCS, HMMA, LAFCA, LEJA, LVFCS, MFCA, NCFCA, OFCC, OFCS, OFTA, PCC, PFCS, SCL, SFBAFCC, SFCS, StLFCA, UFCA, WAFCA Tenet (4) - HMMA, IFJA, MCFCA, SCA Mank (3) - DFWFCA, HFCS, NDFS David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet (2) - HMMA, IFMCA Minari (2) - BSFC, HMMA Berlin Alexanderplatz - EFA Blizzard Of Souls - SCL The Call Of The Wild - IFMCA Fukushima 50 - IFMCA The Invisible Man - HMMA The Midnight Sky - IPA News Of The World - HMMA Nomadland - IFCA The Personal History Of David Copperfield - IFMCA Preparations To Be Together For An Unknown Period Of Time - ICS Wolfwalkers - IFMCA Wonder Woman 1984 - IFMCA BEST ORIGINAL SONG One Night In Miami (12) - BRA, CCA, CIC, DFCS, GFCA, HFCS, HFCS, IFCA, LEJA, MCFCA, OFTA, PFCS The Life Ahead (3) - GG, HMMA, IPA Eurovision (2) - HCA, SCL Giving Voice - HMMA Judas And The Black Messiah - LVFCS The Outpost - HMMA Over The Moon - NDFS Trolls: World Tour - HMMA BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN Mank (22) - ADG, BAFTA, CCA, CFCA, CIC, FFCC, GFCA, HCA, HFCS, IPA, LAFCA, LVFCS, MCFCA, NDFS, NFCS, OFTA, PFCS, SDFCS, SDSA, SFCS, StLFCA, WAFCA Tenet (2) - ADG, SDSA Birds Of Prey - MFCA Da 5 Bloods - ADG First Cow - SFBAFCC His House - BIFA Jingle Jangle - BRA Ma Rainey's Black Bottom - LEJA The Personal History Of David Copperfield - EFA Promising Young Woman - SDSA A Portuguesa - ICS Soul - ADG BEST SOUND Sound Of Metal (9) - BAFTA, CAS, DFCS, HFCS, ICS, IPA, LEJA, MFCA, OFTA Greyhound - MPSE Little Girl - EFA The Reason I Jump - BIFA BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Tenet (13) - BAFTA, CCA, DFCS, HFCS, HFCS, IPA, MFCA, NCFCA, NFCS, PFCS, SDFCS, SFCS, StLFCA The Invisible Man (6) - CFCA, CIC, HCA, LEJA, LVFCS, OFTA Mank - VES The Midnight Sky - VES Mulan - VES The One And Only Ivan - VES The Platform - EFA Possessor - FFCC Project Power - VES Soul - VES BEST ANIMATED FEATURE Soul (38) - AAFCA, AFCC, ANNIE, AWFJ, BAFTA, BFCC, CCA, CIC, DFCS, DFCS, DFWFCA, FFCC, GFCA, GG, HFCS, IFCA, IFJA, LEJA, LVFCS, MSFCA, NAACP, NBR, NCFCA, NDFS, NFCS, NTFCA, NYFCO, OFCC, OFCS, OFTA, PCC, PFCC, PFCS, PGA, SEFCA, SFBAFCC, StLFCA, WAFCA Wolfwalkers (17) - AFCA, ANNIE, BOFCA, CFCA, COFCA, GWNYFCA, HCA, IPA, KCFCC, LAFCA, MFCA, NYFCC, OAFFC, SDFCS, SFCS, TFCA, UFCA Josep (2) - EFA, ICS The Wolf House - BSFC BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM Another Round (18) - AFCC, AWFJ, BAFTA, CFCA, EFA, GFCA, IFJA, KCFCC, LFCC, LVFCS, MCFCA, NCFCA, PFCS, SEFCA, SFBAFCC, StLFCA, UFCA, WAFCA Minari (14) - AFCA, CCA, COFCA, DFCS, DFWFCA, GG, GWNYFCA, NTFCA, NYFCO, OFCS, OFTA, PCC, SFCS, VFCC La Llorona (6) - BSFC, HCA, IPA, LEJA, NBR, WFCC Night Of The Kings (4) - AAFCA, BFCC, BRA, NAACP Bacurau (3) - BOFCA, NYFCC, TFCA Collective (2) - AARP, NSFC The Life Ahead (2) - HFCS, SDFCS And Then We Danced - NDFS A Sun - HFCS Beanpole - LAFCA His House - CIC Identifying Features - GOTHAM Jumbo - PFCC Los Fuertes - FFCC Martin Eden - OFCC BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Time (14) - AFCC, BFCC, BRA, DFWFCA, GFCA, GOTHAM, GWNYFCA, LAFCA, NBR, NYFCC, OFTA, PFCC, SDFCS, SEFCA Collective (10) - BSFC, CEHA, EFA, IPA, LFCC, OAFFC, SFBAFCC, StLFCA, TFCA, VFCC Dick Johnson Is Dead (9) - CCA, CFCA, COFCA, DFCS, IFCA, IFJA, NCFCA, OFCS, UFCA Boys State (8) - AFCA, CIC, DFCS, LVFCS, OFCC, PCC, PFCS, WAFCA All In: The Fight For Democracy (5) - AAFCA, AWFJ, HCA, NDFS, NTFCA My Octopus Teacher (3) - BAFTA, HFCS, PGA The Dissident (2) - KCFCC, NFCS The Painter And The Thief (2) - AWFJ, BOFCA Beastie Boys Story - HFCS Class Action Park - HCA Crip Camp - IDA The History of the Seattle Mariners: Supercut Edition - SFCS Mucho Amor - LEJA John Lewis: Good Trouble - NAACP The Reason I Jump - BIFA A Secret Love - AARP The Social Dilemma - MCFCA Stuntwomen: The Untold Holywood Story -WFCC A Thousand Cuts - GOTHAM The Way I See It - NYFCO The Year Of The Discovery - ICS You Don't Nomi - FFCC AuthorsNicole Ackman Archives
April 2021
Categories
All
|