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Toronto International Film Festival Review – Germany’s ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ is a Harrowing Portrait of War

It’s staggering to think how futile war can be, with soldiers dying regularly in the pursuit of a conflict that will almost surely end in defeat for one side, meaning that all they have gained and accomplished in the process of their fighting may be undone. This isn’t specific to any one war, but in…

Toronto International Film Festival Review – ‘The Whale’ is an Excellent Character Study with Exceptional Performances

Society doesn’t tend to look kindly on those who are overweight, firstly by setting unrealistic standards for what being fit and attractive mean. People can be cruel and careless in how they treat others who, for whatever reason, are heavy, making comments under their breath or physically reacting to the sight or smell of somewhere…

Toronto International Film Festival Review – ‘The Son’ is a Flawed Portrait of the Challenges of Parenting

It’s not easy to be a parent, and one of the most challenging parts of the job is not knowing what a child will be like ahead of time. Kids are to a degree shaped by how their parents raise them, but they are also influenced by other factors and develop personality traits of their…

Toronto International Film Festival Review – ‘Empire of Light’ is a Nostalgic Look Back at the Incomparable Feel of Being at the Cinema

Going to the movies has become a very normal activity for many people, and for those who have yet to venture back to theaters given the current unstable state of the world, there is more than enough content to be accessed instantly at home. But it didn’t used to be that way, back when seeing…

Toronto International Film Festival Review – ‘My Policeman’ Weaves Together Overlapping Love Stories

Not every love story gets a happy ending. The more passionate the romance, the more tragic its evolution and eventual dissolution may be. There are also people who get together and stay together yet never feel the passion they read about in books or see in movies but accept that not every marriage or partnership…

Toronto International Film Festival Review – ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’ is the Best Kind of Sequel

Making a good sequel is not easy. That’s especially true when the original is a big hit, and if a good chunk of the supporting cast isn’t returning for the new film. Part two needs to deliver something that resembles what was popular the first time, and, ideally speaking, could also be accessible to a…

Toronto International Film Festival Review – ‘Triangle of Sadness’ is Ruben Östlund’s Latest Biting Social Critique

Filmmaker Ruben Östlund has no problem making audiences uncomfortable. His film Force Majeure looks at the aftermath of an apparent avalanche when one husband and father’s gut reaction is to grab his phone and keys and run rather than protect his family. The Square, in addition to tackling the often pretentious nature of art, examines…

Toronto International Film Festival : We Are Still Here / Exclusive Interview with Directors

Synopsis : Australian-New Zealand Anthology Film released in 2022. Created as a response to the 250th anniversary of the second voyage of James Cook to Australia in 1772, the project consists of ten linked short films by each of ten Indigenous Australian and Māori filmmakers about the impact of settler colonialism on the region’s indigenous cultures….

Toronto International Film Festival Review – ‘The Fabelmans’ is a Winning Personal Film from Steven Spielberg

It should be assumed that those who make films have a strong passion for the medium. Yet there are many different ways that filmmakers can come to that love, and in some cases, it can happen later in life and after time spent later in a career. But for many, and likely most, that key…

Toronto International Film Festival Review – ‘Decision to Leave’ is an Engrossing Romantic Mystery

The detective mystery is a particular genre that has evolved over time, adding new dimensions and scaling back certain elements as society changes and the nature of how crimes are committed looks very different from the way it used to years ago. But any good investigative drama should feel timeless to a degree, focused on…

Toronto International Film Festival Review – Class, Excess, and Revenge Are on Searchlight’s ‘The Menu’

Revenge is a dish best served cold is an expression that’s not often meant literally. But the idea of servers and cooks spitting in the food of customers who complain or are ungrateful is one that exists, even if diners would like to hope that it doesn’t actually happen all that often. Fine dining can…