I didn’t get around to writing my curtain raiser where I discuss some of my most anticipated of the festival, and I apologize about that, but as you may have noticed, I haven’t really been writing much this year. I wish I knew why I couldn’t, but it’s just my fault. I spent all summer starting a piece about why I haven’t been writing, and I always got about four sentences in before I talked myself out of it. Repeatedly. I’ve become afraid of doing so, of putting myself out there again. But fuck that, I miss writing. So here we go, time to talk about some of the films I saw at TIFF.

I started writing this about the midway point of the festival, and it’s currently a bit past over. So let’s talk about some of the films I got to see this year. In the end, I saw 23 films from the festival. average amount in my decade of attending TIFF. In the end, I saw 1 film before the festival, 21 at the festival, and then 1 afterwards. 

First, I don’t like to be negative too much, but let’s talk about the films I didn’t enjoy.

Aggro Dr1ft
Dir. Harmony Korrine

I’ll be honest, this film might have an asterisk for me to change my mind about in the future. That being said, watching Aggro Dr1ft at the TIFF Midnight Madness screening felt like I was being trolled for 80 “bliss” minutes, as Harmony described it in his introduction. Bliss was not my experience at all.

Had I seen the film at a time not at the festival, or not at midnight instead of sleeping, I might have a different reaction to this film, and I own that. I think what smarter minds are stating at how it’s a subversion on tropes in action films, I’ll nod along in agreement, but I didn’t enjoy watching the film.

When Evil Lurks
Dir. Demián Rugna

I’m not a fan of Demián’s previous film Terrified either. There were moments in that of dread that I liked, but then it always felt like it quickly goes 0-60 in too quick. The gore felt mean, and unnecessary. A lot of other responses are not what I experienced, but I felt there was no tension, so I never felt scared. Just like I was bombarded with horrific events.

Working Class Goes to Hell
Dir. Mladen Djordjevic

My press screening of this is the film that I watched, and saw the most walk-outs. I wish I had done so.

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Out of 23 films, only 3 of them were not enjoyable. I’d have to say, it wasn’t a bad year at the festival per se, but it did feel like it wasn’t a strong festival. The thing is, for a good chunk of the festival in terms of how I watched them, I watched a lot of films that didn’t excite me. They played over me, and in the end, feels somewhat forgettable in its own way.

Here are some of the films that I like, and thought could definitely play well for some folks.

Finestkind
Dir. Brian Helgeland

Genuinely curious, I think the film had in mind that it was going to be a Netflix film. The titular boat is written in the same red font. Anytime I saw it, and it was often, it made me question if it was. Paramount + picked up the film, and I think Jenna Ortega might bring in numbers, but not the numbers they might be expecting.

I enjoyed the film more than most. I think the cast are doing good work, but not giving more than the script asks for, but Ben Foster, Ortega, and Tommy Lee Jones are easily giving charming and great performances. Truthfully, it’s Toby Wallace who I really enjoyed to watch him follow in his brother’s footsteps and become a fisherman. Hearing that Toby Wallace is also in The Bikeriders is exciting news as he appears to be a great presence in that film as well.

Hell of a Summer
Dir. Finn Wolfhard & Billy Byrk

I was a big fan of Finn’s short film Night Shift which I saw at Fantasia a few years back, so I was obviously looking forward to his feature debut, Hell of a Summer, a film that is a horror-comedy camp slasher. Everything about it had my name written for it, and I was excited for the Midnight Madness premiere.

I wish it was a bit less on the comedy side. The film is very tightly edited, and you can tell the cast had a great time making the film, but some of the gore is being missed in the film. According to a second screening, that footage is on the cutting room floor as it was harder to get back into comedy after watching the violence, which feels valid but at the same time, I’d like to see that extra footage.

How to Have Sex
Dir. Molly Manning Walker

After their final exams in high school, three women go away to party, and celebrate the end of the year, before they have to face the fact that they think they might not be getting into a good college. At first, they are enjoying themselves and having the time of their lives together. The movie has a change that makes the final act of the film less of a celebration, but more of a sobering realization. The cast is giving incredibly nuanced and charming performances.

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Let’s talk about my favourite films of the festival.

The Zone of Interest
Dir. Jonathan Glazer

To put it simply, sometimes you watch something and you can appreciate it’s technical achievements but it doesn’t quite “connect”. My experience feels like this, but as I get further away from my screening, I keep getting pulled back in. Asking myself further questions and wanting to dive deeper into the horror of the film. I’d love to catch it again as I feel it needs a second viewing.

The Zone of Interest is haunting in something so tangible that it’s scary. These matter-of-fact statements that are allowing this horror they live next to not only be the norm, but something they strive and depend for. The film obviously makes me question myself “why would I want to see this? I don’t want to sympathize with these monsters.” The film thankfully never makes us sympathize with them, they do show us that they’re human, but still an evil that looms over the film. While not ignoring the atrocities of the Holocaust, we never see a frame of it. 

Perfect Days
Dir. Wim Wenders

Paris, Texas is a film I love and means to me in a way that I currently can’t explain with words, but believe me, I tried. I haven’t seen much else from Wim Wenders yet, but I couldn’t say no to seeing his latest film. I also had the opportunity to see it prior to the festival, which helped, because I may have skipped it, or slept through it due to it’s slow nature. Prior to the festival, I was way more alert, and it was easier to love the film.

It’s a brilliant film about a man who is happily living his life in Tokyo as a custodian for the city of Tokyo, but also how that kindness sometimes radiates to others in these tiny moments that you never expect. The calmness and recurring daily and weekly traditions were calming. An incredibly sweet film. I loved Perfect Days.

Kill
Dir. Nikhil Nagesh Bhat

I don’t think we need to discuss the comparisons that people will mention for the film, but Kill might be more fun than the ones they mentioned. I saw the film at one of the press screenings, but it felt like it was at the Midnight Madness screening. I was happy to find out that a lot of the crowd also love a delayed title card, except for the ones who thought the movie was ending, not realizing, we’re just getting started.

The Kill press screening felt like a shot of adrenaline as everyone began paying attention real quick to the insane (but mostly welcoming) amount of violence displayed in the film. As you’d expect, every once a while, the crowd would react to something painful, but for the most part, we were cheering. 

The Boy and the Heron 
Dir. Hayao Miyazaki

Going into most Hayao Miyazaki films, you know what you’re getting into. Something a bit mystical, a bit otherworldly, some heavier themes, breathtaking visuals and yet, a precious view of life. It’s hard to walk away from his films looking at the world a little differently. The same and more so goes for his latest, but possibly not his last.

I went into the film blind, avoiding the teaser, so I’ll plan on doing the same. I’m excited to see the film on IMAX when it’s officially released in North America.

I think of The Boy and The Heron often since the festival has ended. I think of how much it seems Miyazaki is looking at his expansive and extraordinary career in a way that only very few people can in terms of the phenomenal legacy that will be left behind. As a co-founder of Studio Ghibli, his films and his company will forever stand tall no matter which way you decide to build it. Since the premiere at TIFF, there has been talks that he’s in the office with ideas for new films, and in some way, it feels like some might say it takes away the impact of the finality of a statement the films ends up being. 

I Don’t Know Who You Are
Dir. M. H. Murray

Fucking phenomenal. 

I fell in love with the film early. I loved the vulnerability in the film by the absolutely remarkable Mark Clennon who also co-wrote the film. Benjamin (Clennon) has to come up with money in order to start HIV-preventative PEP treatment after a sexual assault. Over the course of a weekend, he has to come up with $900 as it is the most effective if you’re able to start the treatment within the first 72 hours. There’s a timer that ticks throughout the film that raises the stakes constantly. As an artist, living in an expensive city like Toronto, the task is daunting and overwhelming.

The film is electrifying. My screening was at 8:45 in the morning, and the film jolted me awake and invested in Benjamin, and his family of supportive friends. I loved how seamlessly the film was able to move from these moments of fear when Benjamin would be alone, but how his friends could help him get back up again and continue to try.

An absolutely beautiful debut of a film that acts as both a statement to the cost of living, cost of medicine, and what is and what’s not covered by OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan). An important film that I can’t wait to scream about happily when the film is released wider.

Directed by M. H. Murray & co-written by him and Clennon, I Don’t Know Who You Are is hard to watch, but beautiful, and inspiring at times. Absolutely loved this film. With a second film currently filming, I’m looking forward to seeing more of Murray’s work in the future.

Daddio
Dir. Christy Hall

When I know Dakota Johnson is in a film, I do try to run to see it. I’m also a sucker for a film about two people having conversations. The film follows Jonhson’s character (credited as Girlie) and her cab driver played by Sean Penn, driving from the airport to her home in New York City.

During the course of the drive home, they have a conversation, a few different conversations. They’re real and honest, and sometimes brutally honest. There is no sexual tension or chance of romance, but instead it’s something different. It’s almost therapeutic as these two strangers just let go of so much and are honest with someone for once.  

During the course of the drive and conversation, the power shifts, and the dynamics change as they open themselves up more and more. I absolutely adored Daddio.

Origin
Dir. Ava Duvernay

The downside of watching so many films at a film festival, is that most of my friends and family don’t want to hear about all of them, or a lot of them, but instead, they’ll always ask me “what was the best thing you saw at the festival?” I knew what I would tell them before the movie ended.

DuVernay’s film shattered me, a million times over and put me back together. The utmost care went into the film, and you could feel that warmth coming off the screen during the whole film. is an adaptation of the New York Times bestseller, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson and her life, during the process of writing that novel.

Shortly after Trayvon Martin’s death, Wilkerson was asked to write about his death, but Wilkerson was interested in a story that was bigger than his death, but rather to try and tackle where racial prejudice and injustice comes from. It’s a journey around the world, to different communities, to see how no matter where we go, there are some people who are described as “other” regardless of skin colour, and when they are, they are treated poorly to varying degrees.

Origin weaves together like a narrative, into a documentary, into a tone poem, back to a narrative. All the while watching us learn more about different forms of caste systems, and how it dictates how people treat one another. It’s healing and it’s beautiful.