TORONTO – The Toronto International Film Festival ended on the weekend after unspooling 289 feature films over 11 days of movie madness. The Canadian Press writers who covered the fest pick their favourite titles. Here they are (in alphabetical order):
“Argo” – Textbook popcorn thriller, but it works. This crackerjack political drama definitively establishes Ben Affleck as one of Hollywood’s top directors, while shedding light on a previously secret CIA mission to extract six U.S. citizens from Iran during the 1979 hostage crisis. It sets a relentless pace from the get-go, albeit with the help of some convenient dramatizations that ramp up suspense and CIA heroics while downplaying Canada’s key involvement. (Opens Oct. 12)
“Bad 25” – At first blush, movie-goers might first be puzzled as to why Spike Lee chose to focus his new documentary on Michael Jackson’s erratic “Thriller” followup. But that’s just the point. Lee’s riveting film is jam-packed with mesmerizing archival material and insightful interviews explaining what drove the King of Pop as he tried to outdo his own history-making album. Prepare to be humming “Smooth Criminal” for days after viewing. (Airs on ABC on Nov. 22).
“A Late Quartet” – Critical darlings Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener and Christopher Walken star in this exquisite tale of a New York City string quartet thrown into disarray after their leader becomes ill. The discipline of a classical music career is rendered in fascinating detail and Walken’s restrained portrayal of a kindly cellist struggling with his mortality is already earning Oscar whispers. (Opens Nov. 23)
“Looper” – Selecting the festival’s opening film can’t be easy and the final decision is usually a subject of much debate. But there’s no question TIFF organizers nailed it this year. Industry insiders had good reason to show up for Day 1 of the festival, to catch the world premiere of this smart, sci-fi film starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt. It’s got A-list star power, enough action to satisfy thrill seekers, and a compelling, twisty story that lends it the potential to become that all-too-rare commodity at the box office: a blockbuster with brains. (Opens Sept. 28)
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“Love is All You Need” – In different hands, this could have been a typically trite feel-good rom-com – a Danish “Mamma Mia!” without the musical outbursts. But Oscar-winning director Susanne Bier balances fizz with feeling in a film that remains breezy while acknowledging some harsh truths. Pierce Brosnan and Trine Dyrholm have crackling chemistry as single strangers brought together by their kids’ wedding on a beautiful chunk of the Italian coast, and that combined with Bier’s subtle style gives us something rare – a romantic comedy imbued with actual romance. (Opens in 2013)
“Quartet” – Two-time Oscar-winning actor Dustin Hoffman deserves a big “Bravo” for directing this sharp and charming comedy, about a retirement home occupied by former opera artists. Scottish wag Billy Connolly offers a master class in comedic timing as the home’s cheeky ladies’ man while Maggie Smith is pitch-perfect as the icy diva who’s averse to singing in the facility’s annual gala. Tom Courtenay adds a sensitive touch as her jilted ex, Pauline Collins warms the heart as her best friend, and Michael Gambon steals the show as the gala’s director.
“Rust & Bone” – A makeup-less Marion Cotillard delivers a haunting portrait of a depressed and hopeless orca trainer who loses her legs in an accident at work. Brawny and gritty co-star Matthias Schoenaerts is equally raw as a struggling single father who bonds with Cotillard’s character as he turns to underground fighting to make a fast buck. Director and co-writer Jacques Audiard keeps the drama grounded in this adaptation of Canadian Craig Davidson’s short story collection, never shying away from the painful, awkward or arousing elements of the characters’ unlikely union. (Opens Dec. 21)
“Silver Linings Playbook” – The seriously messed-up romantic leads of this huge-hearted comedy, played by Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, are brought together by their shared urge for honesty, even if it’s the sort of tactless, blurted-out candidness that can bring a dinner party to a screeching halt. Well, the audience appreciates it anyway. Written and directed by David O. Russell from a novel by Matthew Quick, this film expertly mines laughs from its cast of engaging oddballs – including a surprising Robert De Niro playing against type – without making fun of them. (Opens Nov. 21)
“Smashed” – Too often, films about addiction veer into heavy melodrama or turn into sensational shockfests. Here’s a look at alcoholism that’s grounded by a moving naturalism, even as its flawed heroine spirals through after-work benders that go from hilarious to sad to frightening. Mary Elizabeth Winstead delivers a career-making performance as a young schoolteacher who realizes she’s lost control of her drinking. The stellar supporting cast includes “Breaking Bad”‘s Aaron Paul as her enabling husband, “Parks and Recreation”‘s Nick Offerman as her sympathetic co-worker and Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer as her AA sponsor. (Opens Nov. 2)
“Yellow” – He’s probably best known for spawning a billion tears by directing Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams in the mainstream romantic drama “The Notebook,” so it’s a bit surprising to see Nick Cassavetes helming this quirky mind-trip of a movie. The dark dramatic comedy stars Heather Wahlquist as a pill-popping substitute elementary school teacher struggling to keep her personal demons at bay and provide for her kids. A string of delightfully out-there dream sequences that punctuate her travails are a highlight, along with performances from a strong supporting cast led by Ray Liotta, Melanie Griffith and Sienna Miller.
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By Canadian Press film festival reporters Victoria Ahearn, Andrea Baillie, Michael Oliveira, Nick Patch and Cassandra Szklarski.
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