TIFF Review: A career-best Jack Lowden carries Terence Davies’ somber yet lyrical ‘Benediction’ [Grade: A]
Within his short filmography, rising Scottish actor Jack Lowden has shown immense acting range in films like Mary Queen of Scots, Kindred, and the overlooked... Read More
Reviews
TIFF Review: Kenneth Branagh’s ‘Belfast’ masterfully captures the joys and agony of what truly makes a home [Grade: A-]
Undoubtedly his most personal film to date, Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast is a quietly moving and universally resonating film about the roots that connect us, the... Read More
TIFF Review: Michael Showalter’s ‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye’ is a fascinating character study led by a career-best performance from Jessica Chastain [Grade: A-]
A wonderful showcase for the incredible talent of Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye looks at opportunism and exploitation in the flashy, and often... Read More
TIFF Review: Nadav Lapid’s bold ‘Ahed’s Knee’ delivers scathing political critique and a piercing look at decaying humanity [Grade: A-]
One of the year’s most striking films, marked by daring originality and a singular directorial vision, Ahed’s Knee is unlike any other film you’ll see... Read More
TIFF Review: ‘Violet’ gives voice to the violent self-destruction of anxiety, even as the gimmick gets old [Grade: B-]
Why can’t I stop this voice in my head? This phrase, one of many blasted in cursive in the margins of Justine Bateman’s directorial debut... Read More
TIFF Review: ‘The Electrical Life of Louis Wain’ is a dizzyingly quirky biopic about England’s original cat dad [Grade: A-]
Many artists are never appreciated in their time; others get the appreciation, but little of the money and fame. The latter is definitely true of... Read More
TIFF Review: Riz Ahmed is once again a powerhouse in minimalist sci-fi pic ‘Encounter’ [Grade: A-]
Just last year, Riz Ahmed wowed viewers with his stirring, Oscar-nominated portrayal of a drummer losing his hearing in Sound of Metal. His latest starring... Read More
TIFF Review: Poland’s Oscar entry ‘Leave No Traces’ is a sobering thriller about the state of police brutality [Grade: B]
Though director Jan Matuszyńki insists Burn After Reading was the single biggest influence on his sophomore feature and Oscars entry, Leave No Traces is not... Read More
TIFF Review: Antoine Fuqua’s ‘The Guilty’ remake delivers a superb performance from Jake Gyllenhaal but the film remains in the shadow of the original [Grade: B]
A remake of the Oscar-shortlisted Danish film of the same name, The Guilty attempts to recreate the original’s sense of suspense and dread and partly... Read More
TIFF Review: Juho Kuosmanen’s ‘Compartment No. 6’ is a touching film on the essentialness of human connection [Grade: B+]
Quietly ruminating on what brings us together as humans, especially our need to connect as we navigate the harshness, and likely loneliness, of being alive.... Read More
2024 Camerimage Film Festival: Danish Oscar Entry ‘The Girl With the Needle’ Wins Golden Frog 
Interview: ‘Gladiator II’ Cinematographer John Mathieson on Reuniting with Ridley Scott and Continuing the Legacy and Lore 
Interview: Alan Menken and Glenn Slater on Creating the Songs and Score for ‘Spellbound’ and the “Perfectly” Cast Rachel Zegler 
2025 Oscar Predictions: BEST PICTURE and BEST DIRECTOR (November)