More Film Highlights From Toronto

At this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (September 7-17), Toronto transitioned into a film lover’s paradise for 11 days, with hundreds of films playing every day, in 21 theaters, for hours on end. This year’s festival was different in some aspects–mainly due to the absence of writers or actors because of the WGA and SAG strikes. As for the films themselves, the programmers did a great job crafting a lineup that balanced highly-anticipated world premieres, hit films from other prominent festivals, and a broad slate of smaller features.

Before this year’s festival, fans were a little worried about the prospect of a weaker festival, since TIFF’s lineup contained less-anticipated movies compared to other fall film festivals, like Venice or New York. The new movies from David Fincher, Bradley Cooper, Sofia Coppola and Michael Mann were nowhere in sight. Comparatively, most of the premieres were smaller in scope. But after experiencing the festival, TIFF’s lineup still felt as grand as ever.

While I could only make it to the first weekend of the festival, that was more than enough time to catch 22 films, many of which are worth discussing.

 The Must-Sees

Hirokazu Kore-eda’s newest film, Monster, is a stunning return to form for a director whose latest few films have notably been missing his signature thematic essence. The film centers around a young boy accusing his teacher of abuse. Kore-eda refracts and examines this simple story through the perspectives of the boy’s mother, teacher and the boy himself, with more details revealed during each go-around. While the film takes some time to get rolling, the film’s final half is nearly perfect and profoundly resonant, featuring excellent commentary on how we interact with others and the stories we tell ourselves to get by. Moreover, it’s a film that only gets better upon further reflection, encouraging audiences to discover more of the story’s nuances long after the credits have finished rolling.

Jean-Luc Godard’s final feature, Trailer for a Film That Will Never Exist: Phony Wars, is a fragmented version of what would have been his next film project before his death in September 2022. The 20-minute film is likely not for everyone, as the film is just a series of abstract images in no particular order, logic or internal rhythm. Regardless, it’s the perfect encapsulation of the French director’s long and complex career, which constantly relied on abstraction and fragmentation to push the boundaries of the medium itself.

Worth Checking Out

After securing a Best Foreign Film Oscar nomination in 2019 with Les Misérables, French director Ladj Ly returns with his sophomore feature, Les Indésirables. The film, set in an underprivileged Parisian suburb, charts the tensions that arise when the city elects a rich, white mayor who does not care about the struggles and lives of his city’s citizens.. The film’s quick pacing and razor-sharp script make for an engaging experience, but the film is too quick and ambitious for its own good, leading to odd narrative turns and a rushed ending that dilutes the film’s sociopolitical commentary. 

Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero documents the career of the famed musician, focusing on his experiences touring for the first time in 2022. While the documentary is somewhat surface-level–avoiding deep cuts or thought-provoking commentary in favor of a broader, more complete portrait–the musician’s screen presence is magnetic enough to keep the film entertaining, hilarious and heartwarming. The film’s 95-minute runtime also works in its favor, making sure audiences learn about the artist without being over-bombarded by content or visuals.

A true crowd-pleaser, Hajjan tells the story of Matar, a young, West Asian boy who enters the world of Bedouin camel racing to avenge his older brother who died during a dangerous race. The film benefits from quick pacing, stunning visuals and deeply intense, edge-of-your-seat camel-racing sequences. While some of the story beats feel familiar, almost borrowed directly from other sports films, relatable characters and profound moments of poeticism are enough to make this film feel fresh and rewarding. 

Good, but Not Great

Hell of a Summer is the directorial debut of Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk (the two also co-wrote and star in the film). The film is a slasher comedy adapted for the Gen Z crowd, mixing genre stereotypes (it takes place at a sleepaway camp, after all) with dark, zoomer-style humor. The sharply-penned script is full of jokes that actually land, and the film develops its characters enough to warrant the audience’s sympathy and compassion, an impressive feat given the film’s 88-minute runtime. But, the film borrows too heavily from its inspirations and lacks the structural originality necessary to make it stand out from other slasher films.

Dominic Savage’s Close to You features famed Canadian actor Elliot Page’s first film performance in six years. The story centers around main character Sam’s return to his hometown for the first time since his transition, where he runs into an old friend from his romantic past and confronts his immediate family for the first time in years. The film is most effective when it centers around Sam’s relationship with his family, using smart dialogue and fleshed-out characters to communicate its themes concisely and effectively. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t dedicate enough time to Sam’s relationship with his old friend, making those scenes and their associated themes feel somewhat shoehorned in, and, as a result, less resonant.

Mahalia Belo’s The End We Start From begins when the world ends; torrential flooding caused by climate change destroys the world as the main character (unnamed in the film, but played by Jodie Comer) gives birth to her baby alongside her husband (Joel Fry). From there, the film evolves into the typical apocalyptic thriller as the new mother navigates a harsh, unforgiving world to ensure the best life for herself, her husband and her baby. The film benefits from well-developed characters and a polished script, featuring many moments that expertly balance the kindness of humanity and the lack thereof. Regardless, the film still closely follows the typical storyline of apocalypse-set films, diluting some of its thematic impact. 

The Disappointments

The plot of Boy Kills World: an absolutely ripped Bill Skarsgård takes down an evil, presidential-like family with little backup and little more than his bare fists as weapons. With a longline this sharp, it’s almost difficult to convey how boring the film is. The script is full of jokes, without any respite. The only problem: none of the jokes are funny, written as if they were ripped straight out of a Ryan Reynolds comedy or simply transported from an early 2000s action film. Hopefully, Skarsgård had fun filming this, because his performance is the only fun part of this dreadful experience.