Downhill (dirs. Nat Faxon, Jim Rash)

“The couple sitting next to me at my preview screening had never heard of Force Majeure, and they enjoyed Faxon and Rash’s movie a lot more than I did” — Norm Wilner, NOW Magazine

“Can you imagine what it would be like if someone took a popular, beloved movie and churned out an inferior remake in another language? Well, you don’t have to, because it’s been done” — Chris Knight, The National Post

“The two actors might be American comedy superstars. but Ferrell especially seems an odd fit. Ferrell specializes in broadly comic man-boys, which is at odds with the tone of the original film” — Karen Gordon, Original-Cin

“Offers further proof that Julia Louis-Dreyfus is one of the best talents in contemporary comedy. It also, unfortunately, offers another reminder that Will Ferrell’s charm is tumbling downhill” — Pat Mullen, That Shelf

“The chief flaw? An uneven blending of comedy and drama” — Gilbert Seah, Afro Toronto

Farmageddon: A Shaun the Sheep Movie (dirs. Richard Phelan, Will Becher)

“Just make sure to watch it on the biggest screen you can find, the better to catch the exquisite details” — Norm Wilner, NOW Magazine

The Photograph (dir. Stella Meghie)

“As date movies go, it’s a pretty good option” — Norm Wilner, NOW Magazine

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (dir. Celine Sciamma)

“A stately-paced slow-burn of a film about repression, love, and the secret life of women in  the 18th century, and beyond” — Karen Gordon, Original-Cin

“What a sumptuous, splendid, devastating film. Please don’t miss the chance to see it in a theatre” — Norm Wilner, NOW Magazine

“Had it come out a year earlier, it might have been the film to break the Oscars’ English-language stranglehold, and with a female director to boot. Regardless, it’s wonderful. And it has subtitles. See it anyway” — Chris Knight, The National Post, including an interview with the film’s lead actresses

“Akin to a painting — slow, pensive, and grows over time” — Gilbert Seah, Toronto-Franco

Nose to Tail (dir. Jesse Zigelstein) 🇨🇦

“Jesse Zigelstein’s frenzied first feature joins Daniel’s meltdown already in progress; the question isn’t whether he’s going to pull this dinner off, but how many relationships he’ll destroy in the process” — Norm Wilner, NOW Magazine

“He may be burning his bridges behind him, but you can bet they’ll be tender, delicately seared, and perfectly done” — Chris Knight, The National Post

“True to the beleaguered-chef-movie formula, everything is falling apart, and everything depends on one big night. This time, it’s a dinner with a potential investor who can turn the fate of the restaurant around. Just don’t expect this to wrap up with a sugary confection and a generous tip” — Liam Lacey, Original-Cin, including an interview with the director

Sonic the Hedgehog (dir. Jeff Fowler)

“I laughed and smiled and had my assumptions checked about a movie made by a cynical franchise-obsessed Hollywood working in cahoots with a video game company in it for the cash grab” — Radheyan Simonpillai, NOW Magazine

“If you’re sentimental for the furry blue speed demon, you may want to give it a try. Certainly the audience members at a recent promo screening who were whooping it up in the post-credit scene – some kind of cameo from Knuckles or Shadow or someone like that – felt they’d gotten their money’s worth” — Chris Knight, The National Post

To All The Boys: PS, I Still Love You (dir. Michael Fimognari)

“Offers a proper ending to its story. It’s just that you’ll want to see more of these people, which is handy” — Norm Wilner, NOW Magazine

“Full of cliches, cardboard characters, unfunny jokes, and uninteresting subplots” — Gilbert Seah, Toronto-Franco

TIFF Next Wave 2020

At That Shelf, Pat Mullen reviews Sequin in a Blue Room

And at POV, he reviews Your Turn

At Toronto-Franco, Gilbert Seah has capsule reviews of the bigger titles

Are Women Finally in View?

“Even the most skeptical feminist observer would have to admit that the landscape has a chance of getting significantly more fertile for female creators. Women working in the field say they do feel like the ground has shifted,” writes Susan G. Cole in POV Magazine. “But there are still huge gaps.”

Peter Howell’s Final Column

At the Toronto Star, Peter Howell recaps the 92nd Oscars with full commentary. (Editor’s note: This sucks. [The reality, not the writing.])