October 19, 2024

Welcome to TFCA Friday, a weekly round-up of film reviews and articles by TFCA members.

And save the date: The TFCA Awards will be announced on Sunday, Dec. 15 beginning at noon on X/Twitter, including the nominees for Rogers Best Canadian Film and Best Canadian Documentary.

In Release this Week

The Arrival (dir. Alyssa Rallo Bennett and Gary O. Bennett)

“A young woman with great inherited wealth says she is alone in the world with no family members left. An overconfident man enters the bar and uses the phrase “effing Judas priest”. What a setup for an interesting couple of hours!  And then we fly forward nine months. This quietly powerful outing will get under your skin,” says Anne Brodie at What She Said.

Bookworm (dir. Ant Timpton)

“The film clearly demonstrates how fresh and entertaining it can be with smart yet simple dialogue,” says Gilbert Seah at Afro Toronto.

Born Hungry (dir. Barry Avrich) 🇨🇦

“A plate of French Dover sole sets you back $65 in chef Sash Simpson’s eponymous Toronto restaurant. Such luxury would have been unimaginable to him in the mid-1970s, when he was a five-year-old orphan picking through garbage bins on the streets of Chennai (Madras), India,” writes Peter Howell at the Toronto Star. “His life dramatically changed after he was adopted and brought to Canada by philanthropists Sandra and Lloyd Simpson, and joined a large and growing family of siblings. Documentarian Barry Avrich takes the remarkable story a step further, following Sash Simpson as he returns to India to seek his birth family and rediscover the cuisine of a country he’d almost forgotten. The film’s ingredients are part detective story, part culinary tour, all inspiration.”

Girl Haunts Boy (dir. Emily Ting)

“Bea is curious and adventurous, and she slips away from her classmates to enter a part of the museum that’s closed to the public. Bea impulsively opens a display case and takes out an ancient ring that glows with magic powers. That’s just about the last thing she does on this earth.The action then moves into present time. Cole (Cimino) and his mother (Andrea Navedo) move to a new house in the New Jersey town of Spectral Valley(!). Cole is sad and withdrawn, as his father has recently died,” says Liz Braun at Original Cin. “At the new house, he discovers that Bea, now a ghost forever aged 17, is haunting his bedroom. Talk about meet cute.”

Goodrich (dir. Hallie Meyers-Shyer)

“It’s almost impossible to watch Goodrich, in which Michael Keaton plays a father thrust into the daunting minutiae of single parent childcare, without casting your mind back 41 years to his similar role in Mr. Mom,” observes Chris Knight at Original Cin. “But in that slapstick comedy, his situation was predicated by his wife finding a job. Here the plot is set in motion when the wife checks herself into rehab…Not that Goodrich is a full-on drama. There are moment of humour and levity, many of them thanks to Andy Goodrich’s two fourth-grade kids, who have that movie habit of being preternaturally wise and speaking like pint-sized screenwriters and not actual children.”

“In 1983, Michael Keaton played a hapless dad left at home to care for his young children after his wife went back to work in Mr. Mom. More than 40 years later, Keaton is playing a hapless dad left at home to care for his young children after his wife goes to rehab in Goodrich,” agrees Rachel West at That Shelf. “Surface similarities aside, Keaton once again finds himself playing caretaker in Goodrich, albeit with much different stakes and far less goofy comedy than he did four decades ago…It’s the kind of movie you’d watch to pass the time, smile at its pleasantness, and then completely forget about it.”

Green Night (dir. Han Shuai)

“The main problem of the film is the two characters,” notes Gilbert Seah at Afro Toronto. “Though one can hardly blame Fan Bingbing for it, her character changes from honest and law abiding to the opposite quite suddenly, which is not that convincing.  The green haired girl is just too annoying for one to sit through the entire movie watching her.  On the plus side. director Shuai creates a solid neo-noir thriller, moody and mysterious with characters trapped in their mown worlds.”

Join or Die (dir. Rebecca Davis and Pete Davis)

“Not surprisingly, once every household had a television set — around 1970 — a steep decline in community involvement began. [Bob] Putnam established ‘The Saguaro Seminar’ at Harvard, bringing together an interdisciplinary group that examines theories about why community is in decline, and how to fix that. The earliest gatherings — which included a young Barack Obama among other recognizable faces — considered many factors, but television outweighed them all,” writes Liz Braun at Original Cin. “It’s fascinating to watch Join or Die and see how Putnam’s work has affected other areas of research, such as community connections and economic mobility.”

Justice (dir. Michal Gazda)

“Justice, though a work of fiction, plays like a true crime drama, meticulously thought out and executed,” says Gilbert Seah at Afro Toronto. Justice, from Poland, is also full of intricate details and plot twists.”

MadS (dir. David Moreau)

“MadS plays like a madcap horror film, which is an intense watch, making it a standout horror film because the end-of-world scenario has never been done beef this way,” notes Gilbert Seah at Toronto Franco.

The Man Who Loved UFOs (dir. Diego Lerman)

“Slow moving, relatively interesting film, more a character study than that of UFOs,” notes Gilbert Seah at Afro Toronto.

Monkey on a Stick (dir. Jason Lapeyre) 🇨🇦

“Comprised of talking heads, some archival clips, some tacky dramatizations, and sophomoric surveys of a group of subjects on questions of the nature of faith, it’s a patchwork tabloid affair. When it plays it straight, the film is informative and broad reaching,” says Liam Lacey at Original Cin. “Among the interview subjects are former followers of the movement, including “independent scholar” Steven Gelberg, along with former Hare Krishna devotee and public relations head Nori Muster (author of a book entitled Betrayal of the Spirit) and Hubner, the source material’s co-author. Collectively, they provide the story of the movement’s humble start, rapid growth and period of schisms, squandering and debauchery.”

At POV Magazine, Pat Mullen speaks with director Jason Lapeyre and learns how participant Nori Muster became a creative collaborator on the project while sharing her experience with the Hare Krishna movement. “I tend to latch on to one of the subjects and really invite them to have an authorial voice in what I’m making, to the point of, frankly, giving them editorial power, not certainly not final cut or final editorial power,” says Lapeyre. “The treatment of women is one of the core problems that happened in that movement. To hear Nori say firsthand, from a feminist perspective, ‘I witnessed fundamental power dynamics that led to almost every problem that happened,’ that informed the way the movie was made.”

Rumours (dir. Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Galen Johnson) 🇨🇦

“It’s a global, clever intentional joke. The leaders of the wealthiest countries have gathered to write a statement on a crisis, but they don’t have anything to say, they’re stumped,” writes Anne Brodie at What She Said. “Honestly, this must be seen to be believed. Its surrealism, wit and whimsy are rich and appealing, the darkness signalling unfixable problems of the world (with leaders like these) and sly observations reflect some world leaders IRL.  Guy Maddin is a Canadian treasure; he is singularly gifted, and imaginative and this not only carries his signature but bursts forth into glorious tongue-in-cheek humour.”

“There may be some odd grains of truth in this bizarre political-horror-comedy-drama from co-directors Guy Maddin and fellow Winnipeggers Evan and Galen Johnson,” says Chris Knight at Original Cin. “Rumours feels (in the best way) like a film scripted by the satirist Armando Iannucci, based on something by Canadian horror writer Tony Burgess, and shot by the darkly comic filmmaker Ruben Östlund. Or I guess you could say written by Britain, based on Canada and made in Sweden. Or just straight outta Winnipeg. However you define it, it’s globally good fun.”

“Maddin’s first films spectacularly exploited the aesthetics of early sound-era films made between 1928-1933 when the pictorialism of silent cinema fought against the awkward naturalism of the more technically limited ‘talkies,” says Marc Glassman at Classical FM. “With Rumours, he’s created a film that feels like early ’70s TV movies. Real emotions bubble underneath the surface as the lead characters have to cope with a clichéd plot. Just like early TV movies, the audience deals with a highly active, overly determined soundtrack that diminishes what is being staged visually. On the other hand, the scary imagery used in the bog scenes is remarkably effective and feels less like TV and more like late-1970s horror films.

“For a film that so clearly takes aim at the political state of the world, it is relatively free of taking a firm left or right position. Instead, Maddin and the Johnsons simply consider the absurdity of present-day politics as a construct, which, given the state of either side of the aisle(s), is probably the only logical route to pursue at the moment,” notes Rachel Ho at Exclaim!. “Depending on how far audiences’ appetite for political satire and commentary, Rumours can either be a timely, topical romp, or a humorous affair that feels less farcical and closer to reality even given how ludicrous the world is these days.”

“Out of this world.” – Gilbert Seah, Afro Toronto

“A pastiche of genres that lands somewhere between the horror of Night of the Living Dead and the bawdy frivolity of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, it’s the funniest flick yet from Canada’s absurdist auteur Maddin, who gets a huge assist from co-directors Evan and Galen Johnson,” writes Peter Howell at the Toronto Star. “The essential insanity of G7 gatherings — the leaders represent just 10 per cent of the world’s population and a shrinking share of the global economy — isn’t lost on whimsical Winnipegger Maddin or his co-conspirators the brothers Johnson. The three previously collaborated on the riotous Hitchcock riff The Green Fog.”

At Original Cin, Jim Slotek gets down to the question of “deadpan humour” with the directors, Maddin’s “mainstream” appeal, and shooting outside Winnipeg. “Weird for me. I’m not a location shooter and I really, even though the very life of our movie depended on it, I hated location scouting. I just found it took too long,” says Maddin. “It was hot, and I’m old and I was sneezing. And this is a thing about there being three of us. If I don’t feel like doing something and I’m working alone I’ve got to do it anyway. But when there’s two guys that are very capable and I don’t feel like doing something, I don’t do it.”

“Rumours may be the most spot-on political satire of the year. If these are the leaders of the free world, then we’re all f****d,” writes Pat Mullen at That Shelf, who speaks with Maddin and the Johnsons about their latest romp. “We knew we were making a political movie where the subject ostensibly is politics, but really it’s not that interested in the down-to-earth nitty-gritty of politics,” says Evan Johnson. “It’s about other things maybe, which isn’t to say that we’re not strongly opinionated politically, as we generally are. But I also worried that I would try to articulate a very specific political program or opinion, fail at it badly, and then be counterproductive.”

The Shadow Strays (dir. Timo Tjahjanto)

“The violent murders in this film aren’t executions, they’re mutilations. Bodies get bludgeoned, shot, stabbed, skewered, blown up, crushed, emulsified and even deep-fried. Yes, you read that correctly, 13 deep-fries a MF’er to death,” says Victor Stiff at That Shelf. “If you’re not on this film’s twisted wavelength just go ahead and tap out early. Tjahjanto made one for the sickos, the sort of people who watch The Texas Chainsaw Massacre rooting for the cannibals. As much as I enjoyed watching Tjahjanto find new ways to outdo himself, the nonstop action grows tedious at times. I love this film’s ambition, but it’s almost too much to process. The adrenaline-filled action caused me to suffer adrenal fatigue as the many, many fight sequences began bleeding into one another.”

“This is a straight up master class in action cinema,” says Dave Voigt, who chats with writer/director Timo Tjahjanto on In the Seats with….

Smile 2 (dir. Parker Finn)

“Believe it or not, Smile 2 actually breaks the rule of diminishing returns on a horror sequel by pushing this story through the fun house mirror with aplomb alongside a leading performance that thrusts its star into leading ‘Scream Queen’ status,” says Dave Voigt at In the Seats. “While it isn’t exactly the best thematically when it comes to portraying mental health issues on screen, writer/director Parker Finn ups the visual and immersive natural of the scares and thrills in Smile 2 to the point where it’s almost satirical but it all works thanks to his lead that embraces the delirium full throttle.”

“Smile 2 is a freakshow that will likely delight those willing to go all in, seeking a chaotic experience while others will be left to wonder not only where this is all going to but where did it come from?” says Thom Ernst at Original Cin. “By the time your own grin starts to fade, you’ll realize Smile 2 isn’t the ambitious throwback to ’60s Giallo or ’80s psychedelic horror it initially hints at. But, viewed through the lens of late-night cult potential, it starts to click.”

“In this horror sequel to Smile, any shit can happen and does.  Lots of jump scares, but done correctly for a change.  Overall, the film is a bit stretched running and 2 hours and 12 minutes, though it is gripping for the first half or so,” writes Gilbert Seah at Afro Toronto.

Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare (dir. Lyttanya Shannon)

“The doc can be described as cheesy, that includes obvious cheesy re-enactments, but the story unfolding in chronological order is nevertheless very compelling to watch, owing to its content,” notes Gilbert Seah at Afro Toronto.

We Live in Time (dir. John Crowley)

“Garfield has been on my radar since TIFF 2007, when I saw the stunning film Boy A, also directed by Crowley. He possessed the same heart and humanity in that role as he does here,” says Rachel West at That Shelf. “Together, he and Pugh make We Live in Time so utterly compelling, even when we’re simply following them through the mundane everyday motions of real life…This is the type of movie that will leave with a smile on your face, and the feeling that hope remains even through joy and sadness.” West also speaks with director John Crowley about balancing humour with heartache. “It’s much closer to what life, I think, is like if you’re on the inside of a relationship that can be dealing with some very dark stuff, but is still playful,” Crowley tells West. “I mean, in the birth scene, the stakes are really high, and yet they never lose their sense of humour in it and it doesn’t ever just become a funny scene.”

At the Toronto Star, Peter Howell chats with Crowley and stars Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh about the bittersweet romance. “What I love about the non-linear structure of the piece is it makes more sense by being out of chronological order. It actually finds its order out of order,” Garfield tells Howell. “How does this moment from 10 years previous connect to this next scene, which is 10 years after, but then goes back five years? Calibrating all of that was really about finding a kind of invisible, golden thread between every single scene, no matter what time they were in.”

“We Live in Time is a beautifully made film, with a cozy, lived-in feel, that may especially resonate with a certain generation,” writes Karen Gordon at Original Cin. “But what is true in general is the appeal of the two leads: Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield are such superb actors that they bring much complexity to characters that might otherwise be simple ‘types’.”

“Two young actors who have proven themselves across a variety of roles and genres, Garfield and Pugh come together to deliver one of the most natural couplings I’ve seen on screen in years,” says Rachel Ho at Exclaim!. “Almut’s hair and makeup changes throughout denote a physical marker for audiences to follow, but even without this aesthetic compass, Garfield and Pugh’s defined and subtle performances provide all the direction we need to differentiate the timeline jumps. Although both are given moments of drama to create on-screen flourishes, it’s the quiet moments that make this film special.”

“How do you tell a romantic tale artistically?” asks Marc Glassman at Classical FM. “It’s tough to be creative when you’re spinning a yarn that has been told thousands of times. I’m sure Nick Payne thought about it when he started writing We Live in Time. He knew that he could work at making the dialogue sparkle and by creating side characters who would be engaging and even quirky, but he didn’t go in that direction. Instead, he decided to up the ante by making his characters vulnerable due to an illness. Obstacles are a must for a drama—and Payne made that happen.”

“We Live in Time, a definite misfire, despite good intentions and ambition on the director’s front, flops as the two main actors Florence Pugh and Andre Garfield are excellent actors who have proven themselves apt in better features,” adds Gilbert Seah at Afro Toronto. “The film tends to be melodramatic with the much-needed humour missing and left to the improvised segments.”