rachel_is_here
rachel_is_here
Rachel West
Associate Editor / Senior Critic
Rachel West is a former senior producer for ET Canada and Cineplex with a B.A. (Honours) in Film Studies from Carleton University. She has interviewed everyone from Michael Fassbender to Miss Piggy and has reported live from TIFF, SXSW, Star Wars Celebration, Comic-Con, D23, CinemaCon, BAFTA Tea Party, the SAG Awards, and the Golden Globes, among other events.Her film writing and interviews have appeared in publications and outlets including Entertainment Tonight, Global News, Shaw Connect, The National Post, Toronto Film Scene, Cineplex Magazine, CAA Magazine, FIPRESCI.org, Mondo Magazine, Discover Toronto, The Weather Network and more.
Rachel is a member of the Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA) and the Alliance of Women Film Journalists (AWFJ) and has served on several film festival juries including the Rising Sun International Film Festival in Japan, the Tallgrass Film Festival, Festival REGARD, and the ICFF Lavazza Inclucity Festival. She is an Associate Programmer at the Blue Mountain Film and Media Festival.
Articles by Rachel West:
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April 24, 2026
I Swear ReviewKirk Jones brings John Davidson’s remarkable true story to life with warmth, humour, and heart. Powered by Robert Aramayo’s moving performance, it’s an inspiring crowd-pleaser at TIFF 2025.
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April 11, 2026
You, Me & Tuscany Review: Lost In The SauceYou, Me & Tuscany looks the part but never quite delivers, relying on tired tropes and a romance that fails to spark.
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March 22, 2026
Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come Review: Exploding MayhemBigger, louder, and bloodier, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come delivers chaotic thrills and unhinged fun, even if it sacrifices the sharp wit that made the original such a killer hit.
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February 13, 2026
Sirât ReviewIt is easy to see why Oliver Laxe’s Sirât took home the Cannes Competition Jury Prize. Breathtaking, gut-wrenching, and visceral, it’s one of the best choices you could make at TIFF.
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February 12, 2026
Montreal, My Beautiful Review: Joan Chen Gives a Career-Best PerformanceJoan Chen dazzles in Montreal, My Beautiful , a moving tale of love, awakening, and finding yourself at any age.
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January 13, 2026
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Review – Sets the Horror Bar for 2026Bleak, brutal, and deeply human, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple proves the franchise’s rage virus still has teeth.
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December 23, 2025
Anaconda Review: Big Snakes, Big LaughsLed by Jack Black and Paul Rudd, Anaconda works surprisingly well as a meta action-comedy, balancing laughs, nostalgia, and escalating danger in the Amazon.
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December 17, 2025
Is This Thing On? Review: Will Arnett’s Career-Best PerformanceA solidly smart and sly adult drama about the demise of a marriage, Will Arnett gives what might be the best big-screen performance of his career.
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December 11, 2025
Dust Bunny ReviewDust Bunny is a wildly colourful, darkly funny, and heartwarming horror-fairy tale that cements Bryan Fuller’s feature debut as a cult-worthy triumph.
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November 20, 2025
Rental Family ReviewHikari’s Rental Family is a sweet, strange, and heartwarming dramedy about finding connection in the unlikeliest of places.
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October 27, 2025
Nechako: It Will Be a Big River Again Review: WIFF 2025Nechako: It Will Be a Big River Again weaves personal stories, environmental justice, and cultural resilience into a compelling portrait of a river and the communities fighting to save it.
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October 25, 2025
There Are No Words Review: WIFF 2025Min Sook Lee’s There Are No Words is a deeply personal documentary exploring her mother’s death, family secrets, and the search for truth. Through intimate interviews, archival footage, and reflective visuals, the film examines grief, memory, and cultural identity.
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October 25, 2025
Honeyjoon Review: WIFF 2025Two women, each experiencing grief and life in their own way, come together in the mother-daughter drama Honeyjoon, a quietly powerful exploration of grief, family, and the small moments that connect us.
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