#TIFF13

TIFF 2013: When Jews Were Funny Review

When Jews Were Funny TIFF Docs Director: Alan Zweig Zweig (I, Curmudgeon, Vinyl) delivers his second film this year with a personal look at his desire to reconnect with the more openly comedic aspects of his heritage and upbringing, partially for the benefit of his young daughter who he wants to have an awareness of […]

TIFF 2013: Rush Review

Rush Gala Director: Ron Howard With a great attention to detail and a pair of exceptional leading performances, Howard’s period piece set against a historic, high speed Formula One racing rivalry in the 1970s surprises and thrills, both dramatically and visually. Hard living and reckless Brit James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) works his way up through […]

TIFF 2013: Don Jon Review

Don Jon Special Presentation Director: Joseph Gordon-Levitt While Levitt’s first effort behind the camera showcases that he at least knows what to do on a visual level, his tale of a porn addict trying to come to terms with the priorities in his life is entirely misconceived and sloppy. A lothario (Levitt, doing a grating […]

TIFF 2013: Siddharth Review

Siddharth Contemporary World Cinema Director: Richie Mehta A deeply resonating look at an uneducated, poor street labourer in India searching for the missing son he essentially sold into child labour, Mehta’s film offers a lot of questions but thankfully never tries to make sense out of a situation that’s unanswerable from the start. Mahendra (Rajesh […]

TIFF 2013: Sarah Prefers to Run Review

Sarah Prefers to Run Discovery Director: Chloe Robichaud The feature length debut from Robichaud is nothing short of a revelation for both her and her star Sophie Desmarais. It’s the rare kind of coming of age story that captures the first year of university and everything leading up to it as a scarring sort of […]

TIFF 2013: Le Demantelement Review

Le Demantelement Contemporary World Cinema Director: Sebastien Pilote A subdued Quebacois drama divided into two parts, the second film from Pilote (The Salesman) follows a 53 year old, long since divorced farmer (an excellent Gabriel Arcand) coming to terms with having to leave his family’s profession behind to help his eldest daughter (Lucie Laurier) get […]

TIFF 2013: Metallica: Through the Never Review

Metallica: Through The Never SPECIAL EVENT Director: Nimrod Antal Trip (Dane DeHaan) is a young roadie living the dream: working on the road with Metallica.  During a show he gets summoned to head out on an urgent mission for the band.  What at first seems like a simple errand ends up being a trippy and […]

TIFF 2013: The Art of the Steal Review

The Art of the Steal Gala Director: Jonathan Sobol A huge disappointment given the talent involved, this wannabe tough guy caper comedy is every bit as polite and unpleasant as a Canadian Guy Ritchie rip off would sound on paper. Former getaway driver Crunch Calhoun (Kurt Russell) has just been released from prison after his […]

TIFF 2013: The Past Review

The Past Special Presentation Director: Asghar Farhadi While not up to the same dramatic highs as his previous award winning effort A Separation, Asghar Farhadi returns with an even more melodramatic look at a crumbling family going through a scarring, drawn out divorce. Ahmed (Ali Mosaffa) returns to Paris from Tehran to finalize his divorce […]

TIFF 2013: A Story of Children and Film Review

A Story of Children and Film TIFF Docs Director: Mark Cousins Following up his epically lengthy Story of Film, film writer and scholar Mark Cousins takes a look at cinematic tropes, theories, and histories in a much smaller space. Using his niece and nephew as a microcosm, Cousins uses their childish playfulness to talk about […]

TIFF 2013: Gloria Review

Gloria Special Presentation Director:Sebastian Lelio Gloria, a character driven story about a middle aged divorced woman (Paulina Garcia) looking for her second chance at love, offers TIFF enthusiasts a lighter option that’s easier to digest amongst the more serious titles. The fifty-something dynamic lead can usually be found at her favourite disco for older singles. […]

TIFF 2013: Young & Beautiful Review

Young & Beautiful Special Presentation Director: François Ozon François Ozon explores the initial sexual experiences of a seventeen year old French girl over four seasons. At the end of summer, Isabelle, beautifully played by newcomer Marine Vacth, loses her virginity in a less than stellar first roll in the sand. As the season changes into […]

TIFF 2013: A Touch of Sin Review

A Touch of Sin Masters Director: Jia Zhangke A Touch of Sin brings to light the plight of the common working class in modern day China. Winning Best Screenplay at Cannes this year, writer and director Jia Zhangke (Still Life) intertwines four disturbing and violent stories, from four provinces into a startling snapshot of four […]

TIFF 2013: Tracks Review

Tracks Special Presentation Director: John Curran Headstrong and antisocial Robyn Davidson (Mia Wasikowska) feels a need to escape from everything civilized and trek across the harsh, Australian Outback in 1977. With four camels (Dookie, Bub, Zeleika and baby Goliath) and her dog Diggity, the 27 year old leaves Alice Springs, commencing a 2700 kilometre walkabout […]

TIFF 2013: Tim’s Vermeer Review

Tim’s Vermeer TIFF Docs Director: Teller Dutch master Johannes Vermeer’s paintings have confounded art historians for generations. The level of detail he achieved seems unfathomable with a few controversial theorists suggesting that he used a camera obscura to paint virtual photographs. That’s the kind of clever conspiracy ripe for debunking that tends to appeal to […]