Anthony DeSanctis | Programming Manager | Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is really the festival that I feel sets the tone for what to expect from Oscar season. You also get a lot of surprise films that were never on your radar.
It’s truly a great feeling being surrounded by people who love films as much as you do. Come along and check out these films I found to be the most memorable from my time at TIFF!
- The Holdovers – Surprisingly, this film had slipped under my radar, despite being a devoted fan of Alexander Payne’s work. Sideways remains one of my all-time favorite comedies, and yet I had somehow overlooked Payne’s reunion with Paul Giamatti for a new film. Of course, the results are nothing short of spectacular. This movie brims with heart, authenticity, and a sense of honesty that left me emotionally invested in a way that no other film at TIFF managed to achieve. It’s a pure character-driven narrative, a territory where Payne excels, and it’s laced with his signature wit. As the credits rolled, I immediately wanted to watch it all over again.
2. Wicked Little Letters – Olivia Coleman and Jessie Buckley are two of my favorite actors working today. In Wicked Little Letters, they engage in a captivating battle of wits in this ‘wicked’ spin on the ‘whodunit,’ where the mystery revolves around deciphering the authorship of some highly vulgar letters in a small town. Their on-screen chemistry is outstanding and seeing these two titans play off each other so well easily makes this one of the year’s funniest movies. With a crowd-pleasing combo of class and mirth, it’s undeniable that this cinematic gem will leave audiences thoroughly entertained when it’s officially released.
3. The Boy and the Heron – I was completely blown away from start to finish. Hayao Miyazaki proves once again why he’s one of the all-time great auteurs. The imagination in this film is just mind-blowing. Every single frame is a work of art. This may actually be my favorite musical score of the year so far. There’s been talk recently about Miyazaki making more films, and while I’ll never turn down another Miyazaki masterpiece, The Boy and the Heron could’ve been the perfect grand finale to his amazing career. It’s like the ultimate showcase of everything we adore about Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, and it wraps it all up with a beautiful bow by the end. But if Miyazaki’s up for giving us more cinematic gems, who am I to say no?
4. Chuck Chuck Baby – This is easily one of the most delightful directorial debuts I’ve seen in a long time. Janis Pugh knocked it out of the park with this one. It’s a simple story, told with an infinite amount of heart and charm. Pugh takes the musical genre and flips it on its head, delivering something truly authentic through her characters. It’s impossible not to like these characters and their interactions. And I couldn’t wait for another scene at the chicken factory where they all worked. I haven’t found myself rooting for a happy ending in a film this intensely all year. This is without question one of the best on screen romances of the year!
5. Copa 71 – This enthralling sports documentary brings the forgotten tale of the 1971 Women’s World Cup to life, where international teams converged at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium, before a huge crowd of 100,000 excited fans. It’s mind-boggling how this key moment in women’s soccer history had been buried in obscurity until now. Through interviews with the players themselves, the film not only recounts the 1971 World Cup but also gives the viewer the opportunity to connect with their passion experiences. I was seriously on the edge of my seat the entire time, completely engrossed in the drama and excitement of those historic matches. This documentary is a total marvel, a must-see for sports enthusiasts and history buffs alike, as it resurrects a pivotal chapter in women’s sports history with undeniable flair and a personal touch that makes it truly unforgettable.
