The 2023 Toronto International Film Festival has come to a conclusion. Well at least my time at the festival that is. My third year ever at TIFF was definitely another memorable week for the books. It's always a highlight as a film fan to experience these film premieres before they release to the majority of audiences around the world, but the biggest highlight is always getting to explore this great city and bond with some truly great friends while making some new ones along the journey. This year I had the privilege of attending 32 film screenings from September 7th through September 13th. It was long week that has left me even feeling quite exhausted, but those who know me will know that I certainly live for this kind of lifestyle so of course I had a blast. And now that the fun is all over I'm here to give a rundown of the Top 10 films I saw at this year's festival.
Keep in mind even though I caught 32 films in total, there's still a handful of big screeners that I'm kind of regretting not fitting into my schedule (especially after some of the bad films I did see yikes). Those regrets are: American Fiction, His Three Daughters, Sing Sing, Monster, Evil Does Not Exist, Ezra and a handful of others. There's over 200 films that play at the festival so you're always bound to miss some hidden gems. You win some, you lose some.
Honorable Mentions (didn't make my Top 10, but these are still all very good and worth checking out):
Woman of the Hour
The Royal Hotel
Dumb Money
Kill
#10: How to Have Sex
The directorial debut from filmmaker Molly Manning Walker first made its big splash at the Cannes festival earlier this year and thankfully made its way to Toronto as well. This is a mature, authentic, and surely uncomfortable exploration of a deeply sensitive subject matter that will resonate with a lot of viewers. Mia McKenna-Bruce is the star of this one and gives a true breakout performance that hits all the right notes. This will be a triggering film for a lot of viewers so tough to recommend to everyone, but nevertheless it's a thought provoking and grounded film that I'm really glad I was able to catch.
The film has no official release date, but I expect will be sometime by the end of 2023 or early 2024.
#9: The Zone of Interest
Here's another film that will trigger almost any viewer, but nevertheless is one of the most thought provoking and riveting films of the year. Jonathan Glazer's latest is a haunting piece of work that centers on Nazi commander Rudolf Hoss as he builds the dream everyday life for him and his family while the horrors of the concentration camps live right next door to them. The film is every bit as horrific as that sounds, but Glazer makes the creative choice of letting the horror of the holocaust play more so as background noise which is precisely what makes the film even more disturbing than it already is. The performances across the board from the likes of Christian Friedel & Sandra Huller are excellent. And the musical score from Mica Levi is haunting. This is one definitely tailor made for the art house film fans, but nevertheless a must one time watch for any film fan.
Release Date: Limited release set in the United States for December 8th, 2023.
#8: Fair Play
If you miss the good days when exotic thrillers were much more commonly made, then you definitely don't want to miss Fair Play. This is a hugely entertaining, unpredictable, and well crafted thriller that is also one hell of a feature film debut for director Chloe Domont. With off the charts chemistry between Alden Ehrenreich & Phoebe Dynevor, the pair also deliver two exceptional performances that showcase two stars in the makings. It's a nail biting thriller that had me guessing and on the edge of my seat at every turn. Two complicated lovers whom will stop at nothing to advance their own career ambitions. Wall Street for the me too movement indeed it is. They really don't make them like this anymore.
Release Date: It will get a limited theatrical release on September 29th here in North America, but will be released worldwide by Netflix for streaming on October 13th. Definitely don't want to miss this one.
#7: Perfect Days
The latest film from legendary filmmaker Wim Wenders is a beautifully understated, and moving film that centers around a toilet cleaner's everyday life in Japan. I'm sure that sounds pretty boring on paper, but it's actually quite a touching and enjoyable character piece that really surprised me in a lot of ways. It's one of those very low stakes films where the plot is almost non-existent, but that's sort the film's charm as we get a glimpse of different aspects of this main character's life. Koji Yakusho also turns in a wonderful lead performance that just very well could garner him a well deserved Oscar nod this awards season. It's a delightful and breezy film that I didn't even want to end.
Release Date: No official release date yet in North America, but I suspect NEON will distribute sometime by the end of 2023.
Trailer: PERFECT DAYS (2023) | Trailer | Wim Wenders | Koji Yakusho | Tokio Emoto | Arisa Nakano - YouTube
#6: Flora and Son
Whenever John Carney has a new movie on the horizon, it feels like a special event for me. The director of Sing Street, Once, and Begin Again just makes films tailor made for my liking. And his latest is no exception. It's an irresistible, funny, and heartwarming film bursting with so much charm & wonderful music. Eve Hewson is an absolute revelation in this as our lead and I can't wait to see more of her work. Joseph Gordon-Levitt gives one of his most charismatic performances to date. Oren Kinlan is also a great find as Max, Hewson's troubled son in the film. And Jack Reynor might low key be the film's MVP. It's a delightful crowdpleaser that will satisfy any fan of Carney's past work and will warm even the most cynical heart. It doesn't quite reach Sing Street heights, but it's another big winner for this director. This was the perfect final film for my time at this year's TIFF.
Release Date: Will release in select theaters on September 22nd, but then be streamed worldwide by Apple TV+ on September 29th. Don't miss this one.
#5: Dream Scenario
Fans of Nicolas Cage will not want to miss yet another unhinged and unforgettable performance from the star. This surreal, hilarious, and wildly entertaining dark comedy sees Cage delivering one of his very best performances in many years. The film centers around this average family man whose life gets turned upside down when out of the blue he starts appearing in people's dreams with no explanation as to how and the film quickly becomes A Nightmare on Elm Street with a comedic edge. Hilarious & emotionally tragic in equal measures. This felt like a film whose unique concept seemed destined to quickly wear thin, but instead Kristoffer Borgli's script is consistently subversive and surprises at every turn. It won't be for everyone, but those who love Cage when he gets a little weird and crazy will not want to miss this one. Great supporting cast consisting of Julianne Nicolson, Dylan Gelula, Michael Cera and Tim Meadows as well. One of the TIFF that has stayed with me the most.
Release Date: Will be released by A24 to theaters on November 10th, 2023.
#4: The Boy and the Heron
I'm not an anime guy by any stretch, but there's no denying that beloved filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, My Neighbor To is a masterful storyteller and I've grown a big fan of his work. His latest adventure is nothing short of a visually arresting, bold, and emotionally driven achievement that is easily one of the best films to play at this year's festival. Like with any of Miyazaki's great films, The Boy and the Heron isn't afraid to play with some dark and emotionally devastating themes, but it's also a film with so much heart and even laughs too that makes it so easy to get swept up by this film. The centric relationship is a lot of fun, but it's the mother and son theme that will resonate with many viewers such as myself. The animation work is staggering and the musical score is beautiful. It's a lovely film that fans of Miyazaki will not want to miss once it hits theaters everywhere later this year. It's still unclear if this is indeed Miyazaki's final film and I hope he still has more left in him, but if it is the iconic director will definitely go out on a high.
Release Date: The film will make its North American theatrical splash on December 8th, 2023.
#3: Anatomy of a Fall
Anatomy of a Fall first made its big splash earlier this year when it won the top prize at the Cannes festival, the famous Palme d'Or award. That created a lot of buzz heading into my TIFF screening and somehow Justine Triet's near masterpiece just about exceeded my sky high expectations. This is one unnerving, challenging, and brilliant courtroom drama about a woman put on trial as the #1 suspect in her husband's mysterious death. Sandra Huller delivers maybe the best performance I saw from any film at the festival and is for sure to be a front runner for an Oscar nomination during awards season. A devastating yet fierce performance that consistently had me switching my own interpretation of the film's events. That's something so special about this one, Triet gives the audience no easy or even definitive answer even by the end. A riveting examination of the truth and a failed marriage. The courtroom drama takes up a good balk of the film, but is always gripping. One of the best films I've seen all year. I'm not going to be thinking of the 50 Cent song PIMP the same way again.
Release Date: Neon has set a North American release date for October 13th, 2023.
#2: Hit Man
Easily the most fun I had watching any film at this year's TIFF. One of my favorite filmmakers, Richard Linklater's latest is a smart noir style romantic comedy that is every bit hilarious as it is thrilling, and immensely romantic. Loosely based on the sort of true crime story about a professor who works as an undercover police officer posing as a hitman to capture the real bad guys, the film is a great vehicle for Glen Powell (Hangman of Top Gun: Maverick fame) to showcase himself as a bonafide movie star whom every major studio in Hollywood should be lining up to cast in their movie. Powell is incredibly charismatic and has killer comedic sensibilities in the role of Gary Johnson, a challenging performance with different layers to it. And Adria Arjona is also exceptional in her career best work. The two make for a sizzling & enjoyable romantic pairing that you can't help, but love even as their motivations remain mysterious throughout. It's one of the best comedies in years, but one that surprisingly has a lot to say about discovering one's identity. Linklater's knockout film is certain to entertain and thrill audiences around the world once it releases because it's definitely an unexpected crowdpleaser. I wanted to immediately go back and watch it again.
Release Date: The film is still without a distributor for theatrical release, but I suspect that will finally change within the next week or so. Expect a late 2023 or early 2024 release date. Make no mistake I will be unable to shut up about this one and make sure people have it on their radar once it does make its official release.
#1: The Holdovers
I got to see my fair share of great films while at TIFF, but nothing that resonated with me as hard as the latest film from Alexander Payne. The latest from the great filmmaker is one of the warmest, funniest, and emotional films that I've seen during all of 2023. It's one of those special films that I just wanted to give a big hug to once it was over and I know that sounds corny, but it's true. Paul Giamatti gives one of the best performances of his entire career as the cranky yet passionate professor who is required to look after a few students from his rich prep school during the holidays. It's one of Giamatti's most heartwarming performances ever and it's made even better by how well he plays off newcomer Dominic Sessa. And Sessa is also a revelation and holds his own so well alongside a veteran like Giamatti. As fantastic as both of our lead performers are, it's Da'Vine Randolph who is the film's secret weapon and nearly steals the entire show. The three of them have a special chemistry going on and act as their own little family unit. With a script this earnest, stellar performances from all, and even a great soundtrack this will definitely go down as one of the year's finest films. I think it's even one of Payne's very best films ever and a must see.
Release Date: Slated for a limited release here in North America for October 27th followed by a wide theatrical release on November 10th, 2023.
Biggest Surprise of the Festival: Woman of the Hour
This year's TIFF saw a huge splash of actors turned director projects. And of all the ones I was fortunate enough to check out the big winner was by far Anna Kendrick's nail biting directorial debut, Woman of the Hour. It tells the disturbing true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala who during his murder spree in the 70s made an appearance on the dating show game as a contender for bachelorette, Cheryl Bradshaw. It's one of the more impressive directorial debuts I've seen in a while that shows Kendrick has a great voice for behind the camera. The film is an unsettling look into gender dynamics and tells a story that still feels way too timely in today's modern world. Kendrick also gives a strong performance as Bradshaw here, but it's Daniel Zovatto's suitably charming and terrifying performance that will really get under your skin. The film is without an official release date, but was just picked up by Netflix this past week so I expect them to set it for a late 2023 or early 2024 release. Netflix users definitely should have this one on their radars.
Biggest Disappointment of the Festival: Poolman
I'm a big Chris Pine fan. He's arguably the best Chris in Hollywood and has become such an fascinating actor to watch unfold over the year. So imagine how much it hurts to write that his directorial debut Poolman was not only the biggest letdown for me, but also the worst film I saw during my time at TIFF (and I saw a few pretty bad ones). A noir comedy in the veins of Chinatown and The Big Lebowski is tailor made for my taste, but Pine's debut is a tonal misfire, mostly very unfunny, and even boring mess in just about every department. The ironic thing is the one saving grace is Pine himself in the lead role as he fully commits and is giving it his all, but it just can't save this misguided film. A comedy where none of the jokes really land nor does the mystery ever intrigue. It also totally squanders a great supporting cast. All of the hype surrounding the 35MM print for the film, but TIFF couldn't even deliver that at the world premiere due to technical issues. Ugh, the disappointment still really hurts. Thank goodness Pine wasn't even in attendance for this premiere.
TIFF 2023 was a blast and the countdown for next year's festival has already begun.