TIFF 2023: ‘Origin’
By: Jolie Featherstone Origin is Ava DuVernay’s latest film and it is, quite simply, a masterpiece.
Vera Farmiga
Boundaries
By: Nick van Dinther In Boundaries, director Shana Feste tells a story that’s loosely based on her relationship with her father and their shared life experience; which makes it surprising that one of the movie’s biggest setbacks is how cliché it is, and how it lacks realism.
The Commuter
The Commuter, the new film from celebrated cross-genre filmmaker Jaume Collet-Serra, pairs the acclaimed vulgar auteur once again with Liam Neeson (following 2011’s Unknown, 2014’s Non-Stop and 2015’s Run All Night) to deliver a thrilling high concept action film with timely yet flawed social commentary.
Special Correspondents
Ricky Gervais revels in button-pushing humour, and he’s proven to transcend those same gags by stripping away the glamourous sheen from the rich and famous. In film and television, he’s used this gusto to make satirical jabs at faith and goodwill (The Invention of Lying) as well as fluff up ignorant egos (UK’s The Office).
The Conjuring
By: Addison Wylie My disappointment with The Conjuring isn’t caused by oodles of pre-release buzz, but because I know director James Wan can do so much better. Wan, who I consider a modern day master of horror, knows the genre well. He’s able to build tension and isn’t afraid to milk a quiet situation for all that it’s worth. He knows exactly how long to hold the viewers’ anticipation and how far to drag them…