Everybody’s Chattin + Question of the week: 7 films to see at TIFF 2015

On By ruthIn Everybody's Chattin', Random Movie Question

EverybodysChattin

Happy Tuesday everyone! Well I’m still high from the pure adrenaline rush of watching Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. Boy was than fun! I’ll post a full review but in the meantime, here’s my initial reaction:

Ok so about those links…

Michael reviewed a book on a topic I’ve been fascinated by lately, The Cartel by Don Winslow

Keith reviewed my new comedy favorite What We Do in the Shadows. My own review should be up later this week!

Margaret and Mark posted more favorable reviews on Ant-Man

I always look forward to Abbi’s mini reviews on Film Friday for recommendations and what to avoid

One of my fave blog series is The Many Faces Of by Nostra, this month he shone the spotlight on mo-cap maestro Andy Serkis

Last but not least, if you haven’t already, check out Jordan’s Philip Seymour Hoffman Blogathon to celebrate the phenomenal work of the late thespian

There are still so many of PSH’s films I need to see, one of them is Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead, reviewed by Cindy

…

Time for question of the week!

TIFF15

I was gonna make this a separate post but y’know what, I don’t want to wait another day so I’ll just hit two birds with one stone w/ my community blogging series. The TIFF 2015 full lineup has just been released today, so in case you haven’t read the list, you can hit up The Film Stage or Variety to see what films have been selected.

Wish I could return to TIFF again, it’s been ten years since I visited Toronto in 2005, which was quite an experience. Now, obviously if I were there I’d try to see as many films as I could, but say you only had seven films you could get tickets for, which ones would you see? Here are my seven picks:

Demolition

Director: Jean-Marc Vallée
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper, Naomi Watts

An investment banker, struggling to understand his emotional disconnect after the tragic death of his wife, begins to tear apart his life in an effort to see where he went wrong and is ultimately rescued by a woman he meets in a chance encounter.

Jake G. can’t do no wrong these days and the premise sounds really intriguing. I’m always intrigued by a human drama type of stories, something that could happen in real life, even people around you. Apparently the screenplay for this film was featured in the 2007 Blacklist; a list of the “most liked” unmade scripts of the year.

Eye in the Sky

Director: Gavin Hood
Cast: Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, Alan Rickman, Barkhad Abdi and Iain Glen

London-based military intelligence officer Colonel Katherine Powell (Helen Mirren) is remotely commanding a top secret drone operation to capture a group of dangerous terrorists at their safe-house in Nairobi, Kenya. The mission suddenly escalates from a capture to a kill operation, when Powell realizes that the terrorists are about to embark on a deadly suicide mission.

Anything with Dame Mirren is automatically in my must-see list, and this sounds like a really juicy role for her! Plus Alan Rickman AND Iain Glen? I’m SO there. Nice to see Captain Philips‘ Barkhad Abdi is still getting jobs in Hollywood.

LEGEND

Director: Brian Helgeland
Cast: Tom Hardy, Taron Egerton, Emily Browning


…

The true story of the rise and fall of London’s most notorious gangsters, brothers Reggie and Ron Kray, both portrayed by Tom Hardy in an amazing double performance. LEGEND is a classic crime thriller that takes audiences into the secret history of the 1960s and the extraordinary events that secured the infamy of the Kray twin.

One Tom Hardy is good enough, but TWO? A dual role is always intriguing and if there’s one actor who can pull it off it’s Tom. Plus I like Taron from the Kingsman movie.

Victoria

Director: Sebastian Schipper
Cast: Laia Costa, Frederick Lau, Franz Rogowski

…
A movie shot in a single take about Victoria, a runaway party girl, who’s asked by three friendly men to join them as they hit the town. Their wild night of partying turns into a bank robbery.

I actually just saw the trailer this weekend. Whoa, it looks like an intense and wild ride, I have no idea how they pulled off doing this in a single take!

Sicario

Director: Denis Villeneuve
Cast: Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro


…

In Spanish, Sicario means hitman. In the lawless border area stretching between the U.S. and Mexico, an idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by an elite government task force official to aid in the escalating war against drugs. Led by an enigmatic consultant with a questionable past, the team sets out on a clandestine journey forcing Kate to question everything that she believes in order to survive.

Miss Blunt is another actress I’d watch in practically anything, and the drug war has been on the news so much lately which adds to the intrigue.

Spotlight

Director: Tom McCarthy
Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Stanley Tucci, Billy Crudup.

The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.

Ruffalo AND Keaton in a film together? That alone is a reason to see this despite the icky subject matter. Great supporting cast too, Stanley Tucci is solid in everything he’s in.

The Dressmaker

Director: Jocelyn Moorhouse
Cast: Kate Winslet, Liam Hemsworth, Hugo Weaving, Sarah Snook

A glamorous woman returns to her small town in rural Australia. With her sewing machine and haute couture style, she transforms the women and exacts sweet revenge on those who did her wrong.

Sarah Snook!! I immediately want to see this because of her as she impressed me so much in Predestination. It’s been ages since I saw Winslet in anything, and the premise intrigues me. LOVE Hugo Weaving too, but the casting of Liam Hemsworth worries me though. Yes he’s hunky but the pretty boy simply can’t act.

…

Other notable TIFF screenings:

I’m anticipating Cary Fukunaga’ Beasts of No Nation too, which I’ve mentioned here, but since it will premiere on Netflix I’d rather watch it at home. Starring Idris Elba in the role of Commandant, a warlord who takes in a child soldier and instructs him in the ways of war.

Here’s the trailer:

I also have to mention Brooklyn which screened at Sundance earlier this year. It stars Saoirse Ronan as Eilis Lacey, a young woman from Ireland sent across the sea to find a new life in the land of opportunity. My friend Iba saw it at Sundance and really liked it, check out her review.

 

So tell me, if you could only choose SEVEN films to see at TIFF this year, which films would you get?

…

55 thoughts on “Everybody’s Chattin + Question of the week: 7 films to see at TIFF 2015”

  1. Thanks SO much for mentioning me among so many other great links. And all seven of the movies you list look interesting. That’s one heck of a lineup!

    Reply

    2. Oh I almost forgot about The Lobster! That one looks bonkers I just have to see that. I’m not really all that interested in The Martian for some reason.

      Reply

      1. I’m not hyped about it either but I think it has the potential to be a slightly less inferior version of Gravity and hopefully a return to form for Ridley Scott

        Reply

  3. Let’s see…if I went to TIFF again this year, I would like to see Black Mass, Legend, The Lobster, The Danish Girl, The Martian (but I plan to read the book first), Brooklyn (likewise), and Sunset Song (and again).

    Reply

    2. Hi Anna! I was thisclose to picking Sunset Song. I like Peter Mulland and the Scottish cinematography looks absolutely fantastic!

      Reply

  4. Now I’m really hyped to see the MI: Rogue Nation blockbuster. You’ve included so much great stuff, Ruth! Wow. Ms. Blunt and Mr. Hardy always get my attention these days. Their films coming out are definitely on my radar. As always, much obliged for the generous linkage — I’ll be seeing Mr. Winslow again this evening (picking up a signed copy of THE CARTEL for my Duo Post partner Rachel at another of his book tour stops). 😀

    Reply

    1. Hi Michael! I think you’ll enjoy the heck out of Rogue Nation. Finally we have a kick-ass female protagonist who actually has a character arc. Oooh so you’ve seen Mr Winslow in person? Very cool! Here I thought it was so cool that he favorited my tweet, ahah.

      Reply

  5. This post is stuffed with excitement, Ruth! Thank you again, for the sound out! Much obliged. I’m dragging anyone I can to see MI5. I am so glad you approve! I’ve always liked the franchise. Any film with Emily Blunt in it can’t be bad!

    Reply

    1. Hi Cindy! If you’re a fan of the MI franchise you’ll enjoy this latest one immensely. You’ll appreciate the female protagonist here too, nice to see Ethan Hunt meeting his match… in a woman!

      LOVE miss Blunt too, she’s lovely!

      Reply

  6. That’s quite a line up! Like you I’m very much intrigued by Sicario and Legend. The trailer for the latter in particular is one that I’ve enjoyed and I hope there’s a good film to follow. On top of those two if I could only pick 7 I’d go for Atom Egoyan’s Remember, Charlie Kaufman’s Anomalisa, Audiard’s Dheepan (Palme D’Or winner, plus I love his films anyway), The Lobster by Yorgos Lanthimos and Lenny Abrahamson’s Room, just because Frank was so weird I’m keen to see what he makes of this adaptation. I’ll try and see all of those when they’re out in the UK, but I suspect a few of them won’t be on general release until 2016.

    Reply

    1. Hi Stu! [sorry now every time I see your name I think of the guy from What We Do in the Shadows!] 😀 Dheepan does look great, I mentioned that on my Sundance list, and Lobster too which sounds so nuts! Frank is such an odd little flick but I’m curious about what Abrahamson’s next film.

      Reply

  7. Let’s see, Anomalisa, Dheepan, The Lobster, Sicario, Demolition, The Program, and Youth. There’s a lot of great films coming out and let’s hope Thomas McCarthy makes a comeback after the debacle that was The Cobbler (let’s blame Adam Sandler for that one).

    Reply

    1. Oh I just read about Anomalisa. Kaufman’s first stop-motion film, very interesting! Yep, just blame Adam Sandler, I’m astonished people still hire that guy!

      Reply

  9. I haven’t been paying much attention to the TIFF but I definitely want to see BLACK MASS, SICARIO, LEGEND and THE MARTIAN (I figure this will be Sr. Scott’s last chance of redeeming himself as a big budget director, he made a few stinkers the last couple of years.)

    I hope the Dolby Atmos sounds great for Mission 5! I was going to see it on IMAX first but I prefer to hear it in Atmos, if it’s as good as you say then I’ll see it again on the IMAX screen.

    Reply

    1. Hi Ted! The ICON MI:5 screening actually didn’t have Dolby Atmos but it was still pretty darn good. I might see it again at the real IMAX at the zoo though, man some of those action sequences surely would look spectacular.

      Ahah yeah I kind of lost faith in Ridley Scott already, that’s why I’m not even anticipating The Martian. Hopefully it’s good but I’ll wait for reviews coming in before deciding to see it.

      Reply

      1. That’s weird that the Icon theater didn’t show it with Atmos sound for press screening, they did the same thing with Ant-Man when I was there. I guess they’re going to only include Atmos when the movie opens to public. Oh well, I’m seeing tomorrow night at the Atmos theater so I’m pretty excited!

        Reply

      1. Thanks! Its the first time I’ve tried to organise a blogathon and I honestly thought I’d have not many people on board. The response I got was waaaay bigger than I expected 😀

        Yeah a double Hardy performance looks interesting. Have you heard of Child 44? Tom hardy with a bloody good Russian accent. Gonna buy it as soon as it hits DVD.

        The other one there that looks interesting is Secario. I loved Enemy and Prisoners so it’ll be interesting to see what Villeneuve’s (sp?) next film will be like

        Reply

        1. No I haven’t seen Child 44 but will rent it for sure. I mean it’s got Gary Oldman too right? Hardy is great w/ accents, I mean in Locke he’s got a Welsh accent.

          I hope Sicario won’t be as weird as Enemy, boy that is one really weird film.

          Reply

          1. hehehe I loved that weirdness of Enemy. That is one I must watch again.

            Its funny, he is indeed good with accents but in Mad Max he didn’t sound like he was trying for an aussie accent! But other than that you are right!

            And yeah, its also got oldman in it. And Vincent Cassell. Its a lock for me, I think it releases online on August 4

            Reply

            1. Oh Cassell is in Child 44 too? He’s a creepy guy but VERY charismatic. He has a face suited to play villains, I’d like to see him as a sweet, loving father or something for a change.

              As for ENEMY, I’m glad I saw it as the performances are so good, but man I don’t usually go for such weird movies.

              Reply

                1. Oh I don’t know if Cassell is playing a villain, I just assumed he does, ahah. I like him, he’s very elegant (I mean he’s French, naturally) but in a sinister kind of way.

                  Reply

                    1. Ah that’s right! Russian accents always sounds eeevil… ahah. My hubby has a Russian name (Ivan) so he always rolls his eyes whenever the villain in a movie is named after him, ahah.

                    2. hehehe. Time will tell, I can’t wait to see this one. All I know from the trailers is that Hardy can pull of a pretty damned good Russian accent! Can’t wait to see it

  15. Oh, I’m dying to see Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation! Glad to hear it’s a fun movie.

    Tough question. I’d see Beasts of No Nation, Dheepan, The Lobster, Room, Son of Saul, Victoria, and Youth.

    Reply

    1. Hi Josh! Go see it this weekend, it’s so much fun and I also like the premise. My review will be up this weekend.

      Son of Saul sounds really intriguing but I think I’d rather rent that and see it at home, sounds quite disturbing.

      Reply

  16. Pingback: JULY Viewing Recap + Movie of the Month |

  17. Jealous of those who can go to TIFF! My most anticipated at the festival: Sicario(Denis Villeneuve), The Lobster(Yorgos Lanthimos), Louder than Bombs(Joachim Trier), Dheepan( Jacques Audiard), Anomalisa(Charlie Kaufman). I’m not seeing Ridley Scott’s latest unless the reviews are good.

    Reply

  20. Pingback: Thursday Movie Picks #62: Journalist/Reporters for Print/TV |

  21. Pingback: Movie Review – Dressmaker, The (2015) |

  22. Pingback: Movie Review – Eye In The Sky (2015)

Join the conversation by leaving a comment