[TIFF 2018] REVIEW: ‘The Wedding Guest’ is a well-shot but aimless crime drama

Which is all well and good, but the film doesn’t encourage us to cheer her on. We’re not given much evidence of her unhappiness with her family, and so she comes across as impulsive and entitled. Later on, she reacts inexplicably coldly to a violent act perpetrated by Jay, and it’s hard to tell how we’re supposed to feel about it. Then, despite being given many opportunities to part ways, Samira and Jay drift into something resembling a romance, though they have very little chemistry (unless evidence of it got buried in one of the many travelling montages). It adds up to be a rather uninspiring amount of character work, with no clear purpose.

Film, New ReleasesRobert SnowSeptember 8, 2018crime, thriller, romance, road movie, travel, dev patel, radhika apte, michael winterbottom, movies, film, cinema, tiff, tiff 2018, 2018, reviewComment

REVIEW: ‘The Shape of Water’ is a gorgeous and mature Cold War fairy tale

Del Toro isn’t taking the risk for shock value. He wants to stage an adult relationship, and explore what it really looks like for two outcasts, even ones from different (or fantastical) species, to fall in love. In an age when historically marginalized people are slowly finding it easier to express themselves and be comfortable in their own skins, The Shape of Water feels incredibly timely - even though it’s set decades in the past.

[TIFF 2017] REVIEW: ‘Downsizing’ takes Alexander Payne’s social consciousness global, with uneven results

By contrast, in his new film Downsizing, Payne expands his perspective to the entire planet, and in so doing loses some of the authenticity that he’s been known for. Downsizing doesn’t seem to trust the audience to pick up on its save-the-world thesis, and ends up feeling more like an over-eager university student giving a speech than a satisfying moviegoing experience. It’s not a bore, but it wastes too much energy wagging its finger while the story is lagging behind.

[TIFF 2017] REVIEW: ‘The Current War’ buzzes with ideas, but doesn’t connect

Gomez-Rejon throws a lot at the screen, especially some adventurous cinematography, but it doesn’t help clarify a thorny narrative that spreads out over many years and offers valid arguments on either side of the debate. No matter the subject matter, historical period pieces generally need to synthesize the many sources out there into something that educates and entertains inside of two hours. It’s kind of hard to do that when the director appears to be fussing over the umpteenth long take, off-kilter composition, or daring scene change.

[TIFF 2017] REVIEW: ‘Lady Bird’ is an unforgettable debut, powered by striking authenticity

One of my favourite foundations for a movie is a young character with improbable confidence. Whether it’s Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) in True Grit or Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman) in Rushmore, there’s something instantly charming and loaded with potential in a character who knows their own mind, and charges forward in a world of adults. They’re often the product of an unusual background, and they continually baffle those around them, but there’s a sense that once the wider world gets a few knocks in, their smarts will see them through.