“I Care A Lot”
Repulsed by the number of elder abuse cases on the nightly news, filmmaker J. Blakeson (“The Disappearance of Alice Creed“) started writing/researching a script about selfish swindlers who prey on senior citizens. The result: “I Care A Lot,” a rip-roaring and immoral comic thriller. Starring Rosamund Pike as icy extortionist Marla Grayson, a woman who’s made a racket out of selling the property of retired citizens placed under her care. When Marla and her partner Frank (Eiza Gonzáles) discover the perfect mark for their schemes – an elder named Jennifer (Oscar winner Dianne Weist) with no family to inherit her fortune – things quickly go sour, the pair realizing that Jennifer may not be precisely who she appears to be, their con catching the attention of an ambitious crime baron (Peter Dinklage, “Game of Thrones”). Part cautionary exposé of all-too-real elder abuse rackets, part welcome excuse to pit the wickedly entertaining Pike and Dinklage against each other in a game of uproarious reprisals, Blakeson’s devious black comedy looks to combine the appeal of audience pleasers like “Matchstick Men” and “Hustlers,” spinning a rollicking yarn of rambunctious duplicity. – AB
“Nomadland“
Chloe Zhao‘s latest film is scheduled to premiere on the same day (September 11) at the Venice Film Festival (already taking place) and TIFF, and later will screen at NYFF in a joint collaborative effort between all the festivals. Not only does that signal great cooperation, but it also bodes well as every festival was dying to have it! (The Telluride Film Festival was canceled this year, but it was revealed “Nomadland” was scheduled there as well.) It sounds simple, but effective and a one-woman show for actor Frances McDormand. Following the economic collapse of her Nevada town, a woman (McDormand) decides to drop out of society and become a nomad, living on the fringes of society and encountering others who live the same way. Zhao is known for the poetic Western art film, “The Rider,” and she’ll surely bring many of those same sensibilities to this film. – RP
“Pieces Of A Woman”
Director Kornél Mundruczó’s first English-language film is based on a horribly tragic personal experience. Starring Vanessa Kirby and Shia LaBeouf as a grieving couple whose lives are thrown into turmoil after a disastrous homebirth, the pair find themselves caught up in a legal scandal involving a midwife (Molly Parker, “Deadwood”). Featuring an incredible cast (Sarah Snook, Iliza Shlesinger, Jimmy Fails, Ellen Burstyn, and Benny Safdie – who’s getting a lot of interesting acting work these days), a score by the always reliable Howard Shore, and already having seriously impressed Martin Scorsese (who’s attached his name as an executive producer), “Pieces of a Woman,” could be one of the most talked-about titles of the festival season. Notable for his unblinking portraits of characters under pressure, Mundruczó’s film sounds far from an easy watch, aiming to fearlessly tackle emotionally uncomfortable issues that often drive a dark wedge between domestic units with unflinching honesty. – AB
“Penguin Bloom“
Independent films at TIFF without major studio backing are exciting. However, they are big question marks, as well. One of these question marks from this year’s festival is “Penguin Bloom,” a movie about a woman coping with a tragedy and then a life-altering disability when she becomes paralyzed. Starring Naomi Watts, “Penguin Bloom” is the true-life story of a woman who suffers a traumatic accident and then finds a unique ally to pull her out of despair. That ally is a stray magpie, named Penguin, that changes her life. Yep, that sounds tricky, but if anyone can pull it off the story of trauma and acceptance, the talented Naomi Watts can? Andrew Lincoln and Jacki Weaver co-star, and Glendyn Ivin, who won the Palme d’Or at Cannes for his short film “Cracker Bag” in 2003, directs. – RP
“Shadow In The Cloud”
Screening as part of TIFF’s “Midnight Madness” line-up, “Shadow in the Cloud” pays homage to the female air force auxiliaries during World War II – women who were often responsible for transporting aircraft and supplies across various war zones, frequently without ammo or proper guidance tools. Starring Chloë Grace Moretz as Maude Garrett, a WAAF officer who is cloistered in a turret nestled at the bottom of a B-17 after receiving suspicious orders to escort an extremely classified piece of cargo. But when the plane experiences some strange mechanized malfunctions, Maude starts suspecting that there may be a stowaway on board. A disorienting action/horror hybrid from Chinese-New Zealand filmmaker Roseanne Liang’s, “Shadow in the Cloud” uses claustrophobic tension to build to a precarious airborne dog fight. Evoking the strength of a genre heroine a la Ellen Ripley from the “Alien” franchise, Moretz’s performance aims to immerse audiences into the wartime experience of an intrepid aviator fighting for her life. – AB
“Summer of ’85”
A queer coming-of-age romance that doesn’t dwell on its young characters’ coming out, François Ozon’s latest quizzical romp aims to liberate the sexual desire of an unrepressed cast of characters. “Summer of 85” follows Alexis (Félix Lefebvre) a teen torn between continuing his academic studies or joining the working man’s world. When his sailboat is upended during a hefty storm, Alexis is rescued by David (Benjamin Voison), inviting the 18-year-old into his home to meet his colorful mother (Valeria Bruni-Tedesch). Quickly taking control of the flowering relationship, David dotes and spoils Alexis with an assortment of gifts, but, as the summer goes on, the dreamy spark of their relationship starts to dim, and Alexis begins seeing a darker side of David as adoration turns to menace. Meshing elements of camp and suspense, utilizing flashbacks as well as meta-fiction, Ozon paints a sunny time capsule of sexuality and passion, questioning whether it is, ultimately, ourselves who project onto others the personas that we fall in love with. – AB
“The Boy from Medellín“
In case, you’re unaware, Matthew Heineman has established himself as easily one of the best documentarians in the world right now. If you like documentaries, even if you don’t, you need to stop what you’re doing and watch “Cartel Land” and “City of Ghosts” immediately. While he’s tried his hand at narrative films (“A Private War“), Heineman is back in the documentary realm this year with “The Boy from Medellín,” a doc portrait of Colombian reggaeton singer J Balvin as he prepares for his 2019 homecoming concert amid intense political turmoil. Here’s the thing, you don’t need to know, like or understand reggaeton or know who J Balvin is to dig this doc. Heineman is always so immersive in his filmmaking, seemingly right beside his subjects at all times, always managing to be in the most intimate places, you’d never expect a filmmaker to be. Expect that same level of proximity, emotion and depth. – RP
“The Third Day”
With long-form narratives getting more ambitious and experimental by the day (I don’t know about you, but I certainly can’t keep up with all the new programs that keep dropping), HBO brings its latest innovative miniseries to Toronto. Created by renowned UK theater company director Felix Barrett and British writer Dennis Kelly (scribe of the original “Utopia” series upon which Gillian Flynn’s new American rendition is based) “The Third Day,” finds two mainland citizens, Sam and Helen (Jude Law and Naomie Harris, respectively) stumbling upon a mysterious island at the end of a causeway, the isolated residents of which still partake in inherited rituals, such as their upcoming regular summer festival (“Midsommar,” much?). When the pair of outsiders are trapped on the island, Sam realizes that there seems to be some sort of possessive allure about this strange place. Intriguingly structured in three parts: “Summer,” which follows Sam, “Winter,” wherein Helen takes center stage, and “in-between,” “The Third Day’s” original episodic approach aims to shake up the contemporary status quo of unique serialized storytelling. – AB
Honorable Mention
Obviously that’s just the tip of the iceberg and there are many more films one can see. In addition to the titles named above, there’s I-Fan Wang’s gonzo, martial arts-filled horror-comedy, “Get the Hell Out.” David Oyelowo makes his feature film directorial debut with “The Water Man,” a mystical, family-friendly endeavor.
Dawn Porter returns with a documentary film about former White House chief photographer Pete Souza, titled “The Way I See It.” Acclaimed filmmaker Naomi Kawase’s latest, “True Mothers,” a touching family story of love and adoption. And finally, there’s Charles Officer’s “Akilla’s Escape,” which follows the story of a drug trader attempting to set things right.
This year’s TIFF begins on September 10.