Today marks the kick-off for the Toronto International Film Festival where Hollywood comes to Canada. This festival is usually on of the early indicators of how the year’s movie award season will shake out. Which big movies will disappoint, which smaller movies will surprise everyone, and which will emerge as Oscar front-runners. It’s an exciting time for all movie fans and this year has an especially exciting batch of films. Check out the most notable entries in TIFF 2018.
22 July
Diected by Paul Greengrass
Starring Thorbjørn Harr, Anders Danielsen Lie, Jon Øigarden
From a director Paul Greengrass (United 91, Captain Phillips) known for tackling difficult true stories, this film tells the aftermath of the horrific 2011 terrorist attack in Norway.
A Star is Born
Directed by Bradley Cooper
Starring Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, Sam Elliott
The directorial debut of actor Bradley Cooper and the breakout film of singer Lady Gaga. The two star in this remake of 1937 film follows a famous musician who helps an undiscovered talent become a star as his alcoholism begins to destroy his own life.
Beautiful Boy
Directed by Felix Van Groeningen
Starring Steve Carell, Timothée Chalamet, Maura Tierney
Based on the memoirs from a father and son, this film follows a family’s devastating struggles with a son battling addiction over a number of years.
Boy Erased
Directed by Joel Edgerton
Starring Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe
Based on the memoir, this film tells the story of a teenager who is outed as gay by his strict Christian parents and forced to attend a church-conversion therapy in the hope of “curing” him.
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Directed by Marielle Heller
Starring Melissa McCarthy, Richard E. Grant, Dolly Wells
Based on the memoir, the film centers on Lee Israel who gained acclaim and notoriety for uncovering lost letters and notes from famous writers and artists over the years, only to discover she had forged them all.
Fahrenheit 11/9
Directed by Michael Moore
A documentary from the controversial filmmaker Michael Moore chronicling how America led to electing Donald Trump as president.
First Man
Directed by Damien Chazelle
Starring Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Corey Stoll
The third feature film from Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle (La La Land, Whiplash). It tells the story of the mission to the moon where Neil Armstrong took those iconic first steps and the immense danger of the entire situation.
Green Book
Directed by Peter Farrelly
Starring Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini
Set in the 1960s, this dramatic comedy tells of the friendship that develops between an African American pianist and a working class Italian hired to drive him on tour across the American South.
Halloween
Directed by David Gordon Green
Staring Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Will Patton
A sequel to the iconic 1978 horror film. Set 40 years after the events of the first film, Michael Myers has escaped from prison and returns to continue his killing spree. But Laurie Strode, the survivor of his first attack, has been waiting for him the whole time.
Hold the Dark
Directed by Jeremy Saulnier
Starring Jeffrey Wright, Alexander Skarsgård, Riley Keough
From up-and-coming director Jeremy Saulnier (Green Room, Blue Ruin) this bleak thriller follows a tracker sent to a remote Alaskan location to respond to reports that children have been taken by wolves.
If Beale Street Could Talk
Directed by Barry Jenkins
Starring KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Regina King
Based on the book by James Baldwin, Barry Jenkin’s follow up to Oscar-winning Moonlight tells the story of a young pregnant women living in Harlem trying to prove the innocence of her imprisoned fiancé.
Mid90s
Directed by Jonah Hill
Starring Sunny Suljic, Lucas Hedges, Na-kel Smith
The directorial debut from actor Jonah Hill centers on a 13-year-old boy who finds solace from his homelife in his skateboard community.
Outlaw King
Directed by David MacKenzie
Starring Chris Pine, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Stephen Dillane
The unbelievable true life struggle of Scottish Rebellion led by Robert The Bruce against the much larger armies of Kind Edward I.
ROMA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp_i7cnOgbQ
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón
Starring Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira, Diego Cortina Autrey
From acclaimed director Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity, Children of Men) follows a year in the life of a family in 1970’s Mexico City.
The Front Runner
Directed by Jason Reitman
Starring Hugh Jackman, Vera Farmiga, Kaitlyn Dever
Based on a true story, 1988 presidential candidate Gary Hart has his promising campaign upended by a scandalous affair with ramifications that would affect political campaigns forever.
The Old Man & The Gun
Directed by David Lowry
Starring Robert Redford, Sissy Spacek, Casey Affleck
Based on a true story of an outlaw who escaped prison at the age of 70 and began a series of bank robberies in which he was noted to be a very friendly criminal.
The Predator
Directed by Shane Black
Starring Boyd Holbrook, Sterling K. Brown, Trevante Rhodes
A sequel to the 1987 action film, this follow-up centers on a group of disgraced soldiers who become the prey for an alien who hunts for sport.
The Sisters Brothers
Directed by Jacques Audiard
Starring John C. Reilly, Joaquin Phoenix, Jake Gyllenhaal
Based on the novel from Canadian writer Patrick DeWitt, this Western focuses on two contentious brothers on a violent path to find and kill a mysterious man.
Widows
Directed by Steve McQueen
Starring Viola Davis, Liam Neeson, Michelle Rodriguez
After their husbands are killed in a violent heist, four widows of thieves are forced to come together to pull of the unfinished job.