26. THE MAN IN MY BASEMENT

Maybe I’ve just gotten too used to Willem Dafoe playing outlandish characters, and expected something more in that vein, but I found The Man in My Basement to be a bit of a bore. I can’t put this on the performances of Dafoe or Corey Hawkins because they’re fine, if unspectacular. I just think everything hit a lull following its mysterious setup. It’s not a film devoid of good ideas, it just doesn’t present them in a way that could keep my attention. There’s something here, no doubt, but it needed a lot more work to be brought to fruition.

25. SACRIFICE

There’s a lot reminiscent of Triangle of Sadness in the early going of Sacrifice, and although I enjoyed that film, I can’t say the same about this one. It starts strong as a satire on climate change focusing on the arrogance of the wealthy, led by a solid Chris Evans performance; however, once Anya Taylor-Joy's Joan enters the fray, everything falls apart. The early goodwill is undone by the inclusion of cult aspects and what becomes a quite annoying showing from Taylor-Joy. It all boils down to an unsatisfying conclusion that left me wondering what the point of it all was.

24. MOTOR CITY

Sure, there are some highlights, good music, and it oozes machismo, but Motor City is a misfire. Though certainly ambitious, the aspect of telling a film practically devoid of dialogue may be its weakest point, as it quickly turns into a gimmick that hurts far more than it helps. It’s as if specific shots and set-pieces were thought of, and then the creative team decided to build a story around that. Like a two-hour highlight reel. This may work for a much shorter film, but at its runtime, Motor City feels like a film that was made out of only its own trailers.

23. GOOD FORTUNE

I will preface my review here by saying that I’ve never been a fan of Aziz Ansari, so Good Fortune already had an uphill battle to climb. Even with that caveat, this is still just a run-of-the-mill, relatively forgettable comedy. An entertaining fish-out-of-water performance from Keanu Reeves aside, this just didn’t supply frequent enough laughs, as it's reminiscent of a movie that would have come out in the nineties as opposed to a present day feature. I know we’ve been harping on a return to theatres for studio comedies, but this one would likely have been better left for streaming.

22. BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER

Coming off of Conclave (my personal favourite film of TIFF 2024), director Edward Berger returns with Ballad of a Small Player, and it’s a big disappointment. Aside from giving Colin Farrell the stage for a reliably terrific performance and being a great showcase for Macau, the film feels kind of hollow. I understood the themes of addiction and temptation, and the search for fulfillment throughout, but the story gets muddled despite a strong and dynamic start. It finds its footing again for the conclusion, but it’s too little too late. Some heavy lifting done by Farrell isn’t enough to salvage Berger’s misstep.

21. EASY’S WALTZ

A story set in the underbelly of Las Vegas, written and directed by Nic Pizzolatto of True Detective fame? This definitely should have been more than just “fine,” but it spends its runtime desperately trying to get to a second gear that it never reaches. This is no fault of Vince Vaughn, who gives it his all as a down-on-his-luck crooner and breathes life into Easy’s Waltz. It’s the rest of the film that just kind of coasts along. As fellow Bitesizer Quentin would say, it’s a perfectly cromulent film. Nothing more; nothing less. But with the talent attached, it should have been more.

20. CHRISTY

As someone who has remained unconvinced of Sydney Sweeney's dramatic lead potential, Christy is without a doubt her strongest case yet. Sweeney and co-star Ben Foster are both excellent in this, and when the focus

is on the relationship of their characters, it's engaging. Unfortunately, the boxing aspect is where things fall short. For as much boxing as there is in the film, the in-ring scenes aren't dynamic in any way, and it leads to weightless fights. A career-best performance for Sweeney, no doubt. But the portrayal of Christy Martin's boxing career deserved more effort.

19. GOOD BOY

With a unique premise and Stephen Graham coming off of Adolescence, Good Boy was on my radar fairly early. Although it landed in the middle of the pack for my festival run, it’s not without its positives. Graham and Anson Boone are key among them, as their abilities to give their characters aspects of both villainy and humanity kept me engaged throughout the entire film. As great as both leads are, however, the film’s pacing often betrays them and limits the potential for powerful moments in this character study about rehabilitation. Much like its title, this one is “good” not great.

18. RENTAL FAMILY

Brendan Fraser comes across as a very kind and genuine human being, so casting him in Rental Family makes total sense. That doesn’t mean it works, though. Hikari has directed a fairly surface level story that can’t seem to focus itself. It’s a shame, as some of the themes introduced have endless potential, yet the film goes in too many directions to be able to expand on most of them. Fraser is exactly what you want him to be, but it’s the film surrounding him that feels afraid to dive into some of the questions it asks. It would’ve been much more interesting if it did.

17. MILE END KICKS

Director Chandler Levack earned tons of recognition from her film I Like Movies, and much of the same directorial qualities are present in Mile End Kicks. It’s another grounded, indie story that is unabashedly Canadian and features an unlikeable protagonist (Grace played by Barbie Ferreira). This seems to be Levack's wheelhouse. Kicks covers all the difficulties of young love. Be it the hypnotism, the bad decisions, the blindness, the manipulation, and of course, the sex. I was increasingly frustrated with Grace's decision-making, but then again, that’s quite authentic to life in your early twenties. Mark Kicks as another lived-in film to add to Levack’s filmography.

16. THE LOST BUS

Natural disasters will never stop being good material for exhilarating survival films, and The Lost Bus is yet another example. Director Paul Greengrass brings his signature docu-drama style to the world of wildfires, and it may be his best utilization of it to date. The script has its challenges (particularly in the more grounded moments), but both Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera make the most of it. I'm not saying this is ground-breaking in any way, but it's a thrilling theatrical experience that yet again makes me wonder why we don’t get more firefighting films.

15. SENTIMENTAL VALUE

I'm not sure why Sentimental Value didn’t work as well for me as it did for others. The performances are great, the story is tight and well thought out, and I have no real qualms about Joachim Trier's direction. Yet, I didn’t emotionally connect to this story in any way. Whether it’s the focus on generational trauma, making up for lost time, or simply the bond of family, I never found myself moved. It’s all a fairly mundane affair, and while Trier succeeded in making the characters feel like a real-life fractured family, they just weren’t a family I could fully invest in.

14. SAIPAN

Saipan takes a look at a lesser known

side of sports, focusing less about what happens on the field and more about how much goes into tournament preparation and the importance of the player-manager relationship. It wipes away the glamour those assume comes with a World Cup to show the grimier side of things. More importantly, it shows the contentious relationship between Roy Keane (Éanna Hardwicke) and manager Mick McCarthy (Steve Coogan), which is a contrast to the simpatico duo these films often showcase. Solid performances, a true story, and a peek behind the curtain make Saipan a nice surprise.

13. MODERN WHORE

I’ve been waiting for a feature length version of Modern Whore since seeing the original short film back in 2020. Luckily, director Nicole Bazuin and star Andrea Werhun bring the same charm, comedy, importance, and magic to this feature film. Werhun's magnetic presence instantly pulls you into her story, as she never shies away from the judgement bound to come, nor the intricacies of being a sex worker. Bazuin, for her part, incorporates the animation, cut-scenes, and graphics that made the short films work so well, while adding interviews with those closest to Andrea, which gives the film an added personal element. Worth the wait.

12. THE SECRET AGENT

The biggest success of The Secret Agent is in its craftsmanship. Director Kleber Mendonça Filho has recreated 1970s Brazil with impressive authenticity, and it plays as important a role as any character in the film. Well, aside from Wagner Moura's Marcelo. Moura gets to show off leading man capabilities here and keeps you engaged throughout the (deliberately) slower paced film. That pacing can be tough, but along with some other aspects of the film, it makes sense the further the story goes. By its end you have an impressive piece of filmmaking that makes up for a lack of excitement with detail and structure.

11. THE SMASHING MACHINE

Despite a couple of teases, I’ve been waiting to see what Dwayne Johnson can do in a serious film. Well, The Smashing Machine is his chance, and he shows how much potential is there. Going into the film, I questioned why Mark Kerr (played here by Johnson) deserved a biopic, and after leaving the film… I still question why Mark Kerr deserved a biopic. As a vehicle for Johnson to finally spread his wings, it’s a great first step. As a sports biopic, it’s fine, but an echo of countless other stories within the MMA world. Now let’s see if Johnson can keep this up. 

10. YOU HAD TO BE THERE: HOW THE TORONTO GODSPELL IGNITED THE COMEDY REVOLUTION, SPREAD LOVE & OVERALLS, AND CREATED A COMMUNITY THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (IN A CANADIAN KIND OF WAY)

The Toronto production of Godspell was before my time, but You Had to Be There… (the full title would take up my whole review) hammers home just how vital it was to comedy today. The butterfly effect of this single production is something to behold, but the true strength of this documentary is the cast. It’s not just hearing the reflections of their time together, but seeing the genuine family that came out of this one job. You can’t help but feel the love and gratitude that everyone shares, and it makes for one of the more feel-good films of TIFF.

9. ROOFMAN

There’s no doubt that Roofman is the strongest performance of Channing Tatum’s career. In fact, this is likely the mold for his ideal leading-man role. There’s comedy, romance, goofiness, a hint of toughness, and tons of heart. Think Tom Hanks in the 90s but more of a badass. A lesser performance would’ve made Jeffrey Manchester (Tatum) hard to root for, but with the heart Tatum infuses into this real life story, you can’t help but want to see him succeed in some way. Add in solid supporting performances (Kirsten Dunst, Peter Dinklage) and this film ends up better than it has any right to be.

8. WAKE UP DEAD MAN

I hate to pigeonhole a director, but if Rian Johnson continues making murder mysteries for the rest of his career, I'd be fine with that. Johnson has a knack for this, and his pairing with the now iconic Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is magic. Although Blanc takes a backseat to Rev. Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor) here, he still has moments to shine as Johnson tries his hand at creating a gothic horror film. It's ambitious, but it works, though not quite as well as the previous two entries. That said, I will still gladly take a fourth film on the work of one Benoit Blanc.

7. CAROLINA CAROLINE

Samara Weaving and Kyle Gallner are two of the more underrated actors working today, and Carolina Caroline is a terrific showcase for both of them to hammer that point home. A modern day Bonnie and Clyde saga, the love story is what takes center stage over the heist elements. The chemistry between Weaving and Gallner is off the charts, as her southern innocence is the perfect counter to his bad boy charm. They’re both sides of a magnet and you can feel the way they’re drawn to each other. It’s sexy, fun, and exciting and may just finally elevate these two in the public eye.

6. TUNER

When it comes to Tuner, Dustin Hoffman may get you in the door, but you still walk into a surprisingly good film. Evoking memories of films like Baby Driver, this is just a good time at the movies. Leo Woodall gives perhaps his strongest performance to date, and everything auditory in the film - from its sound design to its jazz infused score - is all top notch. Plus, the aforementioned Hoffman can still steal a scene at 88 years old. Considering this is a debut narrative feature from a documentary filmmaker, this is quite a success.

5. HAMNET

There’s no doubt Chloé Zhao makes thoughtful films, but I've never really connected with most of her offerings. That all changed with Hamnet. In the early stages of the film, there is a lot of meditative beauty, almost like a fairytale. It’s when the love story hits the climax and the tone changes where things stand out. Both Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal give great performances here, but it's Zhao's direction that really elevates this sorrowful journey. I could feel the emotion bubbling inside me as the story grew, and when it was released, it was both cathartic and overwhelming. Zhao’s best by my count.

4. WASTEMAN

To me, the best on-screen depiction of prison has been HBO'S Oz. So it's a huge compliment to say that's what Wasteman reminded me of. I've been waxing poetic about David Jonsson for some time, but this film is more than just a great showing from him. In fact, Tom Blyth is the headline here, as he comes out of nowhere with a powerhouse performance. A gritty, dirty film that never glorifies prison nor shy away from its issues, Wasteman may not bring anything new to the table, but when a story is told and performed as well as this, it doesn’t always need to.

3. NO OTHER CHOICE

Park Chan-wook really has something with No Other Choice. Having only seen Oldboy previously, this was a bold reintroduction to the director's work. It’s incredibly difficult to make comedy work with subtitles because so much of it is about timing, but Chan-wook finds a way to expel that issue. Whether it’s the use of physical comedy or the facial expressions from star Lee Byung-hun (who is all-around great here), the comedy shines. Yet, Chan-wook still manages to find a place to include deep commentary on class and capitalism, wrap it all up with a striking final shot, and create an impressively layered film.

2. FRANKENSTEIN

Frankenstein is director Guillermo del Toro’s heart laid out on screen. The director’s passion for this story is evident in every scene, and I truly think this is some of his best work to date. The world-building and appearance of the film are exceptional, as del Toro's unwavering use of practical effects shines through. Jacob Elordi as The Creature blows away all expectations while del Toro continues to succeed in finding humanity within a monster. It’s not perfect, mind you – Mia Goth is miscast and the script could be a touch tighter – but much like Frankenstein’s monster, it rises above any of its imperfections.

1. NIRVANNA THE BAND THE SHOW THE MOVIE

As someone who’s never seen Nirvanna the Band the Show, I really had no idea what to expect going into this movie. But it’s incredible. Yes, the film is hilarious, as Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol have clearly fine-tuned these characters. It’s the filmmaking, however, that kind of blew me away. Some of the things that Johnson attempts and succeeds at, be it editing or flat out risk-taking, is thoroughly impressive. On top of that, this thing is so authentically Torontonian, and that combined with a certain film’s integration to the story’s plot, made me feel like this was made for me.