The Toronto International Film Festival has always been my dream festival. But the thing about big, seemingly unattainable dreams is that you never actually think about what it would be like if that dream came true.
I’m lucky enough to have family in Toronto and have visited quite a few times over the years, I was even in Toronto for six weeks over the summer, and I very naively thought that could somehow prepare me for my first TIFF.
I was wrong.
Nothing could have prepared me for this experience—it’s bigger, louder, crazier, more terrifying, and more exquisitely beautiful than anything I had pictured. Did I mention terrifying? If I’m being honest, I spent the first few days of the festival crippled with doubt—feeling like I didn’t belong, feeling like I was going to disappoint the editors that put so much faith in me.
But then something wonderful would happen. I’d take my seat in the theater. The lights would dim, the Anne Hathaway-Zendaya Bulgari ad would play, my anxiety would dissipate, and in that moment, I was exactly where I needed to be.
I have so much to tell you all. I’m starting with my first few viewings. And some titles that made me laugh when I needed it the most. Also, I’ve been told that I should write about my celebrity sightings—well, other than the actors and filmmakers at the Q&As, I haven’t spotted anyone on the street. I keep playing a game called “Is it a celebrity or a well-dressed ‘normal’ person, and by my own count, I’m definitely losing.
The Handmaid’s Tale:
Given that my love of television was what brought me to Awards Daily in the first place, it’s rather fitting that my very first TIFF screening was actually the first two episodes of the Handmaid’s Tale’s fifth season. I’ve had an interesting relationship with the series; I loved the first season, but as the show departed from the source material, it began spinning its wheels, becoming a bit repetitive and too dependent on its signature bleakness, and by the beginning of season three, I needed a break. It was only after mutual friends began raving about the strength of the fourth season that I decided to come back around, and dear reader, this is your sign to come back too.
If the first four seasons of the series were a showcase of Elisabeth Moss as an acting tour-de-force, the fifth season cements the fact that Moss is dynamite behind the camera as well. Moss’ direction of the first two episodes is so visually striking, difficult to do in a series with an established visual palette, but this is Moss‘ world, and she does a brilliant job of bringing us even deeper into its crevasses with seat-clutching intensity and capturing new dimensions.
During the post-screening Q&A, creator Bruce Miller broke the news that The Handmaid’s Tale had been renewed for a sixth season and final season. Knowing that we are now in the penultimate season, the beginning of the end, raises the stakes even further as season five focuses in on the evolving push-and-pull between Moss’ June Osborne and Yvonne Strahovski’s Serena Joy, rendered beautifully in their performances and the visual dichotomy apparent in Moss direction.
I should mention that when asked by an audience member about the most difficult aspect of the series to work on, Moss singled out season five, and something tells me there’s more there than Moss trying to garner attention and excitement for the show. The Handmaid’s Tale has found new footing and is exploring the reverberating effects of trauma and PTSD in new and more nuanced ways. The saga of Gilead may be coming to an end, but The Handmaid’s Tale has plenty more to say. And I’ll be watching closely.
The first two episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale season five are now on Hulu.
In Conversation With…Taylor Swift
I’ve been a fan (and at times a critic) of Taylor Swift’s music since her “Tim McGraw” days. Admittedly, I’m not a super fan, I don’t dissect her videos or have deep-seated theories. I admire Swift, and I’m fascinated by her as a cultural figure. And I wanted to be in the room, to witness her star-power first-hand. And she does have star power. In spades. She literally sparkled in a gold Louis Vuitton dress that lit up under the lights of the theater stage. But, it didn’t feel like I was in the presence of an unreachable icon. The conversation with TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey was far more stripped-back and intimate than I was anticipating; it felt like I was listening in on a conversation between two deeply thoughtful and intelligent friends. Swift’s responses were open, reflective, and filled with humor in a way that I found unexpectedly endearing.
Swift has always been known to meticulously plan her videos and the images associated with each album. In fact, during the Q&A, Swift mentions that the reason she plants clues and easter eggs is because she knows her fans will pick up on them. It’s clear that “All Too Well” was made with that same attention to detail and that Swift knows far more about the craft of filmmaking than anyone has previously given her credit for; she detailed the planning stages and the films that served as inspiration (The relationship dynamics of Marriage Story and the rich autumnal colors of 70s classics like When Harry Met Sally).
Listening to Swift talk about the song and the decade of growth that has allowed her to finally visually capture that heartbreak, it’s clear how deeply personal this film is and how very real these emotions are. Far deeper than the tabloid fodder that has been written about “All Too Well” and the movie star who inspired those lyrics. It’s wonderful to see Swift in a position where she can tell her story, her way.
Bros
One thing I did not anticipate, or plan for, in my TIFF experience is the emotional toll of seeing so many dramas and films with heavy subject matter back-to-back, and that’s one of the many reasons Bros is so special to me—it’s easily the most fun I’ve had in a theater while at TIFF. Or all year. Bros hits all of the typical rom-com beats, following Billy Eichner and Luke Macfarlane as meet, fall for each other, and try to decide if risking heartbreak is worth it. It’s the equivalent of a warm, comfort blanket if that blanket also happened to be wickedly funny, whip-smart, and full of love and tenderness. The film leaves you feeling good but there’s also lots to chew on. Bros, co-written by Eichner and director Nicholas Stoller, layers the comedy and romance with depth and character development, exploring LGBTQ identity, masculinity, and community.
I’ve adored Macfalane since Brothers & Sisters and it’s so fun to see him dig into this role of a dashing leading man, and Eichner brings forth and vulnerability that I hadn’t seen from him before; their chemistry on screen is passionate and sweet and you root for them from the moment they lay eyes on each other in that crowded club. Bros hits theaters on September 30th, and I encourage you all to see it with the biggest audience you can find. There’s nothing better than an entire theater erupting into laughter together. I, for one, will be going back opening weekend because I was laughing so hard that I missed several big punchlines. And I believe in using my dollars to support diverse projects. And I desperately want a sequel.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Speaking of sequels and movies that provided a good time in a theater, it’s time to talk Glass Onion, my most anticipated film of the entire festival. And unfortunately, I feel victim to my own astronomically high expectations. Make no mistake, I liked Glass Onion, I had fun, and I could watch Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc do just about anything, but for me, Glass Onion doesn’t pack nearly the same punch as the original. I appreciate that the two films are actually pretty different from one another and that the increased budget from Netflix gave Rian Johnson and his cast more room to play. Oscar winner, Rick Heinrichs’ production design, is the ultimate eye candy and costume designer Jenny Eagan trades in the viral cable-knit sweaters from the original and elevates her work even further with for flowy, colorful, high-fashion pieces fit for an island getaway.
Still, Glass Onion feels about twenty minutes too long and at times, self-indulgent in a way that takes you out of the film. Some of the humor falls flat, and the twists could be twistier. And while the original Knives Out did a very good job of utilizing every member of its sprawling cast, Glass Onion wastes multiple A-listers, reducing them to well-intentioned, well-dressed window dressing.
A perfectly fine, if not somewhat disappointing second outing for Mr. Blanc.
The Banshees of Inisherin:
I’ve liked all of Martin McDonagh’s films, but The Banshees of Inisherin is the first one I’ve really loved. The film’s inciting incident is simple, Pádraic (Colin Farrell) begins to notice that his life-long friend, Colm (Brendan Gleeson) is ignoring him. Brushing it off as a joke or misunderstanding, Colm soon informs Pádraic that he wishes to end their friendship and cut off communication altogether.
Set on a fictional island off the coast of Ireland, isolated and with little to do, Pádraic is unable to accept Colm’s request and pushes for answers, the obsession consuming him. Banshees is so darkly funny and absurd, and McDonagh uses that as a tool to deliver a study on the dangers of grudges and revenge—one that cuts deep, exposing our fear of loneliness and rejection.
Every line Farrell delivers is perfectly timed, he’s so good, and he and Gleeson bounce so well off one another. It’s so much fun watching them rip into McDonagh’s dialogue. And Kerry Condon is particularly good as Farrell’s sister, Siobhan, trying desperately to get her brother on the right path while also seeking her own happiness, their relationship adding some much-appreciated sweetness to the film. The film is also very well crafted. Carter Burwell’s score against Ben Davis’ cinematography provides a particularly memorable backdrop for this twisted buddy comedy.
The Menu
I have to mention Mark Mylod’s The Menu. Mylod is responsible for some of Succession’s juiciest episodes, pair that with the fact that his cast includes personal favorites like Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Fiennes, Nicholas Hoult, Hong Chau and Judith Light—I was ready for whatever Mylod was going to serve up. This deliciously dark comedy centers on a group of strangers thrown together as customers of an exclusive, upscale restaurant located on a remote island, with Fiennes (the standout of a cast firing on all cylinders) as the audacious head chef. Each course has a surprise and each guest has a secret and it’ll keep you guessing until the end. The Menu isn’t subtle with its commentary—cutting into greed, excess, capitalism and entitlement like a knife through a rare streak—leaving behind mess, blood, and lots to chew on.
I’ll be back tomorrow with another entry breaking down some of the dramas I’ve seen at TIFF so far. Tears have been shed here in Toronto, folks! For now, I thank you all for reading. And kindly ask that you recommend me a comedy (or two).