A Glass Of Wine At The Movies - TIFF 2019 Early Line Up

It may seem like the autumn months are far away but the TIFF line up is here to remind us that the fall film festivals are just around the corner.

As someone who follows Oscar buzz these festivals always ensure certain movies get a little boost going into awards season. Green Book won the People's Choice Award, which is the award given by the festival audience, at TIFF last year and went on to win Best Picture. 

I personally have never been to TIFF but there are always movies being showcased that I am interested in seeing and this year is no exception.

Here are my thoughts on some of the movies selected that I want to personally see or that I think will create some buzz. This is by no means an exhaustive list and I am sure I am missing some must see movies. Each is linked to the TIFF page for that particular movie if you want to learn more about any of them.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

The documentary about Fred Rogers did well both at the box office and during awards season. Only time will tell if people got their fill of Mr Rogers nostalgia with that documentary of if that success will translate to this movie as well. The movie focuses on a writer who is assigned to write a profile piece on Mr Rogers for Esquire magazine).

Tom Hanks is always a potential Oscar favourite, but this movie could pop up in many categories if it does well. 

Endings, Beginnings

This is a movie that I am personally interested in. There isn't much known other than a young woman is trying to get her life back together and ends up in a love triangle with two friends. I enjoy everyone in the cast (which is Shailene Woodley, Jamie Dornan, and Sebastian Stan) and it just sounds like a movie I would potentially enjoy. Excited to see a trailer once one is released.

Ford v Ferrari

Focusing on the 1966 "24 Hours of Le Mans" endurance race that saw Ford taking on Ferrari. Christian Bale is an awards favourite so he is always a possibility and this one could show up in tech categories if done well. It was moved from its original summer spot to a more awards friendly fall release which speaks to confidence in the movie from the people releasing it.

Harriet

Cynthia Erivo already has a lot of buzz attached to her portrayal of Harriet Tubman. I think it is more expectation than from anyone having seen it, but there is a large interest. The movie itself looks like it could have some promise in multiple categories.

How to Build a Girl

This is based off of Caitlin Moran's book of the same name and stars Beanie Feldstein as a teen who is trying to reinvent herself as a music critic in London. I think this one is going to be fun and I really enjoyed the book it is based off of.

Joker

This first 'comic book' inspired movie to premiere at the festival (I believe anyway). It is being presented as a origin story for the infamous Batman villain. There will obviously be an awards campaign for Joaquin Phoenix so it makes sense that it will do the festival rounds. It only makes sense if they are serious about him getting a nomination. The trailer certainly makes it look like he is giving one heck of a performance.

Judy

Renee Zellweger stars as Judy Garland and the trailers that have been released showcase what seems to be an incredible performance. It is probably your standard biopic but Renee could walk away with a nomination if her performance is as strong throughout the the movie.


Just Mercy

The cast of this one caught my eye - it has Brie Larson and Michael B Jordan in it. It doesn't reveal much about the plot, and I haven't seen a trailer yet, but I enjoy both of those actors immensely. It follows a lawyer going to defend a man who was wrongfully convicted of a crime despitet there being evidence proving him innocent.


Knives Out

This one just looks like it is going to be a lot of fun! The trailer boasts that it is a 'whodunit like nobody has ever done it' and it certainly has an impressive (and large) cast filled with both big stars and character actors.


The Goldfinch

This is being adapted from the book of the same name. I saw it pop up on a lot of early Oscar lists and hopefully it is a good as everyone thinks it is. Ansel Elgort stars as a man who lost his mother when he was much younger in a museum bombing. I don't know much more about it other than it takes it name from a painting that is important to the plot.

The Report

This sort of reminds me of the movie Spotlight. It is about investigative reporters who are looking into the CIA's use of torture tactics after 9/11. Another impressive sounding cast and it rave reviews after its premiere at Sundance. 

My pick for movie that wins the audience award this year? I have to go with It's A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood. Something about the notion of Tom Hanks playing Mr Roger's feels like a combination that could be especially people pleasing.

What movie that is being showcased at TIFF would you most like to see? Did I miss anything that you feel is a must see? Let me know in the comments. 

Movie Talk: Toronto International Film Festival

As mentioned in a recent post there will start to be a little more movie content on the blog. Today's post will fit into the more Oscar theme I am going to have with these posts as I am going to talk about the Toronto International Film Festival's Gala and Special Presentations selections. 

Plenty of movies that are showcased at TIFF go on to have impressive Oscar campaigns (and wins) so it is only natural that the Oscar conversation start when these announcements begin. I've always wanted to experience TIFF and this year's movies have me wishing I could attend even more.

I am going to spotlight the six movies from the current list that I personally would want to see. Why six? One of the ticket packages available for the event is a booklet of 6 tickets. 

My Top Six List Of Movies I Would Want To See At TIFF

1- A Star Is Born 

Bradley Cooper's directorial debut has been on my radar since it was announced. I also may have flailed A LOT about the first trailer. This movie's buzz has just started to increase and I have been hearing amazing things from the screenings that have recently been held. There is a reason this story gets retold and it is because, if done right, the story can really resonate. 

2- Beautiful Boy

Everyone knows how much I loved Timothee Chalamet's performance in Call Me By Your Name. I wasn't surprised when he didn't win the Oscar but I was certainly not happy about it. This movie seems to have him in more of a supporting role but also looks like it could snag him another Oscar nomination. Based on a set of memoirs by David and Nic Sheff, it chronicles Nic's drug addiction and the impact it has on him and his family.

3- The Hate U Give

I loved the book this is based on and the trailer looks really solid. I am going to be following the review of this one in particular to see if the buzz may end up building on this one. It has some Oscar potential with the story being told.

4- Widows

Another splashy movie that already has a ton of buzz behind it. The trailer is great and I am here for whatever Daniel Kaluuya is doing with his role in this. I like so much of the cast and a lot of the choices that seem to have been made. Gillian Flynn wrote the screenplay which also has me intrigued because I love her books.

5- First Man

This one is on my list because I think it'll be one that everyone is talking about when discussing potential Oscar nominations. The trailer seems to capture the gritty, dangerous aspects of space exploration and in particular the mission to get this crew to the moon. It, obviously, seems to focus on Neil Armstrong (hence the title) but I hope it explores a lot more of the space preparation elements than his personal life.

6- If Beale Street Could Talk

I have been hearing steady buzz for this movie about a woman attempting to free her wrongfully convicted husband from prison. There is no trailer for it currently but plenty of early Oscar predictors have it being in the conversation.

There are plenty more I would love to see. Special mention for MOUTHPIECE which is a Canadian film that has plenty of women involved in all aspects of its creation from writing, producing, directing and more. Giant Little Ones, another Canadian movie, also caught my attention after I viewed the trailer.

I am excited to see what other movies will be announced as part of the line up to be showcased at this year's festival. Are you attending TIFF this year? Wish you could? What movies from those announced would you most want to attend? Any movies you have your eye on in terms of potential Oscar contenders? Let me know in the comments and check out all of the movies announced over at TIFF.net.