Top Ten of TIFF 2018
by Christian Tane
Another TIFF in the books – my 7th, and another personal record broken – this year, I have seen 37 films in 10 days. As usual, I avoided some big titles that have cinema release dates in the very near future, and that included the surprise winner of the People’s Choice Award, Peter Farrelly’s “Green Book”, as well as other titles like “First Man”, “If Beale Street Could Talk”, “The Sisters Brothers”, “White Boy Rick”, “The Predator”, “Halloween”, “A Star Is Born”, or “Beautiful Boy”. I also missed out on a couple of screenings I really wanted to attend, but sold out before I managed to grab tickets: Palme d’Or winner “Shoplifters”, and Xavier Dolan’s “The Life and Death of John F. Donovan”.
For everything else, this is what I liked most.
ROMA (Alfonso Cuaron) – 10 on 10
What a masterclass in filmmaking this is. A slice-of-life story set in Mexico a few decades ago, based on Alfonso Cuaron’s own life as a kid, “ROMA” is exceptional in many aspects. It’s a timely story of acceptance and inclusion, culturally relevant, and extremely significant in today’s world. Shot in gorgeous black and white, also by Alfonso Cuaron, it offers a very detailed look at the life of a family in the Mexico of the 70s. And even though it’s light on plot, it never falters in its goals, and it’s never less than stellar in its intimate, heartfelt, poetic portrayal of not only the family at its center, but also the society of those times. Best film at this year’s TIFF, and pretty much a lock for many awards this winter.
Burning (Lee Chang-dong) – 9 on 10
What a wonderfully interesting, complex and ambiguous this new Korean flick from director Lee Chang-dong is. This is an excellent story of love, loneliness, jealousy and rebellion, that features some very compelling characters. It’s a movie that shines through perfect execution, in the way it develops the characters and the plot, through the details it shows and the ones it leaves hidden. It’s gorgeous too, with its sometimes subdued cinematography leaving room to some incredible shots and use of colors. The soundtrack is worth a mention too. Not surprised this was chosen as Korea’s entry for the Oscars, it’s a near masterpiece that deserves the accolades.
Hold the Dark (Jeremy Saulnier) – 9 on 10
Jeremy Saulnier continues his streak of amazing movies, after “Blue Ruin” and “Green Room”, with another layered, compelling story, grounded in reality yet featuring plenty of ambiguity and even references to local Alaskan myths. It’s a tense, dark film, helped by solid performances from everyone involved, and undeniable proof of Saulnier’s increasing confidence in his craft. It’s obvious, in the way scenes are shot, the slow, effective pace, even the way people talk, that this is a film from someone on top of his game. It’s a more mature, better crafted work than his previous films (although it still doesn’t beat the genius of “Blue Ruin”). Also, that shootout scene is perfect.
Border (Ali Abbasi) – 8 on 10
It’s difficult to talk about this film without spoiling the great discoveries throughout. Just know it’s not exactly what the synopsis makes it out to be, and it’s better going in blind.
One of the most unique coming of age stories I’ve ever seen, that’s in equal parts weird, tense, beautiful, and emotional. A story about discovering yourself, about deciding your path in life, about crossing the borders that have been set out in front of you. Director Ali Abbasi creates a fantasy world that’s fully anchored in reality, and cinematographer Nadim Carlsen perfectly captures both the coldness of a secluded life, as well as the beauty of it. Both leads do a tremendous job in difficult roles. Oh, and there’s also that sex scene. Saying anything more would be too much. Just know it’s a great movie, weird and unique, and would have been a perfect entry to the late Vanguard section of TIFF.
Outlaw King (David Mackenzie) – 8 on 10
David Mackenzie’s latest is not as good as his previous two films, “Hell and High Water” and “Starred Up”, but that’s entirely because of how great those two are. “Outlaw King” is still excellent. This is Netflix’s first big scale attempt of this kind, a movie that, despite the exposure it will get from the streaming giant, will lose a lot by being seen on a tiny laptop screen. This is as epic and cinematic as Netflix originals have ever been, a large theater screen is highly recommended.
This de facto follow up to “Braveheart” continues that story, set in Scotland in the 14th century, centering this time on Robert the Bruce, the new King of Scots, in his attempts to liberate his country from the English. The story is straightforward and apparently very historically accurate, but, while the main character is interesting, and Chris Pine is solid, many of his sidekicks are underdeveloped. That’s one of the few flaws that bothered me about this, because I enjoyed everything else a lot. The execution, the acting, the bleak yet beautiful cinematography and overall somber tone, the sudden bursts of violence that lead to an epic fight that will likely push this into hard R territory – they all combine to form an exciting, fast paced adventure, that could have used some better character arcs and a less abrupt ending, but, overall, did enough to stand on its own as a worthy continuation of the story.
Destroyer (Karyn Kusama) – 8 on 10
“Destroyer” is the kind of violent, intense, adult-oriented crime drama that is getting rarer nowadays. It tells an interesting story of a cop trying to come to terms with her past, and features a transformative performance from Nicole Kidman. She is terrific, in both the present and past scenes. She plays an intriguing, compelling character, on a path of revenge and redemption for something she was involved with long ago. The story unfolds beautifully, helped by the subdued yet effective cinematography of Julie Kirkwood, although it’s not perfect – a couple of subplots drag things down a bit, especially the one involving the daughter. Overall, however, I enjoyed this a lot.
In Fabric (Peter Strickland) – 8 on 10
“In Fabric” is more than a simple genre movie. Peter Strickland’s latest continues on his path of weird, unique cinema – this is an extremely hypnotic film, drenched in shades of Giallo, that also doubles as an excellent commentary on consumerism. Its characters are surprisingly well developed, and even though the film loses a bit of steam in its second half and becomes quite repetitive, it consistently features some brilliant, unique moments. I genuinely can’t wait to see what Strickland does next.
Vox Lux (Brady Corbet) – 8 on 10
This is a story we’ve seen before – the rise of a music star, dealing with fame and how fame changes you. But what makes this special and unique is, especially, the execution. Brady Corbet is a director to keep an eye on. There’s a sense of artistic ingenuity and true talent in this, in the effective, realistic way of how the prologue is shot, in the cold and calculated look and feel, which contrasts with the happy pop music its star performs, in how the editing and soundtrack all tie together. The movie is very uneven, with a strong, heartfelt first half followed by the present half, in which the story drops but is still a joy to watch due to a powerful performance from Natalie Portman. She seems like she’s overacting at first, with a strong accent and way of speaking that seems forced, but once you get used to it, you realize it’s quite special.
I don’t think this is anywhere near mainstream enough to do anything outside of the festival circuit, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Portman gets some awards recognition come winter.
Birds of Passage (Ciro Guerra, Cristina Gallego) – 8 on 10
A great drama about the rise and fall of a Wayuu drug dealing family, that offers a very interesting glimpse into the life and traditions of the Wayuu in north Colombia a few decades ago. Filled to the brim with details, beautiful to look at, and always on point with commentary on how the outside world can interfere and influence the tranquil life of a community, “Birds of Passage”, while not as impressive as Ciro Guerra’s “Embrace of the Serpent”, is still one of the highlights of this festival.
Freaks (Zach Lipovsky, Adam B. Stein) – 8 on 10
Who could have thought the director of such fare as “Leprechaun: Origins” and “Dead Rising: Watchtower” is actually talented enough to craft this surprisingly wild, smart and fun mish-mash of genres, that effortlessly switches from psychological drama to action to sci-fi, and does so with plenty of style and smarts.
“Freaks” was a revelation, and the less you know about it heading in, the better. It creates an exciting fantasy world, and I particularly liked how slowly this universe, and its secrets and rules, are revealed. It’s very well shot for a low budget film, and even though during the couple of scenes that rely on heavy special effects you can tell it’s not a big studio movie, they’re creative enough to make everything else look really good. I also need to give props to Lexy Colker. Kid actors this talented come by rarely. Her on screen chemistry with Emile Hirsch is great, and it is what pulled me in early, before the fun action started.
Obviously, it has flaws, but I’ve had so much fun discovering this world they created, that it was easy to look past some potential plot holes and silly superhero moments. It’s a great ride that I highly recommend. Just don’t read anything about the plot beforehand.
Honorable mentions
High Life (Claire Denis) – 7 on 10
Shadow (Zhang Yimou) – 7 on 10
Never Look Away (Florian Henckel von Donnersmark) – 7 on 10
