King Street was thronged. Rush lines stretched blocks. Screenings were packed. But something nevertheless felt muted and anxious in Toronto this year. Or, would this be the festival for purists? Sans celebrity distractions, might one appreciate the films on their own terms?
Sure—but more questions still loom. Will studios buy them? And will there be any films next year? It was hard to know what to think about the strikes and rancor as TIFF churned its earnest way on, taking no sides, like a child of divorced parents. The only sensible strategy, amid it all, was to take in as many movies as one could. The festival ends on Sunday. Below are the movies that grabbed me, and gave me a little rush of optimism that impasses will be broken and creativity and commerce will gloriously reconcile.
I've ordered them by release date, though some are still seeking distribution as I write. I expect—hope! Their duel turns the movie into a kind of Nordic western with old-fashioned pleasures: romance, villainy, adventure, heroism, a bloody, gripping climax, and loads of gorgeous widescreen vistas along the way. Please read full and original article here. Film info Film title The Promised Land.
