Toronto International Film Festival — Blog

TIFF23: Snow Leopard

The late Pema Tseden’s Snow Leopard is a beautiful drama that captures the mysterious power of the Tibetan plateau.

Aren's Reviews, Reviews, The Festival CircuitAren BergstromSeptember 20, 2023Snow Leopard, Tibet, China, Pema Tseden, Jinpa, Tseten Tashi, Xiong Ziqi, Losang Choepei, Genden Phuntsok, TIFF23, Toronto International Film FestivalComment

TIFF23: Wildcat

Ethan Hawke’s Wildcat examines the life and work of Flannery O’Connor in unconventional, passionate fashion.

TIFF23: Mandoob

Ali Kalthami’s Mandoob is a strong debut that recalls classic film noirs in its exploration of one pathetic man’s increasingly bad decision making.

Aren's Reviews, Reviews, The Festival CircuitAren BergstromSeptember 12, 2023TIFF23, Toronto International Film Festival, Mandoob, Ali Kalthami, Mohammed Algarawi, Mohammed Aldokhi, Hajar Alshammari, Mohammed Alttowayan, Sarah Taibah, Saudi ArabiaComment

TIFF22: Theater of Thought

Werner Herzog’s Theater of Thought is as much a detour into his mind and way of thinking as a documentary about the science of the mind.

Aren's Reviews, Reviews, The Festival CircuitAren BergstromSeptember 15, 2022Theater of Thought, Werner Herzog, TIFF22, Toronto International Film FestivalComment

TIFF22: The Eternal Daughter

Joanna Hogg’s The Eternal Daughter is a ghost story that plays more as confessional autofiction than horror film.

Aren's Reviews, Reviews, The Festival CircuitAren BergstromSeptember 13, 2022TIFF22, Toronto International Film Festival, The Eternal Daughter, Joanna Hogg, Tilda SwintonComment

TIFF21: Burning

Eva Orner’s documentary about the Australian bushfires of 2019-2020 is a quick-paced and informative, if overly conventional, work that’s best when it lets its anger fuel its storytelling.

Aren's Reviews, Reviews, The Festival CircuitAren BergstromSeptember 21, 2021Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF21, Burning, Eva OrnerComment

TIFF21: Night Raiders

Danis Goulet’s debut feature is a potent sci-fi allegory for residential schools held back by its generic dystopian worldbuilding.

Aren's Reviews, The Festival Circuit, ReviewsAren BergstromSeptember 17, 2021Night Raiders, Danis Goulet, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Brooklyn Letexier-Hart, Alex Tarrant, Amanda Plummer, Violet Nelson, TIFF21, Toronto International Film FestivalComment

TIFF21: Terrorizers

Ho Wi Ding’s provocative Taiwanese drama about loneliness and voyeurism clarifies its themes and narrative in startling fashion.

Aren's Reviews, Reviews, The Festival CircuitAren BergstromSeptember 16, 2021Terrorizers, Taiwan, Ho Wi Ding, Natasha Sung, Austin Lin, Moon Lee, Annie Chen, JC Lin, Pipi Yin, Ning Ding, Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF21Comment

TIFF21: Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash

Despite its ridiculous title, Edwin’s Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash is more sedate arthouse picture than martial arts extravaganza.

Aren's Reviews, Reviews, The Festival CircuitAren BergstromSeptember 14, 2021Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF21, Edwin, Vengeance Is Mine All Others Pay Cash, Eka Kurniawan, Marthino Lio, Ladya Cheryl, Sal Priadi, Reza Rahadian, Ratu FelishaComment

TIFF19: The Platform

The Platform is both an allegory for class warfare and a seriously entertaining science-fiction horror film.

Reviews, The Festival Circuit, Aren's ReviewsAren BergstromSeptember 12, 2019The Platform, TIFF, TIFF19, Toronto International Film Festival, Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, David Desola, Pedro Rivero, Ivan Massagué, Antonia San Juan, Zorion Eguileor, Emilio Buale, Alexandra MasangkayComment

TIFF19: Sound of Metal

Sound of Metal has one of the most astounding sound designs in recent memory.

Reviews, The Festival Circuit, Aren's ReviewsAren BergstromSeptember 10, 2019Sound of Metal, Darius Marder, Abraham Marder, Derek Cianfrance, Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci, Lauren Ridloff, Mathieu Amalric, Domenico Toledo, TIFF19, TIFF, Toronto International Film FestivalComment

TIFF18: Shoplifters

Kore-eda’s Palme d’Or winner is a moving and perceptive drama that further examines themes laid out in Nobody Knows and Like Father, Like Son.

Reviews, The Festival Circuit, Aren's ReviewsAren BergstromSeptember 17, 2018Lily Franky, Sakura Ando, Mayu Matsuoka, Kairi Jo, Miyu Sasaki, Kirin Kiki, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Shoplifters, TIFF18, TIFF, Toronto International Film FestivalComment

TIFF18: Sunset

Sunset is a masterpiece of historical filmmaking.

Reviews, The Festival Circuit, Aren's ReviewsAren BergstromSeptember 13, 2018Juli Jakab, Vlad Ivanov, Evelin Dobos, Marcin Czarnik, Levente Molnár, Julia Jakubowska, László Nemes, Clara Royer, Matthieu Taponier, Sunset, TIFF18, TIFF, Toronto International Film Festival Comments

TIFF17: Mudbound

Combines emotional depth with insight on race and culture.

Reviews, The Festival Circuit, Aren's ReviewsAren BergstromSeptember 22, 2017Carey Mulligan, Dee Rees, Garrett Hedlund, Hillary Jordan, Jason Clarke, Jason Mitchell, Jonathan Banks, Mary J- Bilge, Mudbound, Rob Morgan, TIFF, TIFF17, Toronto International Film Festival, Virgil WilliamsComment

TIFF17: First Reformed

Schrader’s new film acts as the culmination of his work as a filmmaker and critic.

TIFF17: The Day After

About as accessible as a Hong Sang-soo film is likely to get.

Reviews, The Festival Circuit, Aren's ReviewsAren BergstromSeptember 20, 2017Cho Yun-hee, Hong Sang-soo, Kim Min-hee, Kim Sae-byuk, Kwon Hae-hyo, The Day After, TIFF, TIFF17, Toronto International Film FestivalComment

TIFF17: Roman J. Israel, Esq.

A profound disappointment coming from such talent.

Reviews, The Festival Circuit, Aren's ReviewsAren BergstromSeptember 13, 2017Carmen Ejogo, Colin Farrell, Dan Gilroy, Denzel Washington, Esq-, Roman J- Israel, TIFF, TIFF17, Toronto International Film FestivalComment

TIFF16: Personal Shopper

A ghost story for the present age, starring Kristen Stewart.

Reviews, The Festival CircuitAnders BergstromSeptember 24, 2016drama, film festival, ghost story, Kristen Stewart, Olivier Assayas, Personal Shopper, TIFF, TIFF16, Toronto International Film FestivalComment

TIFF16: Salt and Fire

Occasionally breathtaking, but mostly baffling.

Reviews, The Festival Circuit, Aren's ReviewsAren BergstromSeptember 21, 2016Gael García Bernal, Lawrence Krauss, Michael Shannon, Salt and Fire, TIFF, TIFF16, Toronto International Film Festival, Veronica Ferres, Volker Michalowski, Werner HerzogComment

TIFF16: The Unknown Girl

A compelling film, even as it shows the limits of the Dardennes' filmmaking style.

Reviews, The Festival Circuit, Aren's ReviewsAren BergstromSeptember 14, 2016Adèle Haenel, Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Jérémie Renier, Louka Minnella, Luc Dardenne, Olivier Bonnaud, The Unknown Girl, TIFF, TIFF16, Toronto International Film FestivalComment