Author: Derrick Murray

“My Father’s Shadow” is a profound piece of cinema, a wondrous triumph and one of the best films of the year.

We are 7 days into the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and full disclosure: I am absolutely crashing out. I have crossed the 70 festival film mark with a steady average of 5-6 films a day on the ground, so you can imagine how mushy my brain is after consuming so much cinema in such a short period of time. But there are more films to see, and some true standouts among the wreckage of my mind, so here are 6 under the radar films that we highly recommend putting on your must-see list immediately. “The Furious” One of the…

With everyone arriving in Toronto for the 50th anniversary of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) which kicks off September 4th, we’ve been hard at work covering as many films as possible ahead of time. Probably TOO many if we’re being honest. But nevertheless, we are dedicated to bringing you plenty of coverage for the next two weeks by covering as many films as possible. While the big titles won’t kick off until deeper into the festival, but we’ve seen plenty of the smaller titles that we want to highlight! So here are 10 more films we’ve seen at TIFF!…

Adapting the works of Stephen King into feature films has been common practice for many years. Not only is he quite prolific and admired across decades of work, but he tends to write in a cinematic formula that often feels like they were always meant to be movies. Of course, King’s film adaptions have been met with varying degrees of success, even some of his championed work being all but disowned by King himself (ie “The Shining”). Hollywood has started to dig a little deeper into his the works, and”The Long Walk” proves that that deep dive is the right…

It’s that time of year again! The fall festival season is upon us, with big and small titles hitting Venice, then Telluride, and then the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). It’s the festival’s 50th anniversary, so the lineup is stacked with all of the most anticipated titles and awards contenders from all over the world. With nearly 300 films slated over roughly 2 weeks, there is simply too much to see and too many films to wrap your head around. Luckily we’ve had the privilege of being able to check out a few films before the festival, and wanted to…

“Caught Stealing” feels so inconsequential and forgettable you barely remember things as they happen and it can’t seem to pair its propulsive energy with any kind of longevity or entertainment value.

“Highest 2 Lowest” is Lee at his most reflective and sentimental, using masterpiece source material to deliver a thrilling and deeply funny love letter to cinema, music, New York, creativity, legacy, and black excellence. One of the greats doing what he does best with all the love in his heart poured out in every frame.

…even at its funniest and horniest it fails to jolt any electricity into its disjointed and purposefully convoluted plot, leaving “Honey, Don’t” feeling as flat as its Bakersfield desert setting.

“Relay” is a well crafted, taut, clever thriller that works best when operating within its genre confines. It manages to blend formulaic thriller tropes with unpredictability and arresting intrigue, something we just don’t see in cinema all that often anymore.

“Nobody 2” feels half baked and undercooked, and while there’s some fun to be had sometimes it’s all but forgotten by the time you get home.