Shortlisting some of the festival’s biggest hits
La La Land directed by Damien Chazelle – Release Date: December 2, 2016
Director Damien Chazelle displayed a masterful craft in the blend of cinematic storytelling and music in 2014’s Whiplash and he brings those skills back with full force in La La Land, a jazz based musical focusing on the relationship of Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone). Chazelle crafts a telling story of love and struggle as the two pine for success in their entertainment careers. While the premise may reek of cheese, the trailer’s style does plenty to sell the film, and Chazelle’s earlier success within the medium shows that he is a force to be reckoned. La La Land was also the winner of this year’s People’s Choice Award at TIFF.
After Love directed by Joachim Lafosse – Release Date: Unspecified, 2016
This French-Belgian drama displays excellent promise as it captures the emotional turmoil and confusion of a divorce between parents. It throws away sinister stereotypes and instead offers a complicated journey that leaves viewers torn as the film’s characters are forced to choose sides.
Moonlight directed by Barry Jenkins – Release Date: October 21, 2016
Moonlight is an intriguing and unique drama set in a largely unexplored area of Hollywood cinema. The story follows a closeted gay man and his experiences growing up in an African-American neighbourhood that rejects difference. Race and sexuality have been hot topics in Hollywood as of late and Moonlight brings a fresh perspective to both of these subjects in modern film.
Nocturnal Animals directed by Tom Ford – Release Date: December 9, 2016
The premise of the film is that an art gallery owner (Amy Adams) receives a manuscript from her ex-husband (Jake Gyllenhaal) filled with violence and parallels to their own relationship. The film follows a unique style of switching between reality and the events of the manuscript, creating an intense psychological drama which is sure to be accentuated by the performance of the star-studded cast.
Free Fire directed by Ben Wheatley – Release Date: Unspecified, 2017
Set in Boston in 1978, Free Fire follows the misadventure of a weapons deal gone wrong with Tarantino-esque comedic violence. A warehouse full of criminals is set off like a powder keg and the feature film length firefight that ensues begs you not to take it seriously. Wheatley, however, still provides a solid film which offers more than its comedy, much in the style of The Nice Guys (2016) or The Man from UNCLE (2015). Featuring big names such as Cillian Murphy, Brie Larson, and Sharlto Copley, this film offera a great popcorn flick that still can still pack a punch.
Arrival directed by Dennis Villeneuve – Release Date: November 11, 2016
Directed by the same visionary mind behind Prisoners (2013) and Sicario (2015), Arrival offers a unique take on the alien contact genre. Featuring the intensity and brilliant cinematography of Villeneuve’s previous works, Arrival brings a science fiction element to the table. Centred around a linguistics expert played by Amy Adams in her attempts to communicate with the aliens, the film offers a breath of originality in many narrative aspects, including the reaction of Earth to this unknown factor, how the aliens initiate contact and interact, and even the design and aesthetic of the film. With the impressive repertoire of his previous works, this new film by Canadian director Villeneuve is definitely one to check out.
Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.