Men's Lifestyle September 19, 2025 0 Comments

TIFF 50 Uncovered: The Surprising Winners and Shocking Snubs That Will Change the Game Forever!

King Street has finally shed its glittering red carpet glow, the celebs and film fans vanished like the last frame of a blockbuster. Yet, for a thrilling ten days, Toronto transformed into a nonstop cinema circus, celebrating 50 electrifying years of TIFF! Lines snaked around corners – not just for film premieres but for freebies, immersive experiences, and bites that had mouths watering. It was a frenzy of chatter, excitement, and those classic “Who just got out of THAT limo?” moments, with phone cameras firing off like paparazzi in a frenzy. But… even amidst this cinematic carnival, the fest wasn’t without its shadows – protests stirred up controversy, infiltrating the usually vibrant pedestrian streets and tempering the evening vibe with chants and discord. So, what happens when the magic of movies meets the messy real world? Buckle up, because this TIFF wasn’t just about stars on the screen but the heavy drama unfolding off it too. Ready for a deep dive into the hits, the misses, and the moments that sparked conversation? Let’s roll the tape. LEARN MORE

King Street is back to its usual look and all the celebrities and movie goers are gone.

But for 10 days, this city got to experience non-stop movie magic for the 50th time! There were lineups everywhere. For give-aways, for experiences, for food and of course for films. The rush lines are part of the experience and give film lovers a chance to discuss their latest watch or speculate on what celebrity has just shut down the street. Phone cameras at the ready, they are snapping away before they even see who has stepped out of the limo.

Unfortunately, the protest mania that has taken over Toronto put a damper on some of the festivities. The opening weekend is so popular with the pedestrian-only zone that is filled with free entertainment, art and culture. But this year, pro-Palestinian disruputers were allowed to take over a large portion of the area, blocking the public from freely accessing all of the stalls. The loud chanting could be heard from blocks away and antisemetic signs and propaganda were everywhere. I am surprised that TIFF and the police did not shut it down and move the protesters out of the intersection, as this area is one where it is usually safe to walk the streets at night and feel the TIFF vibe.

Overshadowing much of the TIFF news was the controversy over the removal and then the limited addition of the film The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue by Canadian filmmaker Barry Arvich. The film, which is about a retired Israeli general saving his family from the Hamas attack was removed due to security and clearance concerns but was reinstated after a widespread outcry. Protestors returned on the day of the screening to call the well documented terrorist event of October 7th, “ Israeli propaganda”. There were five films focusing on Palestine at this year’s festival and no security issues related to those films.

Amazingly, this film that was only allowed one showing, at Roy Thompson Hall sold out immediately and was later chosen as Best Documentary, as part of the People’s Choice Awards. The award for best film, best International film and best documentary are all chosen based on audience votes. Hamnet, a film by academy award winning director Chloe Zhao about Shakespeare’s origin story won the top People’s Choice Award and the International People’s Choice Award went to No Other Choice, a comedic thriller by popular Korean director Park Chan-wook.

Without further ado, here are mini reviews of some of the films that I saw. One common theme that I found in many films this year was the exploration of loneliness and people feeling disconnected from society.

Ballad of a Small Player

I wanted to love this film. Ballad of a Small Player was one of my biggest disappointments at TIFF this year. My hopes were high when I saw that Colin Farrell was working with the director of Conclave, Edward Berger. I loved the beginning. Farrel plays a British Lord, Freddy Doyle and is seen enjoying his lavish high roller suite. Food and drink are abundant. He puts on his colourful ensemble and prepares for a tough day of gambling. I love Vegas films normally and that is where I thought this film was set.

It took me a while to catch on to the fact that this entire film is set in Macau, which is the only region in China where gambling is legal. The dark, seedy side of the city is on display. Lord Doyle is out of money, owes thousands and is on the run, unable to shake his gambling addiction, even as it ruins his life over and over again. The film that started out as very engaging, has

a script that does not live up to its promise. Doyle ends up with an unlikely connection to a fellow lost soul played by Fala Chen.

Overwrought and self-indulgent—this was like the opposite of Conclave which held my attention in every frame. There is beautiful music and cinematography but that doesn’t make up for a very slow depressing descent and an uneven script.

Dead Man’s Wire

This film is about a kidnapping by a man who feels he has been ripped off by a local financial institution. Set in the 70’s, with lots of humour but some moments of heartbreak–the scenes seem unbelievable at times. A shotgun attached by a wire stays on the neck of the son of a bank owner for days, even though police and reporters literally are everywhere. The big reveal is that this is a true story! When you watch it, you think how could this have been allowed to go on so long? This well made film held my interest and the acting was stellar. Directed by Gus Van Sant, the film stars Bill Skarsgard and Dacre Montgomery as the main duo and benefits from the casting of Myha’la, Coleman Domingo and Al Pacino in smaller key roles.

Blue Moon

I was enchanted by this Richard Linklatter film which takes place in the famous Sardi’s restaurant in NYC. This real life restaurant which has been open for over 100 years, still has its walls lined with caricatures of celebrities. This story is about Lorenze Hart, a lyricist who created stage musicals and songs with Richard Rodgers before the latter began his collaboration with Hammerstein. This role is a career best for Ethan Hawke as he transforms into this character who is loquacious, humorous and lovelorn. He plays a semi-closeted homosexual, who somehow pictures himself having a relationship with a 20 year old college student. It is quite

wordy and almost all in one setting. But definitely worth the watch to see such a moving character study.

I like me: The John Candy Story

This film is Ryan Reynold’s love letter to John Candy who died in 1994. Witty Reynolds was influenced by Candy’s comedy skills and gentle ways and he was thrilled to be premiering this documentary at TIFF, with director Colin Hanks by his side.

Reynolds, surprisingly, was more influenced by Candy than all of the comic actors that he was introduced to by watching Canadian show SCTV as a kid growing up in Vancouver. We hear from Candy’s friends and collaborators, as well as his wife and now grown children. Candy used to be known as Johnny Toronto–and some of us grew up watching all of these comedic improvisers –who elevate the film with their heartfelt memories. Bill Murray, Steve Martin, Dave Thomas, Andrea Martin, Martin Short and Catherine O’ hara are interviewed, among others. This film was very engaging but could have benefited from a good edit.

In Conversation with Ryan Reynolds

While not a film, one of my most delightful experiences of TIFF this year was the opportunity to watch In Conversation With Reynolds, who sat down with programmer, Anita Lee, and shared his humour, his passion and the ups and downs of his journey from star struck Canadian teenager to the superstar that he is today.

Good Fortune

Aziz Ansari was on hand to introduce his directorial debut, Good Fortune, which he also wrote and stars in. He spent five minutes making fun of the fact that there is still a Hooter’s in downtown Toronto in Canada! The natural stand up was very accessible in discussing his foray into filmmaking. Keanu Reeves plays an angel while Ansari’s character works in a big box store and as a food delivery driver who struggles to make ends meet. Seth Rogen plays a wealthy tech investor who seems to have a lot of time on his hands. The angel tries to help them by changing their identities and of course, chaos ensues. It was funny but also provides good commentary on how hard it is to be part of the gig economy.

Ansari particularly commended Reeves as being the soul of the film and gave him a shoutout for working with a broken knee cap and never complaining.

Cancelled: The Paula Deen Story

I highly recommend this enlightening documentary. which was directed by Billy Corben. Like most people, I was aware of Paula Deen, as a popular and talkative Southern cook who starred in food shows and wrote cook books. I vaguely remember her being accused of using the “N” word back in 2013 and that there was a lot of media attention and she suddenly disappeared. Well, this film does a deep dive into her life and how she got cancelled and it is fascinating! I assumed from the way it was handled at the time, that she had been using racial slurs, as part of her everyday life. This film shows that she actually worked with and befriended black people throughout her career. In fact, the entire cancellation of her show was because she admitted under oath to having said that word once in her lifetime! She told the truth during a deposition about one incident and that led to her downfall.

This film opened my eyes to the dangers of believing one sided media accounts that are sensationalized. We were treated to meeting Deen, her two supportive sons and the director, right after the film.

A Private Life

I found this unique movie to be quite a treat. Jodie Foster plays Lilian Steiner, an American psychiatrist with a busy practice who lives in France. Quite a bit of the film is in French but English words are thrown in here and there to remind you that the lead is American. The fact that she is Jewish also subtly plays into the plot. Foster has impeccable French and part of my enjoyment was being able to understand some of the classic French when spoken slowly, while relying on subtitles for what I missed.

This film works on a psychological level, as we see Lilian going through counter-transference when one of her patients dies ostensibly by suicide. The normally repressed doctor is suddenly crying all the time, without understanding why. The other interesting aspect of the film is how her repressed personality changes, as the result of this loss. Although A Private Life treats the situation like a murder mystery, it really is about how she copes with her broken relationships with her ex-husband, her son and her grandson. French actor Daniel Auteuil is charming as the loving ex-husband Gabriel and I found the exploration of Dr. Steiner’s life as a therapist, an ex-wife and a mother to be intriguing.

Rental Family

This was my favourite film of the festival. Watching, I had many awe moments, and was impressed with the beautiful job done by Japanese director HIKARI. In the Q and A, she mentioned that after seeing Brendan Fraser in The Whale at TIFF in 2023, she developed Rental Family with him in mind for the lead role.

He plays the part of the American actor Phillip, who after living in Japan for 7 years, changes his life when he accepts a job from a company that rents out actors for life events. For instance, he plays a best friend, a missing father and a groom to help with various situations. Fraser is very effective as a fish out of water, he is taller and larger than most Japanese people and is called upon to play the role of “ Sad American” fairly often.

HIKARI wanted to address the mental health crisis in Japan, where there is still a lot of stigma around seeking out therapy. Somehow, there is less stigma to hiring actors to play stand-in roles for situations that involve saving face or social etiquette. Social isolation is definitely addressed through such services. I cried throughout the last few scenes, as did many audience members and I appreciated the director’s commitment to keeping it light in parts while providing some interesting editorial on life in Japan and how they cope with stress and loss as a society. She mentioned that she intentionally adopted a lighter approach to some of the dark material. She also kept the film under two hours, even though she had shot back stories for many of the characters. Editing is very important for the flow of the movie and I appreciated her efforts. My prediction is that his film will get some Oscar nominations.

Keep an eye out for these films and other TIFF favourites. Many will be released in theatres and on streaming channels in the next few months.