After two pandemic-ridden years, the Toronto Film Festival is back in full swing and delivering Oscar-worthy contenders one after the other. From Brendan Fraser in a never-seen avatar to Daniel Craig doing his mysteriously ambiguous southern accent, there were many notable entries to talk about. But to make things easier for all of us, we’ve compiled a list of all the standouts you should be checking out in the theatres soon.
1. The Whale
It’s a Brendan Fraser renaissance we’re living in. After being away from the limelight for years, the Mummy actor is back on our screens with Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale. Based on an obese man who’s trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter (played by Sadie Sink), Fraser is said to have given a performance of a lifetime, and received six minutes of a standing ovation! That said, the movie has also drawn criticism after being labeled as fat-phobic.
2. The Banshees of Inisherin
After giving us 2008’s In Bruges the trio of director Martin McDonagh and actors Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are reuniting again for a bleak, period drama set against the backdrop of the Irish Civil war. The story follows two friends Padraic and Colm, who navigate their friendship and loneliness in a time of turmoil. It ain’t the In Bruges sequel you were hoping for, folks!
3. The Woman King
Viola Davis leads Director Gina Prince-Bythewood’s 19th-century period drama, centering on an all-female unit of African warriors in a war against the neighboring empire. Apart from the action galore, the movie also explores topics like the slave trade and the relationship between the warriors. The 31-year-old Thuso Mbedu gives a breakthrough performance, which should not be missed on the big screen.
4. The Fabelmans
Touted to be the instant best-picture contender, The Fabelmans is a fictionalized story of Steven Speilberg, growing up as a young filmmaker while trying to navigate family problems with his parents (played by Michelle Williams and Paul Dano). This coming-of-age drama stars Gabriel LaBelle as young Sammy (Spielberg) and offers a rare behind the scene story of one of the best directors to be working today.
5. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Rian Johnson’s Knives Out was a surprising critical and commercial hit when it came out back in 2019. Ever since then, fans have been asking for another mystery for detective Benoit to solve. And we finally have our wish come true. Scheduled to release on Christmas, the movie premiered at this year’s TIFF, with some hailing it even better than the original. While that might be a tall claim to make, we can’t wait to check it out for ourselves.
6. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
An enigmatic character requires an enigmatic actor, and Daniel Radcliffe is just that in this Weird Al biopic starring Evan Rachel Wood as Madonna. Called hilarious, ridiculous, and wholesome, the movie tells the story of the ride of the singer from his childhood days to what we know of him today. When the poster says “be as weird as you want to be” you have to check it out when it hits the screens.
