The 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival is kicking off in the city this week. It is set to be packed with movie stars, world premieres and all the glitz and glamour that’s wrapped into Hollywood.
And to make sure you’re prepared for what’s to come during the celebration, I turned to “The Movie Podcast” team for recommendations.
“The Movie Podcast,” hosted by Daniel Baptista, Shahbaz Siddiqui and Anthony Gagliardi, is a top entertainment show with a 4.9 rating on Apple, and it’s “Tomatometer-Approved.”
With more than 230 episodes and a passion for the industry, the team has previously interviewed stars like Julia Garner, Jenna Ortega, Academy Award-winning director Celine Song and Emmy Award-winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Films to see
With a plethora of premieres on the horizon at TIFF, it feels like the “biggest festival since 2019,” according to Baptista.
And he’s particularly excited for the Canadian premiere of “Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie.”
The film comes from Matt Johnson, also known for his work on “BlackBerry,” and Jay McCarrol who Baptista says are “Canadian legends.”
The movie is adapted from their cult web series where Johnson and McCarrol portrayed “hyperactive, hap-witted versions of themselves as a musical duo desperately failing to book a gig at the storied Toronto venue The Rivoli,” according to TIFF.
For Baptista, not only is the movie “unapologetically Toronto” it’s also “one of the funniest films of the decade.”
The North American premiere of “No Other Choice” from Park Chan-wook is also coming to TIFF this year and it’s a film Siddiqui is looking forward to watching. In fact, the team interviewed megastar Lee Byung Hun, who stars in the movie, earlier this year.
Gagliardi is eager to see the world premiere of “Rental Family” starring Brendan Fraser.
“The trailer really showcases Brendan in a different light than what we saw in his last film,” Gagliardi tells Toronto.com. “It looks at humanity in a different way and I’m just really interested to see what the story is about and what it gives us.”
Award season
With award season creeping up, there are also some films playing at TIFF that The podcast team believes will make a mark this year.
And “Sentimental Value” is one that “is going to make a big impact come award season,” according to Baptista.
“You have Stellan Skarsgård working with Renate Reinsve again, who he worked with on ‘The Worst Person in the World,’ and to have Elle Fanning in the mix this time, I think it’s going to be a very powerful movie.”
Siddiqui says it “may not be an accident” if Iranian auteur Jafar Panahi’s “It Was Just An Accident” makes a splash during award season. The film will make its Canadian premiere during the festival and it’s already won the Palme d’or at the Cannes Film Festival this year.
Directed by Benny Safdie, also known for “Uncut Gems,” Gagliardi says everyone’s been talking about Dwayne Johnson in “The Smashing Machine” when it comes to award season. The film, also starring Emily Blunt, will make its North American premiere during the festival.
“This might be the year of The Rock,” he says.
Hidden Gems
Aside from the blockbusters making their way to TIFF, there are also some hidden gems coming to the festival that movie fanatics should also keep their eyes peeled for.
For Canadians, the world premiere of “John Candy: I Like Me” documentary isn’t one to miss, according to Baptista.
“There’s a huge connection here, so we’re really excited to see,” he says.
And Siddiqui agrees. “The strongest part of TIFF this year is starting with the John Candy documentary,” he says. “It’s to remind everyone that we are the kings of entertainment.”
And speaking of Canada, the world premiere of Aziz Ansari’s “Good Fortune” also features Canadian icons like Seth Rogen, Sandra Oh and Keanu Reeves.
“The premise alone is just so fun. When you have Keanu Reeves and Sandra Oh playing angels, what more can you ask for?” says Baptista.
Siddiqui says “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” backed by producers like Brad Pitt and Joaquin Phoenix and making its North American premiere at TIFF, is going to be a “very powerful film.”
And Gagliardi says “The Wizard of the Kremlin,” also making its North American premiere during the festival, is one he needs to watch.
“I don’t think a lot of people know that this movie is coming out,” he says.
Celebrity sightings
Although the team has sat down with some of the biggest names in the industry during their interviews, they’re still looking forward to seeing the stars walk the red carpet. And with casts packed with celebrities, there won’t be a shortage of sightings this year.
Take “Frankenstein” and “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.” Both are packed with names like Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Daniel Craig and Mila Kunis. The Oscar-winning Guillermo del Toro, “an honorary Torontonian” according to Baptista, even directed the adaptation of Mary Shelley’s gothic masterpiece.
Siddiqui is looking forward to seeing the stars that will be part of TIFF’s iconic “In Conversation With” including fellow Canadian Ryan Reynolds and Chan-wook.
And Gagliardi is hoping to spot Angelina Jolie. The Oscar winner stars in Alice Winocour’s “Couture” which is making its world premiere at the festival.
How the pie is made
Beyond the premieres and the celebrities, TIFF spotlights Canada and shows that “some of the best things we pump out is our entertainment,” according to Siddiqui.
“TIFF is an important reminder as to where talent can grow beyond just the American border,” he says. “Canada is all over the festival.”
For the team, being close to film is what led them to make a show about movies. Now, they wear a “badge of pride” as they cover the festival as more than just fans.
“We get to see how the pie is made and it’s wicked,” says Siddiqui. “The whole experience is awesome. The ingredients are great and every part of it is just phenomenal. It never gets old.”
TIFF runs in Toronto from Sept. 4 to 14.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.toronto.com ’
