Colin Firth

2013 TIFF Movies to Watch: #30-#21

2013 TIFF Movies to Watch: #30-#21

Continuing my TIFF preview today with lots of big-name acting talent: Streep, Roberts, McGregor, Witherspoon, Firth, Johansson, Eisenberg, Wasikowska, Hiddleston, Swinton, Hemsworth, and more. 30.) August: Osage County Program: Gala Presentation Distributor: The Weinstein Company Directed by: John Wells Written by: Tracy Letts Starring: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Abigail Breslin, Sam Shepard, Dermot […]

2013 TIFF Movies to Watch: #50-#41

2013 TIFF Movies to Watch: #50-#41

The Toronto International Film Festival is rapidly approaching, and I’ve identified the 50 most promising films on the TIFF lineup. Over the next five days, I’ll be counting them down. Today, the preview starts with François Ozon, Guillaume Canet, Nelson Mandela, and more! 50.) Visitors Program: Special Presentation Distributor: N/A Directed by: Godfrey Reggio Written […]

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Review

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Review

RATING: (4 STARS) Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a superior thriller that accomplishes the unfathomable in condensing John le Carré’s masterful British espionage novel into an appropriately dense but followable two-hour film. And shockingly, not a ton of important detail is lost in the translation. Director Tomas Alfredson (following up the sensational Let the Right […]

The English Patient Review

The English Patient Review

RATING: (2.5 STARS) Anthony Minghella’s The English Patient is exactly what one might expect out of a Best Picture winner. It’s a grand, sweeping, epic love story that covers a lot of ground. It takes place in an exotic land, against the backdrop of WWII. And its technical credits—though not very subtle—are quite impressive. It’s […]

The King’s Speech Review

The King’s Speech Review

RATING: (3.5 STARS) The King’s Speech has all the pieces necessary to be a masterpiece. The ensemble is as good as any this year. The writing is spot-on. The cinematography, art direction, and score are all fantastic. And Tom Hooper’s direction is confident and smart. The only thing missing is that little extra umph—the quality […]

A Single Man Review

A Single Man Review

RATING: (3 STARS) “A Single Man” is a very interesting, relatively plotless character study about a man with no reason to live. It’s told in a unique manor, and it features some great acting, a moving score, and some beautiful set designs and costumes. So why only three stars? Well, the first ninety minutes of […]