Toronto 2026: 'The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd' Review

Based on actual events, The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd stars Amanda Seyfried as a teacher who falls in love with an inmate (Scoot McNairy), going to extremes so that they can be together. Unfortunately, the film recalls several elements of much better films. My review is up at Screen International. 

Toronto 2026: 'A Talent for Murder' Review

I've been a fan of Alden Ehrenreich's for a while, and I'm glad that Solo did not derail his career. He's back with A Talent for Murder, in which he plays an anxious editor trying to convince the reclusive Patricia Highsmith (Helen Mirren) to write another Tom Ripley book. This impish thriller is potentially a lot of nasty fun, but it ends up disappointing. You can read my review over at Screen International.

Toronto 2026: 'Up Against It' Review

Every once in a while, you encounter a real stinker at TIFF. Such is the case with Up Against It, about a very divorced married couple (Antonio Banderas, Eva Birthistle) who decide to have another child so it can be a "savior sibling" for their 14-year-old daughter (Eden Hamilton), who has leukemia. But how will their new romantic partners react to this unusual arrangement? This is emotionally and ethically tricky material, and director Trudie Styler badly mishandles it. I explain why over at Screen International. 

Toronto 2026: 'The Assassin(s)' Review

On August 15, 1974, the South Korean president was nearly assassinated. (His wife was killed in the shooting.) More than 50 years later, The Assassin(s) dramatizes the event, looking at some journalists and detectives trying to uncover the truth of what really happened on that fateful day. You can read my review of this engaging thriller here. 

Toronto 2026: 'Alpha Gang' Review

I really liked David and Nathan Zellner's last film, Sasquatch Sunset, and their latest is somewhat in the same vein. Alpha Gang is about a group of aliens who land on Earth, tasked with wiping out humanity. But things don't go as planned. My review is up at Screen International. 

'The Last Thing I Saw': Griping About 'Primetime,' Raving About 'Possible Love'

It was great to catch up with Nicolas Rapold while recording an episode of his podcast in Venice. We talked about Possible Love and Unknown Woman, which ended up snagging the Golden Lion, but we also bonded over our shared dislike of Primetime. You can check out the conversation below.

Toronto 2026: 'The Debut' Review

 
I feel pretty confident predicting that Julianne Moore will be getting an Oscar nomination for The Debut, in which she plays a quiet housewife who gets cast in a local musical. My review is up at Screen International. 

The Film Comment Podcast: Tackling Oasis and 'Woman Unknown' in Venice

Near the end of this year's Venice, I was on Film Comment's podcast with host Devika Girish and fellow Screen International critic Jonathan Romney. Jonathan and I debated Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger, and we all got into Woman Unknown. Before I showed up, the two of them reviewed The Pervert's Guide to Utopias. So, a little bit of everything in this episode. You can listen below.

Toronto 2026: 'Babies' Review

In Babies, Anna Kendrick and Seth Rogen play a happily married couple who wonder if they should finally have a kid. Let's just say the movie touched on things I understand. My review is here. 

Toronto 2026: 'Misty Green' Review

Chris Rock takes on the sexism and racism of Hollywood in Misty Green, which stars Rosalind Eleazar as a next-big-thing actress who never really panned out. Can she get her big comeback? My review is live at Screen International. 

Toronto 2026: 'Being Heumann' Review

The 51st edition of the Toronto Film Festival kicked off with the new movie from CODA filmmaker Sian Heder. Being Heumann tells the story of real-life disability activist Judy Heumann as she fights for equal rights in the 1970s. This is an important subject told in a flimsy way. My review is up at Screen International. 

Toronto 2026: 'A Long Winter' Review

And now I'm in Toronto. I reviewed A Long Winter, the new film from All of Us Strangers director Andrew Haigh. I really appreciate how he never makes the same movie twice. I quite like his new one. 

Bob Dylan - "Sugar Baby"

Happy 25th anniversary to Love & Theft and this incredible closing track.

'The Uprising' Review

Andrew Garfield leads the peasants' revolt in 14th-century England in The Uprising. But the real problem is the film's director, Paul Greengrass. My review is live at Screen International. 

Venice 2026: 'Hombre Al Agua' Review

Long a fan of Gael Garcia Bernal, I was looking forward to his latest feature directorial effort, about a going-nowhere lifeguard who saves a rich businessman from drowning, his life changed in the process. But I was let down by Hombre Al Agua. You can read my review here. 

Venice 2026: 'Musk' Review

"God, I have to hear about him enough on a regular basis. I can't imagine sitting through a four-hour documentary about the guy." That's what a colleague said when I told him I'd be seeing Alex Gibney's Musk, which goes deep on the Tesla billionaire's personal and professional life. Is the film worth the time investment? My review is up at Screen International. 

Venice 2026: 'Look Back' Review

Sad to say, but Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda has put out not one but two disappointing films this year. I was underwhelmed by Sheep in the Box at Cannes, and now comes Look Back, a story of childhood friendship and tragedy. You can read my review here.