TIFF: Looking for Richard III in ‘The Lost King’

By Abe Friedtanzer

 

Everyone has their “thing,” and some interests are a bit more niche than others. Take Philippa Langley, a writer inspired by her attendance at a staging of Shakespeare’s Richard III to clear the name of the ruler cast as a villain, going so far as to commission a dig that she hopes will reveal his final resting place. Sally Hawkins plays Langley in Stephen Frears’ entertaining and involving The Lost King…

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TIFF: Lee Jung-jae’s ‘Hunt’

By Abe Friedtanzer

It’s always interesting to see what a performer, who is already well-regarded in their home country, does in the wake of international success. Lee Jung-jae just made history with his SAG and Emmy wins for his leading role on Squid Game. Last week he was announced as the star of the upcoming Star Wars TV series The Acolyte. It’s more than fair to say that he’s hot right now. That makes his directorial debut, Hunt, which he also wrote and stars in, all the more exciting.

The now internationally famous actor stars as the head of the foreign unit of the KCIA, South Korea’s Central Intelligence Agency. It's the 1980s and a period of deep unrest and an assassination attempt in the United States. Back at home, he finds himself pitted against the head of the domestic unit (played by Jung-jae’s friend and frequent collaborator Jung Woo-sung), both tasked to uncover the identity of a North Korean spy...

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TIFF: Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbott in ‘Sanctuary’

By Abe Friedtanzer

Two-handers aren’t easy to pull off. They require strong actors who understand how to play off each other well enough to keep things interesting for the duration of an entire film. Fortunately, Zachary Wigon’s Sanctuary makes a great case for this format, showcasing excellent performances from its stars, Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbott. It's a 96-minute power struggle rollercoaster that never lets up…

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TIFF: "The Swimmers"

by Matt St Clair

In an early sequence from The Swimmers, we see both sisters Yusra and Sara Mardini jamming to “Titanium” by Sia. As they’re happily move on the dance floor in slow motion, the camera pans over to the escalating warfare happening in the background. That one scene is perfectly emblematic of the movie’s overall point of view. We watch these two real-life sisters persevere and maintained hope no matter the crises surrounding them... 

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TIFF: Adelaide Clemens impresses with ‘The Swearing Jar’

By Abe Friedtanzer

It’s wonderful when a film serves as a showcase to a performer you’ve appreciated seeing before and had hoped would get another terrific part. Australian actress Adelaide Clemens, who has done plenty of TV work in her home country, delivered a very affecting turn in the underrated SundanceTV series Rectify as a soft-spoken spouse learning to find her own voice. She also recently appeared as the wife of Andrew Garfield’s Mormon detective in Under the Banner of Heaven. In just the opening scene of the Canadian film The Swearing Jar, it’s clear that Clemens is doing something altogether different and harbors tremendous untapped talent…

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