TIFF '23: Getting into the Christmas Spirit with ‘El Sabor de la Navidad’

By Abe Friedtanzer

It always feels a little strange to watch a Christmas movie long before the holiday season, but that just means getting into that wintry mindset ahead of time! El Sabor de la Navidad, a Spanish-language comedy from Mexico, is notable because it’s produced by Salma Hayek Pinault and stars Mariana Treviño, who is the best reason to watch last year’s A Man Called Otto. It’s a lighthearted portrait of an extended family and others connected to them trying to get through a holiday that brings far too many conflicting personalities together…

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TIFF: Julian Dennison in ‘Uproar’

By Abe Friedtanzer

Courtesy of TIFF

By Abe Friedtanzer

The intersection of inherently comedic characters and unexpectedly dramatic situations can be a difficult thing to get right, but when it is, it’s quite satisfying. Uproar introduces a misfit protagonist who uses humor as a defense mechanism to mask his own discomfort with and uncertainty about his identity, and it warmly and effectively traces his journey towards self-discovery and an untapped passion for activism... 

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Emmy Analysis: Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

By Abe Friedtanzer

Lukita Maxwell and Jason Segel in "Shrinking," now streaming on Apple TV+.

Isn’t this supposed to be a comedy category? Yes, two of the shows with a questionable genre distinction -- Barry and The Bear – are represented here, but all five men chose relatively serious fare as their episode submissions. Before we dig in, let’s start with a mention of the three eligible nominees from last year who didn’t make the cut this time around. Donald Glover, a past winner of this category, had his last shot for Atlanta, and Steve Martin missed out on a repeat bid for season two of Only Murders in the Building. Most lamentably, Nicholas Hoult was somehow not selected for The Great. How that’s possible is beyond me, but fortunately the five men who did make the cut are all worthwhile…

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Venice 2023: "The Killer" and "Hit Man"

by Elisa Giudici

Venice's most sought-after job this year? The sicario. Professional assassins are trending. Today David Fincher's The Killer and Richard Linklater's Hit Man. 

THE KILLER by David Fincher
The real mystery here is whether The Killer's lack of ambition stems from production during the COVID years and a tight schedule due to Michael Fassbender's busy agenda, or if Fincher simply wanted to have fun. While it may not be a masterpiece or top tier Fincher, The Killer is still a thriller directed by Fincher, a master of the form.

This time, Fincher designs the movie around the protagonist's voiceover, setting the rhythm for the entire story and influencing the cinematography and editing choices...

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Woof! It's another 'First & Last' game.

Can you guess the movie from its first and last shot? 

The answer once you scroll down is after the jump...

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