The best and worst movies at TIFF 2024 so far

While TIFF 2024 is not over yet, we’ve reached the point where the majority of international visitors hit the road and local audiences get a less congested opportunity to take in some of the top titles as they screen for the second or third time.

Sure the stars might not be there and the red carpets a bit bare, yet the films themselves become the biggest draw for the most die-hard of fest goers.

There have been many amazing titles that have played to date, including those festival favourites like Anora,  Universal Language, The Substance, and more.

For those films that debuted here in town, or within the last week or so screened at Venice or Telluride only to also make an appearance here, there are some stellar titles deserving of your attention, as well as a few duds to likely pass when finalizing your remaining tickets.

Here are some of the best and worst movies at TIFF 2024 so far.

The Best

The Life of Chuck

I was blown away by Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of Stephen King’s novella. It’s a joyful ride, told with an elegance and intelligence that makes for a stunner and, at this point, a front-runner for the People’s Choice Award.

Conclave

I was floored by this papal political drama, loving every moment of this lusciously conniving film about selecting the next pontiff.

Ralph Fiennes is heavenly (he’s also fabulous in the Odyssean epic The Return), and the rest of the cast including Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini and John Lithgow make this one of the finest acting showcases in the entire fest slate.

The Wild Robot

On first look it seems that this is little more than DreamWorks mining Pixar’s Wall-E and Zootopia shtick, yet this adaptation of Peter Brown’s books results in an emotionally rich, visually stunning piece that’s easily one of the year’s best animated films.

Saturday Night

It’s not since Juno that I’ve actually adored a Jason Reitman film, but this late addition to the fest (after a Telluride premiere) is absolutely fantastic.

Its rhythms are infectious, the performances ace, the camera work extraordinary, and the laughs coming so quickly that you almost forget to breathe. Absolutely ready for prime time.

The Last Republican

There are plenty of docs that could make this list, as every year there’s a half dozen or more titles that are vying for the top of best-of-year lists.

Films like Piece by Piece and Man at War are deserving of your time, but a special shout out to Steve Pink’s chat with Republican Adam Kinzinger, a film far more entertaining, insightful, and frankly exceptional than any summary description would suggest.

The Worst

Nutcrackers

The opening film is rarely a home run hit (nothing will ever likely top Rian Johnson’s Looper back in 2012).

David Gordon Green’s latest tries hard to bring some Bad News Bears fun to the fore, but a gormless Ben Stiller, four obnoxious kids, and a meandering story didn’t make for a terrific launch of this year’s fest.

Millers in Marriage

I have a soft spot for Edward Burns dating back to The Brothers McMullen, but given that film came out almost thirty years ago it’s perhaps time to give up on the optimism for a remarkable career that his accomplished debut promised.

His latest, a middling film about middle-aged marital mess, has some terrific performers doing their best to overcome a shoddy script, pedestrian direction, and a feeling that all would much rather be drinking their copious glasses of wine than trying to tell this story. 

Daniela Forever

I was warned against seeing this. When asking people to name something that really didn’t work for them Nacho Vigalando’s latest came up again and again. The dream-like film starring Beatrice Grannò and Henry Golding was for many more like a nightmare.