A Royal Affair (En Kongelig Affaere)
Alicia Wikander (Danish Queen Caroline Mathilde), Mads Mikkelsen (the royal physician), and Mikkel Boe Følsgaard (King Christian VII) deliver outstanding performances in this romantic and tragic historically accurate drama. Directed by Nikolaj Arcel and set in the 18th century, the sets and costumes are not to be missed. A Royal Affair was well deserving of the Oscar nomination for best foreign film.
Seven Psychopaths
Gangsters, dog thieves, screenwriters and a Shih Tzu collide in this brilliant dark comedy from writer/director Martin McDonagh (In Bruges). Seven Psychopaths stars Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell and Christopher Walken.
End of Watch
A cop movie for the social media age starring Jake Gyllenhaal (Taylor) and Michael Pena (Zavala). Illegally documenting their experiences on the force with a handycam, we are privy to the inner sanctum of the LAPD: the honest, the bad, the ugly, and the corrupt on display as Taylor and Zavala try to execute their duties.
The Iceman
The true story of serial killer/mob assassin Richard Kuklinsky. Michael Shannon stars as Kuklinsky, the resourceful and hugely successful killer for hire who came to be known as the Iceman. Ray Liotta, Winona Ryder and Chris Evans join Shannon in what is arguably this year’s best and most chilling gangster movie.
Still Mine
Part love story, part quest for independence, director Michael McGowan’s latest film will move even the most stony-hearted. James Cromwell and Geneviève Bujold deliver exceptional performances as a husband and wife gracefully dealing with the challenges of Alzheimer’s.
Astrid Handling
For further reading on TIFF films & the Oscars see:
TIFF: Barometer for the Oscars