A big city and its inhabitants are the focus of filmmaker Afolabi Olalekan’s engaging feature debut. Shot on location in the Nigerian capital of Lagos, the film has a palpable understanding of this big metropolis. Its pace is fast like the city, and it follows many characters whose stories continue to converge, as if Lagos were […]

“I, the Executioner,” Ryoo Seung-wan’s sequel to his 2015 action-comedy “Veteran,” scales back on its predecessor’s laughs in order to focus more closely on — as well as to examine — the violence of its police protagonists. Although undoubtedly entertaining, Ryoo’s follow-up is also highly introspective, weaving a serial killer mystery that makes for a […]

Since the death of her mother, 10-year-old Amber Wyatt (Bianca Belle) has been bothered by all sorts of dark thoughts. Rather than act on those impulses, Amber commits her most monstrous ideas to a secret journal, purging anxieties from her subconscious though art. The process would be therapeutic, if not for a gnarly twist that […]

Following Nicole Kidman’s “Babygirl,” another psychologically complex erotic thriller arrives at one of the fall festivals. Unspooling in the Discovery Section at the Toronto International Film Festival, the Argentine thriller “Linda” puts a sexy and mysterious maid inside a household where she wrecks emotional havoc with the family she’s serving. Immediately the tables are turned […]

A political exploration gift-wrapped in a coming-of-age drama, Lakshmipriya Devi’s debut feature “Boong” follows its lively titular schoolboy on an adventure along India’s militarized eastern border. In search of his missing father, Boong (a firecracker Gugun Kipgen) helps paint a portrait of modern Manipur, the isolated Indian state neighboring Myanmar, at a time when violent […]

A visually striking period drama from Woo Min-ho, “Harbin” follows Korean independence activist Ahn Jung-geun (Hyun Bin) as he plans the assassination of Japan’s Prime Minister in 1909, shortly after Korea’s annexation. The ploy involves numerous trains and several moving parts, resulting in a gripping last act that makes for a wonderful historical imagining. En […]

In the culture-clash comedy “Meet the Barbarians,” actor-director Julie Delpy lays bare a number of Western hypocrisies. The film follows several townspeople in the struggling French commune of Paimpont, who vote to welcome a handful of Ukrainian refugees, but are caught by surprise when a Syrian family shows up instead. The ensuing response runs the […]

You’ve heard of “faith-based movies”? Well, “Heretic” is essentially the opposite. In A24’s thorny, impossible-to-anticipate thriller, co-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (best known as the writers of “A Quiet Place”) ask audiences to accept Hugh Grant as a demented religious scholar so extreme, he’s arranged to trap two Mormon missionaries in his house and […]

“The Life of Chuck,” a feel-good apocalyptic story starring Tom Hiddleston and directed by Mike Flanagan, took home the Toronto International Film Festival’s people’s choice award. This prize has historically been a reliable predictors of eventual Oscar success. In past years, winners such as “Green Book” and “Nomadland” went on to capture the best picture […]

The Venice Film Festival continued its ascent this year, rivaling Cannes — long the undisputed king of all film festivals — in its capacity to draw stars, spark debate and drive sales of first-rate art films. While some of the bigger titles fizzled (Todd Phillips’ gonzo musical sequel to 2019 Golden Lion winner “Joker” disappointed, and Kevin […]

The confines of gothic horror meet the sprawling American Dust Bowl in “Hold Your Breath,” the feature debut of directing duo Karrie Crouse and Will Joines. The film often does too much, reaching for too many different sources for its attempted thrills and chills, which results in a mostly scattered experience. However, it has a […]

Following a group of small-town, DIY Indian filmmakers, Reema Kagti’s “Superboys of Malegaon” is a moving crowd-pleaser that constantly reaffirms its importance through its central theme. Although the film, which is based on real events, often tries to cover too much ground, it continually circles back to the idea that people must see themselves reflected […]

According to tradition, debutante balls are designed to introduce young ladies to polite society. But in Australian comedy star Rebel Wilson’s rowdy directorial debut, “The Deb,” there isn’t really anything that resembles “polite society.” Wilson’s characters run the gamut from uncouth to in-your-face offensive — none more than the tacky small-town beautician Wilson embodies in […]

The Oscars race is wide open this year, and so is the question of which film will win the coveted TIFF Audience Award. With A-listers like Selena Gomez and Angelina Jolie and breakout stars like Mikey Madison and Gabriel LaBelle, the 49th annual Toronto International Film Festival concludes on Sunday after screening 278 films over […]

“Being a mother won’t save you from anything,” Mechi (Paulina Garcia) confides in Ana Maria (Jenny Navarrete) in “Beloved Tropic” during a rare moment of clarity, turning attention away from her own health as she is slowly succumbing to dementia. The two are brought together by the precarious immigration status of Ana Maria, Mechi’s pregant […]

Kenichi Ugana’s “The Gesuidouz” is a delightful deadpan oddity about a Japanese punk group, whose 26-year-old lead singer Hanako (Natsuko) is convinced she’ll be dead at 27, the same age as Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain. The quartet’s sardonic musical energy translates visually at every turn, with bright, subdued visual affectations that find humor in […]

“The Substance” is more than just blood and guts — it’s got a career-topping performance by Demi Moore, who is worthy of serious Oscar consideration. In Coralie Fargeat’s daring body horror film Moore delivers possibly her most daring role ever. A dark exploration of youth, beauty and the relentless demands on women in Hollywood, it’s […]

It’s possible that the issue at the heart of “A Missing Part” will resolve itself in a few years. Japan, currently the only country in the G7 which doesn’t recognize the legal concept of joint child custody, is finally set to modernize in 2026, ending a situation where any contested divorce can result in one […]

In his directorial debut “Perfumed With Mint,” Emmy-winning Egyptian cinematographer Muhammed Hamdy crafts a visually engrossing but narratively languid work of surrealism that captures generational discontent. Sandwiched between the striking images of its opening and closing salvos is a plateauing of meaning and form, lasting for extended periods — which is unfortunate, even though this […]