TIFF wrapped over the weekend, distributing awards (American Fiction won the TIFF People’s Choice Award), and providing another opportunity for patrons at the festival to catch some of the buzziest films. I was reading some articles about the festival this year that I thought were intriguing. One piece from Vulture discussed how there have been fewer acquisitions from the festival (another issue stemming from the studios’ inability to pay writers and actors) which means a lot of these movies will basically sit around until deals can be struck. Rolling Stone presented a list of some of their favorites from the festival and lamented that the films on the ground weren’t as spectacular as they’ve been in the past.
For the most part, I agree that the films weren’t as memorable. I struggled with even finding movies to fill my Sunday schedule as the premieres that day were lackluster. Maybe it was because Netflix decided to take all its big titles to Venice and New York (Maestro, The Killer, and May December weren’t available) or that Venice Golden Lion winner Poor Things skipped the trip to Canada. Or maybe it was just because TIFF invited a lot of first-time actors/directors who should probably stick to acting.
Sunday did showcase one of my favorites of TIFF, so it wasn’t a total wash. And while many of my reviews from the festival are positive, the ones I’m not reviewing like Seven Veils and Les Indesirables, were really off the mark. Regardless, I’ll definitely be podcasting about TIFF in the next few days so stay tuned to that if you haven’t gotten your fill from TIFF yet.
The Holdovers
The Holdovers (A-) is like a warm blanket of a movie. From the title cards to the trailer, to even the problems that our main characters face, feel very much tied to a specific period. It’s a cliche to say this, but The Holdovers is a movie that falls into the ”they don’t make them like they used to” bracket. From director Alexander Payne (Election, Sideways) comes his latest collaboration with actor Paul Giamatti. Giamatti does some absolutely fantastic work as Paul Hunham, a thoroughly disliked teacher at Barton Academy. Arguably he’s never been better.
Hunham is tasked with watching a group of boys who’ve been held over for the holidays. That means for whatever reason their parents couldn’t take them, and they’ll be spending the Christmas season at the academy. For the young men of Barton, this is like a death sentence. One of the boys, Angus (Dominic Sessa), has felt like an outsider in his family since his father left. He struggles with school and he had hoped to go to Boston for vacation. Also spending the holiday at the school is Mary (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) who has served as the school’s head cook for over the past decade, but is staying on campus as her son recently perished in the Vietnam War and she doesn’t have a reason to return home.
The Holdovers follows these three lonely people as they try to find a little glimmer of happiness over the holiday. It easily enters my canon of Christmas classics. And while Giamatti gives his best performance in some time, Randolph is also incredible and she portrays her grief spectacularly. There’s a sequence late in the movie with a family member, that is heartbreaking but offers so much hope as well. And that’s ultimately what The Holdovers is about, finding that little bit of hope. (In Limited Cinemas on October 27th before expanding wide on November 10th ). A Focus Features Release.
Copa 71
Copa 71 (B). If this movie could’ve been given a different name I imagine it would be called FIFA is trash. Executive produced by Serena and Venus Williams, Copa 71 shows footage from the 1971 Women’s Soccer World Cup, a long-lost sporting event that FIFA covered up and the press destroyed its reputation. This is a fascinating true story of a women’s football tournament far before women’s football was seen as an official sport. Teams from England, Argentina, Mexico, France, Denmark, and Italy gathered in Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium for a one-of-a-kind tournament. Why haven’t we heard of it until now?
Copa 71 starts in the early 1920s when women’s football was banned outright in England. There were flimsy excuses from men who felt football wasn’t suitable for women’s bodies and that it could hurt their reproductive health. Mostly falsehoods that were used to keep football as an exclusive men’s club. Almost fifty years later, those bans were lifted and opened the door for Copa 71. Even with the bans lifted, Women’s soccer during that period was still thought of as a novelty. Press during the 70s explained that women’s soccer combined two of men’s favorite things: objectifying women and soccer. This documentary explains all the difficulties with getting the tournament off the ground, but also the pure delight of some of the players in the tournament. Six former players are interviewed throughout the piece and it’s obvious that although many powerful men were against their historic football event, they still remember it fondly. Women’s football is now one of the biggest sports in the world and this incredible footage shows the genesis of the sport, as well as, proving there’s still work to be done. (Release Date Pending). A Dogwoof Release.
Quiz Lady
Quiz Lady (C). Ever watched Jeopardy or thought “I could do that!” Quiz Lady is for you. Starring Sandra Oh and Awkwafina, the R-rated comedy Quiz Lady, has the two actresses play estranged sisters. Anne (Awkwafina) has always felt like an outcast from her family and mostly finds solace in a nightly quiz show and its delightful host (Will Ferrell). When Anne’s dog is kidnapped because her mother owes a sizeable gambling debt, Anne reunites with her sister Jenny (Oh) to get on the game show and win their dog back.
This low-stakes comedy couldn’t have found a more suitable home than Hulu. There are some delightful comedic performances, a notable cameo here or there, and a satisfying story arc for our heroes. It’s also completely calorie-free fluff. There is no point in Quiz Lady where the movie surprises you. For better or for worse, it’s just a nice time watching a movie. I will say that I prefer Awkwafina when she gets to play the straight-laced comedy character rather than the silly sidekick. Thankfully in Quiz Lady, Oh takes over many of the goofy elements of the movie. Ultimately Quiz Lady is an enjoyable movie, you’ll simply forget about right afterward. (Releasing on Hulu November 3rd). A Hulu Release.
The Contestant
The Contestant (C) is very compelling for about two-thirds of its running time. In 1998, the same year as The Truman Show hit theaters, there was a hit television show called Denpa Shonen. It’s considered the first-ever reality TV show and predated other sensations like Big Brother or Survivor. One of the most popular segments on Denpa Shonen was called A Life in Prizes. Nasubi, an aspiring comedian, didn’t ask many questions about what his role in A Life in Prizes would be. One of the producers takes Nasubi into a small apartment with a well-stocked magazine rack. He then tells Nasubi to surrender all of his clothing. The show’s premise? “Can a man live on winning competition prizes alone?” Nasubi can only be freed from this prison when he has collected 1 million yen in prizes. These prizes from the magazines will provide the means to feed him and entertain him until he reaches his goal. Meanwhile, an audience of millions will be watching his every move.
It’s pretty crazy that A Life in Prizes is a thing that actually happened and not some twisted event from a horror movie. While the producers edited the footage to make Nasubi seem like a carefree hero, he was mentally suffering from malnutrition and social withdrawal. For most of The Contestant, the documentary goes into this wild true story and the turns it takes are quite shocking. But then in a need to bring humanity to the producers or show Nasubi in a light outside of A Life in Prizes, The Contestant explores other aspects of Nasubi’s life. The documentary ran out of steam and needed something to fill out the ending. There are plenty of jaw-dropping moments in The Contestant to recommend it, but it also feels like a missed opportunity. (Release Date Pending). A Misfits Entertainment and MRC Entertainment Release.