Also excluded are films which previously screened at other festivals (including Sundance, Tribeca, Berlin, and Cannes) this year, including buzzy titles like Parasite, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Pain and Glory, and A Hidden Life. First come the films that wowed critics (and/or won awards), followed by additional noteworthy films that proved to be good rather than great (though could still be in awards contention), followed by a final group consisting of this year's festival flops.Ī few movies which have opened in theaters prior to the end of TIFF (most notably, this week's newcomers The Goldfinch and Hustlers) are excluded since they have already been reviewed outside of the festivals. To help you sort through the winners and losers, we have divided the films into three sections.
With that in mind, we have summarized critics' responses to over 70 key films (and a few upcoming TV shows) screening at the three festivals. And a poor reception at the festivals can signal an end to a film's Oscar dreams. The back-to-back-to-back film festivals in Telluride, Venice, and Toronto herald the start of Oscar season each fall, as the bulk of each year's eventual nominees typically screen at one or more of the three festivals.