TIFF

TIFF 2020: PIECES OF A WOMAN REVIEW

Pieces Of A Woman stars Shia LaBeouf and Vanessa Kirby as a couple dealing with severe trauma, and opens with such an incredible, intense first thirty minutes (most of which being one single long take) that I’m pretty sure I just outright stopped blinking as I watched their evening unfold. Unfortunately the remainder of the feature never quite hits these highs again, but I’m still left thinking about that opening long after the credits have rolled.

TIFF 2020: PENGUIN BLOOM REVIEW

Penguin Bloom is Glendyn Ivin’s dramatization of the surreal true story of Australian Sam Bloom, who was left paralyzed and unable to walk after falling off a balcony during a vacation in Thailand. After her family take in a stray injured magpie that is unable to fly, she learns to adjust to her new disability through caring for the intelligent wild bird. It’s a heartwarming tale, with messages that are a little too on the nose and a script that is a bit too sickly-sweet – but an overall uplifting movie that will most certainly make you want a pet magpie of your own.

TIFF 2020: SHIVA BABY REVIEW

Emma Seligman’s Shiva Baby was equal parts hilarious and downright stressful. The film focuses on Danielle (Rachel Sennott), a student in her early twenties who is juggling a murky academic career, a sugar daddy, overbearing parents and an uncertain future after school. Taking place over the course of a single day, Danielle attends a shiva with her tightly knit community and struggles to keep a lid on all of her secrets.