Similar to my post about TIFFTY (last year’s 50th anniversary of TIFF), so many memories, feelings, and emotions run high during this time of year, and TIFF is a big part of that.
So, it’s no surprise that I was just pining to check into my Airbnb with my wife, Sara, and commence 10 days of adventures in film.
My pal Carol Papa usually attends most of the films together with me – and this is the first year that my wife took part in our insane selection process, which involves me creating a spreadsheet – siphoning through the 250 odd films – and then each of us selecting our top 50 or so – and then I look for the common picks – and then we each rate each others film, at which point I put the purchase list in order from best to worst rated. It takes hours of time to do this.
You get where I’m going.
What can I tell you about TIFF2026?
Like last year, there are more indy-type films; even if there are A-list actors, the films might not make it to the big screen. There are always a lot of international films; so if you don’t like subtitles, stay home.
This is the first year in a long time that I didn’t attend any Midnight Madness films at midnight, but we did check out one called “Arrested Memory” (more info below about this one) that was presented at a more reasonable hour.
Most years, I’ll pick my films while I’m on a plane, travelling somewhere for work, and I usually select my initial picks based on the photos, who the director is, and the country of origin.
I don’t really look at the synopsis or trailers (if it exists) until it’s time to grade the films (the grading system is 1, 2, 3, or not interested).
And now that it’s a couple of weeks after the end of TIFF2026, it’s time to share my TIFF experience – from best to worst!
You can click on the title for the TIFF link … I’ll give some general thoughts on the film and I’ll try to maintain some mystery so that you can explore the film on your own.
1 – The Only Living Pickpocket In New York
For about 20 years, John Turturro was my favourite actor.
Others have stepped in – and are not necessarily better – but have joined his rank (Christian Bale, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Daniel Day Lewis amongst others).
I saw him in a couple of Cohen Brothers films in my late teens/early 20’s. I had some stills of Miller’s Crossing in my attic apartment from my Cineplex days.
Just seeing his image on the TIFF website for this film was enough to make it one of my picks.
It’s a fantastic crime drama that keeps you on your toes (and Turturro’s).
2 – I Play Rocky
The actor looks like Stallone. He sounds like Stallone
For those of you who saw the Sly doc at TIFF a couple of years ago, you already know the story, it was just a lot of fun watching it played out.
I loved it.
I saw Free Solo a few years ago at TIFF – and it was incredible.
Just seeing Jimmy Chin’s name attached to this was enough to make it one of my selections.
This film takes it to another level. Great story. Great cinematography.
it’s about a mountain skier and his wife who want to climb the north face of Everest and ski down, a feat never been done.
Probably the first time I saw an actual death in a film.
Intense.
4 – Evil Genius
There are a few actors who I love, who I think are just playing themselves, and Patricia Arquette appears to be one of them.
But I love her. I feel as if I’d want to be friends with her characters in real life – either for comedic relief, or to make sure that I’m not the one who is gonna get killed.
This is Courteney Cox’s second directorial feature – and it’s a true-crime endeavour.
5 – Pretenders
As soon as I saw the image for this feature, I was in.
I’m not sure my TIFF mates were in to it as much as I was. But Carol’s hubby (and my buddy) DJ Miguel picked it as well, so I figured it would be a fun show.
If you know Chrissy, you know she doesn’t like being interviewed or being in the media – it wasn’t until the third set of interviews that she agreed to be on camera in the film, thusly, the majority of her recent interviews in the film are shot from far away.
The stories are great – I loved the film.
The best part is when she is being interviewed at the Q&A after the film and she has to remind the director of her lack of enthusiasm around answering personal questions. I was thinking “buddy, not only did you watch this film many times, but you made it … C’mon!”
I remember watching SNL back in the early 80’s and The Kinks were on performing their current hit (at the time) “Come Dancing,” and the cameras moved over to film Chrissy … and while I didn’t know a lot about The Pretenders, I learned that she and Ray Davies were together, and I started putting pieces together (as a young, aspiring musicologist).
Watch this film.
6 – The Surgeon
I wasn’t sure what was going to transpire in this film.
The protagonist is Michelle Yeoh, who starred in Everything Everywhere All at Once. So, I might have been expecting something kind of bonkers.
Instead, it was a film that I felt a connection to – it is an intelligent thriller.
My favourite song by Thin Lizzy, “Rosalie,” was the lead off track, and the rest of the soundtrack was full of Lizzy!
I think you’d love it … it might hit the bring screen, or Netflix or something like that.
Filmmaker Anton Corbijn scores a solid offering with a film based on a real-life person, the author of the “Talented Mr. Ripley” books, but dramatized.
There is a lot of intellectual sparring which reminded me of The Man In My Basement from last year’s TIFF.
Helen Mirren is a showstopper in this film.
8 – Everybody Wants To Fuck Me
This film is just intriguing more than anything else.
Great story line. The acting was fine. But it gets crazier and crazier until it blows up.
Worth a watch!
9 – Furies
I really dug the story line here.
As the synopsis starts off, “Set in a bankrupt and sweaty Beirut, Rami Kodeih’s impressive thriller follows two sisters in need of money for an important surgery.”
That, along with the image below was enough to push me to select this film.
10 – Bunker
Ah, Javier and Pé.
They play a couple in a film for the first time since they’ve been married.
I remember they both starred in a great film by Almodóvar called Carne Trémula in ’97. Pé played a woman who gives birth to a kid on the bus in Madrid and dies shortly thereafter. And Javier played a cop who was shot by the child to whom Pé gave birth on the bus 20 something years prior. You can see much younger versions of them in the trailer linked to the film title above; this is my probably my fave Spanish film of all time.
Getting back to Bunker … they both acted very well in the film, which also stars a fantastic British actor, Stephen Graham, who has been in so many great films in the past 25 years.
The only downside to Bunker is that it ends up being a bit of a Fat Albert episode. IYKYK.
11 – Bucking Fastard
I’ve never seen a film by Werner Herzog before. What a trip!
I thought that David Lynch took his viewers for a mind-fuck, but Werner Herzog takes it up a notch.
The film is based on a true story of two sisters (not twins) played by the Mara sisters (Kate and Roonie) who are synced in the most bizarre way. They fall in love with the same guy (Orlando Bloom) and then all hell breaks loose and the film takes a bizarre twist.
This isn’t for everyone, so buyer beware.
12 – The Idiot(s)
The film is about Anna and Fyodor Dostoevsky working on the book “The Idiot.”
It shows the madness of the artists that Anna and Fyodor were.
I won’t say much more – if you’re a fan of this era of Russian literature, then this will be of interest to you.
Interesting fact, “The Idiot” wasn’t a hit when it was released back in 1869 and only became popular and revered later.
13 – Hombre Al Agua
I was expecting more from Gabriel García Bernal.
I first saw him in Amorres Perros in 2001 and really enjoyed most of what he starred in since.
This film was just okay. The Ricky Martin cameo was kind of cool.
14 – The Julia Set
Interesting film, but felt like a social media post on sexism with reactions coming from the audience in real-time.
Smart movie.
15 – Faith
This could have been a great film.
Great actors. Emotionally intense.
But there is a supernatural aspect of the film that just felt a little weak.
16 – Arrested Memory
Midnight Madness fun. But not very memorable.
The original Bad Lieutenant was a masterpiece.
I never saw the second film, with Nick Cage; Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans – which was directed by Werner Herzog, incidentally. I need to check it out.
This installment in the series was decent, but no masterpiece.
It was a very popular selection at TIFF2026 – so, check it out if you wish.
18 – Krux
I guess you could say that this is an interesting film, as a topic.
Based on real-life events, it’s about the Russians are coming for the Germans in WW2.
I don’t think it was particularly well acted, and I found it rather dull.
I don’t see a future on the big screen for Krux.
Leave a Reply