The Toronto International Film Festival kicked off on September 8th, and some films have already earned themselves a fair amount of praise. With many world premieres and a few movies that earned some hype at the Sundance Film Festival earlier in the year, there are a number of titles that have met enormous praise.
"La La Land"
A couple years ago, Damien Chazelle's film "Whiplash" surprised audiences and critics alike. The story of a drummer and his harsh instructor earned many awards at Sundance and even a few Oscars. Now, it looks like Chazelle is about to do it again. His new film "La La Land," which stars Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, is a musical about an actress and a jazz musician. The film is expected to perform exceptionally well once it hits theaters this December.
"American Honey"
Filmmaker Andrea Arnold certainly isn't a household name, but that's expected to change after the release of her new film "American Honey." Praised as "energetic" and "intimate," the film tells the story of a young girl who gets caught up in a frenzy of mischief as she travels across the Midwest. Arnold insisted on using unknown actors and often casted teenagers off of the streets they were filming on, which should make for a very interesting experience.
"Moonlight"
Barry Jenkin's film "Moonlight" has many critics calling it the best film of 2016. Described as "the tender, heartbreaking story of a young man's struggle to find himself," the movie spans three different chapters in the main character's life. Currently sitting at a perfect score on both Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic, "Moonlight" is definitely one to look out for this fall.
"A Monster Calls"
Based on the book by Patrick Ness, director Juan Antonio Bayona's film about a boy trying to cope with his mother's cancer is undeniably going to be one of the most heartfelt films of the year. Starring Felicity Jones (who can also be seen this December in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"), Liam Neeson, and Sigourney Weaver, the visually stunning story will hopefully be one to remember for years to come.