It’s almost red carpet time! The Hollywood film awards season will be here before you know it. In case you want to see some of the movies that are already generating Oscar buzz, here’s our take on the 10 best movies shown at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September, including The Fablemans and Devotion.
the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is a first look at some of the year’s biggest films
Hot on the heels of Venice and Telluride, and just before the New York Film Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) runs from September 8th to September 18ththis year. Our social media feeds are already buzzing with enthusiasm for the year’s biggest films, and we are starting to get very excited.
It would be impossible to list every major movie appearing at TIFF this year, but here are ten that you definitely don’t want to miss. Several of these are already generating Oscar buzz.
The 10 best movies from TIFF 2022
1. Broker
Director Hirokazu Kore-eda stole our hearts with Shoplifters. And like Shoplifters, Broker is about a found family. This one as unlikely as ever: a mother who leaves her baby at a church, and two men who steal abandoned babies – like hers – and sell them to wealthy families. And yet, however you may feel about that description, Kore-eda has the power to make us feel things even when we least expect to – and that’s why we can’t wait to see this film. Song Kang-ho, Gang Dong-won, and Lee Ji-eun star.
2. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Based on the beloved young adult novel by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a coming-of-age story set in 1980’s El Paso, Texas. After teen boys Aristotle (Max Pelayo) and Dante (Reese Gonzales star) meet at the public pool, they seem destined to change one another’s lives. Forever. Adolescence is a special time for both friendship and romance. This is the rare tale that manages to capture the magic of both. If Aitch Alberto’s film has half the sparkle of Saenz’s novel, then we know this is going to be one of the best movies shown at the 2022 TIFF.
3. On the Come Up
And there’s not one film adaptation of a bestselling young adult novel at this year’s TIFF– there are two! In her feature debut, Sanaa Lathan directs an adaptation of On the Come Up by Angie Thomas (The Hate U Give). Jamila C. Gray plays Bri, a talented high schooler who wants to succeed in the rap battle scene – and who receives an offer that she may not be able to refuse. On the Come Up is one of the best young adult books of the last five years, and with a cast like this one – including Method Man, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Mike Epps, and Lathan herself – we know this is going to exceed all of our expectations.
Sanaa Lathan directs On the Come Up, shown at the 2022 TIFF.
4. The Woman King
Viola Davis. Gina Prince-Bythewood. Need we say more? The Agojie were an all-female military regiment in 18th century Africa. They were responsible for protecting the powerful Kingdom of Dahomey. Prince-Bythewood’s film tells their story, inspired by true events. Davis plays Nanisca, one of the Agojie warriors, and Lashana Lynch, John Boyega, Thuso Mbedu, and Hero Fiennes Tiffin also star. This film has been generating conversation for quite some time, and we can’t wait for it to be out in the world.
5. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
There’s a lot we don’t know about the upcoming Knives Out sequel – and how appropriate, for a murder mystery – but here’s what we do know: the latest Rian Johnson film swaps out the cast and location of Knives Out, but keeps Daniel Craig as charming detective Benoit Blanc. This new edition to the series takes place in Greece. It brings in a fresh slate of all-stars to help solve (or commit!) the crime. Among them: Ethan Hawke, Janelle Monae, Edward Norton, Kathryn Hahn, Dave Bautista, Kate Hudson, and Leslie Odom Jr. And we have to say, we’re a little glad that the rest is a surprise.
6. The Banshees of Inisherin
Who among us has not had a falling out with a friend? That is the plot of The Banshees of Inisherin. It is a movie that reunites the main players of In Bruges: stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, and director Martin McDonagh. What begins as an intimate conflict – where one man decides he does not want to be friends with the other any longer – spreads to a disaster of catastrophic proportions, and the pair’s entire community is impacted. We’ve heard rave reviews about this project, and we can’t wait to watch.
Colin Farrell, Martin McDonagh and Brendan Gleeson attend “The Banshees of Inisherin” UK Premiere at The Royal Festival Hall in London, England. Photo Credit: Shuttterstock. It’s one of the best movies from the 2022 TIFF.
7. Women Talking
A film based on one of our favorite books, made by one of our favorite filmmakers? Sign us up! Sarah Polley directs the adaptation of Miriam Toews’ novel. Here, the women of a tightknit religious community are forced to make difficult decisions in the aftermath of terrible abuse. The novel is singular. Most of it takes place during one long conversation. We are excited to see how it translates to the screen. The cast includes Rooney Mara, Jessie Buckley, Claire Foy, Frances McDormand, and Ben Whishaw.
8. Devotion
From JD Dillard, a film about the United States’ first Black aviator, Jesse Brown (Jonathan Majors). The film takes place at the beginning of the Korean War, as Brown is forced to endure both the trials of combat and racial prejudice within the military. Glen Powell stars as Tom Hudner, Brown’s closest collaborator. Dillard has made several exciting films over the last few years (Sleight, Sweetheart), and we’re looking forward to his latest.
9. The Fabelmans
One of the best movies at the 2022 TIFF was directed by . . . wait for it . . . Steven Spielberg. No surprise, we know. After the success of West Side Story, director Stephen Spielberg and screenwriter Tony Kushner re-team for The Fablemans – a film based on the director’s own childhood. With Paul Dano and Michelle Williams starring as Spielberg’s fictionalized parents, the narrative aims to capture both his early passion for filmmaking, as well as his family dynamic – a dynamic that has influenced all of his projects to date. This is a movie we’ve been eager to see since it was first announced. We can’t wait until it’s out in the world.
Reginald Hudlin, Family at the Premiere Of Apple TV +’s “Sidney” at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on September 21, 2022 in Los Angeles, CA. The movie is one of the top 10 shown at this year’s 2022 TIFF.
10. Sidney
Reginald Hudlin directs this retrospective of icon Sidney Poitier. This is the only documentary that makes our list. It is something you’ll be able to watch even if you’re not at TIFF – it premieres on Apple TV on September 23rd. And you shouldn’t miss it. The film immortalizes Poitier’s immense legacy, using interviews, film clips, and footage from the actor’s life to convey a significant truth. There has never been another performer with the same kind of impact as Poitier.
The 10 best movies from the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)
That’s our take on the 10 best movies shown at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), including The Fablemans, Devotion and more. Expect to see many of these on the Oscar ballot – maybe catch them now, before the whole world discovers them.
