Want to to go TIFF but don’t know what to see? We’ve got you covered. Check out the hits and misses of TIFF 2011. The Festival takes place from Sept. 8 to 18.

Hick
1/5 Stars; Release: TBA 

And here we have it, one of the most bizarre and unnecessary films at this year’s TIFF (and there were many). Derick Martini’s Hick is a string of clichés, from the characters, to their one-liners, their endless dialogue, to the setting. Each actor, every one of whom clearly has potential, overdoes and exaggerates every minute they appear on screen.

But it’s the scattered story that isn’t really a story (because it has no clue where it’s going, except in circles), that makes Hick tragic. It follows Luli (yes, Luli), the western version of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl, played by Chloe Moretz, who is most often promising, but here, has clearly watched one too many movies. Luli is a runaway, tired of her broken home and alcoholic parents, she hitches a ride with a cowboy (Eddie Redmayne, perhaps the strongest here, but still deeply lost within his cowboy stereotype), and later a grifter (Blake Lively, whose potential is both skimming and floundering at the surface, but is also lost in a jumble of clichés). Needless to say, Luli gets tangled into these other runaway’s lives, simultaneously losing and finding herself.

Moretz is portrayed as a Lolita-type, the camera loves her, but maybe a little too much. She’s certainly alluring, but the sexualization of Luli feels more inappropriate and misguided than whimsical and creative.

In the end, Hick will be just another one of those films you thought you heard of once, but then disappeared, never to be heard of again (fortunately).

- Sadaf Ahsan

Your Sister’s Sister
4/5 Stars; Release: TBA

The beauty of Lynn Shelton’s Your Sister’s Sister is, unarguably, the improvisational factor. Every scene is largely improvised, and from that, natural and easy. The film flows from one moment to the next to the point where it genuinely feels as though we’ve walked into three personal lives.

And the acting is equally effortless from Emily Blunt (Iris), Rosemarie DeWitt (Hannah) and Mark Duplass (particularly good as Jack, comically and dramatically). Iris’s boyfriend—Jack’s brother, has recently passed away. Iris and Jack are best friends, very close, very intimate. Jack’s been having a hard time dealing with his brother’s death, so Iris tells him to spend a weekend at her family’s cottage. Jack does exactly that, but upon arrival, encounters Iris’s sister, Hannah, whom he has never met. One glass of alcohol leads to another, into one night that will change all three of their lives.

The story is simple, realistic, but impressively dynamic and relies on its actors. Shelton captures all the right moments that are sweetly funny, but dramatic. Your Sister’s Sister is one of those hidden gems you can only find at TIFF.

- Sadaf Ahsan

Rampart
4.5/5 Stars; Release: TBA

If there were ever a role Woody Harrelson were meant to play, it’s this one, as Police Officer Dave Brown, a rough around the edges kind of guy—but with an odd sort of charm that simply works (much like Harrelson’s). Brown works with the LAPD, the Rampart division, a seemingly seedy, crime-ridden area. Without giving too much away, Brown becomes more and more difficult for the police department to handle. He runs on testosterone and the inherent need to protect. This is police brutality drama at its best, because it focuses on one man who isn’t entirely likeable or a certifiably ‘good’ man, father, lover or cop.

The film carries a solid pace, and nearly every scene—even those with the family—feel choppy (much of the film was shot with a handheld camera) and gritty, and that’s a compliment. It works. Director Oren Moverman crafts a screenplay with the best sense of humor possible (which may be exactly what most police dramas often lack), but it’s also smart. And Moverman and Harrelson are clearly an excellent match, Rampart being their sophomore effort after 2009’s critically-acclaimed The Messenger.

What makes Rampart such an effective drama, is it’s natural tension and direction; it almost feels like a film right out of the 80s. It’s rough in every sense of the word, from the screenplay to the erratic direction. With an excellent supporting cast, including Robin Wright, Steve Buscemi, Sigourney Weaver and Ben Foster, Rampart is a must-see, if only to witness Harrelson stretch the bar even further. Do I smell Oscar? Why yes. Yes, I do.

- Sadaf Ahsan

Moneyball
3.5/5 Stars; Release: September 23

First things first: you don’t have to be a sports fan to love Moneyball. You’ll fall in love with it either way, because when it comes to sports, there is nothing more emotional. The ups, the downs; just when you think you’re winning; all the odds flip against you. And it’s all on you—or at least it feels that way.

Moneyball, penned by screenwriter-extraordinaire Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network, The West Wing), is great (though not quite so Sorkin as one would expect). The film may be somewhat lengthy and not entirely perfect, but it holds an even pace throughout. The true to life adaptation (based on the novel by Michael Lewis) is smooth and overall, just a generally, feel-good movie. It follows Billy Beane (always solid Brad Pitt), an ex baseball player turned general manager to the Oakland A’s—a struggling team, if there ever was one. It’s only when he encounters Yale economics grad Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), who uses computerized math formulas and data analysis to systematically assess players on their strengths and weaknesses—a very overlooked and mocked system (There’s no math in baseball!)—that Beane stands any chance of saving his team and getting a win.

The true stand out isn’t Pitt (trust me), but Jonah Hill (again, trust me). The comic actor is impressive and quick in Moneyball, surprisingly charismatic, sweet and manages to hold his own with Pitt. The two manage to share an unusual chemistry as partners, and are your reason to watch. Or your money back. (Well, maybe not.)

- Sadaf Ahsan

Friends with Kids
3/5 Stars; Release: TBA

Jennifer Westfeldt (Kissing Jessica Stein) pulls writer-director-actor duty impressively with Friends with Kids, which follows the typical romantic comedy/drama formula, and yet still comes off uniquely charming, mostly due to Westfeldt’s and Adam Scott’s lead characters. And the token group of equally charming friends, played by Jon Hamm, Kristin Wiig, Maya Rudolph and Chris O’Dowd.

Scott is a stand out, in hopefully the role that will finally earn him the attention he deserves, as the friend with the kid to Westfeldt’s Julie. Julie and Adam’s Jason have been best friends forever. But over the years, everyone they know have all become with child, and thus, without much fun. Jason and Julie both harbor a growing desire to have their own child, but seeing their friends cope with their own horrific children, the two decide to have a child together to avoid the whole couple aspect. That way, nothing will get in the way of their parenting and they’ll be free to date others; no feelings will get hurt—right?

Essentially, we go from friends with benefits to friends with kids to friends with benefits. But I’m not complaining. Because Friends with Kids is simply, a nice, good-hearted film. The script is great, with several punches of daring humor, and isn’t too afraid to go just about anywhere—well, despite the safe (although, let’s face it, expected) conclusion.

Mark this down for your next date night. Or you know, your next night without the kids (and your definition of “kids” is totally up to you).

- Sadaf Ahsan

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Take This Waltz
4/5 Stars; Release: TBA

Canadian sweetheart Sarah Polley returns as the writer, producer and director of her second, long-awaited feature, Take This Waltz. If Away From Her was a mature, weathered look at a desperate love, Take This Waltz is an innocent, naive take on an equally desperate urge for love.

Michelle Williams stars as Margot, the sort of Canadian hipster you may find wandering Queen St. W., purchasing floral dresses and plastic frames. She’s endearing, quiet, soft. Her husband, played (surprisingly) impressively by Seth Rogen in a dramatic turn flecked with comedy, is comfortable with her. They essentially just are together. Less sexual and free, they are far more cuddly and sweet. And as far as comics go, Sarah Silverman also brilliantly co-stars and in her few scenes, holds her own against Williams.

It isn’t until Margot encounters Daniel (a poignant Luke Kirby)—a dark, artistic type (but nevertheless charming), whom she meets in Nova Scotia, then on the plane back to Toronto and again when they discover they’re neighbours—that she believes she has truly fallen in love; at fate’s hand, if you will. Margot and Daniel can’t fight it; their tension is thick, sexual, but at the same time, soft, tender. You can feel their itch to touch each other, love each other, reach out and claw at you.

The fascination of the film is in its ambiguity. Should Margot leave her husband? Should she stay with him? Who is the better man? Who does she love?

Polley turns a clichéd love triangle into a beautifully chaste film, with a sad sort of romantic look at marriage, love and what the heart wants.

- Sadaf Ahsan

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Drive: Review
4.5/5 Stars; Release: September 16

For the modern day Travis Bickle/Steve McQueen hybrid, apparently, there’s always Ryan Gosling. Not just his character, Driver, but Gosling himself. As TIFF’s man of the year, with Clooney’s The Ides of March along with Drive, garnering heavy acclaim, it’s going to be a while until we no longer hear about the all-Canadian boy (that’s a thing, right?).

But when it comes to Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive, Gosling evokes an impeccably subtle performance; so quiet, so stealthy, we barely hear from him. It’s what we see that makes all the difference, and ultimately what we feel—and what Driver feels—that makes him a true anti-hero, a dark knight of sorts.

Refn’s shtick for graphic but impressive (yes, impressive) violent imagery is alive and kicking in his latest film, taking any unassuming viewers for a ride, pun intended. Let’s put it this way: the Driver is a Hollywood stuntman, but moonlights as a getaway driver for criminals. The next thing you know, there’s a girl. And it turns out—without giving too much away—he may just do anything when it comes to protecting her family. Sounds like a fairytale, doesn’t it?

The direction is seamless and clean (fully deserving of Cannes’ Best Director prize), it takes you right back to 70s/80s film noir, and the tone feels right. The B-movie style is John Hughes inspired, surprisingly enough, just throw in a bit of blood for good measure. The soundtrack is equally impressive. You’ll watch the film feeling just like you’re taking one long night drive yourself—you’re just not sure whether you’ll come back from it.

- Sadaf Ahsan

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Martha Marcy May Marlene
5/5 Stars; Release: October 21

If there’s one thing to take away from Martha Marcy May Marlene, it’s Elizabeth Olsen’s transcendent performance. Playing a girl who has recently fled from an abusive cult, Martha returns to home into the comforting clutches of her sister (Sarah Paulson) and her husband (Hugh Dancy), only to find her past has not quite let her go just yet.

But in the time she’s been gone, it’s clear the cult has taken more of a toll on her psyche than she could have possibly imagined. Martha no longer fits into society quite the way she once did. She is constantly tormented by the fear that she will be found by the cult-members, and this horrid paranoia and mounting tension is so palpable, Martha Marcy May Marlene functions almost better as a tasteful and provocative horror film than simply a drama.

Sean Durkin’s script is haunting, his non-linear direction seamless. The film also features an excellent supporting cast, most notably Academy Award nominee John Hawkes, in a disturbing and truly frightening portrayal of manipulative and dangerous cult leader (his resemblance to Charles Manson doesn’t hurt), Patrick.

Haunted by frightening memories of her time in the cult, Martha best describes the film in one line, when asking her sister, “Do you ever have that feeling where you can’t tell if something’s a memory, or if it’s something you dreamed?”

The significance of Martha’s lost existence within this tug of war between reality and fiction is surprising. You’ll leave the theatre piecing everything together, and still not quite sure how you feel weeks later. That is the work of a truly perfect film.

- Sadaf Ahsan

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A Dangerous Method
2.5/5 Stars; Release: November 23

One thing David Cronenberg is not afraid of, is genre. Having in recent years taken a backseat to his usual sci-fi catalogue, his dramas are often heavily dosed with intricate themes of sex, violence and crime, through often unexplored routes.

Cronenberg’s films are character studies, disturbing, but always entertaining. And that is where A Dangerous Method is lost. A study it is, as the film depicts renowned psychologists Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen, Cronenberg’s always reliable go-to guy) and Carl Jung’s (Michael Fassbender) intimate friendship as doctor and mentor, intertwined with Jung’s more than intimate relationship with his patient, Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley).

Spielrein has a history of paternal abuse, and while Jung attempts to help her with it, he also manages to seduce her (or likewise)—but how much of that seduction is out of lust, and how much out of a simple outlet for psychoanalysis?

Nevertheless, though interesting at times, the film is not remotely engaging. It shines through its depiction of Spielrein, a part of Jung and Freud’s relationship never before portrayed in film. The acting is strong, particularly Knightley, who initially appears hysterical, but is quickly realized as an almost endearing and interesting foil to the (ironically) self-obsessed shrinks.

However, the majority of the film is prolonged discussion, and while this may be warranted through its psychological subject matter, it drags on. Though worth one watch, A Dangerous Method is ultimately, unfortunately, forgettable; almost there, but not quite.

- Sadaf Ahsan

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We Need To Talk About Kevin
4/5 Stars; Release: December 2

If there’s ever a reason not to have children, this film may just hold up in court. Consider it your smoking gun. Because a child like Kevin is a child like no other.

Director and co-writer Lynne Ramsay adapted the screenplay from a 2003 novel by Lionel Shriver, of the same name. The critically-acclaimed story follows Eva, a mother who never really wanted a child, but now must deal with her immense grief in the aftermath of her son Kevin’s high school shooting spree.

Ramsay’s direction is so poignant and so nuanced, every moment becomes magnified. The film is a kaleidoscope of sound and visuals, paralleling the mother and son. From a young age, Kevin approaches his mother as more of an opponent than a parent. The battle between the two is fascinating, and like a sick game of chess, we watch Kevin’s every fatal move, waiting for Eva’s reaction, the tension mounting.

If anything holds the film back at all, it’s the conclusion. It’s the sort of ending that unfortunately rips away from the realistic tread the movie manages to capture through its run. But at the same time, it has you question the story itself, and truly how realistic and familiar it may feel—which is the horror of it itself.

Miller himself is a standout, and holds his own with Swinton. His chilling gaze and dark androgynous demeanor evoke an incredible stance of not simply evil, but intimidation. And while Miller’s potential is clear, Swinton has clearly bagged herself a well-deserved Oscar nomination. The film is her. In nearly every shot, the agony, pain, fear and desperation of a mother who senses something is not quite right lingers across Swinton’s face. The script is subtle, minimal and the non-linear direction is strong. We Need to Talk About Kevin is art film meets psychological thriller, and overall, a guaranteed scare.

- Sadaf Ahsan

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Shame
Rating: 4/5
Next screening on: Sept. 13, 3:15 p.m.

After his stunning debut Hunger, director Steve McQueen returns to TIFF with Shame, a stunning portrayal of a man whose sex addiction threatens to take over his life.

Brandon is a seemingly normal New Yorker whose intense craving for sex is interrupted by the arrival of his needy sister Sissy (Carey Mulligan). Living together, the two siblings struggle to find stability in their own lives and their destructive relationship with one another. As McQueen lets his characters find their way, Shame erupts into intense violence, passion, and ultimately, despair.

Shame works largely because of Fassbender’s stellar performance – he captures Brandon’s vulnerability, confusion and anger perfectly. Mulligan serves as an excellent foil.

But it’s McQueen’s unique screenplay that makes Shame stand out. It’s absolutely fearless, showcasing the most raw and visceral characteristics of human behaviour without apology. It’s sexually explicit, and rightly so, purposely making the audience uncomfortable.

Looking for a romantic night out? Probably not your best bet. But Shame stays with you far past the credits.

- Aly Kassam

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Chicken with Plums
Rating: 3.5/5
Next screening on: Friday Sept. 16, 6 p.m.

It’s not easy to make a film that simultaneously makes audiences laugh while posing complex questions about life an existence. After collaborating on Persepolis, graphic novelist Marjanne Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud bring another one of Satrapi’s graphic novels to life. Set in 1950s Tehran, Chicken with Plums is at once fantastical and realistic, using supernatural elements to externalize characters’ desires and fears.

After his violin is broken, famed musician Nasser Ali Khan (Mathieu Almaric) questions his existence and purpose in life. As he decides to end his life, the narrative moves back and forth in time to add dimension to the main character and ultimately reveal the driving force in his decision to die.

Working in live-action for the most part, Satrapi and Paronnaud craft a film that’s hard to take your eyes off of – visually, it’s a feast for the eyes. The film holds you almost until the end, when it eventually resorts to melodrama that becomes a little too sweet after a while.

Nevertheless, Chicken with Plums is a thoroughly enjoyable meal. With a narrative structure that keeps you on your toes and excellent performances from a cast led by Almaric, a slight excess of melodrama does little harm.

- Aly Kassam