Alas, the summer has witnessed its last weekend, and we return to the world of normalcy (at least until Christmas).   Fall is my favourite time of year for many reasons, but reason #1 is that the Toronto International Film Festival caps off Fall with a bang for my family.

I have had a tedious work schedule and sitting down to make my TIFF selections has been touch and go.  But alas! I have reviewed a variety of trailers and have read excerpts about movies with no trailers.  Here are Life’s a Blog’s top five movie picks that will be showing at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.

#1

Mommy

DIRECTOR: XAVIER DOLAN

Although in French, I’m so excited to see this movie that centres on a widowed single mother (Anne Dorval), raising her violent son (Antoine Olivier Pilon) alone, finds new hope when a mysterious neighbor (Suzanne Clement) inserts herself into the mother and son’s household, providing the mother with needed support.

I met director Xavier Dolan back in 2010 at TIFF.  We had a long discussion about dreams and aspirations.  I’m so proud that he has come this far in so little time.  Mommy was The Jury Prize winner at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

#2

Foxcatcher

DIRECTOR: BENNETT MILLER

Foxcatcher is another movie that I can’t wait to see at TIFF 2014.  The film is about Two brothers, both former Olympic wrestling champions (Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo) become involved in a fateful and fatal friendship with a neurotic millionaire (Steve Carell), in this true-life drama from director Bennett Miller (CapoteMoneyball) that is already one of the year’s most buzzed-about films.

#3

The Cobbler

DIRECTOR: THOMAS MCCARTHY

tiff-the-cobbler

Being an Adam Sadler fan, I am hoping to see both his dramatic roles at TIFF this year.  The Cobbler is about a lonely NYC shoe repairman (Adam Sandler) who discovers a magical heirloom that allows him to “walk in another man’s shoes,”. This film co-stars Dustin Hoffman, Steve Buscemi and Ellen Barkin.  I have yet to find the trailer for this film.

#4

St. Vincent

DIRECTOR THEODORE MELFI

I have to say that this is one movie that I will not miss because of the talent.  St. Vincent is about a cantankerous, cash-strapped, loose-living retiree (Bill Murray) becomes a spectacularly unlikely role model for his twelve-year-old neighbour, in this delightful comedy co-starring Melissa McCarthy, Chris O’Dowd, Terrence Howard and Naomi Watts.

#5

The Imitation Game

DIRECTOR: MORTEN TYLDUM

I want to see The Imitation Game for no other reason than finally seeing Benedict Cumberbatch in full movie action.  Yes, he was the beau of the TIFF 2013 ball and I have yet to see his acting.

The Imitation Game is probably something that I would not select as a movie choice for the night as it is centred around the war period.   Benedict Cumberbatch stars as brilliant Cambridge mathematician, cryptanalyst and pioneering computer scientist Alan Turing, who spearheaded the Enigma code-breaking operation during World War II and was later persecuted by the British government for his homosexuality.

Related Images: