Best of 2024: Billie Anderson's Top 10 movies
by Billie Anderson, Staff Writer
I’m focusing on some of my favorite lesser-known gems of the year—films you might not find on every Best of 2024 list but absolutely should make the time to see.
16 nontraditional Christmas movies to watch between Christmas and New Year's
by Billie Anderson, Staff Writer
I’ve made the week easier for you and offered up some perfect double features to fill the endless hours of leftovers, puzzle making, and your dad falling asleep on the couch.
THE BRUTALIST is a complex meditation on building the American Dream
by Billie Anderson, Staff Writer
This is capital-C cinema, the kind of grand Hollywood epic that disappeared decades ago with the likes of Michael Cimino’s Heaven’s Gate and Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America.
Read MoreTHE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE is a tense portrait of a world without compassion or justice
by Billie Anderson, Staff Writer
Combining stark black-and-white cinematography with a narrative steeped in melodrama and existential despair, von Horn crafts a film that is as haunting as it is beautiful, earning its place as one of the most disturbing films of recent years.
QUEER meanders through a devastating portrait of love and longing
by Billie Anderson, Staff Writer
Queer’s meandering, often opaque narrative asks more of its audience than Guadagnino’s previous works. But for those willing to embrace its complexities, Queer offers a devastating and unforgettable portrait of longing, insecurity, and the relentless search for connection.
Grotesqueries Week: Changing Bodies, Changing Climates
by Billie Anderson, Staff Writer
Movies like Crimes of the Future (2022), Annihilation (2018), The Thing (1982), and Akira (1988) don’t rely on monsters or slashers to provoke fear. Instead, they show us the horror of losing control over our own physical selves.
ANORA tackles serious issues without sacrificing joy
by Billie Anderson, Staff Writer
Anora is an extraordinary film that delivers on every front.
SATURDAY NIGHT is not flawless but its heart is in the right place
by Billie Anderson, Staff Writer
Ultimately, Saturday Night plays like a historical drama for those who find traditional war films dull.
WE LIVE IN TIME is an incredibly heartfelt exploration of a relationship
by Billie Anderson, Staff Writer
We Live in Time transcends the typical “cancer film” label; it’s a beautifully crafted love story, brought to life by the chemistry and charisma of its lead actors.
THE SHROUDS & THE LIFE OF CHUCK: on living, grieving, and dying
by Billie Anderson, Staff Writer
Two of my favorite films from TIFF this year from two of my favorite directors had very different approaches to representing life, death, and grief on screen.
TIFF 2024 offers a stellar lineup of highly anticipated films
by Billie Anderson, Staff Writer
Another September, another Toronto International Film Festival. This year feels particularly special, like there’s something in the pre-festival air.
MOTHER, COUCH! offers absurdity and authentic emotion
by Billie Anderson, Staff Writer
Mother, Couch! deceives audiences with a false sense of security through the comedic dialogue and awkward familial encounters before abruptly revealing its true, unsettling nature.
THELMA is both a loving portrait and a thrilling tale of aging
by Billie Anderson, Staff Writer
June Squibb shines brightly in her first leading role, brilliantly complemented by the equally phenomenal Richard Roundtree.
IMPERFECT chooses reality over "inspo-porn"
by Billie Anderson, Staff Writer
With such a simple premise and result, it seems depressing that this documentary is almost revolutionary: a documentary about disabled people that feels aimed towards other disabled viewers.
Toronto After Dark: RESTORE POINT, IT'S A WONDERFUL KNIFE, DANIEL'S GOTTA DIE, THE DEEP DARK and more
by Billie Anderson, Staff Writer
Toronto After Dark Film Festival is a horror and science-fiction film festival that promises five nights of local and international content for thousands of horror fans every year.
Toronto After Dark: Shorts Roundup
by Billie Anderson, Staff Writer
This past month, I had the opportunity to cover the Toronto After Dark Film Festival–a horror and science-fiction film festival that promises five nights of local and international content for thousands of horror fans every year.
TIFF2023: PICTURES OF GHOSTS, HELL OF A SUMMER, MOTHER COUCH!, STRANGE WAY OF LIFE and AMERICAN FICTION
by Billie Anderson, Staff Writer
Highlights from this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, including a few big anticipated releases (including the 2023 People’s Choice and gay cowboys Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal) as well as some smaller scale, no-buzz films.
MAFIA MAMMA is a skippable action comedy with little of either
by Billie Anderson, Staff Writer
It’s unfortunate that the most compelling part of the film, the part of the film that could have encompassed most of it (like The Lizzie McGuire Movie) was reduced to a brief 2-minute montage.
Noah Segan revamps the vampire in BLOOD RELATIVES
by Billie Anderson, Staff Writer
If Segan keeps up with this filmmaking style, he has the potential to make some really great and original genre-rejuvenating films in his future.