The 42nd annual Toronto International Film Festival starts today, which means the streets of Toronto will be flooded with Hollywood’s biggest and brightest stars. From September 7 to the 17, Toronto will be transformed into Tinseltown and will play host to a number of galas, special presentations and world premieres including Lady Gaga’s Netflix documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two.
From emotional documentaries to psychological thrillers and just about every genre in between, here are the TIFF 2017 films we’re most excited to see.
Gaga: Five Foot Two
The Princess of Wales Theatre is the place to be during TIFF, as it will host the world premiere of Lady Gaga’s Netflix original documentary, Gaga: Five Foot Two. Directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Chris Moukarbel, the documentary shows a behind the scenes look at the life of the singer, including personal struggles and interactions with family and friends in her everyday life. The doc follows her over an eight-month period as she records and releases her 2016 album, “Joanne.” This is definitely a film that Gaga fans surely won’t want to miss.
Battle of the Sexes
We loved their on-screen chops in Crazy Stupid Love and we can’t wait to see Emma Stone and Steve Carell’s banter in Battle of the Sexes. Highlighting the infamous tennis match between Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) and Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) in 1973, Battle of the Sexes is a story that couldn’t be more relevant today.
Breathe
Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy star in this moving true love story of Robin and Diana Cavendish, an adventurous couple who refuse to give up in the face of a devastating disease. Directed by Andy Serkis (War on the Planet of the Apes, Star Wars), Breathe is a beautiful love story that will surely bring you to tears.
Downsizing
If you’re looking to get your laugh on, we recommend checking out Downsizing, a sci-fi social satire about a man who decided to literally shrink himself to simplify his life. With a star-studded cast that includes Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig, Christoph Waltz, Laura Dern, Jason Sudeikis, Alec Baldwin, and Neil Patrick Harris, this flick will surely have you laughing in your seat.
Suburbicon
Directed by the one and only George Clooney and co-written by the Coen brothers, Suburbicon is a complex tale of flawed characters living in an idyllic 1950s community who make a series of bad choices. This dark satire includes a megawatt cast including Matt Damon, Julianne Moore, and Oscar Isaac, and it’s surely not be missed.
The Shape of Water
Directed by Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth), The Shape of Water might be one of the most highly anticipated films premiering at TIFF. Starring Sally Hawkins and Octavia Spencer, this otherworldly fairy tale takes place at the height of the Cold War (1962), when two workers in a high-tech US government laboratory discover a terrifying secret experiment that Hawkins develops an unusual relationship with. If you’re a fan of del Toro, you’ll undoubtedly want to check this out.
The Disaster Artist
Directed by James Franco, The Disaster Artist is a dramatic take on the cult bomb The Room, a love-triangle romance often referred to as the worst movie ever made. Franco also stars in the flick, where he plays Tommy Wiseau, the real-life filmmaker of the 2003 film. Wiseau himself has a supporting role in The Disaster Artist, along with Seth Rogen, Zac Efron, Bryan Cranston and Kristen Bell.
Stronger
Based on an inspirational true story about Boston Marathon bombing survivor Jeff Bauman, Stronger stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Canada’s own Tatiana Maslany of Orphan Black fame. The film follows Bauman post bombing, where he lost his legs and looks at how he overcame the horrific tragedy.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer
If you’re a fan of supernatural thrillers, The Killing of a Sacred Deer needs to be at the top of your TIFF list. Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster) this thriller follows the unusual relationship between a cardiac surgeon (Colin Farrell) and a 16-year-old boy (Barry Keoghan). Over time, the surgeon introduces the boy to his wife (Nicole Kidman) and the boy becomes determined to ingratiate himself into this unfamiliar family. It’s not long before things start to get very strange and the plot twists.
I, Tonya
In 1994, the figure skating world was rocked when Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding attacked US medal hopeful, Nancy Kerrigan. Margot Robbie stars as the controversial Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding, who was banned for life from competing after her infamous attack on Kerrigan. This is an alternately tragic, hilarious and absurd look at one of the biggest scandals in US sports history.
The Mountain Between Us
Idris Elba and Kate Winslet star in this emotional rollercoaster that follows two strangers, a surgeon (Elba) and journalist (Winslet) as they’re forced to rely on each other for survival when their plane crashes in the wilderness.
Long Time Running
Starring Canadian music legends Gord Downie, Paul Langlois, and Gord Sinclair, Long Time Running documents the Tragically Hip’s 2016 Machine Man Poem Tour in the wake of frontman Downie’s terminal brain cancer diagnosis. Directed by Jennifer Baichwal and Nicholas de Pencier, we’re going to bet there will be some teary eyes in the crowd at this premiere.
