MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
6 Turning Red
Disney / Pixar
Turning Red is the newly released Disney Pixar film set in Toronto now streaming on Disney+. Following the story of 13-year-old Mei Lee, she struggles with being a good obedient daughter and her own pre-teen antics. On top of this, whenever Mei gets excited, she turns into a giant red panda. The first Canadian Disney Pixar film, Turning Red has been praised for just about every aspect of the film. From the Chinese-Canadian representation on-screen to the incredible animation, Turning Red has received universal acclaim. Featuring an all-Canadian cast, including the award-winning Sandra Oh, Turning Red brings out the multiculturalism so potent in Toronto through Mei Lee’s experiences and her group of friends. In an interview with Comicbook.com, Turning Red’s director Domee Shi expressed interest in a potential sequel despite not having any plans for it.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
5 Scott Pilgrim Vs The World
Universal Pictures
Slacker musician Scott Pilgrim is forced to face off with the seven evil exes of his girlfriend Ramona, all while trying to get a record deal. Starring Michael Cera as Scott and based on the graphic novel of the same name, Scott Pilgrim Vs The World features a number of Toronto’s landmarks scattered throughout the film, part of what the film has become known for. Along with the highly stylized graphics, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World was a box-office bomb, but gained a cult following, receiving over 70 awards and nominations, including being shortlisted for Best Visual Effects at the Academy Awards.
4 Chloe
StudioCanal
Another film set in Toronto is Chloe. Following the well-off Catherine and David, who live in a posh area of Toronto, not everything is as it seems. When Catherine suspects David of cheating on her, she hires sex worker Chloe to meet with David and see if he will give in to the temptation. The film stars Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson, and Amanda Seyfried as Chloe. Based on the French film Nathalie…, Chloe was a commercial success, and while it received mixed reviews, it received a number of awards and nominations, including a nomination from the Directors Guild of Canada for Best Feature Film, taking home the awards for Best Picture Editing and Best Sound Editing.
3 Enemy
Entertainment One
Enemy is a psychological thriller set in Toronto and directed by the famous Denis Villeneuve, director of the recent remake of Dune. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal and loosely based on the novel The Double, Enemy follows two men who are physically identical but have different personalities and lead completely different lives. Enemy was widely praised and critically acclaimed for its complexities and plot twists. It even earned ten nominations at the Canadian Screen Awards, winning a grand total of five, including Best Director for Villeneuve. The film has been subject to a great deal of analysis thanks to its complexity and the existence of two physically identical beings existing within the same universe without having any relation whatsoever.
2 The F Word / What If
When med-school dropout Wallace decides to give up on love, he finds himself faced with Chantry, whom he believes to be “the one”. The problem: she’s already in a relationship. Featuring Daniel Radcliffe, Zoe Kazan, and even Adam Driver, The F Word is based on the play Toothpaste and Cigars and displays the deep complexities within relationships and how friends can quickly catch feelings for one another. The film was well-received, even earning a nomination for Best Picture at the Canadian Screen Awards, winning for Best Adapted Screenplay. When the film was distributed in the US, CBS decided to change the name of the film to What If to try to maintain a PG-13 rating.
1 Down the Road Again
CBC
Retired Canadian mailman Pete goes on his final road trip to scatter his friend Joey’s ashes in Nova Scotia, making a number of stops along the way, including a return to Toronto. Joey’s Daughter Betty-Jo joins him on his journey. Down the Road Again is a sequel to the 1970 film Goin’ Down the Road, the films use the same car. Down the Road Again is a perfect example of a sequel done well as it is a continuation of the previous film, but it also works as a standalone film. Down the Road Again was praised for effectively joining the older generation with the younger. That said, the film was critiqued for walking the fine line of becoming a cookie-cutter movie with little to no substance.
