The top 10 movies to see at TIFF 2018

There are dozens of incredible films to chose from at TIFF 2018 and while there's plenty to like in the documentary category, foreign and buzziest films, I've selfishly kept a few favourites back for this list.

Here are my must-see movies at TIFF 2018.

Carmine Street Guitars

Hometown hero Ron Mann will bring his sweet and charming musical film home about Greenwich Village luthiers to TIFF after showing it in Venice. A warm, Demme-like respite in the midst of festival chaos, we can all use some of that in the midst of more dour offerings.

Green Book

A Farrelly brother directing Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen in a period drama? The ingredients are too weird to pass up. This is either going to be a masterpiece or a mess, and either way I can't wait to find out.

Halloween

I'm not a huge fan of the original, but I am extremely excited to see what David Gordon Green can do with such material, hoping for a bit of magic from this mix of high and low, art-house and schlock, that Green and his collaborators may bring to this redux.

Kursk

I love submarine movies. I love Danish cinema. I love Thomas Vinterberg's films. So, finally after years of anticipation, I get to see this tale of camaraderie and tragedy. Ready to dive, Captain. 

Mid90s

My favourite films are always those that skate a thin edge, ones that could either faceplant or stick the landing. Jonah Hill's directorial debut is about young skate punks in a period of a decade I'd rather forget and could be truly horrible. Or, as I have a tingling of hope about, it could be one of the best films of the fest. 

Monsters and Men

Fingers crossed on this one too. There have been too many simplistic films of late dealing with the highly complex issues surrounding law enforcement and marginalized communities. Reinaldo Marcus Green's film looks to shake things up, bringing nuance and subtlety without diminishing the power of its message.

Outlaw King

While some may wait for a chance to screen on VOD, I'm betting that David Mackenzie's epic about Robert the Bruce (Chris Pine) will be a Royal feast best served in the cinema.

Firecrackers

It's pitched like a Canadian version of American Honey (a film that frankly I didn't love very much), but there's plenty of anticipation for Jasmin Mozaffari's film about two girls trying to escape their small town. Fingers crossed it's as explosive as its title.

Peterloo

It's a film directed by Mike Leigh. That's surely enough to warrant it being on anyone's must-see list. Make it a period drama about political reform with his usual sublime casting choices and it's even more tantalizing.

Widows

A monster cast (Viola Davis, Daniel Kaluuya, Liam Neeson, Jacki Weaver, Colin Farrell), written by the scribe of Gone Girl and a thriller directed by the brilliantly artistic Steve McQueen. Yes, please.

by Jason Gorber via blogTO

Toronto Food Events: Mac and Cheese Fest, Brewer's Backyard, Le Burger Week

Burgers, barbecue and beer are just some of the food events happening in Toronto this week. Backyard Brewer's looks to celebrate Labour Day and there's a huge boozy brunch buffet waiting to be had. A new soup festival is on the way and it's almost time for Oktoberfest in the city.

Events you might want to check out:

Mac and Cheese Fest (August 31 - September 3 @ Woodbine Park)
Part of BuskerFest, this big festival devoted to all things Mac 'n' cheese is here with modern twists on the old favourite—and it's all for a good cause.
Toronto Rib, Bacon and BBQ Fest (August 31 - September 3 @ Downsview Park)
Save room for this big, end-of-summer cookout with all the bacon, ribs and barbecue you can imagine, plus live tunes, food trucks, activities and more.
Hispanic Fiesta (August 31 - September 3 @ Mel Lastman Square)
Celebrate all things Latin American at this big festival, featuring traditional food from twenty different Spanish speaking countries.
Le Burger Week (September 1-7 @ Multiple Venues)
Back again is this week-long burger festival happening at places all over the city, plus a competition to create the most unique burger.
Bagel Battle (September 2 @ Harbourfront Centre)
A battle is brewing to decide once and for all who has the best bagels (it's Montreal) with a history lesson and gourmet competitive sampling.
Rijsttafel (September 2 @ Borrel)
Dig into a traditional Dutch-Indonesian rijsttafel (rice table) during this big feast of flavours, meats, sides and speciality goodies.
Drag Queen Boozy Brunch (September 2 @ Constantine)
The powerful forces that are drag and brunch join together for a boozy extravaganza that includes performances, tunes and a huge brunch buffet.
Brewer’s Backyard (September 3 @ Evergreen Brick Works)
Raise a glass to the summer and celebrate another season come to pass at this big beer party featuring local brewing and a ton of food trucks on-site.
Harvest Wednesday (September 5 @ Gladstone Hotel)
This week's Harvest Wednesday looks to break the boundaries of dining with a chef's talk, three-course meal, drinks and live music into the night.
This Is Vintages (September 27 @ The Fermenting Cellar)
Wines from Ontario and beyond will be up for the tasting at this evening soirée featuring tastings from 80+ producers, food and tunes.
Toronto Oktoberfest (September 27-29 @ Ontario Place East Parking Lot)
Break out your lederhosen for this big festival in celebration of all things German culture with food, music and, of course, lots of beer.
Toronto Soup Festival (October 20-21 @ Garrison Common)
Just in time for comfort food season, this new festival is dedicated to all things soup, featuring exhibitors, non-soup food, drinks and more.

by Lisa Power via blogTO

10 things to do in Toronto today

There's nothing like a Friday before the long weekend and events in Toronto today do not disappoint. Fill up on barbecue or party at the aquarium. Drag, comedy, dancing and a free outdoor screening are also on to help round out the day.

Events you might want to check out:

Aquatic Con (August 31 @ Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada)
Party with this fishies during this big sci-fi, gaming, horror, anime and comic books jam with themed drinks, costumes and dancing.
Downsview Park Friday Night Lights (August 31 @ Downsview Park)
The great outdoors inside the city, Downsview Park is hosting a free outdoor screening of the Pixar film Coco. BYOB+C (blanket and chair)!
Indie Fridays (August 31 @ Yonge–Dundas Square)
We're already at the end of Indie Fridays for the season but there's still one free concert to go with Clairmont The Second and The Dirty B-Sides.
Divas Only (August 31 @ Glad Day Bookshop (Church))
Girl, yes. Dance it out to all the diva classics: Mary J Blige, Rihanna and Janet, plus a special tribute to Aretha Franklin.
Queens Of The World (August 31 @ Super Wonder Gallery)
A big celebration of drag culture from all around the world comes together in Toronto to showcase a diverse group of performers.
Shade (August 31 @ Rivoli)
Back is this monthly comedy showcase dedicated to comedians of colour, from the LGBTQ+ community and those who identify as women.
Festival Lingua Franca (August 31 - September 1 @ Faith/Void)
Now in its second year, this underground DIY rock music festival focuses on showcasing and celebrating Black, Latinx and Caribbean communities.
BuskerFest (August 31 - September 3 @ Woodbine Park)
The art of busking takes over for a weekend of performances of all kinds alongside activities and a big Mac 'n' cheese festival.
Toronto Rib, Bacon and BBQ Fest (August 31 - September 3 @ Downsview Park)
Save room for this big, end-of-summer cookout with all the bacon, ribs and barbecue you can imagine, plus live tunes, food trucks, activities and more.
Fan Expo (August 30 - September 2 @ Metro Toronto Convention Centre)
A weekend of fandom continues with special guest appearances and everything from cosplay, comics, anime, hour, gaming and much more.

by Lisa Power via blogTO

The latest Toronto made movie is a horror flick set in WWI

Any movie set during WWI is bound to be horrifying (what's more disgusting than bayonets) but a new film by a Toronto-based team takes it to the next level by adding an extra gory twist to the mix: zombies. 

Trench 11 comes out in theatres Friday, and judging by the trailer, it's going to be a disgusting bloodbath that will haunt your nightmares for a while.

Co-written and directed by Leo Scherman (who also directed the Gemini award-winning series Cock'd Gunns) and produced by Carousel Pictures, the movie takes place in Northern France at the height of the war. 

A team of Allied experts are sent 100 feet underground to investigate a series of mysterious German-built tunnels, where they soon find a biological experiment gone wrong in the form of, you guessed it, mindless zombie killers.

The film, which took seven years to make, is already kind of a hit, having won tons of awards at last year's Toronto After Dark Film Festival. 

Shot in Winnipeg, you can expect a lot of Canadian talent onscreen, including Rossif Sutherland (yes, that's Donald's son) and Quebecois actress Karine Vanasse.

If German Stormtroopers and watching people getting mauled by the undead are your idea of an ideal horror flick, you can catch Trench 11 at the Yonge-Dundas Cineplex for the next week. 

by Tanya Mok via blogTO

Road closures in Toronto this Labour Day long weekend

It's going to be a weekend full of events and road closures in Toronto as Fan Expo and Buskerfest roll into town. It's best to just ditch the car this long weekend and get in on the action.

Here's what you need to know to navigate around the city by car this long weekend in Toronto.

Fan Expo

Front St. West south curb lane between John St. and Simcoe St., Bremner Blvd north curb lane between Lower Simcoe St. and the Metro Toronto Convention Centre driveway, and Lower Simcoe St. west curb lane from Front St.West to Bremner Blvd will be closed at the following times for the event.

• August 30 from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• August 31 and September 1 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• September 2 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Buskerfest

Coxwell Ave. east curb lane and layby from Eastern Ave. to Lake Shore Blvd. East will be closed from August 31 at 6 a.m. to September 3 at midnight for the annual event.

Labour Day Parade

On September 3 from 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the following road will be closed for the parade:

• University Ave. between Dundas St. West and Richmond St.
• Queen St. West from west of Bay St. to east of University Ave.
• Armoury St. from Chestnut St. to University Ave.
• Centre St. from Dundas St. West to Armoury St.
• York St. from Queen St. West to Richmond St. West

Also on September 3, Liberty St. from Dufferin St. to Jefferson Ave., and Jefferson Ave. from King St. West to Liberty St. will be closed from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to accommodate the parade dispersal area.

Toronto Fashion Week

The north curb lane and north sidewalk on Yorkville Ave. fronting the Hazelton Hotel and Yorkville Village will be closed from September 2 at midnight to September 7 at 11 p.m. 

Hazelton Ave. will also be closed from Yorkville Ave. to the Hazelton Hotel driveway south of Scollard St. from September 3 at midnight until September 7 at 11 p.m. 

by Jaclyn Skrobacky via blogTO

Toronto radio station embroiled in sexual harassment allegations

A former morning host for Toronto's embattled JAZZ.FM91 radio station is suing her old employer for how she says she was treated after speaking out against sexual harassment and bullying in the workplace.

Garvia Bailey, who joined the donation-funded broadcaster in September of 2014, said in a statement of claim that she was wrongfully dismissed by the station in April.

The Star reports that she filed a $420,000 lawsuit on Tuesday, alleging that she was terminated for joining a group of 12 other current and former employees in sending a letter to the station's board of directors about then-CEO Ross Porter's "inappropriate workplace conduct."

@JAZZFM91 has lost a viewer. Standing by @garveyschild and wishing her the best possible outcome with her lawsuit.

— CostumeCO (@CostumeCinemato) August 30, 2018

Bailey and her colleagues complained of "ongoing workplace harassment, sexual harassment, bullying, and general mismanagement of the station in their letter and later said that Porter had threatened legal action against anyone who "considered going over his head with their concerns."

Members of the group told The Globe and Mail earlier this year that Porter had regularly engaged in unwanted touching, initiated sexually graphic conversations, joked about how employees should sleep with donors and encouraged them to come up with pitches to "make me horny."

An independent workplace investigation was launched shortly after the letter was released and, in early June, one month after the probe was completed, Porter stepped down from his position as CEO and president.

More turmoil at JAZZ.FM91, as a major donor blasts the not-for-profit's board for mishandling the sexual harassment allegations against former CEO Ross Porter and calls for a wholesale dissolution of the board: https://t.co/b61uWvhgcm

— Simon Houpt (@simonhoupt) August 24, 2018

Bailey, for one, wants more to be done.

The radio personality says she has been subject to "humiliation, injury to her reputation, integrity and dignity" as a result of her dismissal and the events leading up to it.

She is seeking $90,000 in lieu of 12 months pay, $100,000 in moral damages, $100,000 in punitive damages and $50,000 for "loss of publicity," among other things, alleging that the station violated her work contract and engaged in bad faith.

"JAZZ.FM91 has received Ms. Bailey’s Statement of Claim and denies the allegations," said the station's interim CEO Charles Cutts in a statement on Thursday.

"We continue to be committed to a collegial and harassment-free workplace. A neutral third-party investigation was previously conducted into Ms. Bailey’s allegations and JAZZ.FM91 will vigorously defend itself in the appropriate legal forum now that the matter is before the courts."

by Lauren O'Neil via blogTO

Yorkdale Mall evacuated after shooting

Toronto Police and emergency crews are responding to Yorkdale Mall, where reports of gunshots were called in shortly before 3 p.m. on Thursday afternoon.

The mall is being evacuated, according to police, and residents are asked to avoid the area (if not they're not already locked inside a store.)

Stuck inside the Yorkdale mall after shots rang out. A lot of panic and worry earlier but everyone calm. Am hearing this happened at the Starbucks location. #yorkdale pic.twitter.com/nDZ2VerZnY

— Don Datta (@TheDonMud) August 30, 2018

Officers have confirmed that shots were fired, though details remain sparse as they investigate the scene. No injuries have yet been reported.

Police are currently seeking "multiple suspects" — one is a black male in his 20s wearing a black jacket and blue jeans, another is a skinny, mixed-race male in his 20s with a black handgun.

The police are searching for two suspects after multiple reports of gunshots at Yorkdale Mall in Toronto. No injuries have been reported. https://t.co/jkez44X83U

— Twitter Moments Canada (@CanadaMoments) August 30, 2018

Witnesses are asked to call TPS 32 Division at 416-808-3200 with any information they may have about what transpired.

The TTC says that its subway will not be stopping at Yorkdale on Line 1 due to police activity.

by Lauren O'Neil via blogTO