"My schedule was so full that when Nomadland director Chloé Zhao guided the audience through a breathing exercise before the premiere of her latest film, Hamnet, I noticed how fast my heart was beating-a result of all the caffeine I'd ingested to stay awake. But the upside of long days spent going from screening to screening means a fresh watchlist for the season."
"If The Smashing Machine had followed the conventional outlines of a sports biopic, it'd look something like this: The protagonist, the wrestler Mark Kerr (played by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson), would be shown discovering his passion for fighting. There'd be scenes of Kerr making unlikely comebacks, of his coach delivering big speeches, of an obvious villain becoming his rival. But the film, written and directed by Benny Safdie, is a sensitive, even melancholy look at how an aging athlete"
Toronto International Film Festival showcased an array of films including an existential thriller set in the Moroccan desert, a whodunit doubling as a crisis of faith, and a musical about the Shaker founder. Chloé Zhao led a breathing exercise before the premiere of Hamnet. Fourteen favorite films were highlighted, most slated to arrive in theaters before year’s end. The Smashing Machine, written and directed by Benny Safdie, follows three years of wrestler Mark Kerr’s career during decline, emphasizing numbing pain and acceptance. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson delivers a raw, tender performance that reveals vulnerability beyond his typical screen roles.
Read at The Atlantic
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