Film-Forward

Musical

Flora and Son | TIFF 2023

With a main character spouting piss, spit, and vinegar, as well as raunchy talk, John Carney’s latest has an edge—and an R rating.

Dicks: The Musical | TIFF 2023

The best way to enjoy this four-letter-word-filled frolic is probably to be inebriated. (This reviewer could have used a drink while watching it.)

Carmen

In the latest adaption of the opera, Benjamin Millepied’s stark and austere feature is a musical getaway drama set along the U.S./Mexico border.

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

A classic story told with a fresh coat of paint, and a passion project that pays off in full.

Casablanca Beats

A portrayal of working-class young people expressing themselves through hip-hop excels is in its naturalistic performances.

Inu-oh

This animated film transports viewers to a time when music was of paramount importance to storytelling.

West Side Story

The one individual who has the largest imprint on this 21st-century retelling is its screenwriter, Tony Kushner, more so than its director, Steven Spielberg. 

Tick, Tick…. BOOM!

For theater lovers, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s film will be manna from heaven.

Annette

Leo Carax’s new film is its own genre-defying work. Dreams, nightmares, and fantasies propel the audacious fable of star-crossed lovers.