Top 3 Films of TIFF 2014

Article by Gabe Zia
So I went to TIFF this year, and over the course of the weekend I was there, I saw eight films. Of course, this took up almost the whole of both days, which didn't leave a lot of time to review the films. However, I won't leave you guys hanging, so here are the films I really liked from this years film fest.

3: Top Five
My review --- 4/5

Chris Rock and Rosario Dawson in Top Five

This was the film that overall, surprised me the most. I went into this thinking it was totally going to be a run of the mill Chris Rock comedy, or that it might not even be that funny. However, I'm glad to say that Chris Rock shows a lot of potential as a director with this debut. This film was really funny, it had a great script, the cast had great chemistry with one another, and it seemed fairly original. And while this film has some issues - that didn't bug me that much, but are worth mentioning - it's a really good time.

2: Phoenix
My review --- 4.7/5

Nina Hoss and Ronald Zehrfeld in Phoenix 

Going into Phoenix, I pretty much already knew I was going to love it, mainly due to the plot. Basically, incase you didn't see my watchlist for Tiff this year, it follows a Jewish holocaust survivor, after World War II is over, who is searching for her husband who she suspects betrayed her to the nazis. Right off the bat, that's a really strong premise, and the director executes it with perfection. As I also suspected going in, Nina Hoss (the lead) gives a downright oscar worthy performance.

1: Kill me Three Times
My review --- 5/5

Simon Pegg in Kill me Three Times

I love dark comedies. They are by far my favorite genre, and Kill me Three Times is an exceptional dark comedy. The script has really sharp and witty dialogue, the actors all have great chemistry, the soundtrack is very Robert Rodriguez, and this film looks amazing. The cinematography displayed is some of the best pieces of cinematography I've seen in years. Every object is emphasised or made to look amazing with beautiful, vibrant colours, and great angles and shots. And like a good dark comedy, there's always one performance that stands out form the rest, and here, that performance is Simon Peggs. Ever since The Worlds End, this guy has really come out of his shell, doing very non type cast roles.

Kill me Three Times apparently comes out December 31st, and I would seriously recommend anyone to see this movie. Especially if you're a fan of Tarantino, this is the closest thing to a Tarantino film without actually being a Tarantino film.