All of the films were screened at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Click here for additional full reviews and dispatches. Select films below will receive separate full-length reviews at a later date, most likely in connection to their public releases.

April

Georgian writer/director Dea Kulumbegashvili made a splash with her sophomore feature, netting the Special Jury Prize from the Isabelle Huppert-led jury at this year’s Venice Film Festival. She taps into the haunted stillness of Béla Tarr and Michael Haneke, mixing abstract visuals with real-life horrors. Its treatment of the central conflict surrounding abortion in a rural village will test your patience and comprehension, with the reward being much worth the effort. (4/5)

On Swift Horses

With a cast comprised of no less than Daisy Edgar-Jones, Jacob Elordi, Will Poulter, Diego Calva, and Sasha Calle, On Swift Horses already had a lot going for it before the cameras were even rolling. Unfortunately, nothing else materialized once things got off the ground, with the lyricism of Shannon Pufahl’s novel being lost in Daniel Minahan’s competently flat direction and Bryce Kass’ screenplay.

It’s fun to see the cast interact with each other, mostly because of the guilty pleasure of having them mix and match as bedding partners (poor Will Poulter is the only one who doesn’t get to have any fun). But we’re always seeing the actors, not the characters. (2.5/5)

Relay

Save for some extremely embarrassing moments of dialogue (most of which are housed within the first few minutes), David MacKenzie’s first feature film since The Outlaw King is a kinetic piece of work. It’s an unambitious and entertaining corporate espionage thriller, with Riz Ahmed starring as a broker who acts as the middleman between corporations and whistleblowers. Lily James becomes one of those whistleblowers in need of help, with Sam Worthington leading a team looking to silence her. 

The first line of dialogue from Ahmed doesn’t come until the midpoint, a challenge that he and MacKenzie pass with flying colors. The late-night score by Tony Doogan provides a smoky cool atmosphere. Saying that a film should go to streaming is usually a derogatory statement, but this one would certainly uplift a genre that streaming has repeatedly tried and failed to serve. (4/5)

The Fire Inside

Rachel Morrison, acclaimed cinematographer of Black Panther and Mudbound, crafts a solid directorial debut with this biopic on famed Olympic champion boxer Claressa 'T-Rex' Shields. Greatly aided by a script by Barry Jenkins, Morrison unearths the triumphant and tragic story of Shields’ upbringing in Flint, Michigan, and how her life remained constant despite achieving so much.

The visual and structural similarities to other boxing films, specifically the Creed films, cannot be ignored. That’s not a bad thing on its own, more of a quibble considering what could have been accomplished. Ryan Destiny and Brian Tyree Henry have a wonderful relationship together as the athlete and the coach, respectively. A solid crowd-pleaser for the holiday season. (3.5/5)