November 22, 2024

WIFF’S WEEKEND WATCH LIST — 11/22

Check out our recommendations of what to watch this weekend.

if you want TO SEE AN awards contender

the piano lesson

Vincent Georgie: Landing on Netflix just in time for the weekend, this is a well-written and particularly well-acted drama. An adaptation of the stage play of the same name, there is Oscar heat for the film’s robust supporting cast.

The Charles family grapples with family legacy and difficult decisions as they determine the fate of their heirloom piano, exploring deeper themes along the way.

Available on Netflix.

if you Want a quality drama

tell me why these things are so beautiful

Vincent Georgie: This is an under-the-radar favourite from WIFF 2024. Beautifully crafted and sensitively written, this is a film that will stay with you. A terrific Canadian film.

Synopsis: A man and a woman’s friendship evolves. He offers her different readings on sexuality that she hastens to comment on from her own intimate experiences.

https://www.crave.ca/en/movies/tell-me-why-these-things-are-so-beautiful

Available on Apple TV, Amazon Prime and Crave.

if you want A film you’ve never heard of

chappaquidick

Vincent Georgie: Let’s be honest, you haven’t seen this film nor have you ever heard of it. The film flopped upon its release and disappeared. And that’s a shame because it’s a solid drama of political intrigue that never got its due. Check it out and be the first of your friends to see it.

Synopsis: On July 18, 1969, Senator Ted Kennedy drives his car off of a bridge on Massachusetts’ Chappaquiddick Island. The accident results in the death of passenger Mary Jo Kopechne, a 28-year-old campaign strategist who worked for Kennedy. The ongoing investigation into the mysterious and scandalous events forever alters his political legacy and ultimately changes the course of presidential history.

Available on Apple TV, Amazon Prime and YouTube.

DOUBLE FEATURE

all hail, Judy garland

Vincent Georgie: With Wicked surely exploding this weekend across movie theatres, let’s look back at both the iconic talent and dramatic personal life of the gifted Judy Garland. The first film is an obvious recommendation, but the second one is actually a TV movie. The astounding Judy Davis swept all the awards for her definitive portrayal of Garland.

the wizard of oz

When a tornado rips through Kansas, Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog, Toto, are whisked away in their house to the magical land of Oz. They follow the Yellow Brick Road toward the Emerald City to meet the Wizard, and en route they meet a Scarecrow (Ray Bolger) that needs a brain, a Tin Man (Jack Haley) missing a heart, and a Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr) who wants courage. The wizard asks the group to bring him the broom of the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) to earn his help.

Available on Apple TV, Amazon Prime and Crave.

life with judy garland: me and my shadows

Based on the memoirs by her daughter Lorna Luft, Me and My Shadows is a poignant look at both the tortured life of legendary star Judy Garland and the trials faced by Luft, her half-sister Liza Minnelli and baby brother Joe.