March 31, 2023

WIFF’S WEEKEND WATCH LIST — 3/31

Check out our recommendations of what to watch this weekend.

IF YOU want an absorbing drama

the son

Vincent Georgie: Bizarrely maligned by critics and barely seen by audiences, Florian Zeller’s follow-up to his masterful THE FATHER is not of the same calibre, but it’s certainly worth a look. Hugh Jackman is appealing and dramatically powerful, and it’s his commitment to this film that really makes it come alive. Good discussions and reflection to be had post-film.

Synopsis: Peter’s hectic life gets further upended when his ex-wife tells him their teenage son, Nicholas, is deeply troubled. He soon tries to take care of Nicholas the same way he would have wanted his own father to have taken care of him.

Watch on iTunes.

Watch on Amazon Prime.

Watch on YouTube.

if you want an enjoyable comedy

in & out

Vincent Georgie: Kevin Kline and especially Joan Cusack (in an Oscar-nominated performance) really go to town in this very funny satire inspired by a true story. This warm-hearted comedy retains the trust of its audience all the way.

Synopsis: Upon winning an Academy Award, actor Cameron Drake honours his high school teacher, Howard Brackett, who he announces, before millions of viewers, is gay. This comes as news to Brackett’s parents, his principal and especially his fiancée. As a media blitz descends upon on his small Indiana town, Brackett attempts to convince everyone that he’s your average straight American male.

Watch on iTunes.

Watch on Amazon Prime.

Watch on YouTube.

if geopolitics are your jam

inch’allah

Vincent Georgie: A complex Canadian drama with the terrific Evelyne Brochu carrying this film on her back. A hidden gem from WIFF 2012.

Synopsis: Chloe, a young Canadian doctor, lives in Israel and cares for pregnant Palestinian women in a refugee camp.

Watch on iTunes.

Watch on Crave.

Watch on Amazon Prime.

Watch on YouTube.

DOUBLE FEATURE

ludicrous films

There is a certain appeal to films that are so self-assured in their preposterousness that audiences are anything but bored. Come for an out-of-control grizzly bear and stay for an off-the-rails mockumentary.

cocaine bear

After a 500-pound black bear consumes a significant amount of cocaine and embarks on a drug-fueled rampage, an eccentric gathering of cops, criminals, tourists, and teenagers assemble in a Georgia forest.

Watch on iTunes.

Watch on Amazon Prime.

Watch on YouTube.

popstar: never stop never stopping

Childhood friends Conner, Owen and Lawrence found fame and fortune after forming the hip-hop group the Style Boyz. Owen and Lawrence faded into the background when frontman Conner left the band to launch a successful solo career. Now, the egotistical singer decides to film a documentary about his life while he’s still on top. When his second album flops, the camera is there to capture his world come crashing down.