August 01, 2025

WIFF’S WEEKEND WATCH LIST — 8/1

Check out our recommendations of what to watch this weekend.

iF you want one of the best films of 2025

sorry, baby

Vincent Georgie: A World Premiere at Sundance earlier this year, filmmaker Eva Victor has made an absorbing, intelligent, and nuanced drama. Smart audiences will seek this one out.

Synopsis: Something bad happened to Agnes, but life goes on for everyone else. When a beloved friend on the brink of a major milestone visits, Agnes starts to realize just how stuck she’s been and begins to work through how to move forward.

Available on Apple TV, Crave, YouTube, and Amazon Prime.

if you want a mother-daughter story

the meddler

Vincent Georgie: Filmmaker Lorena Scafaria directs from one of her best scripts and strikes gold with a wonderful pairing of stars, Susan Sarandon and Rose Byrne. Highly enjoyable, and frequently authentic. A favourite from WIFF 2016.

Synopsis: After the death of her husband, a woman (Susan Sarandon) moves from New Jersey to Los Angeles to be closer to her daughter (Rose Byrne).

Available on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, and Plex.

if you want a complicated drama

who by fire

Vincent Georgie: One of the more divisive films from WIFF 2024, this Canadian drama from filmmaker Philippe Lesage is a moody, slow-burn of a family that heads up to the Summer cottage to meet up with old and new friends. The motivations, complex relations, and tensions are a fascinating slow-burn. Patience is required – and rewarded – on this one.

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Jeff stays at film director Blake Cadieux’s wilderness lodge after being invited by his friend Max’s family. When strange events occur, Jeff suspects something is amiss with the director and his retreat.

Available on Apple TV, Crave, and Amazon Prime.

DOUBLE FEATURE

ridiculous comedies

Vincent Georgie: The hotly anticipated Liam Neeson-starring comedy of this Summer is, of course, a reboot of the popular films headlined by Canuck Leslie Nielsen. What is so wonderful about this series is the factory of sight gags, ridiculous lines, and hilarious ha-ha set-ups. The new film opens today nationwide.

the naked gun

Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen), a rather clueless police detective, tries to foil a plot to turn innocent people into assassins through mind control. After his partner, Norberg (O.J. Simpson), is shot, Frank sets out to find the culprit, leading him to business tycoon Vincent Ludwig (Ricardo Montalban). However, Frank has no evidence until he meets Jane Spencer (Priscilla Presley), Ludwig’s assistant. She knows nothing about Ludwig’s devious plans, but falls for Frank and agrees to help him.

Available on Apple TV, Netflix, and Amazon Prime.

the naked gun 2 1/2: the smell of fear

Lt. Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) returns for more madcap high jinks in this police-procedural spoof. Powerful energy corporations are intent on putting a halt to the eco-friendly plans of Dr. Albert S. Meinheimer (Richard Griffiths), the new U.S. energy czar. They scheme to replace Meinheimer with an imposter who will do their bidding. Unfortunately for them, Drebin gets tangled up with their plans while trying to steal back his ex (Priscilla Presley) from her slimy new beau (Robert Goulet).