August 09, 2024

WIFF’S WEEKEND WATCH LIST — 8/9

Check out our recommendations of what to watch this weekend.

if you want A TOUCHING DRAMA

EZRA

Vincent Georgie: WIFF fans were raving earlier this Summer when they caught this heartfelt family story during WIFF Presents screenings. Enhanced by an appealing cast, this one will make you glad you took the journey. A winner.

Synopsis: Divorced stand-up comedian Max Bernal struggles to raise his autistic son, Ezra. Forced to confront difficult decisions about the boy’s future, Max and Ezra embark on a cross-country road trip that has a transcendent impact on both of their lives.

Available on Apple TV, YouTube and Amazon Prime.

if you want a PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

MOTHERS’ INSTINCT

Vincent Georgie: Yes, there was an American remake with Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain this year. But nothing trumps the original Belgian thriller. It’s far classier, mysterious and engaging. Star Veerle Baetens is one of the best Flemish actresses working today.

Synopsis: When a sudden tragedy uproots the lives of two women and their families, they begin to question the relationships they once held so dear.

Available on Apple TV.

if you want to SEE SOMETHING SPECIAL

KANAVAL

Vincent Georgie: Henri Pardo’s Canada/Luxembourg co-production is a singular, humane and touching experience of a young boy and his mother leaving Haiti for Canada. Elements of magical realism elevate the story. A hidden gem.

Synopsis: In the early 1970s, after leaving their troubled hometown in Haiti, a young boy and his mother settle in a small rural village in Quebec where the boy counts on his invisible friend to understand the new world around him.

Available on Apple TV, Amazon Prime and Crave.

DOUBLE FEATURE

all hail, RYAN REYNOLDS

Vincent Georgie: Vancouver’s Reynolds is the hero of the 2024 Summer Box Office (along with his Aussie pal, Hugh Jackman). Let’s look at two lesser-known indies starring Reynolds that show off the range of his dramatic acting chops and comedic skills.

BURIED

A civilian truck driver in Iraq, Paul Conroy (Ryan Reynolds) falls victim to a band of insurgents. An unknown length of time later, Paul awakes in a coffin, with little more than a lighter, a cell phone, and his ever-growing anxiety. Faced with a dwindling oxygen supply and a dying battery, Paul must fight panic, despair and delirium as he awaits a rescue that might not arrive in time.

Available on Apple TV, YouTube, Disney+ and Amazon Prime.

THE VOICES

A mentally unhinged factory worker (Ryan Reynolds) must decide whether to listen to his talking cat and become a killer, or follow his dog’s advice to keep striving for normalcy.