Jennifer Lopez, Sydney Sweeney and More Lead the 10 Best Movies at TIFF

What makes the Toronto International Film Festival so special?

Put it this way: After the Friday, September 6 world premiere of Unstoppable, the audience inside Roy Thomson Hall gave star Jennifer Lopez and the rest of the cast a standing ovation. But, unlike other festivals, nobody whipped out a stopwatch and timed it out. (For the record, the ovation lasted only a few minutes, but the movie is a rousing winner.)

The sparkling Lopez was also a welcome sight for another important reason. A mere 12 months ago, only a few stars were able to cross the Canadian border because of the SAG-AFTRA strike. (Yes, we’re all still bitter that Glen Powell couldn’t show up to the premiere of Hit Man.) But this year, Selena Gomez, Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney, Florence Pugh, Andrew Garfield, Elton John, Lupita Nyong’o, Tom Hiddleston and many more arrived at TIFF to support both their new films and the big screen moviegoing experience.

Ticket holders weren’t disappointed. A bunch of prestige awards contenders? Obviously — but some of the offerings were also way out-there. Amy Adams played a dog. Pharrell Williams was made of Legos. And — believe it — British pop singer Robbie Williams was portrayed by a CGI monkey during the entirety of his otherwise conventional biopic, Better Man. Meanwhile, ’90s icons Demi Moore and Pamela Anderson are big-time back, baby, in a pair of fearless performances.

Here’s a rundown of 10 of the buzziest films from TIFF ‘24, most of which are coming soon to a theater near you:

‘The Substance’

There’s only one reasonable response to this film, and that’s “Omgggggggggggg.” Wild and audacious to the extreme, the stunner prompted hardened critics at the press and industry screening to avert their eyes and hide under their coats. The loose logline: A go-for-broke Demi Moore plays an Oscar-winning-actress-turned-faded-fitness-guru — Los Angeles-based, of course — so desperate to stop the ageing process that she injects herself with a substance that purportedly allows her to recapture her youth. Margaret Qualley soon enters the picture in a way that shouldn’t be spoiled in this context. Visual shocks aside, the message is clear: society’s treatment of women of a certain age can truly be a horror show. (In theaters September 20)

‘We Live in Time’

We already know Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield can shine in elevated horror (Midsommar), a classic tearjerker (Little Women), a musical biopic (Tick, Tick … Boom), tense drama (The Social Network) and superhero extravaganzas (Black Widow, The Amazing Spider-Man). Now the Oscar nominees join forces in the rarest of genres: a contemporary romance that touches the heart without going for the obvious histrionics. Nothing fancy here — the characters fall for each other, welcome a baby and grapple with a cancer diagnosis. But the film effectively uses a nonlinear narrative to convey the relationship by way of key memories and moments. Both stars are not only likable, they make it easy to love them. (In theaters October 11)

‘Saturday Night’

Once upon a time — October 11, 1975, to be exact — Saturday Night Live was just a TV experiment seemingly doomed to fail. For proof, witness all the backstage mayhem leading up to the iconic late-night show’s very first “Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!” As the minutes tick by in real time, upstart creator Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) must make peace with both skeptical NBC executives and a hungry cast of unknowns that includes Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O’Brien), Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt) and Chevy Chase (a terrific Cory Michael Smith). Even though the stakes are minimal given that SNL is now a TV institution, Oscar-nominated director Jason Reitman ratchets up the tension and chaotic fun for a seriously entertaining watch. (In theaters October 11)

‘Piece By Piece’

It might seem crazy what I’m about to say because I’m happy to report that record producer/singer/writer Pharrell has discarded the traditional music documentary format. Instead, he chronicles his challenging early years and phenomenal success exclusively through Lego animation. That means everything (his recording studio experiences, conflicted feelings about his riches) and everyone (Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z, Gwen Stefani, Justin Timberlake) are seen on screen in those vibrant bricks. The high-concept approach allows for unlimited creative expression. On the flip side, there’s no doubt this toy story has been sanitized — and not just because the expletives are bleeped out. (In theaters October 11)

‘Nightbitch’

Laughably silly trailer, surprisingly ferocious movie. In this adaptation of Rachel Yoder’s off-kilter bestseller, a suburban stay-at-home mom (Amy Adams) slowly unhinges from a 24/7 whirl of thankless night-nights, library reads, lunch times and paint spills. (Her husband, played by Scoot McNairy, can’t even give the toddler a bath without summoning her four times.) Her frustration is clearly building to something — and in case it’s not obvious from that double-entendre title, that something is a full-on morph into a feral dog. Heck, yes, it’s bizarre. And the surrealist elements don’t necessarily elevate the narrative. Adams manages to pull it all off anyway in a funny and deeply empathetic performance. Give this woman some awards already! (In theaters December 6)

‘Unstoppable’

With all the neverending drama surrounding J.Lo, sometimes we forget that she came into her own as actress Jennifer Lopez. This triumphant underdog tale serves as an excellent reminder of her inherent talent. She shows her mettle in the very first scene, as her real-life blue-collar heroine Judy Robles stands up for her teen son, Anthony (Jharrel Jerome), at a high school wrestling meet. Anthony has just one leg, but he can compete with the best of ‘em. As the blue-collar mother and son struggle with their respective demons — she’s stuck in an abusive relationship; he must start from zero at a competitive university — they manage to overcome the considerable odds against them. Cheers to old-fashioned crowd pleasers. (In theaters December; Prime Video in January)

‘On Swift Horses’

If you’re still miffed that Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell didn’t kiss at the end of Twisters, brace yourself early. Though she and Jacob Elordi costar in this sweeping period romance, they’re not onscreen partners. Not even close. She plays Muriel, the prototypical 1950s repressed housewife stuck in a loveless marriage with the meh Lee (Will Poulter). Then Lee’s drifter/hustler brother (Elordi) rolls into town. The two have a palpable chemistry, but that’s because they have a different kind of connection.

In separate storylines, both characters entwine themselves in illicit same-sex liaisons. The director worked on the similarly themed TV series Fellow Travelers, so we do get elegant cinematography and some complex ideas. Just not quite enough oomph. (Release date TBA)

‘Eden’

The setting: the Galapagos Island of Floreana circa 1932. The vibe: pure evil. A famed German couple (Jude Law and Vanessa Kirby) already reside in paradise in hopes of forming an idealized new society. They’re none too pleased when Margaret (Sydney Sweeney, in her most mature performance) and her husband, Heinz (Daniel Brühl), drop in to share the land. Both parties soon cross paths with an intriguing new arrival: The Baroness (Ana de Armas), who plans to build a luxury hotel on the beach.

With rations limited and civilization too far off, the characters descend into Lord of the Flies-like machinations in a fight for survival. The ruthless based-on-a-true-story wickedness is all the more surprising given that Ron Howard — known for finding the humanity in his works — is behind the camera. (Release date TBA)

‘The Last Showgirl’

The answer is no, Pamela Anderson’s eclectic career will not evolve from Baywatch red to Oscar gold. However, she does stage a super-savvy acting comeback playing a veteran Las Vegas showgirl forced to pivot after her 30-year-old revue goes belly-up. As a dancer, she’s no longer in her performing prime; as a mother, she struggles to repair her fractured relationship with her daughter (Billie Lourd). The underdeveloped story generously borrows from the likes of Leaving Las Vegas, The Whale and The Wrestler and relies too heavily on melancholic montages. So what about Pam, you ask. Well, she can’t quite nail the range of emotions required for The Big Scenes, but credit her for taking a chance and exposing all those vulnerabilities. (Release date TBA)

‘Queer’

Despite a 10 p.m. start time on a Monday, this premiere was a hot ticket. Daniel Craig romancing a younger man! From the director of Call Me By Your Name and Challengers! Turns out this erotic drama is challenging, alright. Craig is an American expat in Mexico City in the 1950s who hangs around cheap bars, does drugs and picks up guys. He begins a passionate affair with a handsome young American (Drew Starkey) — the graphic sexual content is beyond NSFW — and the two ultimately make their way to South America. This beautifully lensed and leisurely paced movie is all sultry style, complete with unsettling dream sequences and disquieting drug hallucinations. The late-night mood certainly enhanced all the above. In the light of day? Probably less titillating. (Release date TBA)