This review contains spoilers for the film The Life of Chuck. 

Filmmaker Mike Flanagan’s genre-bending adaptation of Stephen King’s novella of the same name is both uplifting and poignant. Best known for his bone-chilling work (Oculus, The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep), it’s not a surprise that this movie contained elements of horror, yet still managed to maintain a resounding feeling of optimism. 

Split into three acts, and narrated by Nick Offerman, the story is unorthodoxly told in reverse chronological order. 

Beginning with Act Three, titled “Thanks Chuck,” we see the entire planet on the verge of collapse. There is a worldwide environmental crisis and the earth is burning. California has faced a massive earthquake that has left the majority of the state in ruins and underwater. Volcanoes have erupted in Germany. China is facing a disastrous famine. It’s the end of times, and the light is dimming on humanity. 

Despite the dreadful circumstances, school teacher Marty Anderson (Chiwetel Ejiofor)

attempts to hold conferences with parents, all of whom are uninvested in their childrens’ student affairs and instead devastated that the internet has completely shut down. Just the mere thought of the extinction of PornHub is enough to move one parent to tears. 

The sounds and projections of catastrophe are soon drowned out by vague billboard, radio, and television ads, all thanking some guy named Charles Krantz – A.K.A. Chuck – for 39 great years. Thirty-nine great years of what? What are we thankful for? WHO is he? Unfortunately, no one knows and the film makes no effort to disclose this key information too prematurely. 

The height of the devastation brings Marty and his ex-wife Felicia Gordon (Karen Gillan), a nurse overseeing so many deaths that her team has nicknamed itself “The Suicide Squad,” closer than they ever had been in marriage. Watching the world implode around them, the pair rely on each other for comfort in the final hours of doomsday.  

The city has gone completely dark. The moon, Mars, followed by all of the stars in the solar system quickly begin to vanish one-by-one. There’s a feeling of hopelessness in the atmosphere. The only glimmer of light are projections of Chuck, donning a thin smile, onto the windows of homes in the neighbourhood. 

As life as we know it comes crashing down and the two await their undetermined fate, Marty is about to tell Felicia he loves her one last time just before the screen suddenly cuts to black. 

The abrupt end of the first act leaves the viewer bewildered with more questions than answers, including one blaring query: who the heck is Chuck?! 

Act Two, entitled “Buskers Forever,” opens to a brighter scene in the midst of a bustling outdoor shopping centre. 

We’re introduced to Taylor Frank (Taylor Gordon), a Juilliard drop-out and extremely talented busking drummer, Janice Halliday (Annalise Basso), a woman that happens to be on the receiving end of a recent break-up, and finally, we meet Chuck (Tom Hiddleston), a white-collar accountant on a business trip casually passing through the plaza. 

The beat of Taylor’s punchy drumming strikes the seemingly straightforward Chuck, prompting him to stop, set down his briefcase, and treat the audience to a surprisingly remarkable seven-minute dance break. The evidently gifted Chuck reels in Janice, and the pair put on an extraordinarily upbeat performance for the surrounding crowd worthy of an encore.  

The trio, brought together at random by the liberating joy of music and dance, part their separate ways forever. Their chance encounter is a heartfelt reminder that some of life’s greatest moments can appear from the most unexpected places.

It’s revealed that Chuck is suffering from a terminal illness and has less than one year left to live, but he doesn’t know it yet. All he knows is that this one ordinary day was perhaps one of the best days of his life. 

Act One, titled “I Contain Multitudes,” is the longest of the three and finally gives the audience a full explanation for their burning questions.

Chuck was orphaned at the age of seven following a tragic car accident that claimed the life of his parents and unborn sister. 

He’s raised by his loving grandparents, Albie and Sarah Krantz (Mark Hamill and Mia Sarah) – affectionately dubbed Zayde and Bubbe. While his grandfather contained all the discernable traits of a bookkeeper – orderly and slightly rigid – his grandmother on the other hand was full of life, a traditional stay-at-home wife that secretly loved rock-and-roll music. 

Sarah taught Chuck everything about dancing, in which he proved to be a natural. From busting moves together in the kitchen to watching classic musicals, he was well equipped to eventually join the school dance club and become the most gifted among the other students. 

Albie, however, brings Chuck back to reality, reminding him that he’d be better off pursuing a more practical profession instead. 

“The world loves dancers, but it needs accountants,” he explained to Chuck. 

In school, Chuck seeks understanding in Walt Whitman’s 1855 poem “Songs of Myself,” particularly interested in the meaning of the line “I am large, I contain multitudes.” His teacher, Miss Richards (Kate Siegal) powerfully broadens his view, defining the complexities of the world and everything he knows within it as a part of him that he’s in divine control of. 

The staggered tale begins to fall in place with this clarity; the planet is crumbling metaphorically because the world as Chuck knows it is fading in reality. As the title of the film suggests, we’re experiencing his universe, as he’s in the process of dying after living for 39 great years. 

The Life of Chuck is a sentimental story of life rather than death. It profoundly explores the emotional depth of the human experience through love, friendship, family, loss, and grief. By the end, the viewer can’t help but be enthralled by the eponymous Chuck, whom at first we did not know, but will now mourn. 

The film’s initially perplexing storytelling is rewarding to those who are patient and invested in taking time to unravel the multiple layers of Chuck. His awe-inspiring story serves as a reminder to be appreciative of the little things in this fleeting life and to dance like nobody’s watching. 

The Life of Chuck initially premiered at TIFF on Sept. 6, but it’s uncertain when it will be released in theatres. 

The post TIFF Review: Award-winning ‘The Life is Chuck’ captures bittersweet dance of life and death, as well as the hearts of viewers appeared first on NOW Toronto.

The monthly event, which blends live artistry and timed competition, is set to host its first night of the season at the Great Hall this Tuesday. 

The now-international event, which was founded in New York City in 2001 and later started in Toronto in 2009 by Chris Pemberton and Simon Plashkes, puts artists up against the clock in 20-minute timed rounds as they try to produce their best work. 

“You can expect to be amazed, because what these 12 painters can do in no time at all, 20 minutes flat, is truly mind boggling for some people,”  Tanya Casole-Gouveia, co-host of the event, said to Now Toronto. “They bring these canvases from blank to beautiful with amazing portraits, cityscapes, landscapes, and abstract art, in no time at all.”

Aside from the one-of-a-kind art produced at the event, Art Battle is intended to be social—with music bumping, drinks flowing, and an exciting energy brought on by live artistry, says Casole-Gouveia.  

“It really helps to foster that artist community for the artists. But as well, it’s a great monthly event to go to for art lovers, or people who are new to art,”  Casole-Gouveia said. 

At the end of the night, a silent auction will take place where attendees have the chance to take home artwork from the night. 

“Some of these artists, their in-studio art can cost upward of $2,000, and you can usually get a great piece of art from a well-known artist for less than that, and really get your art collection going.”

A few of the artists who will be painting on Tuesday night include Mahnaz Yamininezhad, who brings 30 years of experience to the canvas, Nancy Zhang, whose creations are inspired by music and sound, and Jessica Campbell, a Toronto-based muralist and graphic designer. 
The event takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 24 and will be live streamed on Art Battle’s TikTok for those not in attendance. Tickets are available for purchase online.

The post A live art battle is returning to Toronto this month, where artists have to prove their worth in 20-minute rounds appeared first on NOW Toronto.

This article contains spoilers for the movie Flow.

Flow is an animated fantasy film about a lonesome cat who is forced to work with a whole range of animals after a great flood overtakes all of their habitats. 

On Sept. 14, the film had its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and wowed both adults and kids alike given that it was one of the few animated movies that made it to the festival. 

Although the movie is animated and has absolutely no dialogue, this is not a film that can just be put on the background while mindlessly scrolling on social media. You have to pay extra attention because the sounds are from nature and the animals. 

Flow was shown at the Cannes Film Festival and won the Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards. 

Before the film started, Zilbalodis confessed to the audience he identified with the main character, a nameless cat, because of his fear of working with others and self-sufficient nature. 

I, too, nodded my head in agreement and was even more intrigued by the title of the movie and the journey we were about to embark on.

Aesthetically, the film feels like an RPG video game with the blend of pixelated animals and realistic landscapes. I was surprised the graphics weren’t as high-tech as a lot of other animated films, but I also liked the grainy imagery at the same time. 

The beginning focuses on a small cat with wandering eyes, but who mainly likes to keep to himself. However, all of the other animals are willing to help him right away with the unexpected hurdles he’ll have to face.

The flow of the movie starts immediately. After wandering around the forest, the kitty hears a rumbling and a team of moose rummage through along with a group of barking dogs. Instead of taking the warning, the cat just looks beyond the horizon to see what happens. 

There were moments in the movie that forces you to pay attention because you’re in a world of various animals and species who can only communicate through sounds. I’lll never forget the moment the cat was caught up in a rush of water that eventually damaged his home and took him out into a deep lake he could barely swim in. 

I enjoyed the playful use of stereotypes of animals throughout Flow, like when one of the dogs was so happy-go-lucky that all he wanted to do was bark and play around, despite the entire forest basically being under water. It shows us that sometimes the best attitude to have in adverse situations is to just be grateful to be alive. 

Most of the movie takes place on a raft that continues to flow wherever the water takes them. The crew of animals have to face weather challenges, figuring out if they should go back to their own clans, and how to navigate life both individually and together.

Teamwork was at the centre of the movie. I thought it was interesting that the cat kept resisting that he was part of the team, while everyone had already accepted that they needed each other if they wanted to survive. 

The audience gets to see the beautiful world that the Latvian director and writers created, from tropical rainforests, lush swamps, and European-inspired boat corridors. Flow encapsulates the beautiful landscapes and timing of Mother Nature. 

One of my favourite parts of the movie is when a large bird selflessly serves as the cat’s protector. The cat is almost afraid of everything because he doesn’t trust anyone other than himself. When he was sprinting because he didn’t know what was happening around him, the large bird decided to protect him. 

However, it was at the expense of being humiliated in front of his tribe and even getting one of his wings injured. For the rest of the movie, there’s this image of the bird hovering over the cat. I was touched by his behaviour because he fought for a cause that he believed in regardless of what his own species thought of him. 

In fact, all of the animals leave their own tribes to help each other. The lemur was a shadow character to the cat with his obsession of collecting material possessions. It was almost like a safety mechanism that we humans resort to, where keeping or taking care of something makes us feel like we have some sort of control and protection over ourselves. 

That idea was disbanded too when several glass bottles and mirrors either broke or floated away in the flowing waters. 

Eventually, the direction of the water took the animals back to their own tribes, leaving the cat almost heartbroken. But then, they all came back to each other out of their own choice, rather than when the flood first forced them together. 

This really had me thinking about the idea of free will and sometimes how we have a choice and other times we just have to obey what life presents us. 

What I found the most interesting is that the cat is usually the only one yearning for a specific outcome, whether that’s wishing his home was never destroyed or that the other animals don’t leave him. Meanwhile, everyone else is simply accepting what’s happening and then deciding what they’re going to do based on the current circumstances rather than focusing on what they want in the future. 

The last bit of the movie blew me away when the cat and one of the other animals were about to die. 

The animals, including the dog, and the dog’s friends joined up to help the cat. However, the dogs that weren’t on the journey got distracted by chasing rabbits instead of saving the cat, showing the power of focus and undoubtedly believing in a larger purpose even if that means sacrificing those little impulses that can cloud your judgment. 

Flow is a movie for all of us who are questioning if we are truly in control of our lives, and  teaches us that sometimes, all we need to do is step back, breathe, and go with the flow.

The post TIFF Review: Animated film ‘Flow’ explores free will and teamwork through the eyes of a lonesome cat, without using any dialogue appeared first on NOW Toronto.

The image captures Toronto’s downtown, midtown and uptown and is being used to highlight its “missing middle.”

Toronto takes the whole concept of the "missing middle" to the next level. pic.twitter.com/tu1yYEIw2m

— M. Nolan Gray (@mnolangray) September 16, 2024

A missing middle refers to a lack of medium-density housing in urban areas, which includes laneway homes, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhouses, and low-rise apartments.

The photograph has garnered significant attention online, with many commenting on how the city’s appearance is a reflection of its housing availability.

“You either live in a $1.5 million plus single family home, a shoebox in the sky, or rent something older in the middle (no middle options for ownership),” one X user commented.

“It looks pretty from this view but it’s terrible for the city,” another person wrote.

“It does create a cool effect when looking north from the CN Tower, like the city just keeps going on forever. But not ideal from a planning standpoint,’ someone else said.

Toronto is packed with high-rise condos which house nearly 47 per cent of the city’s population, according to its official data. But, many of the homes surrounding Toronto’s towering silhouette are not equipped to house more than one family. 

Here lies part of the problem.

Because of zoning by-law 569-2013, which largely prohibited the redevelopment of single-family homes into multiplex dwellings until last year, it has been and still is challenging to redevelop existing single-family homes into multiple units, T.J Cieciura, Town Planning Consultant and President of Design Plan Services, explained to Now Toronto.

However, in Feb. 2022, city council adopted an official plan and zoning amendments to allow garden suites on properties in most residential zones across Toronto, it told Now in an email statement on Thursday.

And, in May 2023, city council voted to allow multiplexes in all residential zones including those that were historically limited to only single-detached houses. 

“These permissions have been in effect since June 14, 2023, and duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes are allowed in all residential zones across Toronto,” the city said.

Most recently, in May 2024, the city endorsed further zoning amendments that would permit the development of townhouses and small-scale apartment buildings along major streets in all neighbourhoods throughout Toronto.

“These small-scale apartment buildings would be permitted up to six storeys in height and to contain up to 60 homes each,” the city said, though the amendment has been appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal and is not yet in effect.

RED TAPE CONTINUES TO BE A HURDLE FOR DEVELOPMENT 

Despite the recent changes, red tape continues to hinder development as it requires a rigorous compliance process and often comes at a huge financial cost, Cieciura explained.

“Typically we find that even with more relaxed zoning standards to allow multiplexes, the financial cost of this scale of development tends to be a hindrance,” he continued. 

According to Cieciura, the three most common examples of medium-density development would be “a four-dwelling unit building within an existing neighbourhood that would fit in with the single-detached dwellings surrounding it, a lane-based house behind a main building on the lot,and a garden suite type dwelling which is essentially a small house in the rear yard behind a main house.” 

“The idea is to provide a variety of living choices within the vibrant neighbourhoods that make up the city,” he continued.  

But the struggle doesn’t stop at navigating the city’s zoning laws or the rising costs of development.

Planners regularly contend with push back from local residents, who often oppose construction in the interests of preserving the character of their neighbourhood, Cieciura explained.

“The main day to day issue many applicants and builders experience is the NIMBYism (Not In My Back Yard) that comes from existing residents not wanting to see change in their neighbourhood,” he said.

“I have been to hundreds of public meetings in a wide diversity of neighbourhoods across the

city and throughout Ontario, and there isn’t one neighbourhood that we work in that doesn’t have some residents who think their neighbourhood is unique in terms of character, and that any proposed development would be better suited somewhere else,” Cieciura continued.

He explained that this can create a tenuous political landscape at the municipal level as local leaders look to make decisions they know would benefit the city as a whole, while managing constituents who vocally and vehemently oppose them.

In addition, the approval process for development is far too long, Cieciura argues. Unless a development proposal complies with every single regulation, there will be a minimum four to six month delay simply to get additional approvals in advance of applying for building permits, he explained.

Nonetheless, many of Toronto’s zoning laws genuinely shield people and neighbourhoods from harmful development, Cieciura says.

“Some of the rationale is well grounded in protecting certain uses [and] users from other uses [and] users. Nobody wants a chemical producer or a metal stamping plant beside a children’s daycare,” Cieciura wrote. 

However, other laws are nonsensical, he said, and contribute to Toronto’s “partially” self-inflicted housing shortage.

For example, when the city has any number of 50-ft. wide residential lots, in close proximity to TTC transit lines and planners try to divide that lot into two 25-ft. wide lots, effectively doubling the housing on one lot, the zoning is a major hurdle, Cieciura explained.

“We find it very difficult to understand how someone can say that a single residential house on a 25’ wide lot is totally incompatible with a single residential house on a 50’ wide lot.”

COST OF DEVELOPMENT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE

Zoning laws and nimbyism aside, the taxes and fees associated with development likely pose the largest hurdle to increasing housing supply, Cieciura says, “although it’s tough to quantify the effect compared to each other,” he argues.

Despite this, recent data outlining development charges over the past 14 years shows an almost 1,000-per cent increase in Toronto and a 274-per cent rise in the GTA, which Cieciura described as “astronomically high.”

He explained that these kinds of rate increases are a “direct dis-incentive to new construction and development of all housing types across the city,” and that they suppress the expansion of more and new housing.

“If the city and province want to get serious about housing supply, it is financial incentives that will swing the needle, otherwise, all the zoning and policy tweaks will just be nibbling at the edges of the problem,” he concluded.

Meanwhile the city says it will continue to action its multi-pronged housing plan that seeks to “increase permissions for housing and address exclusionary zoning.”

The post A viral photo of Toronto is sparking debate about the city’s ‘missing middle,’ expert says restrictive zoning laws play a role appeared first on NOW Toronto.

On Thursday, Hall Webber LLP, the firm representing the producers, issued a letter to members of the TVO board of directors and executive management demanding them to broadcast the film or allow the filmmakers to license the film to another broadcaster or streaming platform.

This comes after TVO allegedly cancelled its plans to air the film for the next coming months due  negative responses from members of the public. 

“This decision represents a clear violation of the filmmakers’ rights, not only under the broadcast agreement but also in terms of the broader principles of fairness, editorial independence, and respect for artistic integrity,” lawyer Danny Webber of Hall Webber LLP wrote in the letter. 

“Furthermore, the damage caused by this decision extends beyond mere contractual breach, encompassing significant reputational and financial harm to the filmmakers, as well as a chilling effect on free and open discourse,” he continued. 

The letter goes on to say that failure to resolve this matter will leave producers no choice but to move forward with all legal remedies which includes claims for breach of contract, defamation, and damages associated with any loss of Canada Media Fund (CMF) funding for the project.

The producers say the documentary was created in partnership with TVO and that its programming department approved every stage of the production, reviewing each cut of the film and working closely with the filmmakers to ensure the content met the network’s highest standards. 

Additionally, the letter explicitly states the filmmakers and TVO executives were also aware of the possible critique and controversy the film could receive.

Since the film is funded by CMF resources, the letter states the entire project’s funding is at risk because TVO has cancelled the broadcast, and in turn, the film could lose its funding eligibility for not having a broadcast licence. 

Directed by Russian-Canadian Anastasia Trofimova, the film focuses on the experiences of Russian soldiers on the frontlines in the war with Ukraine. The film was supposed to have its North American premiere at TIFF on Sept. 13, followed by screenings on that same weekend. 

However, TIFF paused the screenings citing significant threats against the festival and public safety. 

In a turn of events, TIFF then rescheduled the screenings for Sept. 17 for two showings at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at TIFF Lightbox Theatre. 

The film has triggered major backlash from the Ukrainian community and Canadian politicians, such as Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, for promoting “Russian propaganda.”

At the screenings on Tuesday, attendees leaving the theatre were met by a group of pro-Ukrainian protesters denouncing the film. 

The letter states the law firm expects a response from TVO within the next 10 business days. According to media reports, the broadcaster is currently not publicly commenting on the matter.

Online, news of the potential legal action has received mixed reactions from  users.

“Sometimes, film’s factual & moral gaffes negate agreements: slurs not translated, war crimes omitted, aggressors victimized. @tvo did the right thing,” one X user said.

“The fact you need TVO support proves the film does not speak for itself, the intentional decision to leave out critical information, the decision to not provide important context, the cowardice displayed by many including TIFF to engage is pathetic and desperate,” another user said.

“Removing any documentary on false and discriminatory premises from a movie festival should bear consequences for TVO,” one X user commented.

The post ‘Russians at War’ producers warn of legal action against TVO for not airing its documentary appeared first on NOW Toronto.

The “I’m Like A Bird” singer’s latest body of work 7 features 14 songs, including its title track “Corazón,” which Furtado said took her two years to write. 

This album comes seven years after her album The Ride, which she released in 2017.

And, fans of the British Columbia-born musician have been reacting to the announcement online.

“I‘ve been waiting so desperately for a new album!!!,” one Instagram user wrote. 

“Yass queen. Can’t wait for your art,” another person commented.

“Take as many years as you need, just please don’t stop making music! We love you,” someone else said.

The 45-year-old first teased the album back in July. 

“I made 400-500 pieces of music in 4 years. My ADHD doesn’t always allow me to organize creations in a methodical way so it’s hard to explain how we have chosen 14 songs that magically rose to the top of the heap,” she wrote on Instagram. 

In an interview with The Breakfast Club released today, Furtado talked about embracing her ADHD, which wasn’t diagnosed  until she was in her early 40s.

“To be honest my brain is different, it’s different, I have inattentive ADHD and this time when I made this record I was like I’m just gonna lean into that,” she said. 

#NellyFurtado joined #TheBreakfastClub to dive into her new album ‘7,’ and we learned she was diagnosed with ADHD after the age of 40. Listen in to hear how her diagnosis inspired her current project! @NellyFurtado @breakfastclubam

Tap in live NOW on the @iheartradio app or… pic.twitter.com/b79KT7ddsZ

— Power 105.1 (@Power1051) September 20, 2024

Leading up to today, in the past 24 hours Furtado let her fans in on each song by unveiling their names and lyrics one by one on Instagram.

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A post shared by Nelly Furtado (@nellyfurtado)

Furtado released her first album Whoa, Nelly! in 2000 which resulted in two top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, “I’m Like a Bird” and “Turn Off the Light.”

The musician has one Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance which she won in 2002, and seven Grammy nominations. 

The post Nelly Furtado releases first album in 7 years, reveals how she managed her ADHD while writing music appeared first on NOW Toronto.

On Friday, the Ontario Government announced the completion of the Finch West LRT project which stretches across Humber College Station and Finch West Station and is expected to transport 46,000 passengers each weekday.  

“The completion of the Finch West LRT stations signals a pivotal milestone for commuters in communities like Rexdale, Jane-Finch and Humber River-Black Creek,” Prabmeet Sarkaria, minister of transportation, said in a press release on Friday. 

“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, we’re advancing the projects that matter most—ensuring fast, reliable and accessible transit that will connect more people to good-paying local jobs and housing, while fueling economic growth for a stronger Ontario.” 

The project is part of the province’s plan to improve traffic and bring more reliable transit to northwest Toronto. Spanning across 11 kilometres, the transit system will operate mainly at street level and will run every five to seven minutes during peak riding hours and every seven to 10 minutes during off-peak hours.

The Finch West LRT, will also offer connections to the TTC, GO Transit, Mississauga MiWay, York Region Viva and Brampton Züm transit services, and connect riders to Line 1 of the TTC. 

Once the LRT is up and running, the testing of the vehicles will continue to ensure their safety. 

There are mixed reviews on the news of the project completion online. 

“If it ever works… see “Ottawa LRT,” a user on X, named Michael Jones, posted in response to the news, referencing the two-year delay of the Ottawa O-Train transit system. 

Another person shared their support for the Finch LRT on Instagram, writing “Now this is epic.” 

Not everyone is as excited about the new project, however. “I’m not convinced this LRT project is the solution to our traffic woes, can we expect better efficiency in other transit projects or just more of the same?” wrote another user on X. 

Despite the long-anticipated completion of the Finch LRT, which began construction in 2019 according to media reports, there is no official opening date that riders can look forward to. 

Now Toronto reached out to the Ministry of Transportation for details on a timeline when the Finch LRT will be open to the public but has not received a response by Friday afternoon. 

The post The Finch West LRT is complete, but no word on opening date  appeared first on NOW Toronto.

On Thursday, the film festival issued a statement on its website saying it heard people’s inquiries and that its flagship location will be reopening for third-party rentals and select partner screening events.

“Since temporarily closing Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema in June, the team has been working tirelessly throughout the summer to address the financial and governance issues that led to its closure,” interim Executive Director Janice Dawe and Managing Director Heidi Tao Yang said in a statement. 

“Significant work has been done to stabilize Hot Docs and establish a solid foundation for a sustainable path forward,” it continued. 

This season, the organization also says it will continue its search for a new executive director for Hot Docs. Back in July, the organization’s president Marie Nelson stepped down after one year of being in the position. 

Additionally, staff have been working to address the organization’s “deficit” by putting plans in place to right-size the company, reduce operating costs and prioritizing core programming and initiatives in their future planning.

“We are also thrilled to be able to gradually welcome back members of our cinema team who were placed on temporary layoff with this summer’s closure,” Dawe and Yang said.

Earlier in July, several of the festival’s programmers left their posts due to claims they were working in a “toxic workplace.”

Hot Docs says it is expected to reveal its plans for Hot Docs programming at the cinema and details of its 2025 festival in the coming months.

The post Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema to reopen theatre on a limited basis appeared first on NOW Toronto.

This weekend, there are various activities such as Etobicoke Ribfest, the Queen West Art Crawl Festival and the Spadina Museum Fall Festival. 

Friday, September 20:

Etobicoke Ribfest

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The 3rd annual Etobicoke Ribfest is back at Colonel Samuel Smith Park after being cancelled earlier this summer. The festival includes lots of mouth-watering BBQ smoked ribs, tender pulled pork, chicken, brisket and more. There will also be fan-favourite festival foods as well such as the bloomin’ onion, Tiny Tom’s mini-donuts, roasted corn, poutines, funnel cakes and a beer garden. It’s free to attend and begins at noon.

For more, click here.

Jane Finch Community Arts Festival: Day 1 – Artist Showcase

The Jane and Finch community is hosting a women-led community arts festival, presented by Flaunt-It Movement and the Jane/Finch Centre’s Corner Commons. It’s a free festival that is loved by locals for its live performances, art installations and interactive activities. Many talented local artists will be featured to showcase their music, dance, poetry and art. It’s from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Jane Finch Mall parking lot.

For details, click here.

Jazz Nights at My House

Indulge in a soothing jazz night at MY HOUSE in the Junction, a go-to spot for cozy vintage vibes, live events and culinary artistry. Along with jazz, guests can enjoy a fancy dinner, accompanied by an impressive array of fine wines and cocktails. The night begins at 8 p.m. and ends at 11 p.m. Tickets are $15 each. 

For information, click here.

Saturday, September 21:

Queen West Art Crawl Festival 2024

Walk along Queen Street West on Saturday and pursue amazing one-of-a-kind art, free entertainment, food and shopping opportunities. Attendees can expect one hundred artists, live performances, a kid zone and art activations through the park. The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m and is free to attend. 

For more, click here.

Geary Art Crawl

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A post shared by Geary Art Crawl (@gearyartcrawl)

For those who want to see even more beautiful art, check out the free two-day art crawl on Geary Avenue from Dufferin to Dovercourt. On site, there will be art activations, local businesses to support, entertainment and food and drinks available for purchase. It’s free to attend and begins at noon.

For information, click here.

Russell Howard Live

British comedian Russell Howard, recognized as one of the world’s top comedians, is in the city for his new tour and is performing live at Meridian Hall. Howard is known for his popular hit shows in the U.K., including “Russell Howard’s Good News” and “The Russell Howard Hour.”

For tickets, click here.

VegTO Fest

Head to Nathan Phillips Square for the popular VegTO Fest where visitors can get plant-based food from over 200 exhibitors. Some food vendors include Alma Bakery, Bliss Dough, Corn Soup King and so many more. The festival starts at 11 a.m. and ends at 7 p.m. 

For details, click here. 

Sunday, September 22:

Chocolate Paint Meditation

QUEST XO Chocolate Lab is offering you a chance to make your very own edible chocolate paint art. The Chocolate Paint Meditation workshop is meant to be a relaxing evening full of breathing techniques, glowing candles, and soothing meditation music as you create your edible art on a handcrafted chocolate canvas. The session is from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and tickets are $40 each. 

For tickets, click here.

Acrylic Paint Pouring Workshop

Create a one-of-a-kind piece of art at Artbox Studio & Gallery’s acrylic paint pouring workshop. From 3 to 4:30 p.m., you can be as creative as possible at this fun activity that allows guests to play colours and patterns. Tickets are $40 each. 

For information, click here.

Spadina Museum Fall Festival

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Bring your family and friends to Spadina Museum’s free fall festival to spend the first day of fall. At the event, there’ll be loads of activities, such as apple picking, a scavenger hunt, crafts, games, tours, live music and a vendor market. It runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For information, click here.

For a list of events, check out our events calendar, powered by Now Playing Toronto. 

To list your event, click here.

The post Events happening in Toronto this weekend: Sept. 20-22 appeared first on NOW Toronto.

Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 12, the film is as equally eerie as it is alluring, bringing you on a wrestling internal battle of trying to decipher reality from fantasy, with a compelling Sarah Paulson at the centre. 

This article contains spoilers for the film ‘Hold Your Breath.’

Opening in a field, the sight of three little girls innocently playing amongst the tall grass is abruptly cut by the sounds of wailing, aggressive coughing and the darkness of dust. 

It was all a dream, albeit induced by heavy sleeping pills, and Paulson’s character Margaret Bellum, thankfully sighs. 

The year is 1933, set in a nearly barren, dirt-ridden town in Oklahoma. 

The first few minutes set the tone for an environment on the brink of apocalypse: the crops are dry, the farm animals are running out of supply, the children are getting sick and dying, and no one can breathe due to constant suffocating dust storms.  

Margaret’s daughters, who we saw in the beginning, are often kept inside because of the deadly storms. There are only two girls now; the youngest, Ada June Bellum, died from scarlet fever years prior. Regardless, Margaret loves her girls dearly and protects them with all of her resources (including her shotgun), especially being the only parent present in the household since their father travelled to Philadelphia. 

Eldest daughter Rose (Amiah Miller) keeps her younger deaf sister Ollie (Alona Jane Robbins) entertained (and scared) with the spine-chilling story of “The Gray Man.” The tale follows an ominous, faceless man that hides himself in the dust. He seeps into the cracks, and if you breathe him in, he’ll do terrible things. 

Their ghastly storytime is cut short however, with Margaret insisting that the story is not real. 

From there, several unexplainable incidents occur; Ollie begins to see a figure in the shadows, the family’s cow is set loose, and there are constant footsteps in the barn. 

The latter turns out to be a man, who identifies himself as Wallace Grady (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), allegedly sent by Margaret’s husband Henry to check on the family. 

Wallace claims to be a healer – a “man of the cloth” if you will. Although facing much doubt and hesitancy from Margaret, he earns his keep in the household after curing Rose’s constant nose bleeds from the dust. 

However, a letter from Henry vindicates Margaret’s intuition. Wallace is a thief and a murderer on the loose who has come to rob the family. After facing the barrel of Margaret’s shotgun, he leaves, but not before promising one thing: they’re not going to be able to stop “The Gray Man.”

All hell breaks loose. Nightmares ensue. The girls’ beds are set on fire. Paranoia is at an all-time high. The house is completely covered up, not even the light of day can intrude. Is that Wallace at the door again or is it the dust knocking? Who knows. 

Between Margaret’s now nightly bouts of hallucinating sleep-walking leading to terrifyingly jumpy awakenings and the menacing whirrs from the dust storm breaking the frequent silence, the audience was on edge as the story unfolded. This is perhaps the most engaging yet disorienting part of the film. 

From here, we were all shaken by some deeply disturbing moments, such as Margaret slitting her thigh with a knife and using her blood as cheek blush or sewing a needle directly through her palm. As I looked around, audience members watched through their hands covering their eyes, some looking away entirely. At this point, Margaret feels no pain, and instead we as viewers are tormented by the gore. 

Margaret’s state of confusion, unaware of the difference between real life and slumber, leads her on a journey so petrifying that the townspeople are concerned and even her children are afraid. The mother they adored is nothing but a vessel that “The Gray Man” has now inhibited.

Realizing the damage she’s done, Margaret decides it’s time to reconnect with Ada in the afterlife. Distributing her crushed sleeping pills in bowls of soup, she wishes to bring the girls with her too. 

Refusing to fall into her mother’s fatal trap, Rose makes the heartbreakingly brave decision to trick her mother, sending her outside during a dust storm in search of Ollie. Recognizing the only way to love her mother is to let her go, Rose cuts the rope that connected Margaret to the home, leaving her lost and suffocating in the stifling environment. 

The film has an inspirational ending, with the girls aboard a train, leaving their past behind, but not before we see shots of dust dwindling, a reminder of the trauma that will always live inside of them. 

Hold Your Breath was quite literally breathtaking. As unsettling as the atmosphere was, it was also starkly beautiful. As someone who isn’t very fond of horror movies, the psychological aspect kept me locked in, wondering just how far Margaret would be willing to go to protect her family. 

With this film, Sarah Paulson has solidified herself as this generation’s scream queen. Past roles such as in American Horror Story, Run and Ratched were all a warm-up to becoming Margaret in Hold Your Breath, which is yet another convincingly chilling character that showcases her depth and flexibility as a horror movie icon.  

Hold Your Breath will be released by Searchlight Pictures as a Hulu original film in the U.S. on Oct. 3.

The post TIFF REVIEW: ‘Hold Your Breath’ offers a dark insight into the depths of a mother’s love, keeping you on the edge of your seat the whole time  appeared first on NOW Toronto.