In October, I visited the TIFF theatre in Toronto quite a few times, taking advantage of my new membership. As a result, this month was split between old and new movies.

The Running Man

United States of America | 1987 | 101m | English

IMDB tells me that the tagline of this 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger action film is, “The year is 2019. The finest men in America don’t run for President. They run for their lives.” That sums it up well; The Running Man is a Most Dangerous Game televised across a dystopian police state United States. Arnold’s character is forced to compete after he is framed by the state for massacring civilians. The story isn’t anything too deep at the end of the day, but I thought this was a lot of campy fun, thanks to Arnold’s one-liners and the brutal action.

3/5

Blue Giant

Japan | 2023 | 120m | Japanese

As a story centered around a jazz band, one has to hope the soundtrack can carry the movie, and luckily I can say it does in the case of Blue Giant. The trailer’s music is still stuck in my head, a month later. The wild, colorful visuals during the musical sequences take this movie to even greater heights. If I told you that this story was originally a manga, you can probably guess the motivation of the protagonist (“I’m going to be the greatest jazz musician in the world!”), but luckily the character development provides for some surprisingly heartfelt and tragic scenes later on. I recommend this movie even to people who don’t care for jazz or anime.

3.5/5

Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person

Canada | 2023 | 90m | French

This was a great surprise. It is a French-Canadian movie about a teenage vampire who needs blood to live but doesn’t want to kill anyone. The acting between the two leads is perfect in its awkwardness and the writing is great throughout. Being that this is a Canadian movie, I found myself scrutinizing the ending for any signs of creepy, pro-MAID sentiment, but my honest assessment is that the message of this film is not to glorify or downplay assisted suicide. Instead, it’s a charming romantic comedy that’s easy to recommend.

4/5

They Live

United States of America | 1988 | 94m | English

When a struggling, working class man discovers special sunglasses one day, he’s able to see the world for how it truly is. Billboards are replaced with messages like “CONSUME,” “OBEY,” and “STAY ASLEEP,” and the rich and powerful turn out to be aliens, as freakish on the outside as they are on the inside. The imagery is iconic, but I wish the movie did more with its compelling premise. It’s probably no accident that the world turns to black-and-white when the main character puts on the sunglasses: the script offers a shallow, black-and-white view on capitalism. I was hoping for more depth, but I’m glad I watched it, if only to know what’s behind all of the derivative memes and quotes.

2/5

Beyond Utopia

United States of America | 2023 | 115m | English, Korean

This is a movie that everyone needs to see. It offers one of the clearest glimpses available into the current-day North Korean regime. This documentary follows several North Koreans who attempt to escape the country. I’ll just say that not all of them are successful. You’ll feel the full range of human emotions here: despair, terror, fury, and – occasionally – hope. Movies like Beyond Utopia are exactly why documentaries exist as a journalistic medium. Watch this and then show it to the tankies in your life.

4.5/5

The Hidden

United States of America | 1987 | 97m | English

The Hidden is a sci-fi action B-movie about two cops chasing an alien that possesses one person after another. Despite the sci-fi concept, the action is grounded in reality and actually features some incredible car chase scenes. This seems to be a movie that most have forgotten about, but I think it’s worth watching.

2.5/5

The Exorcist: Believer

United States of America | 2023 | 111m | English

It’s unfortunate that this movie was helmed by people who mistakenly believe that the original Exorcist is a classic because of spooky demon girl antics. In actuality, that movie is great because it’s a compelling, nuanced character drama about a Catholic priest struggling with his faith, who ultimately makes a distinctly Christ-like sacrifice when he leaps to his death after taking a demon out of little Regan’s body and into his own. As Regan’s mother tells it in this belated sequel, however, the priest’s sacrifice for the sake of her daughter was nothing more than “the patriarchy” at work. I’m not making that up. Insufferable writing aside, the scares just aren’t there. Miss this one.

1.5/5