The Judge
We are just two days away from the start of the Toronto International Film Festival, and a great line-up of films has been brought together.
Toronto always seems to show some gems and I think we could have some potential Oscar contenders in the mix as well.
We take a look at some of the movies that we are most excited about and shouldn't be missed if you are heading to the festival.
- The Judge
The Judge will open the festival on Thursday, as Robert Downey Jr returns to the big screen for the first time since Iron Man 3.
He leaves superheroes behind - for now - and returns to drama, as he teams up with director David Dobkin. Dobkin is best known for his comedy work such as The Wedding Crashers, and this is the first time he has tackled a drama project.
Downey Jr takes on the role of lawyer Hank Palmer, who returns home when his father is suspected of murder. Palmer sets out to find the truth and reconnect with his family.
It is always exciting to see a Downey Jr lead movie, and I can't wait to see him share the screen with Robert Duvall (who will be playing his father).
The Judge promises to be a great way to open the festival, and it will be hitting UK cinema screens in October.
- The Imitation Game
The Imitation Game is already one of the most talked about films, and has been tipped as an early Oscar contender.
Directed by Morten Tyldum, the movie follows English mathematician and logician Alan Turing, and the role he played in cracking the Enigma code during the Second World War.
Benedict Cumberbatch will take on the role of Turing in the film, in what is one of the biggest film roles of his career to date - it really is set to send his star rocketing even further.
He is joined by an all-star cast list, as Keira Knightley, Mark Strong, Matthew Goode, & Charles Dance are all on board.
The Imitation Game is one of the potential Oscar films that Toronto will be screening... will we see Cumberbatch get his first Oscar nod for his central performance?
- Foxcatcher
Another movie that is creating a bit of a frenzy is Foxcatcher - which is also tipped to be in the Academy Award mix at the beginning of next year.
Foxcatcher premiered to acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival, and will be playing at the London Film Festival next month.
Directed by Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher tells the true story of wrestler Mark Schultz and his dangerous relationship with sponsor John du Pont.
Steve Carell will take on the role of du Pont, while Channing Tatum is on board as Schultz. Mark Ruffalo, Vanessa Redgrave, and Sienna Miller are also on board.
Miller is no stranger to telling true stories with Capote and Moneyball under his belt, and I cannot wait to see Foxcatcher. Foxcatcher will be released in January 2015.
- Before We Go
Chris Evans is set to make his feature film directorial debut with Before We Go, and the movie will premiere at the Toronto Film Festival.
Originally called 1:30 Train, Before We Go will see Evans on the cast list as well as in the director's chair as he teams up with Alice Eve.
Set in Manhattan, the story follows two strangers after their serendipitous meeting in Grand Central.
Over the course of one night, they form an unlikely bond and the conflicts in their own lives become the basis for exploration into each other and themselves.
We have seen a whole host of actors make the transition into the director's chair in recent years, and I am excited to see what Evans delivers with this debut film.
- Wild
We are going to be seeing plenty of Reese Witherspoon over the next few months, and Wild is just one of the projects that she will be starring in.
Wild will see her team up with director Jean-Marc Vallee for the first time, as they tell the true story of Cheryl Strayed.
Based on the book by Strayed, the film will chronicle the 1,100 solo hike she undertakes to overcome problems in her private life, including the breakdown of her marriage and the death of her mother.
Witherspoon will take on the role of Strayed in the film, in what promises to be a role that the Oscar winning actress can truly get her teeth into.
She is joined on the cast list by Laura Dern, Gaby Hoffmann, and Michiel Huisman.
- St. Vincent
St. Vincent is a film that has been whipping up a lot of interest of late, as it marks the return of Bill Murray.
St. Vincent will mark the feature film directorial outing for Theodore Melfi, and will receive its world premiere at the festival.
The movie brings together a terrific cast, as Murray is joined by Naomi Watts, Melissa McCarthy, Chris O'Dowd, and Terrence Howard.
St Vincent follows a young boy whose parents just divorced finds an unlikely friend and mentor in the misanthropic, bawdy, hedonistic, war veteran who lives next door.
It is always exciting to see Murray back on the big screen, and this looks set to be another gem of a performance.
- The Theory of Everything
Another biopic to watch out for at the festival is The Theory of Everything, as director James Marsh tells the story of Stephen Hawking.
Eddie Redmayne will take on the role of Hawking; in a film will explore his relationship with his wife Jane (who is played by Felicity Jones).
Jones and Redmayne are two of the brightest British acting talents, and I am looking forward to seeing them share the screen together and tell this great true story.
Jones and Redmayne are joined on the cast list by Emily Watson, Charlie Cox, David Thewlis, and Harry Lloyd.
Marsh is best known for his documentary work with Man on Wire and Project Nim, and this is his first non-documentary film since Shadow Dancer in 2012.
- Whiplash
Whiplash was a movie that had the critics raving at Sundance, and now it is coming to Toronto.
The movie sees Miles Teller continue his rise to superstardom - 2015 is set to be another massive year for the actor - as he teams up with J.K. Simmons.
Whiplash follows a young musician as he struggles to make it as a jazz drummer. Things are made even worse when he is faced with a bullying bandmaster.
The Damien Chazelle directed film picked up the top audience and grand jury awards in the U.S. dramatic competition at Sundance, and is set to be a hit at Toronto.
Sadly, the film will not be coming to the UK until January 2015. I do get the feeling that it will be worth the wait.
- The Drop
The Drop is another autumn movie that is not to be missed as Dennis Lehane's short story Animal Rescue is given the big screen treatment.
Lehane has adapted his own work into a screenplay, while Michaël R. Roskam returns to the director's chair for the first time since Bullhead in 2011.
The Drop will star Tom Hardy as he teams up with Noomi Rapace and James Gandolfini. It is always exciting to see Hardy on the big screen, and this is promising to be another great performance from the actor.
Sadly, this will be the final film that we will see Gandolfini appear in.
The Drop follows lonely bartender Bob Saginowski (Hardy) through a covert scheme of funnelling cash to local gangsters - 'money drops' in the underworld of Brooklyn bars.
Under the heavy hand of his employer and cousin Marv (Gandolfini), Bob finds himself at the centre of a robbery gone awry and entwined in an investigation that digs deep into the neighbourhood’s past.
Other movies not to miss include Mr Turner, The Last Five Years, The Humbling, and Madame Bovary.
Toronto International Film Festival is set to be the place to be and runs from 4th - 14th September.
Tagged in Toronto Film Festival