The Earnest Romantic Comedy
Let’s be honest: the high-concept, star-driven romantic comedy has been on life support for years, relegated to the streaming-verse with middling results. But festival buzz suggests a comeback. Enter “Babies,” a world-premiere film starring Seth Rogen
and Anna Kendrick as a couple hilariously and heartfeltly navigating the question of parenthood. Rather than relying on contrived plot devices, early whispers from Toronto praise its grounded, witty exploration of a universal relationship crossroad, bolstered by a killer ensemble cast. It’s a move away from the glossy, unbelievable romances of the past and toward something more relatable and, frankly, funnier. If audiences connect with it, it could prove that people still want to see stories about human connection, without the capes and CGI.
The Gritty Neo-Noir
The cynical detective, the rain-slicked city streets, the morally ambiguous client—the neo-noir has always been a potent, stylish genre. While it has thrived in niche festivals, it’s been largely absent from the mainstream. At TIFF, Takashi Miike’s “Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo” is reviving the genre with a jolt of electrifying style. Following in the footsteps of previous iconic films, Miike’s entry explores the dark underbelly of the city from the perspective of a corrupt authority figure. The genre works best when it reflects societal anxieties, and in a world of uncertainty, the neo-noir feels more relevant than ever. Films like this, and other genre festival darlings, suggest a renewed appetite for dark, complex thrillers that are more about mood and morality than just solving a case.
The Screwball Comedy
Born during the Great Depression, screwball comedy uses fast-talking wit, chaotic situations, and class-based satire to create comedic gold. It’s a genre that demands sharp writing and even sharper performances, which may explain why it faded as Hollywood favored simpler comedic formulas. But a TIFF discovery entry, “Stuffed,” a British musical about love, death, and taxidermy starring Jodie Comer and Harry Melling, is bringing back that anarchic spirit. Described as twisted and hilarious, the film embraces the core tenets of screwball: subverting social norms through outlandish scenarios and rapid-fire dialogue. In an age of social media overload and absurdity, the frenetic, witty, and surprisingly smart screwball comedy might be the perfect genre for our chaotic times.
The Psychological Suspense Thriller
Before jump scares became the norm, psychological thrillers burrowed into your brain, creating suspense through character, atmosphere, and dread. This classic genre gets a modern, meta-textual update in “A Talent for Murder,” which premiered to major buzz. The film stars Helen Mirren as a fictionalized version of Patricia Highsmith, the author who practically invented the genre. When a young agent visits her, a tense, claustrophobic game of cat and mouse unfolds, blurring the line between the creator and her dark creations. In a landscape dominated by louder, more explicit horror, a film that relies on intellect and suspense feels revolutionary. It’s a reminder that what you don’t see is often far more terrifying than what you do.
