In September, Circle Programmer/Deputy Director Chuck Foxen and Circle Co-Founder Clark Wiens ventured north for the Toronto International Film Fest! They previewed many of the major award-contending films set to come out this winter and early 2024, with plans to bring many to audiences here in Tulsa.
"It's always an exciting time to see the upcoming slate, and hear from the creatives who make the films. I'm passionate about cinema, along with programming for the Circle, so being at TIFF is a source of inspiration for the upcoming Fall/Winter season at Circle Cinema," said Foxen. "This year I spent seven days in Toronto watching (along with co-Founder Clark Wiens) three to five films a day. Experiencing a film during a festival is an incredible way to know how the film connects with the audience, and to select the best films for our Tulsa community and loyal Circle Cinema patrons."
Keep reading for info on the best films they saw, and look for these titles on the big screen at Circle in the coming months.
Chuck's Favorites
The Holdovers - opens Fri 11/10 at Circle - tickets on sale soon!
From acclaimed director Alexander Payne, THE HOLDOVERS follows a curmudgeonly instructor (Paul Giamatti) at a New England prep school who is forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go. Eventually he forms an unlikely bond with one of them -- a damaged, brainy troublemaker (newcomer Dominic Sessa) -- and with the school's head cook, who has just lost a son in Vietnam (Da'Vine Joy Randolph). Chuck's notes: "A warm unsuspecting holiday film. A must watch this Fall at Circle!"
Dream Scenario - opens Fri 11/10 at Circle
Hapless family man Paul Matthews (Nicolas Cage) finds his life turned upside down when millions of strangers suddenly start seeing him in their dreams. But when his nighttime appearances take a nightmarish turn, Paul is forced to navigate his newfound stardom, in this wickedly entertaining comedy from writer-director Kristoffer Borgli (Sick of Myself) and producer Ari Aster. Chuck's notes: "A dark, social satire that kept me entertained and laughing the whole show."
AGGRO DR1FT
In this sensual experimental elegy by Harmony Korine ("Spring Breakers," "Gummo"), spellbinding infrared photography evokes a dreamlike portrait of a tormented assassin. Chuck's notes: "I was very lucky to get into a late/sold out screening of this film. It was a trip, hyper stylized video game hitman narrative featuring Travis Scott."
Sleep
A pregnant wife who becomes worried about her husband's sleeping habits. What starts out as some light sleep-talking soon escalates to unexpectedly grotesque behaviour. They consult a sleep clinic without success and as his nightmarish behaviour escalates, they desperately seek help from a shaman. Chuck's notes: "Debut film from Jason Yu, a phenomenal thriller/horror. It was a smart and funny flick that we will bring to Circle Cinema later this year for our horror fans."
Clark's favorites:
Dumb Money - now showing at Circle!
Watch the trailer
Dumb Money is the ultimate David vs. Goliath tale, based on the insane true story of everyday people who flipped the script on Wall Street and got rich by turning GameStop (yes, the mall videogame store) into the world's hottest company. In the middle of everything is regular guy Keith Gill (Paul Dano), who starts it all by sinking his life savings into the stock and posting about it. When his social posts start blowing up, so does his life and the lives of everyone following him. As a stock tip becomes a movement, everyone gets rich -- until the billionaires fight back, and both sides find their worlds turned upside down.
Woman of the Hour
Trailer coming soon
Based on the stranger-than-fiction true story of Cheryl Bradshaw (Anna Kendrick) and Rodney Alcala. Bradshaw was a bachelorette on the hit ’70s TV matchmaking show The Dating Game and chose handsome and funny bachelor No. 3, Rodney Alcala. But behind Alcala’s charming facade was a deadly secret: He was a psychopathic serial killer.
Lee
The story of photographer Elizabeth 'Lee' Miller (Kate Winslet), a fashion model who became an acclaimed war correspondent for Vogue magazine during World War II. Also starring Alexander Skarsgård, Marion Cotillard, Andy Samberg, and Andrea Riseborough.