TIFF 2010: The Playlist's Complete Coverage

This year The Playlist hit TIFF in a big way, seeing over 25 films in 11 days (not counting the few we walked out of) and while we're tired, still chasing up on emails and trying to catch our breath, it was a lot of fun.

The week and a half of the festival is now a blur in the rearview, but in order to reassess and put everything in one place, here are all the reviews of the films we saw at TIFF. Consider it a handy guide to our thoughts on films that will be hitting theaters over the next year. It was a very successful acquisitions year at TIFF and most of these titles will be getting some sort of release.

Thank you Toronto, we'll see you again next year.

The Good

Danny Boyle provides one of the most exhilarating cinematic rides of the year in "127 Hours," finding a deeply humane and affecting heart in the raw and gritty story of Aron Ralston who had to cut off his own arm to save his life when trapped in a canyon.

Ben Affleck's sophomore directorial effort "The Town" is a straight genre film done with a high level of execution. Centered around a gang of criminals trying to outrun their fate, the film is centered around three breathless heist sequences, each more thrilling than the last.

"Easy Money" aka "Snabba Cash" lived up to the buzz the picture received after it debuted at Berlin earlier this year. The film takes "get rich or die trying" to a whole new level.

Narrated by Matt Damon, the actor's voice might be the only soothing element of Charles Ferguson's exhaustively researched and thoroughly infuriating and fascinating documentary on the financial crisis, "Inside Job."

"Black Swan" impressed both of the The Playlist team who caught the film. Darren Aronofsky directs what may be his grandest ballet, in a tale that marks the mental and physical toll of the pursuit of artistic perfection.

We didn't think it would ever happen, but a solid, funny, breezy, female-led comedy has arrived in "Easy A" and it delivers big laughs and a star making turn by Emma Stone.

Will Ferrell makes the strongest case yet as a dramatic actor with the tender and winning "Everything Must Go," in which he plays an alcoholic at the end of his rope.

Fans will breathe a sigh of relief because Matt Reeves' "Let Me In," a remake of the idolized "Let The Right One In" hits all the same notes but with a surprising freshness.

Errol Morris brings his strangest tale yet in "Tabloid," a highly entertaining and riveting tale about Mormons, sex and an ex-beauty queen.

Nicole Kidman launched herself in the Oscar race with a powerful turn in John Cameron Mitchell's tale of the lasting wound of grief, "Rabbit Hole."

Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams shine in the documentary-like tale of a relationship in tragic free-fall in "Blue Valentine."

Though Kelly Reichardt's latest, "Meek's Cutoff" slightly split The Playlist team, we can definitely agree it's worth your time, boasting gorgeous Academy-ratio cinematography, solid performances and an observational tone.

Gareth Edwards' alien invasion road movie "Monsters" is a clever take on the already over-saturated genre.

John Sayles independent film (natch) "Amigo" succeeds in drawing parallels between current American policy and past history without belaboring the point.

Spanish film "Guest" is a fascinating, humanist documentary snapshot created on his tour of the festival circuit.

"The Four Times" is a playful parable about an elderly man in a small Italian village who is inching closer to the grave.

"Blame" is a taut, workmanlike thriller that marks the arrival of Australian director Michael Henry. Hollywood will be calling.

The Wavelengths program impressed with its run of avant-garde, outsider works.

The Sorta Good

Coming into TIFF riding a wave of strong buzz, Mark Romanek's "Never Let Me Go" failed to stir our hearts, though it did look absolutely great.

Woody Allen turns in his annual film with "You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger" a charming if overly familiar effort that isn't without a few sour notes.

Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden go mainstream with their psych room dramedy "It's Kind Of A Funny Story" and it doesn't quite work, resembling a pastiche of other "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest"-inspired films.

Though the Wes Anderson derivativeness turned us off, Max Winkler's debut feature "Ceremony" does feature strong performances — particularly from Michael Angarano and Jake Johnson — as well as a handful of strong scenes that make the writer/director one to watch.

Werner Herzog's first foray into 3D filmmaking "Cave Of Forgotten Dreams" is another familiar if unremarkable documentary from the director.

The Ugly

"Buried" arrives with a high concept premise but can't get out of the box (ha ha). Shoehorning in a cheap message about the Iraq war, Ryan Reynolds spirited performance can't save a weak script and one-trick directing.

Feeling like a History Channel movie-of-the-week, Robert Redford's "The Conspirator" buries an interesting story about the conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln with a tedious political screed.

Clint Eastwood's treatise on death, "Hereafter," can't survive an inept screenplay, poor dialogue and a distancing narrative.

Keanu Reeves' latest "Henry's Crime" is a crime film/rom-com that doesn't have the juice to sustain its running time and confirms the actor should stick to films that can work with his limited range.

A complete and total misfire, Dustin Lance Black delivers an outright bomb with his tonally strange, everything-and-the-kitchen-sink satire/drama/camp film "What's Wrong With Viriginia."

Described as "Saved By The Bell" meets "Lost Highway" while on Ecstasy, "Kaboom" finds Gregg Araki still trying to make a film within the same ballpark of quality as "Mysterious Skin."

Mickey Rourke and Megan Fox fall flat on their faces in Mitch Glazer's embarrassing "Passion Play."