While Netflix has successfully reshaped how we watch TV series, its foray into film hasn91裸聊视频檛 achieved anywhere near the same level of water-cooler chatter.
But that may change this week as the streaming giant heads to the Toronto International Film Festival with a heavy slate of movies that could bolster its reputation with cinephiles, appeal to mainstream audiences and grab some Oscar buzz along the way.
Eight Netflix films will screen at TIFF in the coming days, marking the largest number of movies the company has ever brought to the festival.
Its lineup includes historical epic 91裸聊视频淥utlaw King,91裸聊视频� starring Chris Pine, which becomes the first-ever movie from a streaming giant to open an international film festival with its debut Thursday.
After that, Netflix showcases world premieres of the thriller 91裸聊视频淗old the Dark91裸聊视频� as well as a Quincy Jones documentary and the mid-life crisis drama 91裸聊视频淭he Land of Steady Habits.91裸聊视频� But it91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淩oma,91裸聊视频� a new black-and-white film by 91裸聊视频淕ravity91裸聊视频� director Alfonso Cuaron, that91裸聊视频檚 riding high on accolades from a debut at the Venice Film Festival last month. Critics predict it91裸聊视频檒l be a contender at the next Academy Awards.
All that positive attention bodes well for Netflix if the company wants to strengthen its image as a home to prestige films, and not a factory that91裸聊视频檚 pushing mediocre movies into the marketplace, said Hannah Woodhead, a U.K.-based film critic.
91裸聊视频淣etflix is trying to demonstrate to all the naysayers that they91裸聊视频檙e a viable studio and not just any streaming service,91裸聊视频� said Woodhead, who writes for the Little White Lies film site.
91裸聊视频淚t almost seems like a public relations offensive.91裸聊视频�
But Netflix91裸聊视频檚 track record hasn91裸聊视频檛 exactly helped its regard in some corners of the film community.
Unlike other streaming giants like Amazon, the company has notoriously shunned a theatrical release for most of its films, agreeing only to the smallest rollouts in order to qualify certain movies for the Oscars.
It was enough to push organizers at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival to effectively boot Netflix from its red carpet premieres last May. A new rule banned any films from competing for the festival91裸聊视频檚 most prestigious prize if they weren91裸聊视频檛 playing in France91裸聊视频檚 theatres.
The decision singled out Netflix and led the company to walk away from the Cannes festival.
Netflix isn91裸聊视频檛 hitting it out of the park in Hollywood either.
Even though it91裸聊视频檚 thrown significant money behind award campaigns for movies such as 91裸聊视频淢udbound91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淏easts of No Nation,91裸聊视频� the company has failed to capture any trophies in a major Oscar category. Will Smith91裸聊视频檚 big-budgeted 91裸聊视频淏right91裸聊视频� didn91裸聊视频檛 impress critics and quickly vanished from the conversation.
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Instead, Netflix has seen a number of its most buzzworthy titles in lighter fare, like the holiday romance 91裸聊视频淎 Christmas Prince91裸聊视频� and teen comedies 91裸聊视频淭he Kissing Booth91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淭o All the Boys I91裸聊视频檝e Loved Before.91裸聊视频�
Dozens of other films, some which were hot off film festival buzz, have fallen off the radar within days of appearing on the streaming platform. Netflix doesn91裸聊视频檛 provide viewership figures, which makes it impossible to accurately gauge how many people watch their films.
Those detractions haven91裸聊视频檛 necessarily hurt Netflix91裸聊视频檚 position with filmmakers who sometimes just want to get their dream project off the ground. Many boast about their creative freedom under the streaming giant91裸聊视频檚 roof 91裸聊视频� but the sentiment isn91裸聊视频檛 always positive.
The Netflix brand took another knock this summer when the filmmakers behind 91裸聊视频淐razy Rich Asians91裸聊视频� acknowledged they turned down a steep offer from the company in favour of a traditional Hollywood distributor who promised a full theatrical release and the promotional thrust that comes with it.
Jason Gorber, a film critic based in Toronto, doesn91裸聊视频檛 think experiences like the one with 91裸聊视频滳razy Rich Asians91裸聊视频� will threaten Netflix91裸聊视频檚 posture because it was such an anomaly in the film market.
Most small or mid-sized movies are lucky to see any sort of major release without getting trampled by blockbusters, he said. He considers Netflix91裸聊视频檚 relationship with organizers at TIFF as mutually beneficial to both of their interests.
91裸聊视频淭he festival is providing the showcase, glitz and the glamour for a bunch of films that probably wouldn91裸聊视频檛 have done spectacularly well theatrically anyway,91裸聊视频� Gorber argues.
91裸聊视频淓ach gets their chance to be a theatrical experience, the attention that comes with it and then Netflix gets the advertising.91裸聊视频�
Rounding out the eight films Netflix plans to screen at TIFF this year are movies that might91裸聊视频檝e never seen a theatrical release anyway.
Maggie Gyllenhaal91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淭he Kindergarten Teacher91裸聊视频� is a challenging drama that was warmly received at other festivals but lacks real commercial prospects, while 91裸聊视频�22 July91裸聊视频� follows the story behind Norway91裸聊视频檚 deadliest terrorist attack, and 91裸聊视频淕irl91裸聊视频� chronicles a young ballerina considering gender reassignment surgery.
Gorber believes movies like these, which don91裸聊视频檛 have major box-office prospects, have a chance to thrive on streaming services where they can be discovered over time. He said if Netflix continues to invest in a diverse lineup of commercial and riskier projects, he91裸聊视频檚 prepared to call himself a supporter.
91裸聊视频淚 think it91裸聊视频檚 spectacular the films they put their money behind,91裸聊视频� he said.
David Friend, The Canadian Press
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