There are dozens of incredible films to choose from at TIFF 2018 and while there's plenty to like in the documentary category, foreign and buzziest films, I've selfishly kept a few favourites back for this list.

Here are my must-see movies at TIFF 2018.

Carmine Street Guitars

Hometown hero Ron Mann will bring his sweet and charming musical film home about Greenwich Village luthiers to TIFF after showing it in Venice. A warm, Demme-like respite in the midst of festival chaos, we can all use some of that in the midst of more dour offerings.

Green Book

A Farrelly brother directing Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen in a period drama? The ingredients are too weird to pass up. This is either going to be a masterpiece or a mess, and either way I can't wait to find out.

Halloween

I'm not a huge fan of the original, but I am extremely excited to see what David Gordon Green can do with such material, hoping for a bit of magic from this mix of high and low, art-house and schlock, that Green and his collaborators may bring to this redux.

Kursk

I love submarine movies. I love Danish cinema. I love Thomas Vinterberg's films. So, finally after years of anticipation, I get to see this tale of camaraderie and tragedy. Ready to dive, Captain. 

Mid90s

My favourite films are always those that skate a thin edge, ones that could either faceplant or stick the landing. Jonah Hill's directorial debut is about young skate punks in a period of a decade I'd rather forget and could be truly horrible. Or, as I have a tingling of hope about, it could be one of the best films of the fest. 

Monsters and Men

Fingers crossed on this one too. There have been too many simplistic films of late dealing with the highly complex issues surrounding law enforcement and marginalized communities. Reinaldo Marcus Green's film looks to shake things up, bringing nuance and subtlety without diminishing the power of its message.

Outlaw King

While some may wait for a chance to screen on VOD, I'm betting that David Mackenzie's epic about Robert the Bruce (Chris Pine) will be a Royal feast best served in the cinema.

Firecrackers

It's pitched like a Canadian version of American Honey (a film that frankly I didn't love very much), but there's plenty of anticipation for Jasmin Mozaffari's film about two girls trying to escape their small town. Fingers crossed it's as explosive as its title.

Peterloo

It's a film directed by Mike Leigh. That's surely enough to warrant it being on anyone's must-see list. Make it a period drama about political reform with his usual sublime casting choices and it's even more tantalizing.

Widows

A monster cast (Viola Davis, Daniel Kaluuya, Liam Neeson, Jacki Weaver, Colin Farrell), written by the scribe of Gone Girl and a thriller directed by the brilliantly artistic Steve McQueen. Yes, please.