Chloe: Atom Egoyan’s latest, which recently unspooled at the Toronto International Film Festival as a gala, garnered much attention (and most of it good) ahead of a Christmas release through E1 Entertainment. The Julianne Moore and Liam Neeson-starring drama is certain to come with commercial success, predicts The Hollywood Reporter, calling it ‘compelling.’ The Toronto Star agrees, labelling Chloe a ‘sleek film’ that should ‘restore Egoyan’s luster at the box office.’ A slightly less enthused review in Screen Daily notes that the characters ‘feel as if they are puppets being manipulated by unseen hands, rather than believable human beings.’

Defendor: Vancouver actor-turned-director Peter Stebbings’ oddball superhero story with Woody Harrelson in the title role is ‘modest but likable,’ says Variety, though it reckons that Defendor, about a delusional man who thinks he’s a superhero, is destined for ‘eyeblink theatrical play.’ The film – fresh off a premiere in the special presentation program at TIFF – works because of ‘Harrelson’s weird, wistful performance,’ writes Eye Weekly, while the Los Angeles Times notes that the eclectic outlook of the ‘doggedly determined indie’ may keep it from achieving a wide audience. Not if Sony has anything to say about it. The distributor recently acquired the rights to Defendor.

Cairo Time: Critics are gushing over director Rubba Nadda’s second feature, set for release Oct. 9 through Mongrel Media, after a successful bow at TIFF. The Cairo-shot romantic drama – starring Patricia Clarkson as a fortysomething woman who enters a brief love affair with an Arab man (Alexander Siddig) – is ‘beautifully acted and photographed,’ says The Toronto Star, while Eye Weekly observes that Nadda ‘knows how to make the quiet moments between her leads speak volumes.’ Exclaim! praises Clarkson’s performance as ‘imminently watchable,’ though the magazine complains that the film ‘doesn’t wrap up its narrative in a neat package.’ ~ Marise Strauss