book-reviews | The Last Movie Guy

Roofman: The Incredible Life of Jeffrey Manchester -TIFF 2025

Posted on September 26 by Hugo Pagan Soto

As Jeffrey Manchester runs to evade the police, he reflects on the series of bad decisions that led him to this point of no return. Roofman (2025), directed by Derek Cianfrance, tells the incredible story of one of the most peculiar criminals the world has ever seen. Between 1998 and 2000, Manchester carried out between 40 and 60 robberies, most of them in McDonald’s restaurants. His unusual modus operandi earned him the nickname “Roofman,” since he would always cut a hole in the roof to gain access to the establishments he robbed.

Left-Handed Girl: Invisible Wounds , Generational Trauma -TIFF 2025

Posted on September 19 by Hugo Pagan Soto

“When the intention is not upright, one seeks side doors and paths to the left.”
(Chinese Proverb)

To understand Left-Handed Girl (2025), it is necessary to delve into certain aspects of Chinese culture. In Chinese tradition, strongly influenced by Confucianism, left-handedness was seen as a deviation from order and social harmony. The “right” represented what was correct, noble, and appropriate, while the “left” carried a negative connotation. Therefore, writing, eating, or greeting with the left hand was considered improper and was often corrected from childhood. Director Shih-Ching Tsou draws on this old tradition and her own experiences to structure her story.