TORONTO -- The final credits rolled on the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday after almost 400 films unspooled over 11 days. Here are some of the titles that stood out for the Canadian Press reporters who covered the movie marathon.

"Adult Beginners": Films about humbled hotshots retreating to their dreary hometowns were a trend this year -- hello "The Judge" and "This is Where I Leave You" -- but this lower-profile offering bested its starry competition with a funny, character-driven script. Nick Kroll -- typically a comic-relief bit player -- does just fine in his leading-man debut, while Rose Byrne as his responsible sister adds another entry to a resume full of sparkling comedies.

"Foxcatcher": Bennett Miller's deliberately paced exploration of the toxic relationship between multimillionaire eccentric John du Pont (Steve Carell) and a pair of sibling Olympic wrestlers Mark and Dave Schultz (Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo) rightfully hoarded praise after an award-winning run at Cannes. Ruffalo and Tatum commit themselves to dauntingly physical performances, while a prosthetically altered Carell is ominously compelling as the mysterious du Pont.

"Men, Women and Children": Director Jason Reitman weaves together multiple plot lines in this thoughtful reflection (based on the Chad Kultgen novel) on how the hyper-connected nature of our world is changing personal relationships. Jennifer Garner and Adam Sandler are among the big names in an ensemble cast, but young actors Ansel Elgort and Kaitlyn Dever are the ones who stand out in a stirring story that lingers long after you've left the theatre.

"Still Alice": This simple, understated tale about a woman diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's is elevated by Julianne Moore's heartbreaking performance in the central role. Directors Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer avoid sentimental theatrics and instead tell the story largely from Alice's perspective, allowing the audience to identify with her fully as she loses her memories, her connection to loved ones and her sense of self. Kristen Stewart gives a strong supporting turn as Alice's daughter, who becomes the only family member able to truly empathize with her disappearing mother.

"The Imitation Game": Benedict Cumberbatch is at the top of his game in this compelling biopic about Alan Turing, the stunningly intelligent but underappreciated British mathematician who broken the "unbreakable" Nazi code. Helmed by Norwegian director Morten Tyldum, the war-time drama is punctuated by dry British humour and nicely balances the high-intensity conflict with the personal turmoil Turing had to deal with as a closeted homosexual.

"The Last Five Years": Musical haters may be converted with this sharply funny sung-through story of a young couple struggling to reconnect as their careers go in different directions. Oscar-and Tony-nominated Anna Kendrick is a standout as an actress struggling in her career and relationship, displaying impressive acting and singing chops that buoy writer-director Richard LaGravenese's adaptation of Jason Robert Brown's off-Broadway show.

"The Theory of Everything": Eddie Redmayne transforms into brilliant physicist Stephen Hawking in this romantic biopic, embodying his physical deterioration from his diagnosis with ALS at age 21 to his eventual loss of speech and mobility. It's inspired by a memoir by Hawking's first wife Jane, and Felicity Jones shines in the role of a spouse whose deep love of her partner is tested when he begins to require an overwhelming level of care.

"Whiplash": Miles Teller is the drum prodigy bloodied by his single-minded pursuit of greatness, J.K. Simmons is the psychotically demanding instructor who just might see something in him. The latter is in scenery-chomping peak form as the sadistic, corrosively acid-tongued purist in a gleefully entertaining film from writer-director Damien Chazelle. You'll remember the phrase: "Not quite my tempo."

"Wild": Fervid fans of the bestselling Cheryl Strayed memoir on which the film is based can rest assured that the tone and performances onscreen perfectly encapsulate the story's stirring essence. With Reese Witherspoon's career-high performance as a divorcee on a punishing hike to find herself, director Jean-Marc Vallee's expert handling of flashbacks and other tricky elements, and Nick Hornby's excellent screenplay, "Wild"'s trail will no doubt end at the Oscars.

"99 Homes": Sure, we've all read the stories about the home-foreclosure crisis, but Ramin Bahrani's film is a cinematic call to arms, addressing eviction and joblessness on a visceral, blow-by-blow level. "Spider-Man" star Andrew Garfield gives a nuanced and unexpected turn as an unemployed construction worker who gets hooked up with a dubious realter (Michael Shannon).

Compiled by Canadian Press reporters Victoria Ahearn, Andrea Baillie, Laura Kane, Diana Mehta and Nick Patch