Toronto After Dark Film Festival Selections
Cargo
Ivan Engler, 2009, Switzerland, 105 min
Short Description
In this stunning sci-fi thriller in the mould of ALIEN, a deep space mission crew faces a terrifying new discovery.
The Buzz
“Switzerland has not only produced its first large scale science fiction film….it ranks among sci-fi cinema’s best.” – Quiet Earth
“A Swiss-made throwback to heady space fare like 2001, Solaris and Alien” – Eye Weekly, Advance Review
“Impressive…far more ambitious than most science fiction films” – Sci-Fi Squad
“A surprisingly epic and intriguing science fiction film” – Lucid Nightmare
Official Selection – SXSW Film Festival
Synopsis
In this taut sci-fi thriller from Switzerland, it is the 23rd century and the Earth is uninhabitable. Humans crowd onto space stations and try to scrape together enough money to travel to Rhea, an idyllic planet slowly being colonized. Laura, a young medic, has signed onto a cargo freighter for four years to earn her passage and be reunited with her family. During her 8-month shift alone on watch, Laura discovers she and the small crew are not alone, and what is hiding in the shadows is killing them off one by one. With incredible art direction and nods to films such as ALIEN, SUNSHINE and THE MATRIX, director Ivan Engler creates fear and claustrophobia in the terrifying and enormous silence of space.
- Shelagh Rowan-Legg
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Phobia 2
Poolvoralaks, Pisanthanakun, Purikitpanya, Sugmakanan & Wongpoom, 2009, Thailand, 127 min
Short Description
Five scary tales from Thailand, from the same talented team behind previous TADFF hits ALONE and PHOBIA!
The Buzz
“Incredibly creepy…the ride is definitely worthwhile…smart, funny, scary and captivating” – Bloody Disgusting
“Flat out fantastic…Very well done, very cool and very effective…If you get a chance to catch the flick at a festival I very much recommend it” – Ain’t It Cool News
“Entertains and thrills throughout, and provides yet more proof that the Thai horror genre is currently producing some of the strongest material from anywhere in the world.” – Beyond Hollywood
Official Selection – Fantasia Film Festival, Montreal
Synopsis
From the same group of filmmakers that scared fans out of their seats with Toronto After Dark audience hits ALONE (2007) and PHOBIA (2008) comes this highly anticipated sequel. PHOBIA 2 brings back three of the directors from PHOBIA, and adds two new ones, presenting five new terrifying and gruesome tales from Thailand. A delinquent youth seeks refuge in a rural monastery, only to anger the local Gods. A young man admitted to hospital finds himself in the room of a near-dead cult leader who has other plans for his soul. A teenage couple attempting to hitchhike to the city finds themselves on the run from drug-running zombies. A shady used car saleswoman finds herself alone at night and under attack. And three young filmmakers attempt to keep their cool when one of the cast members comes back from the dead to finish the movie. A sure classic from the current golden age of Thai horror.
- Shelagh Rowan-Legg
Co-Presenter
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Centurion
Neil Marshall, 2010, UK, 97 min
Short Description
Romans battle Celtic forces in this brutal new action film from director Neil Marshall (THE DESCENT, DOG SOLDIERS)
The Buzz
“Imagine a flick like Braveheart, 300, Gladiator… stripped of all those boring scenes… The result would be a movie that looks a lot like Neil Marshall’s Centurion, a fast-paced, visually stunning, and action-heavy period piece…. And it succeeds on all counts.” – Cinematical
“Loaded to the gills with bone-crunching, limb chopping carnage….a fun action flick” – Joblo.com
“A great time at the theatre…filled with great physical action and fun characters” – CHUD.com
Official Selection – SXSW FIlm Festival
Synopsis
AD 117. Rome, in its effort to expand its empire across the known globe, orders its legendary Ninth Legion into Northern Britain to quell the Picts, a savage Celtic tribe that has brought their plans of total dominion to a standstill. Underestimating the Picts’ strategic intelligence, the legion is quickly decimated, leaving only a handful of survivors and their general (Dominic West of 300 and THE WIRE) taken captive. Led by Centurion Quintus Dias (Michael Fassbender from INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS), the surviving Romans rally themselves together in a desperate plan to steal back their general and return to the Roman frontier alive, all while battling both the harsh environments and the merciless pursuit of a vengeful Pict warrior (Olga Kyrylenko from QUANTUM OF SOLACE). Writer/Director Neil Marshall (THE DESCENT, DOG SOLDIERS) orchestrates the proceedings effortlessly, punctuating the frame with sweeping vistas, and his trademark brutal and bloody carnage.
- Peter Kuplowsky
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Comicbook-Style Poster by British artist Simon Bisley (SLAINE, LOBO, ABC WARRIORS)
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Heartless
Philip Ridley, 2009, UK, 114 min
Short Description
A disfigured young man is haunted by demons on the streets of London in this acclaimed new horror thriller from Philip Ridley (THE REFLECTING SKIN)
The Buzz
“A brave, bold film, unrelentingly personal, thrilling, heartbreaking and downright terrifying….impeccably produced and beautifully acted by all concerned, Heartless simply cannot be recommended highly enough.” – Twitch Film
“An absolutely fabulous horror-fantasy” – Dread Central
“Has instantly jumped into my top ten horror movies of all time.” – Ain’t It Cool News
Official Selection – Frightfest, London
Synopsis
Elusive cult director Philip Ridley (THE REFLECTING SKIN, THE PASSION OF DARKLY NOON) returns to the screen after a 14-year absence with another masterpiece of sublime horror. Jamie Morgan (played by rising star Jim Sturgess) was born with a disfiguring birthmark across his face, leaving him an outcast in his rough East London neighbourhood. While wandering abandoned yards taking photographs of the dereliction, Jamie comes across a gang of thugs responsible for recent heinous crimes. With his camera, he discovers that they are something other than human. Jamie is lead into a Faustian deal that will see him become a party to the terrifying chaos around him. Part David Lynch, part Guillermo del Toro, this dark urban thriller takes its audience to the darkest and most violent corners of the human heart.
- Shelagh Rowan-Legg
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“THE DARKER IT GETS” MONTAGE OF FILM IMAGES
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Black Death
Christopher Smith, 2010, UK, 102 min
Short Description
An investigation of witchcraft is at the centre of this medieval horror tale starring Sean Bean (LORD OF THE RINGS)
The Buzz
“A badass Dark Age story about the Black Plague… I love this film.” – Ain’t It Cool News
“Black Death is smart, classy, and extremely grim. Very good stuff.” – Dread Central
“A striking, mature and deeply scary piece of work.” – Fangoria
“Black Death is another excellent film from Christopher Smith who only seems to get better with each new production. A medieval thriller with hints of the supernatural, a fast paced story, beautiful locations, and some scenes that will stick in your mind.” – Horror View
“BLACK DEATH is a dark and chilling piece of work….a truly creepy tale of medieval terror” – Joblo.com’s Arrow-In-The-Head
Official Selection – Frightfest, London
Synopsis
Despite its supernatural atmosphere, BLACK DEATH is a horror movie that trades on a very human kind of evil. With Medieval England consumed by the black plague, a monastery is perturbed by reports of an isolated pagan village that remains untouched by the disease. Suspecting the work of witchcraft, a young monk (Eddie Redmayne) is ordered by his superiors to guide a detachment of mercenaries to this pagan community on a mission to beat God back into them. Led by Ulric (Sean Bean from LORD OF THE RINGS), a famed and feared witch-hunter, the monk soon finds himself on a perilous journey that will test not only his faith and moral compass, but the audience’s as well. With BLACK DEATH, Christopher Smith (CREEP, SEVERANCE) continues to prove himself as one of the UK’s brightest and most versatile genre directors.
- Peter Kuplowsky
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The Human Centipede – Closing Gala Film
Tom Six, 2009, Holland, 90 min
Short Description
In the most talked about horror film of the year, a doctor performs a disturbing medical procedure on his patients
The Buzz
“A masterpiece of perverse originality, a truly unique experience of sleaze and horror” – CHUD
“The bastard child of Takashi Miike and David Cronenberg – a deeply disturbing and shockingly original piece of work” – Twitch Film
Winner, Best Director – Austin Fantastic Fest
Winner, Best Actor – Austin Fantastic Fest
Winner, Best Picture – Los Angeles ScreamFest
Synopsis
You heard about it online, watched the freaky trailer on YouTube (along with 2 million others) and winced about its utterly insane, ‘100% medically accurate’ premise. And now after winning both fans and awards at numerous film festivals around the world, the most talked about horror film of the year, is finally crawling its way into town as Toronto After Dark’s Closing Gala film! Prepare to be shocked by Tom Six’s THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE. The truly twisted tale features two American tourists with car trouble who seek help at the house of Dr. Heiter (the outlandish Dieter Laser), a physician who specialized in separating Siamese twins but now wants to create… a human centipede. The madder-than-mad doctor sews the girls, and a Japanese tourist, together – butt-to-mouth! – and marches them around his yard. Now, the only hope for escape is their ability to work together as a singular organism. THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE: truly the sum of its parts.
-Dave Alexander
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