My Favourite CIFF 2010 Moment: The Black Carpet Gala!

Well folks, it’s that time again. As CIFF 2010 draws to a close, I (along with hundreds of other cinephiles) am exhausted - but it is the bittersweet fatigue of someone who has just spent the last ten days in a film-focused frenzy. Every year I get a little better at balancing my trips to the cinema with school, and it certainly pays off to dedicate a few moments to planning a schedule when it comes to film fest season - that way you can take full advantage of everything CIFF has to offer. My highlight of this year’s festival was undoubtably Friday night’s Black Carpet Gala.



The film, I Spit On Your Grave, was everything it promised to be, and more: gruesome, gratuitous, horrific, controversial, compelling, and disturbing. Since it will be theatrically released on October 8th, I’ll save you any revealing remarks, suffice it to say that lead actress, Sarah Butler, approaches the devastating subject matter with a maturity and bravery that is extraordinary - and the rest of the cast is not far behind. Chad Lindberg had the audience gripped in pity and fear for his vulnerable character, Matthew, and Jeff Branson’s character, Johnny, embodied a bitterness, arrogance, and sociopathic numbness that was frightening in itself. The area sheriff, played by Andrew Howard, was equally cold and despicable - rounding out the perfect crew of victims for the spite of a vengeful woman.Butler, Lindberg, and Branson were all in attendance, and held a Q&A session following the screening. They explained their personal processes for taking on the identities of such dark characters, and joked about the mishaps that made it into the final cut - like Branson “accidentally” hitting Butler in the back of the head with a baseball bat. Despite the violent and brutal nature of the film’s content, the cast agreed that it was their chemistry and trust for one another that made the film really come to life.




The after party was held at Sam’s in Kensington immediately following the Q&A session, with free drinks being dispensed to ticket holders and tasty appetizers floating about on silver platters. The pub was intimately lit, and already buzzing with excitement when the screening crowd arrived.Butler, Lindberg, and Branson were all there, and were incredibly approachable - bubbling at the chance to chat with fans and film-lovers alike. I had the chance to speak briefly to all three, and was humbled by their lively, friendly, and entertaining personalities. stars were not afraid to mingle with the crowd, share some beverages, and take part in the jovial atmosphere of the Black Carpet Gala.

Memories and experiences like these are the reason I am such an enthusiastic advocate for the social aspect of cinema. There is a whole culture that takes place outside of the theatre, and I encourage anyone with even the slightest interest in film to seek out these types of events, and take advantage of everything an organization like CIFF has to offer. Don’t feel discouraged if you didn’t make it to every screening and event you had hoped to - CIFF 2011 is only 12 months away!

See you next year, fellow filmaholics!

The Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu Had this Horror-fan in Hysterics

It can be hard deciding whether to laugh or scream when it comes to scary movies, and that’s why horror and comedy make such a lovely genre pair. Horror-comedies have been around for decades - literally. The first one was a silent film in 1920 titled Haunted Spooks. Of course today we’re more familiar with films like Evil Dead, Ghostbusters, Beetlejuice, and Idle Hands, but the American film The Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu takes this melded genre to a new level. Part buddy flick, part road movie, part supernatural thriller - think of this film as Road Trip meets Alien.

In the depths of the ocean, a monster lies dormant. For Cthulhu to be roused from years of slumber, the two separated pieces of the relic key must be brought together in order to unlock his underwater tomb. The earthly cult of Cthulhu has found one half, and with the help of a supernatural army of fish-people, they are on their way to the location of piece number two. Unfortunately for Jeff, an average cubicle-bound office worker, he has been given the task of guarding it due to a hereditary link to infamous horror novelist, H.P. Lovecraft. He and his co-worker (and best friend), Charlie, call upon their old high school’s token geek, Paul, to learn more about the ancient beast and the consequences of the relic being joined. They are tracked down by the cult’s army and the three unlikely heroes soon find themselves on the run from Cthulhu’s vicious descendants. If they can keep the relic in two pieces, they will save the world from violent destruction and certain doom. If not, we’re all fish food.

You really get the best of both worlds with this one. The laughs are many, thanks mostly to Paul, whose character bears a striking resemblance (physically and behaviorally) to Zack Galifianakis in The Hangover. The bumbling trio never seems to find a cohesive mode of defense - much to the delight of audiences. As for the horror - blood, battle, and beasts are aplenty. Sci-fi fans will also be pleased with the creature designs and costume effects. If you like to laugh, or love to scream (or never know which to do), this film is for you!

The Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu plays Thursday, September 30th at the Plaza at 11:00 PM. Get your tickets at CIFF box office locations, or online. Make sure you bring a box of tissues - whether you’re wiping tears of fright or fun is up to you.

[Rec] 2: Continuing to Blur the Line Between Horror and Documentary

Horror mockumentaries are rising in popularity, but few have lived up to the critical acclaim that 2007’s Spanish film [Rec] garnered. Not since The Blair Witch Project has a film of this genre caused such a commotion, or become such an instant cult hit. It even spawned an American shot-for-shot remake in 2008, Quarantine. This year, CIFF 2010 brings you [Rec] 2, the sequel to the Spanish sensation released three long years ago. The film begins literally moments after the other ends, as emergency crew assess the carnage that has just taken place in an infected apartment building where tenants were transformed into cannibalistic monsters. The horror is far from over, as officials soon find out, and the frightening phenomenon must be controlled before the panic and chaos spread like a macabre plague.

It’s no surprise that this film is highly anticipated by audiences and critics alike. [Rec] was a terrifying, bloody, and psychologically shredding film, with some of the scariest visuals I’ve seen in recent years. Jamie Russell with the BBC said it was “a runaway rollercoaster of a fright flick” that “will definitely jangle the nerves”.
As I clutch my [Rec] 2 ticket in my hand, I can’t help but get nostalgic about the other scary mockumentaries that have savaged the silver screen in recent years. Let’s go over some of them, shall we? Here are my five favorite frightening found footage films (great alliteration, huh?), starting with...

Cloverfield
Although the documentary style, hand-held camera aesthetics in this film had the tendency to make audiences lose their lunches, I couldn’t snub this one from my list. This modern day Godzilla-esque flick trapped you in the middle of a military emergency in New York, and had you watching your back with the rest of the cast. The gigantic monster wasn’t even the scariest part! My stomach jumped every time one of it’s miniature spawns made an appearance, especially in the subway scene. Panic, mayhem, and chaos rule in this creepshow!

District 9
Part alien sci-fi, part political commentary - this film was nominated for four academy awards at the 2010 ceremony: Best Achievement in Editing, Best Achievement in Visual Effects, Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published, and Best Motion Picture of the Year! This film proved that there is more to horror that chills and thrills. Exceptionally acted and socially conscious, District 9 is not one to overlook.


The Poughkeepsie Tapes
I had a hard time getting my hands on this one, but it was well worth the trouble. After enjoying years of secret sadistic torture, the videotapes of an elusive serial killer are discovered in an abandoned house. An investigation is spawned and the disturbing footage is reviewed, along with the testimony of a single survivor. This one will chill you right to your core. Though “footage” from the tapes is only used sporadically throughout the film, the images will haunt you for weeks. Dramatic and insane, the Poughkeepsie killer is a man of disturbing theatricality and enthusiasm for what he does.

The Fourth Kind
This one may not entirely be considered a true mockumentary, but it is close enough for our purposes. Once the secrets of its narrative were leaked, the film bombed at the box office. However, I contest that with the right combination of open-mindedness and thirst for entertainment, this is a film that will have you questioning where the truth is. As if the use of “stock footage” of psychiatric sessions and alien abductions isn’t spooky enough, the testimony of Dr. Abbey Tyler is absolutely spine-chilling. Your nerves will hang on the brink of every word she utters in her otherworldly confession of events.

Paranormal Activity
Bar-none, the most surprising indie-hit of the year. Shot with a budget of only $15,000 American, this film was demanded in theatres all over North America, and made over $193 million dollars worldwide. Bringing to life demons, Oujia boards, and supernatural killers, footage of audiences reacting in shock and horror began circulating over the internet following its wide release. Shockingly realist, the inferred violence in Paranormal Activity had even this horror-junkie sleeping with the lights on.

So there you have it... but I digress. If these movies are your cup of tea, pick up tickets at CIFF Box Office Locations or online for [Rec] 2 playing Wednesday, September 29th at The Plaza at 11:00 PM. I hope to see the rest of my fellow fright fans there!

Do You Have a Healthy Appetite for Horror? Sink Your Teeth Into Bitter Feast!

Hell hath no fury like a scorned chef. That’s how the saying goes, right?

The premise of the American horror film Bitter Feast is remarkably simple. Chef Peter Gray loses both his job and his television show thanks to a nasty review written by snobby food critic JT Franks. Furious, Gray decides to get even with Franks by capturing and torturing him. Sounds simple enough, but viewers will be horrified by the creative (and cruel) lengths the cross cook will go to to prove his point. As a relentless horror-junkie, I’ve seen it all when it comes to murderers and their tragic back stories: the abused sadist, the ex-cop, the serial killer, the escaped convict, the mental patient, etc. etc. - but a chef? This one was new to me, but it works frighteningly well. Here are a few reasons a chafed chef makes a chilling madman:

Knives
Every horror movie has to have them - they’re the perfect way to achieve maximum gore. Well, here’s a villain that really knows how to use them. After spending hours upon hours hunched over a chopping block, a chef has some serious skill when it comes to slicing and dicing, no matter the type of flesh.

Poison
With their extensive knowledge of flavour combinations, they can accent or mask anything. How do you know that delicious bite of apple pie wasn’t laced with cyanide? Your next meal could be your last!

Appliances
You don’t need to be baking a cake to use an electric mixer, do you? And that blender isn’t just for smoothies...

Heat
Even the most careful cook has had a mishap with an oven, microwave, burner, or pot of boiling water - and it hurts! The kitchen is full of fire and needs to be navigated carefully, or in the case of a deranged chef, creatively.

Trust
Think about it - rarely (if ever) do you get to actually see someone prepare your meal, but you wolf it down anyway. That makes you vulnerable, AKA: an easy target. Even the chef at your local diner has the opportunity to take advantage of that. Have you ever thought to examine your plate for secret garnishes like pins, needles, razor blades, or rat poison? No. But I bet you will now...

I’m not going to divulge which of these devices Peter Gray puts to use- you’ll just have to see it for yourself! Bitter Feast plays tonight, September 25th, at The Plaza at 11:30 PM. Get your tickets online at www.calgaryfilm.com - but make sure you grab dinner first, you may not feel like chowing down afterward...

Bon Appetit!

Dead Snow: Zombies and Nazis and Chainsaws - OH MY!

In case that isn't enough to send you scrambling for tickets to this highly anticipated Norwegian horror flick, here's the deal:

The premise of Dead Snow goes a little something like this:  A group of med students decide to spend their Easter Break in the mountains -  skiing, drinking, and partying.  They head out to a cabin owned by Sara (one of the students, who is supposed to meet them there) and get right to it.  What they don't know (yet) is that the surrounding area was the site of a macabre WWII battle between Norwegian civilians and Nazi soldiers.  

The civilians managed to

 kill many of the soldiers, running the remaining survivors off into the cold terrain to freeze to death.  Or at least, that was their intention.  Unfortunately for our group of hapless students, the Nazis return with a vengeance - as murderous ZOMBIES.  Now, the clan of kids must wield whatever defenses they can (chainsaws, guns, hammers, axes, etc.) to battle the undead army.

Allow me to speak frankly for a moment.  Horror movies set in the winter are AWESOME.  Why?  Seriously, what could be a better backdrop for crimson blood and gore than a blank canvas of pearly-white snow? Oh, and speaking of blood - the special effects department for this film used A LOT.  Like, 475 quarts of it.  Winter also creates a great sense of isolation, hopelessness, and desperation - all essential motivations in a horror movie.  This promises to be a gruesome, hilarious, and epic bloodbath.  If for some reason you choose not to go to the screening, at least view the trailer.  At 1:53, when the zombies emerge over the hill, well - that's just great filmmaking.      

  

This film was released January 9th, 2009 in Norway, and has since gained global interest.  It was nominated for 4 "Scream Awards" (including Best Fight-To-The-Death scene!), and was featured as an official selection for both the Sundance, and Fantasia film festivals.  Horror fans (and those curious about the genre), I urge you to get your tickets for this one - it plays Wednesday Night at The Plaza Theater at 11:15PM.  It is swedish audio with english subtitles, and is rated R.

   Ein! Zwei! Die!

It's going to be real Horrorshow tonight!

Hey all you Hallo-weenies out there!  

If you're like me, and your favorite month is October, favorite season is fall, and favorite movies are the ones you watch through the cracks in your fingers, you're in for a treat tonight!  Literally!

Tonight is the screening of Trick 'r Treat, the new horror movie starring  academy award winner* Anna Paquin.  On top of being a big horror buff, I am also a major Anna Paquin fan.  Most of you will recognize her as Rogue from the X-men movies, but more recently she's been starring in the Sci-fi vampire television series True Blood.  

She generally plays innocent-yet-mysterious virgin characters, and this movie is no exception.  Paquin plays Laurie - a sweet as can be Lil' Red Riding Hood who is the victim of a Halloween stalker.  The movie itself is a Crash-esque collection of stories all centering on the frightening events of one Halloween night, and Laurie is only one of the many characters who find themselves in horrid circumstances.

Trick 'r Treat was originally set to be released on October 5th, 2007, but was pushed back to October 6th, 2009.  That being the case, this movie has been the subject of discussion for quite some time now, and has generated a curious following.  Finally, you can see it tonight! With October just around the corner, why not get in the ghoulish groove now?  There will be many a slasher flick released next month, so come see this one early!  Its playing at the Plaza theater in Kensington at 11:00 PM.  You can view the trailer here.  I'll be there early to make sure I get a prime seat for all the gore and mayhem, and I suggest you do the same - but leave the kiddies at home with a sitter, this flick is rated R.  See you there!

*1994 - Best Supporting Actress - The Piano