Growing organically for the past few years — like some sort of long-simmering Mad Scientist's secret project — The Toronto After Dark festival has become a gathering place for several streams of genre film fans, from slasher pics to warrior epics to sci-fi to the can't-be-killed zombie subgenre.1 And best of all, the festival brings in movies from around the world, putting up some fabulous flicks on the big screen that might otherwise gain only the slimmest of niche exposure. And it also fosters a flat-out fun viewing environment — whether high-concept dramas or self-aware cheeze, it's always better in a theatre full of like-minded enthusiasts. Running for eight nights at The Bloor (starting tonight!) with a full slate of features, there's a wide variety that you can check out here. If that seems like too much to take in all at once, I'll highlight three here that I'm especially looking forward to:
Cargo (Dir: Ivan Engler, 2009, Switzerland, 105 min)
Screens Sunday, Aug. 15 2010, 4:15 p.m.
An old-school style hoodoo-at-the-space-station flick in the style of Alien — or maybe Solaris — is being pitched as something headier than point-and-shoot fare. Recommended for anyone who spent their childhood daydreaming about their coming years as space station crew members. The Swiss, of all people, should know about building efficient space stations.
Postscript: My review of this film is now posted here.
Phobia 2 (Dir: Poolvoralaks, Pisanthanakun, Purikitpanya, Sugmakanan & Wongpoom, 2009, Thailand, 127 min)
Screens Tuesday, Aug. 17 2010, 7:00p.m.
This Thai horror anthology is the follow-up to the original Phobia (a.k.a. 4bia) which was the highlight of the festival two years ago, a winning combining of the film-makers' deft ability to play with established genre tropes and their own cultural cues, which brought a bit of frisson to the proceedings. Bringing back three of the directors from that makes this as close to a lock as is possible. As with any sort of anthology, you might like one segment less than the others, but none of the stories are allowed to drag too much. Highest recommendation!
Postscript: My review of this film is now posted here.
Centurion (Dir: Neil Marshall, 2010, UK, 97 min)
Screens Wednesday, Aug. 18 2010, 7:00p.m.
The preview material tells about an epic struggle between imperial Romans and plucky Picts in Northern Britain, AD 117. But I'm going to this for two reasons. First, it was directed by Neil Marshall, whose earlier works include Dog Soldiers and the captivatingly creepy The Descent. Also, it stars Dominic West, most famous for playing n'er-do-well Jimmy McNulty in The Wire. That's good enough for me.
Postscript: My review of this film is now posted here.
The small print: films (except for opening and closing galas) are $13, and tickets are available in advance online through the festival website, or at the door before the screening. Remember: if you decide at the last minute to come and see something and find a giant lineup outside The Bloor, do not fret — it's a huge theatre and can pack a lot of people in.
1 Yes, yes — braiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiins!
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How do you know the Picts are plucky? Just because they sit in a cave with furry animals and groove doesn't make them plucky, you know. Just saying...
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