Tag Archives: Toronto International Film Festival

Trailer: ‘THE WITCH’ looks insanely frightening.

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Presents
 
THE WITCH
A film by Robert Eggers
 
***Winner – Directing Award, Dramatic – 2015 Sundance Film Festival***
 
THE WITCH will have its International Premiere at the
2015 Toronto International Film Festival as a Special

The witch teaser poster In this exquisitely-made and terrifying new horror film, the age-old concepts of witchcraft, black magic and possession are innovatively brought together to tell the intimate and riveting story of one family’s frightful unraveling.

 Set in New England circa 1630, The Witch follows a farmer who get cast out of his colonial plantation and is forced to move his family to a remote plot of land on the edge of an ominous forest rumored to be controlled by witches. Almost immediately, strange and unsettling things begin to happen-the animals turn violent, the crops fail, and one of the children disappears, only to return seemingly possessed by an evil spirit.  As suspicion and paranoia mount, everyone begins to point the finger at teenage daughter Thomasin. They accuse her of witchcraft, which she adamantly denies…but as circumstances become more and more treacherous, each family member’s faith, loyalty, and love will be tested in shocking and unforgettable ways.
Writer/director Robert Eggers‘ debut feature, which premiered to great acclaim at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival (and won the Best Director Prize in the U.S. Narrative Competition), painstakingly recreates a God-fearing New England decades before the 1692 Salem witch trials, in which religious convictions and pagan folklore famously clashed. Told through the eyes of the adolescent Thomasin – in a star-making turn by newcomer Anya Taylor-Joy – and supported by mesmerizing camera work and a powerful musical score, THE WITCH is a chilling and groundbreaking new take on the genre.
In Theaters 2016
 
Directed and Written by Robert Eggers
Starring Anya Taylor Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie,
Harvey Scrimshaw, Ellie Grainger and Lucas Dawson
Runtime: 90 Minutes
Rating: R for disturbing violent content and graphic nudity
 

Review: ‘GUIDANCE’ is an underachiever’s playbook.

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Guidance_posterFormer child star, alcoholic, narcissistic David is in desperate need of a job. Using the internet, his acting skills, and his ability to overachieve only when taking the path f least resistance, he gets hired as a high school counselor. Hilarity ensues in the form of lies, awkward social encounters, and a seemingly misguided sense of self redemption. Guidance_DavidBikingWriter/Director/Star Pat Mills‘ nonchalance and willingness to look like a total whack job makes each scene a joy to watch. He has an Adam Pally quality about his timbre and tone and comic timing, which is a huge compliment. Rule breaking and advice a playboy playmate might give are the driving fores behind the comedy. His connections with the kids are genuine and as a former high school substitute teacher and current actor/writer, this film resonates pretty personally (minus the scamming and alcoholism). Guidance_2Knowing that Mills has another film in the pipeline makes me excited. He clearly understands funny, situational comedy and structure. Sharp wit, keen observational skills, and the brilliant use of self motivational voice overs make Guidance a must see. GUIDANCE opens theatrically in NYC on August 21 (Village East) and LA on August 28 (Sundance Sunset Cinema) with a national release to follow.

Toronto International Film Festival, Vanguard Section – Liz’s Review: ‘They Have Escaped’

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Toronto International Film Festival, Vanguard SectionTheyHaveEscapedPoster

Sometimes we run from things; the past, the present, and the lies we tell ourselves. In Writer/Director J-P Valkeapää brings us They Have Escaped, a unique coming of age narrative about two kids on the run. Joni is a young man who goes AWOL on his military service, landing him a mandatory civil service stint at a live-in residency for wayward teens. Raisa is an unruly wild child who has been brandished too difficult to deal with by an uptight mother and ill father. Both are damaged souls. One, an introvert, the other, the very definition of extrovert. Together is run away from their lives and take off in a stolen car on the road to freedom. Along the way, they are met with emotional and physical challenges that were seemingly dismissed when they decided to venture onto the open road. Together they tackle each new day with courage, relentless spirit, and tenacity. Read More →