Toronto After Dark 2013: We Are What We Are (Dork Shelf)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AT DORK SHELF
Recently widowed father Frank Parker (Bill Sage) and his two teenage daughters try to keep their time-honored family tradition a secret from their increasingly suspicious small town neighbours in the wake of a torrential downpour. But as the evidence starts building, daughters Iris (Ambyr Childers) and Rose (Julia Garner) are forced to assume responsibilities beyond those of a typical family.
Director Jim Mickle returns to Toronto, after Mulberry Street opened the 2007 After Dark Festival and following a People’s Choice Award for his follow-up Stake Land at TIFF, with a brooding and character driven piece that features some excellent performances. Sage is fantastically eerie and manipulative as the patriarch of the family, looming like a dark shadow that refuses to let his girls see any literal and metaphorical daylight. Garner and Childers are perfectly cast as put upon teens who desperately want to know what life must be like for others not forced to conform to their family customs.
Toronto After Dark 2013- Top 5 most anticipated!
Top 5 Most Anticipated film at Toronto After Dark 2013
The Toronto After Dark Film Festival (known lovingly as simply TAD to its many fans) starts tomorrow night, October 17th, at its new home of the Scotiabank Theater in the heart of downtown Toronto. As usual the festival features and eclectic mix of films and here’s the rundown of the 5 most anticipated films on my list as I prepare to partake in as many as I can. You’ll be able to find all the reviews here afterwards, but I will be posting on Dork Shelf and Addicted for the festival as well. This year will also mark the return of the now infamous PUBCasts recorded LIVE from the Pub After Dark parties after the films. Jeff Konopka from the Liberal Dead and I will sit down and discuss topics with film makers, critics and industry types, all over a beer or two! But for now, on to the picks.
#5 – WE ARE WHAT WE ARE
The latest from director Jim Mickle is actually a remake of a 2010 Spanish film of the same name and features a family of cannibals dealing with a death in the family and whether to continue their grisly family tradition. Having not seen the original film I am not sure what to expect heading in but after director Jim Mickle’s last film, the Midnight Madness people’s choice award winner StakeLand, I have a lot of time for the Mickle and his work. Add in the work of Stake Land collaborator Nick Damici both in front and behind the camera and I’m sold. The film won raves at Cannes and Sundance and makes it Toronto Debut at TAD.
#4 –THE BATTERY (more…)
MOVIE JUNKIE TO'S Entertainment Fix 