A scene from Fubar II
The Midnight Madness program at this year's Toronto International Film Festival is bound to have more unexpected quirk, humour and chills thanks to an entirely independent lineup, says programmer Colin Geddes.
Of the 10 feature films on the slate, nine are world premieres and not one of them comes from a studio or is owned by a studio.
"It's going to be surprises for the audience, and I think they like that," said Geddes.
The lineup is also heavy on U.S. films, with six of the 10 coming from south of the border. But that was not intentional, Geddes says, "That's just how it worked out."
As in previous years, the Midnight Madness program is a mixed bag.
Kicking off the program is Fubar II, the sequel to director Michael Dowse's cult classic mockumentary from 2002.
There is also the dark comedy Super, in which The Office's Rainn Wilson stars as a DIY super hero called the Crimson Bolt out to fight crime after seeing his ex-addict wife taken by a drug dealer. Ellen Page joins forces with Wilson as the sidekick Boltie.
And as always, horror fans have plenty to be happy about at this year's Midnight Madness. For one, the program sees the return of John Carpenter, back from a long hiatus with The Ward, about a haunted psychiatric hospital.
But of the several horror movies included this year, the one Geddes has pegged to emerge as a sleeper hit is Stake Land, a vampire movie set in a postapocalyptic world in which an older hunter protects a young boy.
"No one's got any expectations for it," Geddes says. "There's no big stars, it's a second-time director, but I think it's really going to surprise people. It's a road movie with vampires but it's also just a really chilling postapocalpytic view."
Of course, horror diehards will no doubt be drawn to Insidious as well, Geddes says. It's directed by James Wan, the man behind Saw. In Insidious, Wan, along with Saw writer Leigh Whannell, tells the story of a family who moves in to a haunted house.
Considering Wan's pedigree, it's sure to put a new twist on similar movies, whether it's Poltergeist or The Amityville Horror.
But of all the movies in this year's program, the one Geddes is most looking forward to is The Butcher, the Chef, and the Swordsman. A genre-defying movie that mixes romance, slapstick and martial arts in equal measure, the movie is sure to delight audiences thanks to its shear unconventionality, Geddes says.
"In the first 20 minutes there's a throwdown rap song," he says. And with all the culinary wonders on offer in the film, Geddes expects audiences will be left salivating.
"Guaranteed people are going to run out to Chinatown after the film and get some food and get a pot of cold tea," he says.
Rounding out the lineup are Bunraku, director Guy Moshe's neo-noir about two men out to kill a crime boss; Red Nights, a dark, sexual thriller about a woman who will do almost anything to get her hands on an ancient poison.
For those with a hankering of Hong Kong action cinema, there is Fire of Conscience, director Dante Lam's story about two cops investigating a prostitute's murder only to discover a backroom arms deal.
And, last but not least, there is Vanishing on 7th Street, in which the world becomes enveloped in darkness and the few remaining survivors of a mysterious tragedy must band together to escape the city.
There's plenty of darkness to this year's Midnight Madness, but it's not all doom and gloom, Geddes says "Even though there are a number of horror films in it, I still think it's a very kind of fun, optimistic bag of films," he says. "These films are fun and they're works of art at the same time."
That has always been the mantra of the Midnight Madness program, which was created essentially to sneak genre movies into the festival.
"It was just kind of a place for films that seemed to be neglected by most festivals," Geddes says.
And though the films in the program are never very highbrow, they are never selected for any lowbrow, camp appeal.
"It's never about cheap thrills or exploitation," Geddes says. "I'm not a believer in the thought of, it's so bad, it's good."
With its range of films and lack of pretension, the Midnight Madness program is an ideal way for many people to dip a toe into TIFF, Geddes says. You may not be able to sit down with cinephiles and discuss world cinema, but get a taste of Midnight Madness and you might be on your way to one day doing so, Geddes says.
"It's an excellent entry point for people to experience the festival," he says. "In essence it's the gateway drug."
The Toronto International Film Festival's Midnight Madness program kicks off Thursday at 11:59 p.m. ( tiff.net).
Dave McGinn