TIFF 2012 – The Movie Junkie’s Top 10 Anticipated Films (Kirk Haviland)

Kirk here, as the Toronto International Film Festival begins I’m here to spotlight my top picks for the fest and perhaps fill those leftover vouchers or last minute gaps in the schedule with some films that have definitely caught my eye. I will be brief in detail to avoid spoiler type material, but for further info on all titles go to the TIFF website by clicking on the titles below.

 

Painless – Dir. Juan Carlos Medina

Spanish Horror Thriller about a man who slowly unravels the truth about his origins, and a series of experiments conducted on children at the dawn of the Spanish Civil War.

Screening Sat Sept 8^th, Sun Sept 9^th and Sat Sept 15^th

 

Berberian Sound Studio – Dir. Peter Strickland

A British sound engineer (Toby Jones) starts a descent into madness when he starts to work for a flamboyant Italian Horror director.

Screening Mon Sept 10^th and Tues Sept 11^th

 

Fin (The End) – Dir. Jorge Torregrossa

A post-apocalyptic thriller set in the shadow of the Pyrenees Mountains in which a group of survivors set out to survive nature and their own demons after an all-encompassing blackout and the apparent disappearance of everybody else on the planet.

Screening Sat Sept 8^th, Mon Sept 10^th and Sun Sept 16^th.

 

Tai Chi 0 – Dir. Stephen Fung

Martial Arts meets Steampunk in Director Fung’s hyper-stylized account of the founder of the Yang school of Tai Chi set during the Qing Dynasty. Crazy, delirious fight scenes ensue.

Screening Sat Sept 8^th, Tues Sept 11^th and Sat Sept 15^th.

 

Thale – Dir. Aleksander L. Nordaas

While cleaning a cabin in the Norwegian wilderness, two forensic clean-up crew members stumble upon a deadly mythical siren known as a ‘Huldra’, known for luring men away to their demise.

Screening Wed Sept 12^th, Thurs Sept 13^th and Sat Sept 15^th

 

No One Lives – Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura

Midnight Madness vet Kitamura returns after 10 years since “Versus” to deliver a tale of a gory home invasion that goes wrong when the ‘helpless’ victims turn out to be anything but helpless.

Screening Sat Sept 8^th, Mon Sept 10^th and Fri Sept 14^th

 

Looper – Dir Rian Johnson

The mind-bending futuristic tale of a mob hit man whose job is to exterminate people from the future. The job becomes less appealing when he is assigned the task of killing his future self.

Screening twice on Thurs Sept 6^th (Opening Night Gala)

 

Much Ado about Nothing Dir – Joss Whedon

After his mega hit The Avengers, Whedon strips down to deliver a faithful retelling of Shakespeare’s play set in a contemporary world and populated by many of the actors from his television shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Firefly.

Screening Sat Sept 8^th, Sun Sept 9^th and Fri Sept 14^th.

 

Hellbenders Dir – JT Petty

The Hellbound Saints of Brooklyn Parrish are the most foul-mouthed, ill-tempered, beer-swilling, raucous group of priests you’re likely to meet. But you’ll want them on your side if you need an exorcism performed in this town.

Screening Sun Sept 9^th, Tues Sept 11^th and Sat Sept 15^th.

 

The Hunt – Dir. Thomas Vinterberg

Mads Mikkelsen won the Best Actor prize at Cannes for his performance as an innocent man accused of child molestation in this ferociously powerful new film that is sure to be controversial.

Screening Mon Sept 10^th and Wed Sept 12^th.

And a bonus Pick!….

Come out and Play – Dir – Juego de Ninos

In a Children of the Corn inspired Mexican thriller a vacationing couple must unravel the blood soaked mystery of why a mysterious island is apparently only populated by children.

Screening Thurs Sept 13^th, Fri Sept 14^th and Sat Sept 15^th.

The staff here at Entertainment Maven will be out there killing ourselves to provide the most coverage we can for your benefit, so if you stumble upon us during your TIFF adventure don’t be afraid to come by and say hello, have a beverage with us, or just provide a shoulder for us to cry on!

Till Next Time,

Movie Junkie TO

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