On the latest episode of the Bratt's Bin movie podcast The Crow (1994) is discussed. Robert Aaron Mitchell joins Jared Bratt and Carl Diamond as the trio conduct a deep-dive conversation about the movie which premiered thirty years ago this year. Entertaining and informative here is the video.
I was able to have a great interview with director and writer Kenichi Ugana over zoom. We spoke about The Gesuidouz and the reception the movie had at the world premiere at the Midnight Madness programme at the Toronto International Film Festival. We spoke of our mutual love of punk music and horror films. The challenges of making the movie and how they were overcome. The incredible cast he assembled to realize the movie. Here is our conversation.
On my last day at the 2024 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival I was able to have a sit down conversation with Ukrainian filmmaker Pavlo Ostrikov. We spoke about his science fiction movie U Are The Universe. The seven year journey it took to realize the film, finding his cast, the design of the movie as well as what life is like during the war to stop the Russian invasion.
Here are some more exclusive stills from U Are The Universe.
The first Saturday is very special during the Toronto International Film Festival. King street is closed for festival street. There are a lot of food trucks, film related vendors, music fills the air. The hot humid late Toronto summer gives way to a brisk evening. The sun sets, the city glows and around The Royal Alexandria the buzz of the audience making their way to midnight movie can be heard. This year the buzz was palpable as Joseph Kahn returned to the Midnight Madness programme with his latest film, Ick. A creature feature, much different then his underground hip hop battle movie, Bodied - which was a huge hit in 2017 at tiff. Joseph assured me that the audience would have a different yet equal amazing film experience. At the red carpet world premiere I was able to talk with actor Zeke Jones who plays Griffin in the movie Ick. Here is our conversation.
There is still some films playing throughout the festival village along King Street. However one of the ceremonial closings of the the Toronto International Film Festival is The People's Choice Award. The festival has long been known as the kick off to awards season. The audiences of Toronto have vaulted many films to Academy Award Best Picture nominations and wins. The last twelve People's Choice Awards have been nominated for Best Picture with four of them winning. The King's Speech, 12 Years A Slave, Green Book, Nomadland. Most notable was Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire a film the distributor was going to dump and decided to submit to tiff. It go on to be nominated and win 8 of the ten categories including best director and best picture in 2009. Without further ado here are the winners....
The 2024 tiff People's Choice Winner The Life of Chuck Directed by Mike Flanagan Kudos to Midnight Madness alumni Mr. Flanagan.
The 2024 tiff Midnight Madness People's Choice Award Winner. The Substance Directed by Coralie Fargeat
The 2024 tiff People's Choice Award Documentary Winner. The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal Directed by Mike Downie
Excitement was definitely in the air surrounding The Royal Alexandria theatre as the first Saturday of the Midnight Madness programme at the Toronto International Film Festival was nearing the midnight hour. Anticipation was high as Joseph Kahn's new film Ick was set to have it's World Premiere. Kahn's previous film Bodied also received it's World Premiere at Midnight Madness. That screening was one of the all time great premieres of the programme. Ick is Kahn's take on the creature feature. As he said to me he wanted to make a film that he watched as a kid in the 1980s. I spoke with actor Harrison Cone who plays quarterback Dylan on the red carpet
For a movie to be premiere during the first Friday at the Midnight Madness programme at the Toronto International Film Festival you know it has to be special. John Hsu's Dead Talents Society is a film made with a lot of love and heart. The story itself is infused with a lot of love, heart and found family.
In the world of Dead Talents Society when one has passed away and entered the realm of the newly dead the person has to start scary the living or in 30 days they will cease to exist all together. Gingle Wang plays The Rookie, a teen who has suddenly passed away. She must start to scare people to acquire a hunter's license to stave off complete non-existence. There is only one giant, glaring problem, The Rookie does not posses any talent to scare anyone.
Having failed spectacularly in front of a jury of specters. The Rookie meets Makato (Bo-lin Chen) who is sympathetic to her dilemma. He introduces her to his crew. Most notably, Catherine (Sandrine Pinna) and a hilarious side kick played by Soso Tseng.
Here is my conversation with director/writer John Hsu and actor Gingle Wang:
