As a seasoned cinephile with over three decades of film-watching under my belt, I must say that this year’s Toronto International Film Festival lineup is truly intriguing. The selection of suspenseful and horror films such as “Conclave,” “The Substance,” and “Heretic” promises to shake up the usual festival dynamics and potentially find their way into award season conversations.
At many autumn film festivals, suspenseful and horror movies are often given less priority, usually shown late at night and excluded from discussions about awards. However, this year, three films presented at the Toronto festival – “Conclave”, a papal conspiracy thriller from Focus Features, “The Substance”, a gruesome horror film from Mubi, and “Heretic”, a horror-thriller from A24 – could potentially buck this trend.
Director Edward Berger, who received four Oscars for his war drama ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ in 2023, expresses that he aimed to create a work titled ‘Conclave’ that would captivate a broad audience with its suspenseful elements, yet simultaneously offer a high-quality, mature viewing experience suitable for film festivals,” says Berger.
The movie “Conclave” was influenced by 70’s suspenseful thrillers such as “Klute” and “All the President’s Men”. According to its director, Berger, the film is a blend of two genres: it’s both a gripping thriller and an in-depth character analysis of its lead character, Cardinal Lawrence (played by Ralph Fiennes), and his spiritual turmoil. Berger tends to favor films that are engaging yet deeply rooted in their main characters, allowing viewers to step into their shoes. This duality makes the film commercially appealing because it’s easy to follow every development in the protagonist’s mind, but it also caters to those who prefer character-driven stories.
In simpler terms, the movie “Heretic” might not have many Toronto films delve into as much complexity regarding its main character’s psyche. The role of Mr. Reed, played by Hugh Grant, is a villain who engages two Mormon missionaries in a heated religious debate with significant consequences. The film idea originated from discussions between the writers-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (who have personal experiences and connections with different faiths) and also draws inspiration from Beck’s family history, which includes relatives who were victims of the Jonestown massacre in 1978.
As a movie enthusiast delving into my latest review, let me share some insights about a fascinating film I’ve recently encountered. Co-written by Beck and Woods, this cinematic masterpiece presents a captivating dialogue revolving around the complexities of religion, delving deep into themes that resonate with our collective fear of the unknown—death.
Another movie titled “The Substance” from TIFF is generating excitement due to its lead actor, with Demi Moore portraying an older celebrity who experiments dangerously with a black-market anti-aging treatment, leading to disastrous results. This film combines elements of body horror, satire on our society’s fixation on youth, and a focus on women’s bodies, which helped writer-director Coralie Fargeat win the best screenplay award at Cannes in May. Fargeat stated that it’s challenging to understand the trends of the times, but the type of genre films that are popular now are often created by filmmakers who have strong messages to convey through their chosen genre. Fargeat also mentioned that discussing social and political issues in an engaging manner is crucial. Similar to Beck and Woods, Fargeat references “Night of the Living Dead” as an early example of film commentary on racial relations.
Since “The Silence of the Lambs,” a horror film, took home the Best Picture Oscar in 1991, more genre movies that offer social critiques – such as racism in “Get Out” (2017) and economic inequality in “Parasite” (2019) – have been recognized with awards. Notably, these films often gain recognition following commercial success, but genres like horror have also gained prominence at film festivals and art houses through the work of directors like Ari Aster and Robert Eggers. While there may still be some lingering elitism in the industry, it seems that the era when a critically acclaimed horror masterpiece like “The Shining” earned Stanley Kubrick a Razzie nomination is well behind us.
Fargeat shares that many individuals expressed, ‘I typically avoid horror films, but I was captivated by [“The Substance”],’ and genuinely enjoyed the experience. That’s a wonderful compliment because I aspire for the film’s themes to be debated and integrated into our collective culture as broadly as possible.
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2024-09-10 21:16