The Complete 2015 Midnight Madness Video Playlist Ft. Takashi Miike, Nina Dobrev, Sir Patrick Stewart, Sharlto Copley

The dust has settled on the 2015 edition of the Midnight Madness program at the Toronto International Film Festival. What a year it was! We saw Sir Patrick Stewart take the stage at the Ryerson Theater. Legendary Midnight Madness master Takashi Miike made his long awaited in-person return to the festival. Another amazing appearance of cinematographer Dean Cundey (John Carpenter's Halloween; Jurassic Park). Last but certainly not least were the ten films that were showcased every night at midnight. We laughed, we jumped, sometimes we were so overcome with suspense and fright that we covered our eyes and we rooted for Lily and her volunteer trip.

Here is Robert A. Mitchell and Sarah Mitchell's video playlist of all the happenings, featuring all the red carpet interviews,  Colin Geddes' introductions and the post-screening Q&As. You can relive the infamous "hug" moment during the Green Room premiere, watch the Frog Monster Kaeru-Kun from Yakuza Apocalypse take the stage over and over again. The end result is a near five hours of footage from Midnight Madness 2015! Enjoy!

THE FINAL GIRLS: Complete Video Intro & Post-Screening Q&A With Malin Akerman, Nina Dobrev, Taissa Farmiga, Todd Strauss-Schulson

Here is the complete video of the 2015 Midnight Madness introduction and post-screening Q&A final film The Final Girls. The Q&A features Malin Akerman, Nina Dobrev, Taissa Farmiga, Tory N. Thompson and director Todd Strauss-Schulson.

THE FINAL GIRLS: Premiere Red Carpet Video Interviews with Malin Åkerman, Taissa Farmiga and Director Todd Strauss-Schulson

 

It was very felicitous that the final 2015 Midnight Madness screening was the film The Final Girls. Adding to the party atmosphere of the last film of another great program was the star presence of the cast in person. Robert A. Mitchell was on the red carpet and spoke with actresses Malin Åkerman, Taissa Farmiga and director Todd Strauss-Schulson who also brought the energy!

Alia Shawkat: Star of GREEN ROOM and THE FINAL GIRLS opens and closes this year's Midnight Madness Programme!!

With fierce roles in Green Room and The Final Girls, Alia Shawkat has the distinction of opening and closing Midnight Madness this year. And we couldn't ask for a more awesome actress to see us through!!

Shawkat is primarily recognized for her role as Maeby Fünke on the television show, Arrested Development, and other lighter fare. But in the past few years, Shawkat has begun to make a name for herself in indie films such as Whip It (which premiered at TIFF—right here at the Ryerson—in 2009), Damsels in Distress (2011), and Ruby Sparks (2012) and memorable TV appearances like her brilliant turn on Broad City in the episode "Coat Check". Her sharp wit and comedic presence make her a stand out even in smaller roles.

In Green Room, Shawkat takes on a new kind of character in this violent siege story. As a member of the punk band held hostage after a gig, Shawkat’s character, Sam, has to fight her way through the onslaught of terror. She is the only girl in the band and, as she relates to Robert Mitchell in her red carpet interview, she got the part even though it was originally envisioned as another male band member. As the audience can attest, it is not hard to see why director Jeremy Saulnier decided Shawkat was perfect for the part!

Like her role in Life After Beth (2014), Shawkat brings her background in comedy to the horror genre in director Todd Strauss-Schulson's The Final Girls as Gertie, the friend of Max (Taissa Farmiga). Along with their friend, Vicki (Nina Dobrev), the girls find themselves magically transported to the slasher film they are watching starring Max’s mom, 1980’s fictional scream queen, Amanda Cartwright (Malin Ackerman). Again, Shawkat’s character will have to fight her way out of the terror!

With several more films out this year and next, keep an eye on Alia Shawkat—if she can take on the 2015 Midnight Madness programme from beginning to end, we know she’s going to wow us in many things to come!

FINAL GIRLS screens: 

Sat, Sept 19, 11:59 PM RYERSON

Sun, Sept 20, 5:00 PM SCOTIABANK

FINAL GIRLS: Cast Profile

OMG, it's us! They're writing about US!

(Writing this post feels like a physical impossibility because thinking about final girls has me thinking that I really, really should dress up as one of my favourite final girls for Halloween. BUT WHICH ONE?!)

The satirical and cheeky Final Girls is coming to our Madness screens tomorrow for its midnight premiere, and promises to be a fun ride through all of the genre-tropes horror fans and already more than familiar with. 

The entire cast of Final Girls

Malin Akerman

Akerman already has a special place in my heart for being a bad-ass as Silk Spectre II in the extremely divisive Watchmen as well as the superheroily (I'm making new words, take a seat, Shakespeare) awesome Debbie Harry in the film CBGB, but her softer side has had her in several comedic roles, such as Children's Hospital, Wanderlust, as well as reoccurring roles for Funny or Die. 

Taissa Farmiga

The Farmiga sisters have a strong hold the horror-television market, and I think we're all more than okay with this. Taissa is perhaps most recognized for her reoccurring roles on American Horror Story, but many will also recognize her as Sam from The Bling Ring. 

Alia Shawkat 

For anybody who was alive when Arrested Development was on TV, I really don't think that Shawkat even needs an introduction. Alongside playing the beloved Maeby Fünke, Shawkat has bookended the Midnight Madness series this year by playing main characters in the opening movie, Jeremy Saulnier's Green Room, and the closing movie, Final Girls. 

Nina Dobrev

As a huge Conan O'Brien fan, it feels necessary to mention how funny her segment was when she basically did yoga on the red-headed icon, which caused him to run around the studio in glee. Dobrev has an extensive resumé working in film and television, but she is probably best known for her starring role on the The Vampire Diaries. 

Adam Devine 

Alongside his role in hugely popular stoner-buddy series Workaholics, (which if you've ever spoken to anyone under the age of 25, you've probably heard quoted at least a few times), Devine has also starred in movies such as Pitch Perfect, Pitch Perfect 2, and Neighbours. 

Thomas Middleditch 

Middleditch seems to have a knack for workplace stories, having roles on The Office, The Wolf of Wallstreet, and starring on the hilarious HBO series Silicon Valley, where he plays the nervous yet brilliant Richard Hendricks, who just wants to get his app out into the world.

(Halloween costume update: Not a final girl, but now I really want to be Drew Barrymore in Scream.)

FINAL GIRLS screens: 

Sat, Sept 19, 11:59 PM RYERSON

Sun, Sept 20, 5:00 PM SCOTIABANK

FINAL GIRLS: SXSW Buzz

Coming to our Midnight Madness screens in the next few days is Todd Strauss-Schulson's Final Girls, an uproarious horror-comedy featuring Taissa Farmiga, Malin Akerman, Alia Shawkat, Nina Dobrev and Thomas Middleditch.  Final Girls follows Max, her friends and her mother Amanda Cartwright, who was a famous scream-queen in her time, starring in a series called Bloodbath. They reluctantly agree to go to an anniversary screening of her movie. When they mysteriously wake up within the movie, the group must mind established genre tropes in order to stay alive.

Check out some of the buzz from it's premiere at SXSW!

From Perri Nemiroff at Collider: 

"The Final Girls is a dream come true for anyone with a soft spot for slasher movies. Max and her friends Gertie (Alia Shawkat), Vicki (Nina Dobrev), Chris (Alexander Ludwig) and Duncan (Thomas Middleditch) literally tear open the screen, walk through it and wind up in a horror movie. From there, it’s all about playing by some genre rules and subverting others in order to avoid getting hacked up by the film’s machete toting villain, Billy, and it’s tons of fun."

Read the rest of the review here!

From Monica Castillo at International Business Times: 

“Final Girls is a movie treat for longtime horror-genre fans and occasional moviegoers alike. You don’t need to understand every “Sleepaway Camp” reference to laugh throughout the film, as much of the humor is based on genre generalizations. The writing, editing, synth soundtrack and low-budget look capture the era to comedic effect, framing it for modern-day outsiders to have their laugh. Final Girls is a nostalgic love letter the ways we were scared way back when and how we can laugh at it all now."

Read the rest of the review here!

FINAL GIRLS screens:

Sat, Sept 19, 11:59 PM RYERSON

Sun, Sept 20, 5:00 PM SCOTIABANK

GREEN ROOM: Video Post-Screening Q&A Jeremy Saulnier, Sir Patrick Stewart, Alia Shawkat, Anton Yelchin

Jeremy Saulnier's Green Room received an amazing reception at the film's North American premiere at Midnight Madness and deservedly so. It is an amazing film crafted by Jeremy who is fast becoming an American film director and writer to keep an eye on. Here is the complete screening Q&A you can also see the now infamous hug request.

Social Media Buzz for GREEN ROOM!

It's Patrick Stewart! Playing a Nazi! And Anton Yelchin! And Alia Shawkat! And hardcore punk music! What more could you want from a Midnight Madness opener? Well, Twitter was lighting up in anticipation of, and reaction to, the twisted Green Room! See what Jonny "The Social Media Guy" Bunning has found, and if your tweets made the cut!

THE CHICKENING with GREEN ROOM Final Screening:
Sat, Sept 12, 2:15 PM BLOOR HOT DOCS

GREEN ROOM: Video Premiere Interviews Jeremy Saulnier, Sir Patrick Stewart, Alia Shawkat, Anton Yelchin, Macon Blair

Last night's premiere of Jeremy Saulnier's Green Room was an exciting night. Robert A. Mitchell was on the red carpet and spoke with Jeremy as well as some of the amazing cast, Sir Patrick Stewart, Anton Yelchin, Alia Shawkat and Macon Blair.


THE CHICKENING with GREEN ROOM Final Screening:
 Sat, Sept 12, 2:15 PM BLOOR HOT DOCS

Pics From the Premiere of THE CHICKENING and GREEN ROOM!

When you have Patrick Stewart, a batshit remix of The Shining featuring chickens, and the wildest audience in the whole Festival all together under one roof, mayhem is going to ensue. Fortunately for the sorry souls that weren't in attendance last night, or for the Midnighters too bleary-eyed to remember, our intrepid blogtographer (that's a word, right?) Ian Goring was taking shots all night for posterity.

The lovely Alia Shawkat shimmers on the red carpet!

Did you know that Alia Shawkat is in both the opening and closing night films (Green Room and Final Girls) of Midnight Madness 2015? That's c-c-c-crazy!

Anton Yelchin spies something fishy on the red carpet.

My second-favourite Nazi in Green Room, the lovely Imogen Poots!

Green Room director Jeremy Saulnier!

The stylish cast of Green Room!

Kenny! Colin! You boys quit that horseplay or I swear to god I will turn this whole theatre around!

How messed up is it that Kenny damn Hotz is the most traditionally-dressed person in this picture?

Two Weird Dudes In Four Weird Shoes: The Chickening creators Nick DenBoer and Davy Force on the red carpet at the Ryerson.

Nick DenBoer attempts to explain the inexplicable when asked to introduce The Chickening.

Possible future X-Men cast?

Jeremy Saulnier explains the influences behind Green Room as a fan of hardcore music and 70's horror and action films.

Patrick Stewart explains why his Kickstarter for 'the largest and most obtrusive earbuds ever' is not terribly successful.

Double mics! Make it so!

Jeremy Saulnier talks about his twisted vision for Green Room

Never let it be said that Midnight Madness isn't a place of love. Misguided, highly-disturbing love.

If you missed the midnight mayhem, catch a second screening of Green Room and The Chickening  at a very reasonable hour tomorrow!

THE CHICKENING with GREEN ROOM Final Screening Time:
Sat, Sept 12, 2:15 PM BLOOR HOT DOCS

A Simple Poster and an Amazing Trailer For THE FINAL GIRLS!

There aren't many films in all of TIFF that have the kind of buzz around Todd Strauss-Schulson's The Final Girls, which will close out the Midnight Madness lineup this year. Here's the very fresh, three-day-old trailer for The Final Girls:

And a very basic, but very effective poster:

Be sure to join us for the biggest party at TIFF on the last night of Midnight Madness and The Final Girls!

The Final Girls screens:

Fri, Sept 11, 6:45 PM SCOTIABANK

Sat, Sept 19, 11:59 PM RYERSON

Sun, Sept 20, 5:00 PM SCOTIABANK