Another year, another Halloween, another batch of horror films coming out in theatres and festivals all over the world. Last year turned out to be a pretty interesting year for horror films, with titles like The Babadook and A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night earning high praise from both genre and non-genre fans alike. This year the field seems to have gotten stronger, and with 2015 coming close to an end, I wanted to highlight the best horror films of the year. This list may come a little early, but with only a handful of horror films coming out soon and the strength of these nine movies, I don’t think it’s too outrageous to consider these the best of 2015 (but just in case, I promise to come back and add in Krampus if it turns out to be awesome). And besides, it’s all subjective anyway. Take this as a list of 9 really good horror films from this year that any self-professed genre fan should check out as soon as they can.

Backcountry

Review
Interview with director Adam MacDonald

Adam MacDonald’s directorial debut can feel like watching the first act of Funny Games in the wilderness. After an ominous opening, Backcountry establishes that its two leads (Missy Peregrym & Jeff Roop) will meet some sort of awful fate, but MacDonald takes his sweet time to reveal how and when these characters will suffer. Unfortunately, the film’s marketing took a less mysterious approach, so one look at the poster or trailer will let people know what to expect once MacDonald finally lets loose. But it’s a fun journey getting there, and once the film goes into survival thriller mode it has its fair share of legitimately horrifying moments. Watch Backcountry and you’ll probably steer clear of the woods for a long, long time.

Availability: Currently available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and VOD.

Green Room

Review

A punk band, a room, a dead body, and a bar full of neo-Nazis. That’s all Jeremy Saulnier needs to set up his latest film, which finds the band barricading themselves in the eponymous green room once they witness a murder at the bar. The bar’s staff (including Patrick Stewart, pulling off an understated yet intimidating performance) starts launching one attack after another to kill the witnesses, and the band simply tries to survive. Saulnier’s biggest achievement here is how realistic the film feels; no one makes any stupid moves, and that makes it easy to put yourself in these characters’ shoes. It makes things unbearably tense, especially when things get violent. Even the most hardened horror fan might find themselves having a hard time handling Green Room, which is low on gore but extremely high on ruthless brutality.

Availability: A24 plans to give Green Room a wide release in early April, but expect it to pop up at different film festivals until then.

The Harvest

John McNaughton, director of the horror classic Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, returns to the genre with something very different. A surgeon (Samantha Morton) and her husband (Michael Shannon) take care of their ailing son Andy (Charlie Tahan), but the arrival of Maryann (Natasha Calis), a new neighbour around Andy’s age, causes Andy’s parents to irrationally freak out when she tries to befriend him. McNaughton and screenwriter Stephen Lancellotti have crafted a horror film that feels surprising in today’s landscape, preferring slow-building tension and character development to shocks and violence. The presence of hugely talented actors like Morton and Shannon helps too, with Morton having a ball chewing up scenery in such an unhinged role (this might be the closest thing we get to Morton starring in a Mommie Dearest remake). It’s a straightforward film, one dedicated to telling a good, entertaining story more than anything else, and on that front The Harvest is lots of fun.

Availability: Out now on Blu-Ray, DVD, VOD and Netflix Instant.

The Invitation

Karyn Kusama’s first film in 6 years (and her first indie since 2000) is one gloriously twisted treat, the kind of movie that delights in shredding your nerves one by one before it unleashes its full power. After divorcing his wife (Tammy Blanchard) and not hearing from her for several years, Will (Logan Marshall-Green) gets an invite from his ex to a party at her house. Once he arrives Kusama starts gleefully tightening the screws, slowly revealing one piece of information after another as the party’s vibe goes from awkward to “Get me the hell out of here.” Will doesn’t know if his suspicions of something sinister going on are real or fake, but Kusama makes it obvious that the situation is a ticking time bomb. And unlike a lot of films that fail to deliver when the bomb finally goes off, The Invitation’s visceral finale will have people covering their eyes and shouting at the screen in equal measure. Horror movies this exhilarating don’t come along too often.

Availability: After premiering at SXSW earlier this year, Drafthouse plans to release The Invitation in early 2016.

It Follows

Review

Just as the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west, no best horror of 2015 list is complete without David Robert Mitchell’s It Follows. By now, you’ve either seen it or know the gist: young adult Jay (Maika Monroe) has sex with a guy and contracts some sort of curse that makes a shapeshifting entity slowly but surely follow her. Only she can see it, the thing can take the form of any person (including some severely creepy people), and if it catches up to her she’s dead. I may not be as crazy about It Follows as others who are already hailing it as the next horror classic, but it’s been a long time since a US genre filmmaker came up with a concept this good, and Mitchell’s direction—using 360 degree pans to heighten the paranoia and intensity—elevates the film well beyond most low-budget horror films from this year (the distributor was so surprised by the film’s critical and financial success it decided to bypass a planned VOD release for a wide theatrical run, an unprecedented move). To put it bluntly: if you’re a horror fan and you haven’t seen It Follows yet, what’s wrong with you?

Availability: Currently available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and VOD.

The Nightmare

Review

The Nightmare might not be the scariest film on this list, but it’s certainly the one that will linger with people the longest. Rodney Ascher, the director of Room 237, sets his sights on the unique (or not-so-unique, depending on how you look at it) phenomenon of night terrors. Ascher interviews different people in America and the UK suffering from intense, vivid nightmares, but instead of delving into medical or scientific explanations, Ascher strictly focuses on each subject’s individual experience. Ascher’s re-enactments of the nightmares are lacking to say the least (think of the cheesy re-enactments from Unsolved Mysteries and you’ll get an idea), but it’s the testimonials that get under the skin. Even if the nightmares aren’t real, it certainly feels real for these people, and hearing the conviction in their voices (along with some of the downright eerie similarities between different stories) makes it easy to take their word. Ascher closes his film on a brilliant note too, suggesting that viewers might get start getting their own night terrors after watching The Nightmare. You have to give kudos to any director who can make people dread falling asleep.

Availability: Currently available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and VOD.

They Look Like People

Review
Interview with director Perry Blackshear and cast

The problem with low-budget horror is that a filmmaker’s reach can get bigger than their grasp. On the other hand, directors like Larry Fessenden or Ti West can make the most of their limited resources, proving that sometimes it doesn’t take much to freak people out. Perry Blackshear’s directorial debut They Look Like People is yet another example of taking the smart approach to a small budget. Wyatt (MacLeod Andrews) gets a phone call from someone saying that a war is coming; hideous creatures have slowly assimilated the human population Invasion of the Body Snatchers-style, and in several days they will shed their human form to take over the world. Wyatt flees to New York City in order to save Christian (Evan Dumouchel), his old (and still human) friend trying to make a life for himself. Blackshear’s film can get severely intense and unsettling, but it’s also a remarkable story about friendship, independence and the need to belong (or, at the very least, finding someone to connect with). It’s rare to see a horror film, especially a directorial debut, feel this intimate, and it’s well worth celebrating.

Availability: They Look Like People is seeking US distribution at the moment, but it’s screening at plenty of film festivals. Check out the film’s website to see if it’s screening near you.

Unfriended

Unfriended is not the first horror movie to take place entirely on a computer screen, but it’s the first film that really uses the format to do something that feels groundbreaking. On the one year anniversary of a high school student’s suicide (the result of intense bullying, both on and offline), a group of her “friends” get forced to join a Skype call from an account claiming to be the dead girl’s ghost. The classmates don’t believe it until the ghost starts picking them off one by one. Director Leo Gabriadze lets everything play out on the computer screen of main character Blaire (Shelly Hennig), and the film’s intense commitment to accuracy (no fake software here, every program Blaire uses is the same thing any average PC/Mac owner works with on a daily basis) makes it easy to get immersed. But beyond the film’s relatability (all by computer programs!), Gabriadze does an incredible job crafting a narrative entirely through watching someone browse their Macbook, and at certain points—like long stretches of silence as Blair clicks around—the film can feel downright radical in its approach. It’s a thrilling film, both as a straight up horror movie and what feels like an entirely new approach to narrative filmmaking. It’s probably the first time since Spring Breakers that a film this experimental snuck its way into thousands of theatres.

Availability: Currently available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and VOD.

We Are Still Here

I won’t lie: when I first saw Ted Geoghegan’s debut feature We Are Still Here, I wasn’t sure what to think. Yet now, months after seeing it, out of the hundreds of movies I’ve seen this year, this one hasn’t left me. Taking place in the late ’70s in New England, a couple (Barbara Crampton and Andrew Sensenig) grieving the loss of their son move into a new home. Things start going bump in the night, but this is no ordinary haunting, and soon things get wildly out of control. Part of We Are Still Here’s appeal is that Geoghegan operates on an entirely different wavelength than any other genre director in the US right now. Its slow build up and ’70s setting will draw comparisons to Ti West’s House of the Devil, but the hilarious, splatter-happy final act feels more in line with Lucio Fulci and European horrors from several decades ago. It’s a fascinating mix of influences, combined with a mythology that Geoghegan uses to increase the scale of his film without sacrificing its claustrophobic atmosphere. And it has two great performances by Barbara Crampton and Larry Fessenden, two horror legends who get nice, big roles here. It’s a fun film that, despite its clear love for retro horror, is one of the more singular genre efforts to come out this year.

Availability: Currently available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and VOD.

Honourable Mentions

Denis Villeneuve’s Sicario isn’t a horror film by any means, but it’s one of the most intense experiences I’ve had this year in a theatre. On the opposite end, The Editor and What We Do in the Shadows are absolutely hilarious (one a Giallo throwback, the other a mockumentary about vampires), but they’re comedies first and horrors second. Sion Sono’s Tag also fell into the “not horror enough” category, even though its opening act could easily fit on this list. And this year at the Toronto International Film Festival I had a fun time with anthology horror Southbound and Sean Byrne’s The Devil’s Candy, which will hopefully find their way to a screen near you in the future. Also worth mentioning: The Blaine Brothers’ Nina Forever, which should go down as one of the most demented horror films of the year.

In writer/director Adam MacDonald’s feature debut Backcountry, things seriously go wrong for happy city couple Jenn (Missy Peregrym) and Alex (Jeff Roop). Going on a camping trip to Northern Ontario, the two end up losing their way, walking straight into bear territory. Backcountry tackles the survival thriller, and surprisingly succeeds. With two great performances, a smart screenplay, and impressive cinematography, Backcountry avoids falling into clichés, delivering a taut, tense, and all around good genre film.

Before the film’s world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, we briefly chatted with Adam MacDonald about Backcountry. The film hits theaters Friday March 20th, you can read our review here.

The promotional materials mention that Backcountry is based on a true story. Could you tell us what story the film is based on?
After I came up with the idea of an Open Water in the woods, I started to do quite a bit of research on black bears as well as first hand accounts of campers and hikers who have been attack by these animals. I came across a story of a couple who were savagely attacked in the backcountry by a predatory black bear nearly ten years ago, I found the story both heroic and tragic, it made me very emotional. The couple being young and alone made it all the more compelling to me.

You shot the film on location in Northern Ontario. How was that experience, especially for your first feature film? Did you have any of your own problems with Mother Nature during the shoot?
She’s a bitch! NO! Just kidding. Well there were definitely two sides to her. The crew would always joke that I had a direct line to God while shooting because the weather would always match the script. For instance, we needed it to be dark and overcast for certain scenes at the start of the shooting day and that’s what we got BUT I needed sunshine for the last scene and you know what? That sun broke through the clouds right on time! This happened a lot, it was a little spooky to be honest. As for her other side, when it was cold it was cold! Some night shoots we were all pushed to the limit.

How did you work with cinematographer Christian Bielz to establish the film’s look and mood?
Christian was amazing, I love that guy. I called him the eye of my soul because he captured my imagination. When I first met him for an interview I asked him what came to mind when he read the script. He said The Place Beyond The Pines. That was exactly it! I love Derek Cianfrance, and the mood his films put you in. They’re organic and alive and nothing seems forced. We set up a lot of the scenes where the actors could turn 360 degrees and not see one crew member. As for the mood, to me it’s a balance of music, performance, camera work, editing, and even colour temperature. You’ve got to find that balance until you feel it and then you hope others do as well.

Survival thrillers, or more generally films dealing with man against nature, have been around for quite a while. Did you have any hesitations or concerns about tackling such a familiar genre, and if so how did you address those concerns?
My only concern was making it feel as real as possible and make that bear attack the most visceral of attacks ever seen. I want people to feel it. I love nature, I have huge respect for her. I spent a lot of my life in the Laurentians north of Montreal. Being attacked by a large predatory animal is no joke.

Missy Peregrym and Jeff Roop are both excellent in this. They nail a kind of natural chemistry that’s hard to pull off. You have a background in acting, so now that you’re behind the camera, how much does that experience influence how you work with the cast?
I’m very fortunate to have had a lot of experience in front of the camera, so I know what it’s like be in the arena. I know how I like to be approached when I’m working with a director. But Jeff and Missy are professionals first and foremost. My gut knew that these two were the ones to play these roles. Missy is out of this world, her work is so intense and immediate. I love them both.

Could you talk about some of your filmmaking influences, not only on Backcountry but in general?
Rob Zombie and Derek Cianfrance are two big influences on me. I study their work and it definitely inspired me on Backcountry. I hope fans might see a bit of both in the film. I’m also a huge fan of South Korean horrors and thrillers. They go right to the bone on those! I absolutely love The Chaser!

One of the things I enjoyed about the writing was how hard it was to predict exactly what would happen. There are warnings from the park ranger, the unsettling encounter with the wilderness guide, bear tracks on the trail, the feeling of somebody watching them (just to name a few). Did you intend to do this as a way to keep viewers on their toes? 
Yes! 100%! I wanted to keep it subtle and avoid the “jump scare” tactic that has been done to death lately.

Your film seems intent on scaring people out of camping. Are you personally a fan of camping?
Yes, I’m a fan of camping until a six hundred pound black bear comes looking for me. It’s nature and it can be so beautiful beyond belief only to turn into the most terrifying experience one can face. That’s life.

What are you planning to work on next? 
I’m developing a new feature called The Wolf At The Door. It’s a story where a secret is revealed over a long weekend cabin getaway that ends up in murder.

This interview was originally published on September 9, 2014 as part of our TIFF 2014 coverage. 

Adam MacDonald’s first feature film Backcountry has a quote on its film poster saying that the film “…does for the woods what Jaws did for the ocean.” And while its true the film portrays a truly grisly and terrifying backpacking trip gone wrong, the film surprisingly cautioned me more against the dangers of an uncommunicative relationship than it did the dangers of camping. This was likely an unintentional lesson on MacDonald’s part, but nonetheless adds another dimension to what is a generally slow-building but tension-sustaining survival thriller.

MacDonald understands the way five little words almost always set a film up for a more invested viewing. Place “Based on a true story” at the beginning of any film and viewers are more likely to pay attention, wondering all along the similarities to real life and feeling a deeper connection to the story’s characters because they are based in reality. So while watching Jenn (Missy Peregrym) and Alex (Jeff Roop) embark on a backpacking trip in the woods of Ontario, it’s that much easier to hope for the best for this couple. Things start out normal enough. Jenn and Alex make their way north to the woods where Alex spent his childhood backpacking. Jenn takes a telling quiz in a women’s magazine about her boyfriend. “Does he have a hard time admitting when he’s wrong?” Definitely, she says.

Alex is disappointed upon their arrival at the trailhead to learn from the ranger that the trail he wanted to take Jenn on is closed for the season. They embark on a different trail instead, Alex teasing Jenn right off the bat for the bear spray she brought and a seemingly useless road flare. Clear foreshadowing of course, and its hard to fault MacDonald for this sort of projecting if the viewer has even the vaguest idea of the story before viewing, but unnecessary nevertheless. The two set off on the trail and hit their first bit of unease when another hiker, a cocksure Irish trail guide named Brad (Eric Balfour), charms Jenn into inviting him for dinner. Alex is clearly unhappy about the situation and it makes for a tense evening, especially when the confrontational Brad feels the need to assert his dominance before taking off back on the trail.

Alex leads them off-trail the next day, much to Jenn-the-lawyer’s dismay. Their conversation is light at times, telling at others. Alex sees signs of trouble, a broken twig outside their camp for instance, and chooses to lie to Jenn rather than let her worry. Without giving away too much, the two meet a statistically unlikely but quite terrifying situation when the culmination of all Alex’s bad choices lead to disaster.

MacDonald doesn’t hold back. The transition from camping trip to survival tale is swift and dizzying. Peregrym and Roop shine more in their roles as stressed survivalists than in their chemistry-lacking roles as boyfriend and girlfriend. Whether or not MacDonald, who also wrote the script, meant to paint them as a mismatched couple or not, their lacking communication skills put both of them in danger. If Jenn had been able to communicate her disinterest in camping better; or if Alex had compromised with her by not taking her on a complicated first camping trip; or if Jenn had put her foot down about going off-trail; or if Alex had been honest about the signs of danger he was noticing on the trail, well, let’s say a few conversations would have gone a long way for these two. And this is where MacDonald’s film most resembles a slasher film, where victims somehow prove they “deserve” their fate. Usually it’s in the form of promiscuous sex, here it’s for being uncommunicative with one’s significant other.

But Backcountry does at times feel more like a ’80s slasher film than a true-story survival tale. The scares are long-lasting and shocking, and the end mirrors the fight-to-survive standoff of ’80s horror films. The cinematography does the most to keep the film from falling into any of the camp one associates with that genre, however. Christian Bielz, the film’s cinematographer, is most experienced in reality television and he certainly does a great job of focusing on the sorts of details that allow for mood manipulation, mostly by paying close attention to the telling faces of the characters.

The film is smart to project many possible outcomes for the couple early on, though the movie’s poster hints to some obvious conclusions. There is plenty that can go wrong on a trail, the interesting part of Backcountry is that it is human error that most gets them into trouble, the danger they couldn’t predict just providing another level of horror on top of what they were already experiencing. And this is what will stay most with audiences: 25% of the film’s atrocities are highly unlikely, but the other 75% are entirely the fault of the characters and that means any one of us could find ourselves in the same situation.

Backcountry is in theaters and on VOD Friday, March 20. 

CJ and Bernard take the reigns on this super-indie-fied edition of the Way Too Indiecast. It’s straightforward, unadulterated independent film bliss this week, as the boys recommend some excellent indies you should keep your eye on in the near future, as well as share some exciting films you should look forward to further down the line in 2015. Also, Bernard attempts to redeem himself after his pitiful, embarrassing showing in last episode’s “Name 5” game. Sit back and let the juicy indie goodness seep into your ear holes! (I probably could have worded that better…)

Topics

• Name 5 Game (2:15)
• Recent Indie Films We Liked (5:55)
• Upcoming Indie Films (26:50)

WTI Articles Referenced in the Podcast

Wild Canaries Review

Buzzard Review

Merchants of Doubt Interview

Faults Review

Mary Elizabeth Winstead Video Interview

What We Do In The Shadows Review

Gett: The Trail of Viviane Amsalem Review

It Follows Review

David Zellner Video Interview

Backcountry Review

Subscribe to the Way Too Indiecast

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• and don’t forget to leave us a rating and quick review!

Waiting is the hardest part, and if you follow major film festivals like Cannes or TIFF that saying might be all too familiar. Plenty of new films premiere at these festivals, earn raves across the board and get picked up by a distributor, only to take what can feel like an eternity before finally getting a public release. Last year, Foxcatcher premiered in May at Cannes before finally coming out in November, but that’s not as long as the nearly 8 month wait Under the Skin endured before it finally hit theaters—it premiered at Venice in August 2013.

With many of our writers covering a variety of major film festivals across the world at Way Too Indie, we’ve seen our fair share of great films in 2014 that haven’t come out yet. So we put together this list of movies we’ve already seen and loved. No guarantees that any of these films will wind up making our top ten lists come December, but at least you’ve got a few movie recommendations to go off as you start a new year of new films. Read on to see our picks, as well as information on how and when to see them. Some of these films are actually available to watch right now, so if you see them (and we’re telling you to), be sure to let us know what you think. And as for the ones still unavailable, well, just know that they’re all well worth the wait.

10 Great 2015 Films We’ve Already Seen

Backcountry

Interview with director Adam MacDonald

Trailer

As a genre fan, I simply couldn’t leave Adam MacDonald’s Backcountry off this list. Directorial debuts, especially ones covering familiar ground like this, rarely come out as assured and all-around good as this film. A couple from the city (Jeff Roop & Missy Peregrym) spend a weekend camping in the woods, only for things to start going south. MacDonald lays the dread on thick from the start, introducing one possible tragic outcome after another for the (un)happy couple before settling on one. Roop and Peregym also do a great job together, but it’s Peregrym who gives it her all as she goes through hell to try and escape the woods. Backcountry is a solid film through-and-through, one that starts out with a general feeling of unease before ratcheting up the tension considerably. No one will blame you if watching this film ends up killing your interest in camping for a while. [C.J.]

When does it come out? IFC Midnight is handling US distribution, so expect a VOD and/or theatrical release some time this year.

Buzzard

Trailer

Imagine the most despicable and remorseless character you know, one with no regard for social standards or the consequences of their actions, now multiply them by two and you’ll have a character close to Marty Jackitansky. Working as an office temp at a bank, Marty spends his days conjuring up scams for pure entertainment. His schemes range from returning his office’s supplies for cash to forging endorsements on checks. Indie director Joel Potrykus conceives a brutally offensive protagonist without being remotely apologetic, and yet it’s somehow impossible to condemn him. Buzzard is a remarkably compelling and wildly entertaining character study that goes places most films wouldn’t dare. It’ll be a surprise if anything else in 2015 ends up as uncomfortable and unforgettable as Buzzard. [Dustin]

When does it come out? Oscilloscope Films will release Buzzard in theatres and VOD on March 6th.

The Duke of Burgundy

Trailer

A runaway hit with critics at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival, The Duke of Burgundy had some of us swooning when we caught it back in the fall. Peter Strickland’s follow-up to Berberian Sound Studio takes place in a timeless, fairy tale world where men don’t seem to exist. Two women engage in an erotic ritual with each other—one where dominant and submissive roles are redefined several times over. But take away the fantasy qualities, the gorgeous aesthetics, the sublime asides into the abstract, or the BDSM elements, and The Duke of Burgundy is a simple, beautiful love story about the compromises that come with any relationship. It’s the strength of the film’s core ideas, combined with how beautifully they tie into form, that make The Duke of Burgundy a near-masterpiece. Expect this film’s bewitching power to maintain a strong hold on critics and audiences throughout the rest of the year. [C.J.]

When does it come out? Very soon! IFC Films will release the film in theatres and VOD on January 23rd. If you’re able to see this one in theatres, do it.

It Follows

Trailer

This film has been a hype machine ever since it wowed critics last year at Cannes, and now it’s finally (finally!) coming out. It Follows plays out like a more adult version of an Are You Afraid of the Dark? episode. A young woman (Maika Monroe) gets a sort of curse put on her. One that’s only contracted through sex. Once a person has it, a figure emerges, walking towards that person at a slow, steady pace. Only they can see it, and it can take the form of any human being. Once it eventually catches up with its prey, it kills them. Its slow movement means outrunning it is possible, but the only way to stop it is to pass the curse on to someone else (and even that doesn’t guarantee they’re in the clear). Writer/director David Robert Mitchell takes this concept and runs with it, providing one unnerving moment after another as Monroe’s character continually tries to escape this malevolent being while it slowly comes for her. Don’t be surprised if this little film spawns a new franchise. [C.J.]

When does it come out? March 27th in theaters and on VOD. See this one with as many people as you can. It’ll be a lot more fun that way.

Jauja

Trailer

There are films that play within the boundaries set up by cinema over the last century, and then there are some that dare to step outside the box. Jauja, Lisandro Alonso’s fifth film, goes to places that even the director admits he’s unsure of. The film starts off with an accessible set-up: a Danish captain (Viggo Mortensen) exploring a South American desert sets off to look for his teenage daughter after she runs off with a young soldier. The film’s first act certainly feels a lot different than Alonso’s earlier films, containing more plot and dialogue than most of his other works combined. But once Mortensen’s character ventures into the desert alone (the middle section feels more like Alonso operating within his comfort zone), well…some people have happily revealed what happens in Jauja’s last half hour, but it’s better to find out for yourself. Whether or not Alonso’s bold moves succeed is a matter of opinion, but it’s exciting as hell to watch someone brave enough to go places others wouldn’t dream of. Jauja is strange, unique, beautiful, frustrating and even maddening at times, but it’s also a reminder that we still haven’t scratched the surface of what cinema can do. [C.J.]

When does it come out? Cinema Guild will release Jauja in theaters on March 20th.

La Sapienza

Clip

A famous architect undergoes a crisis when he suddenly loses interest in his work and marriage. He takes his wife to visit the works of his favourite architect and, during their trip, befriends two young siblings. The brother, an aspiring architect himself, winds up tagging along with the husband for the rest of the trip, while the wife stays in Switzerland and bonds with the younger sister. The set-up for Eugene Green’s La Sapienza sounds a little trite in its tale of an older couple learning to love again through their experiences with younger, more hopeful people, but it’s actually a surprising delight. That’s largely due to Green’s unique and highly formal approach, having characters speak to the camera in a deliberately stilted manner. It sounds pretentious, but it’s quite the opposite, with each conversation cutting directly to the point (it’s also hard not to stay involved when characters stare directly into the camera so often). And Green knows how to shoot buildings, too; he films various pieces of Baroque architecture in ways that make it hard not to admire the astounding work on display. [C.J.]

When does it come out? Kino Lorber haven’t announced a release date yet, but it should come out some time this year.

Li’l Quinquin

Trailer

If you told me at the beginning of 2014 that Bruno Dumont would make a critical and mainstream hit TV series, I would try to commit you to the nearest asylum. But then Li’l Quinquin premiered at Cannes to absolute raves, followed by smashed ratings records when it premiered on French television. Now Kino Lorber will screen the series in US theatres this year. Li’l Quinquin starts out as a murder mystery in a small countryside town, only to build into something quite strange, dark and funny. Dumont’s usual traits—non-professional actors, the northern French location, stunning cinematography, philosophical themes, and shocking violence—all remain, but with plenty of flat-out hilarious moments peppered throughout. Dumont’s break into the mainstream turned out to be more of an evolution than a compromise. [C.J.]

When does it come out? It’s out right now! Kino Lorber released Li’l Quinquin in theaters on January 3rd, and it’s currently streaming on Fandor.

Welcome to New York

Trailer

Abel Ferrara’s film, inspired by former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s alleged sexual assault of a hotel maid, has already inspired plenty of controversy. DSK’s lawyer promised to sue the filmmakers for slander, and now IFC Films intends to cut the film’s explicit sex scenes down to get an R rating for its US release. Ferrara has been quite vocal about his displeasure with IFC’s decision to cut his film, and hopefully they’ll change their minds. Gerard Depardieu (a genius casting choice) plays Devereaux, the character unabashedly intended to represent DSK. Ferrara uses the film’s opening act to coldly observe Devereaux’s horrifying, grotesque debauchery before turning the film into a procedural covering his arrest. Ferrara layers his film in ways that feel paradoxical and exciting. The recognizable star and excellent cinematography clash with Ferrara’s detached, observant, and docu-like style, to the point where some moments feel incredibly realistic. The results of this clash turn out riveting thanks to the film’s two excellent central performances. Depardieu does his best work in years here, but the real star is Jacqueline Bisset, who outshines her co-star as Devereaux’s wife. [C.J.]

When does it come out? No word from IFC yet on when it’ll come out, but it’s already available on DVD and Blu-Ray in the UK. And for any pirates with a guilty conscience out there: Ferrara encourages stealing the film if it means being able to see it in its proper form.

What We Do in the Shadows

Trailer

Just when the vampire movie appeared to be reaching the point of exhaustion, 2014 provided three refreshing, exciting takes on the legendary creature. The first two, Only Lovers Left Alive and A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, are already out, but the third, What We Do in the Shadows, will finally get a proper release next month. Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Concords) and Taika Waititi (Boy) direct and star in this mockumentary about four vampires living together in New Zealand. The film’s style, obviously inspired by Christopher Guest’s films, helps break down the mystique surrounding vampires, putting them in pretty ordinary and banal situations. It’s a simple, silly joke that’s surprisingly versatile, and the top-notch cast (who improvised almost all their dialogue) make it all look effortless. People sick of vampires, or anyone who just likes really silly humour, should check this one out. [C.J.]

When does it come out? Unison Films will release What We Do in the Shadows in theaters on February 13th.

Wild Tales

Trailer

I knew I was in for a treat when I saw Pedro Almodóvar’s name as the producer of Wild Tales, but I didn’t expect this anthology film to completely blow me away. Argentinian writer/director Damian Szifron delivers exactly what the title says: six distinct wild tales, all involving dark humor, plenty of irony, and just the right amount of Almodóvar-esque style. The film opens with the strongest (and shortest) story, as passengers on a plane discover unexpected connections with each other. Szifron’s reveal of a truly ridiculous outcome perfectly lays down the groundwork for the rest of the film. Each set of stories stand on their own yet link together thematically, with everyday situations exploding into absurd revenge tales that end with an epic conclusion. Wild Tales is the most fun I’ve had watching a film in years. [Dustin]

When does it come out? Sony Pictures Classics will give Wild Tales a limited release in theaters on February 20th.

Other notable 2015 Films to Watch For

We couldn’t cover all the good films we saw last year that will head to theaters and/or VOD in 2015, but here are some more that impressed us: Roy Andersson’s A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence; Ramin Bahrani’s 99 Homes; Pedro Costa’s Horse Money; Christian Petzold’s Phoenix; and Shlomi & Ronit Elkabetz’s Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem. And since our feature on the best undistributed films of 2014, three titles have been picked up for a 2015 release: Hard to be a God, Wild Canaries and Welcome to Me. Let us know if we’ve missed any other awesome titles from last year’s festival circuit, and tell us what you’re personally looking forward to seeing. We certainly can’t wait to see all these films again.

Opening with the camera tracking towards an unseen but, based on the sound design, grisly sight, Backcountry immediately foreshadows a nasty outcome for its characters. Corporate lawyer Jenn (Missy Peregrym) reluctantly tags along with boyfriend Alex (Jeff Roop) on a weekend camping trip in Northern Ontario. He wants to show her the old hiking trail he used to take as a kid, but she’s clearly the type who prefers to stay in the city rather than venture into the wilderness. Things immediately start on the wrong foot. Jenn over-prepares, bringing bear spray and a road flare, while Alex stubbornly refuses to take a map, bragging about how he knows the area. Question: Do you think Alex will come to regret that decision? (Answer: Yes)

With an early reference to Michael Haneke’s Funny Games, writer/director Adam MacDonald similarly spends his time slowly but surely building up discomfort and tension. The film keeps its options open, presenting more than several grisly endings for the seemingly happy couple. Should they heed the park ranger’s warnings about “yahoos” wandering the trail? Or should they watch out for black bears, given that they’re known to wander the area? And what about their unsettling encounter with a park guide (Eric Balfour) on their first night camping? It’s hard to guess what exactly will occur as Jenn and Alex go deeper into the woods, and this unpredictability only adds to the film’s underlying tension.

With lean, smart pacing and no hesitation to get nasty in its showcase of nature’s cruelty, Backcountry is a strong entry in the survival thriller genre. MacDonald’s script certainly follows a lot of familiar story beats, but he cleverly subverts expectations more than once. Missy Peregrym and Jeff Roop are convincing as the main couple, putting a lot more depth into their roles than one would expect in this kind of genre-based film. But it’s Peregrym who steals the show, using her charm and physicality to carry the film on her shoulders by the final act. Wild may be the survival in the wilderness movie everyone will be talking about at TIFF this year, and while Backcountry is a completely different beast of a film, it should be admired for how well it pulls off such a familiar genre. It’s good filmmaking all-around.