On the eve of Toronto After Dark Film Fest, an annual Canadian genre film festival, I’m geared up and ready to go. You can expect to see home reviews popping up over the next week or so, but for now, I thought I should share my top 5 films in this year’s lineup that I cannot wait to see!

For the full list of films and the schedule, you can check out Toronto After Dark’s website here.

My Friend Dahmer

“Before he turned to kidnapping and murder, young Jeffrey seemed like just another awkward teen trying to impress his high school peers. But a series of disturbing events, at home and at school, soon begin to turn him towards another very dark path.”

We here at iHorror have been pumped about this film for a while, so I truly can’t wait to see it. Based on the graphic novel of the same name, the trailer shows a haunting glimpse into the early life of a soon-to-be-infamous serial killer. It looks promising.

Screenings on October 12 at 7:00pm and October 14 at 11:59pm

Tragedy Girls

“Teenagers Sadie (DEADPOOL’s Brianna Hildebrand) and McKayla (X-MEN APOCALYPSE’s Alexandra Shipp) love running a true crime blog at their school covering local murders. But without any exclusives, they’re not getting enough views and likes. For help they enlist a local serial killer (THE STRAIN’s Kevin Durand) who inspires them to become an anonymous serial killing duo themselves. As they post about the fresh new murders for their blog, bloody mayhem, hi-jinx and higher view counts ensue”

This horror-comedy has a serious Mean Girls meets Heathers vibe for the modern day social media queen, and I’m all for it.

Screenings on October 20 at 9:15pm and 11:45pm

The Endless

“A pair of brothers goes in search of their missing friend, last seen residing at a creepy desert commune. As the locals seem friendly, the siblings decide to stay a few nights. It’s not long before they notice that there’s something very eerily off about the place, with numerous inexplicable phenomena happening around them that defy any laws of science. Soon these benign events give way to something far more sinister”

I’m a big fan of Spring and Resolution, so when I heard that filmmakers Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead had a new film on the festival circuit, it was music to my ears. They’ve got a great track record of creating complex and thoughtful films, so I’m definitely on board with this.

Screening on October 19 at 9:30pm

The Villainess

“Fans of Quentin Tarantino’s KILL BILL and Luc Besson’s NIKITA will devour this tale of a young woman, Sook-hee (THIRST’s Kim Ok-bin) who’s been training since childhood to become the world’s most brutal assassin. When Sook-hee gets betrayed by a former lover turned crime-lord, she goes on a deadly rampage of revenge. But with an army of well-armed bodyguards in her way, it won’t be easy to get to her target”

The first-person hallway fight sequence has been floating around the internet, and it looks stunning. With elements of Hardcore Henry and OldBoy, it looks like a brutal and ultraviolent feast for the eyes. I love a good action movie – truly – so The Villainess certainly has my interest piqued.

Screening on October 14 at 6:00pm

Poor Agnes

“Young Agnes (a mesmerizing Lora Burke) hides a dark secret in her small rural town. She’s turned to serial killing as a hobby. And she’s really good at it. She lures, captures and slays men and then covers up her tracks perfectly. But something about her latest catch Mike (Robert Notman), a mild mannered investigator makes her think he might be a keeper. Perhaps this time she’ll just tie him up in the basement as a pet to come home to. It’s not long before abductor and abductee begin to form a twisted domestic relationship, and tensions begin to rise as Agnes reverts back to her homicidal ways”

The description sounds like a bit of a mix between Pet and Misery. I love a taut, character-driven domestic thriller, and this film seems as though it has that in spades. So. Ready.

Screening on October 18 at 9:30pm

 

What festivals are you attending this year? Let us know in the comments! And if you’re in Toronto for #TADFF, I hope to see you there!

Featured image via Toronto After Dark Film Festival