Founders Day: A bloody political slasher film review #TADFF

Maybe politics do kill…

By: Aliya Karimjee

Founders Day premiered at this year's Toronto After Dark Film Festival (Courtesy of TADFF)

Does voting scare you? Do you fear a future with too much consistency that there will be no further development or one that includes drastic changes? That’s the case with Founders Day, a horror film where political opinions are a driving force to kill. 

The Bloomquist brothers released Founders Day for its Canadian premiere at this year’s Toronto After Dark Film Festival.

Director-actor Erik Bloomquist, accompanied by his brother Carson Bloomquist, who produced and helped write the film with his brother, both got involved in the making of this bold and bloody movie. From the synopsis, we learn that this is a “series of ominous killings in the week leading up to a heated mayoral election.” 

This American film’s title is based off of the actual holiday that celebrates the creation of the United States Declaration of Independence. Politics plays a big part in a killer’s mastermind’s plan.

Taking place after the murder of Melissa (Olivia Nikkane), one of two star-crossed lovers, continuous killings take place--even at a family festival celebrating the political holiday.  From that incident, punishable pranks started taking place and people impersonated the killer to scare others. 

After finding out who the murderer is, a big cliffhanger comes up making us wonder what could possibly happen after that event, but that is for you to find out. Who knew holidays were so dangerous?

Initially, I didn’t have high expectations from a political slasher. However, I fell in love with the movie as the plot kept me intrigued and always wanting to know what would happen next. 

Throughout the flick, we learn the characters’ nature and personalities, attaching us to them through their various challenges. For example, Melissa’s girlfriend, Allison Chambers played by Naomi Grace, went through a series of obstacles and near-death experiences as she and her loved ones were threatened with death.

The plot twists made me want to scream and throw my computer at the wall with how unpredictable it was! 

The visuals were also out of this world - such as the killer’s red creepily smiling mask, which I already knew would give me nightmares for days.

Like the primarily known poem “Roses are red, violets are blue…,” the murders followed the same poetic concept in red writing with subtle hints to help us determine the killer, making it more fun and interactive for us viewers. 

Not only was the film fun, but it was wildly funny! The Bloomquist brothers know how to perfectly time the comedic beats. One character even cried of regret and ran half-naked in fear in a comedic way. 

The only negative note I have is that there should be a content warning regarding a line that casually mentions sexual assault. 

All that being said, the plot twist at the end was well thought out, the visuals were excellent, and the comedy was perfectly timed. If you’re a fan of the Halloween or Scream franchises, you need to add this movie to your watchlist! 

Lovely, Dark, and Deep: A deeper look into the terrifying woods

A mysterious unraveling by Teresa Sutherland at Toronto After Dark Film Festival

By Alisha Shaikh

Still shot from Lovely, Dark, and Deep (Courtesy of TDAFF)

Lovely, Dark, and Deep, a psychological horror film directed and written by Teresa Sutherland, was screened at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival, an annual showcase of horror, sci-fi, thriller, and action cinema.

After co-writing, Midnight Mass, a successful Netflix horror series, Teresa Sutherland makes her directorial debut with Lovely, Dark, and Deep. The beautifully directed horror film stars Georgina Campbell, best known for her roles in the horror films Barbarian and Bird Box Barcelona. The film follows Lennon, Campbell’s character, a new backcountry ranger, as she wanders the terrifyingly strange wilderness to learn more about the tragedies that occurred there and have plagued her since she was a young child.

Campbell’s acting throughout the film was very realistic. She fully immersed herself in the role, and brought her character to life. Campbell’s character is very intricate, as she is haunted by past memories but still shows persistence in moving forward and finding answers. One gets the impression that they are traveling on a quest of horrifying discovery alongside Campbell's character, experiencing all of her feelings. 

The film direction plays a brilliant role in capturing the audience, creating an eerie and mysterious atmosphere throughout the film. Sutherland's directorial talents are well-displayed in the film; these skills are a key factor in why Lovely, Dark, and Deep has the feel of a psychological horror film that truly scares the audience.

The film’s colour palette is based on brownish, cool, and dull tones. This is perfect to create the lure of the terrifying woods and what lies behind the shadows. Many scenes follow dark and gloomy undertones, which allows the audience to feel present in the woods as if they are rangers themselves. 

While Sutherland has shown off her directorial talents in Lovely, Dark, and Deep, her writing talents seem to have been overshadowed. The plot starts strong and steady, slowly drawing the audience in. However, it does not excel beyond that. Lovely, Dark, and Deep’s storyline shortly turns confusing and disjointed. 

The film starts off greatly while hooking the audience to the plot. The scenes gradually build up, creating suspense with characters covered in blood and terrified by the unknown. Viewers are left wondering why people are going missing in the woods—is there a bigger monster lurking in the shadows? 

The plot continues to thicken, creating a lure, but then ends with no answer, solution, or explanation. The main issue with the plot lies in its lack of closure; it ends with the viewer longing for more answers or at least an explanation. The ending feels foolish since the audience is left wondering, “What does that mean? Huh?”

All in all, while the ending of the film did lack closure, Lovely, Dark, and Deep is a greatly crafted horror film. Campbell’s acting highlights Sutherland's talents, bringing together a great film for the Halloween season.