Toronto After Dark: Chris L. Goes Beyond The Forbidden Door

No way was this Scardy Cat going to see a movie called The Forbidden Door. Thanks to Chris L. for not only braving the storm last night to attend the Toronto After Dark Film Festival (TAD), but for finding out just what popular Indonesian sculptor, Gambir (Fachri Albar) and his beautiful wife (Marsha Timothy) are hiding behind that door.

Chris L.: I don't often hear of horror films from Indonesia- and so despite a crazy tornado storm last night, I appeared at the steps of the Bloor Cinema, looking as though I had just jumped into a swimming pool, ready to enter The Forbidden Door. The film starts off normally enough, except for a slightly weird (but hot) wife and some jarring creepy music, then things get a little strange as events of increasing bizarreness are layered on (I especially liked the choice of home decor), with some child abuse thrown in (which seems like something of a theme in this year's film fest), and you're not sure any more what kind of film you're in (which I appreciate). At its heart, the film is a mystery to which there are only so many solutions. The film pulls a familiar kind of "bait and switch" plot device, which I don't generally like in stories of this type, but I'll forgive it because when our protagonist finally entered that door, I was pretty tense, the hairs on the back of my neck were up and I still wasn't sure what exactly would happen- all good signs.

Chris L's Rating: 4 out of 5

The hairs stood up on the back of his neck? No thank you! No way could I have made it through that film, not even for the chance to see TAD's first ever selection (co-presented by Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival) from Indonesia.

TONIGHT'S CLOSING GALA
I wonder how Chris will react to seeing tonight's closing gala, GRACE. As with every TAD screening, the film will be preceded by a Canadian short, and even though I absolutely love Denis Villeneuve's brilliant work, Next Floor, and would love to see it again, I don't think I can watch a movie about a new mom and her blood craving little baby. Tonight looks like a wonderful conclusion to TAD for those of you who are not as easily scared as I am. 7PM. Bloor Cinema. Tickets $12/$10 students.

Info: www.torontoafterdark.com
Photo Credit: TAD website