tadff 2022

TADFF XVI: MEXZOMBIES, HERE FOR BLOOD And More Announced Among This Year’s Award Winners

I didn’t get to check out all of the titles I wanted to for this year’s Toronto After Dark Film Festival. The good news is, I got to cover what I could, which totals to only three films – one of which also now gets to take home a few prizes among the list of recipients which you can read below. Click here for my coverage of this year’s TADFF as well, and keep an eye out for more news on some of these titles with release dates pending, and hopefully more news about the festival ahead! AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR TORONTO AFTER DARK 2022! BIG WINNERS INCLUDE FREAKS OUT, MEXZOMBIES & HERE FOR BLOOD! Toronto After Dark Film Festival is thrilled to announce the Award Winners of its 16th Annual Edition. As is tradition at the festival, the Jury is the fans themselves with 200 festival passbuyers polled to […]

TADFF XVI Review: In H4Z4RD, Dimitri ‘Vegas’ Thivaios Rides This Explosive, Rollicking Screen Debut Until The Wheels Fall Off

Lee B. Golden III

A blend of inspiration from the works of Stephen Spielberg, William Friedkin, Stephen King, and Mario Bava, action fans and festival goers have since gotten to take on H4Z4RD, the latest effort from Cub duo, director Jonas Govaerts and screenwriter Trent Haaga. For this, we are handed a feature debut acting performance by DJ and musician Dimitri “Vegas” Thivaios of Belgian-Greek DJ duo Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, for a sprawling action comedy that takes you on a crazy, explosive journey throughout Antwerp about a wheelman struggling to keep his family together following a job gone awry. Thus, H4Z4RD introduces us the story of Noah (Thiavos). He’s got a cool car, and dreams of a better life for his hot, large-hoop earring-wearing babymama Lea (Jennifer Heylen), and their beautiful mermaid-for-a-daughter, Zita (Mila Rooms). He also has a troublesome best friend named Carlos (Jeroen Perceval), fresh out of a three-year prison […]

TADFF XVI Review: DAY ZERO, Zombies Run Amuck In Brandon Vera’s Debut Showstopper

Lee B. Golden III

Filipino American former/first-ever ONE Heavyweight Champion Brandon Vera’s career turn toward acting in the last several years has made a few notable strides. Erik Matti’s Anne Curtis-starrer, BuyBust, certainly had its highs with Vera sharing the mantle and pulling more than his weight, enough to now proffer him up to action fans in a perspective turn for a lead role that now brings us his newest venture into action-horror with The Ghosting director Joey De Guzman’s latest, Day Zero. It’s been eight years since ex-soldier Emon (Vera) was arrested and incarcerated for getting into a deadly brawl. With his parole coming up, the first and only priority is to stay out of trouble, especially if it means he gets to reunite with his wife Sheryl (Mary Jean Lastimosa), and meet his hearing-impaired daughter, Jane (Freya Fury Montierro), as a free man. Despite this, however, and aside from uncouth inmates looking […]

TADFF XVI Review: MEXZOMBIES, Love And Death Beyond Borders

Lee B. Golden III

Iñaki Godoy’s career is about to get a major uptick in the coming months with the pending live-action Netflix series premiere, “One Piece.” Until then, film festival heads are humbly invited to check out the burgeoning star in one of his recent feature screen roles as he battles growing pains, young love, and the undead in director Chava Cartas’s latest, Mexzombies. Set in Mexico, it’s not long before things take a deadly twist involving a dodgy chemist, shady cartel hitmen, and two stragglers caught in the crossfire as guinea pigs for an unsolicited street drug for which they have no clue of its results. This all takes place in the hours before the day of Halloween when we meet Tavo (Iñaki Godoy), a kid from the lower middle-class streets just outside of a nearby affluent gated community which he frequents by hopping over its wall, whether to spy on the […]

TADFF 2022: H4Z4RD Trailer Teases A Bloody, Hyper-Fueled Euro-Thrillride

Lee B. Golden III

Cub helmer Jonas Govaerts and writer Trent Haaga are imaginably hoping the momentum they’re generating as of late can lead to some greater prospects of late. Their newest endeavor, H4Z4RD, released in Belgium in July and had its North American premiere for Fantastic Fest after rolling out for FrightFest in the UK in August, and is currently on deck for several screenings this week for attendees at Sitges. Noah Hazard can’t imagine life without his gold-coloured sports car, complete with custom vanity plates. To his little girl Zita, it’s a cosy carriage; to his girlfriend Lea, a handy taxi; and to his dodgy nephew Carlos, fresh out of jail, a lightning-fast getaway car. When a heist organised by Carlos goes completely awry, it’s up to Noah to make sure his beloved Lexus doesn’t end up as his own hearse… H4Z4RD will now head to the masses for the 16th Toronto […]