Tis the Season!

From the wickedly rad, Christopher Michael Jimenez, of SINFUL CELLULOID. Mary Christmas!!!

-Sylv

13 Sinful Horror Questions with Antonio Cupo

Antonio Cupo is an amazing actor currently burning up the screen in The Soska sister' American Mary. A gifted and talented actor who possesses angelic good looks and roguish charm, he can play a wide variety of roles and is equally believable in all. We caught up recently and discussed a little thing I call The 13 Question Marks of Horror!

You play Billy Barker, who really comes off as kind of a sleazy tough guy when you first meet him. But as we spend time with him, he really reveals himself to be a lost soul. What was your first reaction when reading the script?  

AC: I really just wanted to build a character that was real. Nobody has just one side to them and characters that do aren’t as much fun to play. I tried to infuse a character arc that I thought would be natural for a guy like Billy. Even thugs can change when it comes to love, with Billy it was more about measure and control so that he is steadily growing in human qualities until the end of the movie.

CHECK OUT THE WHOLE AWESOME INTERVIEW BETWEEN THE SENSATIONALLY TALENTED ANTONIO CUPO AND RIDICULOUSLY RAD SINFUL CELLULOID HERE.

-Sylv

American Mary Takes Home Six Awards at TADFF

The Soska sisters and American Mary clean up another festival with an impressive set of wins. If you still need convincing after this then maybe you should have your head examined (Mary can help you with that too). Here is the list of wins:  

BEST DIRECTOR American Mary (Jen & Sylvia Soska)  

BEST CANADIAN FEATURE FILM American Mary   

BEST LEADING ACTRESS American Mary (Katherine Isabelle)  

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY American Mary (Brian Pearson)  

BEST ANTIHERO American Mary (Mary Mason, played by Katherine Isabelle)  

MOST DISTURBING FILM American Mary

Read the whole rad piece from SINFUL CELLULOID HERE.

Check out all the wonderful and rad TADFF winners here.

-Sylv

Sinful Celluloid Follows Mary As She Sweeps the East Coast

"There is no denying the emotional core of this film and it's ability to draw us deeper into Mary's world with every minute of film. We've all either known Mary, loved Mary, Lost Mary, or even been her. Her story touches us and because it works at our emotional core while serving up beautifully grotesque imagery, its power is unwavering. There are so many reasons to love this film, each person will ultimately bring their own personal history to it. That is something only the best films do."

AMERICAN MARY was honored with sweeping the Screamfest Awards in LA, now she's been given the incredible privilege on the east coast in Boston's Shudderfest with another sweep! A huge and humble thanks to those who are on the voting committees and supporting this unique film to get this kind of attention and accolades.

And Sinful Celluloid is on it! READ THE WHOLE AWESOME PIECE HERE.

-Sylv

Screamfest 2012 American Mary Q & A

Screamfest 2012 was kind enough to give AMERICAN MARY her LA premiere and in attendance were many of the cast and crew including: Jen Soska, Antonio Cupo, Paula Lindberg, Brian Pearson, Sylvia Soska, Todd Masters, and Katharine Isabelle.

                    

Here is the cast & crew Q & A following the film. PLEASE ENJOY!

-Sylv

PS A huge thank you to SINFUL CELLULOID for all the spectacular coverage!!

Beautifully Thoughtful Review for American Mary By the Lovely The Sinful Celluloid

"Mary has a pet bird; it's interesting to note that once Mary accepts her position as a back alley surgeon and moves into a new place that can also serve as her office, we never really see the bird again. Its cage remains covered. In the East, birds symbolize the departed soul, and in the West, the bird symbolizes the saved soul. Mary seems to be Hungarian, and Hungry is considered the transitional country between the East and the West. Which does the Bird represent? Since it remains covered, it can be thought of as both departed and saved, dead and alive. 

Perhaps it’s a reference to Schrödinger's cat. Either way, the principal remains the same. No, I'm not over-thinking the film, it really is that deep. 

American Mary is a deeply effective film. You can't help but fall in love with Mary and want to save her, and she wants to be saved, but won't let you. Like the best films, it will haunt you for days afterward, forcing you to play out scenarios in your head where the sun would rise and better decisions would be made."

I want you to read this review. I got so fucking spoiled with the talent on this film - the best people working in the industry came out to work on AMERICAN MARY because they loved the story and you see that love and care in very frame of the film.

The same can be said of this review by Sinful Celluloid. He thoughtful and eloquently goes through the piece that is AMERICAN MARY.

"With Dead Hooker in the Trunk, Jen and Sylvia Soska showed the horror community that they can make complete and entertaining film with almost no money. With American Mary, they're about to show the world what they can do when you write them a check. Beautifully composed shots, lighting that conveys warmth while sustaining the feeling of cold isolation, and layers of imagery and emotional substance, this is a film to be absorbed, and you will do so with minimal effort. A film about hope and love as much as it's about violence and violent intent.  I urge everyone to see this film and support it. An original horror idea by arguably the next great film-making team and brought to life by true artists. American Mary is the type of film you can discover again and again, seeing something new each time you watch it. There are so few of those films out there and even fewer filmmakers capable of telling a story in such a way. I've met the future of horror; its last name is Soska."

You can read the whole lovely, thorough, beautiful piece here.

-Sylv

American Mary Comes Home to Canada at TADFF 2012!

"As the lights went down, the Toronto theater was taken over by emotion, disgust, and the indescribable beauty of absolute ugliness.The screening was a hit! So what's the news? Anchor Bay has picked up American Mary for distribution!" - Sinful Celluloid (full article) 

"Jen and Sylvia Soska, otherwise known as the Twisted Twins, first came to our attention back in 2009 with the outrageous onslaught of insanity that was Dead Hooker In A Trunk; their micro-budget debut that quickly became a cult hit the world over. 

But Dead Hooker was done with no money when the movie world wasn’t ready to believe that two feisty females from Vancouver had what it takes to leave a mark on the horror genre. Oh how wrong they were. The Soska’s came back this year with American Mary, premiering at London’s Frightfest to an enthralled audience and receiving nothing but shimmering reviews across the board. Their Frightfest success was to be the first in a string of festival experiences which has seen fans, critics and academics alike heap praise upon the twisted twosome." - Chelsey Burdon, Bloody Disgusting (full article) 

"The Twisted Twins have made a fantastic film, filled with dark humour, some odd characters like Beatress (Tristan Risk) and Ruby (Paula Lindberg) (both of whom have incredible make-up effects), wonderfully crafted surgical scenes and a standout performance by Katharine Isabelle. 

Isabelle begins as a frustrated, almost naive, definitely innocent character, and through the course of the film, you see her change, grow and develop, taking on a darker, stronger edge that begins to frighten some of those around her. 

She changes and embraces her gift, moving from initial repulsion, so bad that upon arriving home she stumbles to the toilet to vomit, to full acceptance of the bod-mod culture. Isabelle has never been better or looked sexier, the Twins seemed to make sure that all of her outfits made her look fantastic, and you simply can’t take your eyes off of her." - TD Rideout, The Mind Reels (full article)

"...the Soskas offer up a social statement about the potentially disastrous modern perception and preoccupation with physical beauty. Weirdly compelling, interesting, drily amusing yet never mean-spirited, American Mary quietly contains a totally unexpected yet thoughtful commentary that surfaces as a profound, resounding element within the framework of the film... American Mary is certainly not the kind of garden variety, over-the-top, white-knuckle, cheap-thrill bloody gore-fest that some audiences may be expecting due to its unusual subject matter. Rather, the Soskas have crafted an experience that is thoughtfully restrained and refreshingly nuanced enough to leave them thinking, instead."- Rachel Fox, Twitch Film (full article)

"In a genre long dominated by men writers and directors, the Soska twins are a welcome and vibrant addition to the horror world. They have told a tale about women, from a woman’s perspective filtered through the world of horror. This bodes well as to the work they will produce in the future. Highly recommended." - Xavierpop (full article)

"This movie is thoroughly enjoyable and if you like modern torture horror movies, then you’ll love this one because it’s the way the characters are written and the way the story is structured, the shock value of the horror scenes doesn’t lose anything upon multiple viewings. Plus, you’d be surprised at the number of funny moments in the movie. The line that may have gotten the biggest laugh in the movie simply involved Mary enjoying a milkshake. In context, the scene is great and funny.  

Right now, American Mary is making the festival tour. It’ll play at the Screamfest Horror Film Festival this weekend, but has no major release date. Hopefully it gets one soon. And if not, buy the movie when it goes on sale. If you’re a horror fan, you’ll be glad you spent the money." - Javi Perez, PlayMakerOnline (full article) 

"Katharine Isabelle delivers a Mary who is initially very likeable, then terrifying as she grows increasingly icy, then savage. Dark humour and ample gore provide the thrills, but it’s the vivid verbal descriptions that chill to the bone." - Andrew Dowler, Now Toronto (full article)

"And although American Mary reminded us of movies The Human Centipede, Hard Candy and even a tad of Boxing Helena, American Mary stands on its own as a competent and effective horror thriller that is sure to get your attention and then twist it like a wrung out sponge leading to the unexpected concluding chapter. 

It has only been a few years since we were first introduced to the Soska sisters.  But in a short period of time, they have matured and honed their skills and are near perfection in American Mary.  These sisters are a triple threat having wrote, acted and directed their feature.  And each of their pursuits have been elegantly displayed as they have moved from our ‘To Watch’ list and on to our ‘Can’t Wait For the Next Project’ list.  Well done." - GregMO Roberts, Killer Reviews (full article)

"This is a challenging film. It defies any single definition, but is exceptional in so many ways. Canadian writers/directors Jen and Sylvia Soska, a.k.a The Soska Twins, achieve in creating a dark, amusing and, most importantly, captivating film, that takes audiences on a unique journey. Not only are viewers inside Mary's head, but they are invited into the intriguing world of body modification.

Isabelle is outstanding. Her performance is chilling as she acts without emotion in every situation. Mary's support for her clients and their modifications is always offered with a fake smile. She's mostly motivated by her desire to make money and the control these procedures offer her. The more difficult the request, the more she engages. Isabelle definitely achieves a new level in this role." - Sarah Gopaul, Digital Journal (full article)

"Katharine Isabelle is hypnotic as Mary, and her dry delivery of dialogue produces laughter in the oddest of places, which is much needed for some of the dark places this film goes. From genital modification to twins wanting to share a little too much (oh, hello, amazing Soska Twins performance!), you’re never sure of where this film is going next. There are some great subplots and twists that keep you on your toes, not to mention scenes that you will haunt you when you turn the light off at night. 

The Soska Twins have brought us an incredibly original, disturbing piece of work with their latest effort. If you thought Dead Hooker in Trunk showed the girls had potential, American Mary cements this. Prepare yourself for more; they have a lot to give." - Charlotte Stear, Rue-Morgue (full article)

"I can’t help but feel just a little bit dirty for admitting that I very much enjoyed American Mary – the latest film from Jen and Sylvia Soska (also known as The Twisted Twins). A bit surprised too. I was curious going in and hopeful that lead actress Katherine Isabelle (best known for Ginger Snaps) would provide some spark to a concept that didn’t have much appeal to me, but I had expectations the film would be gory for gore’s sake. So much for expectations." - Bob Turnbull, Row Three (full article) 

-Sylv