DVD Release
Alright, I’m going to try and be as nice as possible when I say this but it’s going to sound shitty no matter how I say it so here it is…DVD labels using quotes from IMDB is like using quotes from the door of a bathroom stall. YEAH I SAID IT. IMDB is a review toilet where all the stinky bastards go to lay their ass and take big, fat steaming dumps on worthwhile films. If they can toss in a bit of racism, sexism and homophobia on top of their reviews, they do. Now, I’m not saying everybody that reviews at IMDB are worthless but with so many filmmakers, producers and obsessive fanatics shilling for films and film companies it’s a little wonder there are EVER truthful reviews. I’ve actually talked to some filmmakers who’ve admitted to signing up under several different names in order to give their films high star ratings and amazing reviews. All of that being said…the review on the back of The Toybox may very well be the director’s words! Who knows!
Fortunately for me, the review blurb isn’t far from the truth. The Toybox is indeed an impressive debut from writer/director Paolo Sedazzari sporting some fantastic visuals but the real question is whether or not he delivers on the rest of the film. The answer is yes though I’d like to point out that this is not your average, run-of-the-mill horror film so pea-brained knuckle-draggers may want to steer clear before renting and wasting their loot. It’s not for the faint of attention span.
Berenice Usher and her younger brother Brian are quite the little dreamers with wild imaginations that run rampant, occasionally getting them into a bit of trouble. One story they both enjoy reading together is the tale of Jake The Midfolker, a savage fiend that dwells between Suffolk and Norfolk luring unsuspecting people to their bloody deaths. Luckily Berenice is the reincarnation of a powerful witch able to stop the vile Midfolker so both of them are protected should he ever decide to come ‘a visitin’!
Years pass and Berenice is all grown up, moved away and in a relationship. She convinces her boyfriend Conrad to accompany her to her family’s home for Christmas. Reluctantly he agrees but his nerves soon get the better of him and he’s just not sure if he’ll measure up in her family’s eyes. When they arrive though Conrad quickly realizes Berenice’s family is…off. Actually, dreadfully obnoxious and aggravating to be precise. The entire clan is at one another’s throats in no time and Berenice is constantly being whisked away by her brother Brian.
This Christmas the Usher household will be hosting an uninvited guest and he’s slowly making his way to the home with his demonic dog. Could it be none other than Jake the Midfolker? As tempers flare out of control, Conrad decides enough is enough and demands to be brought to the train station so he can head back home. No amount of pretend magic is going to help Berenice’s relationship and she’s just not able to cope with this abandonment and deal with her family at the same time.
Meanwhile younger brother Brian is experiencing his own abandonment issues and mental breakdown and nothing may be the same for the brother and sister again.
The Toybox is a bizarre and wildly original film featuring excellent cinematography, commendable acting and some hilarious dialogue. While I wouldn’t say The Toybox is a black comedy, it does have its share of witty deliveries and bitter punchlines. The characters in this film are utterly deplorable and completely unlikable which I found quite cool because you simply aren’t meant to like them! This is the neurotic family from Hell and director Paolo Sedazzari doesn’t want you to like them though one can’t help but find them interesting. I got a huge kick out of the sex-starved Madeline.
Viewers are going to find themselves asking whether The Toybox is a supernatural thriller, black comedy or straight up horror film and the answer is all of the above and none of the above. Just when you think the film has steered into psychological thriller territory it drops a smiling clown sitting on the toilet into the mix and you suddenly find yourself wondering whether the supernatural is at work in the Usher home. Could the tales Berenice once told of a witch being executed on the very site their home stands be true? If so is the witch exacting her revenge? Who the hell knows! You really won’t get to the bottom of any supernatural answers because Sedazzari leaves things wide open for interpretation.
Special feature junkies are going to be a bit less impressed with this release though as there’s nothing here but audio commentary with the director and producer. Maverick scores points for releasing such a nifty flick but loses some for releasing such a sparse disc. What are you going to do, right?
If you’re interested in checking out something different, frantic and imaginative, I’d definitely recommend The Toybox, just don’t expect big answers.
