Black Sheep
Although he grew up on a sheep farm, part of the farm's fourth generation, Henry Oldfield (Nathan Meister) has a phobia about sheep. Consequently, he's ready to sell out his half of the farm to his brother Angus Oldfield (Peter Feeney) when the time comes to settle the inheritance. Angus is preparing for a big business presentation, to promote his new breed of sheep, which he regards as a great advance in agricultural science.
What Henry doesn't know - but militant vegetarian activists Experience (Danielle Mason) and Grant (Oliver Driver) are somewhat aware of - is the fact that Angus has genetically modified his sheep, with the lab work done by Dr Rush (Tandi Wright).
Unfortunately, Grant accidentally releases one of the rejects from the genetic engineered sheep - and it has a taste for flesh. He's attacked, and although he manages to escape alive, the bloodthirsty sheep spread, transforming others with their bites.
Who among the people on the farm will survive? Henry? Angus? Experience? Grant? Dr Rush? The farm's lifelong farmhand Tucker (Tammy Davis, a man with a girl-name)? Cook Mrs Mac (Glenis Levestam)? The business people Angus had invited? The sheep-dog? Or only the carniviorous sheep?
First-time writer-director Jonathan King has created a masterpiece of comedy horror. The premise would be ridiculous as straight horror, but it is wonderful as comedy horror with emphasis on the comedy. It skewers both careless application of technology and extreme vegetarian activists. The acting is cheesy in some of the dramatic scenes, but it's excellent in the comedy scenes, so it doesn't detract from the film. It really works because they keep it deadpan. This film is excellent.
If the film sounds remotely like the sort of thing you'd enjoy, be sure to see it. It plays again as the Saturday midnight movie, and I think it may have a regular release scheduled too.
Rating: This appears to be unrated in the US. It's violent and gory, but the comedy lightens the impact, so I'd call it a hard "PG-13". The language would probably bump it to "R", except that the harshest vocabulary is in New Zealand dialect, which might get a pass.
Screening: Thursday, 9:45 pm, Seattle suburb (Lincoln Square Cinemas).
Goodies: Pizza and beer after the film.
Ads: None at all, unless the in-person announcements by SIFF people and the SIFF self-promotions count.
SIFF Statistics: 33 films seen (29 features, 4 short2), in 30 time slots. 3 parties.
My wife has seen almost all the same stuff, except for two features that I saw while she was out of town.
What Henry doesn't know - but militant vegetarian activists Experience (Danielle Mason) and Grant (Oliver Driver) are somewhat aware of - is the fact that Angus has genetically modified his sheep, with the lab work done by Dr Rush (Tandi Wright).
Unfortunately, Grant accidentally releases one of the rejects from the genetic engineered sheep - and it has a taste for flesh. He's attacked, and although he manages to escape alive, the bloodthirsty sheep spread, transforming others with their bites.
Who among the people on the farm will survive? Henry? Angus? Experience? Grant? Dr Rush? The farm's lifelong farmhand Tucker (Tammy Davis, a man with a girl-name)? Cook Mrs Mac (Glenis Levestam)? The business people Angus had invited? The sheep-dog? Or only the carniviorous sheep?
First-time writer-director Jonathan King has created a masterpiece of comedy horror. The premise would be ridiculous as straight horror, but it is wonderful as comedy horror with emphasis on the comedy. It skewers both careless application of technology and extreme vegetarian activists. The acting is cheesy in some of the dramatic scenes, but it's excellent in the comedy scenes, so it doesn't detract from the film. It really works because they keep it deadpan. This film is excellent.
If the film sounds remotely like the sort of thing you'd enjoy, be sure to see it. It plays again as the Saturday midnight movie, and I think it may have a regular release scheduled too.
Rating: This appears to be unrated in the US. It's violent and gory, but the comedy lightens the impact, so I'd call it a hard "PG-13". The language would probably bump it to "R", except that the harshest vocabulary is in New Zealand dialect, which might get a pass.
Screening: Thursday, 9:45 pm, Seattle suburb (Lincoln Square Cinemas).
Goodies: Pizza and beer after the film.
Ads: None at all, unless the in-person announcements by SIFF people and the SIFF self-promotions count.
SIFF Statistics: 33 films seen (29 features, 4 short2), in 30 time slots. 3 parties.
My wife has seen almost all the same stuff, except for two features that I saw while she was out of town.