E-Mail This Story

Severance, Sat November 18
2006, 9:30

Part of the Starz DIFF

Enter the info below and we'll send the story to your friend.

From (your email address)

To (your friend's email address)

Subject Severance shows at IFS on Sat November 18, 2006, 9:30

Your comments:

Severance
Part of the Starz DIFF
Sat November 18
2006, 9:30

As if team-building retreats weren’t hellish enough, imagine stumbling into the wrong lodge and finding yourself surrounded by some sort of mysterious, psychotic force. Add in the revenge factor — the retreat is for employees of a weapons manufacturer with a history of shady dealings and lots of enemies — and you’ve got a recipe for some creative bloodshed. Severance opens with six workers from the Palisades Defense Company riding their luxury tour bus toward a posh resort in a Hungarian forest. The group includes an inept, catchphrase-spouting manager (Tim McInnerny, who has more than a passing resemblance to John Cleese), a nerdy IT guy (Andy Nyman), a pretty administrator (Laura Harris) and a magic mushroom-chewing stoner (Danny Dyer). After finding the main road blocked, the six begin walking through some very eerie woods on their way to the lodge. But the rundown place they discover – could it possibly be the right building? By nightfall, they all have their own creepy ideas about where they are. The BBC describes Severance as “The Office meets Deliverance… a slick mix of satire and splatter,” and writer-director Chris Smith focused his energy on creating a smart script, building a plausible back story and dreaming up scenes that would terrorize even hardcore horror fans. And, while it’s rare to praise the performances in a horror film (who can evaluate the actor beneath a hockey mask?), Severance is filled with good ones, especially from Dyer and Harris. Outrageously funny, unashamedly grisly and frequently terrifying, this is one of the most effective slasher films yet. We can only hope it signals a new era where on-screen bloodletting is combined with astute political commentary, sparkling dialogue and a multi-dimensional story arc. Severance may not suit viewers with queasy stomachs, but it’ll charm even those who usually turn their noses up at cheap cinematic thrills.

To see a trailer and read a review, visit InternationalFilmSeries.com.

Send me a copy too

IFS tickets are only available at the door on day of show. With 400 seats and rare sell-outs, by arriving a bit early you're almost certainly guaranteed a seat. Tickets go on sale 30 minutes before showtime.

IFS screens films in Muenzinger Auditorium, west of Folsom Football Stadium. Admission (unless otherwise noted): $10 general admission, $8 w/UCB student ID, $8 for senior citizens. 10 films for $65 with punch card. We give a $1 discount to anyone with a bike helmet, and you can see movies for free on your birthday, or if you are assisting someone in a wheelchair. Credit cards are accepted at the door

Pricing

10 films for $65 with punch card
$10 general admission. $8 w/UCB student ID, $8 for senior citizens
$1 discount to anyone with a bike helmet
Free on your birthday! CU Cinema Studies students get in free.

Looking for a gift for a friend?

Buy a Frequent Patron Punch Card for $65 at any IFS show. With the punch card you can see ten films (a value of $100).

Parking

Pay lot 360 (now only $1/hour!), across from the buffalo statue and next to the Duane Physics tower, is closest to Muenzinger. Covered parking with similar pricing can be found in the Euclid Parking Garage under the CASE Building, South of Muenzinger. We recommend utilizing the ParkMobile app on your phone to simplify the process and avoid needing to use the kiosks.