Cultural Mining

Hi, this is Daniel Garber at the Movies for culturalmining.com and CIUT 89.5 FM.

It’s some time in the near future, on a typical snowy day in August. A group of friends who haven’t seen each other in a decade are getting together in an isolated, abandoned hotel, for a long, last blow-out. It’s a diverse crowd. There’s the hosts, Tom and Aubrey who planned the celebration; Rick and Lisa who left their kids at home for a bit of time of their own, Tom’s big brother, an alpha male nicknamed Pinky; River, a new age yogi, who favours flowery tunics; a punk named Devon and a rockstar called Gail. There’s just one guest missing, but she might make an unexpected visit. They’re all there for two reasons: it’s Tom and Aubrey’s tenth wedding anniversary… and the last day of life on earth as we know it.

The Last Anniversary is a mixed-genre flick combining apocalyptic science fiction and the supernatural, with everyday questions of kinship, friendship, rivalry and revenge. It’s written and directed by Brett and Jason Butler, AKA the Butler Brothers. Their indie films are known for their genre-hopping versatility, exploring everything from hockey to social networks.

Their movie First Round Down scored 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film co-stars Jesse McQueen, a Toronto-based actor, writer, and sketch comedian, author of Romeo Pimp, and a member of the award-winning troupe Cheap Wine. 

The Last Anniversary is now playing in Toronto, and opening soon in Sudbury and Vancouver.

I spoke with Brett, Jason and Jesse via ZOOM.