The Dirties July 20th, 9:50pm
An authentic perspective on bullying that is both infectiously amusing and unavoidably tragic, culminating in a final act that will twist your guts in discomfort. It's ballsy to go the places Matt Johnson's debut feature does, and ballsier still to use comedy to take the journey, but the film earns its trajectory with both nuance and sensitivity. The Dirties is an all to real horror film that deserves all the accolades and hype it received at Slamdance, where it took home the Grand Prize. (Peter Kuplowsky)
Lesson of the Evil July 19, 9:10pm & July 21, 11:30AM
For a while now, Miike Takashi has left his enfant terrible reputation behind to become a far more accessible and classicist storyteller. We all loved 13 Assassins and enjoyed Hara-kiri. We were all entertained with Crows Zero and Yatterman. But we've all been hoping for another Ichi. It looks like the master of crazy may be taking a quick reprieve from his more mainstream fare with Lesson of the Evil. It has the slick production values and cartoonish vibe of his manga adaptations, but also promises the type of subversive and politically incorrect rogue's gallery humor of Visitor Q and Dead or Alive. The trailer might not be the best as it plays like a strange rip off mash up of Class of 84, Battle Royale, Confessions, and any number of slasher films. But it also looks bug nut fucking crazy and entertaining as hell. Early reviews have been promising and Japanese trailers are notorious for being horribly misleading and just plain awful. (Greg Christie)
Confessions of Murder July 20, 4:25 PM
Despite passing out of the its golden decade of the aughts Korea can still surprise with their unusual film hybrids and this looks to be one of those. The promise: A film mixing the procedural thrill of the policier mystery with the cathartic human awkwardness of Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, and visual grace notes of Lee Myung-Se’s Nowhere to Hide. If this film delivers on that promise, then it is cinematic bliss! (Kurt Halfyard)
Frankenstein's Army July 20, 11:55pm
If you've been reading ScreenAnarchy for more than four years, then you already know why anticipation is running high around this neck of the woods for Frankenstein's Army. We were all blown away by the proof of concept videos for Worst Case Scenario, that Nazi zombie film that wasn't Dead Snow or Iron Sky. You know, the one that actually looked good. We anxiously waited five long years for the filmmakers to finish that feature but it never happened. Instead, they made Frankenstein's Army, borrowing the same esthetic for its creature designs and overall art direction. The intense, action packed trailer lacks the dread and quiet surrealist nightmare qualities of the WCS promos, but it still looks fun. Also, there are some strong ties between this film and team ScreenAnarchy and this writer is need of making amends after taking a giant dump on ABC's of Death. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this transcends its supposed mockumentary format. (Greg Christie)
Bushido Man July 27th, 4:30pm.
One of my favorite Gordon Liu films is Heroes of the East and hell if Bushido Man doesn't promise to scratch that same itch. Lone martial artist fights others with their own weapons: Kung-fu, Bojutsu, Nunchaku, Sword, Knife, Gun and a specialized weapon too. Hell, and yes! Bushido Man reunites Hard Revenge Milly's Koga Mitsuki with director Tsujimoto Takanori. (Andrew Mack)
Small Gauge Trauma & Eros Et Cie short film programs July 23, 5:15pm & July 27, 9:00pm
Short film blocks are always a mixed bag. To be honest, it usually feels like a chore sitting through them, like doing homework. But with every festival I attend, I feel a sense of obligation and duty to check out as many short blocks as I can. Yes, the majority of them remind me of being a film school student sitting through all of my classmates awkward and amateurish experiments. But there's a reason why I continue to feel that obligation all these years later and have continued to remain disciplined and attend these short blocks. They often hold the festival's biggest surprises. Like most anthology films, there's usually more misses than hits, but the hits are often out of the ball park. Fantasia is one of the most influential genre film festivals in the world and they're going to attract the work of the best new genre filmmakers out there. If you want to know who's going to be the next big then or where the future of the genre is headed, then you should also feel that same obligation as I do to check out the short film programs. (Greg Christie)
See You Tomorrow, Everyone July 28 7:25 PM
This marks the fifth collaboration between Hamada Gaku and Nakamura Yoshihiro (other standouts being Golden Slumber and A Fish Story). Gaku plays Satoru, a young man confined to a subsidized estate who watches the world change around him. Billed as a coming-of-age story and a dissection of modern day Japan I cannot wait to see what this duo brings to the screen! (Andrew Mack)
Magic Magic July 22, 7:35 PM
Michael Cera terrorizing Juno Temple in the Chilean countryside, just, well, because. There is your value proposition folks. Sebastian Silva shot this film concurrently with his drug-trip fantasy Crystal Fairy, a film which is currently in limited arthouse release. But my money is on this one, which promises to let the actors stretch out in a kind of Polanski-esque mind-fuck. (Kurt Halfyard)
The Lady Assassin July 28, 12:25pm
As a lover of Asian film and a past forum member of the beloved KFCC website so many years ago, it's become a perplexing omission of mine that I'm completely unfamiliar with Vietnamese cinema. I probably have only seen three feature films from Vietnam in total and I'm pretty sure that all three of them were directed by Tran Anh Hung. So I already felt an obligation to check out The Lady Assassin as an introduction to the Vietnamese martial arts scene. But then I saw the trailer and was immediately blown away. This looks fun as hell. Superb fight choreography, slick art design with plenty of big budget production value, lush cinematography, beautiful bad ass women, and explicit lesbian sex? Sold. (Greg Christie)
Willow Creek July 29th, 10:00pm
Leave it to Bobcat Goldthwait to inject a found-footage flick with what the genre's more conventional offerings frequently fail to provide: wit, passion, a slow build of pervasive dread, and most importantly, likeable leads that you'll genuinely become concerned for as soon as things start to go south. Refreshingly modest in its construction, the film's pièce de résistance comes in the form of a 19 minute unbroken take of compounding terror that is perfectly engineered to be experienced trapped within an audience in a dark room. That Bobcat himself has apparently chased the rabbit and is now a bonafide Bigfoot aficionado, only makes the project all the more fascinating. (Peter Kuplowsky)
A Company Man July 28, 4:45pm
Like most South Korean action thrillers, the synopsis and set up seem underwhelming and head achingly clichéd, A Company Man is about a high ranking contract killer who's hired to execute a young boy. Unsurprisingly, he can't bring himself to do the job and ends up inserting himself into the boy's life and befriends his family. As you might imagine, he becomes the child's defendant and has to take on his former employer and its body of expert killers to save him. Yes, that sounds like 100 other Korean action films. It sounds just like The Transporter, The Replacement Killers, The Professional, Ghost Dog and just about every other movie about a hitman ever made. But here's the thing about all 100 of those other generic Korean action films that also utilize this same set up, they're all awesome. The trailer here promises a slick, violent, and thoroughly enjoyable shoot em' up that still packs some legitimate emotion and pathos in the same vein of Bittersweet Life and The Man from Nowhere. (Greg Christie)
Broken Circle Breakdown July 19, 9:00pm & July 30, 9:30pm
We've seen plenty of films about Western Francophiles and Western Asianophiles, and even Western Anglophiles. But I've yet to see a film about Belgian Americanophiles. Just as a story of two Flemish speaking hipsters who play blue grass music while imitating/ romanticizing American cowboy and white trash culture, it's already caught my attention as something fresh and new. But one glance at the trailer and Broken Circle Breakdown appears to be the type of accomplished and powerful foreign gem that you'll only be able to catch on the festival circuit. (Greg Christie)
After the magnificence of Felix Van Groeningen’s pathos laden family farce, The Misfortunates, any thing this crazy Flemish man does is mandatory viewing. Here we have melodrama, bluegrass, non-linear structure and intimate human emotion. It is these honest emotional films buried in the Fantasia catalogue amongst the splatter films, HK actioners and Japanese weirdness that are worth seeking out. (Kurt Halfyard)
The Resurrection of a Bastard August 1, 9:30pm & August 3, 4:30pm
I can't understand a single thing that's going on in the trailer for this, but it looks intense and awesome. From the synopsis, Bastard reads like a Sexy Beast crossed with Chopper and mashed up with Down Terrace and Animal Kingdom by way of the zany hijinks of Old Men in New Cars. The early buzz on this is incredibly strong and it sounds like the type of quirky and intense foreign drama that wows festival audiences before disappearing into obscurity. Festivals exist to exhibit films such as this. (Greg Christie)
24 Exposures August 4th 7:15pm
This is already an epic Boozie Movie review in the making. 24 Exposures tells the story of a young photographer known for his erotic art that's composed of images of murdered women. When his models start popping up dead, he's thrust into a mystery with a hardened demon ridden detective with secrets of his own. I'm sure the whole thing is going to be a meta deconstruction of the erotic horror genre that dissects the many issues in relation to the fetishization of violence against women. Supposedly, the film also strives towards nostalgia by recreating the soft lit asthetique of early 90's late night Skinemax flicks and it's directed by that guy who made a film where he masturbates in the shower. I could easily be proven wrong, but as of right now, I'm expecting a train wreck well worth checking out on a heavy bender. (Greg Christie)
Library Wars July 30
Part statement by the filmmakers against censorship and part thrilling action film? All around defending books in a library? It may just be one of the craziest reasons to break out the military hardware but I'm all for this! (Andrew Mack)
Drug War July 19th, 6:40pm
Make no mistake, Drug War is a meat and potatoes police procedural. But with Johnnie To as head chef, the gravy poured over its proceedings are both sumptuous and substantive. Peppered with functional, but nuanced characters, including a pair of mute gunmen that beg for a prequel-picture to call their own, To is also able to effortlessly turn the restrictions of Mainland filmmaking (what with their specific rules as to how cops and criminals can be presented) to his advantage, escalating the drama to one of the most haunting finales of his career. (Peter Kuplowsky)
The Machine July 25 9:45 PM
I'm on the lookout for this year's thinking man's sci fi flick and Caradog James' The Machine may just be the ticket I am looking for. This pro-science and anti-war fable is about the relationship between creator and creation during a Cold War between the U.K. and China. And by golly, it has Wedge (Denis Lawson) from the original Star Wars trilogy in it! (Andrew Mack)
Sweetwater July 21, 7:00 PM
In the late 1800s, a fanatical religious leader, a renegade Sheriff, and a former prostitute collide in a blood triangle on the rugged plains of the New Mexico Territory. Those western archetypes are played with a bit of that old time scenery chewing by Ed Harris, Jason Isaacs and at the films centre, Mad Men's January Jones hellbent on revenge and armed with a pistol and a lavender corset. Sweetwater does not appear to be rewriting any of the rules in the genre, but its nice to see that filmmakers are interested in keeping the good old fashioned exploitation Western alive and kicking. (Kurt Halfyard)
Vessel July 28, 5:35pm
Vessel is a minimalist micro budget indie with an intriguing premise and a promising trailer. But, I suspect that this film could go one way or the other. A young man who may or may not be physic and he may or may not be able to communicate with extraterrestrials. Or he may or may not be crazy. It may be the next Primer or Habit, or it may be a groan inducing snore fest. But at this point in time, it's definitely piqued my interest. (Greg Christie)
Zombie Hunter July 26 11:55 PM
You hang with the Fantasia crowd in Montreal for so many years and you come to an understanding that their contribution during a screening elevates the experience. They are a mad, mad group of cinemaniacs. So though I must admit that a film like Zombie Hunter doesn't immediately shoot to the top of my list of must-sees I include it because I anticipate the experience of watching it with hundreds of blood thirsty festival goers in the middle of a hot Montreal night! Oh yeah, Danny Trejo's in it too. With an axe! (Andrew Mack)
The Grand Heist July 21, 2:10 PM
A glossy Korean period piece crime caper centered around stealing ice. What could be more simultaneously valuable and ephemeral. The other side of Korean cinema, plush popcorn munching cinematic fun that contains elements of all the genres mashed together. The Koreans are still good at this kind of bauble-cinema with fun characters, witty comedy and marvelous production design. My hopes are high for this one and you’ll find me in the front row! (Kurt Halfyard)
L'autre Monde July 27, 10pm & August 5, 5:00pm
Ultra cult icon, Richard Stanely returns with his first feature documentary in over 10 years. If you were lucky enough to pick up the collectors' edition DVD set of Dust Devil which included his two previous docs, White Darkness and Secret Glory, then you're already aware of his obsessive and eccentric Werner Herzog like sensibilities with exploring the occult. L'Autre Monde promises to be one of the most unique and singular pieces of cinema in the festival's program. And simply put, any new material from Richard Stanley is a cause for celebration. Except for his segment in The Theatre Bizarre, the less said about that, the better. Really, let's pretend that never happened. (Greg Christie)
It’s Me, It’s Me July 20, 6:55 PM
“If you loved madcap films like Survive Style 5+, Milocrorze: A Love Story and Symbol...” propositions programmer Nicolas Archambault in the Fantasia catalogue, clearly implying that It’s Me, It’s Me will be the ‘fun-crazy’ event from Japan at the festival this year. Why yes, Nicolas, I happened to like all of these rather immensely and will be there with bells on. Oh, it’s directed by Adrift in Tokyo’s Satoshi Miki? Lovely! Do I need to know the plot or anything else. Nope. See you when the lights dim. (Kurt Halfyard)
Samurai Cop July 19th 11:59pm
The Fantasia Film Festival not only curates one of the best genre film lineups in the world ever year, they also attract the most enthusiastic and down-right bonkers audience you will ever have the pleasure of joining. That audience it factor is precisely why I plan on attending this special screening of the so bad it's sublime classic Samurai Cop. I need to split my sides at the eloquence of the “telling all these sons of bitches” monologue with that crowd. I need to experience the majesty of the horny nurse scene (and all the Frank reaction shots within) and the wall of joy that will wash over the screen from the denizens of Fantasia. And thanks to the HD restoration that is being presented, I also need to see all the gross hair follicles on the titular heroes head, which Crime Boss Fujiyama really wants on his piano. (Peter Kuplowsky)
Metro Manila August 1st, 10:00 PM
As Twitch's resident booster of photographer turned filmmaker, Sean Ellis (Cashback, The Broken) I would be remiss in not mentioning his Requiem For A Dream-ish looking blend of crime film and human drama made with a Philippines cast and crew in Tagalog. Metro Manila won the Audience award at Sundance, and the remake rights have already been purchased, but here is your chance to see the original with an audience. (Kurt Halfyard)