In the span of three and a half days at Fantastic Fest this year, I saw eleven films. That might not seem like much, but when you are covering the fest, writing reviews and interviewing talent, you run out of time real quick. To say that going to bed at 4:30 AM became the norm is an understatement. All that aside, I really want to tell you about the best film that played at the Fest this year – or at least my favorite. That honor goes to an ’80s era slasher send-up called You Might Be the Killer. Check out my review here. I was so taken with the…
-
-
[Fantastic Fest Interview]…Director Jim Hosking and Co-Writer David Wike on the Absurd Hilarity in ‘An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn’
In 2014, we spoke with Jim Hosking about his segment ‘G is for Grandad‘ in ABCs of Death 2 (check out that interview here). It was a brief glimpse into his mad style before he began work on the now divisive film The Greasy Strangler. Our good buddy Bryan Kluger (who runs BoomstickComics.com) loved it, so after thoroughly enjoying Hosking’s latest, the hilarious An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn, we had to partner up on an interview while Hosking and co-writer David Wike were in town at Fantastic Fest this year. It was just as odd and fun as their film. Enjoy!! An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn is written/directed by…
-
[Fantastic Fest Interview]…Director Adesh Prasad and Composer Jesper Kyd on ‘Tumbbad’
In the rural village of Tumbbad, young Vinayak has heard the stories of an ancient fortune held by his family for years, but is warned against attempting to attain the treasure lest he fall victim to the demon who guards it. He instead cares for his great-grandmother, a decrepit crone who must remain sated or her appetites might just claim them all. When she dies and he inherits the treasures housed inside a decaying estate, Vinayak discovers that they are not exactly what he expected, but instead an endless bounty protected by a vengeful and ravenous fallen god. While at Fantastic Fest 2018, we sat down with writer-director Adesh Prasad…
-
[Fantastic Fest Review]…Level 16
In Level 16, director Danishka Esterhazy offers a lot of pointed social commentary in her film about a group young women being prepared for adulthood. There’s a gripping surface-level narrative unfolding, but beyond the literal plot points, Esterhazy also presents the audience with lots more to ponder. The film finds the above-mentioned adolescent females being raised in a questionable institution. You can’t call it a school, because there are no windows, odd concepts of time, and the girls have little to no knowledge of the world. From frame one, there’s something or rotten in Denmark, or what seems like the former Soviet Union. The girls just don’t know what they…
-
[Fantastic Fest Review]…The Perfection
From director Richard Shepard (Dom Hemingway, The Matador) comes a psychological horror film that feels extremely current yet also exists as a throwback. In the film, a former cello prodigy (Allison Williams) seeks out both her mentor (Steven Weber) and his new star pupil (Logan Browning) with enigmatic intent in this twisty and undeniably warped nail-biter. But this is far from a straight-forward thriller. One of the reasons is Shepard who really likes breaking up a story into distinct chapters and, in the case of The Perfection, the story is all about misdirection. He is somewhat able to explore different genres in tandem with the main plot. The result of…
-
[Fantastic Fest Review]…An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn
Director Jim Hosking, and co-writer David Wike craft a surreal experience in the form of An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn. From the start, it’s an odd movie, and one that feels like you’re watching alien lifeforms try to emulate humans. But it is hilarious! It’s an exercise in stretching a joke, and that’s what Hosking does so well. He also takes what’s real and morphs it just enough to turn actors, every one of them, into cartoons. For instance, Emile Hirsch‘s delivery always ends in overlong stares, or strained, exaggerated smiles. And in a few sequences, he believes that by donning a blond pixie-cut wig (meant for a girl) and…
-
[Fantastic Fest Review]…You Might Be the Killer
On Thursday, September 20, David Gordon Green’s Halloween kicked off Fantastic Fest 2018. While that was a very fitting way to start one of the world’s largest genre film festivals, it wasn’t the first feature I saw this year (thank you press screening room!). And, truth be told, You Might Be the Killer is actually a film better suited to usher in the 14th year of this glorious festival. It’s more representative of what a genre film is, and one that has been lovingly constructed by cherry-picking elements of seminal slashers to offer something funny, fresh, reverent and thoroughly enjoyable. And it’s all based on this brilliant Twitter exchange between Sam Sykes and Chuck Wendig.…
-
Interview…Aussie Director Shane Abbess on the Nostalgic and Collaborative Framework Behind ‘The Osiris Child’
It’s been almost one full year since Shane Abbess’ Science Fiction Volume One: The Osiris Child made its world premiere at Fantastic Fest late September 2016. Whether there was something in the air at the fest, or simply the joy of seeing this retro styled sci-fi spectacle on the big screen among hundreds of genre fans, I can’t tell. But I loved Abbess’ film (check out our glowing review here), and when I say that, when the film ended, I was screaming for more, that’s not some witty outro – I was literally screaming for more. And if you love ’80s inspired action epics, and ones that have a great story and…
-
G-S-T Review…The Osiris Child: Science Fiction Volume One
Editor’s Note: This review has been republished. It originally posted with the rest of our reviews and coverage at Fantastic Fest last September. Seemingly from outer space (Australia, really) comes The Osiris Child: Science Fiction Volume One. This lost ’80s era space opera is a breath of fresh air that comes at a time when one doesn’t see this kind of film too often. Furthermore, it’s not of the post-apocalyptic variety, which also adds a refreshing angle. What starts as a slow build, Shane Abbess‘ stellar and ambitious sci-fi gem quickly picks up speed and never looks back. Abbess’ feature has many strengths, and right out of the gates the visuals simply sing with a slick and refined production design.…
-
Video Interview…Nacho Vigalondo On the Large and Small Themes of ‘Colossal’
For years, Fantastic Fest has been a venue for independent and auteur filmmakers to showcase their latest features. 2016 was no different, as we saw stellar debut efforts from some talented directors (Nicolas Pesce for instance) and welcomed back friends of the Fest. Chief among them is a genre filmmaker so famous and beloved, he has been dubbed the unofficial mascot of Fantastic Fest. I’m not sure that anyone ever sets out to be a “mascot”, but Nacho Vigalondo is happy to oblige…he’s even gotten two themed tattoos while at the Fest if that tells you anything. Vigalondo’s style has endeared himself to many a genre fan, but he’s also…
