Fantasia Film Festival

[Philosophe_rouge]

For those who are unaware, The Fantasia Film Festival is the premiere genre film festival in North America. It's also one of the longest. Running at just under three weeks, the festival packs over 100 feature premieres, as well as bonus shows, retrospectives and special events. In it's fourteenth year, Fantasia has become the premiere film festival of Montreal, and continues to be one of the most daring film festival of it's size. Unafraid to push boundaries, they continually put on films that no other festival will.

This will be my second year attending and I plan to take as much advantage of the films they have to offer as possible.

I will not only be listing my thoughts on the film's here, but discussing trailers, shorts, and events. I will also delve into the film's of last year, because I wasn't really forthcoming at the time. I am providing the schedule HERE (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/schedule.php), and am open to suggestions.

I have my tickets for the following shows, may or may not add a few... though this is already a ton. I'm seeing my first film tomorrow.

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Mai Mai Miracle (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=26)
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I Spit on your Grave (2010) (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=153)
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Possessed (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=52)
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Heartless (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=421)
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Feast of the Assumption: BTK and the Otero Family Murders (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=111)
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A Serbian Film (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=148)
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Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=34)
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The Land Before Time (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=99)
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Bodyguards and Assasins (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=23)
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Saving Grace (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=401)
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The Devils (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=306)
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La Meute (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=384)
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[rec] 2 (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=3)
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Red, White and Blue (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=5)
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The Violent Kind (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=277)
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Centurion (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=208)
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The Last Exorcism (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=375)
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Deliver Us from Evil (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=62)
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Dream Home (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=285)
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The Loved Ones (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=63)
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Summer Wars (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=14)
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Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=420)

[[ETM]]

My girlfriend has seen A Serbian Film and from what she told me the (p)review on the Fantasia website does a really good job describing it. She said "I think every single member of that audience went home silently and hugged their loved ones." Her sister was actually offered the main female role first, but she declined, in part because of how her family reacted to the script. I'm really glad she didn't do it.:|

[Philosophe_rouge]

;271552']My girlfriend has seen A Serbian Film and from what she told me the (p)review on the Fantasia website does a really good job describing it. She said "I think every single member of that audience went home silently and hugged their loved ones." Her sister was actually offered the main female role first, but she declined, in part because of how her family reacted to the script. I'm really glad she didn't do it.:|
I don't actually know what's so upsetting about it, but everyone I know who knows what happens says it's something that you can't un-know :/ I'm not sure how I feel about that. I don't deal very well with that kind of content.

[[ETM]]

I don't actually know what's so upsetting about it, but everyone I know who knows what happens says it's something that you can't un-know :/ I'm not sure how I feel about that. I don't deal very well with that kind of content.

Well, I don't think I ever want to see it. I'm not even close to the target audience, though. Never been a fan of either horror or exploitation films.

[Philosophe_rouge]

;271556']Well, I don't think I ever want to see it. I'm not even close to the target audience, though. Never been a fan of either horror or exploitation films.
I like horror and exploitation (well sexploitation), but not in the broadest sense. I'd never want to see a movie like The Human Centipede, and have little interest in torture or gore films.

[[ETM]]

I like horror and exploitation (well sexploitation), but not in the broadest sense. I'd never want to see a movie like The Human Centipede, and have little interest in torture or gore films.

From what I can tell, it's neither torture porn or a gore film. It's not what's shown, but how you feel about it that matters. In that sense it's justified.

[Philosophe_rouge]

;271574']From what I can tell, it's neither torture porn or a gore film. It's not what's shown, but how you feel about it that matters. In that sense it's justified.
My interest is piqued, though I am a teeny bit scared :P

[[ETM]]

My interest is piqued, though I am a teeny bit scared :P

I'm thinking it's a film that has a different effect on men. I'm really hoping there'll be guys going into it expecting perverse sex acts and violence, because I predict they will come out of it half-neutered. At the very least they won't look at porn for a good while.:P

[Philosophe_rouge]

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Mai Mai Miracle

This festival has already started on a better foot than last. My first film last year (and my first Fantasia film ever) was Ki-duk Kim's Dream, a movie that really really sucked. Today is the third day of the festival, but nothing until now has really interested me. I decided to take my little sister to see an anime film she hasn't seen, hoping I'd enjoy it too. Mai Mai Miracle is hardly revolutionary, and borrows heavily from Miyazaki, especially My Neighbour Totoro, however it is also done with a huge amount of care and love that it's easy to forget how derivative it is. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come, and most films will be as good, if not better than this one. A full review will be posted on Sound on Sight within 24 hours.

[Watashi]

The Land Before Time. :pritch:

[Philosophe_rouge]

The Land Before Time. :pritch:
Yea, I'm excited! I haven't seen it since I was a kid. I recently watched The Secret of the NIMH for the first time and it rocked ma sockz.

[Grouchy]

Surprised you haven't picked Air Doll to see.

And The Devils is awesome as you'll find out.

[MacGuffin]

Does this mean that The Devils--a film I've heard so much about for years--finally has a new print and is getting a home release?

[Philosophe_rouge]

Does this mean that The Devils--a film I've heard so much about for years--finally has a new print and is getting a home release?
I hope so. I've already seen it, though the print really sucked.


Surprised you haven't picked Air Doll to see.

And The Devils is awesome as you'll find out.
Yea, I really wanted to see it, but I needed to get a replacement for work and by the time I made that work, the film was sold out! I have it on my computer... I guess that will have to do.

It's so awesome, I'm paying to see it even though I already have.

[Philosophe_rouge]

Also, I reviewed my schedule and will be adding a few more viewings. I still have to pick up the tickets, so it's not set in stone;

Fish Story
The Naked Kitchen
High School
Symbol
A Holy Place
A Perfect Host

[Philosophe_rouge]

Review of Mai Mai Miracle (http://www.soundonsight.org/fantasia-2010-mai-mai-miracle/)

Working on something like a review for I Spit on your Grave. If I can say anything, it didn't tone done what they set to do at all. Apparently when presenting the film to the MPAA they suggested no less than 100 cuts for them to get the R rating, and I am not surprised in the least. They have decided to release it unrated, and it will likely come to a very select number of theatres in October. There was an interview/question period afterward with the director of the original, the director of the new film, the star Sarah Butler, and the producer, Lisa M. Hansen. It was probably the strangest q&a I've attended, and quite uncomfortable. The director of the original film was either slightly drunk, slightly insane or slightly senile. He hogged most of the discussion, and though his enthuasism and knowledge was somewhat endearing, it woud have been nice to hear from the other people on the panel. Within the first three minutes of the panel, a somewhat unhinged member of the audience walked right up to the cast/crew and started verbally attacking them for ruining the sanctity of the original. He drifted from being a very passionate fan of the original film, to someone who could potentially be dangerous. I don't think the audience did much to help as they antagonized him quite viciously. Security was called in, but he left on his own accord. Someone fainted at the screening as well.

[Grouchy]

It's so awesome, I'm paying to see it even though I already have.
Good man.

As for I Spit on Your Grave, sounds like a fun time at the movies.

[KK2.0]

that summary of The Devils is high on hyperbole but at the same time it hyped me to infinity, now i'm crossing fingers that this print will be shown at my local festival.

they brought a restored print of Salo a few years back and that was a fun time at the movies. :D

[Philosophe_rouge]

Review of I Spit on your Grave (http://houseofmirthandmovies.com/2010/07/13/fantasia-2010-i-spit-on-your-grave-monroe-2010/)

[Llopin]

Films I would recommend:

Air Doll: even if it's Kore-eda gone all hip and poppy, it's still a solid movie. It shouldn't go as long as it does, but the darker undertones make up for it. Let's just say it takes an easy premise - and a more-than-obvious message - and doesn't play it that safe.
Deliver Us From Evil: intense swedish flick in which a bunch of dudes go berserk and siege some poor bastard's house. Simple, straight, but also quite pleasing. Not a great flick by any means, yet entertaining. Also, Leni from eurotrash band Aqua stars!
The Human Centipede: blah bluh gross lol.
Summer Wars: this one tries to be a Ghibliesque fable. It's not as inspired as The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, but delivers.
Symbol: this one's excellent. A must-see. Deeply humorous and touching, full of ideas. Matsumoto turns a simple scenario into a cerebral feast. Better than Big Man Japan.
Wasn't much of a fan of Heartless, but some really enjoy it.

Also, be sure to catch The Housemaid (seminal 60s korean film) or Shindo's Kuroneko if you haven't seen them yet.

[Stay Puft]

Symbol: this one's excellent. A must-see. Deeply humorous and touching, full of ideas. Matsumoto turns a simple scenario into a cerebral feast. Better than Big Man Japan.

Agreed!

Symbol was one of my favorite films from TIFF last year. I loved it. I'm already a Matsumoto fan, and yeah, I think this one is an improvement over Big Man Japan. A much better film. I was laughing start to finish.

Heist was asking for Fantasia Film Fest recommendations a few days ago on RT, and I recommended Symbol. I would recommend it to everybody. It's a great film for a large audience theatre viewing.

[Grouchy]

Also, be sure to catch The Housemaid (seminal 60s korean film)
Ah yes, this one's worth seeing. It's almost an extended Tales From the Crypt episode, but Korean and made in the '60s.

[number8]

Dude, I saw Possessed at Tribeca. It is freaking terrible.

[Raiders]

Greatly anticipating your thoughts on Heartless. I didn't know Ridley had made a new film; I love The Reflecting Skin.

[Philosophe_rouge]

Greatly anticipating your thoughts on Heartless. I didn't know Ridley had made a new film; I love The Reflecting Skin.
Heartless was pretty terrible. I haven't seen REflecting Skin, but a few of the people I went with did, and agreed. Working on a review.


Dude, I saw Possessed at Tribeca. It is freaking terrible.
I didn't think it was all that bad, but it really digs it's own grave.

[number8]

I didn't think it was all that bad, but it really digs it's own grave.

Well, it started out so promisingly, like a can of Diet Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Then it got increasingly mind-numbingly stupid.

[Boner M]

Anticipating your thoughts on The Loved Ones. It's a fun sick-joke of a film, great to see w/ a rowdy crowd.

[Philosophe_rouge]

Well, it started out so promisingly, like a can of Diet Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Then it got increasingly mind-numbingly stupid.
Pretty much.


Anticipating your thoughts on The Loved Ones. It's a fun sick-joke of a film, great to see w/ a rowdy crowd.
Everyone I know seems to say the same thing. One of my friends said it was their favourite at TIFF.

[Philosophe_rouge]

So, A Serbian Film is terrible. Not just in the fact that it's one of the grossest, most disturbing things I've ever seen... but because it's all so obvious and meaningless. The filmmakers talked after the screening, what pseudo-bullshit they were spouting. I am not just saying this because I was offended by the film, they just came across as juvenile.

[[ETM]]

Haha, that's actually good to hear. I don't want anyone to make something like that again. I'm thinking the pseudo-bullshit makes sense if you're from these parts and carry all the frustrations and anger and humiliation inside (hence the reactions I told you about) but I have always wondered if it would work for "outsiders" in any meaningful way...

[Philosophe_rouge]

;273571']Haha, that's actually good to hear. I don't want anyone to make something like that again. I'm thinking the pseudo-bullshit makes sense if you're from these parts and carry all the frustrations and anger and humiliation inside (hence the reactions I told you about) but I have always wondered if it would work for "outsiders" in any meaningful way...
I think it does work for outsiders. Some of the audience reactions actually scared me more than the film. I'm not sure it had quite the desired effect on everyone in the audience, some scenes illicit laughter and cheering... which disturbs me. During the question period, there were actually very few people who expressed dislike, most commentators were resoundingly positive. I can understand what the film was aiming for, but personally, I feel they explored it in very obvious ways. They were rarely even presenting ideas, but rather statements about our existence that most mopey teenagers scrawl on their notebooks. I also find it ironic that they have a huge amount of disdain for most European "art" directors, who create films about victims, because this film is not only about characters and innocents who are victimized. Perhaps the point is to inspire in the audience a sense that they have been psychologically "raped", and instead of walking away from a film about people being exploited with a misplaced sense of satisfaction and superiority, they walk out feeling like absolutely shit. I still don't think their ideas are explored in such a way that "justifies" some of the boundaries they push. I just don't think it's very good. If I have to say one good thing about it though, the lead actor is spectacular, I'd watch his other films.

[Philosophe_rouge]

Though I've always liked The Devils, rewatching it tonight was a revelation. Somehow jumped up very high in my regards, easily among my favourites. It is just SOOO damned good.

[Philosophe_rouge]

I am behind. Quick update; Centurion is unfortunately meh, The Last Exorcism is a very pleasant surprise.