Remember on the Montreal Comiccon post that I said I couldn’t make it to the rest of the weekend. Well, Sunday had other plans but Saturday ended up being cancelled for me because Fantasia Festival tickets went on sale!
As some of you know, I’ve been going to Fantasia for the last three consecutive years. The last two years have seen the festival grow so much as it acquires these really great movies, mostly indie films but a lot of difference from the mainstream since I tend to avoid those. Its opened up my knowledge to so much. Every year, Fantasia Festival is where I feel like I grow a lot as a movie reviewer. Every year there are surprises and I just have so much fun anticipating the schedule going up then looking at the selections and putting together the schedule and still freaking out before the tickets are open whether I’d get them before they all get snatched up.
I think maybe I skipped putting up this post last year but somehow, I felt like doing it again this year since the choices are pretty spectacular and I had one of the hardest times choosing what I wanted to see while keeping a sensible schedule. Thing is, these three weeks will see a lot of fluctuation despite having a tentative schedule set and trying to prepare for it in this coming week before it starts with the first movie I have scheduled. Its a three week event that includes a lot of late nights and fatigue and sometimes, I might skip a day or two of reviews (or posts) to recuperate or to think about what I’m going to write.
Point is, things might fall out of place here and there but I think I have a rather decent schedule that should help with everything. I have a lot of stuff backlogged and half written but will all be hopefully done by the time we hit the super high season in my schedule.
You know what? Enough rambling! You are all here to see my selections, right? Let’s check it out!!
Rupture [World Premiere]
Hosted by director Steven Shainberg
The Unseen [World Premiere]
Hosted by director Geoff Redknap
http://video-cdn.indiewire.com/players/JMnCBzmT-PbCxl3wn.html
Lights Out [Special Screening]
We Go On
Hosted by screenwriter/co-director Andy Mitton and actor Jay Dunn
Kidnap Capital
Hosted by director Felipe Rodriguez
Train to Busan [North American Premiere]
Before I Wake [Special Screening]
Hosted by director Mike Flanagan
Bed of the Dead [World Premiere]
Hosted by director Jeff Maher and members of cast and crew
I Am Not a Serial Killer
Hosted by actor Christopher Lloyd
Don’t Breathe
There was a lot of choices that I had to give up and I think the hardest ones that were on my list initially was: Trash Fire, Abbatoir and Therapy.
While Fantasia had a lot of variety this year from a lot of Westerns to even more foreign movie variety to dramas and comedies and the likes, this festival (at least to me) is still rooted in horror and fantasy sort of movies. I always try to support a few Canadian productions because they usually are underrated and hidden gems buried in there. Its why Black Fawn Films (Bite, The Drownsman) is one I always check out even if it means I need to shift my schedule around. This year, they are here with Bed of the Dead and I’m pretty excited. The Canadian selection is The Unseen which only has that one exclusive trailer but the plot looks so great.
Also, I love choosing world premieres and to go to hosted movies because it offers an insight on the movie and helps me determine whether the message was delivered or whether I interpreted it as they had intended (or not, if it was meant to be abstract). This year, the hosts are incredible from Christopher Lloyd and Mike Flanagan from my own list to Richard Bates Jr and AnnaLynne McCord to Takashi Miike and also Guillermo Del Toro with his masters class after a documentary. On top of that, Special screenings for Lights Out and Before I Wake have got me super hyped. Between you and me, I’ve been spooked by the Lights Out trailers for a few days. And well, the really cool premise of Don’t Breathe, especially after watching Hush.
That’s it for me! I’m just excited! Next year, I really should work on trying to get that Press accreditation.
Are you going to Fantasia Festival? What movies have caught your eye? Any film festivals near you?
Tranquil Dreams 