Its Fantasia Time!
Its FANTASIA TIME!
ITS FANTASIA TIME!
Yes, its time for all good cinema lovers to get excited as the always magnificent Fantasia hits theater screens in Montreal starting July 14 and runs all the way to August 3. Its two plus weeks of the best genre films from around the world in one place.
I freaking love the festival. Its one of the absolute must cover festivals for me simply because it has so many great films. It’s the place where all the big films cross. You are either getting to see films you’ve been jonesing for months (SHIN ULTRAMAN) or it’s the place where the next big film is going launch and you'll get to see it before everyone else. It’s a fest that get priority over everything else that’s going on around me..
This is the fest that feeds me the great cinematic soul food I love. Every year I get to see some of the most amazing things in the world. I mean last year I saw MAD GOD which is one of the greatest films ever made.
One of the joys of Fantasia is they show so many films, both new and old that even if you’ve seen say, 36 of the titles you still have the equivalent to two or three other festivals full of films to try and get through. There is so many film playing that once more we will be sharing coverage with Liz Whittemore and Reel News Daily because despite seeing the following films there is so many more to go:
COW WHO SANG A SONG INTO THE FUTURE
FINAL CUT aka COUPEZ! (the remake of One Cut of the Dead)
DEADLY SPAWN
DEADSTREAM
HONEYCOMB
HUESERA
HYPOCHONDRIAC and Liz's take
IL DEMONIA
LEGIONS
YOUR HOUSEPLANTS ARE SCREAMING
LYNCH OZ
NEXT EXIT and Liz's take
TALE OF THE PARTY POOPER
ONE FOR THE ROAD
PEZ OUTLAW
PIGGY
PRINCESS DRAGON
SIRENS
SISSY
SPEAK NO EVIL and Liz's take
THE PASS LAST DAYS OF THE SAMURAI
WE MIGHT AS WELL ALL BE DEAD
Fantasia is premiering a number of restorations that you should keep an eye out for. Because I’m too lazy to track down the previous reviews at a previous sites I've written for (or because they aren't coming up here at Unseen) I’m going to give you a couple of quick notes
BLUE SUNSHINE- was a film that wigged my mom out. Made in 1977 when the war on drugs was in full bloom. The story of a drug turning people psychotic wigged her out since people around here were worried about people dosing things with LSD. It also fed into the fear that her generation had about supposedly good medications is bad which was instilled in them due to the tthalidomide children. Seeing the film recently the film’s power was increased thanks to big pharma’s documented disregard for the public. Its scary film that has proved to be way ahead of the curve.
HARDBOILED- John Woo’s masterpiece is a must see. This crazy ass action film influenced thousands of filmmakers and delighted millions more. How can you not love a film that ends with Chow Yun Fat in never ending fire fight with a baby in his arms?
HAROLD AND MAUDE- Harold is a twenty something obsessed with death who falls madly in love with 80 year old Maude. Can a woman looking at death make a sad young man fall in love with life- Oh hell yea. Wonderfully dark comedy is certain to put a smile on your face.
HEROIC TRIO- Johnnie To’s action epic stars Anita Mui, Michelle Yeoh and Maggie Cheung as a kick ass team of superheroic women. Sure the plot makes no sense but the action soars and it’s the reason you need to see this film.
DR LAMB- sick twisted gross out horror film is a delight for those with a strong stomach. It’s one of the legendary Category 3 films that hasn’t hasn’t lost any of it’s power to shock. Belt in kiddies your going to be getting ill.
FACE OFF John Travola and Nic Cage are on opposite sides of the law and they swap faces. John Woo over the top madness aided and abetted by two of Hollywood’s craziest actors. While I’m in the minority regarding this film (I think its stupid) most of my friends love it to death because its so crazy. If you’ve never seen it you need to at least try it.
SHRIEK OF THE MUTILATED is a legendary 1970’s drive in staple that was lensed in New York State. Its the story of a group of college kids going to investigate reports of a bigfoot like creature in the mountains not far from NYC. Of course they find more then they expect. It’s a neat little film best seen in a theater full of fright fans.
VISTING HOURS is a bloody Canadian shot horror film that back in the day had many people poopooing the fact that big stars ( Lee Grant and William Shatner) were slumming in a “slasher film”. People missed the fact that the film was actually a solid little chiller unlike the slasher films it was grouped with. If you’ve never seen it or only seen it in the poor home video versions that have been floating around for the past 40 years here’s a chance to see it as it should be seen
We will have cross festival posts with the New York Asian Film Festival for CONFESSION, KILLER, SHIN ULTRA MAN, ONE AND FOUR, LEGENDARY IN ACTION
And I'm sure there will be more- but for now go to the website and buy some tickets
For more information and tickets go here
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