 | I present to you 11 films we are really looking forward to at this years Fantasia Film Festival. In no particular order. |
It's that time of year again. Fantasia film fest is once again upon us. Every year a ton of great films are premiered at this festival. With so many amazing movies to look into, it's hard to touch on all of them. Here we have highlighted some of the main ones that really caught our eye.
All Jacked Up and Full of Worms
Director: Alex Phillips
Synopsis
“I think I just killed my own childhood.” Roscoe (Phillip Andre Botello) has just had a breakthrough but he’s stuck, stuck in the depth of his body, stuck inside a crummy apartment with his soul-searching and energy-transferring girlfriend Samantha (Betsey Brown) and his buddy Jared (Noah Lepawsky). He needs fresh air, he needs to go out and meets Benny (Trevor Dawkins) along the way. Benny has a dick, Benny wants to fuck, Benny really wants a baby and instead finds sex worker Henrietta (Eva Fellows) with her shiny metal box of… worms.
Why we're excited: How can you not be interested with a synopsis and title like that? Plus being described as inspired by Frank Hennenlotter, who we love here at 22 shots. This film is sure to be very interesting if nothing else.
Synopsis
“I think I just killed my own childhood.” Roscoe (Phillip Andre Botello) has just had a breakthrough but he’s stuck, stuck in the depth of his body, stuck inside a crummy apartment with his soul-searching and energy-transferring girlfriend Samantha (Betsey Brown) and his buddy Jared (Noah Lepawsky). He needs fresh air, he needs to go out and meets Benny (Trevor Dawkins) along the way. Benny has a dick, Benny wants to fuck, Benny really wants a baby and instead finds sex worker Henrietta (Eva Fellows) with her shiny metal box of… worms.
Why we're excited: How can you not be interested with a synopsis and title like that? Plus being described as inspired by Frank Hennenlotter, who we love here at 22 shots. This film is sure to be very interesting if nothing else.
Piggy
Director: Carlota Pereda
Synopsis: Set in a rural Spanish town, PIGGY tells the story of Sara (Laura Galán), an overweight teen living in an overbearing family environment and dealing with incessant bullying. Her physical appearance and the fact that her parents are butchers has cursed her with the titular nickname coined by some local girls. On a hot summer day, a mysterious stranger happens to be present when Sara starts to get harassed at the pool, nearly drowning, and is forced to run home wearing nothing but her bikini. She is suddenly faced with a choice, one that’s easy to make in the moment, but that ultimately gets her caught up in a whirlwind of troublesome events.
Why we're excited: This film looks to be a coming-of-age flick that tackles the issue of bullying in a sinister way. The mixing of coming-of-age elements with the horror genre is something we at 22 shots are always interested in.
Why we're excited: This film looks to be a coming-of-age flick that tackles the issue of bullying in a sinister way. The mixing of coming-of-age elements with the horror genre is something we at 22 shots are always interested in.
Dark Glasses
Director: Dario Argento
Synopsis: For high-end sex worker Diana (Ilenia Pastorelli, THEY CALL ME JEEG), being blinded in a car accident is just the beginning of her trauma. The white-van-driving psychopath who caused the crash, and has already murdered another call girl, is out to finish the job, relentlessly stalking Diana through Rome and its outskirts. And because she’s been harboring Chin (Xinyu Zhang), a young boy whose parents were also victims of that accident, Diana can’t go to the cops, who suspect her of kidnapping the child. So she and Chin have only each other to depend on as they flee through the night, trying to stay one step ahead of the maniac and facing other perils along the way.
Why we're excited: Excitement revolving around this one can be summed up easily: Dario Argento! Dario Argento is an absolute master of horror who has brought us a plethora of classic horror flicks in the past. It is always amazing to see new work from one of the all time greats, especially at the age of 81. Hats off to one of my all time favorite filmakers.
Bodies Bodies Bodies
Director: Halina Reijn
Synopsis: It’s not the end of the world as we know it, just a violent storm approaching, and at first, Sophie (Amandla Stenberg) and her friends are feeling fine. They’re taking a break (though not really) from lives lived online to gather for a sex-drugs-and-rock-’n’-roll “hurricane party” at a middle-of-nowhere mansion owned by the father of the debauched David (Pete Davidson). Sophie has brought along her new girlfriend Bee (Maria Bakalova), whose apparent innocence makes her out of place in this nest of kidding-but-maybe-not-really toxicity. Then a game of Bodies Bodies Bodies gives way to an actual body count, and amidst the gory demises, the question becomes whether the survivors can let go of their animosity, determine who the real villain is, and make it through the night alive.
Why we're excited: This movie looks like a fun whodunit that mixes humor and terror cleverly throughout. There are also tones of meta within the trailer which is always a cool plus in modern horror. Also it's A24 who rarely disappoint.
Why we're excited: This movie looks like a fun whodunit that mixes humor and terror cleverly throughout. There are also tones of meta within the trailer which is always a cool plus in modern horror. Also it's A24 who rarely disappoint.
Employee Of the Month
Director: Véronique Jadin
Synopsis: What does a lifetime of service get you? That's what Inès (Jasmina Douieb) wants to find out. As the long-time office manager for EcoCleanPro Cleaning Supplies, she's the only woman on staff in this very sexist office. She does whatever it takes to keep things running – even if it means replacing toilet paper her male coworkers can't seem to do themselves. After the regional manager's visit reveals abysmal numbers in gender pay equity at EcoCleanPro, Inès wants her dedication to pay off with a raise. Unfortunately, her request is rejected by her incompetent boss Patrick (Peter Van den Begin) and, fueled by the unfairness and under the watchful eye of Melody (Laetitia Mampaka), the new intern, Inès redoubles her efforts for compensation. When her history with Patrick rears its ugly head and leads to an accident, all hell breaks loose, and the two women must combine troubleshooting skills for possibly the biggest mess of their lives.
Why we're excited: This one looks to be a dark comedy with lots of heart behind it. There is also a clear message of sexism in the workplace involving women that will be interesting to watch unfold. Just by watching the trailer alone, there were some laugh out loud bits that leave us at 22 shots craving more.
La Pietà (Piedad)
Director: Eduardo Casanova
Synopsis:With its Pepto Bismal-coloured walls and soft-lightning, Eduardo Casanova's latest presents a toxic relationship between a mother and son. The overtly composed shots and hyperreal colour schemes allude to a world of elaborate bubblegum fantasies in the style of MGM musicals and telenovelas. Still, the pitch-perfect world quickly gives way to the grotesque. Sitting across from each other in a perfectly symmetrical shot, Libertad (the great Ángela Molina, frequent Almodovar collaborator who also played one of the Conchitas in Bunuel's swan song, THAT OBSCURE OBJECT OF DESIRE) questions her son, Mateo (Manel Llunell) about his bowel movements. As the scene devolves, both projectile vomit across the room, an incident that will lead up to a cancer diagnosis and Libertad's already stringent grasp coiling ever tighter around the freedom of her adult son.
Why we're excited: Based off the trailer, this looks like an absolutely insane arthouse film with a lot to offer. Arthouse flicks are always a good time and this one looks like it’s sure to stay in viewers’ minds for days after.
Sissy
Directors: Barlow Hannah, Senes Kane
Synopsis: Cecelia (a terrific Aisha Dee, CHANNEL ZERO) is a super popular influencer with legions of followers hanging on her every online word as she gives out daily self-help guidance for healthier living. She wasn’t always this confident. In her childhood, Cecelia went by the name of “Sissy”, and was mercilessly taunted by one particular bully to such an extent that she eventually became an outcast. She’s 12 years past that now. A better version of herself. Stronger. Self-aware. In control. Until a chance encounter with her long-ago best friend, Emma (co-director Hannah Barlow), sees her invited to a getaway bachelorette weekend. People from her childhood will be there, bully included. Terrible, long-suppressed emotions are about to explode her past into her present, forcing a collision between the person she once was with the identity she’s worked so hard to develop. There will be nowhere to hide. For her. For everyone.
Why we’re excited: With influencers being such a relevant topic these days it’s interesting to see how they are integrated into modern day horror.
Hypochondriac
Director: Addison Heimann
Synopsis: Back when Will was 12, his mentally ill mother (Marlene Forte) tried to kill him and was subsequently put away. Eighteen years later, Will (Zach Villa) says he has cured himself of any past traumas and has a happy life with boyfriend Luke (Devon Graye). Then packages begin showing up from his mom, containing disturbing and paranoid tape-recorded messages, and Will begins seeing things and feeling sick. Doctors keep telling him he’s physically fine, just stressed out, but as his mind continues to deteriorate, he fears he’s following in his mother’s footsteps and becoming a danger to others. Fleeing from one potential haven to another, Will may not be able to escape the familial demon grabbing an ever stronger hold of his psyche.
Why we’re excited: This years Fantasia has quite a few queer horror films (Which we are thrilled to see) and this one looks to be one of the most impressive of the bunch. The trailer looks like a nice blend of psychological horror and body horror that will surely get under our skin.
Resurrection
Director: Andrew Semans
Synopsis: Margaret (Rebecca Hall), a pharmaceutical executive raising her teenage daughter Abbie (Grace Kaufman) alone, seems to have a well-ordered life. Then one day, the mere sight of a familiar face causes her to freak out. David (Tim Roth) doesn’t do anything overtly menacing—he simply shows up at the places she goes, throwing her sense of safety completely out of whack. Clearly, David had a damaging, destabilizing role in Margaret’s past, and as it is revealed, he worms his way into Margaret’s headspace all over again—preying particularly on her motherly instincts in truly disturbing ways. Her life is no longer her own, and her downward spiral will lead Margaret to the darkest depths a human soul can go.
Why we're excited: Rebecca Hall has proven to be a phenomenal actress with her captivating performance in The Night House this past year so we are expecting nothing less with this feature.
Glorious
Director: Rebekah McKendry
Synopsis: When you gotta go, you gotta go. Exactly where you're going is another matter. That's definitely the case for the heartbroken Wes (Ryan Kwanten), who has pulled over at a roadside rest stop to figure out his next move in life. A night of solo drunken revelry leaves Wes with a massive hangover and a serious need to puke, so into the scuzzy restroom he goes before he hits the road. But whoever's in the next stall (J.K. Simmons!) has a few questions for Wes. And very few answers. But what they do tell Wes is that he's about to become someone very important, but he can't leave this bathroom and he's going to have to make a big, big sacrifice. Glorious? Maybe not.
Why we’re excited – Rebekah McKendry is well known in the horror podcasting landscape so we are always interested to see what she’s up to.
Deadstream
Directors: Joseph Winter, Vanessa Winter
Synopsis: It’s been six months since Shawn Ruddy (Joseph Winter) pulled a stunt on his “Wrath of Shawn” livestream that got him in legal trouble and cost him his sponsors. Now he’s aiming to make a comeback by outfitting himself with all manner of camera and computer gear, and locking himself in the haunted Pratt House for a night. The place has a tragic history involving suicide and murder, and we watch through his assorted lenses as he makes his way through the spooky rooms, waiting for something ghostly to occur. But he’s not prepared for what will happen when he finds out he’s not alone in the old place, and the house’s awful past comes back to torment him.
Why we’re excited: With comparisons to such classics as The Blair Witch Project and The Evil Dead, it is hard not to be excited for this one. Found footage is a genre we have come to love over the years and can’t get enough of. This one seems like an interesting take on the genre.
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