FANtastic FanTasia, Montreal’s little genre film festival that could, has just ended. Fourteen years old and bigger and better than ever, FanTasia is an ecclectic mix of Asian films and horror/dark fantasy/fantasy/science fiction films with many a combination of both, shown over three weeks. All in all there are 120 films.

I admit it. FanTasia is one of the great pleasures of my summer. I thoroughly enjoy watching films that range from Hollywood blockbuster premiers to obscure independent horror flicks to two-minute shorts that show a director’s potential. There’s something utterly refreshing about viewing what, otherwise, for the most part, I’d probably never run across. And then there’s the utter thrill of sitting in the dark with a packed house of like-minded movie-goers, mainly horror fanatics, many of whom are not above a startled scream, spontaneous jolt, nervous laugh, frustrated groan and wild applause at the high points of creative cinema.

Of the dozens of films I saw this year, these (listed by category & alphabetically) stand out:

Fantasy

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (US). Nicholas Cage and Jay Baruchel star in Walt Disney/Jerry Buckheimer production, directed by John Turteitraub. Disney, she says??? I know, I know, but I loved it! The Sorcerer’s Apprentice has had so-so reviews in the mainstream media. Reviewers who didn’t like it compared it unfavorably with the classic Disney Fantasia animation. I haven’t seen Fantasia so I was unhampered by a comparison, although doesn’t it seem silly to compare a long-ago animation to a feature film released so many years later. Consequently, for me, the film was cute, fun and the FX cool. Yeah, it’s a film for kids. It got to the kid in me. Baruchel (from Montreal) plays the pathetically nerdy apprentice to Cage’s sorcerer, and yes, they have to save the girl, save the planet, save the day. I’ve seen Nicholas Cage in quite a few movies and haven’t liked him in most. He underplays the sorcerer and that, for me, works. It’s not dark, it’s not horror, and it may be fantasy in its most simplistic form, but the movie is perfect for a hot summer day.

Horror

Black Death (UK). If you like period films that feel realistic for the time-frame in which they are set (for example, The Name of the Rose), you’ll love Black Death. Medieval England. The bubonic plague. Mercenaries and religious zealots determined to stamp out the ‘evil’ that for them is obviously the cause of the plague embark on a witch hunt. One small village, headed by a woman, is illness-free and therefore suspect. This is a stylish and savvy film by director Christopher Smith, who has brought us Severance; Creep; and Triangle) and now adds Black Death to his list. The scripting is wonderful, the acting amazing as, it seems, only the British can be relied on to accomplish, the plot is tight, and overall this is one of the best films I saw. It’s classy and intelligent and deserves the accolades it will no-doubt receive.

Heartless (UK). After a fourteen year wait, Phillip Ridley (director of The Reflecting Skin), presents Heartless, a blurred reality film about tormented and alienated Jamie Morgan (Jim Sturgess), a young photographer born with a heart-shaped birthmark on his face. Set in lower-class east-end London, the movie reeks of poverty and prejudice coupled with gang violence. Gangs of humans, or demons! This is a film that blends dark poetry with the grotesque to create a style that’s been described as a cross between Clive Barker and David Lynch. It’s disturbing in several ways, the type of story that will haunt you later, making it a must-see for horror aficionados.

I Spit on Your Grave (US) is a remake by director Steven R. Monroe. The original film was Meir Zarchi’s cult classic of 1978 titled Day of the Woman. The 2010 version is remarkably less violent or perhaps audiences are more familiar with film violence and hence more jaded. Sarah Butler plays Jennifer, a young writer off to an isolated house in the country to create a novel. Her encounter with yahoos at a gas station doesn’t bode well. She’s alone, she’s attacked, and she wants revenge. Day of the Woman was groundbreaking—back then, women were victims, period, and getting revenge was unheard of. Of course, in a lot of slasher films, women are still revengeless victims. The original film, a product of its day, showed more nudity as well. We do see the shift from a confident young woman to one whose soul has been nearly destroyed, which is what gives the film some depth. I’m always iffy about remakes and while this story is fairly one dimensional, there’s probably some validity for redoing it from a political-statement perspective, if people go to horror movies for such. I say, rent the DVD.

Outcast (UK/Ireland). Agitation and tension mount as the two parts of this story collide. Mary (Kate Dickie) moves from place to place, hiding her teenage son Fergal (Niall Bruton). Menawhile, the boy’s father Cathal (James Nesbitt) is in relentless pursuit, hell-bent on murdering his offspring. Underlying this horror is a supernatural element inspired by Irish folklore about monstrous half-breeds. This is a heavy movie, saturated with the grim reality of the impoverished Irish. The settings are intriguing, the acting fantastic with not one sour note. Atmospheric to the extreme with a compelling story layered throughout, Outcast becomes a fascinating view of the world through Irish legends, creating a unique story. This is writer/director Colm McCarthy’s debut movie and he’s definitely a budding talent.

[REC]2 (Spain). I was excited about seeing this film. I loved [REC], a mocumentary by Spain’s creative duo Jaume Balagueró and Pace Plaza, and eagerly awaited the sequel. I was not disappointed. [REC]2 begins where the original film left off. Now, a SWAT team accompanies government scientist Dr. Owens (Jonathan Mellor) into the creepy old apartment building which has been sealed off due to an ‘outbreak’. Dr. Owens is not what he appears to be. Sequels are always problematic; knowing what’s inside the apartment building, I couldn’t be as wholly shocked as I was watching the first film. Still, this is another little gem and there are some interesting bits at the end. The English subtitles are excellent. It’s unlikely you’ll find this film in theaters but for rep houses in larger cities; it will definitely be on DVD/Blue-ray soon. If you had the misfortune to only see the hideous U.S. remake Quarantine starring Jennifer Carpenter (Dexter’s sister and Michael C. Hall’s wife), do go rent [REC] then look for [REC]2. I’ve seen and loved a lot of Spanish movies and in my view no culture does spooky and hysterical quite like the Latino, and that’s a compliment in the darker genres. Be on the lookout for two more in what is becoming a series, a [REC] prequel, and [REC] Apocalapse (due, appropriately enough, in 2012).

The Perfect Host (US). This is one of my top-three favorites from FanTasia. It’s so rare to find a black comedy that works, and this one does. John Taylor (Clayne Crawford) is a criminal on the run who scams his way into the home of Warwick Wilson (David Hyde Pierce, who you will recall played Fraser’s younger brother on the TV show Fraser). What seems like a straight-forward home invasion turns decidedly odd, and darkly hilarious. You will absolutely LOVE Pierce in this role. He’s all over the map and we can see what an incredibly fine actor this man is, vastly underrated, in my opinion. I could not find information on a release date for this clever movie but I hope it comes to a theater soon so I can view it again.

Vampires

Suck (Canada). This humorous vampire flick is a total hit and might end up being a cult classic. Actors (not singers) include: Alice Cooper; Iggy Pop; Moby; Alex Lifeson; Henry Rollins; Carole Pope; Dave Foley; and Malcolm McDowell as the vampire hunter. What’s not to like? The movie is about a young band, the Winners, scraping by—until one of their members becomes a vampire. It’s funny, clever, modern and the dialogue crackles. You’ll just love seeing these old rockers appear as actors. The movie is about a band so of course there’s plenty of terrific music. This is writer/director/star (Joey) Rob Stefaniuk’s premier film and I’m guessing he has a promising future.

The Revenant (US). Another funny vampire movie. Soldier Bart Gregory (David Anders) comes back from the dead and shows up at the door of his best buddy, LA-style lunatic Joey (Chris Wylde). In this hilarious west-coast buddy movie, the guys go searching for blood--and there’s plenty of it, as well as lots of guns, drugs and a generally insane lifestyle. Another really well written film, plenty of funny lines, an insane scenario. Kerry Prior wrote and directed this, his first feature-length movie, although he worked as an FX techie on Phantasm II, Lost Boys, The Abyss and Nightmare on Elm Street 3, et al. If you like your undead humorous, this is a must see.

Vampires (Belgium). Director Vincent Lannoo brings us an amusing mocumentary in which a film crew visits the home of real vampires to see how they ‘live’. The family of vampires includes a dotty mother, pedantic father, a wild son and a rebellious teenage daughter, all awash in normal-family problems but with a vampire spin. Downstairs live The Neighbors, an archaic vampire couple relegated to a space so small they must sleep in upright coffins. This is a funny movie. The writing (great English subtitles) is clever, most of the twists are lively and happily digestible. And best of all, this is satire so it’s not hampered by political correctness. Check out Netflix or look for the DVD.

Theater

Nevermore: An Evening With Edgar Allan Poe (US). This 90 minute live-theater event was exceptional for FanTasia. The show was performed in the Rialto, one of Montreal’s oldest and most charming theaters, rarely used, cluttered with aging rococo and classical adornments. Nevermore is Poe, in his own words, built from letters, essays, speeches, poetry and a short story, all written by the master of darkness. Actor Jeffrey Combs (http://www.jeffreycombs.com/) paints a portrait of the bizarre and tragic man that runs the gamut of emotions. There is nothing like live theater, especially when viewing a superb performance that captures so well an iconic figure. We are privy to the highs and lows of this tormented genius who bequeathed us a body of work that has become the foundation of horror literature and film. Dennis Paoli wrote the script and Stuart Gordon directed the play which debuted in Los Angeles for a four week run that by popular acclaim extended to six months. Should this theatrical magnificence appear in a theater near you, run, don’t walk to buy tickets. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you’ll never forget.

Nancy Kilpatrick

Ghoul gurrll at the Movies