And so, another edition of Montreal’s FANTASIA FILM FESTIVAL (this being the 15th edition) is in the books, and once again I had the pleasure of covering the festival for Arrow in the Head. So far I’ve reviewed nineteen films out of the festival, with two more (COLD FISH, and THE WOMAN) to follow before the end of the week.
A still from Retreat.
Overall, it’s been another fine year for Fantasia. Like any festival, the programming saw its share of hits (the list below) and misses (SAINT, DIE), but all told, the selection of films was quite good. My only real complaint was that, as in the last few years, martial arts and action have taken a back seat to genre, and there weren’t really any kung-fu movies that kicked my ass this year like IP MAN 1 & 2, or the old –school Shaw Bros., flicks shown in previous years.
I still had a lot of fun though, with the highlight of the festival (as always) being the wild audiences, and the great festival volunteers (with special shout-outs to Jaffer and Meaghan- who really knew how to make a guy feel welcome, and were always down for a few beers at the Irish Embassy afterwards).
Without any further adieu, here are my top five Fantasia picks- along with the best way for those interested to check em’ out:
BELLFLOWER
Evan Glodell’s debut kicked my ass from the first second right up until the end of the closing credits. It’s truly a unique piece of American Indie filmmaking, and an essential work that, whether you love it (as I do) or hate it (as many others do) – cannot be dismissed. Luckily, the folks as Oscilloscope agree, and the film should be hitting art-house theaters across North American throughout the month.
KING OF DEVIL’S ISLAND
While not exactly a genre film (despite its addition to the Fantasia roaster), Marius Holst’s Norwegian period epic, centering on a boys uprising on an isolated juvenile facility, is truly a work of art. Of the films on my list, this is probably the most difficult to see, although hopefully it’ll score an American distribution deal before long.
ATTACK THE BLOCK
Ninety minutes of adrenaline-charged fun, as a bunch of council estate ruffians take on extra-terrestrial invaders. Think of SUPER 8, crossed with THE WIRE. No Omar though. Omar would have handled shit.
IRONCLAD
Despite having already opened (and closed) in U.S theaters (in addition to playing VOD), this was my first chance to see IRONCLAD, and I’m glad I got to see it as intended on a massive screen, projected in 35MM. I blame the early mixed reviews on the fact that it was likely seen via screeners or on TV/computer monitors, which is not the way something as grandly scaled as this should be viewed.
BURKE & HARE
I know, I know- I only gave this a 7/10, as opposed to the 8’s I gave out to RETREAT & A LONELY PLACE TO DIE (both of which are excellent), but damn if a week after watching BURKE & HARE, I don’t feel like watching it again. That says something right there and it’s a frisky, fun romp and a real comeback for director John Landis.
OTHER FANTASIA 2011 FILMS REVIEWED
Chris Bumbray’s Review John “The Arrow” Fallon’s review