Fantasia Film Festival will host its twenty-fifth edition on 5th August – 25th August. The event always champions the best, brightest, and most bonkers of genre films, and this year they have devised a fiendishly enticing line-up. With over a hundred feature films plus a ton of shorts on offer, it’s a little daunting knowing which films to choose to watch. Help is at hand though as we’ve delved into the programme and have devised a handful of our top choices.
Alien on Stage
We first met Alien on Stage last year when it screened at Arrow Video FrightFest and instantly fell in love with the film. Since then this writer has watched it at least three more times at various festivals, and I can honestly say that it just gets better each and every time. The documentary charts the journey of Dorset Bus Drivers amateur dramatics group as they attempt to stage their interpretation of Ridley Scott’s Alien on a West End stage. By day most of the cast and crew are bus drivers, but in their spare time they put on plays for the local community; their performance of Alien has become legendary and Alien on Stage was around to capture every second. Alien on Stage is delightfully uplifting, and a real comfort movie that celebrates the determination of the human spirit and the ingenuity of creativity. It’s essentially the Paddington of the documentary world and is sure to seduce the Fantasia audience.
King Knight
If you’re familiar with the past work of filmmaker Richard Bates Jr. then you likely already have King Knighton on your watchlist. If you’re not familiar with the director, I highly recommend that you seek out his excellent films Excision and Trash Fire, in addition to checking out King Knight. Starring Matthew Gray Gubler and Angela Sarafyan, this is a film for those who like their films, and humour, on the eccentric side. The plot follows Californian coven leaders Thorn (Gubler) and Willow (Sarafyan) as their serene existence is threatened by a dark secret from Thorn’s past. Boasting an incredibly good-looking cast, beautiful costumes, a gorgeous location, and killer cameos from Barbara Crampton and Aubrey Plaza, King Knight is yet another hit from Bates Jr.
Coming Home in the Dark
Now, whilst we can guarantee that you’ll have a fun time viewing the other films on this list, as we’ve already seen them, Coming Home in the Dark is one we’re championing based on word of mouth alone. It caught our attention coming out of Sundance and our excitement levels have been steadily building ever since, and now we can’t wait to finally watch it ourselves at Fantasia (and then again at FrightFest). In addition to its great reviews, it was one of the stars, Daniel Gillies, who has gotten us the most pumped as he teased the project during our recent interview with him. The film sees Gillies play one of the most despicable characters of his career, and tells the chilling tale of a school teacher who is forced to confront a brutal act from his past when a pair of ruthless drifters takes him and his family on a nightmare road-trip.
When I Consume You
Another film that we haven’t been able to get our eyeballs around yet, but can’t wait to, is When I Consume You. The film is the latest project from Perry Blackshear, Margaret Ying Drake, Evan Dumouchel, and MacLeod Andrews. If those names sound familiar, it’s because their previous projects, They Look Like People and The Siren, were festival gems, with history likely to repeat itself once more. This time the story revolves around a brother and sister who seek revenge against a mysterious stalker. Whilst the synopsis is a little light, the group’s back catalogue hints at a dark and emotional journey into otherness.
Frank & Zed
Film festivals are the perfect place to explore movies outside of your usual comfort zone. Fantasia especially has a wide range of stories just waiting to be discovered, and if you’re in the market for something rather unique, be sure to check out Frank & Zed. Created by Jesse Blanchard, Frank & Zed is a medieval-set tale of curses, monsters, and orgies of blood, told via the medium or puppetry: think The Muppets with buckets of gore. The project was six long years in the making and the time and attention spent on it sings through on screen. A true marvel of creativity and ingenuity, Frank & Zed is the perfect late night bloodfest to appease the midnight movie crowd.
Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes
Remember in 2018 when One Cut of the Dead charmed the socks off of audiences all over the world with its one-take zombie film? Well another Japanese project, Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes, is here to give the audience the same experience, but within the science-fiction realm. Cafe owner Kato discovers that the television in his cafe is a viewing portal to the future…two minutes into the future. As he and his friends begin to experiment with the device, the group find themselves caught up in a very dangerous situation. Directed by Junta Yamaguchi, Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes is the light-hearted sci-fi romp that the world needs right now.
You can catch these titles and many, many more from 5th August – 25th August at Fantasia Film Festival.
