This week sees the doors of the eighteenth edition of Fantastic Fest open. The film festival champions some of the best cult and genre movies, past and present. Running from 21st – 28th September this year’s event, as with previous years, has an line-up of banging titles. Here are some of our top picks.
Suitable Flesh
Yes, we previously included Suitable Flesh on our watch lists for both Fantasia and FrightFest, but it is so good that we couldn’t resist giving it another plug. Directed by Joe Lynch, Suitable Flesh is a modern retelling of H.P. Lovecraft’s The Thing on the Doorstep. Suitable Flesh stars Heather Graham as a psychologist who becomes obsessed with her new young patient (Judah Lewis). As the two become closer, Elizabeth (Graham) finds herself trapped in a waking nightmare. A loving homage to the late Stuart Gordon, Suitable Flesh also stars frequent Gordon collaborator Barbara Crampton; it is a gory and horny slice of exquisite campy horror.
What You Wish For
Another film that we loved at Fantasia and FrightFest is Nicholas Tomnay’s What You Wish For. It stars Nick Stahl as a sous-chef who finds himself in increasingly hot water after agreeing to host a private dinner. What You Wish For is a film best entered into knowing as few details as possible. Those that do will be rewarded with a head-spinning, stomach-churning feast of tension. Complemented perfectly by a career best performance from Stahl, What You Wish For really is the perfect addition to your Fantastic Fest viewing menu.
Restore Point
Whilst Fantastic Fest has a stronger reputation for screening horror, the festival embraces all things cult. Amongst the great raft of genres featured, science-fiction always has a healthy showing, and this year is no exception. One of our favourite sci-fi movies of the year so far is Restore Point. Set in the not too distant future, humanity is now able to ‘back-up’ their consciousness. This new technology means that if you are murdered, for example, you can be brought back. It’s a very interesting concept and throws up plenty of debates around fate and mortality. Restore Point presents a beguiling murder mystery, conspiracy thriller wrapped in cyberpunk aesthetics that will entrance those with sci-fi and tech noir leanings.
Strange Darling
If you have been trawling through the Fantastic Fest website trying to glean information about the films screening then you’ll know that Strange Darling has the shortest synopsis. All that is written is ‘one day in the twisted love life of a serial killer.’ This enigmatic logline should be intriguing enough to sell the audience on JT Mollner’s second feature. For those after a little more detail, Strange Darling stars Willa Fitzgerald (who features in the new Mike Flanagan show, The Fall of the House of Usher) and Kyle Gallner. Since starring in Dinner in America Gallner has not put a foot wrong, and Strange Darling is sure to be as well received as his recent works Mother, May I and The Passenger. Strange Darling also marks actor Giovanni Ribisi’s first feature as director of photography. Take a chance on Strange Darling, I promise you won’t be disappointed.
River
As much as horror fans have nerves and stomachs of steel, sometimes even the most resilient of viewers need a timeout. If, during the festival, attendees feel themselves craving something a little lighter then look no further than Junta Yamaguchi’s River. Yamaguchi’s latest film shares a lot of DNA with his previous release, Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes, and anyone familiar with that will know that the Japanese director is capable of injecting a lot of heart into his work. River pushes this further as its idyllic rural hotel location oozes with beauty. As the residents and workers find themselves stuck in a seemingly never ending two minute time-loop, they must work together to figure a way out. A lovely moment of serenity, River offers a perfect palette cleanser to the more depraved offerings, providing a much needed balm for the soul.
Fantastic Fest runs from 21st – 28th September. More details can be found here.
