Fantastic Fest 2011, Day Six: Pass the Caffeine, Please

Are we there yet? Despite skipping midnight screenings and limiting my alcohol intake to free beer in the Shiner Theater, I've hit the wall more times than I can count this year at Fantastic Fest 2011. Special guests Dominic Monaghan and Elijah Wood (seen above) recuperated with the requisite caffeine after a late night of Fantastic Feud. For those who missed the annual hosted event by Scott Weinberg of FEARnet, Monaghan captained the international team that was thoroughly trounced by the American team led by Wood. 

I can only blame my festival fatigue on the Fantastic Fest programming which has kept me in the theater for 4-5 movies a day. Despite thoughts of "I really should sit this screening out," I've stayed the course and not been disappointed in my decision. Find out after the jump which films confirm my selection of Todd Brown of Twitch as my all-time favorite Fantastic Fest programmer.

Before heading into my first film of the day, I chatted briefly with director of photography Jason Goodman and P.J. Pettiette, writer/director of Julia X 3D. They were awaiting the arrival of Kevin Sorbo, who successfully made it to Austin for their film's second screening yesterday. I caught up with the filmmakers and Sorbo on the red carpet as seen above.

Then it was time for a brunch of creme brulee toast and Carre Blanc, a dystopian tale in a resourceless world. Twitch's Todd Brown introduced the film and expressed regrets from filmmaker Jean-Baptiste Léonetti for his absence -- sadly Leonetti's jacket with his passport was stolen literally minutes before his flight out of the Paris airport. Despite Brown's remarks about starting out the day with the dark nature of Carre Blanc, I was quite satisfied with this movie. Comparisons can be made to Orwell, Kafka and Aldous Huxley's work. In a world where it's both figuratively and literally "eat or be eaten," protagonist Phillippe survives and succeeds by doing what he's told in a Milgram-esque fashion. The stark bleakness of the future society is mesmerizing, in a world where often it seems only a handful of people are on the streets -- confirmed by the recurring numbers on the screen that cycle down as the world's population dwindles towards obliteration.

My next film selection was another Brown find, How to Steal 2 Million from South Africa. This directorial debut of Charlie Vlunda is classic film noir, but takes place in post-apartheid Johannesburg, a setting unfamiliar to most viewers. Lead character Jack (Menzi Ngubane) has been in prison for five years after a botched robbery, and upon his release he discovers his partner and best friend Twala has married Jack's former fiancée. Jack attempts to make a fresh break and crime-free life, but his past forces him to turn back to crime for an opportunity presented by Twala. With the aid of hustler Olive, Jack does one last job to raise the capital to start a new life -- but starting over is never easy when everyone around you is corrupt. 

I thoroughly enjoyed How to Steal 2 Million and can't wait to see it again, as well as add it to my video library. I found Charlie Vlunda (pictured above with producer Mfunda Vundla) to be rather personal and engaging, and he's definitely an emerging filmmaker to watch.

My third film of the day was the darkly entertaining action film Smuggler. Born out of a single-volume manga by Manabe Shohei, the film evolves around Ryosuke Kinuta (Satoshi Tsumabuki), an unsuccessful actor with a gambling issue. He is forced to work off his debt as a mover ... only the cargo being transported is the bodies left behind from deadly gang warfare. Kinuta can't catch a break as he becomes deeply and personally involved in one gang's revenge for the murder of their gang boss. Fueled by dark humor and slo-mo action, the realization to live-action film works. However, it's secondary characters Vertebrae (Andou Masanobu) and Viscera (Ryuushin Tei) who are more memorable than the leads. As a legendary assassin, Vertebrae is just as engaging when he shares his philosophy as when swinging his weapon.

The final selection of my dark-themed film viewing day was Lars von Trier's (Antichrist) Melancholia, a two-part story about sisters Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg). Melancholia is the outsized planet which has been lurking behind the sun and due to "fly-by" the Earth, and also the overall mood of Justine on her wedding day. How these two stories are interwoven is a fascinating tale. In addition, the stories are well supported by secondary characters portrayed by a strong stellar cast including Kiefer Sutherland, Charlotte Rampling, John Hurt, Stellan Skarsgard and Alexander Skarsgard.

Due to a rather long pre-recorded and uncut Skype interview with von Trier -- with too many spoilers for my viewing pleasure -- that proceeded the screening, Melancholia ended rather late. Consequently by the time I arrived to The Highball for Karaoke Apocalypse just after it started, the first set was completely full and no signups were being taken. I was disappointed to discover several non-festival attendees taking up the roster and the stage, as the only "must-do" Fantastic Fest parties I'd added on my dance card were Karaoke Apocalypse and closing night. Here's hoping the closing-night party doesn't become another public "free for all" event like the Longhorn Caverns event -- most festival regulars including myself look forward to a chance to socialize one last time with the attendees and filmmakers that they've sat next to in a darkened theater for eight days straight.

[Photos: Dominic Monaghan and Elijah Wood Coffee Break, Filmmakers and Kevin Sorbo of Julia X 3D, Charlie and Mfunda Vundla of How to Steal 2 Million. By Debbie Cerda, all rights reserved.]